Directed by Joe Carnahan
Written by Joe Bokenkamp
Ex-government agent and one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives, Raymond "Red" Reddington mysteriously turns himself in to the FBI and offers to give up everyone he has ever worked with including a long-thought-dead terrorist but under one condition – he’ll only talk to newly-minted female FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen with whom he seemingly has no connection. For Liz, it’s going to be one hell of a first day on the job and what follows is a twisting series of events as the race to stop a terrorist begins.
The Pilot provides examples of:
- All There in the Manual: Ranko Zamani’s blacklist number (52) is only revealed in additional material released by NBC.
- Book Ends: Raymond Reddington begins and ends the episode in custody of the FBI but somehow in a position to dictate terms to them in exchange for his help in bringing criminals to justice, ending with his most important demand:Reddington: I speak only with Elizabeth Keen.
- Establishing Character Moment: A well-dressed, harmless-looking late middle-aged man receives a briefcase from another man whom he has a cryptic conversation with, before calming walking into the FBI Headquarters. He politely requests to speak to a senior agent without an appointment and gives his name as Raymond Reddington, before calmly — and to the bemusement of onlookers — beginning to remove his hat and coat. He's then suddenly revealed to be one of the FBI's most wanted and armed responders are immediately swarming the area... only to find that Reddington has "assumed the position" before they've even arrived. Before the series is barely two minutes old, we learn that Raymond Reddington is a criminal and a lot more dangerous than he seems at first glance, that his motives are shrouded in secrecy and riddles, that he is elegant, well-mannered and refined, that he is brazen and incredibly calm under pressure, and that he is clearly several steps ahead of everyone else.
- Establishing Series Moment: Arguably, there are two of them. Both foreshadow the series' love for twists and turns, and how everything can change on a dime.
- The first scene of the series itself. Reddington calmly and confidently walks into the FBI, nonchalantly gives his real name, and then attracts the crowd's attention by taking off his jacket and hat. There's an obvious tension in the air, and yet Reddington getting arrested is still mildly shocking. Meanwhile, he has control over the entire situation, a constant for most of the series.
- Then there's the scene where the FBI pulls up to Liz's house. It's very sudden and Ressler doesn't explain anything; he just tells Liz to get dressed and come with him.
- Also arguably a third; at the end, Red reveals that he didn't surrender himself as a one-off, and that he has an entire list of people he wants to bring to justice.
- Glassy Prison: Reddington is incarcerated in one but is moved to a hotel room.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Given that the staff of a high-class DC hotel recognized Reddington on sight, he clearly has been doing so on several occasions.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Liz stabs a pen into Reddington's neck when she's sick of his talking. This gets him sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for treatment. He then escapes from there and goes to meet with Zamani. She was warned that her action is giving her trouble since the FBI placed her under review for her stabbing attempt.
- Playing Both Sides: Reddington is playing the FBI and Zamani against each other and Liz is caught in the middle.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: Liz jams a pen into Reddington's neck because she's sick of his talking. This actually may have been a part of Reddington's plan.
- The Pen Is Mightier: Liz stabs Reddington in the neck when he doesn’t give her the answers she wants about why Zamani was in her house.
- Title Drop: "Let's call it the Blacklist; that sounds exciting."
- Trailers Always Spoil: Due to the trailers, most viewers went in knowing Reddington assisting the FBI in capturing criminals wasn't going to be a one time deal, despite the fact he doesn't reveal his list until the last ten minutes of the episode. Though in total fairness, it wasn't entirely hard to reach the conclusion that this wouldn't be a one-off, given that it's the first episode of the series.
- Wham Line: As Reddington's debriefing concludes at the end of the episode and everyone gets up to leave:Reddington: Well! This was fun. Let's do it again. [Cooper and Ressler ignore him] Really, let's do it again. Understand, Zemani was only the first.
Cooper: [Cynical] First what?
Reddington: Name. On the list.
[Cooper gestures for the stenographer to stop recording the minutes of the meeting and sits back down]
Cooper: What list?
Reddington: Let's call it the Blacklist; that sounds exciting. That's why we're all here, of course. My wishlist. A list I've been cultivating for over twenty years. Politicians, mobsters, hackers... spies.
Ressler: We have our own list.
Reddington: Agent Ressler, please. We all know your Top Ten is little more than a publicity stunt. It's a popularity contest at best. I'm talking about the criminals who matter. The ones you can't find because you don't even know they exist. Zemani was a small fish. I'm Ahab. And if you want the whales on my list, you have to play by my rules.
