Directed by Stephen Surjik
Written by Amanda Kate Shuman & Jason George
General Ludd (No. 109) provides examples of:
- A-Team Firing: In "General Ludd", Liz and Ressler engage in an extended shootout from their SUV to a bank truck which the episode's Big Bad is standing behind. Despite the range of less than 30 feet, the large number of shots fired, and all participants making poor use of cover, neither the agents nor the criminal are hit (of course, killing the antagonist in a gunfight would have deprived Reddington of the opportunity to out-villain him at the end of the show). Although to be a bit fair, the pistol-armed Ludd militant was using the bulletproof door as cover. More than a bit of Truth in Television here: a surprising number of real life police shootouts play out like this, with large numbers of rounds being expended at short range without effect.
- Expy: General Ludd acts similar to Anonymous, except for their willingness to use terror attacks. The ersatz Guy Fawkes masks would seem to imply that General Ludd has been hiding among Anonymous and using their identity.
- Mercy Kill: Reddington smothers Liz's adoptive father, so he won't have to suffer a painful death from cancer—or expose a secret about Liz's adoption.
- Newscaster Cameo: Late Washington, D.C. NBC station WRC 4 anchor Jim Vance (who worked at the station from 1969 until his death from cancer on July 23, 2017) makes a brief appearance as a reporter.
- Playing Both Sides: Reddington delivers up General Ludd to the FBI, but steals the printing plates for the US $100 dollar bill.
- Sexy Discretion Shot: Most notably in "General Ludd", where we see Liz joining Tom in the shower as the camera pans tastefully away; followed by a big dose of
Squick as we cut to the sinister surveillance team's location and see that the couple are being video-monitored even in the bathroom. - Would Hurt a Child: "General Ludd" has an accidental example. The debris from a cargo plane the terrorists blew up kills a father and son who picked the wrong place to play football. Although, it is very likely that multiple child casualties occurred from their bombings.
