#episode: 214 - borrow or rob

[more--than--anything]

Episode Review: "Bless this mess" [S02E14]

RICH IS BACK! I mean, yeah, other stuff happened, but THERE WAS A LOT OF RICH AND IT WAS AWESOME!! Y: Awesome would be an understatement. A criminal understatement! I don’t think the grin was wiped off my face for that whole hour! 

L: This might be my favorite episode ever. It was just so much damn fun. Also, Best. Dialogue. Ever. I wonder if the scripts for Rich Dotcom episodes run longer, to accommodate for all the awesome lines that come at you like machine gun fire? 

This week's case had the heart of a lion. No really, it did. It also had lithium batteries, secret societies, moon colonization, and a bunch of people who really like math. Oh, and a terrorist attack.

L: So this week's tattoo is a mathematical equation whose variables correspond to real-world economic values. Patterson isn't quite sure what it means, but it has something to do with lithium, the main ingredient in the high-capacity batteries used by modern electronic devices, which hit an all-time market high. The rest of the tattoo is the symbol for a secret society at a private college... and one of the members is none other than Rich Dotcom. The team is just thrilled with the opportunity to work with Rich again (unlike the television audience who was positively cackling with glee). Turns out that this stay in prison has sent Rich on a journey of spiritual enlightenment, and honestly, religious Rich is even funnier than dark-web-kingpin Rich. Rich explains that the formula is a risk-reward algorithm used by members of the society to determine the likelihood of a venture succeeding... and this particular permutation determines that the best time to start a war is today. So someone is planning to execute a major attack and frame a lithium-rich country, giving the US a reason to invade it and seize control of its lithium resources. Rich identifies Zach Riley as a likely conspirator. Riley's company pioneered digital music distribution, which he sold for billions so he could get into everything from colonizing the moon to artificial intelligence to electric cars, which run on lithium-based batteries. Well, there's a likely connection. Riley is on campus at an alumni event, where there will apparently also be a clandestine meeting of the secret society. The FBI calls in Rich's old flame, Boston, who is also a member of the society, in order to gain a second entry into the event. 

Going to prison has apparently put a damper on Rich and Boston's romance, because Boston isn't interested in working with Rich or the FBI. The exchange between Weller and Boston was particularly good, and illustrated why Weller sits at the AD's desk. Boston doesn't want to do any favors for the FBI team that put him behind bars, but Weller coolly replies, "'Cause I can transfer you to Victorville. That's 85 miles from your parents in L.A. I know it's been a little hard for them to travel, so this way, they'll be able to visit you more often." He knew Boston wouldn't want to help the FBI, so he was prepared with leverage before Boston walked in the door. 

The other reason I really like this scene is that it is yet another nod to the theme of parental expectations. At the end of the episode, we discover that Boston was a promising artist who gave up his dreams to follow Rich into a life of crime (which was a lovely bit of added character depth that the Blindspot writers excel at). Instead of seeing his work in galleries, his parents now visit him in prison. This revelation follows on the heels of discovering that Rich turned down an opportunity to make a legitimate fortune in Silicon Valley with Riley in order to stay in school and finish his degree and please his parents. And we haven't even gotten to Mama Shepherd yet and what her children have had to do in order to live up to her expectations. The moral of this story is apparently that parents are the root of all evil.   

Two couples set out for the reunion: Rich with date Weller and Boston with date Patterson. And can I just say: these pairings are brilliant. We already knew that Weller would be uptight and Rich would be outrageous. But Patterson and Boston bicker like teenage siblings, and it is the best thing ever. Both couples have to sell their relationships to disbelieving classmates, and hilarity ensues. We get Rich and Weller (ship name: #WelCom) dancing together; Boston and Patterson bonding over failed relationships and making fun of each other's names (and teasing the audience about Patterson's mysterious first name); and Weller being referred to as Rich's husband, then a hooker, and then as a "meat trophy." Honestly, Blindspot fans couldn't ask for more than that. 

Oh, right, there's a case, too. The team works together to download the contents of Riley's laptop only to discover that he's out of the lithium car battery business and thus, out of the running as potential criminal mastermind. Turns out that he sold his shares to another member of the secret society, Thad Munson, who seems to be in league with the mysterious Northlake Military Contractors, who keep turning up in the middle of tattoo cases. Hmmmm. Munson is attempting to release a highly radioactive element and instigate a war with Bolivia, and forces Rich to help by shooting him in the foot. Weller thwarts Thad's plan by shooting Rich in the leg. And let's be honest here: That's probably the best resolution to a case ever for Weller. 

Y: Ok, I must confess something. I don’t remember much about the case this week. I’m not saying that it wasn’t interesting or intriguing or anything it’s just that… so much Rich, so much Boston and Patterson, so much awesomeness I really couldn’t pay attention to much else! I know, I know, I’m horrible but the genius of Rich Dotcom and the brilliant partnership or Boston and Patterson was just so mind blowing, I almost forgot other things were happening. 

But on a second rewatch, I focused a bit more and while I was still distracted by those other things, I tried to pay a little more attention to the weird things rich people do when they are bored. What I found most interesting is that Sandstorm once again have a tattoo that points to and incriminates someone they have done work with or are doing work with. Sure, Riley sold his company, but still, like they did with Kat and her biker gang, Sandstorm once again burn bridges they no longer need. Another interesting thing is the ever present Northlake, showing up on the show for at least the third time since season 1 episode 12. Should we paying more attention to them? Who are they exactly? How involved are they in all this mess? Because whoever they are, they keep popping up and it is very very peculiar. 

So our team is following Rich's example, seeking inner peace and getting themselves back on track, right?

Y: Oh, yeah absolutely! After waking up with Nikki, again, Reade finally confessed to Tasha about his recent affair. Of course, he left out the part where he’s doing drugs for entire weekends. Tasha lets him know exactly how she feels about that. Hint: she is not a fan. And what does Reade do? He goes straight back home and follows his wise friend’s advice? Yeah, if following her advice means doing some more drugs, then yes, this is exactly what Reade does. And this time he does it without Nikki pushing him to. Just another leap down the hellhole that is Reade’s current journey. This boy is gonna hit rock bottom and I don’t know if anyone will have the power to pull him back up or if he will have what it takes to crawl his way back up. It is going to take something huge to shake him and make him realize just how self destructive he has been lately. 

Tasha had a slightly quieter day, rolling her eyes at Rich a few times and having her wise words go unheard by her best friend. What more can this poor girl do for him? I really hope she finds out the whole truth about what is happening to him soon because she is the only one who knows what kind of mess he could potentially be in. 

L: Ugh ugh ugh. Reade, dude! Can't you just drink your troubles away, like Weller? I mean, it's not working for him either, but I can certainly understand why this team is a little gun-shy about seeing a therapist. Express elevator, going down. 

Paging Tasha. Ass kicking needed in aisle Reade. 

Y: Nas, on the other hand, had the task of babysitting the amnesiac siblings this week and take them around town to properties that they could have lived in at some point in their lives. She seems to have warmed up a bit to the idea that Roman gets to hang around these days. I don’t know how exactly she feels about Jane having the upper hand in this setup though. Very much like Tasha this week, Nas was sidelined for most of the episode, and all we know is that she knows Roman remembered something regarding that restaurant. Will she push to find out what it is or will she trust Jane and Roman to come forward if that information is relevant? So far Nas seems to be ok with taking a step to the side and let others run the show a bit. I did love her scene with Patterson. 

Actually, all the Nas/Patterson scenes have been great and I hope we get to see more of that interaction moving forward. 

Speaking of Patterson, our favorite lab lady really kicked some ass this week-- again-- proving once again that she is the most bad ass agent in the whole of the FBI. In my opinion, at least. 

L: You know how I adore Patterson! I was a little bummed that she didn't get to bring her awesome computer-clutch this week, which is still my favorite accessory in the history of accessories. But her interactions with Boston more than made up for that. And I loved the scene between her and Nas, too. 

Nas has been a little less shady the past few weeks. I'm not sure if it's just because she's not sleeping with Weller any more, or if it's intentional, to make viewers see her in a more sympathetic, more "go team!" role. To be honest, I think I enjoyed her the most when she was acting suspicious and following her own mysterious agenda. It's hard for me to trust this new kinder, gentler Nas, so she seems less effective in her role as team mom. 

I really love that Patterson was checking up on Dr. Sun, but honestly, I can't imagine why Patterson would want to talk to her. Yes, Patterson needs a therapist, one that she can thoroughly vet. (Although presumably Borden would have been thoroughly vetted before being assigned to the NYO. Given that no one seemed to have any idea that he might be working for Sandstorm, apparently there was nothing in his file that sent up red flags, either.) Maybe she should get Dr. Sun to vet a new therapist for the team? It is clear when we see Patterson that she is struggling-- and unlike both Weller and Reade, instead of denying it (or snorting questionable substances)-- she has gotten checked out by a physical doctor and is now willing to see a psychologist. You know, just in case we needed more proof that she's the smartest person in any room.

Y: Yeah, her choosing Dr. Sun is a bit strange, but I think it comes down to the fact that the people who are in the know with regards to Operation Sandstorm are very few and the only licensed therapist among them is Dr. Sun. I’m not too thrilled about it either because of how she dealt with my precious Roman, but after getting a glimpse of her backstory, I might be warming up to her a little bit. Or at least, I understand why she’d be so “hostile” towards Roman. How would she be able to help Patterson, though? I don’t know, but I sure hope so because that perfect unicorn in human form needs to catch a break soon. But hey, at least she’s not doing hard drugs… Yes, Edgar, I’m side-eyeing you so hard right now. 

Sandstorm was kind of quiet this week. Guess things aren't really moving forward for them, are they?

L: Ugh. I really, really want to believe that they aren’t going to get to Phase Two and that our beloved FBI team is getting closer, but.... Nothing about this is good. 

Despite being vindicated in this week's plot, it turns out that Riley has sold his shares in his auto company in order to focus on going into space. And he's working closely with Sandstorm, who just happen to have a giant missile laying around. I'm sure this is just a freak coincidence, though, right? Nothing to be alarmed about. Oh, wait, they can't do Phase Two without him? Yeah, maybe Rich was right: "Call your family and tell them you love them." 

Speaking of Rich, if there's a silver lining here, it's that the FBI has all the data from Riley's hard drive, and if they need help figuring it out... Well, Rich Dotcom knows "more about Zach than Zach does." So let's keep our fingers crossed that we get another Rich Dotcom episode this season. 

Y: Even when they only get one scene per episode, Sandstorm still gets more and more sinister. And I think it helps when those scenes involve Borden because his transformation is just… terrifying. From his scene with Parker a few weeks ago, to this week with Riley, it seems that creeper Nigel was really putting in quite a show to play the sweet, soft-spoken Dr. Robert Borden. What we have today is a man who seems to have really embraced the role of pure evilness. What does that mean for our hopes that Nigel/Robert will be redeemed? Is that possibility still there, or are we to accept that he is truly 100% concentrated, no additives, evil? 

But Sandstorm aren’t just sitting back and waiting. No, they’re moving ahead with their Phase Two and not wasting anytime recruiting the people they need, are they? 

Well, what about our beloved amnesiac terrorist in the basement? He's making progress, isn't he?

Y: Well, if by progress you mean discovering horrible crimes he committed in his past, then yes. Roman made a lot of progress this week. He did get to leave his glass cage this week and go on a trip around town with his sister and a government appointed babysitter. It’s really interesting watching Roman cope with his memory loss and compare it with Jane, looking at what fuels Roman to go forward versus what fueled Jane when she first woke up, especially considering that from the moment Roman came to, he was told he is a criminal whereas Jane was considered a victim. There is anger in both cases, but where Jane did not know who to be angry at, she focused on solving the tattoos. Roman does not have the privilege of focusing his anger anywhere else. Not only does he believe that Shepherd erased his memory and tried to kill him, he also believes that she was the reason he ever even became a criminal, that his path to become a terrorist was paved by her. His rage is focused on one person and one objective and until they can help him calm that rage and focus his mind on something else-- like helping the team with the tattoos and bringing Sandstorm down (and not just for the sake of revenge but because it is the right thing)-- I cannot imagine how things can be good for him. 

This boy is suffering through all this anger and he has no place for anything else at the moment. Jane needs to help him find another purpose, or at least focus that anger and use it to help them, before he implodes. 

Finding out that he is responsible for Emma Shaw’s death is not going to help, and I just hope that when Kurt finds out, he deals with this properly and doesn't blame him or project his own anger at Roman because… not good. For either of them. 

L: Oh, Roman, you bearded heartbreak. You're locked in a cage, and when they let you out, instead of dredging up memories of your childhood, you dig up one horrible memory of killing an innocent woman. Roman's grief and rage are palpable here, and these dark, tortured moments are all the more raw for punctuating an episode filled with laugh-out-loud moments. 

Nas's source has turned up property records for Ellen Briggs, and Weller sends Jane, Roman, and Nas to check them all out and see if they remember anything. (Mind you, the property records are from Wisconsin, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, New Jersery... So we're looking at a solid week of travel, and that's without a side trip to a restaurant in Harlem, which seems pretty far from home for Emma Shaw). But anyway... 

Neither Jane nor Roman have any memories of the house where Shepherd was living (at least on paper) when she brought them to the US from Africa, an unassuming home on (no, seriously) Robin Hood Lane. Jane has gotten more accepting of her lack of memories, but Roman takes it much more to heart and breaks down. Jane tries to calm him, but he is inconsolable. "She stole my life from me. She's gonna pay." Jane is worrying about Roman, but what she should really be worrying about is how to tell Roman the truth about who ZIP-ed him. Because it's obvious now to everyone that this lie is destroying him. It's frustrating that Jane and Nas don't discuss this at all when they take Roman back to Jane's apartment to give him a little time to calm down. Not only does perpetuating this lie seem cruel to Roman, but it also seems like such an obvious future conflict: Shepherd will somehow get her hands on Roman, he'll accuse her of wiping his memory, and she will immediately tell him that it was Jane. And then Jane will have to try to win back Roman's loyalty while the entire FBI says, "Oh well, we knew we couldn't trust him." Ugh. Please don't let this happen, Jane! 

We have to wonder here: What exactly has Jane told Roman about her past? Because she says, "You killed Taylor Shaw's mother," as though she expects that Roman will know who that is. So he knows why and how Jane ended up at the FBI, but not that it was her choice to do so? The problem here is that a single lie is seldom just a single lie. It has to be sustained, so everything that Jane might wish to tell Roman, to explain why Shepherd must be stopped, must be carefully framed within the context of the lie that Shepherd was the one who wiped Roman's memory. And really, it doesn't make any sense. Jane's memory was wiped for a clear purpose: To send her to the FBI with a body full of incriminating evidence but no memories that would point back to Sandstorm, even under interrogation. But there is no purpose for Shepherd to have wiped Roman's memory, and no amount of story-spinning from Jane or trips down memory lane for Roman are going to help him find a reason that doesn't exist. 

And there's also the fact that lies aren't going to help him retrieve any more useful memories either. Jane was told that she was Taylor, and because she believed it, she tried to fit the few memories of her past that she recovered into that context... and of course, they didn't fit, so instead of unlocking her past, she was just left with the faint sense that something was wrong, but no idea what it was. It doesn't seem like a great leap to think that the lie that Roman believes is going to get in the way of his recovering true, useful memories. 

I completely agree with Yas here: The more that Roman bangs his head against this mental wall, the more his rage builds. Shakespeare said, "Truth will out," and that can't mean anything good for Jane when it does. 

But Jane is as happy as any girl getting flowers from a handsome guy, isn't she?

L: Jane misses out on the fun with Rich this week, and not getting to watch her interacting more with Rich might be the only disappointing thing about this episode.   

The show doesn’t dwell much on the fact that Jane doesn’t recall anything from any of the locations that they visit, but it feels a bit like her trying to recollect memories from Taylor’s childhood, trying to force herself to remember things that never actually happened to her. I am left wondering how much of Shepherd's adoption story was really true. The FBI has turned up Shepherd's real name, her military records (admittedly heavily redacted), and now her property records... but even though they seem to know when she returned from Africa, they haven’t found any adoption paperwork, immigration records, school enrollment records, or medical records for the two kids she supposedly brought home with her. So if the siblings weren't living with Shepherd, where were they? Clearly whatever training they were receiving at the orphanage continued well past those years, so where was Shepherd keeping them? Were there other children there with them? How many of the other Sandstorm troops had similar backgrounds to Jane and Roman, and now find themselves tied to Shepherd through a twisted mess of indebtedness and maternal expectations? 

And then there's the big lie in this episode. When Roman recovers the memory about killing Emma Shaw, he wants to tell Nas, but Jane stops him. She tells him that it will be easier for Weller to hear the truth from Jane than from Nas. And she's probably right, but when Weller asks if she and Roman retrieved any memories today, she lies and tells him no. 

Now, I hate hate hate that Jane lied to Weller. I mean, we could subtitle the first season Jane Lying to Weller Does Not End Well. I feel like this is a lesson we've all learned. But that said, I do completely understand why she lied: to protect Roman and to protect Weller. And I would argue that at that moment, she was protecting Weller even more than she was Roman. I mean, we know that Roman killed people, so one more person isn't really a huge revelation. Yes, Weller would blame Roman for killing Emma (which won't help Jane's cause of trying to convince Weller to let Roman out of jail), but even worse, Weller will blame himself. Emma was killed so that Shepherd could use Jane to get close to Weller. If Weller hadn't factored into Shepherd's plans, there would have been no reason for anyone to harm Emma. Weller already feels that he let Emma down by not protecting Taylor. How much heavier can his burden become before he collapses under its weight? 

I want to believe that Jane didn't want to dump this truth on Weller right after he witnessed Sean Clark's murder and discovered the depth of Shepherd's involvement in his life. I certainly hope that she will find some time-- away from the rest of the team-- to break this news to him gently. To some degree, it won't change things that much for Roman. The FBI already has him locked up for killing who knows how many cops and Jeffrey Kantor. Emma Shaw's death was ruled an accident, and the only evidence that it wasn't is Roman's own memory. (It probably isn't going to help Jane's dream of having her future husband and brother bonding over a nice home-cooked dinner though.) And while I hope that Jane will choose to tell Weller the truth herself-- before, say, Nas tells him that Roman had a memory of watching Weller have lunch with a women who super-coincidentally died just a little while later-- this is tv, and there's a whole lot more drama when one character discovers that another character has lied to them. Please, Jane, let’s not go there.

But the roses that Oliver sent are lovely. I'm happy that Jane has a few nice moments in her life right now. I mean, her immediate future looks like stacks of dynamite attached to a lit fuse, but at least she gets in a hot date before the earth-shattering kaboom, right? 

Y: Well, the way it stands right now, Jane has three Australian men in her life, only two of whom are about to explode. So, that’s not too bad? All things considered, things seem to be going well for Jane, which is, as everyone knows, a sure sign that things pretty soon will be not okay. Jane’s main focus is still protecting Roman, from his past, from himself, from the CIA and most importantly from the truth. The more that Roman remembers, the closer he gets to figuring out that she was the one who erased his memory and right now this is the biggest landmine for Jane. And it can go off at any moment.   

You really cannot envy Jane at the situation she is in right now. On the one hand she seems in control of her life for the first time since she woke up in Times Square. She knows what she wants, she has a purpose and she has a motive to go after that one specific goal, and yet, the circumstances around her are not helping. She never wanted to lie to Roman. She was basically forced to do that and now it’s a waiting game until this blows up in her face. And now she finds herself having to lie to Kurt (albeit to protect him as well) and we all know that cannot be good. 

Lying to Roman protects him and protects her. Lying to Kurt protects Roman and protects Kurt. And once again Jane finds herself forced into a web of lies to protect the people she loves. I just hope Jane has learned from her past, and is strong enough to untangle herself and the people she loves before it’s too late.  

Our angry munchkin was pretty stressed out last week. But this week, Rich Dotcom is making him feel all pretty and romantic. That's gotta be good!

Y: LOL! Yes, it was a nice change for Kurt this week. After a stressful couple of weeks, in comes Rich to brighten up his life and even Kurt himself admits that it was actually nice to spend the day with his favorite criminal. Kurt actually spent the majority of the episode smiling, something that has never happened before, and he still managed to take down two armed guards, stop a terrorist attack, and shoot Rich in the foot. This just might be the best day Kurt Weller has had in forever. 

Of course, it cannot all be good because back at the office, Nas is there to remind him they have bigger issues. And the little clue that Sean Clark gave him about the Truman Protocol has come back with more questions than answers. It seems like our little munchkin isn’t allowed to have a full worry-free twenty four hours. And that sounds about right because things are going to get very very not good for Weller and this was just a small break from it all before his life continues to spiral madly out of control and sends him crashing. Don’t be fooled by the smiles from this week, this is just a smoke screen. Things are going to get horrible very quickly and very soon. 

L: Yes, Weller may have smiled his way through the evening with Rich Dotcom, but it was all part of his undercover disguise. His first scene in this episode shows his real mental state a lot more clearly: He nearly breaks down describing how Shepherd looked him in the eye before plunging her knife into Sean Clark's chest, while he watched with his hands tied to a chair. 

And really, that scene is also a symbol for his life thus far: His hands are tied, and he's helpless while his father murders Taylor Shaw, while Ellen Briggs steers his education and then his career, while Mayfair is killed and his agents blown up. All he's been able to do is watch while "Shepherd goes where she wants. Does what she wants. Kills who she wants! There's nothing that we can ever do." And if there's one thing that we know about Weller, it’s that there is nothing he hates more than being helpless. He's a control freak, but he has never been in control, and that knowledge is eating him up inside. 

And I'm pretty sure things are going to get a lot worse before there is any chance of them getting better... 

What about Jeller? Any good news in that corner?

Y: You know it’s never good to ask me this question. I walk around in the most Jeller-tinted glasses that have ever existed, and all I see is good good good news for Jeller every which way I look. And yes, something big did happen this week in Jane not telling Kurt about what Roman remembered, and yes, I know people are very much annoyed by this. But I’m not, at least not as annoyed as everyone else because I can see this from Jane’s point of view, I can see why she is doing it, and I can see how this is a temporary thing. 

L: We've had a lot of people asking us about Jane lying to Weller, both on this blog and on our personal tumblrs. And I know that it seems like a huge step backwards, after all that these two have been through. And I think the thing to remember here is that: Jane was lying to protect Weller as much as she was Roman. She cares about Weller, and she doesn't want to share something with him that is only going to cause him more pain.   

And it wasn't easy for Jane to lie to him. We see this at the end of the episode, when Weller teases her about having a "hot date." First she says no, because in her mind it's not really a "hot" date, but she doesn't want to lie to him, so she fumbles around and finally admits that, yes, it is a date. And Weller smiles back at her, but as she leaves, his smile fades, and I kinda wished the camera had lingered here for just another moment, because I really wanted to see more of what he was thinking at that moment. 

Yas and I have gone around and around on whether or not Jane tells Weller the truth. And we both really hope that she will. (Yas might be a wee bit more optimistic about it than I am.) The evolution of their relationship this season has been to show that the trust between them-- that was gone at the end of last season-- has been rebuilt. And Jane telling Weller the truth about this would be an excellent way to show this. 

I'm also pretty sure that this wasn't the last conversation that Jeller has about Jane's date(s) with Oliver. And I'm not going to lie, I am seriously looking forward to the next one! 

Y: Yes! Jane did not need to tell Kurt about her date. That was something she could have kept to herself and avoided all the awkwardness that she knew would come with it. But the important thing here is that she did tell him. She knows how important being honest with him at this point is, which goes to show she is not purposely keeping the Roman/Emma thing from him. She wants to tell him! But come on you guys, this is not something you just throw at someone. Especially not someone you care about and you know how much this will damage. And she knows how hard the past weeks have been on Kurt, from Allie leaving to learning that he's Sandstorm’s poster boy. She can see he is having a good day for the first time in a long time. She is going to let him have it and will let him know later. I just know she will. 

Seriously, you guys, Jeller are doing perfectly fine! I mean, sure it might not look like it now, but they’re on the right path and they will find their way. They practically said “I wish I’d spent the day with you” at the end of the episode when Kurt told her he wished she could have been there when he shot Rich and she reciprocated the feeling. That’s true love right there. What? True love isn’t wanting to be side by side when you play with friendly fire? I guess I don’t know what true love is, then!   

And that's all from us for this week! What did you think about Rich Dotcom's return in this episode? How worried are you about the promo for next week? We want to know! - Laura & Yas

[spoilertv]

Blindspot - Episode 2.14 - Borrow Or Rob - Promo, Interview, Promotional Photos & Press Release http://www.spoilertv.com/2017/01/blindspot-episode-214-borrow-or-rob.html

[mrjeremydylan]

Happy Birthday John Lennon! Robyn Hitchcock on ‘Plastic Ono Band’

To celebrate St Lennon’s Day, I’m revisiting my conversation with British polka-dot enthusiast and iconoclast Robyn Hitchcock on ‘Plastic Ono Band’ - Enjoy!

---

Traveler through space and time, British cult icon and legendary singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock steers his ship into the podbooth this week, for a chat with host Jeremy Dylan about John Lennon’s emotionally confronting classic 1970 album “Plastic Ono Band”.

Along the way, they talk about why Robyn identified with Lennon as a kid, Lennon’s antipathy toward his Beatles music, the possible influence of Bob Dylan’s “John Wesley Harding” album, John and Yoko’s primal scream therapy and which Robyn Hitchcock song borrows its arrangement from a Plastic Ono Band tune.

Listen in the player above or download the episode by clicking here.

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes here or in other podcasting apps by copying/pasting our RSS feed - http://myfavoritealbum.libsyn.com/rss

My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (out now!) and the film Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins.

If you’ve got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at myfavoritealbumpodcast@gmail.com.

LINKS - Buy our album of the episode on iTunes here.

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225. David Ryan Harris on Sly & the Family Stone ‘There’s A Riot Goin’ On’ (1971) 224. Lilly Hiatt on Pearl Jam ‘No Code’ (1996) 223. Sarah Lewitinn aka Ultragrrrl on Interpol ‘Our Love to Admire’ (2007) 222. Whispertown on Sugar Pie DeSanto ‘Down in the Basement: The Chess Years’ 221. Aaron Lee Tasjan on The Beatles ‘Revolver’ (1966) 220. Jon Cryer on Radiohead ‘OK Computer’ (1997) 219. Neil Innes on The Mothers of Invention ‘We’re Only In It for the Money’ (1968) 218. Gold Class on the Dirty Three ‘Ocean Songs’ (1998) 217. Julian Velard on Billy Joel ‘Turnstiles’ (1976) 216. Courtney Marie Andrews on Bob Dylan ‘Blood on the Tracks’ (1975) 215. Anita Lester on Leonard Cohen ‘Song of Love and Hate’ (1971) 214. Meet Me In The Bathroom author Lizzy Goodman on Yeah Yeah Yeahs ‘Fever to Tell’ (2003) 213. JAY-Z biographer Zack O'Malley Greenburg on JAY-Z ‘Reasonable Doubt’ (1996) 212. #BeatlesMonth Wall Street Journal’s Allan Kozinn on how ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ broke the Beatles in America and the anatomy of an iconic hit 211. #BeatlesMonth Conan’s Jimmy Vivino on the Sgt Pepper remixes and recreating the intricacies of the Beatles with the Fab Faux 210.  #BeatlesMonth Heartbreaker Benmont Tench on playing with Ringo, the Beatles RnB roots and the genius of ‘No Reply’ 209. #BeatlesMonth Ken Levine on ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (1967) 208. All Our Exes Live In Texas on Rufus Wainwright ‘Want’ (2004) 207. Eilish Gilligan on Counting Crows ‘August and Everthing After’ (1993) 206. Katie Brianna on Rilo Kiley ‘Under the Blacklight’ (2007) 205. Pegi Young on her biggest influences, from Janis to Joni, Clapton to the Dead 204. Margaret Glaspy on Bjork ‘Vespertine’ (2001) 203. Iluka on Marvin Gaye ‘What’s Going On’ (1971) 202. Veronica Milsom (triple J) on The Shins ‘Wincing the Night Away’ (2007) 201. Charles Esten on Bruce Springsteen ‘Born to Run’ (1975) 200. What’s Your Favorite Aussie Music? with Benmont Tench, Duglas T Stewart, Natalie Prass, Sam Palladio and Jeff Greenstein 199. Showrunner Jeff Lieber on Gregory Alan Isakov ‘The Weatherman’ and how music fuels his writing process 198. Jack Colwell on Tori Amos ‘Boys for Pele’ (1996) 197. Benmont Tench on playing with Bob Dylan, Jenny Lewis and Ryan Adams and the worst advice he’s received 196. Ella Thompson (Dorsal Fins, GL) on Renee Geyer ‘Moving On’ 195. The Shires on Lady Antebellum ‘Own the Night’ (2011) 194. Duglas T Stewart (BMX Bandits) on Beach Boys ‘Love You’ (1977) 193. Dan Soder on Queens of the Stone Age ‘Like Clockwork’ (2013) 192. Kingswood on The Beatles ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ (1967) 191. Comedian Becky Lucas on Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ (1987) 190. PVT on Brian Eno ‘Another Green World’ (1975) 189. Middle Kids on My Brightest Diamond ‘Bring Me The Workhorse’ (2006) 188. The Bitter Script Reader on Tom Hanks ‘That Thing You Do’ (1996) 187. Carly Rae Jepsen ‘Emotion’ (2015) with CRJ Dream Team Roundtable 186. Sarah Belkner on Peter Gabriel ‘So’ (1986) 185. Mark Hart (Crowded House, Supertramp) on XTC ‘Drums and Wires’ (1979) 184. Emma Swift on Marianne Faithfull ‘Broken English’ (1974) 183. Owen Rabbit on Kate Bush ‘Hounds of Love’ (1985) 182. Robyn Hitchcock on Bob Dylan ‘Blonde on Blonde’ (1966) 181. Dave Mudie (Courtney Barnett) on Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ (1991) 180. Brian Koppelman on Bruce Springsteen ‘Nebraska’ (1982) 179. Nicholas Allbrook (POND) on OutKast ‘The Love Below’ (2003) 178. 2016 in Review: What the hell? ft Jeff Greenstein, Rob Draper & Cookin on 3 Burners, Melody Pool, Lisa Mitchell, Emma Swift, Brian Koppelman, Mark Hart (Crowded House), Davey Lane and Alex Lahey 177. Harper Simon on The Beatles ‘White Album’ (1968) 176. Andrew P Street on Models ‘Pleasure of Your Company’ (1983) 175. Matt Farley (Motern Media) on why The Beach Boys ‘Love You’ is better than ‘Pet Sounds’ 174. Lisa Mitchell on Regina Spektor ‘Begin to Hope’ (2006) and her favorite albums of 2016 173. Peter Bibby on Sleep ‘Dopesmoker’ (2003) 172. Slate’s Jack Hamilton on Stevie Wonder ‘Innervisions’ (1973) 171. Showrunner Blake Masters on Drive-By Truckers ‘The Dirty South’ (2004) 170. Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) on on their new album ‘We’re All Gonna Die’, loving LA and the albums that inspire him 169. Sadler Vaden on The Rolling Stones ‘Goats Head Soup’ (1973) 168. Guy Clark biographer Tamara Saviano on ‘Dublin Blues’, Guy’s songwriting process and his musical legacy 167. What does Trump mean for music? 166. A Tribute to Sir George Martin, The Fifth Beatle with Davey Lane and Brett Wolfie 165. John Oates on Joni Mitchell ‘Blue’ (1971) 164. Jimmy Vivino on the birth of the Max Weinberg 7, his relationship with Conan O’Brien, country music and the future of rock’n’roll 163. DJ Alix Brown on Transformer (1972) by Lou Reed 162. Taylor Locke on Doolittle (1989) by the Pixies, the album that inspired 90s alt-rock 161. Harts on Around the World in a Day (1985) by Prince and jamming with Prince at Paisley Park 160. Mark McKinnon (The Circus) on Kristofferson and programming the President’s iPod 159. Alan Brough on A Walk Across the Rooftops (1984) by The Blue Nile 158. Peter Cooper on Pretty Close to the Truth (1994) and why we need Americana music 157. Will Colvin (Hedge Fund) on One of the Boys by Katy Perry (2008) 156. Julia Jacklin on Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple (2005) 155. Japanese Wallpaper on Currents by Tame Impala (2015) 154. Montaigne on her album Glorious Heights (2016) and its inspirations 153. Alex Lahey on Hot Fuss by the Killers (2004) 152. Jack Moffitt (The Preatures) on Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin (1975) 151. Mike Bloom on Axis Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix (1968) 150. Hey Geronimo on Drowning in the Fountain of Youth by Dan Kelly (2006) 149. Mickey Raphael on Teatro by Willie Nelson (1998) 148. Jack Ladder on Suicide by Suicide 147. Rusty Anderson on Hot Rats by Frank Zappa 146. Kenny Aronoff on The Beatles 145. Bob Evans on A Grand Don’t Come for Free by The Streets 144. Chris Hewitt (Empire) on New Adventues in Hi-Fi by REM 143. Dr Warren Zanes on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 142. Dr Mark Kermode (Wittertainment) on Sleep No More by the Comsat Angels 141. Van Dyke Parks on Randy Newman by Randy Newman 140. Imogen Clark on Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams 139. Jesse Thorn on Fresh by Sly and the Family Stone 138. Stephen Tobolowsky on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie 137. Ben Blacker on Blood and Chocolate on Elvis Costello & the Attractions 136. Jonny Fritz on West by Lucinda Williams 135. Adam Busch on A River Ain’t Too Much to Love by Smog 134. Kelsea Ballerini on Blue Neighbourhood by Troye Sivan 133. Natalie Prass on Presenting Dionne Warwick 132. Josh Pyke on Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden 131. Kip Moore on Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen 130. Koi Child on Voodoo by D’Angelo 129. The Cadillac Three on Wildflowers by Tom Petty 128. Julian McCullough on Appetite for Destruction by Guns n Roses 127. Danny Clinch on Greetings from Ashbury Park NJ by Bruce Springsteen 126. Sam Palladio (Nashville) on October Road by James Taylor 125. Steve Mandel on Blood and Chocolate by Elvis Costello 124. Brian Koppelman on The History of the Eagles 123. Benmont Tench on Beggars Banquet by the Rolling Stones 122. Jimmy Vivino (Basic Cable Band) on Super Session by Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills 121. Holiday Sidewinder on Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid by Bob Dylan 120. Ben Blacker on Aladdin Sane by David Bowie 119. EZTV on The Toms by The Toms 118. Jess Ribeiro on Transformer by Lou Reed 117. Whitney Rose on Keith Whitley Greatest Hits 116. Best Albums of 2015 with Danny Yau ft. Jason Isbell, Dan Kelly, Shane Nicholson, Tim Rogers, Will Hoge and Julien Barbagallo (Tame Impala) 115. Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You with Jaime Lewis 114. Xmas Music ft. Kristian Bush, Lee Brice, Corb Lund and Tim Byron 113. Sam Outlaw on Pieces of the Sky by Emmylou Harris 112. Jason Isbell on Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones 111. Ash Naylor (Even) on Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin 110. Burke Reid (Gerling) on Dirty by Sonic Youth 109. Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos) on Kind of Blue by Miles Davis 108. Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougall (Frenzal Rhomb) on Curses! by Future of the Left 107. Julien Barbagallo (Tame Impala) on Chrominance Decoder by April March 106. Melody Pool on Blue by Joni Mitchell 105. Rusty Hopkinson (You Am I) on ‘Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era’ 104. Jeff Greenstein on A Quick One (Happy Jack) by The Who 103. Dave Cobb on Revolver by the Beatles 102. Justin Melkmann (World War IX) on Coney Island Baby by Lou Reed 101. Kacey Musgraves on John Prine by John Prine 100. Does the album have a future? 99. Corb Lund on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins 98. Bad Dreems on Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division 97. Davey Lane (You Am I) on Abbey Road by the Beatles 96. Dan Kelly on There’s A Riot Goin’ On by Sly and the Family Stone 95. Ash Grunwald on Mule Variations by Tom Waits 94. Stella Angelico on The Shangrilas 93. Eves the Behavior on Blue by Joni Mitchell 92. Troy Cassar-Daley on Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits 91. Lydia Loveless on Pleased to Meet Me by the Replacements 90. Gena Rose Bruce on The Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave 89. Kitty Daisy and Lewis on A Swingin’ Safari by Bert Kaempfert 88. Will Hoge on Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music by Ray Charles 87. Shane Nicholson on 52nd St by Billy Joel 86 - Tired Lion on Takk… by Sigur Ros 85 - Whispering Bob Harris on Forever Changes by Love 84 - Jake Stone (Bluejuice) on Ben Folds Five by Ben Folds Five 83 - Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Imposters) on Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience 82 - Dom Alessio on OK Computer by Radiohead 81 - Anthony Albanese MP on The Good Son by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 80 - John Waters on Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience 79 - Jim DeRogatis (Sound Opinions) on Clouds Taste Metallic by The Flaming Lips 78 - Montaigne on The Haunted Man by Bat for Lashes 77 - Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd) on Quadrophenia by The Who 76 - Homer Steinweiss (Dap Kings) on Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis 75 - Best of 2015 (So Far) ft. Danny Yau, Montaigne, Harts, Joelistics, Rose Elinor Dougall and Burke Reid 74 - Matt Farley (Motern Media) on RAM by Paul McCartney BONUS - Neil Finn on The Beatles, Neil Young, David Bowie and Radiohead 73 - Grace Farriss (Burn Antares) on All Things Must Pass by George Harrison 72 - Katie Noonan on Blue by Joni Mitchell 71 - Harts on Band of Gypsys by Jimi Hendrix 70 - Tim Rogers (You Am I) on Bring the Family by John Hiatt 69 - Mark Seymour (Hunters and Collectors) on The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen 68 - Jeremy Neale on Graceland by Paul Simon 67 - Joelistics on Graceland by Paul Simon 66 - Brian Nankervis (RocKwiz) on Astral Weeks by Van Morrison 65 - ILUKA on Pastel Blues by Nina Simone 64 - Rose Elinor Dougall on Tender Buttons by Broadcast 63 - Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus) on Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins 62 - Keyone Starr on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 61 - Chase Bryant on Defying Gravity by Keith Urban 60 - Brian Koppelman on Southeastern by Jason Isbell 59 - Michael Carpenter on The Beatles White Album Side 4 58 - Pete Kilroy (Hey Geronimo) on The Beatles White Album Side 3 57 - Mark Wells on The Beatles White Album Side 2 56 - Jeff Greenstein on Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants 55 - Laura Bell Bundy on Shania Twain, Otis Redding and Bright Eyes 54 - Jake Clemons on Surfacing by Sarah McLachlan 53 - Kristian Bush (Sugarland) on The Joshua Tree by U2 52 - Kevin Bennett (The Flood) on Willis Alan Ramsey by Willis Alan Ramsey 51 - Lee Brice on Unorthodox Jukebox by Bruno Mars 50 - Davey Lane (You Am I) on the White Album (Side 1) by The Beatles 49 - Joe Camilleri on The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones 48 - Russell Morris on The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones 47 - Mike Rudd (Spectrum) on England’s Newest Hitmakers by The Rolling Stones 46 - Henry Wagons on Harvest by Neil Young 45 - Megan Washington on Poses by Rufus Wainwright 44 - Andrew Hansen (The Chaser) on Armchair Theatre by Jeff Lynne 43 - She Rex on BlakRoc by The Black Keys 42 - Catherine Britt on Living with Ghosts by Patty Griffin 41 - Robyn Hitchcock on Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon 40 - Gideon Bensen (The Preatures) on Transformer by Lou Reed 39 - Harry Hookey on Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan 38 - Rob Draper on Faith by George Michael 37 - Best of 2014 ft. Danny Yau, Andrew Hansen, Gideon Bensen (The Preatures) and Mike Carr 36 - Doug Pettibone on Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris 35 - Ross Ryan on Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne 34 - Michael Carpenter on Hard Promises by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers 33 - Davey Lane (You Am I) on Jesus of Cool by Nick Lowe 32 - Zane Carney on Smokin’ at the Half Note by Wes Montgomery 31 - Tony Buchen on Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles 30 - Simon Relf (The Tambourine Girls) on On the Beach by Neil Young 29 - Peter Cooper on In Search of a Song by Tom T Hall 28 - Thelma Plum on Stolen Apples by Paul Kelly 27 - James House on Rubber Soul by the Beatles 26 - Ella Hooper on Let England Shake by PJ Harvey 25 - Abbey Road Special 24 - Alyssa Bonagura on Room for Squares by John Mayer 23 - Luke Davison (The Preatures) on Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs 22 - Neil Finn on Hunky Dory by David Bowie and In Rainbows by Radiohead 21 - Neil Finn on Beatles for Sale by the Beatles and After the Goldrush by Neil Young 20 - Morgan Evans on Diorama by Silverchair 19 - Emma Swift on Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams 18 - Danny Yau on Hourly Daily by You Am I 17 - J Robert Youngtown and Jon Auer (The Posies) on Hi Fi Way by You Am I 16 - Lester the Fierce on Hounds of Love by Kate Bush 15 - Luke Davison on Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs 14 - Jeff Cripps on Wheels of Fire by Cream 13 - Mark Holden on Blue by Joni Mitchell (Part 2) 12 - Mark Holden on Blue by Joni Mitchell (Part 1) 11 - Gossling on O by Damien Rice 10 - Matt Fell on Temple of Low Men by Crowded House 9 - Pete Thomas on Are You Experienced? by Jimi Hendrix (Part 2) 8 - Pete Thomas on Are You Experienced? by Jimi Hendrix (Part 1) 7 - Sam Hawksley on A Few Small Repairs by Shawn Colvin 6 - Jim Lauderdale on Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons 5 - Mark Moffatt on Blues Breakers by John Mayall and Eric Clapton 4 - Darren Carr on Ten Easy Pieces by Jimmy Webb 3 - Mark Wells on Revolver by The Beatles 2 - Mike Carr on Arrival by ABBA 1 - Rob Draper on Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan

[spoilertv]

Blindspot - Episode 2.14 - Borrow Or Rob - Promotional Photos & Press Release http://www.spoilertv.com/2017/01/blindspot-episode-214-borrow-or-rob.html

[spoilertv]

Blindspot - Episode 2.14 - Borrow Or Rob - Promotional Photos http://www.spoilertv.com/2017/01/blindspot-episode-214-borrow-or-rob.html