The Blacklist Season 1 (2 Viewers)

[mattCR]

Premieres tonight on NBC.. James Spader returns to drama as an insider who knows where all the bodies are buried and cashes in his secrets to the government..

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm looking forward to it.

 

[sidburyjr]

Opposite Hostage and Castle. Some serious DVRing will be going on tonight.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I dropped "Castle" last season when it fell into third priority for its time slot and I couldn't summon the energy to catch up with it again. Now 10 PM Monday looks like it's going to be the new dramas for me. Very interested in both "Hostages" and "The Blacklist", though I wish they'd decided to make "Hostages" a one-run 15-episode sprint. It doesn't seem like the sort of conceit that can sustain mutiple seasons.

Based on the previews, I'd guess James Spader will be back on the Emmy stage sooner rather than later. He's an Emmy favorite, and it's the kind of role that Emmy voters eat up.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I'll be using the DVR a lot tonight with The Blacklist, Hostage, and Castle on the viewing list during the late slot; not to mention the rest of the CBS lineup, Bones, and Sleepy Hollow all tonight. 7 hours. *sheesh*

- Walter.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Well...I'm hooked. It doesn't get any better than James Spader on television!

 

[mattCR]

Yeah.. wow. Way, way better then I expected. Core concept is really good, I expected this to be pretty half baked but Spader sells that role.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Random thoughts after viewing the first episode.

Definitely felt like Silence of the Lambs meets Homeland. Not that this is a bad thing.

Spader delivered the snark like the pro that he is. Good times. "I don't want your intelligence."

The bridge sequence was well choreographed and was one of the better action sequences I've seen on television of late.

I'm not completely sold on the actress (Megan Boone) playing Agent Keen. I'm not sure she can completely sell the dramatic heft of the series. I know how shallow this is going to sound but she is almost too pretty for the tone of the series. Someone a little plainer looking would have been an easier sell for me. Maybe it is something else?

I didn't care for the over the top use of the metal holding cell sliding back with the klaxon sounding. There are all kinds of armed guards around. Was that really necessary, other than to over sell the dangerous nature of Spader's character. Seemed like a cool shot for the trailer but not something very realistic.

- Walter.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Random thoughts after viewing the first episode.

Definitely felt like Silence of the Lambs meets Homeland. Not that this is a bad thing.

Spader delivered the snark like the pro that he is. Good times. "I don't want your intelligence."

The bridge sequence was well choreographed and was one of the better action sequences I've seen on television of late.

I'm not completely sold on the actress (Megan Boone) playing Agent Keen. I'm not sure she can completely sell the dramatic heft of the series. I know how shallow this is going to sound but she is almost too pretty for the tone of the series. Someone a little plainer looking would have been an easier sell for me. Maybe it is something else?

I didn't care for the over the top use of the metal holding cell sliding back with the klaxon sounding. There are all kinds of armed guards around. Was that really necessary, other than to over sell the dangerous nature of Spader's character. Seemed like a cool shot for the trailer but not something very realistic.

- Walter.

Shallow is my middle name, she is hot, probably one of the best looking actresses on TV. I don't take any of these TV programs very seriously as the only thing I ask of them is to entertain me for 43 minutes a week. Right now, The Blacklist is doing that, with a male actor, who happens to be very good at acting and a female actress, who is okay at acting, but is great to look at.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Of the two new dramas last night, this stood out head and shoulders above the other. "Hostages" is gritty and oh-so-serious, but the execution was lacking to say the least. This was a lot more impish, but every beat was hit perfectly.I didn't realize until sitting down to watch that Joe Carnahan had directed the pilot. People have mixed feelings on his work, but his tone was exactly right for this one: perfectly paced, well-executed action, fun character play.

I'm not completely sold on the actress (Megan Boone) playing Agent Keen. I'm not sure she can completely sell the dramatic heft of the series. I know how shallow this is going to sound but she is almost too pretty for the tone of the series. Someone a little plainer looking would have been an easier sell for me. Maybe it is something else?

She was the pleasant surprise for me. I expected James Spader to be amazing, but I didn't figure anybody they cast as the young female agent would be able to go toe-to-toe with him. I'm so used to the frigid, buttoned-down FBI agents that live only the solemn completion of their duties, it was nice to meet her first as an actual human being, complete with laughter and dog pee. You see her relationship for about thirty seconds at the beginning, and you completely buy it.

And then later when everybody else is the solemn FBI stiffs, she's playing a different game. She's green, she's trained as a psychologist rather than an investigator, and she doesn't even try to go toe-to-toe with Spader's character until the bad guys go after her man and she realizes that he had something to do with it. And then she doesn't enter into a dick-measuring contest with him, she stabs his carotid and tells him he's going to answer her or he's going to bleed out where he sits.

She's direct, he's the master of misdirection. She's not afraid to express emotion, he's the model of dry composure.

The mystery is what drove him to pick her for his little game. The obvious answer is that she's the daughter he abandoned to start his life of crime, but if that were the case, it would take the FBI about five minutes to figure it out, and she'd surely at least recognize him from pictures. So the truth has to be more complicated than that.Either way, I'm in for the long haul unless the quality level really tanks from here.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Adam,
He's very composed, but at times, he does show emotion when talking with her. His eyes lit up when he first sees her as he looked very happy to see her. When she talked about how she got that scar on her palm, he showed empathy and perhaps sadness as she explained it.
IMO, I think her connection to him is very personal. She might not be the daughter as reference to the one that he abandon, but there is definitely some connection that we will eventually find out. She is not some stranger, he just picked out as I think he's been following her life for a very long time.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I didn't realize until sitting down to watch that Joe Carnahan had directed the pilot. People have mixed feelings on his work, but his tone was exactly right for this one: perfectly paced, well-executed action, fun character play.

I had to look up his credits on IMDB, and what I have seen of his directorial work I have enjoyed. (Narc, Smokin' Aces, The A-Team). Still haven't gotten around to watching The Grey (which a friend recommended to me.)

- Walter.

 

[mattCR]

The problem with Hostages is I don't see how it can go very many episodes before it starts becoming ridiculous. You'd just figure in the real world the president would just find another hospital after a foul up and the story would be over.

But with this, I could see how you could have angles that go on for a long time; he leads you to the head of an organization, but you have to get the entire organization, tons of people.. etc. etc. etc.

I joked with my wife that The Blacklist is almost Alias flipped on it's head, as though Arvin walked into the CIA and said: here's everything I know, but I'm only going to give it to you bits at a time.

 

[Hanson]

Spader is indeed excellent on this show, but it withers a little whenever he's off the screen. I just don't get enough from Megan Boone to carry the other scenes.

Great reveal at the end with the husband. Explains why Spader initiated the visit with the Serbian.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I just watched the episode again and I don't get the criticism of Megan Boone here. I'm wondering if her good looks are causing some jaded views of her acting from some of you?

 

[Patrick Sun]

I'm very distracted by the wig Boone is wearing, otherwise, she's competent in the role for now.

I'll stick with it for a bit.

 

[Hanson]

Boone just feels lightweight here, and it makes the show unbalanced with Spader on the other side. It's not her looks, it's just the lack of presence and charisma.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Boone just feels lightweight here, and it makes the show unbalanced with Spader on the other side. It's not her looks, it's just the lack of presence and charisma.

Well, I guess we just have to disagree as I see enough from her regarding what you say she is lacking.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm very distracted by the wig Boone is wearing, otherwise, she's competent in the role for now.

I'll stick with it for a bit.

I never noticed the wig, but I do remember she had a short hair style when she was on Bluebloods last year.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I shoot a lot of cosplayers, so I'm pretty attuned to wigs nowadays, bugs me when I see actors and actresses wearing obvious wigs in shows and movies too.

I'm just wondering why she has to wear it at all, I'm sure Red's mention of her previous hair highlights, adds a bit of "keeping tabs on Lizzy" on his activity list.