‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ 1×01 Review: ‘I’m A Ghost’

We had to ask ourselves when thinking about National Treasure: Edge of History, what did we want. What do you expect when there is a reboot? A reimagining? A new chapter? Well when it comes to us, we try to not have expectations, because then we set ourselves up for disappointment. And we’re not sure that we can handle more of that.

But when it comes to National Treasure: Edge of History, the show is absolutely nothing that we feel like we need to worry about. If anything, it’s a refreshing take on an institution. The movies are something that we all love, and so if we’re being honest, when we heard about the television show, we became afraid.

Very afraid.

The thing is though, it takes less than five minutes for our minds to be put at ease. The show, like the movie, knew what it was doing and drew you in, holding on and keeping you until the very last second. There wasn’t a character that you weren’t invested in.

You just knew that they got it right.

Instantly we’re being given bits of the past – former FBI Agent Peter Sadusky is telling the story of a new treasure. A treasure that the freemasons split into three parts, between the Inca, Maya, and Aztec. Each was given a piece that would eventually lead anyone who had all three pieces to the treasure.

And then we get to meet a man named Rafael, who finds a piece in Mexico City and goons come to take the piece that he had found. The goons work for a man named Salazar and they are about to take Rafael, but he manages to get himself free and runs home. He wants to make sure that his wife and his child are okay.

And as far as we know, because the house that Rafael is in goes up in flames, that he dies. Look, just because he doesn’t come to light in this episode, doesn’t mean that I am not preparing myself for him to come out of nowhere in the future.

21 years later, Rafael’s daughter is living her life. She’s with her friends, in an escape room. She’s a young woman, with unbelievable mind. She’s able to figure out any puzzle and her entire life is all about being on the up and up, because she wants to be a member of the FBI. Only she can’t do that unless she’s a citizen. She’s got DACA and her friends make sure with everything that she remembers that she needs to be careful. After all, she can be deported.

She’s given a job at work. A man is behind on rent for his storage unit. She looks at the name and she knows that it’s a fake name, but somehow, she’s able to figure out that storage unit belongs to Peter Saduzky.

It’s kinda hard when you’re just going to find a man to pay his bill and the next thing you knows he’s telling you how your father isn’t the person that you’ve been told her is, that you need to have more faith, oh and that you’re part of a league of treasure protectors.

Cause you know, totally normal.

Sadusky tries to give her a letter that he wanted to give to his grandson. He tells her that she must trust no one and it’s not long before she figures out that’s some really solid advice.

The one thing that I need to say right here and now is that Lisette Olivera, who stars as Jess is really a star. I don’t know anything about Lisette, but man does she command every scene that she’s in. She is on the screen and you’re instantly rooting for her. You want her to win. Lisette brings Jess to life in a way that you’re instantly like one of the differences between the show and the movie is that these are a bunch of bad ass women who aren’t going to let anything go wrong. They’re gonna outwit, out smart, and out solve the men.

It’s nothing against Catherine Zeta Jones, who plays creepy ass Billie Pearce, but this viewer found themselves more interested in Jess and her friends. This viewer just kept thinking Jess is gonna kick your ass Billie. Just give her time.

There are a bunch of weird coincidences happening here. Like for instance, Sadusky dies the day after she visits. “Feds” show up at her work to ask her questions. And Liam – Sadusky’s grandson – is really pissed off and doesn’t want anything to do with the letter Jess tries to give him. Cause yes, Jess and her bestie, Tasha, track Liam down.

You see this letter that everyone seems to be after is a letter that Sadusky left for Liam. It’s a letter that he slid into Jess’s backpack. It’s a letter that is supposed to be a clue.

Liam is like royally pissed at his Grandpa and though I want to hate on him for that – I don’t. We only get seconds of Jake Austin Walker, but we know that he’s going to be an important part of the story. Now, we haven’t actually seen Sadusky dead, so maybe he’ll be able to makeup with his Grandpa.

Jess seems like she wants to make everything right but not being able to is hard for her. I think what is also hard for her is that she’s found that there is something that she’s supposed to believe her father is, may not be actually who she was told.

The only person that seems to be behind her is her friend, Tasha, played by Zuri Reed. Tasha is a ride or die and we can appreciate that so much. National Treasure: Edge of History is filled with strong, fierce women, and that we can always get behind. They aren’t to be fucked with.

They’ll be the smart ones. At least that’s how it feels.

Because in Jess’s life it seems to be the men who are either doing stupid shit or making dumb decisions. Her friend, and Tasha’s ex, Oren is so distracted by shoes, that he goes off into a place with a stranger to get access to new kicks.

Jess’s best friend Ethan, is the first to tell her what she shouldn’t be doing vs. supporting her. Now, I personally think he’s putting walls up because he likes her and he’s not sure how that could play out. Jess knows that no matter what she’s chasing this treasure.

But her first big problem will be saving her friend Oren, cause that person that he followed for shoes – that’s Billie. And the only way she’s giving him back is when Jess hands over what she’s found.

Shit’s just starting and it’s about to get crazy.