It's that time of the year again: the weather is getting colder, carols are in the air, the department stores are crowded... and all of our favorite programs torture us by going on a months-long hiatus just when things were getting really good. This week and last have been replete with cliffhanger-y "fall finales," as all the broadcast networks ship their shows off into hibernation. (Hey, at least we'll all be too busy stuffing our faces with gingerbread to notice.) NBC's Blindspot is no exception: this Monday night, the fall's biggest new drama will air its midseason finale, "Evil Handmade Instrument." So when does Blindspot return?
I'm afraid you're not going to like the answer to that question, Blindspotters. After the popular freshman series goes off the air this Monday, we won't be hearing from it again until Feb. 29, 2016. For those of you without a calendar handy, let me do the math for you: that's a whopping 14 weeks of no cryptic tattoos, high-octane action, or Jaimie Alexander's kick-ass Jane Doe. (And here I thought Shondaland's 12-week hiatus seemed like overkill.) With the show having just delivered its first big casualty in last week's episode (R.I.P. David), it's hard to imagine how Blindspot will surpass that emotional blow in this week's cliffhanger; but I'm sure the writers have something explosive cooked up to keep us salivating for three-and-a-half months.
Here are the four biggest things on my Christmas list for the second half of Blindspot's first season:
Answers For Jane Doe
Who is Jane Doe? Is she really Taylor Shaw? Why do her DNA and her tooth tell two different stories? Interestingly, showrunner Martin Gero insists that they've already answered the question of Jane's identity. "The tooth thing goes to, potentially, whether Weller truly understands what Taylor’s actual origin story is or not, as opposed to whether she’s Taylor Shaw or not," he told Entertainment Weekly. The mystery of Taylor's past and her origin as "Jane" should be one that the show wraps up in its first season, rather than stringing us along for another year.
A Personality For Weller
As exciting as Blindspot has been in its first nine episodes, the show's weakest link is probably its nominal protagonist, Agent Kurt Weller (Strike Back's Sullivan Stapleton). So far he's been a gruff and humorless presence merely there to bark orders and ask questions about Jane. Letting audiences get to know Weller as a person — other than just his angsty relationship with his father — and letting him crack a joke once in a while would go a long way towards endearing him to viewers.
A Bigger Role For Patterson
Other than the tattoo-covered Jane, Ashley Johnson's Agent Patterson has been by far the biggest break-out star of Blindspot so far. The former Growing Pains star has played the analyst with a relatable and endearing combination of wit, awkwardness, and determination. I can easily see her graduating from computer-savvy techie to reluctant but reliable field agent, in much the same way that 24's Chloe O'Brian evolved over the course of seven seasons. With the shocking murder of her ex-boyfriend, Patterson should move to the forefront of the show — and stay there.
A Grisly Demise For Carter
Is there a character on broadcast television right now as insufferable as Michael Gaston's Deputy Director of the CIA? Sure, every show needs a good villain, but his sneering contempt for all things FBI is tiresome. Carter isn't the kind of villain you love to hate; you just hate him. I can't wait to see him go down in what will surely be a satisfyingly gruesome demise.
Regardless of how long we have to wait for more, at least Blindspotters can rest easy knowing there is more — not just in February but well beyond, into next season. Two weeks ago, Blindspot was renewed for a second season, the first new show of the fall to receive that honored distinction. Knowing that we're in it for the long haul with this show makes the wait just a little bit easier, doesn't it?
Tune into the midseason finale, "Evil Handmade Instrument" (aka "And Unveil The Mastermind"), on NBC this Monday at 10 p.m. ET.
Images: Paul Sarkis (4), Peter Kramer/NBC
