The Blacklist 3x18 Thoughts
Aug. 23rd, 2016 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iaria'Mr. Solomon: Conclusion' (No. 32)
Wow, that end.
• It was heartbreaking. I mean I know that Liz isn't dead and I would have been skeptical even without the knowledge that she's back in season 4 but Red's reaction and utter devastation was utterly heartbreaking. Him pleading with her "please don't go"... Spader was phenomenal. He actually made me cry when he was in the van with Lizzie's body. Holding her hand, pressing it against his face, kissing it, kissing her forehead, leaning his forehead against hers - just completely unwilling to let her go, to say goodbye, even though he knows he has to. And then that slow walk to the car, and him falling (omg) and Dembe helping him and his expression when he was sitting alone in the car having just lost the most important thing in his life. So well done.
• Red was really sweet with baby Agnes and that little smile when he held her.
• "Raymond... I do love..." - Liz. So Lizzie's final words - they're to Red (and he's the last thing she sees, by choice), she calls him Raymond, and she uses her last breath to tell him, to reassure him, that "I do love" ... you, clearly? There is no other way that could end is there.
• Even beyond the final minutes this was a really rough episode on Red. I really felt bad for him when he poked his head in post-delivery with this little smile on his face and then Liz not only wouldn't let him see the baby but she then ordered him out. His expression after he left was so sad and I felt so goddamn bad for him.
• Liz spent pretty much the entire episode mad at Red which left me sighing at her a bit. After the last episode where she handled anger at Red while still caring for and trusting him with a good balance this felt like a step back. I don't understand it. Okay, she thinks he's hiding the truth about her mother, fine. But to be skeptical about his warning in the car and to refuse his help at the hospital was ridiculous considering the situation. That was back over the line to mad Liz being unreasonable about Red. Her anger at him in the club was somewhat understandable but ordering him away after Agnes was born was cruel. Then of course she switched course when it looked like she could die, which again is understandable, but is such a swerve from the scene before.
• It was really hard to watch Red berate poor Dembe. We've never seen that happen before and I hope we never see it again. I loved Mr. Kaplan stepping in and shutting him down. I loved him taking the moment later to apologise to Dembe.
• Mr. Kaplan's never seemed to particularly like Liz but you'd never know it from this episode. She was so obviously worried and afraid during the cesarean. She called her the 'poor girl' and yelled at Red for not protecting her! When she was being yelled at by Lizzie on the way to the club there were no snarky comments just a soft "you deserve better". She even went and talked to Liz on Red's behalf (and I wish we could have heard that.) So what is going on with that? Is it the pregnancy, or does she feel guilty for Liz's situation because they couldn't protect her as Red promised or has Liz been slowly growing on her?
• I loved Nick this ep. He was so broken up by Lizzie's death! And it reminded me that he used to be in love with her and she broke his heart.
• I wish Liz had shown more concern, or really any concern, about Red and all her friends who were still in the middle of a shootout at the church.
• The sentiment for naming her daughter was lovely, and I love the mention of Sam, but Agnes, really Liz? Are you sure you don't want to rethink that?
• Two things bothered me around Liz's death.
First, Ressler ordering Samar to check the dead mercenaries and her actually doing that when a) there are a bunch of SWAT there to handle them, b) he's her partner not her boss wth, and c) they both know that Liz is in that van in very serious condition. I don't buy her not going to the van at all.
Second, Ressler's reaction to Liz's death was... muted to say the least. Now obviously he's in shock but good god was he keeping his emotions locked down. He seemed most worried about how the others were reacting then reacting himself. I really hope the next episode brings us a better reaction from him.
Oh, and third, Samar's breakdown was moving but at the same time I'm not sure how much I buy it. I did love her reaching a hand out to Ressler and their hug. But I couldn't help thinking that it would have even more oomph if we'd gotten that Liz/Samar scene at the church.
• Mr. Solomon, what the fuck? He had one job - take Elizabeth Keen, alive. What part of Red leaving his safe, hidden lair to rush her to the hospital makes stopping them to start a gunfight seem like a good way to accomplish that? It would have made far more sense to let them go to the hospital where she clearly needs some serious help and then kidnap her at a later date when she's not dying. Good god.
Wow, that end.
• It was heartbreaking. I mean I know that Liz isn't dead and I would have been skeptical even without the knowledge that she's back in season 4 but Red's reaction and utter devastation was utterly heartbreaking. Him pleading with her "please don't go"... Spader was phenomenal. He actually made me cry when he was in the van with Lizzie's body. Holding her hand, pressing it against his face, kissing it, kissing her forehead, leaning his forehead against hers - just completely unwilling to let her go, to say goodbye, even though he knows he has to. And then that slow walk to the car, and him falling (omg) and Dembe helping him and his expression when he was sitting alone in the car having just lost the most important thing in his life. So well done.
• Red was really sweet with baby Agnes and that little smile when he held her.
• "Raymond... I do love..." - Liz. So Lizzie's final words - they're to Red (and he's the last thing she sees, by choice), she calls him Raymond, and she uses her last breath to tell him, to reassure him, that "I do love" ... you, clearly? There is no other way that could end is there.
• Even beyond the final minutes this was a really rough episode on Red. I really felt bad for him when he poked his head in post-delivery with this little smile on his face and then Liz not only wouldn't let him see the baby but she then ordered him out. His expression after he left was so sad and I felt so goddamn bad for him.
• Liz spent pretty much the entire episode mad at Red which left me sighing at her a bit. After the last episode where she handled anger at Red while still caring for and trusting him with a good balance this felt like a step back. I don't understand it. Okay, she thinks he's hiding the truth about her mother, fine. But to be skeptical about his warning in the car and to refuse his help at the hospital was ridiculous considering the situation. That was back over the line to mad Liz being unreasonable about Red. Her anger at him in the club was somewhat understandable but ordering him away after Agnes was born was cruel. Then of course she switched course when it looked like she could die, which again is understandable, but is such a swerve from the scene before.
• It was really hard to watch Red berate poor Dembe. We've never seen that happen before and I hope we never see it again. I loved Mr. Kaplan stepping in and shutting him down. I loved him taking the moment later to apologise to Dembe.
• Mr. Kaplan's never seemed to particularly like Liz but you'd never know it from this episode. She was so obviously worried and afraid during the cesarean. She called her the 'poor girl' and yelled at Red for not protecting her! When she was being yelled at by Lizzie on the way to the club there were no snarky comments just a soft "you deserve better". She even went and talked to Liz on Red's behalf (and I wish we could have heard that.) So what is going on with that? Is it the pregnancy, or does she feel guilty for Liz's situation because they couldn't protect her as Red promised or has Liz been slowly growing on her?
• I loved Nick this ep. He was so broken up by Lizzie's death! And it reminded me that he used to be in love with her and she broke his heart.
• I wish Liz had shown more concern, or really any concern, about Red and all her friends who were still in the middle of a shootout at the church.
• The sentiment for naming her daughter was lovely, and I love the mention of Sam, but Agnes, really Liz? Are you sure you don't want to rethink that?
• Two things bothered me around Liz's death.
First, Ressler ordering Samar to check the dead mercenaries and her actually doing that when a) there are a bunch of SWAT there to handle them, b) he's her partner not her boss wth, and c) they both know that Liz is in that van in very serious condition. I don't buy her not going to the van at all.
Second, Ressler's reaction to Liz's death was... muted to say the least. Now obviously he's in shock but good god was he keeping his emotions locked down. He seemed most worried about how the others were reacting then reacting himself. I really hope the next episode brings us a better reaction from him.
Oh, and third, Samar's breakdown was moving but at the same time I'm not sure how much I buy it. I did love her reaching a hand out to Ressler and their hug. But I couldn't help thinking that it would have even more oomph if we'd gotten that Liz/Samar scene at the church.
• Mr. Solomon, what the fuck? He had one job - take Elizabeth Keen, alive. What part of Red leaving his safe, hidden lair to rush her to the hospital makes stopping them to start a gunfight seem like a good way to accomplish that? It would have made far more sense to let them go to the hospital where she clearly needs some serious help and then kidnap her at a later date when she's not dying. Good god.
