'The Blacklist' Season 8 Episode 1 Review: Elizabeth 'Liz' Keene has finally embraced her darkness, is it for real?
Spoilers for 'The Blacklist' Season 8 Episode 1
When 'The Blacklist' Season 7 departed before its time due to the pandemic lockdowns, there were measures taken by Elizabeth 'Liz' Keene (Megan Boone), Raymond 'Red' Reddington (James Spader), and the rest of their counterparts both in the FBI and otherwise for that makeshift, yet-to-be filmed episode – one of the best the series has ever dolled out. We saw a part live-action, part-animated finale where Liz was finally tapping into the inherent darkness that comes from being the daughter of Katarina Rostova (Lotte Verbeek). She seems to side with her mother, thus betraying the man who has done it all for her – Raymond 'Red' Reddington (James Spader). That was supposed to be the initiation of Liz breaking full bad, and sinister behavior was expected from her as Season 8 unfolded. Sadly, the maximum darkness we get from her is an unexpected kiss with Donald Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) to get what she wants, and some pensive driving around town sobbing.
To be honest, compared to other season premieres, Season 8 was a bit of a letdown, but we're going to let it slide for the simple fact that all of this was shot in the middle of a pandemic. Let's also not forget that the previous season's remaining episodes were supposed to initiate Season 8, so if the premiere, titled 'Roanoke' failed to make the desired impact, that's probably because it was never meant to be the season premiere at all. For hardcore fans, it's enough that there's a new season premiere at all, so moving on, the next bit of problem has to be Liz's supposed 'darkness'.
'Roanoke, No: 139' kicks off with a Russian man awaiting trial for murder, while two US marshalls guard the room he's locked up in. A doctor arrives with information that another man has been found infected with a virus - thus bringing in all the pandemic feels to the episode. It soon becomes clear that the doctor was just an imposter trying to get the Russian man to escape, and when Red finally meets Liz, things start looking a little clearer. It's interesting how Red and Liz resume from that moment in Season 7 as if nothing had gone wrong between the two and he offers his wise advice to his young mentee like it's just another case the FBI is working on.
The designated person who helped the Russian man escape is called 'Roanoke', a man known for disappearing criminals, with his next client set as Maddie Tolliver/Katarina. Liz buys into Red's words and goes ahead with updating the FBI team on who their next targetted blacklister is, setting up an image of Maddie/Katarina, busting how she's her mother and how she has finally met her. It's sad the amount of excitement Aram shows at Liz having reconciled with her mother considering the way Liz is pretty much just leading the team on, but oh well. That's just her darkness now.
When Liz informs her mother, she does it just as uninterestedly as her taking advice from Red these days. It's almost as if Liz tries really hard, but can't quite adapt into the darkness she is supposed to be engulfed in. Of course, Maddie explains to Liz that Roanoke is just a ruse to get her father, Dom, commuted to her without any hassle. When asked why she needs a hold of Dom so desperately, Katarina only tells Liz of the horrors her father had subjected to her at 15 and therefore it's time for the much-needed spill of secrets, and subsequent payback. And all of this would have been credulous had Liz not acted like a petulant teenager throughout the episode, believing whatever new crap this parental figure is shooting her down with to seek revenge on Red.
Liz's anger at Red is justified, but Katarina tries convincing her to believe that much like herself, her daughter too was manipulated by an authoritative father figure. And all of this is done under such latent manipulation, it's almost distracting to have the two share screen space at this point. It's pretty much like, came for Liz's darkness, staying for Katarina's manipulation. But of course, this facade Liz is trying to pull can't really go on for too long, even though Ressler is the only person who is on her tail for Liz has never acted this uncharacteristically suspicious before.
Once she does help Katarina acquire Dom and her darkness is busted with the FBI now hunting one of their own, poor wounded lost puppy in love Ressler still shows up when Liz demands a chat. The faith Ressler has in Liz, almost makes one feel bad for the grown man still believing tricks he has made an entire career out of busting, but such are the meandering lanes of love. The two officially confirm their relationship by Liz asking Ressler to never stop believing in her, moments before she leans in for a kiss and pulls his gun out of his jacket, pointing it at him while she runs off to mummy. Liz has officially arrived at that stage where her origin story or whatever she is trying to pull is more annoying than convincing. At this point, all we want to know is what is Red actually dying from and not watch another character with potential get reduced to a vapid teen.
'The Blacklist' airs on Fridays at 8 pm only on NBC.