THE BLACKLIST SEASON ONE: WHAT'S BEHIND IT ALL?

I've said before that one of the great joys of DVD is when a television series is released so you have the chance to watch each and every episode of a show from start to finish. This means that if you missed an episode you can catch up. If the new season is about to start you can refresh your memory. And if you never had the chance to see the show when it first aired, and it was an amazing series as well, you now have the chance to discover it. Such is the case this week with the release of THE BLACKLIST.

The story revolves around FBI agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone), a profiler recently out of Quantico and proving herself to be an effective agent. But her life changes when one of the most wanted criminals of all time, Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader) enters into the picture. Red has contacted Elizabeth and promises to turn himself in but only to her and if he is guaranteed the opportunity to speak with her. Thus begins an odd partnership between the two filled with more red herrings than a fish market and more mystery by the end than there was as the series began.

Red tells Megan that he is willing to work with the FBI and their efforts to capture or end criminals. In return he wants immunity and all charges against him dropped and will only work with Elizabeth. Why is never made clear and honestly remains that way through the last episode. Apparently this will eventually be explained but remains part of the grand mystery for the moment.

What Red is willing to do is to give them his blacklist, a list of highly placed criminals that are at the top of the most wanted list for various items around the world. Some are known to the FBI already where others are not names they know of but unknown criminals they have been trying to identify. Each week Red provides another name from the list and the agents in a select task force set out to take them down.

This would make for a great show with that but there are a number of other stories running beneath the surface with this show. One is the question of who Red is and how he relates to Elizabeth. Is he the father that disappeared from a flaming house when she was a child? Or is he someone who knew her father? If not, why does he take a sort of paternal interest in Elizabeth? Or could it be that he's doing what he does best, manipulating people in a criminal world of chess where he is one of the top masters?

Then there is the problem with Elizabeth's teacher husband, Tom (Ryan Eggold). Tom seems to be your ordinary teacher going to work each day. But suspicions about Tom are put into Elizabeth's head by Red as the series progresses. Discoveries of secrets Elizabeth wasn't aware of with Tom lead her to question who is the more truthful in her relationships, Red or Tom. Is Tom all he claims to be or is there more to his story as well? The answer to this thread is given but only in part by the end of season one.

The team Elizabeth works with all have agendas of their own too. Add to that a secret cabal that has worked with Red in the past but may have a reason to want to end his connection to the FBI and the plot thickens. But that's not enough. Someone else wants Red out of the picture, someone placed high on his blacklist. Just who that is will eventually be revealed one hopes but not in season one.

The show contains all the items needed to make a memorable, thought provoking and fascinating series. It grips you from the start as Red is jailed in a specialized glass cell as he talks to Elizabeth. It carries on as Red is given free reign to go as he pleases as long as he continues helping the FBI, in some cases continuing to involve himself in criminal misdeeds along the way.

The acting is amazing to watch with newcomer Boone making her character not only believable but one you care for as well. Spader, who did such wonderful work in BOSTON LEGAL, has created an even more amazing character with his performance as Red. All the characteristics we've associated with him in the past, the swagger of someone who feels in control, the smarmy snobbish arrogance of someone filled with power and at the same time a weakness for someone that brings him to his knees to right the wrongs he's committed while never quite breaking himself from that life.

The new season of the show is nearing but with the release of season one of DVD viewers have the chance to jump onboard and catch up before it begins. Not only is THE BLACKLIST a series that is worth taking the time to watch it is one worth adding to your collection and keeping there. I have no doubt that I will revisit the world of "Red" Reddington for years to come. If you choose to start the journey via DVD just be aware, you might find yourself binge watching once you get hooked. My advice is to start watching this one on a Friday night so you don't miss work.

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