It’s always fun to see what is trending with my Netflix subscription and find a show like Blindspot. Starring Jaimie Alexander as Jane Doe, a woman with amnesia covered in tattoos that she doesn’t understand, the twisty series first ran in primetime on NBC, building its fandom between 2015 and 2020. So far, I’m only a few episodes into the first season, but I’m already worried it could go the same direction as The Blacklist, another show I enjoyed at first, but completely tuned out of by the end. Here’s why I’m worried.
I Actually Like Procedurals And ‘Story Of The Week’ Network Shows
I grew up in the 1980s watching lots of primetime TV (it’s all we had!), so I actually really appreciate network shows that tell self-contained stories in 45-minute chunks. In the age of streaming (and DVDs before it), television obviously evolved, and even in broadcast, most shows tell longer serialized stories across entire seasons.. Some of the best shows of the peak era of television, like The Sopranos, Dexter, and Game of Thrones, are great examples of how prestige television has changed the whole game.
2025 TV schedule that mostly follow procedural narratives, such as freshman hit High Potential and veteran drama Grey’s Anatomy, among others. I can still veg out on old (and new) episodes of Law & Order all day, while The West Wing, which was a combination of both formats, is one of my favorite shows of all time.
James Spader and Meghan Boone started like that, telling a core overarching story about Red Reddington’s shady past and his connection to Boone’s Liz Keene, while also deftly telling a cool “story of the week” as well. That is, until it didn’t, and it became all about Red’s backstory, with the serial aspects completely taking over.
a lot like The Blacklist, and for now I mean that in the best way. There is a greater mystery to be solved, but with each episode exploring self-contained pieces of the grander puzzle, each based on one of Jane Doe’s (played by MCU star Jaimie Alexander) tattoos. This isn’t unlike the self-contained adventure of each of the Blacklist episodes based on a name on Sapder’s character’s list.
I loved that early on, The Blacklist would reveal some clues about Spader’s relationship to Boone as episodes went on, but that those details were wrapped into the story of the week. So far, so good with Blindspot on that front, but given the way most TV plays out these days after multiple seasons under network constraints, you can understand why I’m concerned about where the show might be going.
I love shows that tell long stories and have huge over-arching plots that take multiple episodes or even multiple seasons to play out. However, not every show has to turn into one giant mystery where the golaposts move to keep the suspense going. Sometimes, like reading a book of Stephen King’s short stories, I want something that puts a nice bow on a story in under an hour. I can’t wait to see just how Blindspot wraps up.