Spoilers below for the Blacklist finale.
The Blacklist is not a show for the faint of heart. The NBC drama tends to feature plot twists that have plot twists that involve even more plot twists. Possibly the biggest shockers of Season 3 came when Liz Keen was seemingly killed off, leaving Red without his quasi-buddy and most important connection to the FBI. W know now that Liz is actually alive, having only faked her death, which came as a relief to many fans but will bring out some complicated feelings for Red. According to actor James Spader, he’ll actually be kind of okay with what went into Liz’s decision.
He’s not insensitive to the fact of what she’s going through in her life right now and he’s aware of her knowledge of his feelings about all of it, and he’s made that plain. I think he would have an understanding of what led to this.
James Spader’s explanation to EW is a reminder of just why Red is a not-so-good guy that’s too compelling not to root for. A lesser character might just be furious about the deception and want to get some form of revenge for the emotional turmoil went through in the aftermath of her death, but Red’s understanding of Liz’s mindset and her priorities as a new mom - at least as far as Spader is explaining it - shows that he has more depth to him than the average shady figure.
Of course, James Spader definitely did do his part to convince fans that Liz was totally, genuinely, 100% dead in an interview after what seemed to be her demise. The statement “Elizabeth Keen is dead” doesn’t leave a whole lot of wiggle room. Still, there is definitely truth to the statement that Liz was dead in terms of Red’s character, as she will have to change her name and identity to avoid his attention when Season 4 returns. So Liz is no more. For now.
The bizarre partnership between Liz and Red has been one of the highlights of the series from the very beginning. It should be interesting to see how Liz’s desperation to get away from his influence will combine with Red’s understanding of her circumstances to affect their dynamic in the future. The Blacklist has already been renewed for a Season 4, so at least we don’t have to worry about not getting to see what comes next. The status quo needed to change to mix things up for the next season, and Liz faking her death to split away from Red should definitely do the trick.
Season 3 of The Blacklist has only just come to an end, and it’ll be a while before we see any of Season 4 or even the Blacklist spinoff. Check out our summer TV premiere schedule to see what you can watch the pass the time while you wait for more of Red and Liz.
