Parents' Guide to

Blindspotting

By Angelica Guarino, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sex work, drugs in smart but disjointed family dramedy.

TV Starz Comedy 2021
Blindspotting Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

While this show has brilliant moments and sequences, it struggles with blending the risky creative choices that made the original movie a standout with a more traditional television format. Blindspotting ends up with a disjointed narrative that jarringly jumps from scene to scene. While one moment can be emotionally moving and poetic, the next will be too self-aware, using sitcom-style dialogue perhaps to remind the audience that this is not like any show they've seen before. The premise for blending these styles sounds promising, but Blindspotting often doesn't feel like two styles blended together; instead it's like three or four totally different shows forcibly asserting that they are one.

Blindspotting does, however, have compelling individual storylines and effective relationship building. The performances of Jasmine Cephas Jones and Helen Hunt are fantastic; every scene between Ashley and Rainey is at once hilarious, emotionally genuine, and relatable. Another highlight is the relationship between Ashley's childhood friend Janelle and Earl, a tenant living with Janelle and her mother. The two are scene-stealers by themselves, especially when acting as babysitters to Ashley's son Sean, but the episode where we get a major storyline about Janelle and Earl's growing friendship spotlights how well anthology-like ensemble storytelling can work. Unfortunately, it isn't too long before an out-of-place dance sequence shifts the attention to the backstory of the two main characters in the film version of Blindspotting -- Miles and Collin -- even though Collin doesn't appear in the television version at all. Overall, while the representation of real, important stories creates a unique narrative world, it's possible that viewers who are attached to the cohesiveness and continuity that television traditionally provides may not stick around long enough to understand it.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate