TV Underdogs: The case for more Donald Ressler on The Blacklist season 5
Should Donald Ressler be used more on The Blacklist season 5? Yes! Absolutely.
Of course, the question that goes along with that is how he should be used, especially since the current state of the show is in so much flux. We’re now a significant amount of time ahead in the future; relationships have changed, personalities may be different, and there is a relatively clean slate in terms of where we could find people. For some of these characters on The Blacklist, there are some interesting possibilities that go along with that.
For Ressler, that is especially true. When we last saw Donald he was at the mercy of fixer Henry Prescott, a man intent on dangling the death of Laurel Hitchin over him like the world’s most rotten carrot. He couldn’t find a way to escape from it outside of doing one of the few things he’s already said he won’t do: Receive help from Reddington.
What would be the most interesting thing for him to do beyond the time jump is reaching a breaking point. How long will Ressler continue to be under Prescott’s thumb? Exploring Ressler at a point where he’s had enough could prove interesting.
Other interesting ideas for Donald Ressler
Is it possible that Ressler found someone during the time jump? We’d love to see him established with more of a life beyond the Task Force, whether it be as a boyfriend, a fiancé, or even a parent. We know that Klattenhoff is a fantastic actor who can give a character many different faces. For Ressler, seeing how he reconciled an ordinary life with a darker, more challenging one at the FBI could prove fruitful.
Beyond that, wouldn’t it be interesting to see him leading more missions at the Task Force or even having a different sort of relationship with Reddington in some way? Even if he doesn’t want his help with Prescott, one would assume that the two could have a different sort of bond after the time jump; with Liz Keen out of the picture, it’s possible that Ressler could become more of a go-between with James Spader’s character and the remainder of the Task Force.
More on Ressler lies ahead
One more teaser for our The Blacklist coverage coming up: We interviewed showrunner Jon Bokenkamp earlier this week, and with that there are new pieces leading up to the next two episodes! Keep your eyes peeled, since all signs point towards a big Ressler episode coming up Wednesday.
What do you want to see from Ressler moving forward on The Blacklist season 5? Share in the comments!
(Photo: NBC)