I’ll start by saying, I saw this ages ago when the networks first started releasing their fall pilots and I liked it. After watching it again last weekend, my opinion didn't change all that much. I will say that I wasn’t expecting much from this show and it was actually okay. All that Blood and Oil has to do to bring this show up to being great, is play to it’s strengths.
First, I think that the main couple Billy (Chase Crawford) and Cody (Rebecca Rittenhouse) have a really great chemistry. Honestly, right now, they’re carrying this show for me. They’re newlyweds who are moving out to North Dakota to fulfill their dream of running a laundromat. A lot has been said about their laundromat dream but surprisingly, it doesn't bother me. I think these two are super charming and adorable with each other. They seem like a strong couple who won’t let a bit of adversity get in their way. Throughout the episode they are faced with challenges and they’re able to overcome everything together. I really enjoyed the teamwork that these two have, it makes them likable and in turn it makes the whole show better. For example, while he’s away trying to find work, she also finds a job and organizes where they’re going to stay. Also, when she overhears an important phone call, she tips Billy off, and without that tip they wouldn’t have had any of the success that they experienced. I also loved how she went with him to the negotiation dinner and made her voice heard. She isn’t just sitting on the sidelines and I love that! They have a real partnership, which is fun to watch. I’m not sure how I feel about the pregnancy storyline right off the bat, but I guess we’ll see how it plays out.
Another incentive that I had for watching this show was Scott Michael Foster (who plays Wick Briggs). As soon as I saw he was in this show, I simply had to watch. I’ll watch anything he’s in, no questions asked. It was actually fun to see him play someone a bit darker and more villainous than his happy-go-lucky routine. His character is actually pretty complicated so I’m interested to see how he develops and where his story goes. At first glance, he just seems like a typical jerk but some sympathy is stirred up once we see that he has a terrible relationship with his dad, oil tycoon, Hap Briggs (Don Johnson). It’s hard not to feel bad for him after seeing how he’s been treated. I’m hoping he can become a decent person and prove to his dad that he can be responsible and smart in business. As of right now, that seems a long way away seeing as how he’s actively working against his father by stealing his oil and almost trying to kill him. The ending moments of this episode are reason enough to keep watching, if only for one more episode - that cliffhanger was crazy!
One thing that I didn’t really enjoy about this episode was the excessive business talk, and maybe it’s just me, but I feel like a lot of it went over my head anyways. I’m not a fan of Hap or Darla Briggs (Amber Valletta). They didn’t have a huge role in the pilot and I couldn’t really connect in any way to them. Overall they were just very forgettable - especially Darla. Looking back on the episode, I really can’t remember any of her scenes or anything that she said/contributed. She’s supposed to be a powerful, manipulative woman but instead she just seemed kind of blah. Maybe she’ll stand out a bit more in future episodes but it really wasn't a great start for her character. I didn’t feel much chemistry between her and Hap either. For me, their scenes were the most boring and they just seemed to slow down the show too much.
I want to end on a positive note, so I’ll comment on some of my favorite moments from this pilot. It had some surprisingly heartwarming moments, which I really appreciated, and they’ll keep me coming back for now. I enjoyed the interaction between Billy and Cody and the other couple that they meet once they arrive. It was cute how this random couple took them under their wing and helped them through their first night. I also loved how one of the first things Billy and Cody did with their newfound wealth was invest in their restaurant dream by writing them a check to help them get started. I hope these characters stick around and their friendship continues because it’s adorable and one of my favorite parts of the show. I was also happy to see Barry Corbin, who was once one of my most beloved characters, Whitey from One Tree Hill, back on my screen. To make it even better, he was actually a cute, nice character. He gave a generous deal to Billy in exchange for more of a partnership in whatever they do with the land. I think he’ll have a nice relationship with Billy and I’m looking forward to watching it develop.
Overall, I think that Blood and Oil is perfectly mediocre. It’s not as bad as people have made it out to be but it also is far from the greatest show of this season. It has a lot of room for improvement but I think it has enough to at least keep it watchable. This episode had a great cliffhanger which will hopefully help them retain at least most of their viewers. The previews for the next couple of episodes look much more fast paced and exciting than this episode, so I feel like they can go nowhere but up, at least in terms of quality. I think the next couple of episodes will really determine it’s fate. They need to up their game and they have to get better or else they won’t be around for long. What did you think of Blood and Oil? Let me know in the comments and thanks for reading!
About the Author - Kate Sidwell
Kate is a 24 year old, USA based, Psychology/Public Health Researcher - but that’s just her day job! In her spare time she is an avid TV watcher (some may even say addict!!). Some of her favorite shows are Jane the Virgin, Bates Motel, The Flash, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Rookie Blue, Silicon Valley, Beauty and the Beast, Sleepy Hollow, The 100, The Mindy Project, Pretty Little Liars, Once Upon a Time, The Royals, Orphan Black…so pretty much too many to count and a huge variety! She’ll give pretty much any show a chance! She also devotes a lot of time to her tumblr (
eat-sleep-breathe-tv.tumblr.com) where you can find her reviewing and commenting on most of these shows and just generally fangirling! She’s excited to be writing for SpoilerTV on Complications, Baby Daddy, Proof, Switched at Birth, Secrets and Lies, and Minority Report!
