The Blacklist

The Blacklist isn't the best TV show you've ever seen--it's not edgy or innovative with an original storyline or remarkable cinematography. It doesn't have distinctive, stylish features. Into its 3rd season, The Blacklist survives, it thrives despite its being no Breaking Bad, or Mr. Robot, or Fargo, or The Knick. How is this possible? Just what is its appeal?

James Spader as Red Reddington is the answer and the sole reason this show is so watchable. He's not only the captain of the ship, he's the crew and the ship as well. In short, his performance is everything that makes this show great and I suspect he's somehow improved the template like performances of his supporting actors over time. The man is just a joy to watch and makes an improbable character--govt spy turned international criminal mastermind-- delightful and believable. Every actor on that show ought to thank Spader for allowing them the opportunity to make money on a show that would have been cancelled its first year--perhaps mid-season--if he were not on it. It's the darndest thing, the difference one actor can make.

Still, I wish that the creators had chosen a different actress to play the part of Elizabeth Keen, the FBI profiler that Red Reddington is inexplicably fond of. Someone like Zoe Saldana would have been brilliant casting and added dimension to the mystery of the Keen-Reddington relationship. And perhaps better casting for that part would have inspired the writers to shape her role more credibly and sent the show into the stratosphere. While Megyn Kelly may be a solid actress, she does not yet have the chops to make something of the oddly inconsistent writing for her role. Too late to change this up now.

I'm hardly the only fan who tunes in to enjoy Spader's performance, marveling at how the dreamy young actor with long blonde hair evolved into this very charming, balding older man who can act his *beep* off. I give him an Emmy for just Being There.

Plot

A new FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen, has her entire life uprooted when a mysterious criminal, Raymond Reddington, who has eluded capture for decades, turns himself in and insists on speaking only to her.

Cast

James Spader gloriously leads and to an extent that even the worst supporting cast could have been saved by him. Supporting we have Megan Boone, Ryan Eggold, Diego Klattenhoff, Hisham Tawfiq, the excellent Harry Lennox and wonders such as Amir Arison and Mozhan Navabi. As you can imagine because of its length you see countless familiar faces in both small and recurring roles.

Verdict

The Blacklist was a recommendation, I'd have likely never watched it if it hadn't have been. I believe I assumed it to be yet another US drama/crime show in a world saturated by them. But The Blacklist isn't, not exactly anyway.

You see the first thing I noticed about the show was just how interesting and engaging our leading man was. Raymond Reddington in a remarkably short period of time became one of my all time favourite characters and I mean that across television, movies and video games. He's just SO enjoyable watch made good of course by James Spader who puts in a simply legendary performance.

The show itself is interesting and certainly has its moments but if it weren't for Spader I genuinely believe it wouldn't have worked, it would have been bland, lifeless and uninspired and though there's some talent in the supporting cast I don't think could have saved it.

I binged it, and I do think it became a chore. With lots of mediocre filler episodes, plots that just didn't grip me and moments that honestly didn't make sense I would have phased out altogether if it hadn't been for Reddington who make whatever the show threw at me watchable.

Did it arguably last too long? Absolutely, undeniably yes! But did I enjoy the journey thanks to "Red"? Certainly.

Sadly after over 10 seasons and 200 episodes people had high hopes for the finale and very few appreciated it including this guy. However though I found it questionable I don't think it killed the show like many claim, it was just a very strange writing decision. And the unanswered questions? Nothing wrong with a bit of ambiguity.

A flawed show certainly, but thanks to the incredible Raymond Reddington it's a journey worth taking.

Rants

Look at the lowest rated episodes, one was deemed an attack on the 2nd amendment and the other an attack on pro-lifers. I mean, they aren't in the slightest but some political stances and subjects cannot be touched upon without being believing themselves under fire. Lighten up, it's a tv show about a billionaire international super spy.

The Good

Raymond Reddington is truly one of the greatest characters put to film Some fantastic supporting cast Many great episodes and storylines

The Bad

A lot of senseless filler episodes Not every story was engaging That animated covid episode!

The killer robot episode, oh dear.

Reddington and Dembe must have their dialogue written by completely different writers than everyone else on this show. Of the regular cast they are the only two characters that aren't painful to watch and listen to. Spin-off these two actors along with their storyline and dump everything and everyone, including the writers who are scripting this corny cliched drivel. Spader carries this show on his back.

I really enjoyed this show until they turned Keen into some kind of a goddess. It's all about Keen - Keen this or Keen that or it's about her daughter, her mother, herself - her, her, her. Even some female friends of mine are getting sick of her. As an FBI agent (heaven help them if they ever hired her in real life!!) she is terrible! If she goes in alone she somehow always gets taken out. She always has tears in her eyes (like I care??) She disobeys orders, puts other lives in jeopardy, and Boone can't act (anybody can shout, "FBI, stand down".) She looks lost ordazed.

When she left at the end of Season 3, I thought "thank God".

Now ... I like Reddington. The show is about him and the people he wants to bring down. If you want to focus on Keen, changed the name of the series to, "The Making of a Goddess".

This show has one thing going for it - Spader. Regrettably the producers focus too much on an uninteresting and annoying character. I dream of a new show concentrating on the time before the pesty and unlikable character of Elisabeth was introduced or at least only show here when she is talking to Redington. Nevertheless - Spader and his companions makes this show bingeworthy.