NBC’s The Blacklist is coming to an end after ten years on the air. Created by Jon Bokenkamp, the Emmy-winning series stars James Spader as Raymond Reddington, an ex-U.S. Naval Intelligence officer turned fugitive who informs an FBI Task Force on the operations of dangerous criminals which he has compiled in his "Blacklist."
Raymond "Red" Reddington’s cooperation with the FBI is contingent on a strange condition. Naturally, Red wants immunity from prosecution, but he also wants to work with rookie FBI criminal profiler Elizabeth Keen, played by Megan Boone, to whom he seemingly has no connection. Alongside the pursuit of Blacklisters, the series explores Red’s mysterious relationship with Keen as she attempts to uncover a truth that Red fights to hide.
The Blacklist Is Ending With Season 10
The Blacklist showrunner and executive producer John Eisendrath announced that season 10, premiering Feb. 26, 2023, will be the show's final season. "After 10 years, hundreds of Blacklist cases and more than 200 episodes produced, we’re honored to reach our conclusion," said Eisendrath. The Blacklist has the luxury of planning its finale well in advance, promising answers to lingering questions and satisfying endings for beloved characters.
Alongside James Spader’s Reddington, season 10 of The Blacklist will see the return of main cast members Harry Lennix as FBI Task Force leader Harold Cooper, Diego Klattenhoff as FBI special agent Donald Ressler, and Hisham Tawfiq as Red’s bodyguard Dembe Zuma. Notable absences include past co-star Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen and the show’s creator Jon Bokenkamp. These are two departures that mark major changes the series has undergone over the past two seasons.
Why The Blacklist Season 10 Is The Right Time To End
Seasons 8 and 9 of The Blacklist feature major plot twists that take the series in a dramatically different direction. Red and Keen’s relationship, one of the core elements of the series, is now largely irrelevant following Elizabeth Keen’s murder in season 8. This coupled with Red terminating his work with the FBI Task Force in season 9 brings the series to a necessary conclusion. The ninth season also teases a finale-worthy reversal of the show's original premise as Blacklisters team up to take down Red, who now operates without the Task Force’s resources (presumably). Season 10 marks the second season without creator Jon Bokenkamp. Although current showrunner John Eisendrath has worked on The Blacklist since its inception in 2013, Bokenkamp's departure was an early sign of the show's imminent conclusion.
As The Blacklist comes to an end with its tenth and final season, there is little left to explore. With Elizabeth Keen no longer in the picture and Red's departure from the Task Force, season 10 is the right time to wrap up the series. However, questions remain as to the true identity of Raymond Reddington, a mystery sure to be revealed when season 10 of The Blacklist premieres on NBC.