The Blacklist Season 2 Premiere Review: Lord Baltimore
Season 2 of The Blacklist starts off with a bang, and with Mary Louise Parker’s head in a sack. Poor James Spader!
Red and his long-suffering friends at the FBI are back, but not everyone is in the greatest shape — Red included. As season two of The Blacklist begins, it makes one thing pointedly clear: The brutal events at the end of last season have left their mark on everyone, and, no matter what Lizzie might think, a dramatic haircut will not solve their problems.
But Krysten Ritter with dissociative identity disorder might! Okay, okay, Ritter playing not just a set of twins, but an evil twin and a good twin ON top of dissociative identity disorder?! That doesn’t really solve the problem of Berlin and his lack-of-hand coming for Red, but it does make for a brilliant kick-off to the season.
Ritter (a gifted actress who I often fret about being pigeonholed as a comedian…because I have no life) absolutely dominates this episode as “Lord Baltimore,” hired by Berlin to get to Red. It was a nice dramatic feint — but not as nice of one as Mary Louise’s appearance (and subsequent kidnapping by Berlin) as Red’s ex-wife, and the real target Berlin has set his immediate sights upon. Poor Mary Louise Parker. Always crying on TV, having her head shoved in sacks, and her fingers mailed in tiny little boxes to James Spader. Sigh. Life’s not easy.
Spader continues to nonchalantly demolish the scenery surrounding him with is pursed lips and blasé delivery. Truly, he is a gifted SOB even if looking at him wearing that trademark hat makes me despair. Red doesn’t let a temporary capture by agents of Assad stop him; it’s a veritable pit stop. When he’s not gliding away from that conflict of burning three million dollars he remains as mysterious and enticing as ever. The season has set the ball rolling at a righteous speed. Here’s hoping it can keep up its pace, continuing to deliver such stellar pacing as it develops characters we can’t help but be remain captivated by.
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Rebecca Jane Stokes is a freelance humorist who lives in Brooklyn, NY. She covers entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle. She is a contributing editor at XOJane.com.…