‘Blindspotting’ Recap: ‘The Rule of Three’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Blindspotting’.
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It is definitely safe to say that parenthood in general, can be quite the worrisome affair. After all, this is a human life that is being brought into the world, and the thought of failing a creation of one’s own flesh and blood… is a terrifying prospect. Which is why so many prospective parents take the time to study up on how to properly raise a child… so that they can give their little one the proper chance to grow into a functional and wonderful member of everyday society. But even then, there are no guarantees that the parent in question will get it right and that’s why more worrying and concern comes forth as the child grows. Since good parents really do want to get it right and well, that mental struggle is paramount to our discussion today, simply because it served as one of the focal themes of this week’s episode of Blindspotting.
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For ‘The Rule of Three’ saw Sean begin to act up a touch without his father laying down the rules and well… that led Ashely to worry hard about her son’s future. Because not only did he need a father figure in his life, but he needed guidance that she wasn’t sure she could provide him with, and since it was now up to her to be the sole parent in the relationship for the next five years… she came to realize that like it or not… she was going to have to play the father figure and disciplinarian to her baby boy and that scared her to her core. Because deep down she knew that such an act likely meant having to show anger around her son, something she swore she’d never do because it simply wouldn’t be right in her eyes and well, that led her to seek out advice from Rainey and others… with mixed results.

Because the prevailing theme that everyone offered her, was to provide her son with a little physical punishment, the kind that would quickly put him in his place and help him to understand that non-compliance would in fact… lead to a healthy ass-whipping and well, that just didn’t jibe with her. Because she was convinced there had to be another way and while she fretted, Janelle and Earl figured out that path. In that, in the case of Sean, helping him to understand his mistake on a fundamental level was the key to getting his buy in on a particular lesson, and if Ashley reinforced all of that, the lesson would stick and this really was a fascinating segment on the struggles parents go through in life and how much uncertainty surrounds their role and the wonder of this slice of life examination, didn’t end with Ashley’s parental journey.

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For we also got to know Trish a little better in this particular tale. For while Ashley lamented over how to be a better mother, Trish was eager to make her mark on the world by swinging by the bank to secure a loan for her strip club, one that she would run the right way and well… that meeting didn’t go as well as she hoped. In fact, it was an outright disaster. one that ended with her ejection from the bank and ridicule from her co-workers at the club. For they all pointed out that Trish has a temper, one that is rarely under control when she feels disrespected, and that word is one that is paramount to Trish’s journey. For an odd encounter with her sleaze of a boss, made it clear that Trish doesn’t feel as though she amounts to all that much and projects to look tough and feel tough. 
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But in reality, she is a lost individual. Not because she works in the sex industry and wants to dominate it in every sense of the word. No instead, she’s lost because this episode made it clear that she wants to be respected and wants to feel as though she matters in a world where she isn’t seen and that is quite the powerful revelation to learn about this character. Because her struggle is one that a great deal of us share in and an it just goes to show… that Blindspotting is a universe of storytelling that is all about the struggles of life and how difficult it can be to find our way in a world where chaos surrounds us at every turn and where uncertainty and worry permeates our mind on a daily basis and well, that makes this particular episode downright brilliant when all is said and done. Because there is no other series out there, capturing life in the manner that this one does.

Because seeing a mother fret over how to raise her son and seeing a young and intelligent woman struggle to find her path forward, is about as real as it gets. For it is happening as we discuss this tale, and that’s powerful and poignant and refreshing as well. Since it means, this series is always going to find new ways to surprise by way of commentary or moments that give us pause since we will or have experienced what the characters are going through and well, that really does make this series special and worthwhile for certain. And now that this particular adventure through the human condition has come to an end, all we can do is wait excitedly and impatiently to see what kind of powerful journey awaits us when we return to the bay next week. Until then.

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