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The Blacklist has successfully reinvented itself countless times during its decade on the air — but the way James Spader sees it, the show ought to pack it in before it becomes unrecognizable.
“I think if the show went beyond this year, it would turn into a very different show,” Spader recently told NBC, when asked why the current 10th season is an appropriate stopping point for the crime drama. “The thing that has been nice about this show was that we’ve never really had a really clear paradigm for the show. Tonally, the show shifts a lot from episode to episode, and I think that even the show has taken strange turns. I suspect that the show, if it went much further, would just become something that would be less recognizable to me.”
One of The Blacklist‘s biggest pivots came after leading lady Megan Boone exited the series at the end of Season 8, followed closely by the departure of series creator Jon Bokenkamp. When the series returned for Season 9, Spader’s Red became hell-bent on tracking down the person responsible for Liz’s death (that turned out to be Red’s longtime confidant Marvin Gerard), and the final season — currently airing Sundays at 10/9c — finds Red attempting to evade the vengeance of former Blacklisters he helped to imprison.
And though Liz’s death appeared to finally answer the question of Red’s actual, long-hidden identity — the show strongly hinted that Red was Liz’s biological mother, Katarina Rostova, who had undergone facial reconstruction surgery to become Reddington — The Blacklist has yet to give viewers a definitive, spoken-aloud answer to that looming question. And it’s still unclear if we’ll ever get one.
“Here’s my answer: If it’s up to me, you will know exactly who he is,” showrunner John Eisendrath recently conceded to TVLine. “If you don’t know in the end, you’ll know that someone else overruled me.”
Do you still crave an official answer to the question of Red’s identity? Or did the Season 8 finale give enough closure on that topic? Give us your thoughts below. (With reporting by Matt Webb Mitovich)
We knew who Red was in season 6 and has had multiple confirmations over the years. The mystery is over, the old/young relationship (Liz and Red,) been over for quite a while (they butchered it in season 8,) and now it is time for the show to end. Honestly it should have ended in season 8 with Liz becoming a kingpin to protect Agnes and they could have spun it off in 5-10 years with Liz getting her new FBI task force. Red should have died from Illness and Denbe became the brother to Liz he always has been.
Absolutely would like to know. ..however like red says call it a day…cause we only watched for him liz lost it along the way and really lost it at the end
Did anyone else read Spader’s statement in Red’s voice? You know what I mean.
I read it in Alan Shore’s voice.
Voice and delivery automatic in my head LOL
As long as they don’t make him into a woman I can live with that. I would be very disappointed. Leave Red alone!!
Amen
Amen
He was a woman but will die a man. Red was Liz’s mother. The writing has been on the wall for years. Even the fake mother talking about the irony of Liz working against Red to protector her mother is a confirmation. It explains why Liz would not kill Red, why Mr, Kaplan was so loyal to Red (until she found him detrimental to Liz’s safety and happiness,) and why Red survived his confrontation with Katarina’s husband. The cat has been out of the bag forever. But with Liz dead this couldn’t matter less. The show wanted to stay on air after Megan left so they killed her off, not realizing they were killing the entire point of the show.
I thought he was her father?
I’ve always thought Red was her father too.
IT’S NOT SO MUCH MAKING HIM A WOMAN AS IT IS ABOUT WHAT A MOTHER IS WILLING TO DO TO PROTECT HER CHILD. (I AM NOT YELLING, I HAVE VISION ISSUES)
yes you are YELLING
Too late……he already IS!!!! 🤣
Agree.
I totally agree….Red is not a woman!!!
Well we have wated for 10 long years to know who Red really is. After all isn’t that the draw through out the series. I think we should finally know.
Thank you
Red is my hero let him live forever.
James Spader is a phenomenal actor!
AMEN!
He’s an awesome actor!
I think they should find a way to bring Elizabeth back she fake her death onces so why not invent something to bring her back so she find out the truth and then end it.
There is no way they should bring her back with the idea that they faked her death. But why not flashback. The flashback could be her reading that letter from Red right before her death revealing who Reddingtons true identity is. (I believe it is Katarina Rostova based on the season 8 finale)
Red being Elizabeth’s mother would be the dumbest twist in the history of TV. It would ruin the show. I hope the writers aren’t that lazy and stupid.
I completely agree with you. It is preposterous, how would they explain him being several inches taller than the actress that played Elizabeth’s Mom. If they stick to this ludicrous explanation, it will ruin the entire series for me.
Megan Boone made it very clear it was her own choice to end her character.She’s decided on another career path with her own production company.One can’t make an actor come back against their will.. Plus-Liz was killed right on screen.
Recast.
Eh, “I’m no longer interested in making my life about this show” doesn’t necessarily mean “I’m not even going to come back for a few days to be in the series finale.” Certainly couldn’t hurt to ask her to do a flashback.
For all we know she may have already been asked to make a guest appearance for a “flashback.”I don’t claim to know if she would agree to do that or not.My comment was in response to the OP about the possibility the show would reveal that her death was faked & Liz is still alive.
I hope Red is NOT Liz’s mom… that’s gross!!! He would have had a complete sex change! Ain’t he been with women?
I prefer a spoken word of admission that Red is Liz mother.
With all the twists.turns & misdirections about Red’s true identity can’t help but envisioning it ending with Red channeling Alec Guiness’s character in the end of “Murder by Death” rapid-fire alternating multiple ID reveals.
I would be very irked if Reddington was Liz’s Mother. That would just be WRONG on so MANY levels. Not to mention what it does to the father/daughter dynamic we were given glimpses of during Brian Dennehey(sp?)time on the show. That twist might work for an Austin Powers movie, but Raymond Reddington deserves better then such a lame cheesy ending. So does Katarina Restova. I’m just sayin’
My husband and I watching only NBC programming, such as Law and Order, Chicago med, fir, and pd. My heart will be broken to see the Blacklist goes.
For those who are still convinced that Red is Katarina, go back and watch the episode “Requiem” again from season 4. In that episode, Kate Kaplan and Katarina become close friends and Kate becomes the caretaker to Liz. When things start to heat up and Katarina realizes she has to disappear, she arranges for Kate to leave Liz with Sam. At some point after that, the James Spader Red appears in Kate’s life and hires her. Watch these scenes carefully. It is obvious in the scene where Red meets Kate that she has never met him before and does not know him. They clearly speak to one another as though Katarina is a different person. Spader-Red even says “We shared the affection of Katarina”. If the Spader-Red at that point is really Katarina, I don’t believe it is credible that Kate would not have recognized him or realized who he was through mannerisms, body language, etc. A gender-change operation does not change the person’s personality, voice, mannerisms, body language or general body type. Even if Spader-Red had taken hormones to modify his voice slightly, it is not credible to me that Kate would not recognize him. Also, the actress who played Katarina in Requiem and Spader do not resemble each other at all in any respect. A sex change operation does not change a person’s general look or demeanor, etc. In every other case where the show casts different versions of the same person at different stages in their life (Kate is a great example; Ilya is another), they cast actors who look very similar with similar body types. Spader and the actress who played Katrina in Requiem (Lotte Verbeek) do not at all look similar, not in any sense. Spader is 5′ 10″ and stocky and Verbeek is 5′ 6″ and slender.
There are other reasons for doubting the Red as Katarina theory, but this is the most obvious.
Going to really miss the show. I’ve watched it from season 1 to the present,I enjoy the show very much. Going to have to go the box set when it comes out.
Please clear it up!!! Who is her father. Don’t leave us hanging.
The father is the real Raymond Reddington who died. It’s the identity of James Spader Raymond Reddington that needs to be told. They hinted in the season 8 finale that was Katirina with those flashbacks with Liz before she died. I’m hoping they bring Megan Boone back towards the end, do a flashback where he reading the letter and we get anwers on who Spaders Raymond Reddingtons true identiy is.
If & when The Blacklist concludes, the definite identity of Reddington shud be open + how he became Reddington & why. The main character of Red shud be given a dramatic, clear history in respect to the dominant role. Anything less will be an anti-climax & waste the whole purpose of the series.
I would like to see more of the show, and James Spader is such a good Actor. I hated that the show ended.
I don’t think they’ll give us a true answer. And I have always thought Red being Katarina is a ridiculous idea. Maybe they’ll tell us the real reason Red turned himself in but that’s about it. And he’s been dying for years and I think he knows his time is running out which is why he’s not even bothering with protection anymore.
Never get why a Actor makes a statement like “show should end now” which would put everyone else involved in the show out of work, instead of just saying I intend to leave at the end of present series.
Whether Spader made that comment or not the fact that the show is ending should hardly be a surprise.It’s presently the 2nd to the last of all NBC scripted shows in ratings & 3rd to the last in viewership on Live+overnights When Liz was killed and Creator/Showrunner Bokenkamp quit after Season 8 it was a minor miracle IMHO the show even got a renewal for this Season.
What would The Blacklist be without James Spader?
No, never! Please, Red must not be a female, not in this life or another! That would be awful! That would not be protecting your child, that would be fullfilling some hidden identity crisis! That is not Red! I sure as he** hope not. BooHoo…
I’ve been watching this whole time and I really want to know.
I didn’t get much indication of who Red’s true identity is. I think it should most definitely be revealed. 100%.
Thank you to all involved in creating this incredible series. I can’t imagine any other person than James Spader playing Raymond Reddington. I love his character so much I named my puppy after him.
Yes I want a definitive answer
I want to know Red’s true identity.
I like the show for the entertainment. I’m good with whatever.
After 9 loyal years as a fan of this show, I feel regardless of what I believe, that the right thing to do is to end the show with no ambiguity. The definitive answer is what the fans deserve, regardless of who or what gender Red is/was. Dear Lord, please do not give us another Soprano (not-a-real) finale.
Red is Katarina. I have confirmation from someone who worked for the show. It was always the story arc from the very beginning.
wow… I feel they should have handled it a lot better. The show has had its ups and downs but I have stuck with it throughout and I love the character of Red and adore James Spader. I have really enjoyed this season.