"Blindspotting," back for season 2, sets an example of diverse storytelling

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Filipino American actor Dante Basco, en garde! appears on "Blindspotting."

One of the most innovative and courageous sitcoms is back for Season 2 after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.

Blindspotting is set in Oakland, California but its creators want to spotlight the Bay Area and its diverse communities. The Bay Area is home to a large Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island community.

The premium cable outlet Starz debuted the critically acclaimed series from Starz parent Lionsgate TV and creators Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs and based on their 2018 film of the same title.

Casal also said on the podcast that he sees no limits for how big the world of Blindspotting can grow: “Every character we wrote on the show is worthy of their own show. Every character we hope to write on the show could be that way about a specific region that doesn’t have any TV shows.

This week's episode will feature Filipino American actress April Absynth who plays Jacque, the street-smart best friend Trish, one of the central characters, who is always on the lookout for economic opportunities. 

The plotline allows the episode to bring in new Filipino American characters. One of them is Dante Basco, who grew up in the East Bay.

We don't know much about the episode but an instagram post I couldn't help but smile as we see that Basco using a spatula like a sword, perhaps an homage to his groundbreaking character of Rufio, leader of the Lost Boys in Hook, which starred the late Robin Williams.

"Look at the amount of universes New York has been afforded," says Casal. "Let’s do that with this: a whole show about the Filipino community in Daly City, Latinos in San Jose or Asians in Oakland or any other city.”

Jasmine Cephas Jones reprises her role from the movie as Ashley, who’s trying to keep things together with her racially mixed family while her partner Miles (Casal) serves a jail sentence.

Along with Jones, the Blindspotting cast includes Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward, Jaylen Barron, Candace Nicholas-Lippman and Helen Hunt.

If you didn't catch the first season when it debuted in 2021, the first season of Blindspotting is available on the Starz streaming network, or you can read the original synopsis:

Blindspotting centers on Ashley, who is nipping at the heels of a middle-class life in Oakland until Miles, her partner of 12 years and father of their son, is suddenly incarcerated, leaving her to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she is forced to move in with Miles’ mother and half-sister. The series stars Jasmine Cephas Jones (#freerayshawn) as “Ashley”; Benjamin Turner (recording artist) as “Earl,” who is fresh out of prison, wearing an ankle monitor and just trying to kill time and lay low; Candace Nicholas-Lippman (Good Trouble) as “Janelle,” Ashley’s close friend who’s just returned to the neighborhood after spending many years in Bali; Jaylen Barron (Free Reign) as “Trish,” Miles’ half-sister, who might be wilder than he is; Atticus Woodward (Shameless) as “Sean,” Ashley and Miles’ sweet, smart and energetic son; Helen Hunt (Mad About You) as “Rainey,” Miles’ mother who has strong opinions and holds family above all else; and Rafael Casal who reprises his role as “Miles,” Ashley’s ride-or-die partner of 12 years and father of their son.

Starz president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch said, “The series deservedly garnered critical acclaim and is a wonderful example of our programming mandate focused on unique, authentic stories by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

"Blindspotting" introduces a groundbreaking Filipina American character

Filipino American actress April Absynth breaks stereotypes with her character,
Jacque, in "Blindspotting."

 

"Blindspotting" features best friends Jacque, left, and Trish.

OPINION

I love the Filipino American character April Absynth plays in the television series Blindspotting.

Abseynth plays Jacque, the BFF of Trish, one of the Latino characters in the Starz series. Jacque is unlike any other Filipino characters ever portrayed on American TV. She's not a computer nerd, a valuable assistant, accountant or a Lotus Blossom or Dragon Lady.

You see, the series takes place in Oakland, a wonderful polyglot community where no ethnic group is in the majority. And the series itself is unlike any other series. Perhaps if you took the movie In The Heights and the groundbreaking musical dramedy of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, mixed it in with the city's gritty hip-hop culture, you might get an idea of how unique this show is.

Jacque is Trish's street-smart business partner in her quest to establish a business unique to her, uh, talents: like catering to customer's sexual preferences. Jacque is like the little angel on the shoulder whispering advice to Trish, played by Jaylen Barron, encouraging entrepreneurial Trish and gently bringing her down to earth. 

But what I like about Jacque is her complete dismantling of the Asian woman as the  shy, demure stereotype loved by white producers and writers. Jacque has a no-holds-barred willingness to loudly express her own desires in terms that leaves no one guessing.

"I found my giant and I just need a beanstalk," Jacque says after meeting a "fine-as-hell" Black attorney. The attorney is clearly interested because, as it turns out, is a fan of Jacque, who is an artist and displays her artwork on her website

Absynth is from the Bay Area and was the leading female character in the movie Lumpia With A Vengeance, an independent feature by Filipino American creator Patricio Alicaway Ginelsa, that is currently making the rounds on the AAPI  film festival circuit.

If you haven't seen Blingspotting yet, you should get to Starz right away. Because of the unapologetic format of the series, a second season is in doubt despite Variety calling Blindspotting the best show on television. 

It centers around Ashley, a breakout role for Jasmine Cephas Jones, the girlfriend of the imprisoned Miles.

Starz's "Blindspotting" uses songs, dances and poetry to advance its narrative.
The Filipino American character, Jacque, pllayed by April Absynth, is at far left.

Joining Jones is a formidable cast — including the aforementioned Jaylen Barron, Benjamin Earl Turner and Helen Hunt — and a surreal sensibility that incorporates music, dance and spoken word breakdowns without weighing the narrative down.

The setting of the series depicts Oakland lovingly, showing the city's blue-collar diversity and the beauty of relationships between family and friends. Despite the recent spate of attacks on elderly Asian Americans by Blacks, whether it intended to or not, Blindspotting refreshingly shows the reality of the day-to-day long-standing relationship between the city's Asian, Black and Latino communities. No big deal. It just "is."

Let's hope Starz gives Blindspotting a second season and a backstory for Jacque (like, give her a last name) because she's funny, smart and there is clearly more to her than just being Trish's pal.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.