‘The Blacklist’ Returns: Should This Be the Final Season? (POLL)
After the shocking death of The Blacklist’s Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) in the Season 8 finale, the Season 9 premiere took the show in a new direction, catching up with James Spader’s Raymond Reddington two years after the death of Liz.
Liz was on the run for most of the show’s eighth season, so viewers may have gotten used to her absence upon the show’s return. Still, her death was a shocking one, as she couldn’t go through with killing Red as he asked her (so that she could take over the Blacklist). As she struggled with shooting him, she was shot in the back by an unknown assailant. Red managed to track down and kill the culprit before holding Liz in his arms as her life flashed before her eyes. After kissing her on the forehead as she passed, he ran off into hiding, which is where viewers picked up with him in Season 9.
The season premiere certainly felt Liz’s absence, as the FBI Task Force members all go their separate ways during the two-year time jump. However, some things remain the same, as the group reunites to track down their latest threat, The Skinner, after one of their own was attacked.
After returning briefly to help identify The Skinner, Red is visited by Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) who informs him of his plan to continue hunting down Blacklisters, encouraging the criminal mastermind to join him in honor of Liz. “The Blacklist was her calling. If we loved her, it has to be ours,” he tells Red.
Given that the season’s tagline is “Someone’s Going to Pay,” seeking revenge for Liz’s untimely death will likely be the focus of the ninth season. And if the team succeeds, it would make for a nice way to wrap up the story. It’s obvious that things are different in Boone’s absence, so solving the mystery of her character’s death would end the show on a satisfying note.
What do you think? Is the show the same without Liz? What did you think of the season premiere? Sound off in the poll below.
The Blacklist, Thursdays, 8/7c, NBC
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O
"she was shot in the back by an unknown assailant."
Pretty sure that was Townsend's main associate/bodyguard. He was seen with Townsend in a lot of his scenes, discussing their plans.
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G
Yes, for sure that was the shooter.
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O
The whole Liz storyline, especially through Series 7, almost made me stop watching. She was insufferable to watch and impossible to like. The series has no choice but to improve with her demise.
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R
So 2 years ago Red was dying and wanted her to kill him.... Now he seems fine.
And still no answer as to red and liz relationship
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G
I didn’t think he seemed fine. He has gained weight and didn’t look healthy to me.
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G
I don’t think they will ever answer the Red/Liz relationship issue until the very end.
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G
The only possible answer that is clear in my head is that Red is Katarina Rostova, Liz's mom. I am sure they can come up with some weird explanation as to how she became a man. That won't be a problem for them as they justified more complex predicaments in the past. Liz being Liz's mother explains everything. How his DNA test showed him as the father in the past, how keen he was on protecting her, how Rostova said in a previous episode that she "constructed" Red's character, how Red said in a previous altercation with the face Rostova that betraying katarina would be like "betraying himself", how Townsend said to him "was it worth it to change who you are for her", and so many more. To me, as weird as it seems, Red being Katerina Rostova is the only possible explanation.
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O
Love this show and hope that it continues beyond this current ninth season. No reason why it shouldn't--it consistently is graced by brilliant scripts and an excellent cast, headed by the one and only James Spader.
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G
This was the least confusing episode of the Blacklist that I ever watched, and it was still very entertaining. I would it to continue just to see all the members of the team. Denbe being in the FBI is a hoot! Loved it when Ressler asked whether they did background checks anymore.
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G
First two episodes of season 9 were completely boring.
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R
You should tell everyone what the letter said to Lizzy that she was supposed to get after she shoots him. And we All want to know who Raymond Redding really is. And who is Lizzy's Real mom and dad. Since Redding isn't her dad. So a good twist to me would be Since Reddington's bones were carried around in that bag and Reddington was supposed to be her father, but the real mom lied there. WHO'S HER REAL FATHER AND MOTHER. AND THE GREAT TWIST WOULD BE The man that played as if he was Reddington turned out to be her real FATHER and the real mother come on the scene. And they get Lizzy's daughter to raise. Then she would end up being an fbi agent.. and later carrying on Reddington's empire
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O
Yup, She was a poor character, but she did nothing with the role, so the writers did even less... The only constant was of course James Spader - for the exact opposite reasons above - It also helps that he had a lot of clout in the office.... it's like there was a team of writers for Spader and the "B Team" would write for the rest of the show ... office politics everywhere!
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P
That would completely ruin the whole show
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C
Story line has gotten so bizarre, I think it's time to wrap the show up.
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