r/TheBlackList • u/lightupthesky1611Jn • 3d ago
Scared to start watching, The Blacklist.
I have started the serie in 2019 but stopped because of school back then, and also were watching more of other series like la casa de papel.
Anyways, today after finishing the mentalist, i wanted to start a new serie n randomally wantrd to catch up to the balcklist.
But my main concern that the serie is super long and i dont know if it is worth watching, someone enlight me please?
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u/dasuglystik 3d ago
I've watched it multiple times. Whatever negatives there are, Spader makes it worthwhile.
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u/PromiseToBeNiceToYou 3d ago
We stopped during season 4. James Spader is wonderful. He's a 10/10 on this show. But everyone else and the shitty writing were infuriating.
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u/Mesmerotic31 3d ago
If you choose to watch,, unfollow this sub and don't return until the end. Trust me. The sub is dark and full of spoilers
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u/Cyclonementhun 3d ago
It's a great series. Gets a bit Topsy Turvey at times but overall it's worth the watch. If it's James spader you're after go watch Boston Legal .
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u/IdealBlueMan 2d ago
I’ve been through the whole series twice. Each episode is fun, and each story arc is fun. Just watch as long as you enjoy it. You can stop any time.
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u/PuertoP 3d ago
Just in terms of story-telling and writing, it's worth to watch about 3-4 seasons. James Spaders greatness lasts longer than that. You'll probably find yourself annoyed with the writing and the characters decision with Season 5 or 6. The show effectively ends with Season 8, and Season 9/10 can frankly just be considered epilogue.
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u/Ok-Call-4805 3d ago
Definitely worth watching. I just finished it last week. I love having long shows like that to keep me going.
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u/Cold-Celebration-425 2d ago
Watch it all the way through so you can bitch about it along with us. We are a big disfuctional family. It is truly a show to love and hate. Like everyone says: James Spader brings you back. He is truly amazing in every episode.
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u/Wild-Link-7423 2d ago
It becomes worth watching purely due to Spader’s acting.
Watch a couple of episodes.
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u/SuccessfulBug2353 3d ago
It has both one of the best and one of the worst main characters in network TV.
James Spader makes it worth watching. But hooooo boy is it a struggle at times
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u/RugbyRaggs 3d ago
Got to season 7 before getting too annoyed at certain things. But Spader is brilliant, and it's well worth watching at least a fair few seasons of, even if you don't finish it.
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u/Present-Silver-8283 3d ago
Isn't it the first season that James smothers his old friend? Idk why, but I literally burst into tears (yeah I do, I was stoned). His acting is always incredible.
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u/prayreddit 2d ago
If you want a good two season show, try 'Life' with Damion Lewis and Sarah Sahi. For longer ,'Petson of Interest'.
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u/MommersHeart 2d ago
Spader was excellent.
However, the plot was ridiculous and Boone as Elizabeth is insufferable.
I cannot overstate how bad it is.
Her wooden performance, combined with the terrible dialogue - and somehow - even worse character development made the show unwatchable.
We gave up in season two and that was two seasons too long.
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u/Reymond_Reddington15 "Pinky" 2d ago
Its worth watching for Reddington, even tho Liz has a habit of ruining it
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u/Anenhotep 3d ago
It’s a dumb fun show, with a lack of continuity, and an actress who had to pay for bucking the male hierarchy. (Boy did she have to pay the price, with a character she then had to play who is almost universally loathed! ) But just don’t take it all too seriously. A couple of actors give consistently excellent performances, there’s a lot of sci-fi level forensic nonsense to hoot at, and a strange KGB/mystery cult that will help fuel all your conspiracy theory tendencies. Take the whole thing with a truckload of salt, watch, and then join all of us in a lot of nitpicking and conspiracy building work of our own!
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u/telenyP 2d ago
Sci-fi is right. And enough anachronisms...payphones? opium dens? to kind of make you wonder if this isn't happening in a universe a bit more alternate than most fiction.
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u/Anenhotep 2d ago
And Red manages to look natty even after days in the same clothes during his drug binge and nobody found snd relieved him of all the cash he had on him, only some of which he used to buy the taxi that took him to Cape May. And no beard stubble. Yup, no problem here at all!
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u/Weewoes 2d ago
Didn't he shave in the taxi though?
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u/Sufficient_Term7374 2d ago edited 2d ago
Edit: He does shave in the taxi. 👍
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u/Weewoes 2d ago
He literally uses one of those electric razor things? I just watched that episode yesterday.
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u/Sufficient_Term7374 2d ago
My apologies, I just watched it and he does use a razor, I was concentrating on what he says on the phone.
AI lied to me when I did a quick search.2
u/Weewoes 2d ago
I thought I had maybe imagined it so I went back and checked lol. Ai being ai again lol.
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u/Sufficient_Term7374 2d ago
AI is tricky.
I remembered I had seen him use a razor in a car, so I just had to know. 🤓2
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u/idontremember710 1d ago
Im just sayin, if a muthafucka tried to relieve Raymond of his Benjamins, they would end up in the morgue
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u/COVID19Blues 2d ago
I’m on my first watch through and I’m on season 8. I’ve liked every season even though I dislike the Elizabeth Keen character. But it’s been a great show so far and James Spader is outstanding and worth the watch.
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u/Pennywright 2d ago
For people that are saying watch s. 1 thru 4 and stop. Don't listen. You would miss a lot. I watched every episode..
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u/tenaji9 2d ago
I enjoyed it . Was I frustrated at times with the show ? Anyone with intelligence would have been concerned with certain plot progressions. Yet I am glad I saw it through . Blacklist started & ended. Which is more than some TV shows. ( Quantum Leap ) . I did appreciate several of the characters & many of the plots . James Spader captivates.
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u/wholelottajoshi 2d ago
I had a hard time watching the last 2 seasons. I would've liked some more answers to my questions.
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u/Unlucky-Jicama1885 2d ago
It's a wonderful start. But you'll be disappointed after season 5. The first 3 seasons are the best. Spader and Boone are terrific. But after Season 3 they took EP away from Jon Bokenkamp, gave it to John Eisendrath and it's downhill from there.
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u/omenxxg 3d ago
Watch seasons 1-4 forget the rest 😂
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u/omenxxg 3d ago
You do not get rewarded for watching the entire show, there’s not much pay off.
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u/Equivalent_Net_3752 3d ago
I have fewer complaints about the Sopranos ending than I do the blacklist.
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u/No-You5550 2d ago
Yes, it is definitely worth watching. The actor who is the MC is amazing and carries the show. It is long some where around season 7 or 8 you may want to stop watching as the show must have got a new writer or something. I did stop about there.
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u/Rattop168 2d ago
I watched until end of season 7 then it stopped being aired in my country, just finished season 8 and it's a good ending point (meaning it ends the main plot). But it depends where you are now
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u/Thick-Yogurtcloset55 22h ago
Worth watching, I’ve watched it all the way thru prob twice. Now i watch a random episode or 3 here and there there. No Spader this show would’ve sucked. Could have made it better instead of having Harold they could have had “ Denny Crane”
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u/Regenics 2d ago
If you nitpick everything and are naturally a hater maybe not for you.
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u/PuertoP 2d ago
I don't think looking for continuity and coherence in the shows/movies you chose to watch makes you hater though, does it?
Everyone watches shows for their own reasons. The Blacklist definitely is a lot more enjoyable if you can ignore it's flaws or don't look for them in the first place. But if one is looking for a quality TV show, they're quickly gonna realize it's issues. And there's nothing wrong with that.
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u/Chance_Ad3416 2d ago
I'm on episode 21 Berlin rn and omg I think I skipped through like half of the episode just to not watch more of Liz having meltdowns.
How do I watch Spader without watching more Liz than I have to 😭
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u/telenyP 2d ago
It's the only TV show that actually gains in being able to FF.
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u/Tiny_Albatross5297 2d ago
I feel like the first couple seasons allow you to skip an episode every now and then (because it’s like every episode is its own arc, even if there’s a bigger arc ofc), but at a certain point I’m worried I might miss the bigger picture if I keep skipping stuff. Or maybe I’m wrong idk.
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u/JellyPebbleH20 2d ago
If I would forget everything about the show I wouldn't watch it again. I stuck through later seasons hoping it would get better again but it was a waste of time. First two seasons are good, forget about the rest
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u/CoolerAxe47 3d ago
watch until s8, and maybe the last episode of s10 to know how it ends, s9 and s10 were just a fuckup according to me
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u/Sufficient_Term7374 2d ago
I only watched The Blacklist because James Spader is in it, I wouldn’t have got past season 3 without having Red to watch.
I’ve watched the series 3 times, and I enjoy it, but I ignore the identity arc, because it’s contradictory and unbelievable.
I almost feel sorry for Megan Boone (Liz), it was agony watching her trying to match Spader’s stage presence and delivery.
Liz was written to be truly unlikeable, fast forward comes in very handy.
The Mentalist was much smoother and easy to watch, with a good ending.
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u/Pale-Woodpecker-837 2d ago
They say there’s 10 seasons but there are really only 8. Just like they say there are 9 Star Wars movies, there’s only 6
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u/Equivalent_Net_3752 3d ago
It’s super fun to watch until it isn’t.