BLINDSPOT “Her Spy’s Harmed” Recap

By Pauline Perenack

It’s Time to Choose a Side, Jane

Last week’s episode of Blindspot featured one of the best gun fights we’ve seen thus far, and we learned that Shepherd is a little nervous about Jane. However, the real drama came from Reade. After breaking into Coach Jones’ house and finding a video with his name on it, he was found by Zapata, standing over the body of Coach Jones. Was he the killer? Or did he stumble into a deeper conspiracy?

If you’re playing the title anagrams, tonight’s episode, “Her Spy’s Harmed” seems to decode to “Shepherd’s Army.” All titles we’ve had so far come out to “Nothing is more dangerous. They invoke fear, for their moment is near. The FBI defends the constitution. Shepherd’s Army…” Intrigued? Let’s recap what happened tonight.

What Could Go Wrong?

Tonight’s episode thankfully picks up right where last week’s left off, with Reade standing over Coach Jones’ body. When questioned, Reade denies being involved, and tells Zapata he was downstairs when he heard a noise. She believes him, and the two run when neighborhood security arrive. As they’re about to drive off, Reade remembers leaving the tape with his name on it in the VCR, but Zapata convinces him to leave it.

Back at his apartment, Zapata comes up with a plan to get Reade out of the mess he’s created for himself. They’ll burn their clothes, get some sleep, and then get the tape once an investigation has started in regards to Coach Jones’ murder. They’ll go to the house since Coach Jones was part of one of their cases, and grab the tape before anything is discovered. Once at the house in an official capacity, Zapata manages to get the tape, and further cleans up for Reade by blackmailing one of the neighborhood security officers, who had seen Reade the day before. However, when she gets Jones’ autopsy reports, she confronts Reade because his timeline just doesn’t add up.

Patterson meanwhile, has uncovered more information from the Black Hole photo, and is briefing the team. Most of the emails found were junk mail, but one seemed to be from Douglas Winter to his girlfriend, asking her to meet him at a hotel in Bulgaria. While being questioned, the girlfriend admits she never received the email, so the team believes that it was intercepted by Mayfair, and Weller and Nas head to Bulgaria to find Winter.

Jane is forced to skip the mission however, because she receives a page from Roman. He calls her in to go on a mission with him to get the microchip which will enable Sandstorm to put their full plan in action.

Once in Bulgaria, Weller and Nas almost immediately discover the CIA is there as well to find Winter. Turns out Carter’s replacement, Jake Keaton, had been monitoring the girlfriend, and figured out Weller would make his way to Bulgaria. Weller and Nas manage to find Winter first, but are shocked when he pleads innocent about leaking the files, and says he’s now a prisoner of the Bulgarian government. Weller and Nas break him out of the hotel, manage to elude the CIA, and get Winter to an FBI safe house.

At the safe house, Winter admits to not actually knowing Mayfair or why she wanted his emails, but he had a recording of the people who broke into his house and set him up, which proved his innocence. The story sounds a little sketchy, so Weller sends the recording to Patterson.

While waiting for confirmation from Patterson, Weller confides in Nas, who is there to offer comfort, and the two of them end up sleeping together. Soon afterwards, the safe house is stormed by heavily armed men, but Weller and Nas are able to take them out. The only one left standing is Keaton, who admits he was one of the men who tortured Jane. Weller is immediately out for blood, but Nas is able to calm him down, and they take Winter, leaving Keaton behind.

Meanwhile, Patterson is having problems analyzing the recording Weller sent, and her task is made even more difficult by Borden constantly interrupting her to see if she’s done so they can spend time together. She finally loses her patience with his interruptions, and in a fit of frustration, accidentally calls him David, effectively cooling his desire for her to finish what she’s working on.

Jane is having her own difficulties as she and Roman attempt to steal the microchip. When their original plan goes sideways, the two have to improvise, and while Jane finds the chip, Roman is left to deal with the guards. As Jane watches him fight on the security feeds, she calls Patterson to upload the information from the chip to the FBI. Before the information can be fully uploaded, Jane pulls the chip to run after Roman to save him, and the two barely escape with their lives.

After apologizing to Borden for her lack of tact, Patterson discovers the bug in his office that Nas has been using to spy on Jane. She calls Weller about it, who keeps the tidbit to himself.

With everyone back in the office, Nas is upset with Jane for not uploading all of the microchip information to Patterson, but Jane is convinced she can save the Sandstorm mission by turning Roman. The discussion is interrupted when Patterson announces she’s fully verified the voices from Winter’s recording. As the team listens, it becomes clear that it was Roman and Shepherd who framed Winter, but the more interesting revelation comes when Weller recognizes Shepherd’s voice. He knows her from somewhere.

Who is Shepherd?

When Blindspot began, the main appeal of the show was the mystery of Jane, and her backstory. As we’ve progressed, Blindspot’s appeal has shifted to the character development because the Sandstorm plotline this season isn’t very strong. We just don’t know what’s going on, and we’re not getting enough information for it to be engaging enough to actually care.

The character development between Jane and Roman however, makes up for the weak Sandstorm mystery. They clearly have a history, and Roman is struggling with the fact that Jane can’t remember it. However, she’s starting to remember enough that her loyalties are starting to shift to him, and away from the FBI. Undoubtedly, this was Shepherd’s plan all along, but it’s intriguing to watch how close these two are becoming. Both feel they can turn the other, and are constantly playing each other. Jane will eventually come out on top and turn Roman – if he doesn’t get himself killed beforehand – but it’s not clear what that will mean for Roman.

Similar to Jane, Reade is spiraling further and further down a rabbit hole, and Zapata is right there beside him. Her loyalty is unquestionable, but hopefully, it won’t be her downfall. However, it’s getting harder and harder to see how either of these two will come out of this situation unscathed.

Patterson is clearly still struggling with David’s death – going so far as calling Borden the wrong name – and this could be something to watch. I’ve said for weeks that Borden is the mole within the FBI, and how he was pushing Patterson tonight seems to keep putting the spotlight on him. Having a bug in his office also makes him questionable, regardless of who is actually listening to the recordings.

The only awful character development is with Weller. Fans on Twitter tonight were universal in their hatred of Weller sleeping with Nas – especially since it seems so forced and out of left field. Is he just sleeping with everyone now? Unfortunately, the fan base is starting to lose interest in his dalliances, and hopefully this is righted soon.

But, it’s not Blindspot without a little mystery. We know Sandstorm has been watching Weller for years, and now he recognizes Shepherd’s voice? Who is she to him? How deeply involved is he?

Hopefully next week the Sandstorm plotline will move along a little faster, and we can get some more information as to what is actually going on. Until then!