The Blacklist star James Spader shared his thoughts on the show’s controversial and divisive series finale.
Actor James Spader played the role of Raymond “Red” Reddington in The Blacklist. The series received critical acclaim and lasted for ten seasons before reaching its inevitable conclusion in 2023. However, the much-anticipated series finale wasn’t as universally acclaimed for more than one reason.
During an interview, Spader revealed his take on the show’s controversial series finale. The actor felt that the ending was appropriate and showed support for the creative decisions of the series finale. As a result, fans might argue with Spader’s reasoning for the ending, and here is what the veteran actor had to say about it.
James Spader revealed his thoughts on The Blacklist‘s controversial finale
James Spader played the role of Raymond “Red” Reddington on The Blacklist, which premiered in 2013. The series proved to be an instant hit with Spader’s portrayal of the enigmatic criminal turned FBI informant receiving critical acclaim.
After ten seasons of Red’s complex goals, backstory, and motivations, the series finally arrived at its conclusion in 2023. The series finale saw Red meet his ultimate fate, with viewers still unsure about his true identity and connection to Elizabeth “Liz” Keen.
Given the anticlimactic series finale, most fans were disappointed with the show’s ending, which proved to be controversial. Fans were extremely unhappy with how the finale handled the fates of major characters and Red’s true identity (via Reddit).
Despite the controversial ending, Spader was supportive of it, telling NBC’s official website the following ahead of the two-hour series finale:
It was deliberate, and we weren’t taken by surprise in terms of when the ending was going to come.
Spader’s comment suggests that it was always the plan to conclude the series after ten seasons. Moreover, the Avengers: Age of Ultron actor felt that the ending had conviction and expressed gratitude for being able to end his run as the iconic character on his terms.
The Blacklist finale answered one important question about James Spader’s character but a little too late
Despite Spader’s comments, most fans would disagree with the veteran actor because of how certain plot points were handled. The finale’s attempt to frame Red’s demise as a poetic full-circle moment felt flat, opposing Spader’s comments about a conviction-driven ending.
Furthermore, one of the biggest questions since the show’s very first episode was handled rather oddly. Red’s mysterious true identity and connection to Liz were major plot points across the ten seasons. However, the storyline became increasingly convoluted, especially after Liz was killed following Megan Boone’s exit.
In the finale, conversations between Red and Agnes, Liz’s daughter, imply that the former is the latter’s grandparent. Moreover, Agent Cooper also confirms that Red and Agnes are biologically related. Red himself suggests that he was a woman before when discussing his motherly instincts for Agnes.
Ultimately, the finale quietly tried to confirm the Rederina theory, which suggests Red is actually Liz’s mother, Katarina Rostov. However, the reveal came a little too late as Liz wasn’t around for it to make any kind of narrative impact. Hence, Spader’s argument that the series ended at the right time also does not hold much weight.
