I know what you’re thinking. “Blindspot?! Nobody wants a Blindspot spinoff! What the hell are you talking about?!” Or you’re thinking, “What in the holy heck is Blindspot?”
Well, I can’t really argue with that. Blindspot, despite surviving for a five-season run on NBC from 2015 to 2020, never received great reviews, and its gradually declining viewership seemed to suggest all interest waned in the series by the finale.
And, man, the finale did not hit!
However, throughout the series, there were two shining lights that kept me hooked until the end. Two characters whose chemistry deserves the chance to continue their stories in a spinoff. These two characters, although mostly deployed as comic relief, had a great arc, yet their story was left unfinished.
They are Patterson and Rich Dotcom.
Some background.
When a mysterious woman (Jaimie Alexander) is dumped in a bag in Times Square with no memory of who she is nor why she has a bunch of gnarly tattoos all over her body, a special team in the FBI is created, fronted by Special Agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton). The team included genius lab tech Patterson (Ashley Johnson) and a bunch of other FBI cool guys who aren’t important to this article’s context.
The mysterious woman with tattoos somehow held the key to solving umpteen crimes that the FBI didn’t know were even happening. Although this woman is later revealed to have begun this journey with nefarious intentions, she soon becomes an integral and trusted part of the team (awwww).
Just like Prison Break, the series was strongest when it focused on the original mystery, so when the tattoos were all deciphered, it kinda lost its way. However, there were some memorable villainous characters within the usual forgettable baddie-of-the-week episodes. One of which eventually became a series regular in his own right. Rich Dotcom (Ennis Esmer).
Patterson was always the heart of Blindspot. These types of shows always seem to have a quirky or socially awkward but clever so-and-so to give it light relief from serious dramatic moments. You have Abby from NCIS, Aram from The Blacklist, and basically the whole cast of Scorpion. Patterson is that for Blindspot, but so much more.
When the show faked out Patterson’s death in the final season, I was distraught. I even forgot my own rules for accepting death in TV shows: if you see a body, they’re dead. If you don’t, then THEY AIN’T DEAD! Thankfully, Patterson survived the series and the problematic finale.
Rich Dotcom, however, was a cheeky but lovable recurring villain in the first two seasons before he cut a deal to work for the FBI. Rich instantly found kinship with Patterson because she was the only person on his intellectual level. They had a love-hate relationship at the beginning, but they always had a healthy respect for one another.
They even formed a Robin Hood hacker group called the Three Blind Mice, but that eventually disbanded due to a murderous third member of the collective. That’s beside the point. The point is that Patterson and Rich made an excellent team, and every interaction was freaking golden.
Patterson and Rich were the most entertaining parts of the final two seasons.
I’ve mentioned I have issues with the season finale. The ending was in the realm of “It was alllll a dream.” I hate that sh*t. But, the one thing they got right was Patterson and Rich’s conclusion. They left the FBI behind and formed a treasure-hunting duo, solving mysteries together like Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher.
Inject it into my veins!
Imagine it. A complete departure from the seriousness of Blindspot, but something akin to National Treasure with an infinitely watchable duo. Of course, you’d need other members of the team like a dumb muscle bodyguard and maybe a love interest or two. Hell, bring in Bill Nye the Science Guy for a few guest appearances, too (Patterson’s canonical father).
I don’t feel like there’s been a good Tomb Raider-like TV show in years, and this would be the perfect opportunity. Show me a good Ark of the Covenant story, a Leonardo DaVinci’s Lost Invention tale, or even a Curly’s Gold Hunt (yep, that was a City Slickers 2 reference). We don’t need an action hero, though (although some eye candy is always welcome). This dynamic duo is fully capable of leading any show’s cast.
Blindspot ended its run in 2020, and with every passing year, it becomes less and less likely a spinoff will come to pass. Ashley Johnson is a freaking star, finding oodles of fame with her then side-project Critical Role, a brand that has become obscenely popular and profitable. Who knows if she’d even have the time or the motivation to sign onto a project like this.
On top of that, Blindspot ratings declined season on season, meaning the viewership for the finale was less than half of its first episode. The ones who continued watching were greeted with an unsatisfactory ending for its lead cast. With Season 5 ending with a womp-womp, many fans immediately wiped it from their brains.
Not me.
There is so much story to tell with Patterson and Rich that I simply don’t believe it wouldn’t be popular. Honestly, I just want these guys back on my screen so much. I miss ‘em. Come on, guys! GIVE ME WHAT I WANT!
