I don’t know if
it is merely NBC’s tendency to heavily market their most promising new shows or
simply the hype of James Spader’s return to television, but somehow I heard
more about “The Blacklist” than any other new show this year. Unfortunately,
this show also features the creativity of a network show ten years ago, making
it feel dated and fairly unoriginal. I can think of several espionage/crime
shows that are similar (and in many cases, better), and the real disappointment
is how ill-suited Spader seems for the role he plays. Fans will still enjoy his
distinct approach to dialogue, but I can’t help but feel like it was a bit
forced at times. Mildly enjoyable as “The Blacklist” is, it mostly made me long
for the better shows that it borrows from and better characters that Spader has
played.
The series pilot
opens up with the surrendering of an ex-government agent named Raymond
Reddington (Spader), who has long been high up on the FBI list for wanted
criminals. Having made a living deep within the criminal underworld as “The
Concierge of Crime,” he also has unique information that could help the
investigations carried out by the FBI. With a plot development that quickly
begins to feel like “White Collar” slightly elevated, Reddington offers his
services in helping to hunt down some of the world’s most elusive criminals. The
only stipulation to this offer is that the only person Reddington will speak
with is rookie profiler, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). While this first appears
random, it quickly becomes apparent that Reddington is somehow tied to Keen’s
mysterious past.
The one positive
thing to be said about “The Blacklist” is that it has a full season, but there
are many throwaway episodes as a result. The series falls into a rut of
episodic narratives somewhere in the middle, with a contrived formula that
grows old until some of the through-line narratives take center stage. This is
also one of those shows that dangles answers like a carrot, always teasing
viewers into watching the next episode without ever allowing the satisfaction
of resolution. There are, however, a few storylines that are engaging
distractions from the larger failures of the series. A two-part episode
directed by Joe Carnahan is particularly engaging in terms of action and
suspense, and makes all that is frustrating about this series momentarily
bearable.
All twenty-two
of season one episodes are included on five discs, along with an assortment of
special features. There are commentary tracks with the producers on the pilot,
the season finale, and another key episode from one of the two-part storylines.
There is also a behind-the-scenes promo for the first season, and “Beyond the
Blacklist” segments for each of the episodes.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
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