‘Sight Unseen’: Dolly Lewis Previews ‘A New Take on the Procedural Format’ With New CW Series (Exclusive)

The CW’s newest series, , is premiering soon and Dolly Lewis chatted with PopCulture.com all about it. The actress stars as Tess Avery, a homicide detective who is forced to quit her job after an incident in the field nearly results in her partner, Jake, played by , being killed. It also comes after she is diagnosed as clinically blind so she uses a seeing-eye guide from an app to help her get around and even solve crimes.

Ahead of Sight Unseen‘s series premiere, Lewis previewed what fans can expect and the importance of sight divergence in the series. Keep reading to see what Lewis had to say, and tune in to Sight Unseen on Apr. 3 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

PopCulture: So I wanted to start off by asking what can fans expect from Sight Unseen?

Dolly Lewis: Oh my gosh, that’s a big question. They can expect to see a new take on the procedural format. So this really isn’t your cookie-cutter, case-by-case episode. Which I’m not disparaging that, I absolutely love procedurals. But what I think is so interesting about Sight Unseen is that it’s such a human story. So we are watching a woman grapple with huge changes, huge unexpected and unwelcome changes in her life in terms of her sight loss and figuring out how to reconfigure how she identifies herself in the world in terms of her work, which was her entire identity. I mean, being a homicide detective was Tess’ lifeline. Figuring out who she is and her relationships all over again, and at the same time, solving cases. It’s so well-rounded; it brings in technology, it brings in the suspense of interesting cases, and it brings in humor and heart.

PC: How important is this series in terms of the sight divergence representation? 

Lewis: I think it’s really important. Sight Unseen is different in that it’s addressing the use of technology for people with divergence in their sight in a way that I have never heard of being shown in any kind of entertainment context before. So, in that respect, it’s really important because it’s just timely, and it’s relevant, and it’s realistic in that way. And also in terms of showcasing divergence in sight, I love that Kat and Niko Troubetzkoy, who are the half-sister showrunners of Sight Unseen, weren’t interested in the most inspiring hero story or in a pity story. So Tess is somebody who has all of the same day-to-day burdens and challenges and joys as other people, and she is also somebody with sight loss. So, in that respect, I think it’s something that people should be excited to see, and I think people in the community are hopefully proud of being represented in that way because it’s very well-rounded. 

PC: Going off of that, how would you describe Tess Avery? 

Lewis: Crazy in the sense that she is so gritty. It’s not that Tess is fearless, it’s that Tess really chooses to move forward in spite of her fear. So she’s truthful in that way. She’s also maybe a little bit in denial about her condition. She’s kind of a proud lone wolf, and she has had to work really, really hard to get to where she was professionally before she lost her sight. So she’s very tough, and she’s not willing to let go of that reality easily, but that stubbornness that she has is also a real asset because it means she just does not give up. Tess Avery is a gritty, determined, resilient woman who really, at the heart of it all, she leads with her heart. She really is a heartful, heart-centered person underneath that.

PC: Obviously, with Tess getting news that she is clinically blind, it will change her life. What else can you preview about how she handles that news moving forward?

Lewis: Oh, you can expect to see some really funny moments. That’s something I hope people can also take away from this experience: that it’s not constant doom and gloom. There’s a lot of humor there. It might be dark humor, but there is a sense of being able to zoom out and laugh at one’s situation in the same way and at the same time. And I think also seeing how she just doesn’t give up on her job, which means so much to her because she really cares about helping people. Seeing how she navigates her way through doing that, kind of relearning all of the tools of how to do that again, is something that you can expect to see that I think is great. And the introduction of technology to that, it’s just going to resonate with so many people. 

PC: You were talking about Tess’ relationships earlier. What can you tell me about Tess and Jake’s dynamic since they are long-time partners on the job?

Lewis: Well I have to say, working with Daniel Gillies was a total riot. That man is so funny and does not take himself seriously, and doesn’t take anybody else seriously for that matter. We had a really good time shooting together, and I think that chemistry between us, that energy, translates really well to Tess and Jake. They know each other like the back of their own hands. They have been working together forever in high-stakes situations, so you get to know somebody very intimately under those circumstances. And the level of love and respect that they have for each other, I think, is matched by how much they rib each other. And yeah, it’s really good fun. I love that part of the show. I think it’s just so funny and fun.

PC: Was it hard getting into that long-time partnership role after having just met Daniel, or was it just automatic?

Lewis: It was pretty automatic. I have to say, that’s an important part of the actor’s job. No matter what the story, no matter what the role, no matter who you’re acting opposite, you have to find a way to get into a relationship immediately with somebody. And I’m lucky that it was so easy with Daniel because he’s so personable, he’s so open, he’s so curious about everybody else that he makes it really easy. And so luckily, it was basically right away we were just shooting the s— and taking shots at each other. 

PC: What are you hoping fans take away from Sight Unseen?

Lewis: Oh, well, the list of that is long. I would say that people with divergence in any ability, not just sight, but in any ability, in any of their senses, it’s a huge spectrum. I think a lot of people hear the word “blind” and they think you either see completely or you see nothing at all. And I would love for them to understand that it is such a broad spectrum. The spectrum is as wide as the number of people that experience anything, so understanding how truly unique it is and how people with divergence in their sight find ways to function in a world that still has a long way to go in terms of being set up to support them. I think it’s really important. And alongside that, I hope they’re able to see that the show is so fun and so funny and has a ton of heart.

Sight Unseen premieres on Wednesday, Apr. 3 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.