NBC's "The Blacklist" (Season 10)

[R3P0]

Raymond Reddington = BOSS

[jacobsever]

I've really enjoyed everything since it's come back from winter break.

The use of this song was so good.

Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Everybody Loves A Clown (complete with little girl's comment!) - YouTube

[rickah88]

Might be close to tapping out on this show.
Red is almost God-like, and I don't see the writers reigning him in any time soon.

[Show spoiler]I'm still kind of shaking my head at the whole Berlin character. Tom made him out to be the scariest person on the planet(and I love Peter Stormare) but he really wasn't all that, IMO. Liz is just all over the place...rookie profiler, playing house with fake Tom, FBI top ten most wanted, playing house with real Tom.
I just feel this show is falling into the classic trap of going too long and not having enough good writing to keep it strong. I'm just convinced that the days of 18-23 episodes in a "season" are just long over.

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by rickah88

Might be close to tapping out on this show.
Red is almost God-like, and I don't see the writers reigning him in any time soon.

[Show spoiler]I'm still kind of shaking my head at the whole Berlin character. Tom made him out to be the scariest person on the planet(and I love Peter Stormare) but he really wasn't all that, IMO. Liz is just all over the place...rookie profiler, playing house with fake Tom, FBI top ten most wanted, playing house with real Tom.
I just feel this show is falling into the classic trap of going too long and not having enough good writing to keep it strong. I'm just convinced that the days of 18-23 episodes in a "season" are just long over.

I will agree with you on small mini seasons for this show 1 big 13 episode arc would be perfect

[Zvi]

Originally Posted by rickah88

I'm just convinced that the days of 18-23 episodes in a "season" are just long over.

Why? People have shorter attention span these days, or writers can't come up with good storyline(s)?

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Zvi

Why? People have shorter attention span these days, or writers can't come up with good storyline(s)?

I can't speak for the first item, but in my opinion I don't think the writing can hold up. That's not a slight on writers, as they try...it's more a slight on the suits that stretch hit shows out as long as possible to sell advertising. Be it season length or quantity of seasons, in general.

Slightly off topic, but I watched the series premiere of Outsiders(WGN), via DVR, and there were no commercial breaks until the very end. What a concept!
There are only 13 episodes, in this season, assuming it sticks. Again, what a concept.

The 8-13 episode range just doesn't leave a lot of room for filler, which typically results in tight writing.
The networks, for the most part, just don't get this. The entire tv viewing landscape has changed, and networks are using a formula that is decades old. I think it's a large reason why so many network shows get axed so quickly.

There are so many viewing options available these days, so maybe that could affect attention spans? For me, it means a show better really reach out and grab me, because if it doesn't...I've got about 32 billion other options at my disposal.

[Samus Aran]

Paul Reiser quote:

Yeah, it’s really hard to do when you’re doing 22, 24 episodes. In traditional TV, it’s very hard to have the luxury of banking all your scripts and getting everything in a row, but it does make it very easy, and it’s very productive and beneficial and you learn as you’re going. You get to script seven and you go, “Oh, we should drop this in episode two,” and you go back on the season as a whole and you can see it better. Once you get to the ending, you know what you need and you say, “Let’s ratchet this up and plant this seed there.” So, creatively, it gives you a lot more leeway. Plus, in terms of production, you get to say, “Okay, we have this guy for four episodes—let’s shoot him out.” You can be more efficient with actors with schedules. I like to work like that; I like to have everything done. So, if for no other reason, you don’t have to think about it. Red Oaks, I’m just a hired hand, so it’s really fun to do that, too, to go in and just be an actor and not have to worry about the whole script. But when you’re involved in the production of it, you don’t want to be acting and, in between takes, rushing over to the writers and saying, “Let’s get next week’s takes.” It’s very frenetic and not my favorite way to work.

[DetroitSportsFan]

I can't believe what I just saw. Where does the show go from here? Unless

[Show spoiler]Liz isn't really dead and it's some sort of ruse...

[Old Geezer]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

I can't believe what I just saw. Where does the show go from here? Unless

[Show spoiler]Liz isn't really dead and it's some sort of ruse...

[Show spoiler]
That's the trouble with these shows anymore. The dead are hardly ever really "dead". IMO it's a ruse to keep Lizzy safe until Red can eliminate the threat to her and her baby. If Lizzy is really dead then the show is as well(my opinion).The thought of Tom and Red trying to raise a baby is beyond ludicrous and something I won't waste time watching

[R3P0]

What in the hell just happened, unexpected out in left field just wow...

[Show spoiler] theres no turning back, granted they will probably pull some sort of Winter Soldier swerve saying the doctor gave her X.y,Z and Reds top hand cleanup artist was in on it

[MD-Blu]

The ending completely shocked me, I wasn't expecting to see that ending.

[Old Geezer]

If that ending stands I will abandon a show that was at one time so great.

[Show spoiler]Phase 1:Red + Lizzy = magnificent;Phase 2: Lizzy + Tom with Red as a spoiler = not so great; Phase 3:Tom + Red as main protagonists = not worth watching IMO

[Kal-El_]

I don't believe

[Show spoiler]Elizabeth is dead and I don't believe Red is in on it. His character was showing genuine emotion at her death. If you remember correctly, Mr. Kaplan goes in to talk to Elizabeth after she throws Red out after she had the baby. That is when they concocted the plan to fake her death. Tom didn't sell it enough for me to believe she is really dead.

Next week, I think

[Show spoiler] Elizabeth's mother makes an appearance and/or we find out Red is really Elizabeth's father. No way he isn't. That emotion he showed at losing her took away any doubt I may have had, which wasn't much, completely out.

I have really liked all the episodes since the show came back. Can't wait for next week.

[Old Geezer]

Originally Posted by Kal-El_

I don't believe

[Show spoiler]Elizabeth is dead and I don't believe Red is in on it. His character was showing genuine emotion at her death. If you remember correctly, Mr. Kaplan goes in to talk to Elizabeth after she throws Red out after she had the baby. That is when they concocted the plan to fake her death. Tom didn't sell it enough for me to believe she is really dead.

Next week, I think

[Show spoiler] Elizabeth's mother makes an appearance and/or we find out Red is really Elizabeth's father. No way he isn't. That emotion he showed at losing her took away any doubt I may have had, which wasn't much, completely out.

I have really liked all the episodes since the show came back. Can't wait for next week.

Excellent take, and one that completely flew over my head. My main concern is how

[Show spoiler] this would affect the interplay between Red and Lizzy which I think is the strongest draw of this show.

[Mouse]

Wouldn't it be a shocker if Mr. Kaplan turned out to be Lizzy's real mother? Yeah I know... not very likely.

[MarcelS1]

Originally Posted by Kal-El_

I don't believe

[Show spoiler]Elizabeth is dead and I don't believe Red is in on it. His character was showing genuine emotion at her death. If you remember correctly, Mr. Kaplan goes in to talk to Elizabeth after she throws Red out after she had the baby. That is when they concocted the plan to fake her death. Tom didn't sell it enough for me to believe she is really dead.

Had about the same thought.

[Zvi]

The show was supposedly about Red chasing blacklisters with FBI + Liz...

[Show spoiler]S1 and even S2 was pretty good along those lines. In S3 Liz didn't do anything except for complaining a lot, whether or not she had a reason for it. Everyone had to dance circles around her, and as far as chasing bad guys or doing any actual profiling (which was her job description in the beginning) she didn't do anything interesting. I really couldn't care less about her on and off romance with Tom, their child and whatever other soap opera crap writers threw at us.

What's worse, because Red has to play daddy, he's not doing what's he's really good at - getting bad guys with elaborate combos and cool speeches. Instead he has to apologize again and again, beg her not to get married, etc, etc...

To be honest, I was already sick of all the drama surrounding her. I am sure they will bring her back to do more complaining, but if not, I won't miss that character, not after S3.

[Old Geezer]

Originally Posted by Zvi

The show was supposedly about Red chasing blacklisters with FBI + Liz...

[Show spoiler]S1 and even S2 was pretty good along those lines. In S3 Liz didn't do anything except for complaining a lot, whether or not she had a reason for it. Everyone had to dance circles around her, and as far as chasing bad guys or doing any actual profiling (which was her job description in the beginning) she didn't do anything interesting. I really couldn't care less about her on and off romance with Tom, their child and whatever other soap opera crap writers threw at us.

What's worse, because Red has to play daddy, he's not doing what's he's really good at - getting bad guys with elaborate combos and cool speeches. Instead he has to apologize again and again, beg her not to get married, etc, etc...

To be honest, I was already sick of all the drama surrounding her. I am sure they will bring her back to do more complaining, but if not, I won't miss that character, not after S3.

I pretty much agree with what you said. The name of the show is "Blacklist" - about Red handing clues to Liz and catching bad guys; and it was very good when it did that. It is not called "Liz & Tom Have a Kid and Settle down". It is much less entertaining now than it was.

[jokerzwild]

I will agree with that as well, the anti-Red and Tom/Baby drama was getting really annoying.

[Show spoiler] I don't think she is dead. The doctor made it pretty clear in the episode with Tom in ER that he wasn't really loyal to Red and not happy. He liked Liz and decided to help her get away from Red. I'm sure Kaplan had to be a part of it as well.

It is possible they really killed her off because the actress wanted to spend the time with her new child. I however think it is most likely that this is a way to remove or limit her filming so she could have her child and have maternity leave.

[blujacket]

This season sucks. I may be done with this show no matter what. Seasons 1-2 were great when Redd and Liz were working on the "BLacklist".. Now...ugh..