The Blacklist 1x22 Thoughts
May. 14th, 2014 10:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaBerlin (No. 8) - Conclusion
Red was right when he said everything was a puzzle and I really hope that when the show finally puts the pieces together it will actually make sense.
- Based on Red's emotional explanation about how Sam ended up with Liz and the burns on his back I think it's a given that Red is the one who rescued Liz from the fire and those memories she has of her birth father are actually of Red. This doesn't necessarily mean he is her father but I still can't rule the possibility out.
Liz is giving two possibilities - Tom tells her that her father isn't dead, and Red assures her that he is dead. Which is the truth? Perhaps both are and Red only thinks her father is dead? Or the dead person he thinks was her father really isn't her father. Or Tom either doesn't know what he's talking about or was lied to. But why would Tom use his last breath to tell her a lie?
- Then you have the photo Red took from The Stewmaker. It's of a young woman labelled #79, dated 12/90. It's also the exact same picture as the one in Berlin's pocket watch and thus #79 is Berlin's daughter.
- Red says that he doesn't know who Berlin is or what he wants. He gives a whole monologue to the fake-Berlin about it. I believe him and yet we have the picture. If he truly knows nothing about why Berlin is after him why have the FBI target the Stewmaker so he could get the picture of Berlin's daughter? Perhaps he doesn't know that she is Berlin's daughter? Then what's her connection to him?
- It's interesting that both Red and Berlin's backstories and motivations have to do with the deaths of their daughters. There are four women involved in this tangled web - Berlin's murdered daughter, Red's murdered (or missing) daughter & wife and Liz. How are they connected?
- Is Liz Berlin's grand-daughter? That seems the most obvious option and yet I'm really not sure the ages or timeline work for that. How old is Liz? If she's the same age as her actress she can't be Berlin's grand-daughter but if she's younger then it's possible.
• Theory: Berlin's daughter escaped to the US, married Red and they had daughter Lizzie (or she was already pregnant but Red accepts Liz as his own). Christmas Eve of 1990 Berlin's daughter is murdered by the Stewmaker but instead of being dissolved like the rest of his victims the people who hired him instead send her body parts to her father. Lizzie meanwhile is kidnapped not killed. Red eventually tracks Liz down and kills her kidnapper (perhaps her birth father?), in the process starting a fire which he then saves her from.* She has traumatic amnesia so he gives her to Sam to raise in safety while he looks for revenge. Berlin blames Red for his daughter's death (Red having been framed by whoever killed her?) and he doesn't know about Liz's existence. ... Hmm. It ties together as a story and I like it but I'm pretty sure it falls completely apart as far as the timelines go.
*Except if he kills the kidnapper/Liz's birth father then why did he go to Sam's house scared and saying he was in danger? Hmm.
- Theory 2: Berlin's daughter is Red's wife but their daughter isn't Liz. Liz is actually Berlin's daughter's first child (with the dissident she was in love with) and she gave Liz up for adoption before she met Red. (Or she gave Liz to her former lover?) She told Red about Liz and after Christmas Eve 1990 Red tracked down and kept on eye on Liz until the fire happened. The fire was an attack by the same people who killed his wife and (maybe) his daughter. Hmm. Actually I like this idea even better. I think the pieces fit better.
• The biggest question of all is still unanswered: what is Elizabeth Keen to Reddington? If she isn't his daughter then why is she so utterly important to him?
If she is his daughter why keep it a secret even from her? I mean he made his interest and attachment to her obvious enough that Berlin noticed years before Liz ever met Red and inserted Tom into her life. The fact that he cares for her puts her in danger regardless of whether she knows the truth. It makes me think that she isn't his daughter but that puts me back to square one of 'wth, why does he care so much!!'
• I loved all the Red/Liz stuff. Their scenes were great. James Spader continues to be the best part of this show and his emotional scenes with Liz are the best. I also love that with the Tom situation Red once again stepped back and let Liz handle it how she wanted.
• Meera's death would have had a lot more weight and meaning if we'd gotten to know her at all this season. We didn't even know she had children! Just a little backstory and a couple scenes of her out of work. Anything. Her death also would have resonated more if there had been a stronger relationship between her and the others. If we'd seen a developing partnership and trust between her and Ressler and an actual friendship between her and Liz it would have hurt when she died. Instead I'm mostly just annoyed with the show for not doing all the above and wasting a good actress. I wish she had been in that hospital bed and Cooper had died instead.
• I'm really irritated with the pattern I've noticed with this show killing offall most of the reoccurring female characters - Meera, Luli, Jolene, Ressler's girlfriend Audrey, Diane Fowler. Enough already.
• I'm kind of hoping that next season will have Red and Liz leaving the FBI taskforce behind and instead using Red's resources to hunt down Berlin (and the occasional other blacklister). Or have them off doing that while the taskforce, specifically Ressler and Aram, occasionally offer support.
• Excellent casting of Berlin. I love Peter Stormare and he's always great in whatever he's in.
• I loved Red being all badass when he went after Berlin. But where was Dembe?
• Is Tom dead? His body missing indicates there's a chance he's not but if he does turn up alive I really hope Liz isn't too surprised. I'd much rather her giving into emotion and leaving him alive/helping him then her thinking he died and not confirming it because the latter really gives a hit to her competence.
- I'm hoping he's alive just because I'm enjoying bad guy Tom and I think there's still a lot of interesting stuff to be mined from the Liz/Tom relationship. I loved his 'hey babe' when he snuck into her car and held her a gunpoint.
• I was a little disappointed in the Liz/Tom final confrontation and that she ended up shooting him (all three times!) mostly by accident. I'd have preferred something a little more purposeful.
• "I'm not a monster. You'd really think I'd harm a dog? You on the other hand." - Red. LOL.
• It taking Liz and Ressler so long to understand about the hand situation made both of them look a little dumb. As soon as the body was identified as a guard they should have been right there with Aram in getting what it meant.
• Why the hell would Berlin cut off his own hand instead of the guard's hand? That makes no sense to me.
• Did Liz not fill Red in on the story of Berlin? I'd think she would immediately tell him what she was told. What about showing Red a picture of Berlin since I'm sure the hospital has cameras.
• I liked that in the car when Liz pushed for answers Red straight out said he wasn't planning on telling her. I much prefer that then to Red constantly changing the subject or just not-answering and Liz never pushing.
Red was right when he said everything was a puzzle and I really hope that when the show finally puts the pieces together it will actually make sense.
- Based on Red's emotional explanation about how Sam ended up with Liz and the burns on his back I think it's a given that Red is the one who rescued Liz from the fire and those memories she has of her birth father are actually of Red. This doesn't necessarily mean he is her father but I still can't rule the possibility out.
Liz is giving two possibilities - Tom tells her that her father isn't dead, and Red assures her that he is dead. Which is the truth? Perhaps both are and Red only thinks her father is dead? Or the dead person he thinks was her father really isn't her father. Or Tom either doesn't know what he's talking about or was lied to. But why would Tom use his last breath to tell her a lie?
- Then you have the photo Red took from The Stewmaker. It's of a young woman labelled #79, dated 12/90. It's also the exact same picture as the one in Berlin's pocket watch and thus #79 is Berlin's daughter.
- Red says that he doesn't know who Berlin is or what he wants. He gives a whole monologue to the fake-Berlin about it. I believe him and yet we have the picture. If he truly knows nothing about why Berlin is after him why have the FBI target the Stewmaker so he could get the picture of Berlin's daughter? Perhaps he doesn't know that she is Berlin's daughter? Then what's her connection to him?
- It's interesting that both Red and Berlin's backstories and motivations have to do with the deaths of their daughters. There are four women involved in this tangled web - Berlin's murdered daughter, Red's murdered (or missing) daughter & wife and Liz. How are they connected?
- Is Liz Berlin's grand-daughter? That seems the most obvious option and yet I'm really not sure the ages or timeline work for that. How old is Liz? If she's the same age as her actress she can't be Berlin's grand-daughter but if she's younger then it's possible.
• Theory: Berlin's daughter escaped to the US, married Red and they had daughter Lizzie (or she was already pregnant but Red accepts Liz as his own). Christmas Eve of 1990 Berlin's daughter is murdered by the Stewmaker but instead of being dissolved like the rest of his victims the people who hired him instead send her body parts to her father. Lizzie meanwhile is kidnapped not killed. Red eventually tracks Liz down and kills her kidnapper (perhaps her birth father?), in the process starting a fire which he then saves her from.* She has traumatic amnesia so he gives her to Sam to raise in safety while he looks for revenge. Berlin blames Red for his daughter's death (Red having been framed by whoever killed her?) and he doesn't know about Liz's existence. ... Hmm. It ties together as a story and I like it but I'm pretty sure it falls completely apart as far as the timelines go.
*Except if he kills the kidnapper/Liz's birth father then why did he go to Sam's house scared and saying he was in danger? Hmm.
- Theory 2: Berlin's daughter is Red's wife but their daughter isn't Liz. Liz is actually Berlin's daughter's first child (with the dissident she was in love with) and she gave Liz up for adoption before she met Red. (Or she gave Liz to her former lover?) She told Red about Liz and after Christmas Eve 1990 Red tracked down and kept on eye on Liz until the fire happened. The fire was an attack by the same people who killed his wife and (maybe) his daughter. Hmm. Actually I like this idea even better. I think the pieces fit better.
• The biggest question of all is still unanswered: what is Elizabeth Keen to Reddington? If she isn't his daughter then why is she so utterly important to him?
If she is his daughter why keep it a secret even from her? I mean he made his interest and attachment to her obvious enough that Berlin noticed years before Liz ever met Red and inserted Tom into her life. The fact that he cares for her puts her in danger regardless of whether she knows the truth. It makes me think that she isn't his daughter but that puts me back to square one of 'wth, why does he care so much!!'
• I loved all the Red/Liz stuff. Their scenes were great. James Spader continues to be the best part of this show and his emotional scenes with Liz are the best. I also love that with the Tom situation Red once again stepped back and let Liz handle it how she wanted.
• Meera's death would have had a lot more weight and meaning if we'd gotten to know her at all this season. We didn't even know she had children! Just a little backstory and a couple scenes of her out of work. Anything. Her death also would have resonated more if there had been a stronger relationship between her and the others. If we'd seen a developing partnership and trust between her and Ressler and an actual friendship between her and Liz it would have hurt when she died. Instead I'm mostly just annoyed with the show for not doing all the above and wasting a good actress. I wish she had been in that hospital bed and Cooper had died instead.
• I'm really irritated with the pattern I've noticed with this show killing off
• I'm kind of hoping that next season will have Red and Liz leaving the FBI taskforce behind and instead using Red's resources to hunt down Berlin (and the occasional other blacklister). Or have them off doing that while the taskforce, specifically Ressler and Aram, occasionally offer support.
• Excellent casting of Berlin. I love Peter Stormare and he's always great in whatever he's in.
• I loved Red being all badass when he went after Berlin. But where was Dembe?
• Is Tom dead? His body missing indicates there's a chance he's not but if he does turn up alive I really hope Liz isn't too surprised. I'd much rather her giving into emotion and leaving him alive/helping him then her thinking he died and not confirming it because the latter really gives a hit to her competence.
- I'm hoping he's alive just because I'm enjoying bad guy Tom and I think there's still a lot of interesting stuff to be mined from the Liz/Tom relationship. I loved his 'hey babe' when he snuck into her car and held her a gunpoint.
• I was a little disappointed in the Liz/Tom final confrontation and that she ended up shooting him (all three times!) mostly by accident. I'd have preferred something a little more purposeful.
• "I'm not a monster. You'd really think I'd harm a dog? You on the other hand." - Red. LOL.
• It taking Liz and Ressler so long to understand about the hand situation made both of them look a little dumb. As soon as the body was identified as a guard they should have been right there with Aram in getting what it meant.
• Why the hell would Berlin cut off his own hand instead of the guard's hand? That makes no sense to me.
• Did Liz not fill Red in on the story of Berlin? I'd think she would immediately tell him what she was told. What about showing Red a picture of Berlin since I'm sure the hospital has cameras.
• I liked that in the car when Liz pushed for answers Red straight out said he wasn't planning on telling her. I much prefer that then to Red constantly changing the subject or just not-answering and Liz never pushing.
