Blackstone (2009–2015) User Reviews (16)

Disappointing

[kabin-882-534873 · 6/10 · 15 July 2017]

Found this after looking for Eric Schweig vehicles and really wanted to like it. Currently watching Season One Episode Seven.

The 'shaky cam' is distracting and in no way contributes artistically.

The gratuitous vulgarity feels like lazy writing, which is confirmed by dialogue that is often more stilted than insightful.

A lot of the acting is either wooden or heavy-handed.

The actors portraying villains seem to have studied at the "Snidely Whiplash" school of drama - if they had mustachios they would be twisting them.

There is little subtlety or nuance in the dialogue or acting or plot development.

A rape prosecution relies on a non-witness instead of DNA evidence? Vote out the current chief in favor of the one the community knows is corrupt who stole evidence of his corruption and assaulted a council member in the process? Maybe it's me. Maybe people really do interact as portrayed in this series. Maybe people are as illogical as presented here (heck, there are millions still supporting Trump). If so, the situation is even worse than I understood it to be.

The issues are compelling and real and I think deserve better handling than I've seen so far. Hope the series improves.

A good watch

[devonmmunn · 8/10 · 25 April 2018]

I started watching this show after I saw it in the see also section of the Redfern Now wikipedia page saying it deals with similar issues, although this show does differ from Redfern Now (as Redfern Now is a contemporary show while Blackstone is a crime drama with political intrigue)

While the pilot starts very shoddy and shaky, it overall gets better. I was invested in the story and the characters. I cared about what happened to them, Season 1 was full of tension and stakes, having me in the edge of my seat.

Although the show is flawed, like I said earlier the pilot starts very shaky, the character introductions are mediocre at best (I even had hard time keeping track of them) but when it got to a certain point, it got me invested. But other problems include times when the story hints and suggests things that could be interesting to see them play out, but there never bought up again. Also if you can't handle frustrating plotlines, proceed with caution as this does have quite a bit (Although mostly in earlier seasons). Season 3 is what I proceed to be the weakest seasons in my opinion, the story lines in this season I just didn't care for, all the other seasons (while good in their own right) just weren't necessarily as good as the first season. I won't discuss the other issues since there spoilers.

Overall, while flawed, Blackstone is an enjoyable show. I would highly recommend it (especially if you liked the comic Scalped, since it is similar)

Enjoyable watch

[jaredmorgison · 8/10 · 27 February 2022]

Sad they took it off netflix, it's a pretty solid show and there's not many that delve into the life of living on a native reserve.

I'm pretty sure their official website allows you to watch it for free. So give it a watch, it's worth the time.

Wanted to rate it higher

[radiocia · 9/10 · 9 August 2016]

Great story, well acted, well written. Believable sets and locations. Enough intrigue and sub-stories to keep things interesting. Politics, corruption, and the struggle of the underdog. All good stuff. Then it falls apart because of the camera work. Every single scene shot with shaky hand-held camera and jerky zoom. The end result is a production that looks like it was professionally cast, written and produced, then turned over to a high school class with a cheap camcorder to film. Oh, the shots are clear enough...once your eyes adjust to the constant jerking around. There is a place for hand-held shots. A few of them, scattered here and there, can be a great thing. But for the entire production? Please. Invest in a tripod and a trolley.

Very Entertaining Show

[sheelagrant · 10/10 · 7 May 2013]

I found this series very entertaining. It's nice to see a show about Native Americans where they portray the lead characters and not simply backdrops. They're not simply stereotypes of Native Americans either. The writing is very true-to-life. The language is a bit rough swearing-wise, but that's the way a lot of people talk, even non-Natives. The acting is totally believable. The directing is excellent. It's kind of like a Native American soap opera, but much less melodramatic. The story lines are very interesting to follow. It would be nice to get this here in the States. It definitely deserves more stars.

Gets better with each season

[sophia55 · 9/10 · 4 September 2020]

Many shows decrease in quality with each passing season, Blackstone is the opposite. The show takes a season or so to hit its stride, but incredible character development starts in the first episode. Every character is allowed to have flaws, which allows for nuanced and very real portrayals. The acting on this show is unparalleled, the performers are able to take complex and often very heavy story lines and portray them in a way that is respectful and real. Michelle Thrush and Carmen Moore, often seen in supporting or guest roles in other shows, give career defining lead performances. This show handles sensitive topics incredibly well, and not in an "episode of the week" type fashion. A single issue is often shown from multiple different perspectives. All in all, Blackstone is a riveting, intense, and memorable drama highlighting an incredibly talented cast.

Addicting... if you don't have much else to watch

[kira-lee · 7/10 · 18 August 2016]

You know how some shows grab you in the first 5 minutes? This wasn't one of them. Part of the issue was not really knowing what to expect... the intro feels almost like a horror movie with a spooky voice singing "Ten Little Indians," but then the first few scenes felt more like a painstaking historical drama. I was also consciously annoyed by the "ambient music" that is quite frequently about four levels too loud, making parts feel inappropriately tense or more like a TV commercial. However, the plot does eventually thicken, and though it can be quite clichéd in some ways, I found myself bonding to the characters nonetheless. The portrayal of addiction a bit heavy-handed, but empathetic. Scenes of abuse are realistic enough that I found myself researching what the prevalence of violence on reservations supposedly is. I honestly don't know if this would be the first thing I'd recommend, especially when there are so many others that are absolutely gripping, but it has enough substance that I find myself wanting to see it through.

This series is about as real as it gets in talking about life on Reserves in Canada

[aristocratically · 10/10 · 12 June 2019]

I tried watching this years ago on cable TV but I found it too cartoonish, too violent, too black and white in its portrayal of Aboriginals on modern day Reserves. Recently I caught it from the Pilot and have watched 14 episodes so far. Now I understand it. You have to watch it from the beginning to understand who are the good guys and bad guys. I hated Andy Fraser before as he is just pure evil, Satan incarnate. But now? I love him. When you watch any movie or TV series, if it does not have a good antagonist then it will fail. You need someone truly bad to contrast with the good characters, the angels if you will. I am addicted to this program. I have not missed an episode. I am invested in these characters. Andy is the only truly bad character. Even his co-conspirators are not as bad as he is. Life as an aboriginal in North America has always been a nightmare and like a horror movie for others who have not seen or heard what that group has been through. This series handles that aspect of Native life very well. There is lots of darkness and bad things happen all the time, but these people still survive, scarred and defeated, but they get back up again because that is all they can do.

Worst camera work ever

[mikejmaziarz · 2/10 · 8 February 2021]

This could have been great. Unwatchable. The characters seem great and series is so far well written. I can't watch anymore.

Excellent series!!

[LaxFan94 · 9/10 · 29 September 2013]

A realistic portrayal of the every day lives of Native folks and the problems they face. I just absolutely loved the first 2 seasons of this program and just finished watching the first episode of Season 3. The corrupt Andy Fraser framed an individual for the murder of Rachel. This individual had absolutely nothing to do with her murder but despite the graphic video evidence that police had seen, Andy still framed this innocent person for the murder! I don't know how Andy knows this person since they never interacted before in the series.

Anyways... this is such a great series which is why I gave this a 9 out of 10!

Great potential ruined by cheap camera tricks

[michaelknight-91084 · 4/10 · 23 November 2020]

I really wanted to watch this series, but I literally could not tolerate the nauseating camera work. Why film directors ever choose this approach is beyond me. Don't they realise that by shaking the camera all over the place, you instantly alienate every single audience member with notion sickness tendencies. Sucj a strange model trend in cinematography.

Many fine looking Native ladies in this series!! (;

[LaxFan94 · 9/10 · 9 March 2011]

I just wanna say that there are many fine looking gorgeous ladies in this series! Carmen Moore, Andrea Menard and Roseanne Supernault are all hot! Hehehehehehehehehe.(; Of course, the series has a great plot, storyline and cast of characters.

But I like it how Andy's father tries to get it through his son's thick head that Ottawa is to blame for all of Native people's social problems. Andy's father used his gangrene foot as a great example of the poor health care that Native people receive by saying that if Ottawa hadn't have caused so many social problems, that his foot would have been fine. And he is right. Andy is so out of sync with his culture that he has completely forgotten about the ways of his ancestors! That is why he is such a corrupt Chief. Leona on the other hand was a great Chief who did her best to look after her community until Andy got re-elected and thus continuing the problems at Blackstone.

Anyways .... this is why I give this one a 9.

Discrediting the Aboriginal peoples of Canada

[harveyremantech · 5/10 · 15 July 2017]

I have been watching the series on Net Flix & am in to the 3rd season. While the series is captivating I am surprised that they portray the indigenous peoples as being pretty dumb. I think that this is degrading to them. I certainly hope that the public doesn't come away with the perception that all of the Native Canadians are like this. I would hope that they are not trying to show how the people are on a real reserve.

I would hope that someone would do a TRUE documentary about life on a reserve. If anyone is interested in a project like this please let me know. [e-mail]

Yuck!!

[TheRealBambi · 2/10 · 5 July 2022]

I'm amazed at the positive reviews. This production is incredible in that it made accomplished actors like Schweig and Cardinal look like rank amateurs.

The plot was thick & plodding. The pace was painful ... not slow, just excruciating. The characters were one dimensional; caricatures of the depressed, angry, righteous, good, bad ... in other words obsequiously portrayed. It's disgraceful to the First People.

Seriously, anyone who has lived or spent time on the rez (lived on 2 & visited many) knows that even in the worst of conditions folks laugh .... a lot. Yes, they get angry, cry ... over-use substances ... like everybody off the rez, but there is joy. To say this was joyless is an understatement.

Ramming the f-bomb into every line is the laziest screenwriting I've seen. Just plain gross.

Camera work ruined this show

[somecutename · 2/10 · 28 July 2022]

The story lines and acting looked promising but the horrible camera work is so distracting you can't enjoy the show.

The camera is intentionally shaking at all times. If that's not bad enough, they do jerky zooming in and out.

WHAT is with the camera swinging around?!?

[jinzoclash · 4/10 · 6 January 2023]

Understand something. I'm not epileptic. Never have been. Could play VirtualBoy hours on end and never get ill. But this show, like with too many productions these days, don't understand how annoying jerking the camera all over the place is. Imagine talking to a person, looking in their face, reading them, but they're quickly swaying back and forth. Won't keep watching. It's broken. Might not even be a bad show. I won't know. Story-wise, it seems decent enough. Not being native, I can't tell you how much of this is theatrical silliness or how much is egregiously "incorrect" to their culture. Regardless... they messed up with the cameras here.