THE BLACKLIST SEASON THREE: ON THE RUN

My wife and I have been fans of THE BLACKLIST from the very first episode. For once I was there when a series began rather than come on board years after it was running. The first two season kept us both entertained and on the edge of our seats as we watched the story being told unfold before us. And it has yet to end. Fortunately for those who were not there from the start the series is available on disc with season three the latest.

If you weren’t around at the start the story involves a master criminal named Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) who walks into the headquarters of the FBI with a proposition. The catch is he will only speak to an agent recently made profiler by the name of Elizabeth “Liz” Keen (Megan Boone). The reason why is unknown but when she shows to a highly secluded and secure facility Red tells her that in return for his release from strict custody he will give the FBI information to take down the most notorious criminals in existence, his cohorts in crime. When asked why her, he alludes to her past and the answers to secrets long buried there.

At the end of season two we found the Cabal, a secret group involving both criminals and government officials ruling the world behind the scenes, framing Elizabeth for the murder of a top government official. This season opens with her on the run, trying to escape from the government, including those she once worked with. With everyone tracking them Liz and Red are seeking a safe location as they try and clear her name.

This season also gave us a greater insight into the man hired by Red to keep an eye on Liz, Tom (Ryan Eggold). Tom went beyond his assignment, marrying Liz and actually falling in love with her. Tom becomes part of team Red as he helps them find the answers and proof they need to save Liz from prison.

At the same time Red still finds a way to assist the FBI group tasked with handling the information he provides them. The names he now gives them, like most that he has presented in the past, in some way assist him in whatever endeavors he has going on at the same time. In this case those whose names he passes along will in some way help him to prove the innocence of Liz.

There are several things that make this series work. The first is the writing. With complicated plot twists and turns that wrap around one another some bits of the story never reveal themselves completely until several episodes later. Items talked about in previous seasons come back to provide more information. It all works and if you become a devoted fan you can follow most. The only thing doing harm to this is the breakup of seasons in half when they air on TV. Remembering who is who and what is going on can be difficult this way. With the season on disc you can watch non-stop and that helps immensely.

The second thing that makes this work are the actors involved. Spader is amazing to watch here. He’s played quirky characters before (Alan Shore on BOSTON LEGAL comes to mind immediately) and more straight laced characters as well. His portrayal of Red here is a combination of bad guy and good guy, a ruthless criminal whose motivations involve emotions and affections rather than the greed and self-preservation that most display. You realize that Red is deadly and at the same time root for him each week. Boone has shown that she is up to the challenge set by Spader with her characterization presenting a woman thrown into a situation she isn’t quite prepared for yet adapting with each season, becoming an independent agent who crams so much lifetime into a few years leaving her prepared to handle most situations.

The series is one of the best on TV right now and having it available on discs means fans have the opportunity to go back and watch it all from the start should they choose, a major plus if you enjoy the series. Recent talk has been that hard copy versions such as disc are facing doom with the influx of streaming services. I disagree. Between the internet failing on occasion, mix ups with various services, poor signal strength in some locations and more, the interest in hard copy collections of series like this should be on the increase. When on hand nothing short of power failure can stop you from enjoying the series time and time again. So if you’re a fan, or just coming onto this series, pick it up today and begin to enjoy. You won’t regret it.

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