Fall TV preview: Will James Spader’s ‘The Blacklist’ be worth the hype?

It is really rather rare that we see a television pilot generate so much hype that critics are already foaming at the mouth to call it a hit. However, this is what many are doing already when it comes to “The Blacklist.” According to sources, this show is one of the highest-testing drama pilots NBC has had in a decade. Not only does that, but the show has a stellar actor in the lead in James Spader, and the network gave enough confidence in it to move “Revolution” to Wednesdays and place this show in the much-coveted time-slot following “The Voice.”

Plot-wise, this show feels slightly somewhat similar to Fox’s “The Following” in that it features a notorious criminal and an agent in the leading roles. However, the difference here is that Spader’s character “Red” Reddington, one of the most-wanted people in the world, voluntarily turned himself in, and chose Elizabeth (Megan Boone) seemingly at random in order to make her into a major name in the world of crime-fighting.

We almost wish that the trailer below did not give away as much as it does, since it almost feels like most of the pilot is already spoiled as we watch the two leads work together to capture a criminal. Not only that, but we learn a major twist in the process: Red actually has a full list of people that he wants to try and take down, and he will be relying in part on Elizabeth in order to ensure that it happens without a problem.

We find the trailer to be captivating and Spader’s performance strong and chillingly creepy, but unlike our reaction to “The Michael J. Fox Show,” our reaction is not a visceral one telling us that this will be great.

Photo: NBC