I started watching The Blacklist back in July and didn’t know what I was getting myself into. When I wrote that I began watching it on Netflix, I was only a few episodes in and was hooked. And it only got worse from there.
For those of you who don’t know what The Blacklist is about, here’s a quick rundown: Raymond “Red” Reddington is on the FBI’s Most Wanted List and he voluntarily turns himself into the bureau. He’s willing to give the FBI a “Blacklist” of other criminals but only if he can work with FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen. A task force is put together that consists of Elizabeth and a handful of other FBI agents, including my #ManCrushMondayAndEveryDay Donald Ressler. Liz’s husband, Tom, also becomes involved and becomes a big character. (I thought he was really annoying in the first season and hated him in the second but then started to love him toward the end.)
Each episode focuses on a “Blacklister” which Red will give the team and they go hunt down and mostly always catch the criminal. But along with that, there’s a big backstory about Red and Liz and I don’t want to give anything away in case you guys want to watch it, so I’ll leave it at that. It’s one of those shows where you get frustrated and want to know all of the answers but you have to keep watching to get the answers.
(JUST DON’T BE LIKE ME AND GOOGLE SOMETHING ABOUT THE SHOW BECAUSE I FOUND OUT SOMETHING THAT I SHOULDN’T HAVE AND SPOILED HALF OF SEASON FIVE FOR MYSELF.)
The first five seasons are on Netflix, and I finished watching the last episode of season five on Sunday. My dad watched the show when it was on TV, so he had to put up with all of my yelling and questions. And my poor mom had to listen to most of it at the dinner table.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching the show is that not everything is what you think it is. Red always had a plan B and stayed one step ahead of the game. I think most of it came from sometimes working against the FBI task force for his own good—even though he was supposed to be helping the FBI catch all of these bad guys (and girls).
There are also some continuity things that bothered me, like Ressler’s prescription drug use in the earlier seasons that doesn’t really pan out to much. (I’m only mentioning it because it doesn’t really go anywhere and doesn’t become an important storyline.) Or that we don’t really get to know the rest of the task force—Ressler, Aram, Samar, or Harold—and their personal lives. Like I get that the show is focused on Red and Liz, but it’d be nice if the other somewhat main characters had little backstories.
If you like FBI and crime shows, I’d highly recommend The Blacklist. It’s one of those shows that you can’t do something else and watch or else you miss something. I learned this the hard way trying to multitask while watching it.
(I would honestly do a “Becky Yells about The Blacklist” thing but I don’t want to give away any spoilers. There are some big bombshells that drop, and at times it’s kind of funny how Red handles situations because he seems so sure of himself and that he’ll get what he wants in the end, even if it means going against the FBI. There is also a ridiculous amount of deaths in the show.)
Have you watched The Blacklist? What did you think of it? Do you watch other FBI/crime shows?
I’m still upset that you spoiled one of the biggest moments of the show for yourself.
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i have watched the blacklist from the beginning when it first aired on tv, hooked from the first episode, so happy you like the show. I can’t wait for this next season he start, so excited to see what is in store for this season
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I’m glad I watched it on Netflix so I could just go on to the next episode because I don’t know if I could wait another week to see a new episode. But based on how season five ended, I’m so excited for season six and to see what happens!
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that is the best way to watch it, i waited each week for the next episode but also taped them
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That’s interesting there was 5 seasons a no backstories on any of the side characters. I’ve never watched this show but, I’ve heard good things. The only crime show I’ve ever really gotten into is Law & Order: SVU.
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I mean, they very very briefly included a little story for each, but it was like in one episode for each one, and then it was never really talked about. For example, in the beginning of the show, one of the agents had a girlfriend/fiancee and she died in a car accident (I think) and it was literally in one episode and never talked about again.
I’m OBSESSED with SVU. USA Network always has marathons of it and during college that’s all I’d watch and my roommates made fun of me. I’ve seen a lot of the old episodes but started consistently watching after Stabler left. I tape them every week (because they’re on at 10:00 p.m.) and I can’t wait to watch the new episodes each week.
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That’s so weird!! I love little inside scoops about the side characters. I haven’t seen the last few seasons of SVU because at one point, I thought it was cancelled for some reason?? I just realized there are still new episodes like last month. What the heck, right? lol.
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I would cry if it ever got canceled haha. The last few seasons have been good; it’s definitely worth you getting back into watching!
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I’ve watched the first couple seasons but kind of fizzled out watching it. I might try it again sometime soon!
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There was a part in the middle of season three when I stopped watching for a little while but it gets a lot better. The middle of season four to the end of season five was wicked good.
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Full disclosure, I was afraid to read this post because the Blacklist is my guilty pleasure! But I’m happy to make your acquaintance overall because a) the Blacklist b) running and c) writing! Go you!
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I didn’t want to give away any spoilers to the show in case people were still watching it! Haha. Nice to meet you as well! 🙂
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[…] and I finished watching The Blacklist on Netflix. Best thing I did all year. (Still really mad I Googled something […]
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