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HookShot
Dec 26, 2005
I want to say three.

Anyway, this is the thread to watch the amazing Spader-man completely school a bunch of dumb pylons in the art of acting. But to be fair to the pylons, the writing is so terrible it might not be entirely their fault.

At the end of season 2 Elizabeth Keane, a character who seems to exist solely so she can claim how strong she is and then go crying to Raymond Reddington (James Spader) when she can't figure out the most basic poo poo and have him fix everything for her, running away from the FBI because she's been falsely accused of being a terrorist.

We've also found out her mother was an ex-KGB spy. But Keane never knew her.

Also going by the season premiere the attorney general died (I seriously don't remember this happening), the guy who bribed a doctor to tell Cooper he was dying then blackmailed him into doing poo poo for him in exchange for getting him into a "medical trial".

If anyone wants to make an actual effortpost about this show they're welcome to and I'll add it to the OP. But with tonight having been the season premiere I wanted to get something up so that those of us who still hate-watch this show have a place to do so.

SEASON 4

I literally don't remember what happened at the end of last season, but it was bad, and now there's a baby, and I feel like maybe Liz and the baby got kidnapped, and also Xenia Onotopp is Tom's mom but he doesn't know, and they're flirting which is just weird and gross and yeah that's all I remember. I think I've repressed the rest.

HookShot fucked around with this message at 02:25 on Sep 21, 2016

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Tokubetsu
Dec 18, 2007

Love Is Not Enough
This was a good episode. I mean, I think it was? Definitely most coherent Blacklist episode I can remember. Keane was listening to Red and doing poo poo! Even blonde boyscout had his big boy pants and taking care of poo poo.

Sadly this is The Blacklist and I'm sure we'll be back to classic shenanigans in 2 episodes tops.

KatWithHands
Nov 14, 2007
As enjoyable as the episode was, I still kept asking my tv to go back to Dembe's story whenever anyone who wasn't Dembe was on the screen. Finally adding Hisham Tawfiq as a series regular was A Good Thing, and I'm looking forward more to him and Edi Gathegi than to the whole Russian Spy thing. ("Do the thing for the antidote!" was pretty silly, but this is The Blacklist...)

HookShot
Dec 26, 2005
It was actually a good episode by Blacklist standards.

Although anybody who was actually super good at getting someone out of the city and put up multiple decoy locations would have figured out that the FBI would realize they can't be in five places at once and they were decoys, and would have then tried to get them out of the city where the decoys were, not in the opposite direction. But hey, as Blacklist plot holes go, that one's pretty small.

Also I laughed at Lizzy's blonde hair. "NO ONE WILL RECOGNIZE HER NOW!!!!"

And yeah Dembe's story was awesome. Dembe is awesome.

computer parts
Nov 18, 2010

PLEASE CLAP

HookShot posted:


Also going by the season premiere the attorney general died (I seriously don't remember this happening)

Keane shot him at the end of the last season.

BIG HEADLINE
Jun 13, 2006

"Stand back, Ottawan ruffian, or face my lumens!"

HookShot posted:

It was actually a good episode by Blacklist standards.

Although anybody who was actually super good at getting someone out of the city and put up multiple decoy locations would have figured out that the FBI would realize they can't be in five places at once and they were decoys, and would have then tried to get them out of the city where the decoys were, not in the opposite direction. But hey, as Blacklist plot holes go, that one's pretty small.

Or...

"Hey, if she's a Russian agent maybe we should have the Russian Embassy covered."

Binary Logic
Dec 28, 2000

Fun Shoe
Really good return episode.

BIG HEADLINE posted:

Or...

"Hey, if she's a Russian agent maybe we should have the Russian Embassy covered."

It doesn't matter, the point of the story was to get her to ask for diplomatic immunity in the embassy. The "she's a Russian agent terrorist" angle was invented by Ressler (I think). If the show's writers had the feds think about her going to the Russian embassy Reddington would have anticipated that and had some sewer tunnels or underground secret passage prepared for that contingency.

Gonz
Dec 22, 2009

"Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"
Fisher Stevens out of nowhere!

HookShot
Dec 26, 2005
This episode had enough Reddington that it was actually... good?

Though the ham-fisted writing of agent Mossad explaining the concept of diplomatic immunity to the audience via Ressler was pretty bad.

Also "oh no Ressler's trying to kill me, I better shoot the guy that's trying to kill him back!"

Octy
Apr 1, 2010

Tom's back! :swoon:

Binary Logic
Dec 28, 2000

Fun Shoe
Yes Ressler blocking the car and then having a conversation of exposition about why he couldn't just hold them or shoot was over the top.

But the classic 'hostages in a diner' scenario, Reddington style was really well done. He's such a well-mannered and considerate sociopath.

Gonz
Dec 22, 2009

"Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"

Octy posted:

Tom's back! :swoon:

This season is progressing along at a solid clip; i'm sure we'll have a few baddie of the week episodes, but the focus being "Lizzie and Red on the run around the world" is, in many ways, better than "dumbass FBI agents do dumb poo poo that they should lose their jobs over; film at 11:00".

Mouse Dresser
Sep 4, 2002

This isn't Middle Earth, Quentin. There aren't enough noble quests to go around.
I'm almost over Tom appearing out of nowhere to save the day.

But on the other hand, Ryan Eggold :shlick:

sbaldrick
Jul 19, 2006
Driven by Hate

Binary Logic posted:

Yes Ressler blocking the car and then having a conversation of exposition about why he couldn't just hold them or shoot was over the top.

But the classic 'hostages in a diner' scenario, Reddington style was really well done. He's such a well-mannered and considerate sociopath.

May favorite part is nothing happened to Resseler despite doing something that was cause the DEFCon level to move.

I also enjoy this show more when they remember Red is master criminal and spent years as the most wanted man in the world.

Also I was show the waitress had turn Keene in till the last moment.

Mouse Dresser
Sep 4, 2002

This isn't Middle Earth, Quentin. There aren't enough noble quests to go around.

sbaldrick posted:


Also I was show the waitress had turn Keene in till the last moment.

Me too. When it turned out that conceited Red called in about himself being spotted to free Fisher Stevens, I sensibly chuckled.

I would love it if this show was just Red continuing to outsmart the federalies who bumble around like Keystone cops.

HookShot
Dec 26, 2005
Well this episode went back to being pretty boring and bad.

It's good to see some things never change.

Binary Logic
Dec 28, 2000

Fun Shoe

sbaldrick posted:

May favorite part is nothing happened to Resseler despite doing something that was cause the DEFCon level to move.

I also enjoy this show more when they remember Red is master criminal and spent years as the most wanted man in the world.

Also I was show the waitress had turn Keene in till the last moment.

Ressler put a lot of faith in the Russians to not shoot him while he was pointing a gun at them!

Favourite scene this latest episode: Clark Middleton goes into restaurant, gets the maitre d' or waiter to go into kitchen, steals the security video somehow...and while running out scoops up a bunch of mints from a bowl with some of them bouncing on the floor behind him.

2nd favourite was the turning of Keene into a reluctant serial killer. And not just randoms - an attorney general and a cop.

Binary Logic fucked around with this message at 20:14 on Oct 16, 2015

Party Plane Jones
Jul 1, 2007

by Reene
Fun Shoe
This number's background went to a place I totally didn't expect up to that point.

Also RIP Dembe?

HookShot
Dec 26, 2005
Not gonna lie, I was kinda hoping that chick would have gotten away.

This show writes incredibly sympathetic bad guys.

Octy
Apr 1, 2010

Party Plane Jones posted:

This number's background went to a place I totally didn't expect up to that point.

Also RIP Dembe?

He was shot somewhere in the midriff in front of a bunch of people who presumably will call an ambulance. I assume he'll be okay until the assassination attempt at the hospital which will be thwarted by Red.

ShakeZula
Jun 17, 2003

Nobody move and nobody gets hurt.

Haha, the number Tom left for Liz was 555-0123. Come on, Blacklist, at least put a little effort in.

Binary Logic
Dec 28, 2000

Fun Shoe
Thought he said 555 4123. But who cares, that helicopter escape was fantastic and Tom is getting into the 'fugitives on the run solving crimes for the FBI' mix.

mcbexx
Jul 4, 2004

British dentistry is
not on trial here!



gently caress you, Pee-wee.

Gonz
Dec 22, 2009

"Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"
Dembe ain't dead. If he's gonna die, it'll be a more majestic death than "shot in the gut by Pee-Wee Herman".

Boatswain
May 29, 2012
I'm glad Tom (that's Liz' ex right?) is back, he is a much more enjoyable than Liz. Maybe because he is depicted as competent :v:

BIG HEADLINE
Jun 13, 2006

"Stand back, Ottawan ruffian, or face my lumens!"

Gonz posted:

Dembe ain't dead. If he's gonna die, it'll be a more majestic death than "shot in the gut by Pee-Wee Herman".

He'll come back as Robo Dembe.

Boatswain posted:

I'm glad Tom (that's Liz' ex right?) is back, he is a much more enjoyable than Liz. Maybe because he is depicted as competent :v:

The 'getting my story down' montage was pretty good.

bring back old gbs
Feb 28, 2007

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

ShakeZula posted:

Haha, the number Tom left for Liz was 555-0123. Come on, Blacklist, at least put a little effort in.

I laughed at this too. Like normally these are written down on a napkin so you gloss over it, but hearing it read aloud was just too funny.

Gonz
Dec 22, 2009

"Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"

BIG HEADLINE posted:

He'll come back as Robo Dembe.

Or Cowboy Curtis Dembe.

Red then sarcastically complimemts his jheri curl and neon lasso.

HookShot
Dec 26, 2005
Tom is the best, if only he didn't love Keane.

I would watch the poo poo out of this show if it was Reddington and Tom going on adventures.

sbaldrick
Jul 19, 2006
Driven by Hate

Binary Logic posted:

Thought he said 555 4123. But who cares, that helicopter escape was fantastic and Tom is getting into the 'fugitives on the run solving crimes for the FBI' mix.

The helicopter escape may in fact be the single greatest thing this show has ever done. Just the massive gently caress you of it all.

MinionOfCthulhu
Oct 28, 2005

I got this title for free due to my proximity to an idiot who wanted to save $5 on an avatar by having someone else spend $9.95 instead.
I only know Solomon from House so seeing him from a mild-mannered Mormon to evil mastermind is pretty awesome.

Also Denbe is eternally badass.

Boatswain
May 29, 2012

MinionOfCthulhu posted:

I only know Solomon from House so seeing him from a mild-mannered Mormon to evil mastermind is pretty awesome.

Also Denbe is eternally badass.

He is also in Justified, playing a stone cold killer so the transition is less jarring for me :v:

Digital Prophet
Apr 16, 2006

"..and then came the black crow, herald of doom, who foretold the coming of death."


Is there any way we can fire the rest of the cast and just have James Spader smugly monologue about reddington stories for an hour?

Kegslayer
Jul 23, 2007
One thing I'm surprised about is how completely okay Keane is with Reddington just killing dudes, even when they're helpless and unarmed.

There's no attempt at leaving breadcrumbs for the task force to follow, arrest and prosecute, she just gets what she wants and then Red kills them.

BIG HEADLINE
Jun 13, 2006

"Stand back, Ottawan ruffian, or face my lumens!"

Kegslayer posted:

One thing I'm surprised about is how completely okay Keane is with Reddington just killing dudes, even when they're helpless and unarmed.

There's no attempt at leaving breadcrumbs for the task force to follow, arrest and prosecute, she just gets what she wants and then Red kills them.

Well, to be fair, they know they're being actively hunted. Lizzy will start crying again if any LEOs are killed in the hunt for her, so Red has to minimize their potential opponents. If they let a Cabal member - no matter how minor - live/get away, that's just one more person they'll likely have to deal with/kill later.

That being said, calling it now - Aram is going to be this season's Meera. They're giving him *way* too much screen time; it seems they're building us up to like his character more before they kill him for shock value.

Tokubetsu
Dec 18, 2007

Love Is Not Enough
Why did Tom have to do this ='(
I feel really bad for rich girl now. How many lives have Tom, Keane and Reddington's just since the show started?

BIG HEADLINE
Jun 13, 2006

"Stand back, Ottawan ruffian, or face my lumens!"

Tokubetsu posted:

Why did Tom have to do this ='(
I feel really bad for rich girl now. How many lives have Tom, Keane and Reddington's just since the show started?

I want Rich Girl to be some unstoppable ~Force of Nature~ villain that turns out to be more dangerous than Berlin, The Director, and Black Mormon from House combined.

"YOU PROMISED ME!"

buddhanc
Feb 16, 2010

Tom is going to tear karakurt to shreds in the next episode.

Gonz
Dec 22, 2009

"Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"
TMYK: The guy who played Crispin Crandall was the crooked cop, Mel Bernstein, in Scarface, as well as Judge Wexler, who got attacked by the Scoleri Bros. in Ghostbusters II.

And also 7,000 other things. Dude's been acting forever, it feels like.

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Party Plane Jones
Jul 1, 2007

by Reene
Fun Shoe
Don't forget Zed. Rip Torn vanished for a while after robbing that bank though.

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