Blindspotting: Season 2/ Episode 4 “By Hook Or By Crook” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

It’s Halloween, and while Trish, Ashley, Janelle, and Earl check out haunted houses and connect, Cuddie learns his childhood idol is Jacque’s dad.

Aired (STARZ)	April 28, 2023
Director(s)	Jess Wu Calder
Writer(s)	Sarah LaBrie
Newly Noted Characters
Dante	Dante Basco
Previously Noted Characters
Jacque	April Absynth
Cuddie	Lance Holloway
Trish	Jaylen Barron
Earl	Benjamin Earl Turner
Ashley	Jasmine Cephas Jones
Janelle	Candace Nicholas-Lippman

Recap

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.

We Don’t Say The P Word – Dante, Jacque, Cuddie, Trish

Trish hoped to set Cuddie up for a grand fall by having Jacque’s cousins dress him as a pirate. In Jacque’s household, that’s a big no-no since Jacque’s dad is Dante, as in the guy who played Rufio in Robin Williams’ “Hook.” This isn’t just a character he played, but being deemed a pirate or seen as one is basically a scarlet letter while being seen as a Lost Boy means you are one of the family.

At first, Cuddie struggles, especially when Dante challenges him to a duel, but with Jacque getting in the way of it, Dante backs off since she hasn’t done that for anyone before. Also, with Dante’s family being short Filipino people, they figure having Cuddie’s DNA could increase their average size. Thus ruining Trish’s plans and hopes.

I Miss This, I Miss Us – Trish, Earl, Ashley, Janelle

Earl coming out to hang out feels overdue for many and welcomed. Ashley is glad he is there, Trish and him bond, and Janelle? Well, once she gets past feelings of abandonment, they reconnect. Not romantically, as it seems they were on the path towards before, but as homies. And considering Janelle is reconnecting with her ex-husband, Mustafa, she doesn’t have the time or energy for Earl anyway.

With that said, how are things going between Earl and June? Well, when he talks to Trish about it, he makes it clear June doesn’t have a title. Which Trish doesn’t judge. Though, in a sign of how comfortable she is around him, she not only opens up about likely being in love with Jacque but leans on Earl, like he is a surrogate big brother.

We All Disabled Here – Trish, Ashley, Earl, Janelle

In order to get past the line for the various rides, Trish has long pretended to be blind for a disability pass. However, she learns that for invisible diseases, like PTSD, ADHD, and depression, she also could qualify. Now, did she takes things a bit far by calling out Earl having PTSD or Ashley having depression? Maybe.

Earl is a bit offended, but Ashley? She sits in her feelings and explores the possibility of being depressed. It bugs her, weighs her down, and this seemingly is something she is going to carry for a few episodes to understand if, like Rainey saying she isn’t fun, do many people think she is depressed or is it just Trish?

Things To Note

Collected Quote(s)

I just retreat to what I can control.
— Earl

Review

Highlights

Trish Guarantees A Fun Episode

The way the writers measure out Trish is appreciated. She is a character that easily could be a lot considering she is over the top, hood/ghetto, and passionate about what she does and who she is around. Which makes knowing she is in an episode almost feel like a sign we’re going to get some relief. Yes, the episode ends with Ashley questioning her mental health, but before that, she was having a jolly time, witnessing some ratchet nonsense, and mentally being tickled by Trish’s newly discovered shenanigans.

Cuddie v. Dante

Watching a man over 6 feet tall be any sort of agile is a thing to watch, and while Cuddie wasn’t necessarily giving Dante the business or moving like a trained dancer, you have to appreciate the work that went into their fight scenes.

Ashley’s Exploration Into Having Depression

Often, you find ways to keep yourself so busy that you don’t have time to check in with yourself and know how you feel. Who can diagnose depression, anxiety, or being bipolar, when you are often distracted by work, kids, parents, friends, family, and the drama any of those things on their own, or combined, bring into your life? But things are shifting for Ashley. She isn’t thriving but isn’t deep in the hustle of surviving. She has a babysitter for Sean, can go out and be an adult, and this is what leads to moments like Trish pointing out something she may not have noticed.

But so comes the issue of what to do with the information? It may not have come from a medical professional, but Ashley can’t discount how long Trish has known her and watched her. Also, there is a need to ask what would an official diagnosis do beyond get a pass to the front of the line as a theme park? That’s something Ashley is left to explore.

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