The Blacklist Went Downhill After This Episode That Drastically Changed James Spader’s Character
The Blacklist never recovered after one particularly game-changing episode. By the time The Blacklist ended, it had aired for 10 seasons on NBC. The series began with the premise of the wanted criminal Raymond Reddington (James Spader) turning himself in so he could work with the FBI. Together, Reddington and a task force led by FBI Assistant Director Harold Cooper (Harry Lennix) found and stopped dangerous individuals that even the government was unaware of, with all these criminals being on Reddington’s “Blacklist.”
While many of The Blacklist’s episodes focused on stopping different antagonists, the series also had long-running storylines, including the true nature of the relationship between Reddington and FBI Special Agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). After the season 8 finale, Megan Boone left The Blacklist, which fundamentally changed the show. However, another change that happened in an earlier season had already changed the show in an irrevocable way.
The Blacklist Season 5’s Finale Revealed The Bones Belonged To The Real Raymond Reddington
In season 4, Kathryn Nemec (Susan Blommaert), more commonly known as Mr. Kaplan, dug up a suitcase with human bones inside of it. The bones became one of the show’s most significant mysteries as multiple characters tried to acquire them, and the bones even led to several character deaths, including Mr. Kaplan and Liz’s husband Tom Keen (Ryan Eggold). The Blacklist season 5, episode 22, “Sutton Ross,” finally revealed that the bones belonged to the real Raymond Reddington. This confirmed the long-held theory that the real Reddington was dead and Spader’s character had been impersonating him.
When the season 5 finale was released, the answer to the bones mystery was exciting and full of potential. It answered an essential mystery that had been at the center of the series since season 4, confirmed a longtime theory, and seemingly gave Liz her chance yet at figuring out who Spader’s character was and why he was so deeply invested in her. Unfortunately, this twist that could have helped the show instead derailed it, and it ended up feeling as though Mr. Kaplan and Tom died for nothing.
The Mystery Of Reddington’s Identity Overshadowed The Rest Of The Show
The Blacklist seasons 1-5 were compelling seasons of television. They effectively balanced the mystery of Reddington and Liz’s relationship alongside other gripping storylines like the Cabal, Mr. Kaplan’s revenge arc, and the stories of the other task force members, including Cooper, Aram Mojtabai (Amir Arison), Samar Navabi (Mozhan Marnò), and Donald Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff). After the reveal of the bones, the effective balance was upended and never restored as the mystery of who Spader’s Reddington really was overshadowed every other storyline.
It became difficult to care about new characters and plot developments when the show refused to follow through on clearly answering its oldest mystery about Reddington’s identity. Every time the series seemed close to providing answers or any kind of closure on the matter, the story only became more convoluted. Introducing a woman (Laila Robins) who claimed to be Liz’s mother and former KGB operative Katarina Rostova, only for her to be another former KGB agent, Tatiana Petrova, was one of many frustrating decisions the show made in the aftermath of the bones twist.
Liz’s Death In The Blacklist Season 8 Made The Bones Twist Even Worse
The Blacklist’s cast had a major shakeup at the end of season 8 with Boone exiting the show, which meant her character was killed off. Liz died without ever explicitly learning who Spader’s Reddington was and why he cared about her. The flashback montage shown as she died implied the popular theory that Reddington was Katarina Rostova and that this is why he was so devoted to her. With the bones twist teasing seasons ago that Liz would finally learn the truth, merely implying their true relationship as she suddenly died was not a satisfying way to answer the mystery.
Despite the bones feeling like a pivotal turning point, they instead led to The Blacklist becoming increasingly frustrating.
There was no sense of closure between Liz and Reddington after eight seasons of their complex dynamic. Beyond the mystery of Reddington’s identity, Liz’s death made it feel like everything he did to protect her had been in vain as, in the end, he was unable to stop her from being abruptly gunned down. Seasons 9 and 10 dropped some more hints, further implying the theory of him being Katarina. However, without Liz, the truth no longer felt like it mattered anyway. Despite the bones feeling like a pivotal turning point, they instead led to The Blacklist becoming increasingly frustrating.
