The Blacklist season 3 premiere found Red Reddington and Agent Elizabeth Keene on the run after the latter killed the Attorney General during May’s finale. As the series moves forward, it’s going to be an interesting yet curious ride as how the FBI will strategize their hunt for the unlikely duo.
To give fans a clue on what’s ahead, series star Megan Boone weighed-in on her character’s perspective as she willingly drop her FBI badge to go rogue with Spader’s Reddington. “What I’m discovering is that while it’s really entertaining and Red is still this very colorful character, we’re not taking this [situation] very lightly,” Boone shared in a report from Entertainment Weekly. While later adding Liz’ initial strategy as the show progresses, “The first step is just to get out alive,” she revealed.
Creator and showrunner Jon Bokenkamp acknowledges that the writers had actually set-up the new season in a way that will set the bar higher. “The tone of the show is more urgent. This is a manhunt. The stakes are bigger,” Bokenkamp warns.
As for Liz’ dramatic transformation, co-showrunner John Eisendrath allowed that fans will see a different side of her – one which will unleash a sense of deniability. “The direction she’s been pulled is a rather dark path. She’s been drawn into Reddington’s world, and I think she’s seeing similarities in herself to him that she may not want to recognize,” Eisendrath explained.
According to Variety, while this new “Liz-on-the-run” trajectory for the crime procedural certainly brings a new angle, it also raises the question as to whether the writers are just running out of options to deliver a more interesting story arc. “The question now is how long this plot can be sustained before bringing its spy in from the cold, lest the entire enterprise begin to lose some of its heat,” the publication noted.
Albeit the negative feedback, the series continues to bring solid numbers for NBC. However, Forbes has reported that ABC’s Thursday block (aka the coveted Shonda Rhimes territory) has become a major hurdle for the series to hit the #1 spot. “While the show suffered from its move to Thursdays against the powerhouse that is Scandal, it’s still managing to serve as a worthy second place contender to the Shondaland machine,” the site wrote.
“The Blacklist” offered a game-changing plot on its season 3 opener titled “The Troll Farmer”. As the new bunch of episodes unfold, viewers will discover that this new path will uncork the dark side of Agent Keene. Although the adrenaline-fueled storyline is a nice way to kick off the season, some are worried that it may not yield a strong impact with the audience.
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