No matter the hype, sometimes I avoid things like the CBS Blood and Treasure show. Finally, long after its “cool” factor died away, I watched it. Today I thought I’d share a few reasons why you might like this show, but first we’ll take a look at what it’s about.
Blood and Treasure, Season One (2019): the Story
Decades ago, Cleopatra was taken from her burial place, leaving her lover alone in their resting place. When Dr. Castillo (Alicia Coppola) finds him, she makes preparations to move him for a new exhibit, and is hopeful her next find will be Cleopatra. Instead, she’s captured by a wanted terrorist, Farouk (Oded Fehr) who is also hunting for this lost national treasure.
Dr. Castillo’s benefactors, Jay Reece (recurring guest star, John Larroquette) and former treasure hunter needs his colleague back so he recruits Danny McNamara (Matt Barr). Former FBI, Danny is like a song to Jay, and would do anything for his mentor, but after a botched mission, he isn’t too keen on returning to his roots; he likes the “safety net” of his work as a lawyer. But with a soft spot for Dr. Castillo, he agrees. Before he begins, he must first convince the woman who hates him, Lexi Vaziri (Sofia Pernas), to work with him.
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A show that airs over the shortened summer season, this is one of the best forms of fun escapism I’ve seen. It’s full of exciting moments and finds, globe-trotting adventure (seriously, they go so many places), and a solid romance angle that becomes a relationship that is really very well written. But we’ll come back to this later.
Unfolding in ten episodes, Blood and Treasure is easily the most (or it seems like it) fun TV shows you’ll find – or at least of the more recent variety. It does move slowly at times and could have told its story in eight episodes vs. the ten it actually has. This is why, I think, the plot drags some. There’s still lots of excitement, questions of loyalty and really complex, but solid character arcs.
The acting is quite good and I like the cast in their respective roles. The friendships are unique, but it’s the Danny/Lexi dynamic I think is most impressive. The writers craft an “equals” dynamic between these two that gets pushed aside in today’s modern writing. This is proven in so many ways, even in the “little things” and it makes me ridiculously happy.
In the end, if you’re looking for something to entertain (and binge-watch!) over a weekend, Blood and Treasure is just the thing. It’s exciting and romantic with a little tension thrown into the mix.
‘Blood & Treasure,’ Season One – The Perfect Escape of an Adventure. A review of the CBS show with Matt Bar. #SummerTV #WhattoWatch #BloodandTreasure Click To TweetPhotos: CBS
There is some sexual content (nothing graphic; post-sex scenes of a couple in bed), and innuendo, all of which fall into the “adult situation” category. Of course, there’s violence, people are shot, others stabbed. There’s some profanity but all of it falls within its TV-14 rating.
I agree with literally everything you said, as well as how you said it in this fantastically written review, and I am SO ridiculously excited to finally find someone else who loves this tropy, campy, cheesy gem just as much as I do!!
I truly believe Blood & Treasure to be one of the most unfairly overlooked shows around, which honestly I just don’t get. It is a gift, one chock full of so. many. multiple HILERIOUS scenes that sent me into more than one hysterical fits of laughter, an exciting plot that ties in both action AND historical elements, and don’t even get me started on the brilliance that is Danny and Lexi’s evolving love story… tumultuous and filled with baggage though it may be, it’s also one of the most REAL feeling relationships I’ve come across on TV, and their chemistry is just… ?? Also, I MIGHT have a teensy little crush on Matt Barr now, hehe ? Oh, I also need to quickly mention how much I LOVE the inclusion of Hallmark’s Antonio Cupo in the cast too!
I LOVED this one. I wasn’t sure at first just because it does move slower than I anticipated, but it’s too much fun NOT to enjoy. :)
As someone who loved National Treasure, I’m all for more adventure stories like this, and am most excited we get a S2 for these characters. YES! All you say about Lexi and Danny is TRUE. It’s one of the best TV relationships I’ve seen… in a long time. They’re equals, and I love that. Funny thing is, I didn’t realize that was Antonio when I watched this (he looks so different, plus he played a native, so…), but later one I realized it, and was all like, “WAIT!? That was really him!?” ;)
Blood and Treasure was a fun show. I was happy to see Oded Fehr on my screen again – even if he was the bad guy. :D
Right? He was always kind of on the edge for me in “Covert Affairs” (because you never knew for sure), but he always plays the role well. :)
This was a fun show – we love summer series like this! Considering the history angle, I feel like I should have paid more attention to it than I did!
YES! I agree. This one IS way fun. :)