History Series / TheBlacklist

''The Blacklist'' is a crime drama series which premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} on September 23, 2013. It opens with a man calmly walking into the FBI's regional headquarters in New York and asks the desk clerk for a specific senior officer of the FBI. He's asked if he has an appointment. He says that he doesn't, but the man will want to see him. He is asked his name, and calmly states that he's Raymond Reddington ([[Series/BostonLegal James Spader]]). While waiting, he walks a short distance away, sets down his briefcase, places his coat and hat on it, gets down on his knees, and interlocks his fingers behind his head.

!!Tropes in this series include:

''The Blacklist'' is a crime drama series which premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} on September 23, 2013. It opens with a man calmly walking into the FBI's regional headquarters in New York and asks the desk clerk for a specific senior officer of the FBI. He's asked if he has an appointment. He says that he doesn't, but the man will want to see him. He is asked his name, and calmly states that he's Raymond Reddington ([[Series/BostonLegal James Spader]]). While waiting, he walks a short distance away, sets down his briefcase, places his coat and hat on it, gets down on his knees, and interlocks his fingers behind his hands.

Thus begins the first episode of ''The Blacklist'', where we discover that Reddingington has unexpectedly turned himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all. However, he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Elizabeth Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for unknown reasons.

->''"I'm talking about the criminals who'' matter''. The ones you can't even find because you don't know they exist. Let's call it [[TitleDrop The Blacklist]], that sounds exciting."''

Thus begins the first episode of "The Blacklist," where we discover that Reddingington has unexpectedly turned himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all. However, he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Elizabeth Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for unknown reasons.

* BadassBoast: Reddington explaining the people on the Blacklist: "He's just a small fish... and I'm Ahab."

''The Blacklist'' is a crime drama series which premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} on September 23, 2013. It opens with a man calmly walking into FBI regional headquarters in New York and asking the desk clerk for a specific senior officer of the FBI. He's asked if he has an appointment. No, but the man will want to see him. He is asked his name, and calmly states that he's Raymond Reddington ([[Series/BostonLegal James Spader]]). While waiting, he walks a short distance away, sets down his briefcase, places his coat and hat on it, gets down on his knees, and interlocks his fingers behind his hands.

It is at this point that the clerk discovers that Reddington is a world-class master criminal who is on the Ten Most Wanted list. The clerk hits the alarm, and the swat team show up, with nothing to do but point their semi-automatic weapons at him, because Reddington has already gotten down on his knees and put his hands behind his head.

Thus begins the first episode of "The Blacklist," where we discover that Reddingington has unexpectedly turned himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all - but he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Elizabeth Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for unknown reasons.

* CardCarryingVillain: In the promos, there's a scene where Agent Keen asks Reddington if he can be trusted. His response?

* EvilVersusEvil: Raymond Reddington, world class criminal, versus every ''other'' world class criminal on his list.
* {{Expy}}: From the bald head to the high taste (and even the glass prison) Reddington just screams Expy of Hannibal Lecter.

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: It's set up in the pilot that Reddington is only helping them catch Ranko Zamani, until the last few minutes where Reddington reveals he has a list. Anybody who read the synopsis or watched the trailer already knew this, though.

* ParentalAbandonment: Liz's parents. Raymond also abandoned his wife and child on Christmas Eve before beginning his stint as master criminal.

* TalkToTheFist: In the pilot episode Liz jams a pen into Red's neck because she's sick of his talking.

* VillainProtagonist: Raymond Reddington.

* XMeetsY: ''Series/WhiteCollar'' meets ''Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs.''

''The Blacklist'' is a crime drama series which premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} 23 September 2013. It opens with a man calmly walking into FBI regional headquarters in New York and asking the desk clerk for a specific senior officer of the FBI. He's asked if he has an appointment. No, but the man will want to see him. He is asked his name, and calmly states that he's Raymond Reddington ([[Series/BostonLegal James Spader]]). While waiting, he walks a short distance away, sets down his briefcase, places his coat and hat on it, gets down on his knees, and interlocks his fingers behind his hands.

It is at this point that the clerk discovers that Raymond Reddington is a world-class master criminal who is on the Ten Most Wanted list. The clerk hits the alarm, and the swat team show up, with nothing to do but point their semi-automatic weapons at him, because Reddington has already gotten down on his knees and put his hands behind his head.

Thus begins the first episode of "The Blacklist," where we discover that Reddingington has unexpectedly turned himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all - but he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Liz Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for reasons unknown.

* MagnificentBastard: Like him or hate him, Reddington always show a sense of style and grace, the calm master criminal vs. the often overworked and harassed FBI agents.

Thus opens the first episode of "The Blacklist," where we discover that Reddingington has unexpectedly turned himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all - but he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Liz Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for reasons unknown.

* ParentalAbandonment: Liz

''The Blacklist'' is a crime drama series which premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} September 23 2013. It opens with a man calmly walking into FBI regional headquarters in New York and asking the desk clerk for a specific senior officer of the FBI. He's asked if he has an appointment. No, but the man will want to see him. He is asked his name, and calmly states that he's Raymond Reddington ([[Series/BostonLegal James Spader]]). While waiting, he walks a short distance away, sets down his briefcase, places his coat and hat on it, gets down on his knees, and interlocks his fingers behind his hands.

Thus opens the first episode of "The Blacklist," where we discover that Reddingington ha unexpectedly turned himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all - but he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Liz Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for reasons unknown.

''The Blacklist'' is a crime drama series set to premiere on Creator/{{NBC}} in the fall of 2013. It focuses on world-class master criminal Raymond Reddington ([[Series/BostonLegal James Spader]]), who one day unexpectedly turns himself in to the FBI, claiming to have a list of all the shadowy sorts he's dealt with over the years, and he will help the FBI catch them all - but he will only talk to one of their agents, a young rookie named Liz Keen ([[Series/LawAndOrderLA Megan Boone]]), for reasons unknown.

* ThePenIsMightier: Liz nicking Red's carotid artery with a pen in order to get information about Zamani.

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: It's set up in the pilot that Reddington is only helping them catch Ranko Zamani, until the last few minutes where Reddington reveals he has a list. Anybody who read the synopsis or watched the trailer already new this, though.

-->'''Reddington''': Well this was fun! Let's do it again. Understand that Zamani was only the first.
-->'''FBI Agent''': The first what?
-->'''Reddington''': Name! On my list.* NiceHat: Reddington wears one when he's first seen in the promo.

''I'm talking about the criminals who'' matter''. The ones you can't even find because you don't know they exist. Let's call it [[TitleDrop The Blacklist]], that sounds exciting.''
-->'''Raymond Reddington'''

* NiceHat: Reddington wears one when he's first seen in the promo.
* ThisIsOnlyTheBeginning: When Reddington reveals his list.

-->'''Reddington''': Name! On my list.

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: Just read the plot description.

* WickedCultured: Guess.

* Expy: From the bald head to the high taste (and even the glass prison) Reddington just screams Expy of Hannibal Lecter.

* AnticlimaxBoss: Reddington has been on the FBI's Most Wanted list for decades, yet he surrenders himself without a fight.

* BackFromTheDead: The first name on Reddington's list, terrorist leader Ranko Zamani.