The Blacklist 2x22 Thoughts
May. 20th, 2015 10:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaMasha Rostova / Tom Connelly (No. 11)
I enjoyed it.
• We finally get a confirmation that Red is not Liz's father, yay! I'm so glad that that question is, probably*, out of the way. I've been pretty sure that he wasn't especially this season but every now and then they would through something out that made me go 'huh, maaybeee??' Of course we still don't know why Red is so invested in Liz. He didn't kill her father so his guilt isn't over that. It seems likely then that it's something to do with her mother.
* The fact that they only showed Lizzie's father as a shadow is making me a little suspicious. I believe that Red isn't Liz's father but not actually seeing her father in the flashback makes me a little worried that they're leaving the whole 'is Red Lizzie's father' question just slightly open.
• Liz killed her father. I can't believe I got it! I'm very pleased with myself. Anyway, it was the only reasonable explanation I could come up with for why Red was determined, beyond all rationality, to keep the truth of that night from Liz. Needless to say, it worked for me as an explanation (or as best as it ever could.)
Of course having said all of the above this is The Blacklist and they have left everything open enough that they could still spin things in a different direction. After all being shot doesn't automatically mean dead. Red could think he died that night but Liz's bio-father could still be out there. We're also left with a lot of questions including what exactly happened the night of the fire and who is Liz's mother. I'm guessing next season is going to be about Lizzie's mother.
• I loved the end with Red and Liz driving off together. Love it, love it. I love that she has her own Most Wanted poster beside his. I am so here for Red and Lizzie on the run together next season.
• I enjoyed all the Red/Liz scenes. Their final one was wonderful with some great acting from both actors. I loved Red reaching out for Liz's hand (and wish she'd held it back.) I loved his "I never wanted you to be like me." The final shot of them with an exhausted Liz resting her head against
• This is a pretty big shake up of the status quo and I find myself hoping so much that TPTB don't revert things back to the way they were. Derfinitely not immediately but honestly not ever. It's how proceduerals usual work but in the case I think they could get a way with changing up the format of the show. I just hope they're brave enough to keep moving forward instead of feeling the need to return to what they know.
• I loved the Dembe/Red goodbye with the long hug and kiss and Red cupping the back of Dembe's neck and how clearly emotional both were. Why can't Dembe go on the run with them?
• I was really not a fan of the directing this episode. I found a lot of shots distractingly noticable. The major isssue - it got too close to faces. I was supremely irritated during the Liz reveals her memories scene; when Red sits beside her on the bench the camera pulls in so close that while it focuses on one of them the other ends up only partially in the frame and with half their face offscreen. It was terrible. This was a really important scene! I wanted both of them in the shot so I could see both of their reactions at the same time.
• "I violated that trust. I'm sorry Elizabeth." This was another really nice Cooper/Liz scene. I liked that Liz's reaction was to reach out and hold his hand, and I loved them both breaking down a little. But I kind of got a Cooper-as-surrogate-father feeling and, damn, I wish so much the show had spent more time in season one and earlier this season building their relationship up better. Because I still find myself perplexed at how close they appear to be and how deep their feelings for each other go. How did I miss this?
• I love that the Cabal faked Cooper's illness to get him under their control. Cooper's confrontation with his doctor was a great scene.
• I can't believe Liz just shot Tom Connelly in cold blood. Wow. At first I was pretty wtf about it. I couldn't make sense of why she did it. Thinking about it more I'm guessing this is tying back to that episode earlier in the season where it was revealed that Liz has the warrior gene which predisposes people to commit violence when under stress. Liz has definitely been under a lot of stress so if that's where they were going with it I guess it works? But only kind of. I wish they'd brought it several times over the season.
- I can see no way she could ever be a legal FBI agent again. I mean even if the truth about Connelly came out it doesn't change the fact that Liz straight up murdered him. I could see Red or govenment influence (or something) getting her off the murder charge but I have a much harder time believing she could retain her job at the FBI.
• I enjoyed Liz/Tom. I liked his worry for her at the beginning, and him going with her after Andropov because she needed him. I thought him patching her up intertwined with them making love was well done. Surprisingly sweet considering their past.
One of my favourite scenes was that short bit when Liz and Tom begin their car chase after Andropov. I honestly found it kind of delightful. We have Tom's amused/incredulous "Are you honestly telling me how to drive?" to which Liz absently responds with "I'm not the one who hit a deer". What I love about that is that Liz was saying it absently, most of her attention on Andropov's car, and her distraction had her falling back into their married interactions. Her bringing up the deer felt like it was something she's said to him before. I really liked that. I loved his response: "that wasn't deer blood on the windshield" because there aren't any secrets between them now. He can tell her the truth. And then they can get into gunfights together, and he can have her back and give her comfort when she needs it. They're equel now in a way they never have been before. I also liked that she didn't even blink at his comment. It's like 'blah, blah, human blood, he's getting away!' Heh.
The only issue I had was Tom's weird flip in perspective. He goes from trying to get her to leave with him (again, some more, as he's been doing for several episodes) to trying to convince her that running away with him wasn't what she wanted when she finally agreed. What happened?
• Based on the preview I was worried that the car shootout scene was going to involve Tom being killed so I'm really glad it didn't play out that way.
• I love that Liz was so upset about Andropov's murder not because he was her chance to clear her name, but because he was the last one she knew who could tell her about her mother
I enjoyed it.
• We finally get a confirmation that Red is not Liz's father, yay! I'm so glad that that question is, probably*, out of the way. I've been pretty sure that he wasn't especially this season but every now and then they would through something out that made me go 'huh, maaybeee??' Of course we still don't know why Red is so invested in Liz. He didn't kill her father so his guilt isn't over that. It seems likely then that it's something to do with her mother.
* The fact that they only showed Lizzie's father as a shadow is making me a little suspicious. I believe that Red isn't Liz's father but not actually seeing her father in the flashback makes me a little worried that they're leaving the whole 'is Red Lizzie's father' question just slightly open.
• Liz killed her father. I can't believe I got it! I'm very pleased with myself. Anyway, it was the only reasonable explanation I could come up with for why Red was determined, beyond all rationality, to keep the truth of that night from Liz. Needless to say, it worked for me as an explanation (or as best as it ever could.)
Of course having said all of the above this is The Blacklist and they have left everything open enough that they could still spin things in a different direction. After all being shot doesn't automatically mean dead. Red could think he died that night but Liz's bio-father could still be out there. We're also left with a lot of questions including what exactly happened the night of the fire and who is Liz's mother. I'm guessing next season is going to be about Lizzie's mother.
• I loved the end with Red and Liz driving off together. Love it, love it. I love that she has her own Most Wanted poster beside his. I am so here for Red and Lizzie on the run together next season.
• I enjoyed all the Red/Liz scenes. Their final one was wonderful with some great acting from both actors. I loved Red reaching out for Liz's hand (and wish she'd held it back.) I loved his "I never wanted you to be like me." The final shot of them with an exhausted Liz resting her head against
• This is a pretty big shake up of the status quo and I find myself hoping so much that TPTB don't revert things back to the way they were. Derfinitely not immediately but honestly not ever. It's how proceduerals usual work but in the case I think they could get a way with changing up the format of the show. I just hope they're brave enough to keep moving forward instead of feeling the need to return to what they know.
• I loved the Dembe/Red goodbye with the long hug and kiss and Red cupping the back of Dembe's neck and how clearly emotional both were. Why can't Dembe go on the run with them?
• I was really not a fan of the directing this episode. I found a lot of shots distractingly noticable. The major isssue - it got too close to faces. I was supremely irritated during the Liz reveals her memories scene; when Red sits beside her on the bench the camera pulls in so close that while it focuses on one of them the other ends up only partially in the frame and with half their face offscreen. It was terrible. This was a really important scene! I wanted both of them in the shot so I could see both of their reactions at the same time.
• "I violated that trust. I'm sorry Elizabeth." This was another really nice Cooper/Liz scene. I liked that Liz's reaction was to reach out and hold his hand, and I loved them both breaking down a little. But I kind of got a Cooper-as-surrogate-father feeling and, damn, I wish so much the show had spent more time in season one and earlier this season building their relationship up better. Because I still find myself perplexed at how close they appear to be and how deep their feelings for each other go. How did I miss this?
• I love that the Cabal faked Cooper's illness to get him under their control. Cooper's confrontation with his doctor was a great scene.
• I can't believe Liz just shot Tom Connelly in cold blood. Wow. At first I was pretty wtf about it. I couldn't make sense of why she did it. Thinking about it more I'm guessing this is tying back to that episode earlier in the season where it was revealed that Liz has the warrior gene which predisposes people to commit violence when under stress. Liz has definitely been under a lot of stress so if that's where they were going with it I guess it works? But only kind of. I wish they'd brought it several times over the season.
- I can see no way she could ever be a legal FBI agent again. I mean even if the truth about Connelly came out it doesn't change the fact that Liz straight up murdered him. I could see Red or govenment influence (or something) getting her off the murder charge but I have a much harder time believing she could retain her job at the FBI.
• I enjoyed Liz/Tom. I liked his worry for her at the beginning, and him going with her after Andropov because she needed him. I thought him patching her up intertwined with them making love was well done. Surprisingly sweet considering their past.
One of my favourite scenes was that short bit when Liz and Tom begin their car chase after Andropov. I honestly found it kind of delightful. We have Tom's amused/incredulous "Are you honestly telling me how to drive?" to which Liz absently responds with "I'm not the one who hit a deer". What I love about that is that Liz was saying it absently, most of her attention on Andropov's car, and her distraction had her falling back into their married interactions. Her bringing up the deer felt like it was something she's said to him before. I really liked that. I loved his response: "that wasn't deer blood on the windshield" because there aren't any secrets between them now. He can tell her the truth. And then they can get into gunfights together, and he can have her back and give her comfort when she needs it. They're equel now in a way they never have been before. I also liked that she didn't even blink at his comment. It's like 'blah, blah, human blood, he's getting away!' Heh.
The only issue I had was Tom's weird flip in perspective. He goes from trying to get her to leave with him (again, some more, as he's been doing for several episodes) to trying to convince her that running away with him wasn't what she wanted when she finally agreed. What happened?
• Based on the preview I was worried that the car shootout scene was going to involve Tom being killed so I'm really glad it didn't play out that way.
• I love that Liz was so upset about Andropov's murder not because he was her chance to clear her name, but because he was the last one she knew who could tell her about her mother
