These dangerous criminals may have made Red’s Blacklist, but did they make mine?
So, here we go again. In case you haven’t already seen my previous list of Top 10 Blacklisters, you should.
Today, I’ll be looking at the best one-off Blacklisters. These were people who only ever appeared on the show once — during their eponymous episode. That means that people like Floriana Campo, who was only in one episode but wasn’t the Blacklister the episode was named after, won’t be on the list; and neither will people like Gina Zanetakos, who was a Blacklister, but appeared in more than one episode.
I’ve also decided not to include the Stewmaker or Anslo Garrick, who would’ve fit the description, but they were already included in the previous list.
I’ve also got a few honorable mentions, because I came up with my top 13 or so pretty easily, but then it was pretty difficult to only put 10 on the list.
I’m judging them based on the following criteria:
- Whether I personally liked the Blacklister and/or found them a compelling character
- Their overall uniqueness
- Whether they were imposing, threatening, terrifying, worthy of being tracked down by Red and the Task Force, etc.
- Whether the Blacklister/episode hit on larger themes or foreshadowed future revelations or story developments
- The guest star’s performance
- And whether the Blacklister had any lasting impact on the story or characters
(Author’s note: I initially posted this list on my social media before Season 6 aired. I haven’t updated it, but simply reposted it here with the Nerds’ permission. So there will only be Blacklisters from Season 1-5.)
10. IVAN
Here we have one of our first Blacklisters who hit on the theme of “stealing someone’s identity” to better or further accomplish one’s goals. This, obviously, became a major plot point later with Red being revealed as an impostor, but Blacklisters stealing other people’s identities was a major recurring theme starting all the way back in the first season.
The “Ivan” episode was also the one where Liz realized that Tom was a total shitbag, but that didn’t really have much to do with the Blacklister himself. But, as other people pointed out at the time, Ivan (the teen) was an instance of a man trying really hard to impress the girl he loved and keep her close, just as Red — up to that point — had been trying to impress Liz and keep her close.
And, as you’ll see, I’m always a sucker for when the Blacklister ends up being a kid, because it’s a nice subversion when you expect this like mobster asshole to show up and in walks a 5-year-old with an iPad and a lollipop.
9. THE HAREM
A group of female thieves/criminals was something we hadn’t really seen on the show before. We’d seen a group of dude commandos; individual men or women who were doing their own thing; but we hadn’t seen a group of women doing their thing. This was a nice change of pace, and while it was kind of plothole that the Harem didn’t recognize Liz, it was entertaining to see her go undercover and try to outwit them.
It also gave us more insight into Red’s past via that former English agent, and his and Liz’s relationship. Plus, I like when Liz has to run around in street clothes and act like a grungy criminal, so I enjoyed this episode and these Blacklisters.
8. MAKO TANIDA
If you read last week’s Top 10 list, you’ll know that one of the reasons I loved Anslo Garrick as a Blacklister was because his namesake episode shook us out of our complacence and gave the show real stakes.
Granted, in the “Mako Tanida” episode, we hadn’t known Audrey for long, and it was obviously just an opportunity for more Man Pain; but… again, remembering how that episode went down at the time, it was pretty intense. “Mako Tanida” felt like it had real stakes, because people could die on this show. Even though she was a character who now seems to have only been brought back into Ressler’s life only to be killed off, the episode was intense and thrilling nonetheless. It also provided Ressler with some nice character moments that we haven’t really seen much of since, and again, it was another instance of an antagonist taking on the identity of someone else to accomplish their goals (although that wasn’t Mako Tanida himself but that FBI agent who stole the Tensei identity).
Still, I wouldn’t say that Mako Tanida was a very memorable character based on his personality, but his actions had a long-term impact on Ressler. So, I would say that, outside of Anslo Garrick and maybe the Stewmaker, he was probably the most threatening Blacklister we’d had up to that point.
7. FREDERICK BARNES
I always underestimate the kind of pull this show can get in terms of guest stars, but I guess the fact that in its seventh episode, it managed to pull Robert Sean Leonard should always serve as a good reminder. He was just coming off the series finale of House, and was given this character of Frederick Barnes — a sympathetic but very demented doctor — which was similar to Wilson on the surface, but his morality was much more corrupted.
The character also provided some much-needed development for Liz, as she initially tries to be a profiler and find out how to help him without him needing to be violent and she lets him get away. Then she gets blasted for it by Ressler and Cooper and reminded that she’s now a field agent and she can’t take risks like that anymore. So then, when she encounters him again with the kid, she shoots and kills him. This was Liz’s first on-screen kill, as I recall, albeit in the line of duty.
And, in addition to the ‘stolen identity’ theme among Blacklisters, there’s also a recurring theme where the Blacklister seeks to protect a loved one or get revenge for their death. Barnes was one of the first in this category, along with Ranko Zamani. Plus, this aspect of Barnes’ character gave us more insight into Red when he remarks about Barnes, “Someone who’s willing to burn the world down to protect the one person they care about, that’s a man I understand.”
6. DR. LINUS CREEL
So, one thing that continually bugs me about The Blacklist is how often its cold openings show multiple innocent people being shot or killed, mostly just for shock value. In our violent world in which mass shootings happen on an all-too-often basis, I don’t need to see any more of it on my TV.
However, while I dislike it, I actually appreciated the way this episode went in an unconventional route with such a setup in that opening, by showing us that — for this doctor — it’s not an atrocity; it’s an experiment. It’s not a revenge plot. It’s not a mobster trying to take more power. It’s a doctor testing his subjects. A man who purposely tries enticing people into becoming violent, committing crimes and larger atrocities is a villain who gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about him. His cool callousness and almost excitement at what his subjects are capable of is morbidly fascinating.
Plus, this character/episode went along with early Season 2’s much darker tone, and introduced the idea that Liz has the Warrior Gene (which she likely does). It also hinted at the idea that Liz knew what had happened to Tom — that she was doing something to him; and gave us a good look at who this darker Liz was.
Anyway, this is a long way of saying that I don’t always appreciate the show’s overly violent style, but in this case, I think it worked well with the Blacklister, the episode’s message, and the season’s tone.
5. LORD BALTIMORE
I think when I first saw the “Lord Baltimore” episode, I was kind of disappointed. It likely stemmed from the fact that this was the show’s first episode of the new season after it’s three-month summer hiatus.
But, looking back on it now, this seems to be a very underappreciated episode and Blacklister. Krysten Ritter is a superb actress, as her time on Jessica Jones proves, and I underestimated at the time how big it was for the show to have her on as its first Blacklister of the second season.
Like with many other entries on this list, Lord Baltimore also stole the identity of someone and was using it to further her own ends. In this case, it was her twin sister, who had special government access. In fact, it was so far that she formed a split personality of her sister.
Lord Baltimore also had a tremendous impact on the rest of early Season 2, as she was the one who identified and found Naomi Hyland (the former Mrs. Reddington) and turned that information over to Berlin, which led to Naomi’s abduction and Red’s need to rescue her, etc.
This was a pretty high-stakes episode, in hindsight, and I thought the Blacklister’s tie-in to early Season 2’s serial arc was well done. That isn’t always the case on this show. Sometimes Blacklisters are just shoe-horned in, because we need someone for the Task Force to track down while Red does whatever he wants to do. (See episode 5.20: “Nicholas T. Moore” as an example.) But, in this episode, the balance between the procedural and serial elements were handled well. Plus, I just like Krysten Ritter.
4. ARIOCH CAIN
As I said above, I’m a sucker for when the audience’s expectations about a Blacklister are subverted, and instead of some greedy dirtbag, it’s a little kid. Or instead of a murderous thug, it’s a misunderstood person. Because it’s nice to see that not only can women and people of color be Blacklisters, but so can you, kids! Never give up on your dreams!
Anyway, I truly think this episode/Blacklister is overlooked and underappreciated. Because of the whole serial drama going down with Dembe supposedly dying, Mr. Vargas betraying Red, and Solomon threatening Liz … it’s easy to forget what all happened in relation to the actual Blacklister of the episode. So, in case you forgot, someone had crowd-funded a bounty for Liz via a website, and our heroes acquire the name: Arioch Cain. They bust into the address, and find out it’s not the dad of the family, but the teen daughter who wants Liz dead. She had made the post to get revenge on Liz for supposedly killing her mom in the OREA bombing.
Again, another instance of a Blacklister trying to get revenge for a loved one’s death; and this time it’s coupled with the Blacklister stealing someone’s identity (or using a fake one) to do what they desire; or at least, a confusion of someone’s identity. Plus, Arioch Cain’s actions forced Red and Liz to fake Liz’s death in order to find out where the Blacklister was — which of course was brought back again later with Liz’s “fake death” in Season 3.
So, for me, this one was a triple-whammy: it hit on two major recurring themes on the show (protecting/avenging loved ones; identity theft/confusion), subverted expectations by having the Blacklister be a kid, and also foreshadowed Liz’s “fake death.” Now, while it might not be the most memorable Blacklister, Arioch Cain deserves more recognition than I think she gets.
3. T. EARL KING IV
Take a look at this giant fucking asshole.
Not you, Jeffrey DeMunn. You’re a treasure.
But the character Earl King is an asshole.
There are lots of different types of villains on this show, but the ones I hate the most are the ones who profit off kidnapping and selling people. You know, like real-life human traffickers.
You want to rob banks? Launder money? Be an arms dealer? Drug trafficker? Fine. Well, not fine. But, I’ve come to just accept that from my TV villains. But if those bitches want to sell people at auction, I’ll sit there and hope that one of our heroes grabs them by the throat and throttles them so I don’t have to.
Top that off with that fact that Earl King makes his sons compete against each other in selling off things/people in the auction; and whomever loses has to play Russian roulette… I imagine you’ll see why I call him a giant effing asshole.
King and his sons proved to be a formidable force, capturing Red and forcing Liz to go undercover to help rescue him. This led to some incredible character moments for the two of them. And, again, of all the criminals on the Blacklist, the Kings are among the most deserving. They’re intimidating low-lives who have no sense of decency, humanity, or anything — really — beyond building a dynasty and preserving it by the most barbaric means necessary. And while the sons get kind of a pass in my eyes because they weren’t given a very good choice (”Sell lots of shit at this auction or you might die”), the dad gets all of the blame and thus all my anger that I set aside specifically for fictional people.
Asshole.
2. MR. GREGORY DEVRY
So, after “The Director” episodes aired and the Cabal storyline was pretty much resolved, the show seemed to peter out for a while in terms of quality of Blacklisters. Until the “Solomon” episodes where Liz & co. are attacked and then Liz later “dies.”
Between episodes 3.11 and 3.17, there really wasn’t much in the way of exciting TV, in my opinion. We got nice little morsels and tidbits in each episode, but it wasn’t nearly as exciting as seeing Liz and Red on the run. Even this episode, when I first saw it, was kind of “meh.”
Like, it was a good episode, but after “The Director: Conclusion,” it felt very anticlimatic. That’s one problem I think this show continually has — it reaches a peak in paying off its serial storylines with its fall finale or spring premiere, but then it doesn’t really know how to get down from that peak in a satisfying way. It always seems to fall dramatically — going from its highest peak to its lowest valley in about 20 minutes of screen time. Take the “Ruslan Denisov” episode, which followed on the heels of the “Luther Braxton” two-parter. It was pretty forgettable. And, while it might be a fine episode as a standalone, when you compare it to its immediate predecessors, it seems to fall pretty damn flat.
Anyway, this is all a long way of saying that I didn’t really appreciate this episode at all until after the Season 4 finale, when the Ol’ Bag O’ Bones was introduced, Liz was confirmed to be the daughter of ‘Raymond Reddington’ despite Red denying it earlier in the series, and I was first convinced of the theory that our Red was an impostor.
Now, with the benefit of hindsight, this episode/Blacklister and its placement seem to make a lot of sense. Again, we were coming off a high from “The Director.” You’d like to think that the next Blacklister would’ve been an important one, since the showrunners knew that people would be excited and paying attention.
And, now we know that it was.
Looking back over my list of criteria, this one checks off almost all the boxes: I liked Devry; I thought he was unique; his appearance foreshadows the “Impostor Reddington” theory; he hit on a major theme (stealing identities or confused identities); and I thought Jake Weber did a fantastic job pretending to be someone whose identity Red had stolen, rather than it being the other way around.
However, there are two things that, in my mind keep Devry from being #1 on this list. Because, I was VERY tempted to put him at the very top.
So, the two big things I have against him as a Blacklister is that Devry really wasn’t that much of a threat, comparatively speaking. He had some information on the Task Force and other Blacklisters (which we later found out was provided to him by Red), and he claimed to be the ‘Real Raymond Reddington.’ But other than that, he wasn’t really all that threatening or malicious. He was similar to Dembe or Leonard Caul or Marvin Gerard in that respect — even though he was technically listed as a Blacklister, he was ultimately on the side of our protagonists.
And the other big problem I have is that the actual title of the episode ruined the guy’s true identity. The cold opening is almost always about the Blacklister and some nefarious deed they’ve done (often without them being around) that brings them to Red’s or the Task Force’s attention. (I think the pilot episode is probably one of the few exceptions to this rule.) So, when we see Devry in the cold opening with the files of the Blacklisters and the Task Force, it already gives the fact away that despite claiming to be the ‘Real Raymond Reddington,’ he is actually Gregory Devry. So, while the characters might be wondering whether Devry is the real Reddington, the audience has already figured that can’t be the case and is instead wondering whether Red is in on the deception.
So, while I don’t mind that we as the audience still had to do mental gymnastics, it would’ve better if Devry’s identity had been kept more ambiguous from the audience. Like maybe that guy Marcus, the one Red kills at the meeting, could’ve been the Blacklister of the episode — especially given that he was REAL antagonist, not Devry.
Again, though, in hindsight, this was a fantastic episode and a tremendous Blacklister on almost every front. I think it could’ve been done a little bit better, but rewatching it, “Mr. Gregory Devry” contains an amazing the amount of foreshadowing and world-building details that would eventually pay off later in the Season 5 finale. Thus, this Blacklister/episode definitely deserves the #2 spot.
NOW BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO MY #1 ENTRY, LET’S TAKE A REALLY QUICK LOOK AT A FEW HONORABLE MENTIONS…
HONORABLE MENTION: THE CARETAKER
Another Blacklister I didn’t really appreciate at the time; but, upon further reflection, this guy was actually a pretty interesting character and he had a unique gimmick. He wasn’t really a criminal — not a mob boss, a crime lord, a trafficker, or a hacker. He was a secret keeper. And ultimately, it was his own secrets that got him into trouble — not others’.
This episode also hinted at a larger truth that Red was keeping from Liz (the letter that he burns at the end of the episode, which likely told her he was an impostor), and has a great moment that I’ve only recently appreciated where Red says he doesn’t believe he EVER wants Liz to know the truth (despite having written the letter for her some years earlier).
Again, The Caretaker was kind of a sympathetic but flawed character in how the reveal about his (adopted) daughter was handled, and I really think he had a good gimmick as a Blacklister. Better than some of the other ones we’ve seen since then.
HONORABLE MENTION: ANNA-GRACIA DUERTE
The only entry on the list from Season 5. Every other season was represented on here at least twice. (Season 1: four entries; Season 2: three entries; Season 3: three entries. Season 4: two entries). Kind of interesting how the quality of Blacklisters has seemingly been trending downward… at least, according to the list. Then again, I had at least one entry from Season 5 on the other list, so make of that what you will.
Anyway, the real point is that I liked Anna’s story, and as I said above, I hate when people take advantage of others and ‘profit’ off them. I understand that some non-Western cultures allow or maybe even encourage teenage girls to marry older men, but I didn’t have much sympathy for the men in these episodes. I was pretty much on Anna’s side here. Granted, I don’t think anybody deserves to die, but as what they did wasn’t illegal, I guess legal repercussions (ie, prison time) for their creepiness is out of the question.
And as I said in other entries, I liked that Anna was someone who subverted our expectations, especially given the cold opening. Red believes his contact was killed by Ian Garvey or one of his goons, or like a rival criminal operation. But, no, he wasn’t killed because he was a criminal. He was killed because he had married a minor. And he was killed by a teenage girl.
The only reason she isn’t in the Top 10 is because I felt the social commentary aspect was deserved but maybe a little bit over-done. And, also, I think there were just stronger entries on the list. While I liked her conversation with Samar, Anna didn’t have a big impact on the story; she didn’t seem to hit on any big themes; and while she was unique, imposing and I liked her, I just felt that these other entries were better.
HONORABLE MENTION: THE FORECASTER
So, basically the only reason this isn’t on the list is because I thought Arioch Cain did the same thing, but better. Subverted expectations by having a kid be the Blacklister. And, like with Devry, the Forecaster (the little girl) wasn’t actually a ‘bad guy’ or a threat. She was just a little girl who kept hearing things and turned them into dioramas. But, I thought it was kind of a clever little gimmick, so I wanted to give it a shout-out.
And now without further ado, the #1 one-off Blacklister is…
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1. THE CYPRUS AGENCY
This bitch.
Do I really need to explain this entry?
Based on everything I’ve said thus far and the various reasons I find Blacklisters compelling or think they’re worth an entry on this list — hitting on larger themes, having an impact on the story, being a major threat, etc. … you had to have figured the Cyprus Agency would be on here.
They were a very worthwhile entry to the list, as a group of people who were literal human traffickers / rapists masquerading as an adoption agency.
They also hit on a larger theme that we haven’t discussed yet, mainly because the Blacklisters themselves often don’t touch on it because it’s more frequently brought up by the main cast — family.
The clients of the Cyprus Agency were basically custom-ordering their kids from this adoption agency because they wanted them to complete their visions of an idyllic family. Because if they didn’t have a boy like they’d envisioned, or a little girl they’d picked a name for, or the right race, or a kid who wasn’t very smart… it would be a ‘less-than’ type situation and their ‘perfect family’ would be ruined. Sorry, but as much as I want and hope people adopt children who need homes IRL, the fact that, at least in the show, people were doing this disgusts me. Y’all: your adopted kid doesn’t need to fit your family perfectly or be the “ideal child.” Take them in and love them anyway.
But, of course, what disgusts me infinitely more is what the AGENCY was doing, not the clients. Kidnapping women, basically putting them into indefinite comas so they could be literal baby farms, impregnating them with the dude’s own sperm. (Which, side note: did he impregnate them the ‘old fashioned way’ or just like with a turkey baster? Either way, it’s wrong.)
Touching back on the family theme and the human trafficking deal, this guy not only kidnapped women to impregnate them, but then once he had these purposely-created kids WHO WERE HIS, he just sold them for a profit to these unwitting families.
Yeah, these fictional people can go to fictional Hell, in my book. I can see why Liz was disgusted with the idea of adoption and ‘starting a family’ after seeing this trash heap of a human literally creating his infant children just to sell them.
Speaking of, THIS was the episode where Liz decided that Red was at least partially right, that he had planted enough seeds of doubt about Tom that she couldn’t start a family with him. THIS episode/Blacklister had a lasting impact on Liz (at least through the remainder of Season 1), as she called off the adoption, voiced her doubts to Tom, and starting putting her trust (at least subconsciously) more so in Red. Plus, in that last sequence we see that Cooper, despite all his moral qualms, believes that the Blacklist ultimately does the world good.
I also thought that guest star Campbell Scott, who plays the main doctor guy who ends up being all the kids’ father, did a great job. He’s also kind of got a bit of a silver fox thing going on in this photo, but that’s just me. While The Director was a villain whom I enjoyed and appreciated, Scott was tremendous playing a villain that I cannot stand, so props to him.
So, as I said before, while I had considered putting Gregory Devry at #1, I felt like these people were more imposing and the episode/Blacklister had a more permanent impact on the characters. Foreshadowing is great and all, but at the time this episode aired, it was a pretty big step for Liz in terms of both character development and plot progression.
And it was all thanks to Red giving her The Cyprus Agency as a Blacklister.