Television
Buzz Builds Around Monday's Premiere of The Blacklist
Sep 20, 2013
Critics are hailing The Blacklist as "Fall's best new drama" (USA Today). The NBC dramatic thriller debuts Monday, Sept. 23 at 10 p.m. ET.
Early reviews
"NBC has two very good things going for its new buzz-heavy drama, The Blacklist. First, it’s got James Spader at the center of it, giving a dazzling performance that should make viewers want to come back every week for more. Secondly, it’s a procedural – which viewers really love, but there’s an over-arching element to the premise as well that makes it intriguing without making it overly complicated. In short, a winning combo." - The Hollywood Reporter (Thursday, Sept. 19)
About The Blacklist
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader, The Office, Boston Legal) has been one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives. Brokering shadowy deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known by many as "The Concierge of Crime." Now, he's mysteriously surrendered to the FBI with an explosive offer: He will help catch a long-thought-dead terrorist, Ranko Zamani, under the condition that he speaks only to Elizabeth "Liz" Keen (Megan Boone, Law & Order: Los Angeles), an FBI profiler fresh out of Quantico. For Liz, it's going to be one hell of a first day on the job.
What follows is a twisting series of events as the race to stop a terrorist begins. What are Red's true intentions? Why has he chosen Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection? Does Liz have secrets of her own? Zamani is only the first of many on a list that Red has compiled over the years: a "blacklist" of politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists. He will help catch them all... with the caveat that Liz continues to work as his partner. Red will teach Liz to think like a criminal to "see the bigger picture" - whether she wants to or not.
Also starring are Diego Klattenhoff (Homeland), Harry Lennix (Man of Steel) and Ryan Eggold (90210). Jon Bokenkamp (The Call, Taking Lives), John Eisendrath (Alias), John Davis (Predator, I, Robot, Chronicle) and John Fox serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, The Grey). The Blacklist is a production of Sony Pictures Television and Davis Entertainment.
