On the box

In an effort to escape the new seasons of the same old reality formats that litter the programming guide, and artfully dodging the new wave of “great Aussie dramas” that are almost always based on morbid true events – I seem to have found a gem.

The Blacklist is both engaging and formulaic. Above all else though, it is a wonderfully-acted drama with a great cast. A truly thrilling crime show, The Blacklist revolves around a rookie federal agent who on her first day of service is requested personally to be the liaison to one of the world’s most dangerous men. The dangerous man in question, Raymond “Red” Reddington is played masterfully by veteran actor James Spader. Red’s interest in the young agent begins a glimpse into the series’ themes of ambiguous intentions, deception and secrecy.

The interesting thing about The Blacklist is that it isn’t really covering any new ground. The stakes are always high and there’s always next week’s baddie to nab. This seems to be something of a trend: the brilliant genius consultant assisting the police to solve crimes is the plot of virtually every half-baked Sherlock Holmes-exploiting producer in television. One thing that breaks the mould here though is Spader’s Red, who is a truly unpredictable character and whose motivations are never fully understood. One moment he is seen as saving the day, another endangering the entire agency in order to secure personal gain.

Of late, serialised dramas are pitched as vehicle programs, usually anchored behind the weight of one central star. The thing that sets The Blacklist apart from programs like Hannibal, The Mentalist or Criminal Minds – is that none of these shows feature James Spader. There is a reason that he has won multiple Emmy awards for his work in the past and he truly drives the pace of the show with his performance.

The cast as a whole is solid and features a good balance of seasoned TV veterans and newcomers, but the focus is never far off Spader, who portrays Reddington as a dangerous and deceptive entity with the charm and charisma that one would expect to find in a criminal sociopath.

The Blacklist definitely fills into that “morish” category of television that can be savoured weekly in a ritualistic fashion, or just as easily all devoured in the one hit. Having just been extended to a second season of 22 episodes, the ratings and networks would tend to agree with me on this one, it’s definitely worth a look.

The Blacklist’s first season can be seen on Channel 7 on Wednesdays at 8.45pm.