Sometimes casting is so perfect that you cannot picture anyone else in a role. Such is the case with James Spader in The Blacklist as Raymond Reddington. As the highly intelligent, cultured and well-read criminal he is perfect. It is one of those rare times when a bad guy is so good that you cheer for him despite their capacity for cruelty. While you are watching The Blacklist you are aware that not everything Red is doing is right/moral/legal/for the right reasons and yet you never want any harm to come to him. Then there is his great dialogue and delivery.
That being said you will spend most of the episodes wishing that the rest of the cast could perform somewhere near James Spader’s level. This is especially true for female lead Megan Boone, who is often rather wooden. The weaker acting happens despite having some bigger name special guests brought on this season like Christine Lahti, David Strathairn, Fisher Stevens, Paul Reubens and Tony Shalhoub.
The acting problems are compounded by increasing amount of clichés within the storyline. It has become a little predictable and as such you will find your attention wandering during different episodes. It is spiraling downward and become more and more like a soap opera when it could, with its interesting premise of one of the FBI’s most wanted working with them to capture high-profile criminals, really be a solid series.
Hopefully they can return to the quality shown in the first season because this one was pretty much a write off.
Special Features:
-Creating the Stunts: Script to Screen
-All About Aram
-From the Shadows: Villains of Season 3
-Episode Commentaries
–Outside the Box: Making The Blacklist Comic Book
-Red’s Gems: Favorite Lines From Season 3
