THE BLACKLIST: "PILOT" REVIEW

Homeland security serves as the the backdrop for three of this year’s network forays into high-concept, serialized, event television - CBS’s Hostages (which we’ve already reviewed), and both NBC’s The Blacklist as well as their midseason entry, Crisis. Each focuses on threats to our national security, and all three feel as though they have built-in expiration dates (whether said end points are honored or not).The Blacklist has a little more potential for an extended life, though.

The basic premise is that onetime FBI agent, turned "most wanted" criminal mastermind, Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader), after years of eluding the Feds, turns himself in with the promise of aiding the agency in capturing a "blacklist" of the world’s worst criminals. His one demand? That he speak only with first-day-on-the-job Agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone).
As you might imagine, the central mysteries are: 1. Why did "Red" suddenly turn against his country all those years ago, abandon his young wife and daughter, and become a mercenary for sale to the highest bidder? 2. Why has he, without any discernible cause, turned himself in now? And 3. What is his interest in young Agent Keen? There’s a rather obvious potential answer to the last query, of course - she’s his daughter.The pilot leaves the question open ended, but if Keen does indeed turn out to be Reddington’s long-lost child, that reveal may only serve to frustrate some viewers. If the writers have gone the Occam’s razor (the simplest answer is the most likely to be true) route on that one, then it’s probably best to let that particular cat out of the bag sooner rather than later. The show’s success doesn’t depend on some big twist in terms of their relationship. However, if they needlessly drag out speculation only to, after a full season, disclose that the nature of their connection is exactly what we’d assumed it was all along, it will likely feel like mystery-boxing for the sake of mystery-boxing and become an unwanted distraction.
Having said that, again, The Blacklist’s appeal doesn’t rest on the strength of this one as-yet-unsolved puzzle. Once we know why Reddington wants to collaborate (because he’s not really cooperating, per se) with the FBI, and understand the genesis of his interest in Keen, one of two things may happen: Red and Agent Keen become a father/daughter global crime fighting duo, putting down threats, and frolicking in the stormy waters of international intrigue, in what would become a weekly episodic adventure series. Or, it turns out that he’s been pulling off an elaborate scheme with her as a pawn. In which case, she is forced to try and apprehend him utilizing everything she’s learned from their brief time together. Either way, the series continues.
In an ideal world, we’d see more short-lived, serialized offerings that know what they are, and exactly how much time is needed to tell their stories, and, as such, get in and out as it were. Less preferable are the shows that try and continue on after what was a natural arc has been completed. Everyone is working to master the serialized/episodic balance these days, though. The Blacklist seems to understand the climate enough to enter the scene via a big event, while simultaneously creating a structure that lends itself to a weekly, self-contained story structure. It’s unclear if the crime-of-the-week aspect of the series will remain engaging once the central mystery is solved, but Spader’s odd-ball charisma goes a long way toward keeping things lively.