Review: Blindspot “Hella Duplicitous”

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Warning: Major spoilers ahead

NBC hit series “Blindspot” kicks off its fourth season in style with “Hella Duplicitous.” From the onset, it’s a high-octane episode with tons of action, nuance, and superb narrative.
“Blindspot” season 4 episode 1 opens in Tokyo with Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander), Patterson (Ashley Johnson), and Edgar Reade (Rob Brown) setting up a meet with Yakuza member Aiko (Rila Fukushima). FBI consultant Rich Dotcom (Ennis Esmer) is undercover posing as successful American businessman Simon North. The plan: Simon offers a sword to Aiko in exchange for a CIA NOC (No-official Cover) list. Each team member has a specific role, which Jane details in a neat segment, explaining that the real objective isn’t the NOC list. Instead, it’s retrieving Roman’s fourth data cache.

Unfortunately, the plan quickly goes south as Aiko reveals that she knows Simon is actually Rich Dotcom. While Jane battles a group of assailants and protects Rich, Patterson cleverly concocts a freezing agent with a bottle of gin to smash open the safe containing Roman’s data cache. Meanwhile, Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton) remains in New York recovering.
After returning to New York, Patterson, Rich, Reade, and Jane discuss their other focus in continuing to pursue HCI Global. In “Blindspot” season 3 finale “In Memory,” savvy businessman and criminal mastermind Hank Crawford (David Morse). While Rich protests that Crawford is dead, Patterson argues, “They’re like the Hydra, you cut off one of their heads and two more are gonna grow back in its place.” Possibly this is a reference to actor Luke Mitchell’s ( who portrayed Jane’s brother Roman on “Blindspot”) stint on “Agents of SHIELD” where he battled Marvel foe Hydra. Reade sides with Patterson, admitting “I’d feel a lot better if we knew who was taking the wheel in Crawford’s absence.”

Cue an ominous transition to Paris, France where former FBI and CIA member Natasha Zapata (Audrey Esparza) colludes with the late Hank Crawford’s daughter, Blake (Tori Anderson). Tasha warns Blake that someone on HCI Global’s board wants Blake ousted. As such, Tasha suggests that Blake call for a vote and become the permanent CEO. “Power isn’t given, it’s taken,” Zapata states. “Tomorrow we take it with both hands.”
Jane’s ZIP poisoning continues and escalates, with Doe back in her Remi persona and hellbent on resurrecting Sandstorm. Ever since getting shot, Jane/Remi returned as her Sandstorm self and began attempting to make contact with former cronies. Though she’s largely unsuccessful, Remi eventually meets up with Dolan (Nyambi Nyambi). Initially, he’s distrustful. But Jane convinces him to join her quest to return Sandstorm to its former glory.

Observations:

More happens in one episode of “Blindspot” than some entire television show seasons. Still, it doesn’t feel rushed. Over the course of “Hella Duplicitous,” Jane proves her intent to destroy the FBI from the inside, and more specifically to kill her husband, Kurt Weller. Former Congressman Matthew Weitz (Aaron Abrams) is named FBI director, which pleases HCI Global board member Madelina Burke (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). “This new FBI director will be good for us. Weitz is malleable,” she smirks.

Jane manipulates the FBI team, sending them on a mission to infiltrate an underground bank so that she can steal money to fund Sandstorm. Burke murders the rest of the HCI Global board, including Blake, but recruits Zapata to join her. “Could you kill your colleague?” she asks looking at Reade’s face on TV. “Without question,” Zapata replies coldly.

It’s clear that HCI Global didn’t die with Hank Crawford. Instead, it’s thriving. Sandstorm is all but finished, but Remi persists in her mission to bring down the FBI, break out Sandstorm leader and her adopted mother Shepherd (Michelle Hurd), and kill Weller. The enemies throughout “Blindspot” season 4 are HCI Global, Sandstorm, Remi, and the ZIP poisoning which plagues Jane. However, Doe’s ZIP poisoning comes with an added benefit: hallucinations of her late brother Roman. It’s delightful seeing Roman once again, especially with his quirky interactions with Jane.

Ultimately, “Blindspot” season 4 episode 1 “Hella Duplicitous” arrives as one of the best series entries. It’s full of plot set up for the coming story arcs, a masterful blend of comedy and action, plus excellent stylization. The opening sequence features spectacular choreography with Jane battling the dual sword wielding Aiko, who’s decked out on a red suit that really pops on-screen. If “Hella Duplicitous” is any indication of what’s to come, expect a fast-paced, complex, and utterly engaging season of “Blindspot.” There were loads of twists I didn’t predict, and I’m eager to see where Tasha’s allegiances lie. Is she jaded by her work with the FBI and CIA, or infiltrating HCI Global?