Ressler’s Story…
The Blacklist, Season 7 – Episode 17 gives us Ressler’s story… No blacklister, no case, hell… not even any Reddington. How do you have an hour of The Blacklist with no Reddington?!
I’ve been a fan of this show since the beginning – even when I thought things were being drawn out too long in seasons 4 and 5… but after this recent episode – I have some questions. This storyline 7 seasons in doesn’t make any sense… and the way some things played out… What the heck were they thinking?
Quick Recap
We learn Ressler’s father was a cop, shot while on a duty – because of his former partner (Tommy Markin) being dirty. A young Ressler learns about the partner’s involvement and takes matters into his own hands – and shoots him in his house. He calls his brother for help, who arrives to come take care of the body.
Flash forward to the present and the field where the body of Markin is buried – is about to be dug up for a development project. The Ressler brothers (the oldest played by Anthony Michael Hall) concoct a plan to dig up the body and get rid of it for good.
Except the car they’ve placed the body in, is stolen by the Albanian mob because of Robby’s debts… And now Ressler must give up information on an undercover FBI Agent in order to get the car and body back. Ressler, being the righteous guy he is this episode, decides that can’t happen and calls in Keen to help take down this mob – and ultimately turn himself and his brother in for their crimes as young men.
The mob is taken down, the car impounded – and all sides are in the middle of their respective interviews/interrogations. But, wait, there’s more… Keen decides to get rid of the body and clean the car just as accusations are made against the Resslers.
No body, no crime – and all is right with the world.
But, is it?
So, back to those questions I have regarding this episode… This episode was rushed at the end (in my opinion) and there are some things that just don’t make any sense.
The Undercover Agent
Keen gets rid of the body… but where is the undercover agent?
What if he was already there and knew about the car, the body, everything? If he deeply entrenched as part of this Albanian mafia – there’s a good chance he may know everything – and if he does – what now? He’s not going to keep quiet – the secret will come out – and that potentially could dismantle the entire task force now that Liz is involved.
No Longer Righteous
Ressler was all-in on the righteous move. Turn himself in, tell them everything, clear the slate. Then, all of a sudden, a change of heart because the body is gone?
For at least 10 minutes of this 46 minute episode, we heard all the reasons why he needed to do the right thing… Then in a span of 18 seconds, he completely changes his mind? Where did “doing the right thing” go? This was incredibly rushed and doesn’t make any sense to me. We’ve seen Ressler flip-flop before – but never this quickly… and certainly not when he’s 100% sure about what he needs to do.
I get it… Ressler NEEDS to stay on the task force. I want him there. But keeping him there with this swift shift – doesn’t compute.
Where’s the body?
We know Liz took care of it – but where did it go? Will it pop back up again? Will she, or even Reddington, be able to use it as blackmail in the future if Ressler doesn’t fall in line when needed? Would she do that? We know Reddington would…
And Ressler doesn’t even ask where it went? Suspect.
The Blacklist without Reddington
is like a taco without the shell. It’s good, but it’s missing a key ingredient.
Did Liz call him to dispose of the body and we weren’t allowed to see that? Or is Liz the Reddington of this episode all on her own? Like Father, Like Daughter? I guess I don’t mind that we never see James Spader grace our screens… but I admit it, I missed him.
Why Season 7??
And, finally… Why is this backstory coming out in season 7? It’s awful late in the game to do this – not typical in the television storytelling world… I’m not against it, but it says to me we are going to see a lot of changes with Liz and Ressler in the future – thus they had to tell this story so far into the series.
Are they about to become a couple? Is Ressler going to become a bigger part of the Reddington empire?
There’s a reason they chose to do this when they did… What is it?
And will we have to wait another season or two to find out? I hope the wait isn’t as long as it was to find out about that darn suitcase seasons ago.
But, it’s The Blacklist… and just like Reddington himself – they’re never telling us everything.
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