Paul Reubens may be best known for his work as the beloved Pee-wee Herman, but he had a long list of credits that made him a favorite for many. In the wake of the actor's passing at the age of 70, The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp looked back at when Reubens came to the hit NBC drama (which ended after ten seasons this summer) and influenced the show and his own character of Mr. Vargas. 

The Pee-wee Herman star recurred on The Blacklist across the second and third seasons as Mr. Vargas, and the character was a standout from his first episode. It wasn't always clear which side Mr. Vargas was on, and he ultimately learned just what happens when you try to betray and deceive Raymond Reddington. 

Show creator Jon Bokenkamp spoke with People about working with Paul Reubens for The Blacklist, sharing that they "really created the character for Paul" and that "he was lovely enough to do it" after they came up with a "weird and exciting" idea. The idea was only the beginning, however, as Bokenkamp went on to share how the actor contributed to shaping Mr. Vargas: 

Fans of The Blacklist from the run on NBC (or streaming via a Netflix subscription) will remember that Mr. Vargas' discomfort with blood was almost immediately established as a character trait in his very first episode. The reveal added some humor to a pretty dark scene, and quickly made the Reddington/Mr. Vargas dynamic fun to watch.

Jon Bokenkamp further shared that Paul Reubens brought a cane with him to the Blacklist set in case the fake blood made him queasy, prompting the creator and writers to take "his peculiarities and worked them into the show." Bokenkamp elaborated on how Reubens contributed to the "strange look" of Mr. Vargas:

Paul Reubens turned Mr. Vargas into a memorable character rather than one who fades into the background in a show full of double agents and betrayals. Fans unfortunately only got a handful of episodes with the character before his untimely end, but Jon Bokenkamp's comments about his impact on the show are a tribute to Reubens' work on the NBC drama. The Blacklist creator went even further to credit the late actor:

Paul Reubens' death was officially announced on July 31, following a private battle with cancer. It didn't take long for fans to start sharing stories about the Pee-wee's Big Adventure actor to pay tribute to him, and he is already remembered widely for roles in addition to Pee-wee and Mr. Vargas. In fact, he played a Batman fan-favorite among other DC roles, and there's a long list of Paul Reubens Movies and TV shows to watch (or rewatch) to celebrate his life and career. 

If you want to revisit his time as Mr. Vargas on The Blacklist, you can find Season 2 and Season 3 streaming on Netflix. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend remain with the family, friends, and loved ones of Paul Reubens in this difficult time. 

The Blacklist team had to say goodbye to another one of their own at the end of Season 8 and the departure was as emotional as could be expected. Megan Boone has officially exited the NBC drama after eight seasons and some of the team is looking back on their eight years with Liz Keen.

Harry Lennix, who portrays Harold Cooper on the series, took to Instagram to share some sweet thoughts about his costar and her character, as well as some adorable behind the scenes photos:

Aram Mojtabai himself, Amir Arison, took a simpler route when it came to reflecting on his time with his costar. The actor posted a sweet photo on Instagram, courtesy of Megan Boone’s account, followed by the caption “8 years” to mark that they’ve been working together for almost a decade:

The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp, who recently announced that he will be departing the series ahead of Season 9, expressed his sincerest gratitude toward Megan Boone on Instagram. With the both of them departing the series at the same time, it could be more emotional for the two of them than it is for everyone else, considering without Bokenkamp, there would be no Liz Keen. The creator’s sweet message to the actress indicates that there aren’t any hard feelings between them and the show, and it was just their time to find something new:

Shortly after The Blacklist’s season finale, Megan Boone not only launched her own production company, but has a first-look deal signed with Sony Pictures Television. The studio behind The Blacklist teaming with Boone means that she is staying with her longtime home, at least for now. It will be interesting to see what comes of it and if that means that Liz Keen could possibly return to the NBC drama in some way, despite the way things ended for her. But whatever the case, it’s great to see Boone sticking to her home, even if it means doing something different.

Following the Season 8 finale, Megan Boone took to Instagram to share a touching message to say goodbye to her beloved character and honor her journey on the series. She expressed gratitude towards her costars, the crew behind the scenes and the fans watching, as well as the character she played for eight seasons. While the way her story came to an end was heartbreaking, it's possible this won’t be the last time fans see her, as characters have been known to come back to The Blacklist in some form or other even when it seemed incredibly unlikely.

What the future holds for The Blacklist after the season finale is unknown, but it should be exciting, even if not everyone is returning. With Megan Boone’s new production company and deal, things are certainly going to be coming her way soon.

The Blacklist dropped some big surprises throughout Season 8 (or any of the seven seasons before it), and the long-running NBC drama is also still dropping jaws behind the scenes the day after its deadly season finale aired. Following in the footsteps of now-former star Megan Boone, whose exit from The Blacklist made waves prior the the season's end, series creator and showrunner Jon Bokenkamp has shockingly revealed that he is also making a grand departure ahead of Season 9.

With fans still reeling about what went down in the Season 8 finale with Megan Boone's Liz, as well as the presumed identity confirmation of James Spader's Red, The Blacklist's Jon Bokenkamp took to Twitter to reveal to the fandom that he was parting ways with his creation, effective immediately. Here's how he explained it:

Like Megan Boone's touching farewell to fans, Jon Bokenkamp followed up his justification with praise for the fandom, pointing out how much viewers' faithfulness impacted him, while also hyping up how massively creative the show's fans are on social media. Here's some of his fan love:

Jon Bokenkamp ended his announcement by basically affirming that he didn't leave the show because he thought it was creatively bankrupt, saying that he thinks it's still "full of life" in that respect. Plus, he now gets to sit back and watch the show's remaining seasons as a fan for the first time, which is an added bonus in his book. Now to see who The Blacklist's producers find to take his spot as the new showrunner.

As fans wait for more news about The Blacklist Season 9, with hopefully some of it not involving people leaving, Season 8 episodes are available to stream on Hulu, and there are more than enough 2021 Summer TV shows to keep your mind off of The Blacklist's big changes for the near future.

Over the course of the past eight seasons, I don't think any fans of The Blacklist would have referred to the NBC drama as being an open book when it comes to the various mysteries surrounding James Spader's Red Reddington (so to speak) and Megan Boone's Liz Keen. But it looks like the twisty series is actually going to give audiences some long-anticipated answers as Season 8 comes to a close, so this is definitely the time when everyone who's ever watched The Blacklist needs to come back to see how things play out.

The preview for The Blacklist's penultimate Season 8 episode (seen below) hinted at certain mysteries finally getting solved in the final two episodes, and showrunner Jon Bokenkamp has confirmed the episode "Nachalo" will indeed deliver the goods, telling TV Insider:

I believe a slow clap is the appropriate response here, though perhaps not one slow enough to last eight full years. In any case, The Blacklist's creative team appears to have decided that now is the perfect time to give viewers an answer key for the storylines that have played out with Red and Liz and their respective identity-centric reveals over the years. Of course, Jon Bokenkamp wasn't exactly forthcoming with which specific questions will get resolved during the notably black-and-white installment, but the ep will feature Red, now revealed to be N-13, taking Liz to Latvia to uncover lots of secrets and connections.

So far, the only two images that NBC has released for The Blacklist's second-to-last episode are the ones seen above, with one centering on Liz and the other focused on Lotte Verbeek as a younger version of Liz's biological mother, Katarina Rostova, so it's entirely possibly we'll get to learn more about Liz's conception and/or her earliest moments in life. And it's also possible the character's biological upbringing will be put to rest in the episode in lieu of other mysteries, as Jon Bokenkamp says this about the Season 8 finale:

Considering how well The Blacklist has juggled its ongoing serialized mysteries with its procedural storytelling, I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Bokenkamp has a few other slow-burning plots up his sleeves for Red and Liz. And let's not forget that there's the possibility of future spinoffs happening at NBC or Peacock. So as long as fans keep showing up, I'm pretty sure the network will keep delivering more Blacklist fun.

Check out the trailer for "Nachalo" below, which features a familiar face in Ryan Eggold's long-dead Tom Keen.

The Blacklist is changing up its time slot for the final two episodes of Season 8, which will respectively drop on NBC on Wednesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 23. Be sure to tune in to experience the big reveals firsthand and show NBC that the drama needs to keep going even after some of its core plotlines are resolved, and stay updated on all the other awesome shows hitting the 2021 Summer TV schedule.

Spoilers for The Blacklist’s latest episode of Season 8, airing November 20.

The Blacklist is no stranger to taking a deep dive into the dark side of life, and Liz has gotten considerably darker over the past year. In the last episode of Season 8 to air during 2020, Liz seemed to snap after witnessing Red shoot and kill her mother. Liz swore her revenge on Red for killing Katarina, and she seems primed to get her pound of flesh. Is this Liz’s full-on turn to the dark side?

Liz has come close to going all-in during The Blacklist’s earlier seasons. As Season 8 began, Liz appeared more primed than ever to begin her descent into darkness. At the start of the season, Red told Cooper that betraying them was her “destiny.” Liz sold them out for Katarina and more truths. Asked what Red meant about her “destiny,” The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp told The Wrap:

I have little doubt that Liz will survive it. She is the co-lead of the show, after all, and it doesn't need to end any time soon! The Blacklist will have a lot to sift through as her journey through the darker spots of her life continues. Heavily influenced by the supposed truths told to her by Katarina, Liz is ready to cross any line for more “truths.”

Liz did not end up getting them from Dom, who arguably died as a result of everything she put him through. I blame her even though Ressler tried to lay it all at Red’s feet. Liz should have a lot of personal blame to wrestle with moving forward on The Blacklist. However, I would not expect that to distract her from blaming Red for all of her woes.

As for Liz’s darker side, Jon Bokenkamp was speaking to the very beginning of Season 8, and there is a lot more to get into as it progresses. As fans have witnessed this season, Liz just keeps getting more ruthless in her pursuit of Red. With him having killed her mother due to Katarina learning the truth, it should only get worse. On Liz’s dark side, The Blacklist executive producer John Eisendrath added:

In my book, Katarina was a pretty horrendous human, so hopefully, Liz will not follow too much in her mother’s footsteps. Season 8 only started to unfold, and fans are already experiencing a hiatus waiting for its return. It is personally disappointing that Liz has fallen so hard for Katarina’s supposed truths. I say “supposed” because I really do not believe her.

Fans of the NBC crime drama will have to wait to see what happens when The Blacklist resumes Season 8 on Friday, January 22 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC during 2021’s winter/spring schedule. While you wait to see how Red handles Liz’s darker path, you can catch up on past seasons of The Blacklist via Netflix’s releases.

When it comes to The Blacklist, there are a lot of trust issues both for the audience waiting for answers and the show’s seeker of secrets, Liz Keen. In the Season 8 premiere, Liz’s mother Katarina made a bombshell allegation – that Red is N-13, a Russian spy who made off with 13 explosive secret files. Is N-13 really Red, and can Liz really trust Katarina’s latest claims about Red’s identity?

The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp weighed in on Katarina’s wild claim that fits too perfectly (in my opinion) to be true. Liz took the bait and seemed to buy into her mother’s theory readily. Asked if Liz should trust her mom’s contention, Jon Bokenkamp told TheWrap:

The way I see it, Liz may not be playing her mom, but her mother may be playing her. For me, there is nothing trustworthy about the present-day Katarina that viewers have gotten to know so far. I say that while knowing that The Blacklist’s creator has said that viewers can “trust” Katarina, so I am a bit torn on the matter. The “Red is N-13” theory coming from her taints it for me.

Flashback Katarina, on the other hand, I could see Liz buying some breadcrumbs from in Season 8. The villainous-seeming woman that Liz is getting to know seems preoccupied with her own agenda on The Blacklist. Katarina’s viewpoint is heavily troubling as she paints herself as the biggest victim in the known world. It is a narrative that is personally impossible to believe as she solely espouses it.

Katarina’s contention that Red is N-13 serves a self-interested premise, and I am having trouble buying it for that reason alone. Remember, Dom is incredibly wary of his own daughter, and there has to be a legitimate reason for why. Meanwhile, Red has played fast-and-loose with hard truths, but his agenda seems far less problematic, no matter who he really is.

As a viewer, the more I see Katarina on The Blacklist, the more I dislike her, and it has gotten to the point that I am hoping against hope that she is an imposter. Never forget that Katarina threatened to kill an innocent man last season to get what she wanted – Red’s secrets. Would an “innocent” person do those kinds of things? Or would the real N-13?

Whoever Red is, I cannot conceive of him doing that based on everything I can recall about him on the show. Find out if Red and N-13 are one and the same when new episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. They will hopefully continue into 2021’s winter/spring schedule. While you wait for more Red truths, you can catch up on past seasons of The Blacklist via Netflix’s releases.

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When it comes to The Blacklist, mystery is the name of the game. If you are tuning into Season 8, you know that there is more than one mystery confounding characters, and most of them have to do with Red. Who is he, and why did he enter Liz’s life at the start of the series? Could the answer to those questions and Red’s illness be connected? The following quotes make me think so.

A lot of Red’s identity hinges on figuring out why he entered Liz’s life and why he cares so much about her. Now that viewers know Dom’s Ilya Koslov story was a farce, fans are back to square one regarding Red’s emotional investment in his adopted-daughter-of-sorts. In the Season 8 premiere, Red lamented losing Liz to his best true friend, Dembe. So, why has he let it happen? The Blacklist’s creator, John Bokenkamp, told The Wrap:

If Red cares for Liz why enter her life, only to keep secrets, and how does his illness fit into all of this? The Blacklist loves spinning a good mystery for a long while, so fans will have to see if this one gets solved in Season 8. For Red to knowingly risk losing Liz to keep his myriad of secrets, you would think they have to be so explosive that they could hurt her.

He has hinted as much to her. Historically speaking, Red has tended to act out of what he considers to be Liz’s “best interests” or rather her safety. He is her father-figure, and Liz has acknowledged that in the past. Is there more to Red keeping all of his secrets from Liz? Could his illness be connected to everything? He is sick, and here's what The Blacklist executive producer John Eisendrath told Hollywood Life:

Has Red’s mystery illness been behind his dedication to keeping secrets from Liz? It is an ongoing plotline dating back to Season 6 that has ensconced Red’s unwillingness to be forthright with Liz despite her begging for answers. Is the fact that he is apparently dying from the illness something that is playing larger into The Blacklist’s storyline than it first seemed? Could his entrance into her life have been an act of dying wish-fulfillment?

Viewers are supposed to get answers about Red’s illness in Season 8. One episode in, and there has been no huge insight. My guess? Red may have been sick ever since the show started, and it has only gotten this bad recently, if you count "recent" being two seasons ago. Last season, Red got a whole lot worse, and it makes me wonder if his mystery ailment is at the core of everything.

Has the answer to Red entering Liz’s life been hiding in plain sight for a while on The Blacklist? Perhaps Red’s entire faux existence as N-13 was predicated on protecting Liz from Katarina. The Season 8 premiere suggested he could be the enigmatic Russian spy. If he is, maybe he was working to protect Liz from the shadows, and realizing that he was dying, he made the decision to protect her in closer proximity.

What if meeting Liz was the act of a dying man, who lived longer than he expected? Him thinking that his death was near would explain why he turned himself in all those years ago. That The Blacklist’s producer indicates that his illness has impacted his decision-making piques my interest in the possibility. Of course, there is also the potential that John Eisendrath is referring to his ailment impacting his ability to reason correctly.

After all, this secret sickness is of a neurological nature, and it could feasibly affect his reasoning. Weigh in our poll below with your thoughts, and keep watching to learn if there is a connection between Red’s illness and his secrets when new episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and they will hopefully continue into 2021’s winter/spring schedule. While you wait for more answers, you can catch up on previous ones during past seasons of The Blacklist via Netflix’s releases.

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Before The Blacklist returned, speculation ran rampant regarding the romantic future of Megan Boone's Liz and Diego Klattenhoff's Ressler. The long-time friends and partners have been the subject of plenty of predictions, with fans wondering if the pair could embark on a legitimate romance. Season 8 got off to an optimistically puzzling start for those hoping that the characters are heading in that non-platonic direction, as Liz and Ressler shared a surprising kiss in the premiere.

The rather shocking moment happened as Liz was making a break for it after kidnapping Dom, so that she and Katarina could work him for the truth about Red. Ressler caught up with Liz, who first locked eyes and then locked lips with him. The Blacklist’s writers had previously been split on the topic, but have they finally decided on where Ressler and Liz’s relationship is heading in Season 8?

Heading into Season 8, there had been signs that fans might realistically be able to hope for Liz and Ressler to get together. The Blacklist teased fans with Liz opening her heart to Ressler last season without any agenda-laden context, but cut to Season 8, and Liz was kissing Ressler with a motive. When asked if the kiss was legitimate, or merely Liz manipulating Ressler to get his gun, The Blacklist’s creator Jon Bokenkamp told TheWrap:

Is that “really great story” he talked about going to be a love story? I am not certain. The Blacklist has been heavily teasing the potential for a Liz/Ressler romance since Tom (the love of Liz’s life, in my opinion) was murdered. Now might not be the best time for Liz to dive into a new romance, of course, since she is dancing on thin ice as she skates between her mother and father figure’s battle lines and the actual law, made all the more complicated by her career obligations.

The Blacklist creator’s response indicates there were a lot of layers to the characters' smooch that Liz laid on Ressler. I, for one, think that Liz was playing Ressler, knowing that he has feelings for her. Liz is a profiler, and it does not take Captain Obvious to understand that Ressler has had a crush on her for a while. In truth, I sensed that when the show began, and Tom was still alive (sniffs).

There will be more to this story as The Blacklist continues to unfold its Season 8 narrative, according to the show’s executive producer John Eisendrath. Having teased Katarina’s Red revelations this season, Eisendrath also shared a little more insight into Liz and Ressler’s dizzying dynamic as the show continues. As expected, there will be some push-and-pull. On Liz and Ressler’s complicated relationship moving forward, Eisendrath said:

I will continue staying tuned along with my fellow Blacklist viewers. It sounds as though fans could finally get to see the show take a firm position with the secret-keeping potential couple. To me, Liz was working Ressler, and the confusion she unleashed on him will not keep him from hunting her down. It has not stopped him in the past, though, so we will have to see.

Ressler puts duty above most everything. So Liz bringing up Ressler killing his dad’s murderer when he was a teenager proved to be a low blow, in my opinion. It just proves that she is an expert at keeping others on their heels, which is an ability she developed as a profiler, and through her tutelage under the ever-secretive Red.

It will be fun to see if Liz circles back to more of her seductive techniques as Season 8 continues. New episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and they will hopefully continue into 2021’s winter/spring schedule. While you wait for more Liz/Ressler moments, you can catch up on their previous ones during past seasons of The Blacklist via Netflix’s releases.

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When Katarina explosively entered the picture of The Blacklist, she turned it upside down. There is no going back for her, Liz, or Red. All that is left is settling a familial feud amid the backdrop of Red’s declining health and Liz’s new mission in an effort to bring down her mentor. As you can imagine, Katarina will prove pivotal to Liz’s journey in Season 8.

Liz has seemingly learned nothing from nearly getting Red executed due to her insolence, moving full steam ahead by joining forces with her mother, Katarina. The shocking decision will lead to even more drama, and Katarina will be at the center of Liz’s saga. How will she come into play? On the impending fireworks, The Blacklist’s creator Jon Bokenkamp told EW:

Well, this is not comforting for those of us who want to see Liz leave this ridiculous vendetta she has against Red behind. I've certainly been one of those fans ever since the plot twist unraveled at the end of The Blacklist’s shortened seventh season. While there is a lot to this quote that is juicy, there is an especially intriguing tease towards the conclusion.

The Blacklist had strongly hinted that Liz’s ultimate path would be a dark one, and while I was reticent to accept that notion at the time, it seems the show is doubling down on the assertion. Since Katarina is part of defining who Liz will become, it makes me nervous. In light of the facts so far, I believe that Katarina is the true villain of The Blacklist and not Red. Thus, making Katarina into Liz’s pivotal piece problematic to say the least.

Red is not sharing who he really is. Liz knows the essence of the person, and that is what I think she should trust. Her obsession with unraveling Red will only lead her down a darker path akin to Anakin Skywalker’s journey in Star Wars. While The Blacklist is no Star Wars, Liz's journey could take her on a Vader-esque path!

It is startling that Liz is on this much of a warpath over everything. Do you agree? Are you Team “Lizarina” (Liz and Katarina) or Team Red? Vote in the Blacklist poll below and then tune in tonight for the Season 8 premiere. It airs this evening, November 13, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For more entertainment, check out 2021’s winter/spring schedule and relive Liz and Red’s happier times in past seasons streaming on Netflix.

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Fans of The Blacklist are heading into Season 8 with indescribably heavy hearts. Right before filming on the upcoming season began, it was announced that Clark Middleton had died suddenly from the West Nile virus. A quintessential scene-stealer, Middleton played Glen Carter (Red’s go-to contact at the DMV) ever since The Blacklist’s second season. So, how will the show say goodbye to Middleton’s Glen in Season 8?

There is an answer, and it is a sad one. Following the cast of The Blacklist paying tribute to Clark Middleton on social media, the series’ creator, Jon Bokenkamp, has explained how Glen’s absence will be dealt with on-screen. As Bokenkamp revealed, it took the writing team working through a few scenarios before deciding on how the show would proceed. Bokenkamp told TVLine:

Glen has been a part of the show so long that it is impossible to imagine it without him. Still, The Blacklist has settled on a scenario that will find Red grappling with his friend’s death. Yes, Glen will share his off-screen counterpart’s fate. Jon Bokenkamp added that Season 8 will not wait long to address saying goodbye.

The decision comes as The Blacklist gave no hints at Glen facing any mortal threat akin to Red’s prolonged illness. Glen dying should, undoubtedly, make Red contemplate his own mortality with even deeper reflection. This fictitious nod to the very real loss of Clark Middleton shows just how much his absence will be a profound one for the veteran NBC drama. Sharing his reaction to Middleton’s shocking death, executive producer John Eisendrath said:

It will be interesting to learn how The Blacklist deals with Glen’s passing. As John Eisendreath mentions, Glen was an incredibly sweet part of the show as he came and went through the years. Glen’s interactions with Red were often filled with a begrudging affection on Red’s part. Thankfully, Red was able to share how much Glen truly meant to him during a wonderful episodic storyline last season.

The Blacklist’s tough call comes after the show also lost Brian Dennehy before the end of last season. An animated sequence helped prolong Dennehy’s life on the show. Considering that Season 8 plans to roar back without any animated assistance, I expect Glen’s death to be relayed to viewers via a moving monologue from one of the show’s characters. Perhaps from Red himself, or Dembe, as both men were closest to Glen.

I could also see Liz learning of Glen’s death and passing it along to Red. There could be a slight thawing in the ice between them from Liz because of it, however short-lived it may be. The Blacklist Season 8 will premiere tomorrow, November 13, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. It should still be airing new on 2021’s winter and spring’s schedule. You can relive Glen’s best moments via The Blacklist’s past seasons, which are streaming on Netflix.

Fans of The Blacklist got a heavy blow this week with the announcement that another one of the show’s beloved stars has died. As one would imagine, Megan Boone and more are mourning the death of their co-star, Clark Middleton, who had phenomenally brought the character of Glen (a.k.a. “Jellybean”) to life ever since Season 2, when he first took on his scene-stealing portrayals of Red’s critical contact at the DMV, a position that helped Middleton’s Glen Carter be an ace at locating people for the ever-mysterious Raymond Reddington.

The Blacklist has now lost a key asset, with Clark Middleton’s wife Elissa announcing on Variety that her husband had succumbed to the West Nile Virus at the young age of 63 years old. On Instagram, Megan Boone posted the following message about her co-star (who also appeared in Twin Peaks) with this heartfelt post:

As Megan Boone’s message mentions by way of behind-the-scenes news, The Blacklist is on the verge of returning to filming for Season 8 to deliver a fall premiere, which is currently slated for Friday, November 13. Grieving a co-star's. death, though, is probably one of the gravest ways imaginable to get ready for a new season.

In another tribute to Middleton, Amir Arison joined in Boone in paying his respects to his fellow Blacklist star, posting:

Over on The Blacklist’s official Twitter page, the show’s creator Jon Bokenkamp also saluted Clark Middleton. Bokenkamp’s tribute does not mention if or how the series plans to pay homage to Middleton or his beloved character when it returns. (A sad thought that the show's producers are all-too-familiar with as of late.) Bokenkamp provided a moving statement on Middleton’s untimely death, which not only touched on his legacy as an actor but as a person:

As a fan of Clark Middleton and his incredible portrayal of Glen, I am just absolutely heartbroken by this news. Glen will always be an integral part of The Blacklist’s history. His captivating presence heightened the quality of each episode he was in, and whenever he was not around, the crime drama was missing that bit of magic. Season 8 is heading into production with a massive hole in many hearts.

Thankfully, The Blacklist did have a fantastic Glen-centric episode last season that showcased how much Clark Middleton is an irreplaceable part of the show. On that note, it is unclear how the creative team will move forward, and whether they will handle Middleton’s death on-screen as Glen's death, or in some other way. News of Middleton’s tragic death comes months after the sudden loss of actor Brian Dennehy, who played Dom Rostov; so far, though, Dom remains alive within the series.

Time will tell what Season 8 has in store with regards to both Glen and Dom. Find out if and how the characters will be addressed when The Blacklist returns on Friday, November 13, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For now, you can check out Clark Middleton’s standout work in previous seasons of the crime drama via Netflix’s releases.

Before its animated finale and shocking twists galore, The Blacklist received the fantastic news that it would be returning for Season 8. As fans watched the NBC drama sign off sooner than expected, they were confronted with an array of questions. Most of those inquiries revolved around how Season 8 will start in the aftermath of the previous season’s impromptu ending.

When The Blacklist left off, Liz had made her choice in the war between Katarina and Red, and she sided with her mother. The shocking decision meant Liz betraying Red for the umpteenth time and siding with a person that I believe is the true villain of the crime drama. Not only that, but there are still doubts as to whether she's even Liz’s mother. Could Season 8 see an imposter reveal?

That question and more have set up an exciting point for The Blacklist to start at in Season 8. The way in which things will begin in light of the abrupt way The Blacklist had to wrap-up came up at the show’s Comic-Con@Home 2020 panel, an event that already led to the fun reveal that Jason Statham inadvertently played a role in last season’s finale.

As attention shifted away from the animation of The Blacklist’s sendoff, talk turned to how Liz’s decision to side with her mother would impact the Task Force. Remember, they work alongside Red, not Katarina. So it makes sense for them to be more Team Red than Liz is at this point. On Liz’s choice, The Blacklist’s creator Jon Bokenkamp told Comic-Con@Home 2020:

Season 8 will start with the decimation that is Liz’s decision to side with Katarina Rostova -- a person who has proven ruthless and diabolical, but who The Blacklist’s behind-the-scenes brass has characterized as trustworthy. Take from all of that what you will. At this point, I'm still highly skeptical of her.

Being the terrific teaser that he is, Jon Bokenkamp mentions that it will become rapidly apparent where Liz is headed in Season 8. I'm still clinging to the microscopic hope that Liz is somehow lying and faking allegiance to her mother to gain entry into her hidden world. Otherwise, I'm not too happy with her. Picking up from Bokenkamp, The Blacklist executive producer John Eisendrath said:

I am ready to see what The Blacklist originally had planned to conclude its most recent season. All of this seems to mean that fans will have to wait longer than initially expected to see all of the intrigue that James Spader had teased for the start of Season 8. However, the coronavirus pandemic has put a dent in seeing that in the initial window.

This is the life of a fan of The Blacklist, and it could be much worse. Thankfully, there is a season to pick up all of the drama. Does this mean fans will get to see everything that was originally planned for Season 7? John Eisendrath explained the situation. Asked if Season 8 will use the episodes that did not get filmed from Season 7, Eisendrath said:

There you have it. Season 8 will begin comprised of a lot of Season 7. There are a lot of shockers that I hope to see when The Blacklist returns. While it's significant that fans will not have to miss anything that was initially planned to air last season, it does mean possibly having to wait on certain developments. Yes, I am referring to the storyline surrounding Red’s mystery illness, and I'm ready for answers!

The Blacklist will return for its eighth season on NBC. Stay tuned to see if Season 8 pulls off being one of this fall’s premieres. In the meantime, you can check out past seasons of the crime drama on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 arrivals.

The Blacklist went through a lot in the lead-up to the unintended Season 7 finale, which cleverly used some striking animation to finish the year off. According to The Blacklist’s creator and showrunner Jon Bokenkamp, he didn't exactly nail it when he originally came up with his idea for how to conclude the seventh season after the industry-wide shutdown went into effect.

Thankfully for the NBC series, the cast and crew were halfway through filming Episode 19 before they had to stop. While that episode was never intended to end Season 7, which had three more to go, it necessarily had to be the one to send things off to Season 8. As The Blacklist’s showrunner explained it during the show's Comic-Con@Home panel, the idea to animate the remaining portions only came after he first came up with his self-described "bad idea."

It is wonderful for The Blacklist that the brainstorming process didn't end there for the Season 7 finale. Instead, Jon Bokenkamp and his fellow executive producer John Eisendrath found a cohesive way to bring full-on animation in with the live-action without fully relying on the comic book gimmick set to voiceover. To me, the solution that  came up with was positively brilliant, while also allowing them to reshape the story to tie in with the changes.

The animation team at Proof, which worked on Guardians of the Galaxy and The Hunger Games, got on-board to pull off the extremely ambitious finale. At first, The Blacklist EP John Eisendrath got why the animation idea in general might not have been the best, at least until the finished product undoubtedly changed everyone's minds. On his skepticism over animating the finale, Eisendrath said:

What is the adage? “Necessity is the mother of invention.” That has proven entirely true with The Blacklist as it approached it Season 7 finale. When you think of everything that the animation team went through to get the NBC series to its ender, it is pretty remarkable. As you can tell from the statements before and during the 2020 Comic-Con@Home, it was quite an evolution.

The Blacklist managed to pull off a feat that gave it the season finale it would otherwise not have had. In doing so, it had to rev up Liz’s decision to side with Katarina over Red in the family battle that saw battle lines drawn. I'm sure no one could have envisioned that final moment playing out with Liz in animated form, but so be it.

To the animators and producers' massive credit, the change-up managed not to take away anything from the game-changing moment. It was a defining development for The Blacklist. So, if the animation had been anything less than as excellent as it was, it would have been tremendously distractive. Congrats to Proof for pulling it off!

The Blacklist is coming back for its eighth season on NBC, probably without animation, but who knows? Stay tuned to see if Season 8 manages to be one of this fall’s premieres. While you wait for Season 8 to arrive, you can check out past seasons of the crime drama on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 arrivals.

The Blacklist has been at it for a long time, which means James Spader has too. The series has seven seasons under its belt and over 150 episodes. So, how does Spader avoid getting “overwhelmed” by the elaborate crime drama? As you can imagine, playing the ever-mysterious Red Reddington can take its toll.

James Spader has explained why he agreed to star on The Blacklist, and now he is revealing how he keeps his head above water after doing so. Playing Red is no easy feat, and with a network show that demands way more than 10 episodes a year, it is a sizable commitment.

Of course, James Spader’s Blacklist duties go beyond acting. He is also an executive producer as the deal he struck beforehand can attest. Spader has said that he and the writers work to stay on the same page. Part of Spader’s coping method for The Blacklist reportedly includes focusing on his work as an actor as opposed to an executive producer. On how he copes, Spader told TV Guide:

Taking it one step at a time seems to be working for James Spader. It is a great strategy when you think about it because it helps keep the focus on what is directly ahead. Taking it one episode of The Blacklist at a time is also how I deal with learning Red’s true identity.

If you start thinking about how far away some revelations on The Blacklist may be, you can get discouraged. It is better to stay in and savor the moment, especially when Red’s health crisis seems so far from resolution. Speaking of resolutions, James Spader is not the only one who has faced handling the intensity of the NBC drama. The Blacklist’s creator has too. Jon Bokenkamp said:

The Blacklist has already been renewed for an eighth season, which means there will be another one for the show’s creator and James Spader to work through. Considering what happened at the end of Season 7, you can really only take the television process one episode at a time. It was forced to end early.

All was not lost, though. The Blacklist was able to wrap up its season shy of where it intended to with the help of some imaginative animation. The animation proved that even if you think a whole season lies ahead of you, things can change. On that note, James Spader’s approach to the crime drama can be a useful tool for all of us!

You will be able to see more of James Spader taking on the role of Red when The Blacklist returns for its eighth season on NBC after this summer’s premieres. When Season 8 will actually bow is currently unknown. Until it is known, check out past seasons of James Spader’s performance on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 arrivals.

A season’s worth of tension on The Blacklist led to Liz making her choice between Red and Katarina. In the end, she chose to side with her mother in an animated/live-action Season 7 finale that left viewers with a lot to drop their jaws over. It also left them with one of the most epic questions of all – why did Liz choose Katarina?

In the Season 7 finale’s last moments, Liz made a speech explaining her turn to the darkness as she embraced her alliance with her mother. The Blacklist did not leave it there, either. In a chilling monologue, Liz declared that she would not let her ailing grandfather, Dom, nor an also-sick Red stand in her way.

The implication was pretty clear in my mind. If Red or Dom get in Katarina’s way, they are in jeopardy, and I am not talking about competing on the famous trivia show, either. When The Blacklist returns, Liz and Katarina will be a united force that could threaten the very core of Red and all of his secrets.

So, if you are still trying to process where Katarina bested Red in Liz’s good graces, The Blacklist’s executive producers have provided insight. Did all of Katarina’s priorly sewed seeds of distrust give her the edge with her daughter? Or was it Red’s secret-keeping that proved to be his undoing? Asked about Liz and Katarina’s partnership moving forward, Blacklist executive producer John Eisendrath told EW:

I wonder how different things would have been if instead of unceremoniously kidnapping and torturing Red, Katarina had been grateful for his warning. She created this entire situation, in my opinion. But, just how major was Katarina's decision to protect Liz so that Red wouldn't find out that Liz had betrayed him (yet again) on The Blacklist? Was Liz in mortal danger?

Red forgave Liz for getting him sentenced to death and coming within seconds of getting the lethal injection. If Red could get past that and Liz’s indefatigable pursuit of his true identity, would he really hurt Liz over siding with her mother? He gets that there is a mother/daughter draw between them. Saving her daughter from Red was not Katarina’s only major point-getter with Liz during The Blacklist’s Season 7 finale.

Jon Bokenkamp revealed that it was Katarina aiding Red when he collapsed from his mystery illness that gave Katarina the winning points. The Blacklist’s creator explained that it was Katarina’s seeming act of compassion that made Liz reconsider. Bokenkamp said:

It was not just Katarina’s Red-hot save that helped bolster her case with her daughter. It was also the info she had to offer Liz that gave her another edge in The Blacklist’s Season 7 ender. Hopefully, Liz and viewers will learn more about the knowledge that Katarina possesses next season. It should be a doozy!

The Blacklist is on a break for now, but it will return for Season 8 on NBC at an undisclosed date in the future, after this summer’s premieres. Until that time arrives, you can busy yourself with past seasons of the crime drama on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 arrivals.

The Blacklist is about to get fans very animated with its wild Season 7 finale, which wasn't the original plan. The crime drama had to end its current TV season early due to the television industry halting all productions. Given the restrictions, The Blacklist will not be signing off with its originally intended Season 7 finale, but rather a snazzy looking mashup of live-action and comic-inspired animation.

Production on Season 7 ended a couple of episodes ahead of the finale, and even before the now-finale episode could finish filming. How did The Blacklist manage to complete the now season-ender? By animating the portions that did not get filmed, inspired by the show's tie-in comic books. Absolutely brilliant, right? When it comes to explaining how The Blacklist managed to pull that off, creator Jon Bokenkamp told ET:

That company was Proof, and based on the videos that have come out, I cannot wait to see what The Blacklist has in store for viewers. The trailer for the Season 7 finale showed off the animated portions of the episode, with Red giving a cryptically ominous warning to someone, though he's not the only one who was sounding intimidating in previews for the animated/live-action finale. In another Season 7 trailer, it sounds like Liz is threatening either Red or Katarina, and that mini-mystery will soon be solved once the episode reaches audiences.

Thanks to The Blacklist’s animated solution, the show was able to put into action a sequence fans would have otherwise never seen. Jon Bokenkamp revealed:

At least one medic from The Blacklist probably slept better at night. It will be awesome to see this sequence in action, and fans should also be anticipating the May 15 Season 7 finale for its final guest appearance from late actor Brian Dennehy, who will apparently be seen again as Liz’s grandfather Dom, per Jon Bokenkamp.

Given that The Blacklist seems to be quite pleased with how things worked out with the animation, it makes me wonder if they will utilize it again to flesh out parts of Dom’s story when the show continues next season. Animation makes a lot of things possible.

Elsewhere, fans will want to stay tuned to how The Blacklist could potentially wrap-up Red’s mystery illness storyline. The crime lord has been getting worse and worse, and in the 150th episode, he even started making plans to will his ill-begotten enterprise to Liz. Will Liz succumb to Red’s speculation about her endgame? It will be interesting to see if the impromptu Season 7 finale sheds any light on that aspect.

While Episode 19 will now serve as The Blacklist’s season finale, viewers will not get to see the full way Season 7 was originally supposed to end. Do not worry, though. The Blacklist’s Diego Klattenhoff has assured that “The Kazanjian Brothers,” will totally work as a finale regardless. Now that I know about that helicopter sequence, I am even more enthused that it will. Check out the trailer below!

Check out the animation meets live-action Season 7 finale of The Blacklist airs tomorrow on tonight (May 15) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. After that, Blacklist fans will have this summer’s premieres to look forward to. You can watch past season-enders on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 arrivals.

The Blacklist is mourning one of their own. Actor Brian Dennehy passed away yesterday at the age of 81. Ever since the third season, Dennehy has appeared as Dominic “Dom” Rostova, Liz’s grandfather. They just met last season. Red has had a relationship with him for some time, though. Despite Dennehy’s passing, The Blacklist’s boss says that Dom will definitely return to the series.

The news comes as Dom has not been seen alert since the second half of The Blacklist’s Season 7 premiere. In that episode, Brian Dennehy’s Dom was wounded in a firefight against the forces of his daughter, Katarina Rostova. The jaw-dropping development has put Dom out of commission ever since. Following that shocker, The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, assured that viewers would likely see more of Dom.

Since The Blacklist’s 2020 return, though, that has not happened, and mentions or updates regarding Dom’s health have not perked up my ears. That said, I could have missed something. But, now that Brian Dennehy has passed away, Jon Bokenkamp has offered an update as to Dominic’s future on the show. On the fan favorite, Bokenkamp told Deadline:

The Season 7 finale is not the one that was originally planned, because production on many shows, including The Blacklist, had to be shut down early, last month. The move means that the NBC drama, like fellow network series New Amsterdam, will have to call it with an episode not initially intended to be the season-ender.

Brian Dennehy was reportedly supposed to star in Episode 19, which will now serve as The Blacklist’s impromptu Season 7 finale. It sounds like some editing will allow the series to bring Dennehy’s Dom back. Fans will have to see if the Dom’s storyline will progress through flashbacks, or if he has awakened to tell his granddaughter some of his secrets.

The Blacklist could take Dom’s story in a number of directions. As fans will recall, he is privy to some intriguing knowledge. Albeit, not all of it may be as accurate as it once seemed. Last season, Brian Dennehy’s Dom rocked The Blacklist by telling Liz, Red’s “real” identity. Fast forward to Season 7, and viewers learned that Dom was either mistaken or he lied.

The Blacklist confirmed that Red is not Ilya Koslov, and mystery has remained as to whether Dom knows that or not. As of now, the two options are that Dom purposely or unknowingly misled Liz with the bombshell. Will Brian Dennehy’s next appearance as Dom in the Season 7 finale clear the air either way? Whatever The Blacklist does, Dennehy will be missed.

Stay tuned to see what happens with Brian Dennehy’ Dominic “Dom” Rostova when new episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC as some of this spring’s fresh content. You can check out Dennehy’s past appearances as Dom on The Blacklist via the previous seasons streaming on Netflix along with content arriving in 2020.

The Blacklist's Liz and Ressler are keeping a secret, and it is a big one. Liz knows that her mother, Katarina Rostova, is alive and faked her death, so she could fly below the radar for a while. It was one of the many twists and turns to occur when The Blacklist signed off last year. Cut to the midseason premiere, and Liz and Ressler have some big secrets they are keeping.

Liz revealed to Ressler that her mother is alive to clear his guilty conscience over contributing to Katarina’s non-existent demise. Speaking of Katarina, The Blacklist’s creator revealed why she was missing from the midseason premiere, although her shadow loomed large. Addressing Liz sharing her Katarina secret with Ressler, Jon Bokenkamp told TVLine:

So far, Katarina’s survival is a secret known to her, Liz, and now Ressler. Will it stay that way? Jon Bokenkamp seems to hint that while they are the only three who know on The Blacklist, that may change soon. Let’s face it, a “huge family fight” would not be on the horizon if Red is not going to eventually find out.

I am wondering if any of this secret-keeping between Ressler and Liz will eventually lead them down a potential path to romance. Heading into Season 7, The Blacklist’s writers were apparently split on whether to pursue a romantic relationship between the long-time colleagues and platonic friends. Despite some romantic tension, nothing has come of it so far.

The Blacklist has steadily hinted at the possibility, so it would not come out of nowhere. Plus, secrets have a way of bonding those who keep them. That said, Liz is not apparently privy to all of Ressler’s. Could a secret that Ressler alone is keeping lead to them taking two steps back? Jon Bokenkamp teased Ressler’s complicated relationship with secrecy, saying:

This is not the first time that Ressler’s deep, dark secret has been teased. The Blacklist previously hinted that it would come to light when the show resumed in 2020. This may be one twisty truth that is going to get revealed sooner than later.

I have to say that The Blacklist’s creator has piqued my curiosity yet again with Ressler’s secret. During the midseason finale, he took his revenge on the man who manipulated his mind. It was a hint that there may be more to Ressler’s clean-cut persona than has initially appeared. That said, photos from Season 7’s return did not yield many clues in the Ressler department.

One development that Ressler might want to be aware of is that Liz is going to be conducting a “secret investigation” during Season 7. If there is one thing that The Blacklist’s history has taught viewers, it is that Liz has a tendency to want to pry other people’s secrets loose. Will she set her sights on Ressler’s? So many questions!

What is Ressler’s secret, and will he be able to keep his and Liz’s? New episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC as one of the midseason’s many new offerings. To check out the unraveling of past secrets, you can watch previous seasons of The Blacklist on Netflix alongside content arriving in 2020.

James Spader has been thrilling viewers as Raymond Reddington for years on The Blacklist, and a crucial deal has been a part of his run. More on that in just a moment. Currently, in Season 7, the crime drama has shown no signs of slowing down as it zeroes in on the endgame of Red’s true identity.

For those unaware, viewers still have no idea who he really is. The hope of that revelation (and many more) has been at the thrust of The Blacklist’s never-ending cache of mysteries. In the meantime, the show thrills with its various moods. Asked about his ability to play certain moments differently, James Spader revealed the deal he struck from the beginning, telling The Today Show:

I think it is fair to say this deal has been rather fruitful! James Spader has previously explained why he agreed to star in The Blacklist. You can add the collaborative deal that Spader struck when the show started to interesting behind-the-scenes details. I am curious about those compromises!

Whatever those agreements have entailed over the years, they have served The Blacklist well. It is a long-running series at this point, and the ratings heading into the midseason finale speak to its endurance. What is behind The Blacklist’s various twists and turns? On the show’s constant ability to pivot, James Spader continued:

Yes, James Spader touched on Red’s prison stay, which culminated in his near-death by execution. Red barely escaped his brush with mortality, and The Blacklist is still toying with his proximity to the grave. Season 7 has gradually revealed the high stakes of what is an apparent health crisis for Red.

Before heading off on its current hiatus, The Blacklist unveiled a disturbing update on Red’s health. It is not good! Red seems to be sick with something, and he has sworn Ressler to secrecy. As James Spader points out, the series’ plots are “serpentine,” so the show revisits and then distances itself from reveals such as those.

When The Blacklist returns, its creator (Jon Bokenkamp) has teased the show returning to its more comic tone. It is alternating between its various feels that has apparently helped keep James Spader’s interest piqued. You have to think the show’s mind-blowing twists have also contributed! On what has excited him about The Blacklist over its seven seasons, Spader said:

I also enjoyed that episode with Stacy Keach! The Blacklist installment that James Spader is referring to was Season 6, Episode 13 entitled “Robert Vesco (No. 9)” in which Keach played that title Blacklister. As Spader said, it was a fun one, that was a welcome breather after all of the drama of Red nearly dying.

It sounds like The Blacklist will be having a lot more fun when it resumes Season 7. The show is set to introduce Red’s ex for an episode that sounds exciting, to say the least. Joely Richardson will be playing Red’s former flame. Hopefully she will bring some clarity to his secret past now that viewers know he is not Ilya Koslov!

James Spader and Red will be back when The Blacklist returns during the midseason in March on NBC. A premiere date for Season 7 to resume has not been announced yet, so stay tuned. You can relive Spader’s time as Red during past seasons of The Blacklist on Netflix alongside content arriving in 2020.

Spoilers for the midseason finale of The Blacklist Season 7 are discussed below!

The Blacklist shocked fans with a midseason finale that brought quite a few jaw-dropping updates into the fray. Among the developments to shake up the series as it headed off for its midseason hiatus was Katarina and Liz squaring off. In the end, Liz helped Katarina make her escape. On her way outta Dodge, Katarina found time to fake her death in front of Red.

As Red watched from a distance, he thought Katarina was killed by assassins. Liz knows the truth. Double cross! In a traditional Blacklist twist, you can hardly ever believe anything you see or hear (in the case of Dom). Where does that leave fans and Katarina? Potentially with a new character to trust – Liz’s mom. The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, told TheWrap:

Interesting! Katarina certainly earned some points in truthfulness with Liz. For one, she revealed that Red is not Ilya Koslov. I think that is almost assuredly true. The Stranger, a.k.a. Ilya Koslov, has Ilya’s memories. So, it is not as if she is incapable of being honest. Yes, this is the same woman who posed as Liz’s next-door neighbor/nanny for most of Season 7.

The Blacklist’s creator has previously warned of Katarina Rostova as the series’ “most formidable big bad.” Is she coming armed with truths, though? There have been hints that Katarina’s revelations would shake Liz’s trust in Red. Her reveal about Ilya Koslov certainly did not bolster Liz’s faith in him. Is Katarina more honest than Red? Of Katarina’s trustworthiness, Jon Bokenkamp says:

Does this mean that Katarina is emotionally truthful at the expense of facts? Not necessarily. The Blacklist confirmed that Dom and Ilya conspired to kill Katarina to “protect” Liz/Masha as she had accused. They ended up killing Katarina’s husband instead. Where was Red when this was getting plotted and, more to the point, carried out? No wonder there is family drama ahead!

Red has proven himself as not being the most reliable narrator. Remember, he went along with his latest fake identity to the point that he referred to himself as Ilya Koslov to Harold Cooper! Now viewers know that is not true, opening the door to a legion of possibilities as to his real identity.

You have to wonder. Is The Blacklist about to flip the script with Katarina being the better person of the two? There seems to be some alluding to it, even if I do not buy it 100%. On that note, it is interesting to read Jon Bokenkamp categorize Red as a “bad guy.”

The Blacklist had been making a point of recognizing the good that Red has been doing. Albeit with a substantial benefit to himself. When you are dealing with a character from the criminal underworld, you have to consider a lack of honesty. Katarina is clearly a good liar. Maddy Tolliver, anyone? That does not mean she is not capable of having some honest things to share.

There is a lot of time to contemplate Katarina's trustworthiness. The Blacklist will be back for more mayhem during the midseason, starting in March 2020. You can catch up on the successful series’ previous seasons on Netflix, which will have a lot of new content join it in 2020.

The Blacklist has some surprising developments in store for fans when it comes to Liz and Katarina in the midseason finale. Yes, Season 7 is hurtling headfirst into what is likely to be a very intense holiday hiatus for viewers! In the episode before it signs off for 2019, The Blacklist uncovered quite a few reveals.

Among the things to get exposed was Liz confirming that her mother, Katarina Rostova, has been right next door for most of Season 7. The Blacklist left off with Liz holding a gun on her mother. The teaser for the midseason finale showed Katarina’s right-hand man knocked Liz out. Thus, setting the stage for another twist in their family reunion. The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, teased the Katarina/Liz conflict by telling TV Guide:

This Blacklist viewer cannot wait to see how this plays out in the midseason finale! Liz, like fans, needs answers from Katarina about everything that has been going on. As she may learn, even Katarina does not know everything. Katarina kidnapped Red for info she does not have.

On that note, if Liz thinks that Katarina holds the key to answering who Red really is, then she is going to be disappointed. Katarina is apparently as in the dark as everyone else is, at this point. The Blacklist has teased the “deep impact” that Katarina would have on Liz in Season 7.

Now that the truth is out regarding Katarina's proximity to Liz, it would make sense if that impact was felt pretty intensely, moving forward from the midseason finale. Liz has spent most of Season 7 unaware of her mother’s presence. Although she did tell Katarina, she had suspected her true identity deep down.

What is going to happen next? Katarina holds many cards regarding the all-elusive answers that Liz wants to know. The midseason finale could also be the key to those revelations that The Blacklist has teased. Unfortunately, they are the same ones that could have Liz and Red dealing with some trust issues.

Katarina has been teased as a big bad, so viewers may want to take everything she says with a grain of salt. That said, big bads can have tremendous truths to share. It may be tricky for Liz to trust anything that Katarina or Red has to say on The Blacklist. There are a lot of reasons for her to have some trust issues.

Red is apparently not Ilya Koslov, after all. I only say “apparently” because you have to lovingly cover all of your bases with The Blacklist. Liz may find herself in another free fall if she learns that piece of info in the midseason finale. There is also the issue of Katarina working overtime to extract a mysterious memory from the real Ilya.

Speaking of memories, what if it turns out that Red really did have another one extracted from Liz a few years ago? If he did, it could be a real disaster for Liz and Red’s relationship. It has recovered from worse. Katarina’s return has been said to impact Liz and Red’s relationship. If Katarina dishes a real bombshell, I could see it having a not-so-great effect on it.

I know Liz will have a lot going on in The Blacklist’s midseason finale. However, there are numerous mysteries that she will hopefully keep her eye on unraveling. Currently, towards the top of my list is if Katarina had a child with her newly-revealed husband, Pyotr. There was a hint at Liz having a secret sibling in Season 7, and I cannot let it go!

Find out what truths Liz can pry from Katarina when the midseason finale of The Blacklist airs this winter on Friday, December 13 at 8 p.m. ET, on NBC. You can catch up on the crime drama’s previous seasons on Netflix, which also has lots of new content joining it in 2020.

The Blacklist is not done uncovering secrets in Season 7 by a long shot. Following the upcoming midseason hiatus, the crime drama will dig up a Ressler secret in 2020. Liz’s potential love interest has had a lot less secrets than she tends to keep. However, that does not mean he does not have one.

It turns out that the “gnome killer” has been holding something back, but it does not sound like he has hired an actor to pretend to be his date to a wedding again. Why are we finding out about this mysterious secret now? On the topic of if The Blacklist would have a Ressler-centric episode in Season 7, series creator Jon Bokenkamp told TVLine he had “not overlooked Ressler” adding:

That’s right, Blacklist fans! The second half of Season 7 will explore Ressler’s secret. Interesting! What secret could Ressler be keeping? He tends to be a straightforward kind of guy. If he has his own secret, it explains his patience with Liz’s pretty endless supply. To put it bluntly, I do not think Ressler is Liz’s maybe-secret-sibling. Great news for shippers!

A previous Ressler storyline had dovetailed into the reveal of Liz’s second memory manipulation. However, it does not seem like the Ressler secret The Blacklist will explore in Season 7 has to do with that. That plot thread’s return is apparently connected to the jaw-dropping Katarina/Ilya reveal. It is Katarina who wants one of Ilya's memories!

One possibility is that the “little secret” The Blacklist’s creator is teasing has to do with Ressler’s investigation into Liz’s mom. Remember, he uncovered some stuff in the past. Due to everything going on with Red’s identity and his kidnapping, it would make sense for Ressler to have kept digging. Did he learn something big and then keep it to himself?

As suggested, I am reading between the lines, in the hopes of answering this and many other questions that The Blacklist has prompted. Viewers do know Ressler is keeping Red’s health crisis a secret from Liz. So, there is that. This may be swinging for the fences a bit, but what if Ressler’s secret is that he found Liz’s long-lost-theoretical sibling? Yes, I cannot let that go!

Ressler’s secret could also have something to do with his life before The Blacklist started. Viewers know that he once led a relentless investigation into Raymond Reddington. A man he now knows is an imposter. Did Ressler cross some line back in the day during his initial inquiry? Maybe. Although, that does not seem like the most Ressler move.

It has been seven seasons, and there is a lot that viewers still do not know about Ressler. Or many of the other fantastic characters on The Blacklist, for that matter. It seems like Season 7 will take a deep dive into at least one of the aspects of Ressler’s life. Stay tuned, Blacklist fans! The answers are coming!

New episodes of The Blacklist are airing this winter on Fridays, at 8 p.m. ET, on NBC. You can refresh your memory on Ressler’s past via previous seasons on Netflix, which also has lots of new content.

The Blacklist will revisit Red and Cooper’s “little secret” in Season 7, so get excited! Cooper and Red have always had a fascinating relationship. However, up until recently, Cooper thought he was carrying on a relationship with a man he used to know – Raymond Reddington. That is, until Liz (finally) revealed the truth.

That truth being that Red is actually an imposter, having long ago taken over the identity of the real Raymond Reddington. A revelation that changes everything about all of the personal history that Cooper thought he had with the FBI’s top-secret informant. Cooper and faux Red presumably share no similar history. Now, The Blacklist is set to revisit Cooper’s past with Reddington.

Learning that Red is not really Raymond Reddington changes things for the upstanding Harold Cooper. Asked what impact Red’s true identity will have on the Task Force’s leader in Season 7, The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, told EW:

OK, who is excited? Same! The Blacklist sort of teased that it would once again explore Cooper and the real Raymond Reddington’s past in the Season 7 premiere. Cooper used info only they would know to verify it was Reddington, who was being held captive. How Red knew that info (among other things) is anyone’s guess. I cannot wait to have Cooper ask him about that!

It appears that The Blacklist will be wasting no time in digging deeper into the “little secret” that Cooper and the presumably-real Raymond Reddington share. An upcoming episode of Season 7 is entitled “Kuwait” and promotional pictures from it show a flashback-era Harold Cooper. Check out this picture of actor Ruffin Prentiss taking on the role of Cooper!

Based on this, it would seem that The Blacklist is going to be flashing back to the past again. Could this be the episode where the show gets to the bottom of what happened between Cooper and Red in Kuwait? If so, what brings it on? Check out the synopsis for Episode 4 ("Kuwait") from NBC:

Interesting! How does this potentially connect to Red and Cooper’s secret? It is tough to know. This plot synopsis does seem to relate to what The Blacklist’s creator said about Cooper’s past getting brought into his choice regarding the Task Force and Red. Could this situation be the one that helps him decide?

Since Liz has revealed the wild truth to Cooper and Aram, everyone in the Task Force knows Red’s secret. According to Liz (by way of her grandfather, Dom), Red is really Ilya Koslov, a Russian operative and long-time friend of Katarina Rostova. The friend bit may be out the window now, though.

The future of the Task Force is now in Cooper’s hands. What will he decide? I cannot imagine The Blacklist without the Task Force, so we will have to wait and see!

Tune in to learn more about Red and Cooper’s “little secret,” when new episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays, at 8 p.m. ET, on NBC, as part of this fall's premieres. You can catch up on all things Cooper/Red via past seasons of The Blacklist that are streaming on Netflix, along with lots of upcoming content.

Spoilers for The Blacklist Season 7 episode entitled “Louis T. Steinhil (#27): Conclusion” are discussed below.

The Blacklist dropped a betrayal bombshell and a ton of jaw-droppers in the second part of its Season 7 premiere. Among the latter was what happened when Katarina led a full-blown assault on her father Dom’s house. Her father/Liz’s grandfather was critically injured, suffering a nearly mortal wound to his chest.

Thank goodness for Frankie! She stabilized Dom and he was unconscious, but alive, as the episode ended. Red told Liz that Dom may have suffered brain damage as a result of his injury. The Blacklist left fans on pins and needles as they wait to see how and if Dom recovers.

Is this the end of Dom? Will the man who knows many secrets die before he can share any more of them? The hope for “less secrets” is hanging in the balance alongside Dom! The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, provided this update to EW:

This is as hopeful of an update as it is a disquieting one. Why? Because The Blacklist’s creator indicates that Dom poses a threat to Red. Fans will recall what has happened to characters that have represented a similar issue. Viewers cannot forget that Red killed Liz’s dying adoptive father, Sam, when he was getting ready to spill a secret.

Is Dom in danger from Red? It is not difficult to think that he might be. Could what happens with Dom be connected to those trust issues that have been foreshadowed between Liz and Red? Maybe.

The good news is that Jon Bokenkamp says that Dom’s storyline is not over. A sign that Katarina’s father could survive his severe injury. Bokenkamp’s comments could also mean that Dom’s story could continue via flashbacks. He does not necessarily have to live for his time on The Blacklist to continue.

Having Dom’s fate in such a precarious place opens up a seemingly endless supply of questions. He was the one who provided Liz with “the truth” about Red’s real identity. That he is supposedly Ilya Koslov. While The Stranger brought an air of uncertainty to that version of events, there is hope of clarifying answers in the future.

Dom lived to tell the tale after sharing the explosive news. What does that mean for the veracity of what he revealed? That is open to debate. Keep reading between the lines. Dom’s daughter was apparently betrayed by her father. Now, Katarina is an intimidating big bad on the warpath. Sadly, for Dom, he is in her crosshairs!

Tune in to learn the fate of Katarina’s father when new episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays, at 8 p.m. ET, on NBC, as part of this fall's premieres. You can catch up on all things Dom via past seasons of The Blacklist that are streaming on Netflix, along with lots of upcoming content.

The Blacklist will have no shortage of action as Season 7 gets started. Having left off with the major cliffhanger of Red’s abduction at the hands of Katarina Rostova, the premiere should be over the top exciting! In fact, Amir Arison (Aram) has teased that Season 7 is going to get off to a jaw-dropping start. How difficult will it be to free Red?

Fans are no strangers to having to wait a bit for Red to join the outside world. He was in prison for a lot of The Blacklist’s last season. As Season 7 begins, he is in a much different prison as the captive of former flame (?) Katarina Rostova. How hard will it be to free Red this time around?

So many mysteries and must-see moments to consider! The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, and executive producer, John Eisendrath, told EW:

If anyone can overcome these obstacles, it is Liz, Dembe, and the Task Force. It sounds like The Blacklist heroes will have their work cut out for them, though. Will they find Red before he can spill whatever it is that Katarina so desperately wants to know? They have what it takes to get the job done, but, clearly, it won't be easy.

Based on what series creator, Jon Bokenkamp, is saying Liz, Dembe, and the Task Force will have some help from the inside in the form of Red. He is going to be working to find a way out of Katarina’s confines. While the audience is not aware of what she wants, Red may have a clue or two.

This is an international mission, due to Katarina kidnapping Red in Paris, France, and she has built up an automatic brick wall when it comes to the Task Force's abilities to get him back.  It's important to note here that Dembe reportedly traveled with Red to Paris, however, the latter went to his meeting with Katarina without Dembe. It was a huge mistake by Red.

Thanks to an exclusively shared scene, Liz will give Aram the rundown about the whole Red situation, which includes his imposter status. With Aram armed with that knowledge, it could help shake a few things loose in the search for Red! The Blacklist is not going to make it easy to get him back, which means a marvelous story is undoubtedly ahead!

While Red’s last known location was Paris, France, Katarina may have moved him elsewhere. Will Dembe, Liz, and the Task Force have to deal with several countries in the quest to find Red? If Katarina is shuffling him around the world, they could get caught up in various rabbit holes before locating him.

I believe in them, though! Tune in to see how The Blacklist frees Red when the series returns this fall. Season 7 premieres this Friday, October 4, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. You can catch up on Red’s previous Blacklist escapes via past seasons on Netflix, along with lots of new content.

The Blacklist’s writers cannot even agree about a Liz and Ressler romance. The crime drama has been hinting at a potential pairing between the duo, since Season 1. However, Liz remained with her on-again/off-again husband, Tom. His tragic murder in Season 5, left Liz a widow and a single mom to their daughter, Agnes.

Since then, Liz went on the warpath to avenge her husband, only to go against Red after learning he is an imposter. It has left Elizabeth Keen with limited time for romance on The Blacklist. However, Season 6 seemed to hint that Liz may find love with her long-time partner, Donald Ressler.

The pair’s scenes in one explosive episode led many to wonder if The Blacklist was going there. Soon after, series creator, Jon Bokenkamp, weighed in on Liz and Ressler’s scenes and what was going on between them. Heading into Season 7, Liz and Ressler’s romantic future is still a significant question mark among the writers. Bokenkamp told TVLine:

It sounds like half of the writers are for a Liz/Ressler romance, while the other half is not. The good news for shippers of the pairing is that The Blacklist’s creator is not ruling out the possibility of their stance changing. That said, he also acknowledges it may not. Well, there should be a lot for Liz and Ressler to bond over in Season 7.

Between Red’s kidnapping and the probable search that will ensue, it should put the duo in tight quarters. Their joint caseload tends to do that just fine. Liz and Ressler’s romantic future is still open to any number of possibilities. Thankfully, The Blacklist is taking its time deciding what to do. You can never rush a good romance!

The foundation has certainly been set for a robust romantic pairing. Remember, The Blacklist seemed to allude to Liz/Ressler’s potential earlier in the series’ run. While the show stayed with Liz and Tom’s chemistry-filled relationship, it hinted at other endgames early on. This was thanks, in large part, to the supportive foreshadowing of a key character.

Red has let it be known that he is a fan of Donald. Was he saying that because he despised Tom? It is tough to say. I would like to think that Ressler earned Red’s respect independent of that. Could Red's support of Donald hint that Ressler and Liz are endgame?

Ressler was looking for love last season on The Blacklist, only to have Liz’s need for help upend his then-relationship. Liz has not shown any direct interest in anyone since Tom’s death. Although, she seemed to enjoy her flirtation with Ressler last season.

Was it just two friends having fun? It is tough to know with these two.

There are a lot of questions that The Blacklist often brings up, and their future joins the list. As a fan who has enjoyed Ressler and Liz’s friendship, I could see it blossoming into a sound romance. Liz and Ressler continuing their relationship indefinitely, as it currently stands, is also fine by me. You can take sides in the poll below!

Find out if a Liz and Ressler romance happens when The Blacklist returns this fall. Season 7 premieres on Friday, October 4 on NBC. New episodes will air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET. You can watch the early days of Liz and Ressler’s relationship via previous seasons of The Blacklist on Netflix, along with lots of new content.

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The Blacklist delivered a mother of a shocker at the end of its latest season. Katarina Rostova is back, and she and Red reunited in Paris. Unfortunately for Red, their reunion did not go as some viewers may have expected.

What viewers can also look forward to on The Blacklist is more mysteries getting closer to getting solved. As you may have suspected, what fans saw unfold in the season finale will funnel into the show’s endgame. The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, teased Season 7 by telling EW:

Who else is ready to unpack what Katarina’s entrance will mean for The Blacklist, Liz, and Red? Same. According to the creator, the answers she brings will apparently help the endgame of the series’ “snap into focus.” Of course, I am in no hurry to get there. The longer this ride lasts, the better.

The questions that surround Katarina and Red’s true identities are among The Blacklist’s most complex. Red has always spoken of her in glowing terms. However, Season 6 revealed a spy entrenched in a global conspiracy. The kind of person she is remains a mystery. Red has always indicated to Liz that she trended towards the positive. He may say differently now.

After years of hearing about her and seeing her in flashbacks, The Blacklist is about to do something it has never done: explore who Katarina is today. Hence, a lot of new story to tell. There is no shortage of questions surrounding Liz’s mom. Viewers got a few of them answered during Red’s trial in Season 6.

Still, it was shocking to see her turn on Red of all people. Is the endgame that Katarina is actually the villain? Anything is possible at this point. Who would have thought Red’s timeline would get viewers here? Jon Bokenkamp’s tease indicates that Season 7 will sift through three angles.

The first being: where Red has been taken? Katarina had her men load a drugged Red into a van. He was captured in Paris and taken off to parts unknown. How far away did she take him? Or did she not move him far at all?

Katarina did not go off with them. That indicates she may or may not be planning to join them anytime soon. She did pick up Red’s hat, so hopefully, wherever he is, she will give that back. You do not mess with Red’s hat.

The second thing The Blacklist’s creator mentions is figuring out the kind of peril Red is in. Is it life-threatening? Maybe. The question is whether Katarina intends to harm him or if she may do so accidentally. Remember, Red has received mystery injections and wanted to find The Pharmacist. He is not in the best shape to be kidnapped.

The last query regards how Red can get out of the hot water he is in. He is Red, and The Blacklist has shown him to be quite capable of getting himself out some pretty tight corners. Plus, Liz and Dembe should notice he is missing rather quickly. Who else is ready for the Task Force to unite with them to find Red?

The Blacklist is a veteran drama at this point. Six seasons in and it is still uncovering new plot twists and revealing more about its core mythos. That has to be a record. Find out how it all folds into its endgame when The Blacklist returns for Season 7 this fall on NBC.

The Blacklist’s sixth season came and went with loads of intrigue left in its wake. Viewers got the answer to one incredibly important question: the whereabouts of Liz’s mother. Much like the reveal that Red is a Raymond Reddington imposter, the Katarina disclosure opens another can of things to probe.

Katarina is not the only one with a major question mark beside them on The Blacklist. Red and Liz both have one. Liz has brought her daughter, Agnes, back home to be with her. Agnes had been staying with Tom’s mother, ever since he was murdered. With Liz feeling secure about Red, she decided to bring Agnes home. Her security is now in doubt.

Meanwhile, Red made a big move. He went to Paris, France, to meet with Liz’s long lost mother, Katarina. Red was greeted with a kiss from his beloved. Then she stabbed him with a syringe and drugged him. Red promptly collapsed before a van pulled up and collected him. Katarina did not go with them. She stayed behind, picked up Red’s hat, and walked away.

As of the sixth season’s cliffhanger, fans will have to wait until Season 7 to learn what is happening with Red, as well as the impact those events will have on Liz. Those are just some of the things that The Blacklist has to resolve. Here are the other questions Season 7 needs to answer.

1. Is Liz’s Mom A Villain?

After seeing a more vulnerable Katarina in flashbacks, present-day Katarina made a surprising entrance. She did not seem to be genuinely moved to see Red, and she drugged him. So, there is that. Red reassured Liz that her mom was not a monster in Season 6. Actions can be deceiving.

At first glance, her behavior in the finale seems to hint Red is wrong. However, he and Katarina were being watched by his own admission. She is also in some apparent danger, according to Red. Hence, she could be taking every precaution, even questioning Red’s loyalty. Katarina did not make it this far without being a bit cautious.

2. What Has Katarina Been Doing All This Time?

Now that viewers know she is alive, there is a big hole in the timeline between her past and present. Katarina apparently left and went where? She has been in the wind and on the run for her life. What has she been doing to stay a step ahead?

It is tough to imagine her sitting around waiting for the phone to ring with a call from Red. He apparently lost tabs on her at one point and needed The Stranger’s help to find her. Why does that guy know something about Katarina that Red does not? What caused her and Red to lose touch? Many questions.

3. Seriously, Who Is Red?

This question was at the forefront of Season 6. Following Red’s talk with the mysterious man on the bench, it would seem viewers still do not know. The Blacklist’s creator hinted Liz is closer to the truth, which is an indication she has not gotten to the bottom of the Red rabbit hole.

Red may be Ilya Koslov. He may not be. Chances are, he definitely knows who Ilya is, and Ilya is probably not a work of fiction. Or at least, one would hope not. If he is, that not only jeopardizes Dom’s believability. It also undermines the legitimacy of flashbacks. Instead of being viewers’ foothold to the truth, they could be a smokescreen to it.

4. How Does The Stranger Know Red?

Another season, another mysterious character to contend with. The Season 6 finale introduced viewers to a new character played by actor Brett Cullen. Aptly known as “The Stranger,” he and Red had a very fascinating conversation. It hinted at a lot of backstory between the two. Along with being an associate, this guy and Red have known each other since childhood.

The Stranger also knows Red’s real identity and about Dom, Katarina’s father, including Ilya and the story that Dom told Liz. He also knew where Katarina was when Red did not. Is this guy the real Ilya as some think? Or is he Ilya’s brother and therefore Red’s? Whoever either of them is, could they be brothers? Season 7, please hold the answers.

5. What Is Katarina and Red’s Relationship Status?

When Katarina and Red met in the season finale, The Blacklist gave viewers a significant clue about their relationship status. Whoever Red was before, things were/are not platonic between the pair. Or at least, you can rule out the Red is Katarina’s brother theory. The kiss was seemingly for an audience. Meaning it is unclear if there is something currently going on between them.

Red clearly wants there to be. He appeared to close his eyes during their kiss. Red’s feelings towards Katarina have always tipped towards the romantic. He recalls her with the great fondness of a former/current flame. Ilya was shown in the flashbacks pining for her. That coincides with Red’s interest.

6. Other Questions:

What is Red sick with? That remains a burning question with no answer. Red was injecting himself throughout Season 7, which could be a sign there is something at play with him health-wise. Could whatever Katarina gave him cause complications with another underlying condition?

Will there be a new member of the Task Force? In a significant loss for the show and the ensemble, Samar exited The Blacklist in Season 6. She left a bereft Aram behind and an unfillable gap in the Task Force.

The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, did address whether they could bring someone new on in Season 7. While saying they miss Samar’s portrayer, Mozhan Marnò, Bokenkamp told Variety:

If The Blacklist brings someone new on, will they also be a love interest for Aram? He is starting to heal. However, in my book, Samar and Aram are probably endgame. Introducing another potential love interest for him might be unlikely to last. Viewers will just have to wait and see.

With the big bads of Season 6 dealt with, it is time for another mythos-centered season of the crime drama. The fantastic news is that fans of The Blacklist only have to wait things out through the summer. That is a much shorter wait than they endured last time. Season 7 promises to be another wild ride, especially with Katarina on board.

Can you say the mother of all seasons? After so many years of The Blacklist leaving fans to wonder about her, they are about to get a first-hand glimpse at who she really is. It will be interesting to see how her present-day self, gels with the flashbacks’ version, among other things.

The Blacklist will return for Season 7, this fall on NBC!

Spoilers for the Season 6 finale of The Blacklist are ahead.

The Blacklist’s Season 6 finale revealed a lot and hinted at even more. To locate Katarina, Red met with a mysterious unnamed stranger played by Brett Cullen. He and Red have known each other since childhood. There is even a childhood story to prove it. They also said they loved one another, so they are close.

Something else that came up between Red and “The Stranger” was the story Dom told Liz. The one that led Liz and viewers to believe that Red is Ilya Koslov. Flashbacks supposedly showed Ilya coming up with the imposter plan and volunteering to take Reddington’s place. Did the new bench scene confirm Ilya is not Red’s true identity? The Blacklist’s executive producer, John Eisendrath, told TVLine:

In short, it is still very ambiguous. Katarina’s father seemed to believe it was the truth. He may not even know if it is or not, though. Dom could also be lying, which then opens up whether anything viewers have seen in flashbacks is legitimate. Following the introduction of Brett Cullen’s character, some Blacklist viewers think he is actually Ilya Koslov.

I have to admit that Ilya being The Stranger did not occur to me. It makes sense and it would explain why Red did not confirm he is Ilya. Remember, viewers do not know whether Ilya was the one who actually went through with the procedure. Along with those other missing pieces. There is another answer to who The Stranger may be.

Red’s conversation with The Stranger hinted they were childhood friends. What if they were more than that? What if Red is Ilya Koslov’s brother or vice versa? That would explain why they both knew Katarina. It could also clarify why The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, said that Dom’s story got Liz “closer” to the truth.

What if Red is not Ilya Koslov and he is actually Ilya’s brother. Something is throwing me off from the notion Red is not Ilya. The Blacklist cast Gabriel Mann to play Ilya Koslov. Ever since seeing Mann in Legend of the Seeker, he has reminded me of James Spader.

Considering that, it makes sense for Ilya to be capable of looking like Raymond Reddington with a few plastic surgery tweaks. Could Ilya mature into Brett Cullen? It is not the biggest stretch.

That Red loves Brett Cullen’s character, and they grew up together could mean they are family. The truck story sounds a lot like one that would take place between siblings. Fans will have to see. There is something else that stood out in their scenes together.

When Red and The Stranger were talking with their backs to the camera, I could not recognize Red’s voice at first. To me, the tonality of his voice was entirely different than when he is speaking to Liz, Dembe, and others. Is his entire Raymond Reddington voice a put-on?

The flashbacks did show whoever turned into Raymond Reddington had vocal cord surgery. That could theoretically make him sound like Reddington. However, doing a good impersonation could work just as well. That Red felt comfortable enough to use his “real” voice (if that is what it was and not me mishearing) is telling. He really trusts this guy.

The Blacklist will return for Season 7, this fall on NBC. New episodes will air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET.

The Blacklist is hurtling towards its Season 6 finale. Lately, one of the prominent big bads of the season has been Anna McMahon. President Diaz’s adviser wanted Red to be executed and they are jointly connected to a conspiracy against the United States. That all sounds pretty damning. Is there more to the story?

The Blacklist’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, revealed an important season finale tidbit about the duo. Bokenkamp suggests viewers keep an eye out for Anna McMahan and President Diaz. Bokenkamp told TVLine:

Not what viewers would expect? Now, this is very interesting. What this viewer would least expect is for them to turn out to be heroes and not villains. Is that even possible?

In its latest episode, The Blacklist hinted there was more to what is going on with Anna McMahon and President Diaz. By episode's end, Red confirmed that Anna had no connection with the Blacklister known as the Third Estate. This, despite her holding that file back from Main Justice.

The audience knows the reason she did that. She told a seeming co-conspirator that she had held the file back on purpose, knowing the Task Force would be looking for her too. In turn, she alerted them to the criminal organization. The person she was talking with hinted at how that fit into their overall plan. Anna interrupted them by adding “Like I said. It’s under control.”

What is under control? There are a lot of puzzle pieces in play. Putting them together to see the overall picture remains hard to do. As Jon Bokenkamp pointed out, fans are not privy to what President Diaz and Anna McMahon's plan is. Many aspects remain a huge question mark.

Could Anna McMahon and President Diaz actually be misunderstood? Could they be secretly working against the conspiracy? Are they trying to shut down the threat against the U.S. themselves? It may sound far-fetched. However, The Blacklist likes to keep the audience assuming one thing when it is actually another.

Like any good magic trick, distraction is the key. Obviously, viewers are in a position to be automatically distrustful of Anna McMahon and President Diaz because they preferred Red dead. Is that blocking viewers’ view to something more though? Could both secretly be good? Will Anna be a long-term member of the Task Force when all is said and done? Maybe. Maybe not.

If she is not a villain that would mean Red misread the situation, which is highly uncharacteristic of him. Considering he has also been wrong about Liz in Season 6, it stands to reason he could have misconstrued the Anna McMahon situation too. Did he? He admitted she was a worthy adversary. Could she ultimately be an ally? Stay tuned.

Find out what surprises are in store for President Diaz and Anna McMahon when the Season 6 finale airs on May 17. The Blacklist continues with this week’s two-hour event. It airs this Friday (April 26) starting at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

The Blacklist is only about halfway through Season 6 at this point, and NBC already renewed it for Season 7. One of the major mysteries of the series has been the truth about Raymond "Red" Reddington's (James Spader) identity. Who is this guy, really? Show creator Jon Bokenkamp was asked if the series could actually end with the audience never knowing who Red really is. Here's his response:

So, as Jon Bokenkamp told TV Insider, we will get answers. But when the big answers arrive, that will be The End. That could be a while. Fans aren't pushing for the show to end, but hopefully The Blacklist does at least give a few more answers along the way, adding breadcrumbs to the trail. And hopefully once the truth is known, it 1) makes sense with what they've shown so far and 2) also leads to a satisfying conclusion on other fronts. The Blacklist isn't just entirely focused on Red's identity, there are other characters and storylines involved.

In fact, Liz Keen (Megan Boone) -- who is so desperate to get the truth about Red she's been crossing all kinds of lines -- even gave up a huge chance to get the truth out of Red in the most recent March 15 episode. She looked like she was on the verge of asking him for the truth of who he really is, but stopped herself. Instead, she told Red she loved him. He looked shocked.

There's no way we really lose Red -- the show wouldn't have been renewed for Season 7 already, with James Spader attached, without Red surviving his current botched prison escape turned death row execution. But it's interesting to think of what that choice could mean going forward. Could it melt Red a bit, once he learns the inevitable truth that Liz betrayed him? Knowing that she ultimately fought hard to save him, and chose to just give him love when she thought it was the end? Liz has fairly taken a lot of heat for her decisions up to this point, but there's clearly love there on both sides.

Since Red has to get out of this somehow, it renews the question of who he really is. It may be a while before fans get solid answers, but The Blacklist did reveal more hints recently in that two-hour event. Fans learned more about Liz's mom and Red, and some of those pieces could fit into the theories out there. Is Red a twin -- either identical or fraternal? Other?

The Blacklist Season 6 should have 22 episodes, like most of the previous seasons. By that reckoning, Season 7 should also have 22 episodes. And the show may continue onward from there. That's a long time to wait for the truth. Too long?

It might be too long if that were the only thing keeping fans watching The Blacklist. But James Spader could show up and just stare into the camera and he'd gather an audience. There's more than that going on, though, and it sounds like the show knows what it's doing and where it wants to go from here. As long as there's a plan, that's good news.

As Jon Bokenkamp added to TV Insider, when asked about planning for the series endgame:

Please don't wrap up the story of Red's identity with a puppet show. Actually, rethinking, please do? I'm kind of curious to see how that would play out.

The Blacklist Season 6 continues Red's death row drama with Episode 12, "Bastien Moreau: Conclusion," on Friday, March 22 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, as one of the many shows still airing in midseason 2019.

Liz seems to have little room for a love life on The Blacklist with everything that is going on... or does she? Is The Blacklist setting Liz up for a new romance? It was the question on many fans’ minds after Liz and Ressler collaborated in a recent episode. What exactly is going on between them? Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp had this to say:

Interesting. It sounds like fans were correctly picking up on a spark igniting between the duo. Based on what Jon Bokenkamp told TV Guide, something is going on there. As he points out, Liz has a lot in her life on hold. Thus, The Blacklist could play a “will they won’t they” angle for a while.

Why rush? There is another season of The Blacklist on its way and plenty of time to sort things out. Liz and Ressler are far from strangers. Let’s face it, learning that Red is not Raymond Reddington has helped matters. Plus, she trusted him with the truth. Not to mention, there has been a lot of perceptible headway for a Liz/Ressler coupling.

There has always been a flirtatious edge to Liz and Ressler’s relationship, to the point where it seemed like Season 1 was going strong to set it up. Despite the tremendous tumult that unfolded between them, Liz and Tom’s romance prevailed.

Unlike many heroines in recent television, Liz started The Blacklist married to Tom. When he turned out not be who he said he was, it seemed like things were over for good between them. Eventually, they reconciled and had Agnes. They were even happy for a while.

Maybe Liz will have two loves of her life? The recent episode with Liz and Ressler working together was more appealing than expected. Nothing felt forced. They were just two friends flirting. Those are the best starts when it comes to TV romances. Ressler even seemed relaxed despite the circumstances, so something was happening.

Liz did not seem sorry that Ressler’s relationship did not work out either. Six seasons of The Blacklist proved Ressler is a good guy. So, him and Liz getting together with where her life is now makes sense.

A thing that has always been great about The Blacklist is that they have never gone the obvious way with Liz’s love life. It has always taken complicated turns. Seeing Ressler and Liz transcend their platonic status should be compelling.

She and Ressler have a friendship that has been tested over the years, and Red always seemed to like him. That always felt like a sign of things to come between Liz and Ressler.

Find out if Liz and Ressler get romantic when The Blacklist continues with new episodes airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Liz Keen’s feelings regarding the man known as Red have been running the gamut on The Blacklist. Her actions early in Season 6 have led to a bunch of problems for him, and as of the latest episode, Red was sentenced to death. Not before Liz tried to save his life, though. The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp weighed in on why she made the move to save him, saying:

Liz tried to save Red’s life by taking the stand. Despite a profound speech on his behalf, things did not end up working out. It is nice to hear Jon Bokenkamp confirm Liz’s motivations to TV Insider. Even if she is mostly to blame for Red’s current circumstances, she has realized that whoever Red is, he does genuinely love her.

So, where does this leave the Task Force and Liz in the follow-up to The Blacklist’s latest explosive episode? Jon Bokenkamp had this to say about Liz’s strategy moving forward:

Jon Bokenkamp’s answer is arguably the most fitting evaluation of Red’s various relationships on The Blacklist. It is also pretty scary where he talks about everyone struggling with the inevitability of things to come. The only thing that is on the horizon is Red’s death sentence. Please, let them find this mysterious “man in Cairo.”

Locating him seems to be Red’s only hope at this point. Hopefully, Team Red can find him in time. The synopsis for The Blacklist’s next episode reveals that the team will be working overtime to uncover the truth surrounding an international assassination. The bid is described as a “last-ditch effort” to save Red. Things are getting dire!

Liz has had reasons to doubt many things. The veracity of Red’s affection for her is another story. That should have never been a cause for doubt. It should have been a reason to make her think twice before igniting her life-altering plan to get him arrested. He earned the benefit of her best character assessment.

If Liz is not the one to help save Red, it will be a significant game-changer for their relationship. So much has happened that Red does not even know. Her only shot at "red-emption" is to play an integral role in saving his life. Otherwise, she will have his blood squarely on her hands.

Unfortunately, Red contributed to his fate. He got way ahead of himself in thinking his Plan B (a.k.a. the prison escape) could work. Red went all-in on his sentence recommendation. Now he is facing the death penalty. What makes his spoiled attempt at freedom so tragic is that it is Liz’s genuine care for him that ruined it.

Of all the ways to have been inadvertently brought down, it was an act of compassion on Liz’s part. Too much too late from Liz. Find out if she can help save Red’s life when The Blacklist continues with new episodes airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Red is done doing his time in prison on The Blacklist. Or at least, he wants to be done with it. Despite his “not guilty” verdict for treason in the previous episode, he is still in custody pending other charges. Well, The Concierge of Crime has now had it, and he's ready to move on.

Why has Red decided now is the right time to mount his bid for freedom, however it may come? Time is of the essence for the character. The Blacklist’s creator Jon Bokenkamp explained the situation to TVLine, saying:

Does this mean that Red’s plan to get his immunity agreement reinstated will go up in flames? It seems as though Red is actually going to work two angles in Episode 10. One will be to use his knowledge of a Blacklister to get that immunity deal restored. The other would be to attempt a flat-out paperwork-eschewing escape. That option is what was seemingly teased in the promo for the episode.

A clip from tonight's episode of The Blacklist, titled "The Cryptobanker," shows Red trying to work the former angle with Liz. Watch it below:

Viewers will have to watch to see how things play out from there, of course. That Red would not at least attempt a prison break if all else fails, it's just unfathomable. He has been incarcerated for most of Season 6, and any viewers familiar with the government-friendly criminal knew he would not stay that way forever, even though clearing Raymond Reddington's name against the treason charges didn't get him back on the streets.

Apparently, it is now or (maybe) never when it comes to his chances to be free. It is interesting that Jon Bokenkamp mentions that this big plan has been in the back of Red’s mind for a while. Perhaps, he is planning to pull off a prison break while simultaneously getting his charges dropped.

A true professional, Red could end up pulling off both. The trailer for Episode 10 indicated that Red would don a disguise in his efforts to leave prison. At the beginning of the promo, he can also be seen chloroforming the warden. Suffice it to say, he has one shot at a daring prison break, so here's hoping it's a successful attempt. See for yourself below:

That’s right. Red can be heard telling Dembe that he is “10 seconds out.” Yours truly thinks Red is going to have to go the prison break route, as opposed to the legal beagle route, and I also think he will make it. When have his plans failed to succeed?

As entertaining as Red’s time in prison has been, getting him out seems like a natural progression for The Blacklist. They have explored what Red’s incarcerated life has been like, while also letting a captivating courtroom drama unfurl. Plus, it would be out of character for Red to allow himself to be locked up any longer. He has played things out in jail as long as could be expected, but that world is too small for his big ideas.

Red will be making strides towards "freedom," but a prison break obviously indicates he could still be a man on the run. That is, if the charges against him do not get dropped. It is not the first time he has lived life as a fugitive, so that is probably not super daunting for him.

Watching to see if his escape plans are successful or not won't be the only fascinating part of this episode. Another aspect of the fun will be seeing how Red will pull off his escape.

The Blacklist has been known to portray its share of thrilling heists. However Red’s escape goes down, it should be presented with a similar mystique. Jon Bokenkamp confirmed that the show would take a break from big answers to focus on the culmination of Red’s court case, so maybe expect the process to get more attention than the results here. It all sounds nothing short of thrilling!

Find out if Red goes free when The Blacklist continues with new episodes airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. The crime drama is among many shows featuring new content throughout the midseason.

Brace yourselves. The Blacklist’s upcoming two-hour episode is going to drop a lot of big Red reveals on viewers. Longtime fans hoping to finally get some insight into Red’s criminal acts in the past are about to learn a ton of new details. Teasing the back-to-back installments, Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp said this about the episode:

Red is heading to the witness stand? This is slightly-to-highly unexcepted. Albeit, Red has taken a spirited role in his own legal defense by representing himself, after all, but he could have easily found a way to avoid the stand. In any case, it's time to break down what Jon Bokenkamp teased to TVLine, so let’s start with what Red is going to say on the witness stand.

Jon Bokenkamp says that viewers will get to hear Red discuss his past in an “open, direct, and candid way.” Red often muses about the past, sharing crucial anecdotes that are relevant to the circumstances. In those instances, he has always seemed to be carrying on in the manner Bokenkamp describes. It will be interesting to see if there is any difference in exactly how Red approaches his testimony. And if there are differences, how will they affect things?

There are certain areas of Red's history that he has alluded to, and others he has remained completely silent about. One thing that has never been explained too well is why Red became the crime figure he has. That is about to change, according to Jon Bokenkamp.

Did Red have no other choice but to go down his crime-filled path? Pluls, how does that tie to his true identity? Remember, Red is being tried under his assumed identity, which makes the legality of everything suspect. Is the real Red a good man, though, who maybe got put in an impossible situation? Two recent episodes hinted at this possibility.

As for why Raymond Reddington is wanted for treason in particular, that seemed to get addressed back in The Blacklist’s pilot. That's apparently not the case, though. Given what the series’ creator is saying, there must be more to the story than what Ressler initially rattled off about Red's actions.

In the pilot, Ressler explained that Raymond Reddington disappeared during his journey home for Christmas, with Jennifer Reddington and her mother waiting for him. He emerged on authorities’ radar four years later, when Red got linked to a leak of classified documents. The leak seemed to be the reason for the treason. That is pretty much all The Blacklist has revealed, until now.

Will viewers find out why “Red” assumed Raymond Reddington’s identity and then turned him into the Concierge of Crime? With so many answers underway, it brings up some other questions, too.

If The Blacklist is finally offering some massive insight, could that be indicative of the NBC series’ future? Could this episode be setting up for The Blacklist’s final chapters? Ratings-wise, there is not a huge reason to be concerned that the end is nigh. The show is performing well in its new Friday night time slot, and its delayed viewing numbers are even more impressive. That said, it has not been renewed for another season yet.

Six seasons in, The Blacklist is at a point where it can give viewers giant answers without altering its hook. Based on what Jon Bokenkamp is teasing, it seems that Blacklist fans will still have their share of mysteries to think about when the 2-hour episode is over.

Learning why Red became the Concierge of Crime still does not answer why he assumed Raymond Reddington’s identity. Nor does learning his treasonous crimes necessarily reveal who Red truly is. The good news? That twin theory seems to still be alive.

Find out what Red reveals when The Blacklist’s special 2-hour event airs this Friday (February 22) at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. The crime drama is among many series offering new content in the midseason.

During The Blacklist's two-part premiere, the crime drama hinted at worrying developments for one of its major characters. Samar's recovery from her near-death experience may not be going as well as fans hoped. The Blacklist's creator, Jon Bokenkamp, is doubling down on the dire hints, saying:

Jon Bokenkamp's hints as to where Samar's story is headed in Season 6 to TVLine are far from assuring. He refers to her arc as being a "real doozy." That is not a positive sign. Saying the story is "emotional" is also not much of a positive, either.

Emotions on television often mean tears, especially on a show that can be as grim as The Blacklist. It's not so long ago that poor Tom was killed! If the show is going in a dark direction for Samar, fans could be in for a rough ride. Why can't Samar and Aram only be happy? The couple is currently engaged. Instead of hearing wedding bells, Jon Bokenkamp is setting off alarm bells about what to expect in the couple's future.

There is a silver lining to what The Blacklist creator said. He indicated the show would be changed in a "great" way. If "great" is taken to mean something positive, then fans may be in for a turbulent yet happy ending for Samar.

If Jon Bokenkamp was referring to how seismic or significant the storyline's impact on the show would be, that takes things in another direction. One of the glorious aspects of The Blacklist is its fantastic ensemble. Samar is a crucial part of it, so it is all but impossible to imagine the show without her.

Plus, Samar's coupling with Aram is one of the many highlights of the show. Their dynamic has brought and continues to bring something magical to the procedural. As The Blacklist has focused on them more and more each season, that has only become more pronounced.

There is nothing to gain story-wise from Samar's health crisis ending badly, in my book. She is an excellent agent and a complicated person. Samar having health issues does present The Blacklist with a strong storyline to explore, in that it gives her something to organically grapple with as a character.

The story should also be a test for Samar and Aram's relationship. It stands to reason that she may keep her issues to herself rather than share them with Aram. That hypothetical decision could theoretically lead the two to have some sort of trust issues.

Of course, they could eventually work their issues out and get married with happiness in full view. Samar and Aram getting a central storyline would be excellent news. Hopefully, it will end well.

Watch how Samar's story unfolds when new episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. The crime drama's sixth season is part of NBC's new slate of midseason programming.

Warning: This story contains spoilers for the second part of The Blacklist's Season 6 premiere -- "The Corsican (#20)."

In the second half of The Blacklist's Season 6 premiere, Red was arrested, and Liz turned out to be behind it. The series' creator, Jon Bokenkamp, is weighing in how much Red suspects Liz knows. When asked about it, Bokenkamp had this to say:

Red suspecting that Liz knows his secret identity and that she was the one behind his arrest are two separate things. What Jon Bokenkamp is telling TVLine is very important. Because based on his answer, it seems that Red does not know about either at the end of The Blacklist's two-part Season 6 premiere.

It is tough to keep track of everything Red is in the dark about on The Blacklist these days. So far though, Liz is in possession of two secrets. The first is that she knows Red is not the original Raymond Reddington. The second is that she is the one who tipped the cops off to Red's location, leading to his subsequent arrest.

The Blacklist's creator does not rule out Red eventually figuring out what Liz has been up too. If the show remains true to form, Liz should not be able to keep the truth from Red much longer. She may have learned at his side all these years. However, she is still a student.

Red has been at this for 30 years and counting. Liz is relatively new to this game, in comparison. Among the exciting things that The Blacklist creator said is that there "may be some fireworks." If and when Red learns of Liz's betrayal, it should be explosive.

Red and Liz never entirely worked through her faking her death. He chose to punish Mr. Kaplan for that betrayal instead. That should have been a warning sign to him that he could not trust Liz entirely.

When she faked her death, she did not believe he was her father. So, maybe her being convinced of that changed how much he thought he could trust her. Regardless, Red should eventually be confronted with the fact he has been betrayed by Liz. A reality, he cannot ignore this time around.

It was one thing to keep the fact she knew his true identity from him. Liz has now taken action against him. She has gotten him incarcerated and, based on the promo, that will have physically-damaging consequences for Red.

It says something about The Blacklist that this viewer is looking forward to Red learning the truth. However, that is tempered with a large degree of dread over how that will alter their dynamic. It is tough to imagine things ever being the same between them, and the thought of those ensuing "fireworks" is frightening.

See the "fireworks" show when new episodes of The Blacklist's sixth season air Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. The crime drama will continue airing new throughout the midseason.

Liz and Jennifer will be teaming up in The Blacklist's sixth season to take down the man currently known as Raymond Reddington. How the newly united sisters will work together is something The Blacklist's creator, Jon Bokenkamp, has teased. Here's what he had to say:

It sounds like some sisterly conflict may be in the cards! Just from the brief bit of time they spent together in The Blacklist's fifth season, it readily registered that these two would not always be on the same page. Liz has lived on the run for a time, though, so perhaps they can bond over that shared experience and find some common ground. What Jon Bokenkamp shared with TVLine indicates that their differences could end up complimenting each other.

Jennifer and Liz come from different backgrounds and share different mothers. The common link is Raymond Reddington, a guy viewers now know is deceased and, quite frankly, do not know as much about as it initially seemed. Jon Bokenkamp continued about the sisters' dynamic, saying:

Whoever Liz has "stewed", as Jon Bokenkamp puts it, it was not based on the man identified as the "real" Raymond Reddington. She has conjured this identity based on the man she previously believed her biological father to be. The question for The Blacklist's sixth season (and Liz and Jennifer) to uncover is not only who the current Red is. It is also who dead Red was.

Jennifer grew up believing he was/is a monster. To the public, he is not far away from that, either. The Red that Liz knows has a dark side. But, he in no way completely aligns with who his public image has perpetuated him to be.

In truth, viewers know less about "Red" than they originally thought. Jon Bokenkamp's tease not only reveals how Liz and Jennifer's collaboration will go. Bokenkamp also affirms that Raymond Reddington is their father.

Could that poke a hole in my theory that Raymond Reddington was a twin and that each brother played him at different times? Following that train of thought, "fake" Red would be Liz's biological father and not Jennifer's.

Jon Bokenkamp's emphasis on them sharing Raymond Reddington as their biological father is telling. It potentially teases that whomever James Spader is currently playing, he is not Liz's biological father, after all.

That is an angle that is difficult to reconcile given the lengths "fake" Red has gone to for Liz and has not gone to for Jennifer. In Season 5, Red made it pretty clear he did not have much feeling for Raymond Reddington's other daughter. If he is a complete imposter, why would he care for one of Raymond Reddington's daughters over the other?

Also, will a bit of sibling rivalry come into play in Season 6? Liz has experienced the affection of who she believed was her father, whereas Jennifer has grown up detesting him and received no support from "fake" Red at all. That is a lot of history to shake overnight.

Whatever happens, The Blacklist is about to dive into some very exciting territory. Unraveling this mystery in the span of the upcoming season is going to be a ride.

The Blacklist's sixth season premiere will kick off over two nights. The super-sized Season 6 premiere begins Thursday, January 3 at 10 p.m. ET and concludes on Friday, January 4 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. It will continue airing throughout the midseason.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the Season 5 finale of The Blacklist, called "Sutton Ross."

The Blacklist never holds back when it comes to ending finales on incredible cliffhangers, and "Sutton Ross" dropped a bombshell that will undoubtedly have fans buzzing indefinitely. The episode saw Red's desperate mission to recover the duffel bag with its mysterious bones grow even more desperate, and Liz's life was seemingly in real danger for most of the hour. Taken hostage, beaten, and tortured, Liz paid a price for Red's focus on that duffel bag... or so it appeared. The end of the episode revealed that Liz made a deal with her "captors" and her half-sister to get a win over on Red and solve the mystery of the duffel bag bones without him any the wiser. The answer to the question of whose bones were in the bag is one that few of us could have possibly predicted: the bones belong to none other than Raymond Reddington.

Yes, the mysterious bones in the duffel bag that has been passed around The Blacklist for a while now belong to Raymond Reddington, but not the Raymond Reddington fans thought we knew for the past five years. As it turns out, the real Raymond Reddington died 30 years ago, and the man we've thought was Red was an imposter all along. James Spader has not been playing the genuine Raymond Reddington, although I'm sure we'll be referring to his character as "Red" for the foreseeable future. Liz's discovery that the real Reddington is the dead man whose bones were in the bag means she realized that her real father is dead and another man has been attempting to fill that role for her, which... is creepy.

To emphasize the point that Red has been trying to keep his secret for the entire run of the series, "Sutton Ross" featured a flashback montage of all the characters who have died trying to expose Red's secret and how they died/were killed. Despite all the death and destruction, Red was not able to destroy the secret before it got out. While he did get his hands on the bones and burnt them at the end of the episode, it wasn't before a DNA test was conducted on the bones that proved them to belong to the real Raymond Reddington. Thanks to her deal with Ross and reunion with her half-sister, Liz was able to see the DNA results for herself.

In case you're wondering when the Blacklist team came up with the idea to reveal that Red isn't actually Red, executive producer Jon Bokenkamp had this to say about how long the plan has been in the works in a chat with EW:

The Reddington bombshell sets the stage for an intense Season 6. In a conversation with a vision of Tom (in a surprise appearance from Ryan Eggold) at his grave, Liz reveals her secret: Red doesn't know that she knows about the bones. She told Tom that she intends to figure out who he is, why he came into her life, why he's spent the last three decades pretending to be Raymond Reddington, why he led to Tom's death, and what it will take to destroy him. Sign me up for Season 6!

The very good news is that NBC finally announced the fate of The Blacklist. Deadline reports that the show was officially renewed for a sixth season, which should have fans everywhere breathing a sigh of relief after the craziness of the Season 5 finale. NBC certainly built the suspense for fans who had been promised a gigantic cliffhanger in the series finale; now that we've seen the finale, we can probably all agree that a cancellation would have been downright tragic. No details are currently available about when exactly The Blacklist will be back on the airwaves, but it will be back.

For what you can watch once the entire 2017-2018 TV season has come to an end, check out our summer TV premiere guide. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV renewals and cancellations, and check out our rundown of shows that have had theirs fates decided so far.

The Blacklist is hurtling towards its Season 5 finale with a ferocious twist that will make Season 6 an absolute must. That's right, the series' creator Jon Bokenkamp is taking a "don't blink" approach to the events of its impending season closer. The dramatic thriller has yet to be renewed by NBC for a sixth season, but it is not impacting the way Bokenkamp is approaching the season finale. Despite the uncertain backdrop, Bokenkamp has assured fans that he did not conceive two different endings for the Season 5 finale, teasing:

Jon Bokenkamp's bold decision is guaranteed to leave fans on the edges of their seats. While season finales are always a time of high anxiety for fans, how a show chooses to wrap up the season can make that an even more nerve-wracking experience. The Blacklist creator's tease to EW is an especially high-stakes gamble, albeit one that makes sense because, as Bokenkamp makes clear, Season 5 is not supposed to be the end of the story.

Should the series not be renewed by NBC, fans may never see the aftermath of Season 5's finale come to fruition. In the end, it is a decision Blacklisters may end up being grateful for. By setting the season up to end this way, it could entice NBC towards renewing the series. Despite the down-to-the-wire wait for a renewal, Jon Bokenkamp remains hopeful that Season 5 will not be the series' last, saying:

The Blacklist has never been short on exciting stories, and after five seasons, the series' creator is promising that will not change. His optimism is also a strong indication that the show's chances for renewal are in the black. It is hard to imagine NBC letting The Blacklist go. The show has a strong fan following after 100 episodes and it is still delivering at a high creative level. That is not common for a show that has run as long as it has.

Season 5 has seen no shortage of shockers. The series killed off Liz's soulmate Tom Keen (Ryan Eggold) during the fall finale and has now put fan favorite Samar (Mozhan Marnò) in jeopardy following the events of the season's penultimate episode. Given that background, it makes sense The Blacklist is heading towards the finale with a take-no-prisoners abandon. Here is hoping a season of surprises ends with the unsurprising news of the series' renewal.

Find out what the Season 5 cliffhanger is when The Blacklist finale airs May 16 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For when you can catch television's other season-enders, check out this year's season finale schedule. As for what else is coming up on NBC and beyond over the course of the next few months, check out our guide to TV's summer premieres.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 18 of The Blacklist Season 5.

The second half of The Blacklist Season 5 has been one of the most intense runs of the entire series to date, and that's saying something. The death of Tom Keen set Liz on a dangerous path for revenge and Red's ongoing search for the duffel bag has only made things messier. Now, The Blacklist has served up what could be the messiest twist to date for Liz and Red with a huge Reddington family bombshell in the latest episode. The hour ended with Liz chatting with a woman, seemingly named Lilly, who had been seen hugging Ian Garvey, who murdered Tom. Liz got more than she bargained for out of the chat when Lilly revealed that Garvey put her in witness protection to keep her from her dangerous father: Raymond Reddington.

Liz was not expecting that the woman who had been seen hugging her husband's murderer was her own sister, and the episode ended before she had much time to process the bombshell dropped by Lilly. Since this is The Blacklist we're talking about, we shouldn't necessarily take the bombshell as 100% the truth without some assurance. Fortunately, The Blacklist executive producer Jon Bokenkamp weighed in on the reveal and whether or not we should take it with a grain of salt:

According to Jon Bokenkamp's comments, we can be reasonably sure that Lilly is the Jennifer Reddington who was mentioned way back in Season 2. Given that there are still several episodes left in Season 5, it's not all that shocking that Bokenkamp isn't ready to be entirely candid about who this woman is and how she's related to the main characters. It does seem rather late in the game for The Blacklist to introduce a fake daughter for Red/sister for Liz. There's enough going on in this final arc of Season 5 without throwing a fake long-lost family member into the mix; it would make sense for the series for her to be the real deal.

In case you've forgotten about Jennifer Reddington, she's the product of Reddington's relationship with his wife, Naomi Hyland, whereas Liz is the daughter of Katarina Rostova. At this point, the big question we should be asking may be more of what Ian Garvey wants with Jennifer than whether or not she's the real deal. Jon Bokenkamp went on in his talk with EW to tease what's going on with Ian Garvey:

We can only wait and see what happens next. Liz won't rest until she gets her revenge, Red wants that duffel bag of bones, and there are still a bunch of variables in play.

New episodes of The Blacklist air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For more viewing options, check out our midseason TV premiere guide and our summer TV premiere schedule. The Blacklist's future is uncertain at this point, but some shows' fates have been decided. Swing by our rundown of network TV renewals and cancellations for what you need to know.

Liz Keen has had a wild and devastating ride in Season 5 of The Blacklist. The first half of the season ended on the tragic death of her husband, and the second half has seen Liz on a dark quest to avenge him. She pulled back from the majority of the people who knew and cared about her to focus on her quest, but fans will soon see her back on the Task Force again. That said, not everything will be as it was. Executive producer Jon Bokenkamp explained what will be different, saying this:

Viewers will not see Liz transformed back into her old self just because she's back in her old surroundings and surrounded by her coworkers again. For once, Liz is going to be the devious secret-keeper of sorts. Judging by Jon Bokenkamp's comments to EW, Liz may simply start crossing more lines now that she's officially back with law enforcement. She'll likely be under more of a watchful eye; it may require some drastic actions to keep moving forward on her mission for revenge against the people who killed Tom.

All things considered, as jarring as it will likely be to see Liz keeping secrets and hiding her own agenda from the Task Force, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense if she was suddenly reformed back into the agent she was before Tom was killed and she was left comatose. Red has warned that she may not be able to live with her actions once she "crossed the abyss," but that hasn't stopped her from doing everything from killing to disposing of a body. Liz is still smack dab in the middle of her abyss, and it will take a lot more than a change of scenery and more involvement with the Task Force for her to see the light again.

The good news is that a devious Liz on the Task Force is proof that The Blacklist is still quite capable of trying new things even after more than 100 episodes on the air, and that could bode well for the chances of a Season 6. Jon Bokenkamp has already revealed that Season 5 will end on a great cliffhanger that isn't what the end of the series ought to be; we can only hope that NBC is happy with how the series performs moving forward. The show hasn't seemed to suffer from the loss of its spinoff.

Only time will tell. The next new episode of The Blacklist will air on Wednesday, February 28 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For more viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, be sure to take a gander at our midseason TV premiere schedule and our 2018 Netflix premiere guide.

The Blacklist has taken some intense twists and turns in Season 5, largely due to the death of Tom Keen back in the midseason finale. He was brutally killed in an attack that left Liz comatose for months and set her on a devastatingly dark path toward revenge. Her quest for vengeance has changed the dynamic between Liz and her dad; soon, we'll get to see her dynamic with another member of her family. Brian Dennehy will be back as her maternal grandfather Dom, and Liz will finally get to meet him. Blacklist executive producer Jon Bokenkamp explained why the time was right to introduce Liz to Dom, saying this:

Liz won't meet Dom just because he felt it was time to meet his granddaughter or any other innocent reason. Instead, she'll cross paths with Dom while continuing her search for the person responsible for Tom's death. For Liz's sake, we can only hope that Dom didn't have anything to do with what happened to Tom. She already deals with enough family complications due to her connection to Red. The last thing she needs is to learn that her grandfather works with the person/people who murdered her husband. Jon Bokenkamp's comments about her meeting with Dom indicate that fans won't get the story they were counting on with the reunion.

By the look of things, Liz won't cross paths with her good old grandfather in the bowels of some secret lair or in a dark alley. Take a look at a shot of Brian Dennehy back as Dom:

Jon Bokenkamp's further comments to EW about Dom's relationship with Red may indicate that we'll see more of that not-so-dynamic duo in the next episode. Red has been the major connection to Dom over the series so far due to his relationship with Liz's mother Katarina, who may or may not be dead. Personally, I'm hoping we get to see Liz react to the realization that Red and Dom have had more of a relationship that she could have guessed. Her reaction in the second half of Season 5 would undoubtedly be a lot different than it would have been in earlier seasons.

Whatever happens, we can evidently count on some development of the mythology that has been building throughout The Blacklist to date. Only time will tell. New episodes of The Blacklist air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The February 7 episode will be the last for a couple of weeks due to the Olympics putting normal NBC programming on hold, so be sure to tune in the next episode. If you're still in the market for shows to watch in 2018, take a peek at our midseason TV premiere guide.

The Blacklist had a seriously intense first half of Season 5. The premiere episode ended on a flash-forward that seemed to indicate the death of Tom Keen sooner rather than later, and the midseason finale revealed that Tom indeed was doomed to die. That midseason finale ended on the tragic reveal that Liz was comatose for ten months after her husband's death, and she had to learn that he was gone from her hospital bed. The second half of the season has yet to start and show fans the aftermath of Tom's death, but executive producer Jon Bokenkamp has already revealed how Season 5 is going to end:

Season 5 will evidently end on a big cliffhanger, and the folks behind the scenes at The Blacklist already know how they're going to handle it. While some series have been known to end forever on cliffhangers, it seems that Season 5 is not being written as the final season of the show.

At this point, it's difficult to imagine how The Blacklist could outdo the midseason finale cliffhanger. That episode saw the death of a character who was around from the very beginning and had been deemed strong enough to carry a spinoff, even if the ratings saw that spinoff get the axe. On top of Tom's death, the midseason finale served up an unexpected time jump that will force Liz to mourn her husband's death nearly a year after everybody else had to process what happened to him. She also lost valuable time with her daughter.

Given that she'll cope with her new circumstances by going on a mission for revenge, we can probably expect even more intensity in the second half of Season 5. It should be interesting to see if Red tries to assist or stop Liz from trying to avenge Tom. Throw in all the strings still attached to that suitcase, and there are a lot of issues to be addressed.

Unfortunately, The Blacklist has not yet received a renewal order for Season 6, and the show doesn't score high enough ratings for fans to be 100% confident that NBC will give it another batch of episodes after the end of Season 5. Jon Bokenkamp went on in his chat with EW to explain how it feels to write for a cliffhanger without knowing if they'll have to chance to pay off on it:

It sounds like the Blacklist team is willing to tweak the planned cliffhanger if they find out that the show will be cancelled after the end of Season 5. Some shows are unlucky enough to only find out about a cancellation until after the finale has aired; hopefully that won't be the case for The Blacklist. As long as the show delivers justice for the characters who will have been developing through highs and lows for half a decade, fans should probably be able to enjoy the ride.

We'll have to wait and see. The Blacklist will return to NBC for the second half of Season 5 on Wednesday, January 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Swing by our midseason TV premiere guide and our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule for the other dates you'll need for shows in the new year. For the shows that won't be back in the new year, swing by our rundown of 2017 TV cancellations.

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for the fall finale of The Blacklist. Feel free to stop reading if you haven't watched yet!

Well, never one to disappoint, The Blacklist ended its fall run tonight with two major shocks: not only has Tom Keen finally left the deceptive, espionage-filled building, but when the show picks back up in January, time will have jumped ahead by 10 months. And, while Tom's Season 5 death, at least, was teased in the season opener, now we know why it had to happen now, as well as why those behind the show felt the need to jump ahead by almost a year. Here's what executive producers John Eisendrath and Jon Bokenkamp had to say about why Tom's death needed to happen tonight:

So, according to what Eisendrath and Bokenkamp told Variety, it sounds a lot like they felt they had exhausted the avenues they could take Tom, especially with respect to his relationship with Liz. Seeing as how he originally got involved with Liz simply because he was keeping an eye on her for Red, it's kind of amazing that the show was able to redeem the character and bring him around to a place where Liz and Red (basically) were able to trust him again. Now, it would seem that the most important part of his death is going to be how it changes Liz going forward.

That, of course, brings us to the even more shocking time jump that was revealed in the final moments of the episode. So, why not pick up a few days or even weeks after Tom's death? It looks like it's mostly about getting to the heart of the changed Liz we'll see when the show picks up again:

It makes a lot of sense that when Liz wakes up from her coma and hears that Tom has been dead for 10 months, she'll jump into high gear to get revenge as soon as possible, and that will drive the rest of the season, and, possibly, seasons to come.

We can all see how Liz responds to Tom's death when The Blacklist returns to NBC on January 3. To see when all your favorites will return from hiatus and when new mid-season shows will start, be sure to check out our mid-season premiere schedule.

Warning! This post contains spoilers for Season 5 of The Blacklist! Read at your own risk.

On a laundry list of things The Blacklist will need to address, there's a good chance one major event might finally go down in the upcoming season. Fans that have been waiting and waiting for a particular plot twist may finally be in luck. Series creator Jon Bokenkamp seems to hint that the new season might hold yet another wedding attempt by Liz and Tom:

The spoiler (via EW) is both good news and tragic news as the season premiere appeared to show a rather bloody ending for Tom Keen, although things in The Blacklist have often not been as they have seemed. We do know that Tom has a secret regarding Red that he's been itching to tell Liz, although he hesitated in the premiere when she delivered the news that Red is her biological father. If marriage is in the future for Tom and Liz, letting her know about the significance of that suitcase will likely put him in his father-in-law's bad graces, which appears to happen regardless according to that flash forward.

As Jon Bokenkamp states, this will be the third time Liz and Tom will go through the marriage process as the first marriage was broken up after Tom revealed he married her under orders, and the second one was broken up by tons of gunfire. With the flash forward teasing Tom's death at the hands of Reddington, it's really hard to imagine this marriage attempt will go much smoother than the ones prior, but as mentioned before, things aren't always what they appear in this show. Fans should know that by now after seeing Liz "die" and Dembe go on the run after he supposedly poisoned Reddington.

Then again, Jon Bokenkamp has been pretty straight up about Tom's reasoning behind not telling Liz about the bones and the suitcase, and it sounds like he's going to be investigating something Red doesn't want him to look into. Fans of The Blacklist know that's an easy way to get yourself killed by Raymond Reddington, as does Tom, so whatever he's about to uncover must be huge if he's willing to risk his life to inform Liz about whatever this whole mystery is about.

Catch a new episode of The Blacklist Wednesday, October 11th at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For more on Season 5, check out Jon Bokenkamp's thoughts on Red rebuilding his life, or Liz's personal struggle she'll battle with throughout this season. For a full list of other exciting shows making their premiere this fall, visit our fall premiere guide.

Major spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched the Season 5 premiere of The Blacklist.

The Blacklist has done a pretty great job of reinventing itself from season to season, and Season 5 aims to be a tad more lighthearted, thanks to a free-spirited Red Reddington having fun while rebuilding his empire. But the season premiere took a severely dark turn in its final minutes, when Tom Keen's big return from spinoff-land was thrown into disarray thanks to a bloody flash-forward that may or may not have shown Red shooting and killing Tom. Here's what Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp had to say about why that cliffhanger happened.

Jon Bokenkamp has a point there. The Season 5 premiere, titled "Smokey Putnam," was a tad more romp-ish than some viewers were possibly expecting, given the super-serious way everything wrapped up at the end of Season 4. Not so light that it would have gotten accused of turning into a sitcom or anything, but still. And even though Tom's big reunion with Liz seemed like it should have been a happy experience, that's where things got darker.

For one, it quickly set things back on course for the uneasy relationship triangle between Liz, Tom and Red. Tom was just about to tell Liz about the bones in the briefcase -- a local band name if I've ever heard one -- but he stopped once he was told that Red is indeed Liz's biological father. So now we're apparently going to keep wondering about when he'll get that news out in the open. Assuming he even gets to, of course, since the episode ended with a worse-for-anyone's-wear Tom laying on his apartment floor and staring waxily at the ceiling after Red and Dembe came in and saw him, with Red shooting twice in his direction. So we don't even know if he dies, really, but it certainly looked that way.

For his interview with TVLine, Jon Bokenkamp confirmed that Tom will definitely be an important factor in this season, as his new journey will take him to some troublesome places, so we shouldn't expect him to go through that bloody ordeal too quickly. But until it happens, we're going to be wondering about the details behind his messy fate. The episode seemed to tease that Liz may be responsible for what Red and Dembe walked in on, having her playfully threaten to kill him if he ever left again. That was a little too on the nose to go unrealized, right?

We probably won't get any clear answers about that cliffhanger for a while, but hopefully they'll keep dropping clues in the weeks to come, as The Blacklist airs Wednesday nights on NBC at 8:00 p.m. ET. To see what other shows will deliver bloody messes to audiences in the near future, head to our fall TV premiere schedule.

In the annals of "life-changing moments," high on the list would be finding out the highly dangerous criminal you've been working with is actually someone responsible for having conceived you. That's exactly what happened to Liz Keen on The Blacklist finale, when she got back the test results that clued her in on Red Reddington being her biological father. And as fans might imagine, that realization is not going to sit well with Liz as the days and weeks go by. In fact, here's what creator Jon Bokenkamp teased about Liz's struggle with the info in Season 5.

There's no denying that Liz has gotten into some crazy situations in the past that definitely wouldn't have happened had she been born to a bookkeeper in Alabama that didn't shun parental responsibilities. But as it happens, Liz is most definitely Red's daughter (barring some unforeseen twist in Season 5's finale), and so she's got to confront that knowledge head-on. And in her mind, the best way to do that is to put all of her energy into cementing herself as the best FBI agent she can be, which is the reason she ended up on Red's path in the first place, but still. Whatever gets her mind right is the correct decision.

Of course, Red is also responsible for Liz getting her job back at the FBI after managing to acquire a Presidential pardon for her, which essentially bypassed the aftermath of her involuntary manslaughter plea over the shooting of Attorney General Thomas Connolly. That's just the kind of thing dads do for their daughters, right?

Red will definitely be going through his own major struggles in Season 5, considering his life is in shambles after Mr. Kaplan vengefully destroyed almost everything he held dear. At least as far as money and contacts go. Here's what else Jon Bokenkamp told TVLine about the upcoming season.

That could possibly make things harder for Liz if Red's attempts to reconstruct his former empire involve needing Liz's assistance in any format, especially if Tom's back in her life, be it borrowing a few dollars or needing a couch to sleep on. (Or maybe needing a good home for a pet snake.) Tom will provide his own set of hurdles for both Liz and Red, considering his involvement with the bone-filled suitcase. But maybe Red will give his old buddy Glen Carter a call to seek out a wealthy benefactor to get him back on his feet.

With some rebuilding and some soul-searching to come in Season 5, The Blacklist will return to NBC for all new episodes on Wednesday, September 27, at 8:00 p.m. ET. To see when everything else is returning to primetime and beyond, head to our fall premiere schedule.

When The Blacklist returns to NBC for Season 5, the game will be completely changed from how any of the previous seasons started off, thanks to the huge (if expected) reveal that Liz is indeed Red's biological daughter. And because NBC decided not to order an additional season for the spinoff drama The Blacklist: Redemption, that means Ryan Eggold's Tom Keen will be returning to the flagship show in a larger capacity. The drama-thriller revealed a first look at Liz and Tom's reunion, as well as some hints of the problems to come.

We definitely see some hand-holding there, hinting at a more-loving-than-not rekindling between Liz and Tom, following the latter's AWOL status after he went off seeking the story behind his own mysterious family lineage. EW also has shots of Tom and Liz sharing a tender kiss and hug, which further indicate good vibes, but let's not get too comfortable here.

Showrunner Jon Bokenkamp offered a clear reminder that the Liz that Tom is returning to isn't exactly the one that he bid a temporary farewell to, considering her entire existence was thrown into question after she got the results back about Red's DNA. So it's more than likely that her idea of "family" will be drastically different, even if it's not a permanent mental shift. Plus, being all chummy and daughterly with Red probably wouldn't be a good idea in the near future anyway, considering Mr. Kaplan's self-imposed death opened up a can of dangerous worms for Red.

As we saw during those final moments in the Season 4 finale, Tom's initial return to The Blacklist was made to retrieve a mysterious suitcase left by Mr. Kaplan; a suitcase with unidentified skeletal remains that are meant to take Red down in some way. And while we know that Liz's name is on the suitcase, implying she will also be heavily involved, it remains to be seen just where Tom will fit into things.

On that note, here's what Jon Blokenkamp says about it.

He's got that right. It's unclear if anyone on The Blacklist is capable of figuring something out, only for the lone result being "lots of happiness and warm feelings for all involved." This definitely isn't that kind of show, even with the family vibe.

The Blacklist Season 5 is making some casting change-ups, as we've probably seen the last of Enrique Merciano's Agent Julian Gale on the show. Also, Sopranos vet Aida Turturro will be showing in the new season as a character who doesn't mind squealing to avoid jail time.

Get ready for even more intense conspiratorial secrecy when The Blacklist Season 5 makes its debut on NBC on Wednesday, September 27, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Check out one of Season 4's snakey deleted scenes, and then to see when some of TV's other big reunions are happening, along with everything else, head to our fall premiere schedule.