On first watch, "Blackout" was another one of those episodes that mostly impressed me with a lot to like. It also was one of those episodes that had potential to be great but falls short of that, and it would have been great actually if the length and pacing felt right. As said in a few other reviews, Season 20 underwhelmed generally. A few episodes were very well done, but most of the episodes in the better half were still merely decent and the lesser ones were very mediocre.
"Blackout" on rewatch was one of the more than decent if not enough out of the ordinary episodes, that is neither quite one of the best or worst of Season 20. So more or less what was felt on first watch. The many great things showed its potential to be one of the better episodes, but that the pacing felt off at times made that not be the case. The basic idea for the story is not much new, but luckily to me it didn't feel too predictable (was though to begin with) once things start being revealed.
Am going to start with the good. The photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way.
The script is taut and thought provoking, avoiding melodramatic soap opera and cheese. It is very uncompromising but also surprisingly tactful, not always expected with this type of story. The story is engrossing enough and delivers on the suspenseful drama later on. The regulars are all strong, and even better are the super guest turns from Peter Gallagher, Callie Thorne and Titus Welliver.
Did feel that "Blackout" was a little perfunctory and predictable to begin with, which to be honest was not unexpected. The ending also felt rather too neat.
My biggest issue is that the episode felt too short and rushed. It would have been better as a two parter, some nice ideas here not done enough with and a longer length and more than one episode would have solved the problem.
Concluding, more than decent but not great. 7/10.
"Blackout" on rewatch was one of the more than decent if not enough out of the ordinary episodes, that is neither quite one of the best or worst of Season 20. So more or less what was felt on first watch. The many great things showed its potential to be one of the better episodes, but that the pacing felt off at times made that not be the case. The basic idea for the story is not much new, but luckily to me it didn't feel too predictable (was though to begin with) once things start being revealed.
Am going to start with the good. The photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way.
The script is taut and thought provoking, avoiding melodramatic soap opera and cheese. It is very uncompromising but also surprisingly tactful, not always expected with this type of story. The story is engrossing enough and delivers on the suspenseful drama later on. The regulars are all strong, and even better are the super guest turns from Peter Gallagher, Callie Thorne and Titus Welliver.
Did feel that "Blackout" was a little perfunctory and predictable to begin with, which to be honest was not unexpected. The ending also felt rather too neat.
My biggest issue is that the episode felt too short and rushed. It would have been better as a two parter, some nice ideas here not done enough with and a longer length and more than one episode would have solved the problem.
Concluding, more than decent but not great. 7/10.
