The Blacklist 1.5, 'The Courier' Review

rating: 3.5

In my post about the Fall television season I spoke about how I wasn't too hopeful regarding The Blacklist. Though it had an interesting premise and James Spader looked to be the best part of the show, it still looked rather unimpressive and Silence of the Lambs with Spies in its trailer. Even in the pilot they had some homage's to Silence or other Hannibal Lecter pieces, but the episodes since then have impressed me quite a bit. Though Spader is indeed the most entertaining part of the show Megan Boone's Elizabeth Keene has really grown on me. She's a very strong and interesting character who I think is easy to root for. Last night's episode, 'The Courier', was a very well written and suspenseful one. The case certainly picked up once it was discovered The Courier had kidnapped and trapped a man in a makeshift coffin, giving him a limited amount of time and air to survive in. It was a nice twist and one I did not see coming. From there the episode flew by as the FBI raced against the clock to find the hostage. It was also great to see Robert Knepper guest star in the episode. As a fan of Prison Break (its first season at least) it was awesome to see T-Bag in another bad-ass role. My only complaint though is his untimely end by the story's conclusion. So far Keen and her compatriots have caught five Blacklisters and, while there are presumably hundreds of names on the list, it would be nice to have one escape to bother the team again once in a while. The Courier seems like he would have fit that recurring role nicely and Knepper would have been a very welcome addition to the show. It was also great to see more movement come along in the mystery surrounding Keen's husband. I didn't expect each of them to lay their cards out on the table by the end of the episode, thinking the writers would drag it on further and perhaps make it a season long mystery. The fact The Blacklist is having Tom and Liz talk about the apparent assassination mission is very refreshing as it won't drag on any further and creates new tension between them. Overall The Blacklist has impressed me much more than I thought it would with its cases and writing, but James Spader and Megan Boone remain the main draw of the show.