The Blacklist is one of the most elaborate shows around, and with seven seasons under its belt, and another on the way, it has been a spectacular ride. It has also been one filled with its share of things that viewers have had to not overthink. That is just part of the fun of watching, though.
We are talking about a show wherein viewers learned the main character has been an imposter the entire time. The surprising twists and turns have not let up, and neither have the things The Blacklist’s audience has needed to not observe too carefully. Without further ado, here are seven of them!
Red Is A Vigilante Murderer
The Blacklist features (possible twin) Red as a central character whom its ensemble is both horrified by and friendly with. Of course, it is hard to get past the murderous elephant in the room. Red has killed many with his vigilante brand of “justice” based on his judgments of right and wrong, without any remorse.
Red is the star of the show, which allows viewers some room to look the other way. In any case, The Blacklist has made no bones about Red bending and breaking the law. He is a self-professed career criminal, after all, so it's hard to watch the show and not be OK with his methods at least some of the time.
The Media Is Nowhere To Be Seen
Liz and the Task Force have solved many crimes that you would think the media would be all over, only they are not. Harold, Aram, Ressler, Liz, and now Alina Park have been pretty exempt from the press interfering. You would think that a nosy reporter would be inquiring like crazy about the cases they have solved.
Interestingly, the 150th episode will include The Today Show’s Al Roker, so maybe this is about to change. Could Roker be the key to finally giving The Blacklist’s audience the sense that Red and the Task Force’s activities have not gone unnoticed? It would be neat. Either way, this is not a hugely upsetting plot point, as I'm sure there are tons of crimes that get solved by super-skilled government agencies we know nothing about, but it is one that could be worth exploring in the future.
Red Is Never Recognized
The Blacklist has not been shy about saying that Raymond “Red” Reddington is a highly-sought-after criminal, and his face should be pretty world-renowned at this point. So, how is Red able to go around without anyone (including law enforcement) recognizing him or it causing a commotion? It took Liz setting Red up in order for a cop to go in and arrest him.
I would think that Red would have a serious paparazzi problem. Or at least encounter a few people who would have something to say about him walking around free. Instead, Red has roamed without much in-person controversy on The Blacklist. I cannot say that I mind that much, though. As a criminal mastermind, he should be able to hide in plain sight.
Teddy Is A Torturer
One of The Blacklist’s signatures is its dark gallows humor. Red is not shy about telling a morbid joke or making a similarly geared remark or two. The show has dug no deeper into that portion of its storytelling than with Teddy Brimley. He works as Red’s foremost interrogator, and he uses torture as one of his principal techniques.
The Blacklist layers Teddy’s scenes with a lot of dark humor. However, it is important to remember that the man also inflicts a lot of grievous pain to make people talk, which is no laughing matter. That said, James Spader has mentioned Red’s ability to find “irreverence” as part of what drew him to the role, hence, the audience can sort of accept the humor around Teddy as part of Red’s vibe.
Katarina Would Have Her Own Reddit
Katarina Rostova has been described as a legend, a myth, and everything that goes with it. What she has not been described as being is a hot topic on Reddit. Now, just think about this for a second. She is the kind of spy that would get the quiet corners of the internet really buzzing.
Imagine the number of threads Liz’s mom should be generating. If you thought that the woman claiming to be Katarina is an imposter theory was wild, Aram should be aware of Reddit conjuring wilder theories on The Blacklist. Considering that the existence of Liz’s mom is probably still pretty quiet, maybe the internet is not as in on the secret. This explanation that gives The Blacklist a handy out.
Liz Lies...A Lot
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth “Liz” Keen. She is one of my favorite TV heroines, but even I have to admit that she lies…a lot. Granted, she does tend to do this for a good reason, and it usually ties to her allegiances to the two troubling figures on the show. In the most recent case, that's her mother.
As much as I will defend Liz, I have to say that she lies a little too comfortably to the people that care about her. Harold, Aram, Ressler, and even Red deserve more transparency than she often gives. Liz has a reason for her secrets, though, and they are altruistic. On the surface, it looks bad, but if you think about her intentions, she comes off a lot better.
Liz Should Probably Change Jobs
When Liz decided to bring her daughter, Agnes, home, she indicated that she felt it was safe because she felt good about whoever Red is not posing a threat to Agnes. As great as it is that Liz is back with her daughter, you have to wonder if Liz is missing the forest for a giant tree – her job.
The Blacklist has shown how scary Liz’s job is, and it is not getting any less frightening. Liz is the last living parent that little Agnes has, and chasing criminals is bound to put her in even more danger. It is a lot for Liz to ignore and viewers not to overthink. The Blacklist without Liz on the Task Force would be dull, though, so keep bringing on the danger.
Of these, I would love for a journalist to attempt a profile piece on “Raymond Reddington,” and if The Blacklist put its own twist on a reporter getting an up-close-and-personal look at Red, that would be amazing.
Think of the possibilities! Red is apparently dying, so he may want to put his story down in ink (virtual or real) before his time is up. There is a lot to contemplate as The Blacklist heads into Season 8, especially after a finale that, undoubtedly, gave viewers more that's not worth overthinking.
You can view previous seasons of NBC's The Blacklist on Netflix along with lots of 2020 arrivals. It will not be long before fans can watch this summer’s premieres as they anticipate Season 8.
