‘The Blacklist: Redemption’ trailer is here; see Ryan Eggold, Famke Janssen, Edi Gathegi in action

On Thursday, February 23, the next facet of “The Blacklist” franchise will be here in “The Blacklist: Redemption,” and in preparation for that, NBC has finally handed out the gift that is the official trailer below!

For everyone out there who thought that this was going to be a carbon-copy of the original show but with Tom Keen instead of Liz, think again. What’s exciting about this show is the role-reversal of all of its heroes, whether it be Tom (Ryan Eggold), Scottie Hargrave (Famke Janssen), or Mr. Solomon (Edi Gathegi). These are three high-ranking Blacklisters from Red’s list who’ve realized that there may be a way to turn around their fate. They don’t want to be evil anymore, but they may still operate sometimes in a moral gray area in order to do the most good.

The big surprise to us is precisely how straightforward the entire premise of the show is — bad guys trying to be good guys. There are some further intricacies that will make themselves clear over time, but it’s not all that challenging to understand what the writers are trying to do in keeping things superficially simple. This sort of premise may be key for attracting some viewers who do not watch the flagship version of the show; once people are hooked, then they can start getting a little more in-depth and complex.

One of the most interesting complications in the story comes via the fact that Scottie is not aware of the fact that Tom is her son, and that could manifest itself in some very interesting ways over the course of the eight-episode first season. Also, you going to get a chance to see more of Tom’s backstory through the lens of his father, played by none other than “Lost” alum Terry O’Quinn. (If you’re going to have someone be your dad, wouldn’t you want it to be Terry? There’s just something about those eyes that just screams “wisdom.”)

What’s your take on the trailer for “The Blacklist: Redemption”? Share now in the comments.