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James Spader played the enigmatic Raymond “Red” Reddington for ten seasons of the hit NBC series The Blacklist. The series starts with Red, a wanted fugitive turning himself into the FBI and becoming an informant, because of a mysterious connection to Elizabeth “Liz” Keen, a profiler with little field experience.
James Spader played Raymond “Red” Reddington in The Blacklist (Credit: NBC).However, as the series progressed, the narrative became centered on the mystery surrounding Red’s real identity. Nonetheless, as the mystery furthered, the series evolved beyond its original premise. Therefore, Spader admitted that by season 10, the series had changed too much. Here is why Spader implied a season 11 would have destroyed The Blacklist.
James Spader Explained Why The Blacklist Season 11 Would Have Destroyed the Show
James Spader debuted in the role of Raymond “Red” Reddington when The Blacklist premiered on NBC in 2013. The series garnered critical acclaim, becoming one of the most-watched shows on network television. It lasted for almost a decade, running for ten seasons.
James Spader felt The Blacklist had changed too much by season 10 (Credit: NBC).While it was time for the series to reach its inevitable conclusion, Spader sat down for a conversation with NBC. In the interview, the veteran actor reflected on his lengthy tenure as Red but admitted that the series needed to end with season 10.
I think if the show went beyond this year, it would turn into a very different show.
Spader made the above statement, explaining that over the years, the series went through several ups and downs, especially in its quality of storytelling. He added:
Tonally the show shifts a lot from episode to episode, and I think that even the show has taken strange turns.
From Spader’s comments, it is evident that the actor was aware of the show’s declining quality.
The show experienced a steep fall in ratings, especially because it sometimes delivered uneven storylines and had to follow a network television schedule. As a result, Spader felt that if the series went on for even a season longer, it would transform into something unrecognizable.
The Blacklist Had Already Become a Very Different Show By Season 10
Spader’s comments perfectly echo some of the issues that plagued The Blacklist, especially in its later seasons. Until season 8, the overall narrative was neatly wrapped around the mysterious true identity of Red. However, Megan Boone’s departure and Liz’s death left this plot thread unresolved.
The Blacklist‘s tonal shifts meant a season 11 would have destroyed its legacy (Credit: NBC).Furthermore, the series ventured into a new territory with Red seeking revenge in season 9 and becoming a target himself in season 10. As a result, the viewers experienced a whiplash effect with the overall narrative. Similarly, the series also constantly shifted its tonality when it came to episodic stories.
Moreover, the series experienced a decline in viewership, averaging only 5.47 million viewers during its penultimate season. Therefore, it is evident that the tonal shifts in the show despite its evolution beyond its original premise did not appeal to most of its viewers. As a result, the series naturally had to end without overstaying its welcome and rightfully concluded with season 10.
The Blacklist is streaming on Netflix.
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