![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
The Blacklist 2x16 Review
Tom Keen (No. 7)
Honestly kind of frustrating but at the same time there was a lot I enjoyed about it as well.
• This episode really frustrated me with regards to Liz. I just don't understand her! I don't understand what TPTB are doing with her. She was all over the freaking place and it was maddening to watch. I actually like Liz. But I unfortunately don't usually love her and in large part that's because she comes off as such an unevenly written character. I think it's been better this year but this whole harbour murder storyline has been horrible for that.
Why did she lie?! I completely don't understand it. When she was caught out on her lie Denner gave her a chance to come clean or be indicted and yet she remained silent! Whhhyyyy?? It makes no sense to me. Was it that she was trying to protect Tom? It seemed like that was a part of it. Perhaps she was sabotaging herself because of overwhelming guilt for her part in Ames death? It seemed a possibility. And based on further reactions and actions guilt was very much a motivation for her. But that still doesn't make everything make sense.
Because then we get the Liz/Cooper confrontation and she comes out with: "I don't regret it and I'm not going to lie down and go to prison for it!" WTF? What does that even mean? It was probably a part of TPTB trying to make us think Liz was about to run (which in itself is a unbelievably stupid idea) and yet it makes no sense from what has actually been happening in the episode. She's not going to 'lie down' - then why didn't she tell the truth and exonerate herself? Nothing she did made sense and it aggravates me so much.
When this storyline started I was interested in where it was going but I hate what the show did with it. It really damaged Liz's character by having her act in ways that made absolutely no sense. Her spilling absolutely everything about the task force, even including the Fulcrum, to Denner and his stenographer was really dumb and made no sense. It was also predicated on Red messing up when he had Ames murder 'cleaned up'. None of that worked for me. I'm glad it's done with.
• There was some lovely Red/Liz. I loved "You may have given up on us but I haven't." Then there was that final scene between them. I love when Red gets all emotional around Liz and this time gave us some really great insight into him. It was very clear that he was talking to Liz from a place of knowledge based on his own relationship with her.
I have to give it to the show I really wasn't sure that they would be able to convincingly explain Red's interest in Lizzie without him being her father. He's just far too invested in her. It's the only reason why I keep coming back to that possibility. But they've kind of done it here. I can buy this. Because James Spader sold the crap out of this monologue:
"The truth is that once you start down this road there's no logical place to stop. -- You can watch her, or have her watched. Keep her safe. Try to ascertain her hopes, dreams, desires. Pull strings, call in favours to discretely smooth the path. -- But it's really not about her at all. It's all about you and you're just... going through the motions to salve your own guilt. All the money, all the time, the effort... all the favours in the world cannot possibly equal what you took away from her. Everything else is... just a nice gesture."
Gorgeous scene. So is this finally our answer? It seems like it to me. Red murdered Liz's father and destroys her life. Perhaps he didn't realise when he killed her father that she was even in the house. He saves her from the fire. He gives her to a friend to protect her. And then he's spent ever since trying to make it up to her, to assuage his guilt over it. There are a lot of questions left here and even if this is the basis of Red's interest in Liz we still know none of the details but... I could buy this. And then he starts up the whole blacklist thing and gets to meet her, to work with her. And perhaps it becomes less about making up for what he did and his guilt, and becomes about her because he ends up caring for her for her own sake.
Finally: "You saved a man you hate to save me." The start of Liz forgiving Red again? Of her believing that she does actually mean something to him? Hopefully.
• I loved Tom and Tom/Liz. Just everything about him and them worked for me including that final phone call. It's the fact that he is so devoted to her - he was willing to go to jail for her! - and her continued attachment to him despite everything that's working for me. The judge was right that it's completely messed up but I'm really enjoying it. Hopefully we see him again soon.
• I very much enjoyed that short montage of Tom working out. The show can feel free to add one of those into every episode.
• Liz/Cooper had a couple great scenes. I loved him just letting go at her over both what she did and her lying under oath. Then there was their second scene which was really lovely. This was their best episode of the series. But at the same time it felt a little unsupported as far as their relationship goes. I mean emotionally it was great but I guess I hadn't realised that they were that close. I liked that she brought their fight up as soon as she saw him again (instead of trying to avoid it) and I liked her apologising to him for the position she put him in (and that she acknowledged her intent didn't justify what she did.)
But this - "I certainly couldn't have survived the last year and a half without you. You're the only person in the world I completely trust." - while beautiful came out of nowhere. Did I miss something? Since when has he been that important to her? He's the only one she completely trusts, whaa? Where did this closeness come from? Of course she does call his wife by her first name and Charlene felt comfortable enough to open up to her so maybe I did miss something (but I don't actually think so.) I wish we'd seen more of them building to this. I did love Cooper's response and that he wasn't angry with her but instead deeply worried about the direction she's taken (and upset about her losing who she was.) I liked his understanding that of course everything that had happened would change her.
• "We'd do worse than we did today to protect him." - Connelly. We have seen how much Red's deal with the government has worked to his advantage but to hear this stated out loud is a whole other thing. Red's basically got the entire US government protecting him (rather than 'just' the FBI.)
• I really enjoy every time Ressler pretends to be Red's FBI inside man. It's a position he first claimed himself and with every time he plays the role since I can't help but wonder if he isn't one step closer to actually eventually becoming the part.
• I loved the Red/Tom meeting and how that scene played out. Tom's expression when he saw Red and Ressler was hilarious. I loved how they turned Ressler being a cop against Tom. I loved Red's casual meander to behind the SUV when the gunfire broke out and his final line to Dembe "This is why we get the insurance." heh.
• The Red/Tom phone call was great. So intense. I love it. I find it interesting that Tom is completely convinced that Red is just using Liz. Also: Red's "Unfortunately Tom and I share some propensities.", hmmm, I hope they explore that more.
• "You are using her. You need her on the outside so you can keep your little task force up and running." ... uh why? Not the task force part, there is ample evidence for why Red wants to keep that, but why is Liz so necessary. Liz's is important only as far as Red makes her important. The government would keep the deal if he switched his handler to someone else.
• There was an interesting little silent exchange between Samar and Red.
Samar: That's...
Ressler: Insane.
Samar: I was going to say extremely romantic.
When she says that though she looks at Red who smiles at her in return. It came off very much like her needling him. Which - interesting.
• I liked Liz setting up an anonymous trust fund for Ames daughter.
• I'm sure this won't be the last we'll see of Detective Wilcox. I hope not because I really like him.
• For all that Red hates Tom and wants him out of Liz's life he didn't appear worried at all that Tom wouldn't show up to help Liz. Which indicates either that he does believe that Tom is in love with Liz or that Tom was never his final gambit and he knew Liz would be saved another way.
• "You knew they'd exonerate him to protect the task force." What? I figured the men in black came and took Tom and he was being held prisoner by the government. It makes no sense to me that they'd just let him go now that they have him.
• Why did it take the Attorney General so long to send Connelly to smack down Judge Denner? He already interrogated Liz and got everything about the task force out of her. It's been days. Connelly should have been there right at the beginning. Now there are two loose ends out there with a lot of top secret knowledge. I'm kind of worried for the poor stenographer's safety. It does probably mean that this isn't the last we've seen of Judge Denner. I'd definitely be up for Denner vs Connelly Part 2. Maybe with some Red thrown in. That would be fun to watch.
Honestly kind of frustrating but at the same time there was a lot I enjoyed about it as well.
• This episode really frustrated me with regards to Liz. I just don't understand her! I don't understand what TPTB are doing with her. She was all over the freaking place and it was maddening to watch. I actually like Liz. But I unfortunately don't usually love her and in large part that's because she comes off as such an unevenly written character. I think it's been better this year but this whole harbour murder storyline has been horrible for that.
Why did she lie?! I completely don't understand it. When she was caught out on her lie Denner gave her a chance to come clean or be indicted and yet she remained silent! Whhhyyyy?? It makes no sense to me. Was it that she was trying to protect Tom? It seemed like that was a part of it. Perhaps she was sabotaging herself because of overwhelming guilt for her part in Ames death? It seemed a possibility. And based on further reactions and actions guilt was very much a motivation for her. But that still doesn't make everything make sense.
Because then we get the Liz/Cooper confrontation and she comes out with: "I don't regret it and I'm not going to lie down and go to prison for it!" WTF? What does that even mean? It was probably a part of TPTB trying to make us think Liz was about to run (which in itself is a unbelievably stupid idea) and yet it makes no sense from what has actually been happening in the episode. She's not going to 'lie down' - then why didn't she tell the truth and exonerate herself? Nothing she did made sense and it aggravates me so much.
When this storyline started I was interested in where it was going but I hate what the show did with it. It really damaged Liz's character by having her act in ways that made absolutely no sense. Her spilling absolutely everything about the task force, even including the Fulcrum, to Denner and his stenographer was really dumb and made no sense. It was also predicated on Red messing up when he had Ames murder 'cleaned up'. None of that worked for me. I'm glad it's done with.
• There was some lovely Red/Liz. I loved "You may have given up on us but I haven't." Then there was that final scene between them. I love when Red gets all emotional around Liz and this time gave us some really great insight into him. It was very clear that he was talking to Liz from a place of knowledge based on his own relationship with her.
I have to give it to the show I really wasn't sure that they would be able to convincingly explain Red's interest in Lizzie without him being her father. He's just far too invested in her. It's the only reason why I keep coming back to that possibility. But they've kind of done it here. I can buy this. Because James Spader sold the crap out of this monologue:
"The truth is that once you start down this road there's no logical place to stop. -- You can watch her, or have her watched. Keep her safe. Try to ascertain her hopes, dreams, desires. Pull strings, call in favours to discretely smooth the path. -- But it's really not about her at all. It's all about you and you're just... going through the motions to salve your own guilt. All the money, all the time, the effort... all the favours in the world cannot possibly equal what you took away from her. Everything else is... just a nice gesture."
Gorgeous scene. So is this finally our answer? It seems like it to me. Red murdered Liz's father and destroys her life. Perhaps he didn't realise when he killed her father that she was even in the house. He saves her from the fire. He gives her to a friend to protect her. And then he's spent ever since trying to make it up to her, to assuage his guilt over it. There are a lot of questions left here and even if this is the basis of Red's interest in Liz we still know none of the details but... I could buy this. And then he starts up the whole blacklist thing and gets to meet her, to work with her. And perhaps it becomes less about making up for what he did and his guilt, and becomes about her because he ends up caring for her for her own sake.
Finally: "You saved a man you hate to save me." The start of Liz forgiving Red again? Of her believing that she does actually mean something to him? Hopefully.
• I loved Tom and Tom/Liz. Just everything about him and them worked for me including that final phone call. It's the fact that he is so devoted to her - he was willing to go to jail for her! - and her continued attachment to him despite everything that's working for me. The judge was right that it's completely messed up but I'm really enjoying it. Hopefully we see him again soon.
• I very much enjoyed that short montage of Tom working out. The show can feel free to add one of those into every episode.
• Liz/Cooper had a couple great scenes. I loved him just letting go at her over both what she did and her lying under oath. Then there was their second scene which was really lovely. This was their best episode of the series. But at the same time it felt a little unsupported as far as their relationship goes. I mean emotionally it was great but I guess I hadn't realised that they were that close. I liked that she brought their fight up as soon as she saw him again (instead of trying to avoid it) and I liked her apologising to him for the position she put him in (and that she acknowledged her intent didn't justify what she did.)
But this - "I certainly couldn't have survived the last year and a half without you. You're the only person in the world I completely trust." - while beautiful came out of nowhere. Did I miss something? Since when has he been that important to her? He's the only one she completely trusts, whaa? Where did this closeness come from? Of course she does call his wife by her first name and Charlene felt comfortable enough to open up to her so maybe I did miss something (but I don't actually think so.) I wish we'd seen more of them building to this. I did love Cooper's response and that he wasn't angry with her but instead deeply worried about the direction she's taken (and upset about her losing who she was.) I liked his understanding that of course everything that had happened would change her.
• "We'd do worse than we did today to protect him." - Connelly. We have seen how much Red's deal with the government has worked to his advantage but to hear this stated out loud is a whole other thing. Red's basically got the entire US government protecting him (rather than 'just' the FBI.)
• I really enjoy every time Ressler pretends to be Red's FBI inside man. It's a position he first claimed himself and with every time he plays the role since I can't help but wonder if he isn't one step closer to actually eventually becoming the part.
• I loved the Red/Tom meeting and how that scene played out. Tom's expression when he saw Red and Ressler was hilarious. I loved how they turned Ressler being a cop against Tom. I loved Red's casual meander to behind the SUV when the gunfire broke out and his final line to Dembe "This is why we get the insurance." heh.
• The Red/Tom phone call was great. So intense. I love it. I find it interesting that Tom is completely convinced that Red is just using Liz. Also: Red's "Unfortunately Tom and I share some propensities.", hmmm, I hope they explore that more.
• "You are using her. You need her on the outside so you can keep your little task force up and running." ... uh why? Not the task force part, there is ample evidence for why Red wants to keep that, but why is Liz so necessary. Liz's is important only as far as Red makes her important. The government would keep the deal if he switched his handler to someone else.
• There was an interesting little silent exchange between Samar and Red.
Samar: That's...
Ressler: Insane.
Samar: I was going to say extremely romantic.
When she says that though she looks at Red who smiles at her in return. It came off very much like her needling him. Which - interesting.
• I liked Liz setting up an anonymous trust fund for Ames daughter.
• I'm sure this won't be the last we'll see of Detective Wilcox. I hope not because I really like him.
• For all that Red hates Tom and wants him out of Liz's life he didn't appear worried at all that Tom wouldn't show up to help Liz. Which indicates either that he does believe that Tom is in love with Liz or that Tom was never his final gambit and he knew Liz would be saved another way.
• "You knew they'd exonerate him to protect the task force." What? I figured the men in black came and took Tom and he was being held prisoner by the government. It makes no sense to me that they'd just let him go now that they have him.
• Why did it take the Attorney General so long to send Connelly to smack down Judge Denner? He already interrogated Liz and got everything about the task force out of her. It's been days. Connelly should have been there right at the beginning. Now there are two loose ends out there with a lot of top secret knowledge. I'm kind of worried for the poor stenographer's safety. It does probably mean that this isn't the last we've seen of Judge Denner. I'd definitely be up for Denner vs Connelly Part 2. Maybe with some Red thrown in. That would be fun to watch.