‘Blindspotting’ Recap: ‘The Ordeal’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Blindspotting’.
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One thing that each and every one of us can agree upon in regard to stories, is that they really are the finest form of escapism out there. Because we can simply settle in with a story from any medium and lose ourselves within the world it is offering up, with minimal effort. But while that definitely helps us to just wipe our minds clear for a little while, the evolution of storytelling is changing that particular perception. For creative minds and audiences alike are starting to understand that storytelling can offer up so much more than mindless entertainment. It can capture the zeitgeist of an era or it can also teach us something about our world and the problems that plague us. Or in the case of today’s discussion… stories can capture the essence of life and help us to experience what the world is really like, in a manner that is both entertaining and artful so that the message and the gravity of what we’ve just read or seen… truly stays with us. And for proof that this is outright possible and becoming the norm, then look no further than the 2018 film, Blindspotting.
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For this unique drama/comedy used humor and poetic moments to open our eyes to what life is really like in the city, specifically Oakland in this case. Plus, it was also able to shed light on the fact that police brutality is sadly commonplace, and the fear that African Americans experience on a daily basis because of it, while also offering up an outright slice of everyday life in America. Complete with the little moments that we all share in and rarely think about and well, this motion picture was so successful at creating this perfect blend of fiction and reality and is so beloved by fans everywhere, that some questions arose in the mind of its writers, Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. In that, would it be possible to replicate the unique structure of this film, on television? Where intense and serialized storytelling is the norm over anything else? Well, it turns out that STARZ opted to give a Rafael and Daveed a chance to expand upon their brilliant idea by way of a series that shares the same namesake as the film and well, it doesn’t take long for the viewer to understand that this experiment in capturing a slice of everyday life on the small screen is going to work like a charm.

A feat that ‘The Ordeal’ accomplishes by first making sure that this series is one hundred percent connected to the source material, so that we know what to expect, and that is precisely why this show takes place some time after the end of Colin and Miles’ wild adventures in the film. Wherein Miles is suddenly faced with some new challenges in his life. For on New Year’s Eve, Oakland PD bursts into his home to place him under arrest for possession of drugs and that unfortunate start to the new year, puts his long-time love in quite the difficult place. For now, Ashley must navigate finding a place to live while raising their son, Sean, all on her own. Which ironically makes it seem as though this series isn’t going to offer up something new and powerful and that we are instead about to be treated to a standard tale of redemption and freedom. One where Ashley emerges stronger on the other side in record time and leaves Miles behind so she can forge her own path. But instead of going that route, this is where the show opted instead to offer up a realistic path for Ashley, one that we can outright relate to.

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Because rather than run or suddenly declare the man she’s been with for twelve years as nothing more than a loser… she stands by his side and opts to wait for him to get out and that’s about as powerful and as realistic as it gets. For there are people we connect with that don’t always have their life together, but we stand by them none the less because they are good people at their core and make mistakes along the way. And that is Miles to a tee, as we learned in the film, and it is simply refreshing to see a character stand by someone flawed for a change instead of going the usual ‘abandon the troublemaker’ route and the realism is further enhanced by way of the fact that Ashley must move in with Miles’ family to make ends meet. Because we’ve all relied on family during dark moments in our lives to help us up when we’ve fallen and that’s an element that simply sucks you in and leaves you rooting for Ashley to find the stability she seeks and for Miles to get another chance. 
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But while all those elements offer up an engrossing watch, we would be foolish to not point out that this chapter in the story is just as artful and poetic as the film that preceded it. Something that the show accomplishes by offering up some fourth wall moments. The kind where we can hear Ashley’s inner thoughts as she tries to navigate the stresses of her current situation, lending credence to the wild nature of tough times and how surreal they can become while also reminding us of the fact that there is beauty to be found even in the darkness when we take a moment to reflect upon it and its relevance to the future. And speaking of beauty, this premiere also does a wonderful job of capturing the wonder and majesty of life by way of exaggerated artistic moments, the kind where musical numbers break out or where a simple moment features synergy, all to remind us of the fact that life is poetic and beautiful and wonderful and that the special moments stand out above the rest in our minds, in the most unique ways imaginable.

In the end, this is simply a flawless series premiere when all is said and done. Simply because it draws you in with minimal effort and truly offers up a solid slice of everyday life. One that helps to teach and remind us that the human experience isn’t as different as we like to think, and that we share in far more than we are aware of. But of course, a story of this gravity doesn’t work in the slightest without quality acting through and through and that’s present here as well. For Jasmine Cephas Jones is simply electric as Ashley, and Rafael Casal does a wonderful job of bringing Miles back to life and Helen Hunt steals the show as his mother, Rainey. Since she brings a unique innocence and impish perspective to this story, one that speaks to a person that has lived a fulfilling life and knows that this too shall pass. And those performances and the stunning story present here, make this a meaningful and poignant beginning to a series that is undoubtedly going to take us on an incredibly journey as we watch Ashley navigate this wild ride we call life, and all the twists and turns it sends our way. Until next time.

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