The Blacklist (TV series)

The Blacklist
Genre
Created by Jon Bokenkamp
Starring
Composer(s)
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 42 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Producer(s) Anthony Sparks
Location(s) New York
Cinematography
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time 45 minutes
Production company(s)
Distributor
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run September 23, 2013 – present
External links
Official website

The Blacklist is an American crime drama television series that premiered on NBC on September 23, 2013. Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader), a former U.S Navy officer turned high-profile criminal, voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after eluding capture for decades. He tells the FBI that he has a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world that he has curated over the years and is willing to guide their operations in exchange for immunity. However, he insists on exclusively working with a rookie profiler by the name of Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). The show also stars Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold and Harry Lennix. The pilot episode was written by Jon Bokenkamp and directed by Joe Carnahan.[1] Executive producers for the series include Bokenkamp, John Eisendrath, and John Davis for Sony Pictures Television, Universal Television, and Davis Entertainment.

On October 4, 2013, NBC gave a back nine order, filling out the series' first season.[2] On December 3, 2013, NBC renewed the show for a 22-episode second season.[3] On May 11, 2014, owing to the show's breakout success, NBC announced the show would air an episode in the coveted post–Super Bowl timeslot in 2015.[4]

The show has received critical acclaim,[5][6] with many critics praising Spader's performance in particular.[7]

On February 5, 2015, NBC renewed the series for a third season.[8]

Premise

Raymond "Red" Reddington, a former officer of the United States Navy who disappeared twenty years earlier, before becoming one of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, surrenders himself to Assistant Director Harold Cooper at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Taken to an FBI "black site", Reddington claims to share the FBI's interest in getting rid of criminals and terrorists he has associated with, that are so dangerous and devious that Cooper is unaware even of their existence. He offers Cooper his knowledge and assistance on two conditions: immunity from prosecution, and working exclusively with Elizabeth Keen, a rookie profiler newly assigned to Cooper. Keen and Cooper are suspicious of Reddington's interest in her, but he will only say that she is "very special". After Cooper tests Reddington's offer in locating and killing a terrorist in the first episode, Reddington reveals that this man was only the first on his "blacklist" of global criminals, which he has compiled over his criminal career, and states that he and the FBI have a mutual interest in eliminating them.

As the series progresses, the mysteries of Reddington's and Liz's lives, and his interest in her, are revealed slowly. Twists are introduced involving other characters.

Cast and characters

Regular

Actor Character Role Seasons
1 2
James Spader Raymond Reddington Confidential informant Main
Megan Boone Elizabeth Keen FBI special agent Main
Diego Klattenhoff Donald Ressler FBI special agent Main
Ryan Eggold Tom Keen Covert operative Main
Parminder Nagra Meera Malik CIA field agent Main
Harry Lennix Harold Cooper Director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division Main
Amir Arison Aram Mojtabai FBI computer specialist Recurring Main
Mozhan Marnò Samar Navabi Mossad agent Main

Recurring cast

Episodes

Season Episodes Originally aired Nielsen ratings
First aired Last aired Rank Viewers
(million)
1 22 September 23, 2013 May 12, 2014 6 14.95[11]
2 22 September 22, 2014 May 14, 2015[12] TBA TBA

Critical response

The first season of The Blacklist received strong reviews from television critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show has a rating of 82%, based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's consensus reads, "James Spader is riveting as a criminal-turned-informant, and his presence goes a long way toward making this twisty but occasionally implausible crime procedural compelling".[13] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 74 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[14]

David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle said about the pilot, "You think you know this situation and how it will turn out, but there are surprising, yet entirely credible, twists throughout Monday's episode".[15] Robert Bianco of USA Today said, "The Blacklist is a solid weekly crime show built around a genuine TV star. That's the kind of series the networks have to be able to pull off to survive. And with Spader in command, odds are NBC will".[16] Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter praised both Spader's performance and the procedural elements of the show, writing "there's an over-arching element to the premise as well that makes it intriguing without making it overly complicated."[17]

Ratings

Season Timeslot (ET) Episodes Premiered Ended TV Season Rank Viewers
(in millions)		 Live + DVR
Viewers
(in millions)
Date Premiere
Viewers
(in millions)		 Date Finale
Viewers
(in millions)
1
Monday 10:00 pm
 22
September 23, 2013
 12.58[18]
May 12, 2014
 10.44[19] 2013–14 #6 14.95[11] 16.90[20]
2
Monday 10:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 pm
 22
September 22, 2014
 12.34[21]
May 14, 2015
 TBD 2014–15 TBA TBA TBA

Awards and accolades

Awards and accolades for The Blacklist
Year Association Category Nominee Result
2014 Golden Globe Awards[22] Best Actor – Television Series Drama James Spader Nominated
People's Choice Awards[23] Favorite New Television Drama The Blacklist Nominated
Entertainment Weekly
Season Finale Awards[24]		 Best Non-Romantic Cliffhanger "Berlin (No. 8) Conclusion" Nominated
Funniest Moment in a Drama Nominated
Weakest/Most Divisive Twist Nominated
Best Final Shot Nominated
Most Likely to Earn Someone an Emmy Nomination Nominated
Biggest Regret That I Didn't See It, I Just Heard or Read About It Nominated
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Miniseries, or Movie The Blacklist Won
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards[25] Top TV Series The Blacklist (Dave Porter) Won
Saturn Award Best Network Television Series Release The Blacklist Nominated
Best Actor in a Television Series James Spader Nominated
2015 Golden Globe Awards[26] Best Actor -Television Series Drama James Spader Nominated

Broadcast

The Blacklist is broadcast in India on Star World Premiere HD.[27] The series is broadcast simultaneously on Global in Canada.[28] In Australia, Seven Network premiered the show on September 30, 2013 under the title James Spader's The Blacklist. The premiere was the highest-rated program for the night.[29] In New Zealand, it premiered on TV3 on February 2, 2014.[30] The second season premiered on September 23.[31] In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it premiered on Sky Living on October 4, 2013.[32] The second season premiered on October 3, 2014.[33]

Comics

Titan Books will start realizing an official comic book based on the series, being written by Nicole Phillips and drawn by Beni Lobel. The series's crew is working in the project too.

Editor David Leach tells THR that the comic is "a true extension of the television series” giving “new dimensions of the characters that have captured the audiences worldwide." The series will open with a six-issue story arc, which will be "a journey deep into the dark world of international espionage, conspiracies and intrigue on a global scale."

Issue #1 will launch July 22, 2015 in both comic book and digital stores.[34]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "NBC Reveals Its 2013–14 Primetime Schedule". The Futon Critic. May 12, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  2. ↑ Bibel, Sara (October 4, 2013). "'The Blacklist' Picked Up for a Full Season by NBC". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  3. ↑ Bibel, Sara (December 3, 2013). "'The Blacklist' Renewed for Second Season by NBC". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  4. ↑ "'NBC reveals fall TV schedule". May 11, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ Weigand, David (September 18, 2013). "Suspense dramas 'Blacklist,' 'Hostages' to premiere". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ Jensen, Jeff (October 12, 2013). "The Blacklist Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  7. ↑ Ostrow, Joanne (September 6, 2013). "Review: James Spader in "The Blacklist" on NBC". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ Bibel, Sara (February 5, 2015). "'The Blacklist', 'Chicago Fire', 'Chicago P.D.', 'Grimm' & 'Law & Order: SVU' Renewed by NBC". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  9. ↑ Schneider, Michael (November 13, 2014). "Exclusive: NBC's The Blacklist Casts the Villain For Its Super Bowl Episode". TV Guide. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  10. ↑ Barr, Merrill (November 18, 2014). "‘The Blacklist’ Casts Ron Perlman as Villain of Super Bowl Episode". Screenrant. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Deadline Team, The (May 23, 2014). "Full 2013-14 Series Rankings". Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  12. ↑ "The Blacklist: List of Episodes". Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  13. ↑ "The Blacklist, Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes.
  14. ↑ "The Blacklist – Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  15. ↑ Wiegand, David (September 18, 2013). "Blacklist review SF Chronicle". San Francisco Chronicle.
  16. ↑ Bianco, Robert (September 22, 2013). "'Blacklist,' 'Hostages' each have suspenseful charms". USA Today. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  17. ↑ Goodman, Tim (September 19, 2013). "The Blacklist: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  18. ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (September 24, 2013). "Monday Final TV Ratings: 'The Voice' & 'How I Met Your Mother' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment for 'Hostages' or 'The Blacklist'". TV by the Numbers.
  19. ↑ Bibel, Sara (May 13, 2014). "Monday Final TV Ratings: 'Bones', 'Castle', 'Dancing With The Stars' & 'Friends With Better Lives' Adjusted Up; 'Star-Crossed' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  20. ↑ Bibel, Sara (June 9, 2014). "Live+7 DVR Ratings: Complete 2013-14 Season The Big Bang Theory Leads Adults 18-49 Ratings Increase; Raising Hope Earns Biggest Percentage Increase; The Blacklist Top Viewership Gains". TV by the Numbers. Chicago, Illinois: Tribune Digital Ventures. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  21. ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (September 23, 2014). "Monday Final Ratings: 'Forever', 'Dancing With the Stars' & 'The Big Bang Theory' Adjusted Up; 'Scorpion' & 'America's Next Top Model' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Golden Globes, USA (2014)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  23. ↑ "People's Choice Awards (2014)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  24. ↑ Bierly, Mandi (May 28, 2014). "TV Season Finale Awards: YOUR 2014 Winners". Entertainment Weekly (New York City, New York). Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  25. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2741602/awards?ref_=tt_awd
  26. ↑ http://www.goldenglobes.com/2015_72nd_Golden_Globes_Nominees. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ↑ "The Blacklist". STAR India. Archived from the original on September 14, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  28. ↑ "The Blacklist". GlobalTV.com. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  29. ↑ Knox, David. "The Blacklist Tops Monday But Homeland Sinks". Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  30. ↑ "The Blacklist". Mediaworks NZ. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  31. ↑ "The Blacklist". TV3.
  32. ↑ Munn, Patrick (September 11, 2013). "Sky Living Sets UK Premiere Date For ‘The Blacklist’". TV Wise. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Sky Living Sets UK Premiere Date For ‘The Blacklist’ Season 2". TV Wise. September 17, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  34. ↑ "NBC's 'The Blacklist' Coming to Comics This Summer (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.

External links

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