James Spader’s Crime Thriller With 91% Rotten Tomatoes Score

James Spader has lent his talents to many great movies and TV shows, but audiences should check out his work in The Blacklist if they haven’t already. As the protagonist, Raymond “Red” Reddington, Spader gives one of the best performances of his career. Blending episodic elements and a series-long arc that digs into Red’s development, The Blacklist takes the audience on a compelling ride.

The Blacklist is a thriller that’s great from start to finish, and since the series ran for ten seasons from 2013 to 2023, this was no easy feat. However, The Blacklist relied on its exciting premise and strong ensemble cast effectively, which allowed the show to appeal to its audience base for so long, unafraid to evolve and change as the seasons progressed.

The Blacklist Deserves Its Impressive Rotten Tomatoes Score

With a 91% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Blacklist has received plenty of positive reception, from critics and audiences, to back up its popularity. Shows like The Blacklist often find a significant audience base because the crime genre works so well on television, but Spader’s fame and his charisma as Red can’t be overlooked as part of what makes the show so appealing.

At the beginning of the show, Spader is joined by Megan Boone as Elizabeth “Liz” Keen, the FBI agent who becomes Red’s handler when the criminal mastermind becomes an informant for the FBI. The relationship between Liz and Red, and why he’s interested in her, is the personal element that underlies the criminal investigations they embark on, which revolve around high-stakes plots.

Some Seasons Of The Blacklist Are Much Better Than Others

Though every season of The Blacklist is worth watching, it’s hard to argue that some installments of the show are stronger than others. The Blacklist seasons 9 and 10 saw the show wind down, as Boone exited the series following season 8. The loss of the dynamic between Boone and Spader hit the show hard, as this is what propelled the emotional component of the story.

The Blacklist was the strongest in season 1 and the middle section of the show. The premise was thrilling enough to draw viewers into the story’s world, and the excitement reached its peak when The Blacklist was able to start answering questions and experimenting from season 3 onward. However, like all series with a procedural element, The Blacklist got repetitive in the later years.

Why The Blacklist Ran For So Long

Ten seasons is a long run for a series of any genre, but The Blacklist series finale is a great example of why the project was able to sustain itself for so long. Without Spader and the nuance of Red’s character arc, The Blacklist wouldn’t have been half as riveting. Additionally, it walked the fine line between shocking plot twists and the subtle build-up of its biggest reveals.

Part of the reason The Blacklist started to lose steam as the seasons wore on was that the show was so determined to keep many facets of Red’s identity and motivations a secret. This made The Blacklist frustrating at times, but it also ensured that viewers couldn’t stop watching, and this fact holds true today.

The Blacklist

7/10

Release Date

2013 – 2023

Showrunner

Jon Bokenkamp

Directors

Andrew McCarthy, Michael W. Watkins, Bill Roe, John Terlesky, Donald E. Thorin Jr., Christine Moore, Kurt Kuenne, Terrence O’Hara, Adam Weisinger, Mahesh Pailoor, Karen Gaviola, Stephanie A. Marquardt, Steven A. Adelson, Daniel Willis, Matthew McLoota, Bethany Rooney, Joe Carnahan, Paul A. Edwards, Alex Zakrzewski, David Platt, Jean de Segonzac, Jono Oliver, Michael Zinberg, Paul Holahan

Writers

Jonathan Shapiro, Kelli Johnson, Brandon Margolis, Daniel Knauf, Dawn DeNoon, Aiah Samba, Dave Metzger, Justine Neubarth, Dave Thomas, Kim Newton, Vincent Angell, David Merritt II, Chap Taylor, Daniel Voll, Elizabeth Benjamin, John Zinman, Wendy West, Anthony Sparks, Jim Campolongo, Kristen Reidel

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  Diego Klattenhoff

  Donald Ressler