The Blacklist: T. Earl King IV (No. 94)
March 6, 2015 2:05 PM - Season 2, Episode 14 - Subscribe
Liz goes undercover to save Red from being auctioned off by a mysteriously long-lived criminal dynasty. A few familiar faces return.
In every Blacklist episode there seems to be one moment where the suspension of disbelief just falls apart.
For me, that moment was sending Keen in undercover. I strongly suspect that the kinds of people who'd sell actual human beings and major stolen artworks in an auction would probably compile dossiers on every single person attending, because one set of loose lips is going to ruin your whole day.
I mean, I've said before I enjoy this show as bubblegum and I love watching Spader chew the scenery (and I'm looking forward to watching Harry Lennix playing Obama in the inevitable biopic) and so on, but it really feels like Lost at this point: great premise, and nobody running the show has any clue whatsoever where it's going.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 2:14 PM on March 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
For me, that moment was sending Keen in undercover. I strongly suspect that the kinds of people who'd sell actual human beings and major stolen artworks in an auction would probably compile dossiers on every single person attending, because one set of loose lips is going to ruin your whole day.
I mean, I've said before I enjoy this show as bubblegum and I love watching Spader chew the scenery (and I'm looking forward to watching Harry Lennix playing Obama in the inevitable biopic) and so on, but it really feels like Lost at this point: great premise, and nobody running the show has any clue whatsoever where it's going.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 2:14 PM on March 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
Find the jackals and they'll inevitably lead you to the Kings.Love it.
Tom and Liz swap spy tips in divorcée détente. Also amazing.
What are the odds?FANTASTIC.
I'm pretty sure that if The Blacklist ended with James Spader looking directly into the camera, calmly stating "winning", and then being killed by a falling piano, I could die happy.
posted by books for weapons at 5:18 PM on March 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
While I loved Spader's delivery of the "What are the odds?" line, the straight-up murder in front of a room full of witnesses bothered me. I mean, not that Keen & the team haven't given him a pass on umpteen crimes before, but usually he does things behind their backs or in some way that gives them plausible deniability.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:20 AM on March 7, 2015
posted by oh yeah! at 6:20 AM on March 7, 2015
Yeah I mean at this point The Blacklist is pretty blatant wish fulfillment. He's a bad dude that gets a pass on being bad because he helps the good guys (who are a little bad themselves, but necessarily so) take down badder dudes. If there were consequences for any of Red's actions the whole fantasy would come crashing down, that's why it's Liz who gets investigated for murder.
Think of just how very many justifications have been given for why Red is allowed to do whatever it is he wants. Remember the tracking chip he demanded in the first episode? The Fulcrum? The eponymous Blacklist?
He's the criminal James Bond.
posted by books for weapons at 9:40 AM on March 7, 2015
Think of just how very many justifications have been given for why Red is allowed to do whatever it is he wants. Remember the tracking chip he demanded in the first episode? The Fulcrum? The eponymous Blacklist?
He's the criminal James Bond.
posted by books for weapons at 9:40 AM on March 7, 2015
the straight-up murder in front of a room full of witnesses bothered me
Seriously. Just "hey, you're a jerk, bang" right in front of Keen. And she's all, nah don't worry about it.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:03 AM on March 7, 2015
Seriously. Just "hey, you're a jerk, bang" right in front of Keen. And she's all, nah don't worry about it.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:03 AM on March 7, 2015
My favorite bit is when he's about to be shot, when he says her name. I think he's saying "Lizzie" in a prayerful way, like "Lizzie, please help me", with no hope of anyone hearing him. The look of surprise on his face when she actually rescues him is priceless.
posted by Mogur at 12:11 PM on March 7, 2015
posted by Mogur at 12:11 PM on March 7, 2015
I'm okay with Keen letting the murder slide. She had just seen what he's had in his basement. There's a ruthless streak in her.
posted by Mogur at 1:05 PM on March 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mogur at 1:05 PM on March 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Red's pretty firmly in the 'monsters who fight monsters' mode.
I do like it when he trades barbs with old business partners. I like seeing all the little details that never get quite filled in, and dissolve when looked at too closely. We can only catch them in our peripheral vision.
"What are the odds?" 1 in 6. But I feel like Red has a deep and intuitive understanding of how luck works.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:55 PM on March 7, 2015
I do like it when he trades barbs with old business partners. I like seeing all the little details that never get quite filled in, and dissolve when looked at too closely. We can only catch them in our peripheral vision.
"What are the odds?" 1 in 6. But I feel like Red has a deep and intuitive understanding of how luck works.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:55 PM on March 7, 2015
I loved the genuine surprise in is voice when he shoots Earl.
posted by fullerine at 9:38 AM on March 8, 2015
posted by fullerine at 9:38 AM on March 8, 2015
There's a ruthless streak in her.
She could be Reddington 2.0 in the future.
posted by Pendragon at 1:46 PM on March 9, 2015
She could be Reddington 2.0 in the future.
posted by Pendragon at 1:46 PM on March 9, 2015
I've figured for a while that's what he's aiming for, grooming her as his replacement/legacy/etc.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 1:55 PM on March 9, 2015
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 1:55 PM on March 9, 2015
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posted by Small Dollar at 2:08 PM on March 6, 2015