With the outbreak of COVID-19, many shows were forced to unexpectedly shut down production. Most made the decision to end their seasons early, leaving their shows half completed. But NBC's hit show The Blacklist took an innovative approach to tackling this issue. Instead of abruptly ending the show, they decided to complete the episode they were filming and have this episode serve as the season 7 finale.
As they couldn't gather to film in person, they instead had the actors record their audio in their homes. They then animated the scenes they hadn't filmed, resulting in the episode switching back and forth between live-action and animation. Though this was an honorable and thrilling idea, some aspects of the episode were more successful than others, both technically and storywise. Let's take a look at 5 things we loved about the season 7 finale of The Blacklist and 5 things we hated!
Hated: Distracting Music
The Blacklist tried to make the switch between animation and live-action seem intentional. To do so, they added a comic-book theme to the episode. Perhaps this is the reason the show decided to use music that differed from its usual background music.
This music was much louder and felt more like the music one would hear in a superhero action film. While the musical choices were great, they were ultimately too distracting and didn't work within the format of a television show.
Loved: Good Audio
With all of the actors recording their audio from their house, the sound could have been a disaster. Luckily, the audio sounded great, and not just technically. The sound was clear and crisp, but the actors were also able to deliver believable performances.
Though Liz's delivery felt slightly different than it may have in person, all of the other actors and actresses seamlessly transitioned between voice acting and filming live. Reading lines alone while standing still is a much different skill than performing in person, so the actors should be commended for their ability to adapt so easily.
Hated: Too Jarring
Though the creators should be commended for their effort, many found the episode to be extremely jarring. For one, the transition between live-action and animation wasn't done smoothly. As this transition sometimes happened mid-scene, it made it difficult for fans to readjust to the change. This sometimes took fans out of the show, causing them to get distracted and miss valuable aspects of the story.
Another well-intentioned choice that didn't work was the decision to have the cast and crew directly speak to the audience a few minutes into the episode. Although it was moving to hear the messages from these individuals, this probably would have been more successful had they placed this clip at the beginning of the episode. Throwing it in just as fans had become engrossed in the plot removed them from the story once again and then threw them back in without giving them time to process the shift.
Loved: Liz Learned About Reddington's Health
One exciting story development was Liz learning that Reddington was sick. While fans still aren't sure exactly what is wrong with Red, The Blacklist has been hinting that something is seriously wrong for quite a while.
Fans have watched in anticipation, waiting for the moment that Reddington's condition would become common knowledge. After his collapse in the kitchen of his restaurant, Liz finally learned that something is wrong. It will be interesting to see the way this impacts their relationship as the show moves forward.
Hated: Animation
Animation is an incredibly challenging art form. Quality animation can take years to render. While this animation is certainly impressive considering the amount of time the editors had to prepare and complete this episode, it's just not good enough.
Some scenes were more successful than others, as were certain characters. While it was always clear which character was Liz, Ressler was hard to recognize at first. It was also extremely hard to identify the ing characters, making it hard to follow the story when so much focus was put into determining which characters were which.
Loved: Introducing A New Foe
One of the most exciting developments of this story was the introduction of the ant Frank Merwin. Though he was caught at the end of the episode, it seems clear that this character will continue to play a role in the story.
Merwin insinuates that he has information on of the task force and subtly threatens to expose that information. Fans know about several crimes that have been covered up for the main characters Liz, Ressler, and Park. It will be interesting to see what information Merwin has and how it will come into play.
Hated: Katarina And Red Further Complicated
The mystery behind Katarina and Reddington has lost all appeal. While fans were initially thrilled and excited about this storyline, the show has provided so many false narratives and contradicting information that the fan base is, quite frankly, over it. Continuing to complicate the relationship between these two just further angers fans. And yet, that is what they did when they decided to have Katarina save Reddington after he collapsed.
The Blacklist also shared new information that there is a file containing damning information on Katarina that she would like to locate. This was revealed through a throwaway line in which Katarina mentioned Red has the information she needs to obtain the file. If that were the case, why has this file never come up before? Why didn't Katarina ask about the file when torturing Red? And why would she torture him within an inch of his life only to later save him while she secretly plots to take him down? It just doesn't make sense.
Loved: Liz Chooses A Side
Liz has been trying to remain neutral in the conflict between Katarina and Reddington. In the finale, Liz finally chose a side, itting she was more with Katarina than Reddington. The prospect of her picking a side instead of teetering in the middle is thrilling.
Unfortunately, Liz has a habit of flip-flopping and changing her mind, so let's just hope she stays committed to one side.
Hated: Dom's Final Episode
The Blacklist fans were devastated to learn that actor Brian Dennehy, who portrays Liz's grandfather Dom, had died. This incredibly talented actor's scenes were some of the most delightful moments on the show. The Blacklist was quick to tell fans that they would have one more chance to see Dom as he was in the finale of The Blacklist.
Unfortunately, Dom was unconscious during the entire episode and the few shots of him were of him lying still in a hospital bed. While the show could not have predicted his death, watching him lie unconscious knowing that this was the last thing the brilliant actor filmed was depressing. When The Blacklist announced Dennehy would be appearing in one more episode, this isn't exactly what fans expected.
Loved: Katerina Outsmarts Red
Katarina is a captivating and compelling character because she is one of the few characters who is able to outsmart Reddington. In the finale, Katarina outsmarted Red for the third time.
She made a calculated risk, allowing Reddington to gain intel on her so that she could keep Liz's allegiance to her secret. This provides Katarina with a strong advantage over Reddington moving forward, and fans can't wait to see the way this victory plays out.