The Blacklist Spinoff Pretty Much Everyone Already Forgot About
While the spin-off may have faded into oblivion, it wasn't entirely disastrous despite its flaws.
The Blacklist, a crime epic that spanned nearly a decade, concluded with a rather unsatisfying finale. The character Red, portrayed by James Spader, never revealed his secrets, taking them to his grave and cutting the narrative short.
However, during the show's heyday, a spin-off emerged that lasted for only a single season and foreshadowed the main series' issues long before its downfall. We're referring to The Blacklist: Redemption, which offered a breath of fresh air for the franchise but was met with a lukewarm reception, leading NBC to cancel the project after just one season. Here, we take a look at the spin-off, why it flopped and why you might want to give it a second chance.
The plot
The narrative centred around TBL's main character, Tom Keen (Ryan Eggold), who was recruited by Scottie Hargrave (Famke Janssen), the head of Halcyon, a clandestine PMC, which conducted investigations on behalf of influential political figures, often operating outside the law. Tom was on the verge of uncovering his dark past when it was revealed that Scottie was his biological mother.
The ratings
Redemption was somewhat more niche, and spin-offs typically receive lower reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes alone, the series has an audience score of just 62% based on only four reviews. In contrast, The Blacklist boasts an average critics score of 91% and an audience score of 78%. The spin-off's Nielsen rating was a paltry 1.2 among adults aged 18-49, making it one of NBC's most significant failures.
Why it was a flop
First, the original show would not have been nearly as entertaining without James Spader. The attempt to replicate the dynamic between Tom and Scotty, akin to the relationship between Red and Liz, fell flat as the same concept simply didn't work with different actors.
Second, despite the show's tonal shift compared to the original—this time echoing the spirit of 24—the overarching narrative failed to engage the audience despite the intriguing details within the story.
Third, Tom is a somewhat polarising character. While he got partial redemption, his sociopathic tendencies and past actions alienated many viewers.
Why you might want to re-watch it
Nevertheless, re-watching all eight episodes in 2023 doesn't seem like such a terrible idea. Although Tom and Liz were written out in seasons 7 and 8, respectively, their presence was felt until the very end of TBL, meaning the spin-off provided additional backstory.
Furthermore, if you watch the show independently from the original, Redemption is quite solid, boasting a wealth of intriguing characters, storylines, and atmosphere.