S09.E17: El Conejo

[mxc90]

Quote

Fri, Apr 22, 2022

When a member of the Task Force is captured by the leader of a cartel, they turn to Red for guidance. Red investigates a seemingly impossible heist. 

 

[edhopper]

It makes no sense, but I would welcome Mr. Kaplan back.

[dwmarch]

50 minutes ago, edhopper said:

It makes no sense, but I would welcome Mr. Kaplan back.

I agree, the rest of the episode was pretty disposable but this would be the first decent twist this show has had in a while... even if it is from way out in left field.

So that guy at the beginning of the episode actually gets a reward for being mistakenly tortured by Red. Hey Red, is there anyone else you have tortured among your crew who might have you by the bocce balls?

Also could not help but think that the lighthouse keeper's lonely existence would sure be spruced up by the presence of a cat or a dog.

[preeya]

14 minutes ago, dwmarch said:

Also could not help but think that the lighthouse keeper's lonely existence would sure be spruced up by the presence of a cat or a dog.

I thought we were getting a misdirected version of Groundhog Day. I was looking for a cameo from Bill Murray.

[mxc90]

Can Red take any of his people's word? He immediately goes straight to "Torture by Teddy" when he wants answers. And at the end, when it's reveled Kosta was telling the truth, he quietly apologizes, offers the villa as recompense and expects every to be fine. Kosta needs to get in touch with Marvin if they ever want revenge on their boss.

Seems Kosta was buying groceries every day. Couldn't buy enough for the week? Or maybe there's a cute cashier he wanted to see, made an excuse to go there all the time and forced to buy items he doesn't need.

Aram's mom hears the commotion on the phone and instead of calling the police after hearing the recording, she races over, sees the door broken in/ajar and her first action is to make sure the broken vase knocked on the floor is cleaned up? Yup! That's Aram's mom. We now know where his goofy side came from.

Aram had a meeting with National Intelligence that day, never arrives and they couldn't send an agent or police to see if he's OK. Must not have been an important meeting.

Real smart of El Conejo's dumb kidnapper to scream "Greetings from El Conejo" as Aram's phone is on. Should have given the address for where to find him too, to complete your ineptness.

Red is getting soft or forgetful. Last episode, he was disgusted at Aram for betrayal. Red could have gotten his revenge and let El Conejo finish Aram. Nope! He aids the agents to find him.

Couldn't Red make more money for himself and recommend the services of Teddy if anyone needs to find out the truth. Teddy could have come in real handy to see if Aram was lying. 

Geez Red. Did you really expect Liz to be awake after the first 5 minutes of your opening lecture? Couldn't add some spicy visual aids or music to make sure you had her complete attention on being a crime boss? 

Poor Scripps Brothers! Thanks to Red, now the FBI knows your ID and will be paying you visits for any illegal computer activities. Was exposing your criminal computer geeks to the law part of Red's teachings to Liz?

Seeing the footage of Red sitting in the chair giving his lecture, must have been how Spader pitched the proposal to the NBC executives to renew for a season 10. And it worked!

Why is Red rewatching? Did he forget his own teachings?

Good grief Antonio. Aren't you a little too grown to be acting so whiney and clingy? And he used the roommate's computer knowledge to get daddy's attention instead of robbing banks or fixing his grades or others for a fee. And after all this, his father shoots him, is now in jail and probably will never speak to him ever again. I hope it was worth it kid. On the other hand, brother Samuel will most likely love you now as he will take over the business.

Good job by the well trained FBI to let El Conejo get to his gun and shoot after surrounding him with their weapons drawn.

Due to time of episode close to ending, Red was forced to take Henrich's word that he made a second safe for "Mr. Kaplan" and didn't have Teddy torture him with animals or bocce balls for the truth!

I guess we will learn Mr. Kaplan used to be on the Olympic Diving team.

Cooper has been demoted, so why does he still have an office? He should be downstairs with the rest of the losers!

Aram has been pissing off many people lately. Soon Red will give a Blacklist number for Nick, when he attempts to kill Aram for losing out on all that business!!!

Edited April 23, 2022 by mxc90

[edhopper]

At least Aram didn’t really give up a billion dollars. I wonder if a code that can break through any cybersecurity would be of use to the FBI?

[Brian Cronin]

It was already clearly Marvin, but the involvement of Mr. Kaplan sure makes it more clear, as Marvin is one of the only characters on the show who KNEW Mr. Kaplan. And since obviously Mr. Kaplan didn't murder Liz, then it makes a lot more sense that Marvin just took over Kate's plan and used it to kill Liz (doubly ironic that both Red and Kate only wanted to protect Liz and they both basically ended up getting her killed). 

[rr2911]

So, the old man who built the safe said that Mr. Kaplan was a "tall woman".  I don't recall Mr. Kaplan being tall at all.   

[Brian Cronin]

Ha, @meira.hand beat me to my edit. Yeah, he says she WASN'T tall. 

Edited April 23, 2022 by Brian Cronin

[Brian Cronin]

Man, they are spending SO MUCH FUCKING TIME ON THIS that I'm now starting to wish that it somehow IS Liz behind it all, with some plastic surgery so that they could recast her. It wouldn't make any sense, but at least if it was Liz, then ALL OF THE FUCKING TIME they spend on Liz would actually feel like there is a payoff, ya know? 

Maybe she wasn't in on it? Maybe the device she ingested released some sort of drug that made her appear to be dead? Then they swap her out for another body (somehow with the same device in it? Already this makes no sense) and then give her plastic surgery and send her somewhere else to live her life protected from Red. Maybe that's something a somehow survived Mr. Kaplan COULD pull off? Maybe at this point, it was Kaplan doing it without Liz even WANTING her to do it? Again, none of this makes any sense, and Marvin killing Liz because he didn't want her ruining Red's organization makes much more sense, but dammit, whether it makes sense or not, they spend SO MUCH FUCKING TIME on Liz this season that it would seem somehow wrong to not somehow have her turn out to still be alive with a new face (heck, wouldn't that also tie in with the fact that Red had plastic surgery to look like Red?). Maybe the same drug that faked her death also wiped her mind, so she doesn't know Agnes exists and doesn't remember that Red is Katarina, so those plots could be dragged out some more? That FEELS more Blacklist-y, right? 

[Just my 2 cents]

I can't believe it's almost May and they're still trying to find out who killed Liz.  She died over two years ago.  I think I would have been happier if they would have let Liz and Agnes ride off into the sunset and into hiding like Samar.  At least then we wouldn't have to hear about her every week.  Next season Agnes will legally be an adult and old enough to train to eventually take over Red's business.  Unfortunately, during her training we'll have to listen to Red wax nostalgic regaling Agnes with tales of her mother's life beginning from Liz's birth up until her untimely demise.  This will cover the entirety of season 10.

Edited April 23, 2022 by Just my 2 cents

[Such A Flirt]

Aram Is An Idiot, Part # 312. Why did he confess to his douchebag ex-buddy? Couldn't the dude sue the hell out of him? And he just blindly trusted him with the third-party review. And how come everyone seems to have a copy of this super-special program, all of a sudden?

And why would Mr. Kaplan want Liz dead? All she ever did was to protect her, unless I'm misremembering things.

[Dowel Jones]

Who did Mr. Kaplan hire to break down a wall, extract a safe and replace it with an exact copy, and repair the wall such that there is not a single flaw visible, all in the space of time that Kosta went into town and back?  I have some work for them at my house.  

The reveal of Mr. Kaplan is delicious.  Even more so that Red mentions her betrayal on the recording.  My interest is up again.

The Wabbit is making a fortune smuggling...avocados?  The writers have apparently never been to San Diego County.

Once again the police/feds blow their sirens as they're pulling into a dead end alley.  Plenty of time to run, guys.

[paigow]

El Cojone would be on a different show....

[NeenerNeener]

9 hours ago, mxc90 said:

Poor Scripps Brothers! Thanks to Red, now the FBI knows your ID and will be paying you visits for any illegal computer activities. Was exposing your criminal computer geeks to the law part of Red's teachings to Liz?

These guys weren't Red's computer geeks. Red's computer geek recommended these guys as being the second best hackers.

6 hours ago, rr2911 said:

So, the old man who built the safe said that Mr. Kaplan was a "tall woman".  I don't recall Mr. Kaplan being tall at all. 

Yeah, I don't either. Maybe Marvin has an accomplice who pretended to be Mr. Kaplan. Or it was Liz herself, pretending to be Mr. Kaplan, when Liz went rogue. We don't know who she may have pissed off during her "sabbatical", so maybe these were stolen from Liz after she stole them from Red. 

4 hours ago, Just my 2 cents said:

Next season Agnes will legally be an adult and old enough to train to eventually take over Red's business.  Unfortunately, during her training we'll have to listen to Red wax nostalgic regaling Agnes with tales of her mother's life beginning from Liz's birth up until her untimely demise.  This will cover the entirety season 10.

God, I hope none of the writing staff for this show read this board....

Edited April 23, 2022 by NeenerNeener

[paigow]

4 minutes ago, NeenerNeener said:

God, I hope none of the writing staff for this show read this board....

If they did, odds are the show would improve...

[rr2911]

3 hours ago, NeenerNeener said:

These guys weren't Red's computer geeks. Red's computer geek recommended these guys as being the second best hackers.

Yeah, I don't either. Maybe Marvin has an accomplice who pretended to be Mr. Kaplan. Or it was Liz herself, pretending to be Mr. Kaplan, when Liz went rogue. We don't know who she may have pissed off during her "sabbatical", so maybe these were stolen from Liz after she stole them from Red. 

God, I hope none of the writing staff for this show read this board....

So, please refresh my memory.   Mr. Kaplan did die several seasons ago...correct?

[PBnJay]

1 hour ago, rr2911 said:

So, please refresh my memory.   Mr. Kaplan did die several seasons ago...correct?

Well, she took a dive off a bridge, never to be seen again. So, the answer is yes, no, maybe, or she's kinda sorta part way almost dead. Or not dead.

If Mr. Kaplan comes back, I'm back watching this show again.

Edited April 23, 2022 by PBnJay

[meira.hand]

11 hours ago, rr2911 said:

So, the old man who built the safe said that Mr. Kaplan was a "tall woman".  I don't recall Mr. Kaplan being tall at all. 

No he didn't. He said "She wasn't very tall"

[milkyaqua]

Agree, the Mr. Kaplan reveal was the only good thing about this epi even if we have to believe that she's one of the world's best swimmers and good at holding her breath for long periods of time...  So is it really her behind all of this or is Marvin doing a fake out or the both of them working together?  And yes, Mr. Kaplan seemed to want to protect Liz so if she was responsible, she botched that job.

Aram's mom not calling the cops and Aram letting his ex-partner know that he'd rejiggered the program seem about right for this family.  The whole time Aram's talking to Nick about what he's done, I'm thinking, "How is Nick not filing a lawsuit against Aram not a possiblity?"  But let's not look for logic in any of this.

The fact that the FBI took everyone down this time (twice in fact!) has got to be a record for them.  I also will never understand who you go to rescue/capture bad guys and then let them know you're coming by blasting your sirens.

As for Antonio, I hope he'll enjoy prison.  Your dad and brother are criminals and you've been given the best of everything and opportunity for a higher education without going into debt like the majority of folks and you're having a temper tantrum because daddy doesn't pay enough attention to you and were surprised that dad tried to take you out?  You're too dumb to live.

Red having to watch his ramblings about this business enterprise to figure out the safe should have been more than enough torture for Kosta on top of winding up with the villa and I could have done with seeing Weecha do whatever she was doing to Teddy...  As for Kosta's trips from the house, eh, a lot of folks shop daily for groceries so that part I can buy but there must have been several people in on that job with the safe to get in and out and clean up as well as they did.

I can't believe TPTB are dragging this nonsense out to the end of the season.  This wasn't necessary AT ALL.  Be gone!

[preeya]

13 hours ago, rr2911 said:

So, the old man who built the safe said that Mr. Kaplan was a "tall woman".  I don't recall Mr. Kaplan being tall at all.   

According to some celebrity wiki page, Susan Blommaert (Mrs. Kaplan) is 5' 8" tall.

[rr2911]

2 hours ago, PBnJay said:

Well, she took a dive off a bridge, never to be seen again. So, the answer is yes, no, maybe, or she's kinda sorta part way almost dead. Or not dead.

If Mr. Kaplan comes back, I'm back watching this show again.

If it is Mr. Kaplan, then that would be a big twist and maybe good for the show.  The only thing that I'm confused with if Kaplan is the one doing all this then why did she have Liz killed?  Unless that was the one thing that she could do to Red that would ruin his life?   

Hmm, I'm still sticking to Cynthis Panabaker as the mole for now. 

Edited April 23, 2022 by rr2911

[NeenerNeener]

2 hours ago, rr2911 said:

If it is Mr. Kaplan, then that would be a big twist and maybe good for the show.  The only thing that I'm confused with if Kaplan is the one doing all this then why did she have Liz killed?  Unless that was the one thing that she could do to Red that would ruin his life?   

Maybe she didn't have Liz killed, at least not intentionally. We don't know what kind of trouble Liz may have gotten in to (or caused) when she stole Red's money and ran off to Europe with wee Agnes. Red has never been curious about what she did during that year or so that she was gone. Maybe that's a mistake. Nah....that would all be too logical and the one thing this show has never been is logical.

[ottoDbusdriver]

This episode was pretty bad.  I never thought that Aram really could be that stupid, but apparently so.  He never asked for an electronic copy of the 3rd party report, he just took his partner's word that the binder was all there was.  

Enough with the 'hunt for Lizzie's killer' already.  No one cares.

Was it really necessary to force us to watch Red's home movies he made for Lizzie ?  Did Red take a few Forget-me-nows after he made these movies ?

Still no sign or mention of the dogs, Robert Vesco's cat and Sierra the cat -- then again maybe Mr. Kaplan has been taking care of them.

 

[Welshman in Ca]

22 hours ago, PBnJay said:

Well, she took a dive off a bridge, never to be seen again. So, the answer is yes, no, maybe, or she's kinda sorta part way almost dead. Or not dead.

If Mr. Kaplan comes back, I'm back watching this show again.

 

Maybe she was just "mostly dead"?

[Surrealist]

On 4/23/2022 at 9:51 PM, ottoDbusdriver said:

Enough with the 'hunt for Lizzie's killer' already.  No one cares.

One of the best things Megan Boone did was leave the show, but it's almost as if she hasn't given the amount of attention the showrunners still give her character.

I wish they'd move on from her and focus on regular Blacklisters not involved with her death.

Edited April 28, 2022 by Surrealist