The Blacklist

:

Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 23, 2013
Season #: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
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Critic Reviews

  1. Time
    Sep 23, 2013
    60
    To the extent that Reddington is compelling, it’s because Spader is doing all the work. He gets little help from the pilot script, which feeds him some sharp lines but imagines him as a generically debauched mastermind.
  2. Uncle Barky
    Reviewed by: Ed Bark
    Sep 18, 2013
    58
    The Blacklist is watchable but patently unbelievable and increasingly unpalatable.
  3. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    Sep 23, 2013
    50
    The Blacklist doesn’t waste time making sense, as the focus zooms all over Washington, D.C. Too often, it seems more like a blueprint for a show than a show.
  5. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Phil Dyess-Nugent
    Sep 23, 2013
    50
    Spader is fun to watch in a shallow, ornamental way, but he’d be worth caring about if there were some limits to his character’s abilities. Instead, he’s not just brilliant, but also practically unbound by the laws of time and space.
  6. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hank Stuever
    Sep 19, 2013
    50
    The pilot episode is stylish and swiftly paced, but that’s all it is, and despite some intriguing plot twists, there’s not a lot of motivation to keep coming back.

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Best TV Season of 2013
7
#7 Most Discussed TV Season of 2013
10
#10 Most Shared TV Season of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 502 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 398 out of 502
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 502
  3. Negative: 55 out of 502
  1. joef123
    Sep 28, 2013
    10
    The Blacklist is an amazing, intense, well-acted, well-written, and well-directed. James Spader and the female lead (I forgot her name) areThe Blacklist is an amazing, intense, well-acted, well-written, and well-directed. James Spader and the female lead (I forgot her name) are amazing together. I highly recommend this show… Full Review »
  2. rachiebabie
    Sep 25, 2013
    2
    Has the potential to be great, BUT it sadly looks like it will not live up to it's potential. Conceptually, it is great, but the writing isHas the potential to be great, BUT it sadly looks like it will not live up to it's potential. Conceptually, it is great, but the writing is terrible, nonsensical, and illogical. All the problems are too easily solved by Spader's character, the FBI is portrayed as one big idiot as everyone seems to be out of the loop. Spader's outfit in the opening? WOOF. It was offensively cheesy.… Full Review »
  3. critcal
    Sep 30, 2013
    1
    cliché, badly written and predictable script. Example 5 seconds after Reddington mentions Ranko Zamani's name they've matched his prints oncliché, badly written and predictable script. Example 5 seconds after Reddington mentions Ranko Zamani's name they've matched his prints on the plane he just flew into Washington on....c;mon, really?..I can't see this series lasting 3 months before it goes on the chopping block...… Full Review »
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