Reviewing Season 1 to 5
The Blacklist. America’s most favourite crime thriller show is one of the best show out there right now. The casting, particularly the world-class actor James Spader, makes the show all the more exhilarating and fascinating. My favourite is James Spader’s dialogues. They are intriguing and excellently performed. I, personally, couldn’t imagine anyone better to play Raymond Reddington. The coolness, poise, lure needed are all present.
The twist and turns are fluid and will always keep the audience entertained. One never knows what comes next, and the attention to detail is impressive. As much as I love crime and murder mysteries shows, I found the ongoing father-daughter chemistry between Reddington and Elizabeth along with the secret that connects them to be the dynamic of the show.
The writers did an excellent job of stemming strong emotions within the audience for the characters.
For example; as much as Liz’s persistence tells us she’s not one to back down, that she’s just as stubborn and relentless as Raymond Reddington, her character’s habit of always doubting Raymond and betraying him also pisses me off. It’s like she can’t think logically for herself, acts on impulses and believes whatever other tells her despite how much Red proved to her that he doesn’t lie to her and would do ANYTHING for her.
Yes, Raymond hides information and effectively redirects questions he doesn’t want to answer by recounting stories in the most intricate manner. But time and time again, he showed his prime intention is to protect Elizabeth by any means necessary. The length he goes to protect his love one (Even though, sometimes crazy and overbearing) is heartwarming, creating a deeper connection to the character that is Red. I easily find myself sympathising and feeling hurt for Raymond.
In this manner, we also see how the writers have wonderfully humanised Raymond Reddington, a criminal and murderer.
It’s a conflict of moral, really. It’s shown throughout the NBC TV Show and no character is spared from having to fight with their morality. From choosing right from wrong.
Having read the excerpts of the future Seasons, I have my own theory on who Raymond really is. I theories that Raymond Reddington didn’t die by the hand Katerina, rather he survived. And the man who Liz think is an imposter is really Raymond and her father. He is just going with the flow and not revealing everything, even at the expense of being misjudged by his daughter, whom he loves very much. Who knows, maybe the Raymond who died was one of Mr Raleigh Sinclair III’s clone. It’s a good theory.
Returning to Season 1 to Season 5, the one lacking I’ve identified so far is that Raymond forgives Elizabeth’s betrayals too easily. Provided misjudging Red comes easily given he is the FBI most-wanted criminal and mercilessly kills, I don’t see much difference in Liz level of trust in Raymond between Season 1 and Season 5.
But, I’m hoping to see a difference as I continue through the seasons. I’m hoping there would be an episode where Raymond tells Liz he wished he had chosen his love instead of her when she was still a child. Where he tells Liz, her betrayal hurt him and he wants for her to stay away from him despite his love for her. There should be a few episodes dedicated to Elizabeth realising her mistakes, that she shouldn’t have betrayed Red’s trust time and time again and for her to work to gain Red’s trust. This would show a reversal in roles as it’s Red who has been trying to gain Liz’s complete trust throughout the years.
Despite the latter, The Blacklist remains one of the best show to watch. Especially now with the quarantine. This drama-filled, crime-thriller and Mystery with the right amount of romance is a fantastic family show (Unless it’s young kids or people who don’t get the complexity of a storyline. They will eat your ears with questions. And for that, I would recommend doing like me and watch without them. That’s where the pure joy lay). This show will keep your day and mind busy.
I do not own the copyright for the picture. Wikipedia does.
