The Blacklist

[BaronHardacre]

Anyone else watch this...?

It has some Fortean appeal: a conspiracy of govt and big business known, as the Cabal; villains with names such as “The Djinn” and “Wendigo”; characters played by such genre favourites as Lance Henriksen, Paul Reubens and Ron Perlman.

And of course it poses the most puzzling question of all; just how much scenery can James Spader chew in any one episode…?

 

[Ringo]

I watched almost all of the first series and thought it was like a bad B-movie. Terrible acting, terrible sets and terrible special effects. It was like a straight to DVD production. Even James Spader was dulled.

But then others have found it great and the second series is supposed to be better.

 

[BaronHardacre]

I watched almost all of the first series and thought it was like a bad B-movie. Terrible acting, terrible sets and terrible special effects. It was like a straight to DVD production. Even James Spader was dulled.

But then others have found it great and the second series is supposed to be better.

You see I don't disagree with anything you see; the plots are ludicrous, the scripts woeful, the acting amateur hour (apart from Spader), and the plot holes huge.
And yet... I can't help watching it.

My beef is that they need to cast a villain who can match Spader's performance, and give them the script to do it. Perhaps Rob Lowe, for some of those "Bad Influence" vibes, or even the Shat for a Boston Legal reunion.

 

[ramonmercado]

Second series a lot better. Good conspiratorial fun.

 

[Mr. Banooka]

I’ve just read that Liz is leaving at the end of Season 8 and that they will be winding up her and Reddington’s storyline.

This season has been quite good with Liz’s vendetta against Reddington. I can’t wait to finally find out why she is so special to him.

I can imagine that Season 9 will bring some freshness to the series without having to pander to the Liz storyline. Some of the one-off episodes have been some of the best.

 

[ramonmercado]

I’ve just read that Liz is leaving at the end of Season 8 and that they will be winding up her and Reddington’s storyline.

This season has been quite good with Liz’s vendetta against Reddington. I can’t wait to finally find out why she is so special to him.

I can imagine that Season 9 will bring some freshness to the series without having to pander to the Liz storyline. Some of the one-off episodes have been some of the best.

Looking forward to the resolution of the Liz story, I suspect some odd things will be revealed.

 

[Mr. Banooka]

Looking forward to the resolution of the Liz story, I suspect some odd things will be revealed.

In the last episode we watched it sounded like Red had told Liz that Katerina Restova wasn’t her real mother.

He said something like “Katerina and I made an oath to keep you and your mother alive”. This seemed odd after Liz just accusing Red of murdering her mother “Katerina” again.

 

[ramonmercado]

In the last episode we watched it sounded like Red had told Liz that Katerina Restova wasn’t her real mother.

He said something like “Katerina and I made an oath to keep you and your mother alive”. This seemed odd after Liz just accusing Red of murdering her mother “Katerina” again.

That's as far as I've got! Episode ends with Red throwing a door open to show Liz ...

 

[EnolaGaia]

That's as far as I've got! Episode ends with Red throwing a door open to show Liz ...

Perhaps even more tantalizing is the fact that when Red opens the door he tells Liz whatever lies inside IS "the Blacklist."

Spoiler: What I Really Think

I will be glad to see the end of Season 8 and the series pivoting into a new direction without the burden of the Elizabeth Keen character. IMHO the Liz Keen stuff had finally devolved from central focus to baggage. There - I said it ...

It was pretty obvious the production team was treading water this time around. Season 8 was overloaded with chases, escapes, tense stand-offs, and carnage. Though each episode was entertaining, the overall story seemed to be in a holding pattern with no more progress each week than adding to the casualty list. I've watched the series from the very beginning, and I regret to say Season 8 has been the first season in which I found myself progressively less and less enthusiastic about seeing the next episode. I'm fond of villains, but Neville Townsend ended up being little more than a twitchy caricature who kept the carnage coming week after week.

Everything continued to be well done, but its overall lack of direction rendered it bland. I don't really care WTF is behind that bunker's door in Latvia, as long as it's something different.

 

[Mr. Banooka]

Perhaps even more tantalizing is the fact that when Red opens the door he tells Liz whatever lies inside IS "the Blacklist."

Spoiler: What I Really Think

I will be glad to see the end of Season 8 and the series pivoting into a new direction without the burden of the Elizabeth Keen character. IMHO the Liz Keen stuff had finally devolved from central focus to baggage. There - I said it ...

It was pretty obvious the production team was treading water this time around. Season 8 was overloaded with chases, escapes, tense stand-offs, and carnage. Though each episode was entertaining, the overall story seemed to be in a holding pattern with no more progress each week than adding to the casualty list. I've watched the series from the very beginning, and I regret to say Season 8 has been the first season in which I found myself progressively less and less enthusiastic about seeing the next episode. I'm fond of villains, but Neville Townsend ended up being little more than a twitchy caricature who kept the carnage coming week after week.

Everything continued to be well done, but its overall lack of direction rendered it bland. I don't really care WTF is behind that bunker's door in Latvia, as long as it's something different.

I tend to agree with this.

 

[BaronHardacre]

Whilst I still enjoy The Blacklist, it's become obvious that they need to wrap up the Liz/Reddington storyline.
Though, I'm not sure whether season 9 will be enjoyable, or like Scrubs season 9, best forgotten by all concerned.

It's also fairly clear budgets have been cut; they've gone from big bads played by Alan Alda, David Strathairn, and Ron Perlman in previous seasons, to one played by a bloke who was a bit part player on Friends, on this.

 

[EnolaGaia]

I watched this season's penultimate episode last night. In a semi-surreal manner the entirety of Liz Keen's origin and past was explained in terms of the various parties, situations, and projects that have baffled her during these past 8 seasons. The cast of characters actually involved is slightly larger than previously revealed, and the interconnections among them are as convoluted and complex as a mad conspiracy theorist's spaghetti chart.

That's all I'm going to say ... I'm still mulling over last night's revelations. The overall storyline revealed last night is reasonably (and IMHO acceptably ... ) coherent. However, you really need to watch this episode to follow how all the dots are connected. It's fast-paced, and it presumes the viewer is familiar with everything that's happened since the series began.

Beyond that ... It seems pretty clear last night's episode represents a major juncture at which everything can pivot toward something new and different.

 

[ramonmercado]

Whilst I still enjoy The Blacklist, it's become obvious that they need to wrap up the Liz/Reddington storyline.
Though, I'm not sure whether season 9 will be enjoyable, or like Scrubs season 9, best forgotten by all concerned.

It's also fairly clear budgets have been cut; they've gone from big bads played by Alan Alda, David Strathairn, and Ron Perlman in previous seasons, to one played by a bloke who was a bit part player on Friends, on this.

It was dragged out, I'll be sad to see Liz go though. And what about Red's terminal illness?

 

[Mr. Banooka]

FFS!!!! After all that we still don’t know who Reddington is to Liz.

Though the last two weeks have strongly hinted that

Spoiler

He is actually Liz’s mother. The montage after Liz was shot certainly seemed to try an reinforce that idea.