‘The Blacklist’ season 1, episode 8 review: What happened to Liz Keen’s ‘father’?
Monday night’s episode of “The Blacklist” at least came closer than ever before to answering a key question that everyone has been looking forward to: Is Raymond Reddington really the father of Elizabeth Keen? Well, at the moment you might be suffering from a case of mixed feelings.
The thing is, we are going to an angry tantrum all over the internet if it turns out that Raymond Reddington is actually Liz’s father … and it is looking more and more like that could actually be the case. We’re certainly getting that impression based on what happened here, and the stunning revelation that Red killed Liz’s adopted father, fearing that there was a way in which he would live and tell her the truth about something from many years ago. The unfortunate news here is that there is still no confirmation for sure that Red is the dad, and we’re therefore begging the TV gods for some sort of epic twist that could end up turning things around.
This was by far the most depressing episode of the show to date, as Liz did not even really get a chance to say goodbye to a man who she loved dearly, and who is responsible for keeping him alive. What we’re a little more frustrated by is how Reddington gets into the hospital, suffocates the man, and nobody seems to notice or bother. Many shows do this and manage to get away with it, but isn’t it suspicious that no one at the hospital mentioned it to at least Tom?
These logic-related questions are what keep this from being a top-of-the-line “A”-caliber episode. It was still a pretty compelling hour, though, at least as we started to get closer and closer to figuring out the answers as to who Red really is, and what he wants with Liz. The real question now remains just how long they can continue playing this little dance. That bonding scene with Liz and Red at the end, after the man already did the same with Tom outside the hospital? Creepy. Grade: B.
What do you think about the way “The Blacklist” handed the issue of Liz’s father this week? Share your thoughts below.
Photo: NBC
Henri Valera-Martinez
November 12, 2013 @ 2:18 pm
I guess you haven’t been to many hospitals lately. Sometimes the nursing and medical staff is MIA constantly. He could have easily gone in and left and no one would be the wiser. Also, it could be possible that Red and Liz’s “dad” had already agreed that the suffocation would happen. That call dad made to Liz seemed like a goodbye call. Poor old man probably didn’t want to go out in agony and he only had a few weeks left anyways.
Sam
November 12, 2013 @ 7:43 am
He didn’t strangle him he suffocated him with a pillow; since he had a terminal illness they probably would not bother with an autopsy. As far as getting into the hospital, all he had to do was walk in; the man was not under protective custody. People die when they have visitors…it was a hospital, and he was terminally ill. In this case I think you’re knocking the show when it doesn’t deserve it.