The Blacklist
The Blacklist
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The Blacklist

"Never trust a criminal... Until you have to."

7.6
Yr 2013
Status Ended
Drama Crime Mystery
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Series Brief

Overview

Raymond "Red" Reddington, one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, surrenders in person at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He claims that he and the FBI have the same interests: bringing down dangerous criminals and terrorists. In the last two decades, he's made a list of criminals and terrorists that matter the most but the FBI cannot find because it does not know they exist. Reddington calls this "The Blacklist". Reddington will co-operate, but insists that he will speak only to Elizabeth Keen, a rookie FBI profiler.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 65 /100

Critical reception for The Blacklist is mixed, largely centering on the magnetic performance of James Spader. Critics frequently highlight the show's procedural format, noting that while it relies heavily on established genre cliches and familiar crime thriller tropes, it remains a compelling and "winning combo" due to Spader's portrayal of a charismatic, "devilish" mastermind.

While some reviewers found the show to be a clever, high-stakes thriller that effectively pulls viewers in with its twisting narratives and exploration of the nature of evil, others argued that its reliance on predictable patterns and opaque motives risks stagnation. Ultimately, the series is viewed as a character-driven vehicle that succeeds primarily through its strong lead performance rather than revolutionary storytelling.

“Lead actor James Spader and the procedural genre makes this NBC series a winning combo.”

“The hunt for bad guys and a devilish, Lecter-ish mastermind anti-hero – this product is all cliche.”

“Creating a toothy vehicle for James Spader, few series can boast such a compelling central figure.”

“The Blacklist is both a clever and contrived crime thriller.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix
US • CA
Netflix Standard with Ads
US • CA
Sky Go
UK
Show 2 more
Now TV
UK
Channel 4
UK
Why fans love it

The show pivots entirely on the strange partnership between the FBI and a notorious criminal mastermind. After walking into headquarters to offer a database of untraceable terrorists, Raymond Reddington effectively hijacks the bureau’s agenda. His motivations remain intentionally opaque, leaving the federal agents to navigate a constant oscillation between treating him as a vital asset and a dangerous liability.

James Spader anchors the procedural framework with a performance defined by cryptic charm and calculated menace. The drama relies on the friction of an investigation conducted on the criminal’s own terms. By forcing a rookie profiler to function as his sole handler, the narrative keeps the focus on the blurred lines between law enforcement and the underworld. The mystery of why specific targets appear on the list often feels secondary to the question of what he truly gains by helping the FBI eliminate them.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 6
Longest run 218 eps
James Spader
James Spader
as Raymond 'Red' Reddington
218 episodes
Megan Boone
Megan Boone
as Elizabeth Keen
174 episodes
Diego Klattenhoff
Diego Klattenhoff
as Donald Ressler
218 episodes
Hisham Tawfiq
Hisham Tawfiq
as Dembe Zuma
216 episodes
Ryan Eggold
Ryan Eggold
as Tom Keen
89 episodes
Anya Banerjee
Anya Banerjee
as Siya Malik
22 episodes
Harry Lennix
Harry Lennix
as Harold Cooper
218 episodes
Parminder Nagra
Parminder Nagra
as Meera Malik
22 episodes
Show 67 more
Amir Arison as Aram Mojtabai 193 episodes Laura Sohn as Alina Park 56 episodes Susan Blommaert as Mr. Kaplan 28 episodes Mozhan Navabi as Samar Navabi 104 episodes Reed Birney as Tom Connolly 9 episodes Graeme Malcolm as Man with the Apple 5 episodes Deborah S. Craig as Luli Zeng 8 episodes Alan Alda as Fitch 5 episodes Paul Reubens as Mr. Vargas 5 episodes David Strathairn as Peter Kotsiopulos 12 episodes Edi Gathegi as Matias Solomon 7 episodes Andrew Divoff as Karakurt 5 episodes Jennifer Kim as ND Tech 6 episodes Karl Miller as Pete McGee 5 episodes Annie Heise as Elise 7 episodes Michael Aronov as Joe 'Smokey' Putnum 6 episodes Rachel Brosnahan as Jolene 6 episodes Ken Leung as Ausa Sima 6 episodes Elizabeth Bogush as Elodie Radcliffe 6 episodes Daniel Sauli as Alban Veseli / The Freelancer 6 episodes Katherine Kell as Agnes Keen 8 episodes Emily Kell as Agnes Keen 9 episodes Sarah Kell as Agnes Keen 11 episodes Brett Cullen as The Stranger 8 episodes Lotte Verbeek as Young Katarina Rostova 7 episodes Clark Middleton as Glen Carter 10 episodes Jonny Coyne as Ian Garvey 11 episodes Jennifer Ferrin as Anna McMahon 8 episodes Coy Stewart as Vontae Jones 6 episodes Ulrich Thomsen as Alexander Kirk 10 episodes Christine Lahti as Laurel Hitchin 7 episodes Piter Marek as Nik Korpal 8 episodes Alex Shimizu as Tadashi Ito 7 episodes Brian Dennehy as Dominic Wilkinson 9 episodes Dikran Tulaine as Max 9 episodes Kineta Kunutu as Blake Brown 6 episodes David E. Harrison as Eastern Friend 8 episodes Fiona Dourif as Lillian Roth 10 episodes Kecia Lewis as Esi Jackson 10 episodes Drew Gehling as Skip Hadley 6 episodes Ben Horner as Mr. Sandquist 6 episodes Chloe Freeman as Jax 6 episodes Laila Robins as Katarina Rostova 16 episodes Reg Rogers as Neville Townsend 12 episodes Stacy Keach as Robert Vesco 6 episodes Alex Brightman as Herbie Hambright 17 episodes Danny Mastrogiorgio as Lew Sloan 7 episodes Teddy Coluca as Teddy Brimley 20 episodes Genson Blimline as Morgan 19 episodes Aida Turturro as Heddie Hawkins 13 episodes Lukas Hassel as Vandyke 12 episodes Karina Arroyave as Mierce Xiu 8 episodes Diany Rodriguez as Weecha Xiu 25 episodes Mario Peguero as Santiago 8 episodes Chin Han as Wujing 7 episodes Valarie Pettiford as Charlene Cooper 9 episodes Fisher Stevens as Marvin Gerard 15 episodes Deirdre Lovejoy as Cynthia Panabaker 28 episodes Jonathan Holtzman as Chuck 28 episodes Hazel Mason as Agnes Keen 6 episodes Sami Bray as Agnes Keen 18 episodes Kenneth Lee as Zhang Wei 7 episodes Mackenzie Astin as Jonathan Pritchard 7 episodes Toby Leonard Moore as Congressman Arthur Hudson 8 episodes Peter Bradbury as Berdy 9 episodes Becky Ann Baker as Judge Roberta Wilkins 6 episodes Desi Waters as Court Clerk 6 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Hair Department Head
Hailei Call Jennifer Johnson Liliana Meyrick
Director of Photography
Derek Walker Yasu Tanida Saade Mustafa Frank Prinzi Eric Moynier Arthur Albert
Post Production Supervisor
Zee Hatley
Makeup Department Head
Amy Tagliamonti
Script Coordinator
Katie Bockes
Property Master
Catherine Miller Courtney Schmidt
Key Grip
Tom Kerwick Jr. Jared Sturner
Assistant Property Master
Keri Lederman
Art Direction
Bradley Schmidt
Production Design
Nicholas Lundy Andrew Jackness
Hairstylist
Beth Rolon Jenn Vasilopoulos
Transportation Captain
Mo Fitzgerald
In Memory Of
Brian Dennehy
Costume Supervisor
Linda Giammarese
Director
Michael W. Watkins Andrew McCarthy
Construction Coordinator
Will Stenzel
Stunts
Thomas La Marche
Stunt Coordinator
Cort Hessler
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Blacklist overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

fbi investigation terrorism criminal mastermind crime lord hidden identity criminal consultant
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
September 23, 2013
Status
Ended
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
3,517