S03.E13: Alistair Pitt

[Tara Ariano]

Red and Liz attempt to stop a negotiator who's trying to unite two rival crime families. Meanwhile, Tom reconnects with a former flame. Tony Shalhoub guest stars.

[krimimimi]

Meanwhile, Tom reconnects with a former flame. Tony Shalhoub guest stars.

I mean, I get that Tom's a chameleon and can pretty much be all things to all people, but I wouldn't have thought Tony was his type...

[Danielg342]

I'm excited for Tony Shaloub. Can't wait for the staredown between Mr. Monk and Red.

[AimingforYoko]

Kind of a waste of Tony Shalhoub, but a nice insight into Red's deficit of fucks. He's really settling accounts right now. Someday the FBI is going to stop being his monkey, but only when NBC doesn't renew.

Johnny Sack! This show is a pretty big comedown from The Sopranos.

[Free]

Someday the FBI is going to stop being his monkey, but only when NBC doesn't renew.

 

The last blacklist person.

[HavartiHead42]

What has Monk done to that dog's tongue?? He's like the clone-gone-wrong of the other dog. Yet I can't look away.

[ottoDbusdriver]

What the hell was the name of Shaloub's character, the Clumnestria or something ?  The writers couldn't choose something a little more difficult to pronounce.  That is just a terrible character codename

 

I just don't buy this stupid medieval-warring-families-marry-and-all-the-killing-stops bullshit. It was such a stupid premise, especially after the one mob boss OKed the assassination of his own son's fiancé.  That was just stupid.

 

I guess the scenes with Josephine were meant to take place several years ago, I guess.

 

All the Lizzie baby drama was just such a snoozefest -- oh noooess, the adopting couple didn't realize Lizzie was THAT Elizabeth Keen, so now they want a closed adoption.  Seriously, Lizzie used her real name to put "her child" up for adoption -- what an idiot !  

 

And they have already decided to put Lizzie in large coats and shooting her from the chest up, or parking her behind large obstacles.  Isn't she only supposed to be 2 or 3 months pregnant -- Lizzie can't be THAT stupid not to have known BEFORE the doctor told her.  So why are they already acting like she's in her 8th month ?  Seriously, in some scenes it looked like Megan Boone was wearing a prosthetic on her chest and stomach.

 

And Samar needed to give it a rest on the whole baby shower nonsense -- Lizzie is barely showing, the baby shower wouldn't be for months.

Edited February 5, 2016 by ottoDbusdriver

[orza]

And they have already decided to put Lizzie in large coats and shooting her from the chest up, or parking her behind large obstacles.  Isn't she only supposed to be 2 or 3 months pregnant -- Lizzie can't be THAT stupid not to have known BEFORE the doctor told her.  So why are they already acting like she's in her 8th month ?  Seriously, in some scenes it looked like Megan Boone was wearing a prosthetic on her chest and stomach.

Some women who are not trying to conceive don't notice they are pregnant for a couple of months, especially if they have busy lives and are not in the habit of tracking their period closely or have an irregular menstrual cycle. It happens. Doesn't make them stupid. Lizzie may be at most 3 months along but Megan Boone is, apparently, in her third trimester. That was obvious in the scene with the adoption lady. Her sizable belly was pretty visible for a brief moment.

[LittleIggy]

What has Monk done to that dog's tongue?? He's like the clone-gone-wrong of the other dog. Yet I can't look away.

If a dog has lost teeth, the tongue can loll out like that.

[Free]

All the Lizzie baby drama was just such a snoozefest -- oh noooess, the adopting couple didn't realize Lizzie was THAT Elizabeth Keen, so now they want a closed adoption.  Seriously, Lizzie used her real name to put "her child" up for adoption -- what an idiot !

 

It's like she forgot she was just a fugitive until only recently.  The baby plot was dumb and having her be absent from the actual cases made no difference whatsoever, so much for her not being an agent anymore.

[preeya]

  .

Edited February 6, 2016 by preeya

[torqy]

If a dog has lost teeth, the tongue can loll out like that.

My niece-in-law had an adopted greyhound that was missing some teeth, and the tongue did the same thing. Especially odd after she shook her head, the tongue would appear out the side. (The dog, not the niece!)

 

ETA: too bad they didn't get Bitty Schramm for a guest role...

Edited February 5, 2016 by torqy

[dwmarch]

Prevailing opinion seems to be negative so far but I loved this episode. The Romeo and Juliet plotline, the Pomeranians, Red getting some supreme revenge... I loved it all.

 

Why couldn't Gina Zanetakos have been that awesome from the beginning?

 

Speaking of awesome, I don't think this show would suffer if we got rid of a couple of characters and replaced them with those puppies instead.

 

Did we actually have a Blacklist episode in which the FBI did not fuck something up by virtue of their existence? They actually did some undercover ops that went off without a hitch?

 

Only minor nitpicking here: Agent Navabi is a Jewish mother now? That's Iranian Agent Navabi we're talking about, right? Okay, I looked it up and there is a such thing as Iranian Jews. But seriously show, make up your mind.

[Noirprncess]

What has Monk done to that dog's tongue?? He's like the clone-gone-wrong of the other dog. Yet I can't look away.

It's a rare condition that causes the tongue to sit out like that. There is some famous dog on the interwebs that has the same condition.

I thought it was cute too. Unfortunately my friend had a Pom that was cute like that but with the personality of Cujo.

[Chaos Theory]

I thought the episode was fun. Too bad Shaloub wont be back as a recouring character. I also like the main plot and the DEA agent who kept calling Liz Comrade Rosova. It all worked well for me. Also the baby stuff worked for me too. Liz is someone who might consider having someone else raise her child but she spent a lifetime not knowing who her birth parents really are she would never do that to her own child.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[Primetimer]

He's a man with a very particular set of skills...and TWO Pomeranians!

Read the story

[preeya]

"Comrade Rostova?

I told you not to call me that."

 

Repeated at least four times.

[AimingforYoko]

It's classic dickmove behavior, try out an insult and once you find out it really bugs the target, repeat infinitely.

[AbsoluteShower]

So now Lizzie is absolutely fine with Red murdering federal agents because they called her bad names? Gaaaahhhhh!!!!

[AbsoluteShower]

Also Lizzie professing to be shocked SHOCKED that Red once again uses FBI resources for his own nefarious purposes. Once again - Gaaaahhhhh!!!!

[alias1]

I hate people that want to give up their child for adoption and then still want to be part of their lives.  Raise it yourself, or let go.

 

And I know this is probably not a popular opinion, but I've always disliked Navabi.  They keep trying to make her the smart one and she just looks smug to me.  She always knows better about everything (gee, she is so clever about how the real world works).  And I hope we are not going to be subjected to a pointless plot involving her ex now.   

[Stuffy]

So now Lizzie is absolutely fine with Red murdering federal agents because they called her bad names? Gaaaahhhhh!!!!

I thought he was hit by a stray bullet from the gunfight. He was standing near the doorway.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Stuffy

[AbsoluteShower]

I thought he was hit by a stray bullet from the gunfight. He was standing near the doorway.

 

Ah, that makes more sense I guess...I was confused because after he grabbed his neck and blood spurted out the camera cut straight to Red. I withdraw my original Gaaaahhhh....

[saber5055]

What has Monk done to that dog's tongue??

That grosses me out when I see dogs unable to retract their tongues. If it's not some birth defect, then the tongue hangs out because the teeth have been extracted so there is nothing to hold the tongue in. (Yes, dogs get infected teeth; the infection then goes into their blood stream resulting in bad news for survival.) Anyway, selecting that dog was such a bad idea IMO when there are tons of other dogs available, I am sure.

It's classic dickmove behavior, try out an insult and once you find out it really bugs the target, repeat infinitely.

This bugged the heck out of me, too. Lizzie was all crybaby, "Wah, wah, don't call me that, I TOLD you not to call me that." This from a cold-blooded killer and international fugitive? All she had to do was say, "Shut the f*ck up, Tiny Dick" or some other even worse thing one can call a man, then give him the nickname "Peanuts" or something even worse that you can tag a man with.  I guarantee, he would have stopped calling her "that."

 

So we get Lizzie all "How did my mom die?" several times, and Lizzie whining "Don't call me that" several times. Then we get her all "I'm giving up my baby but I'm staying in his/her life, I want to drop in whenever and leave whenever, at my whim." Man, Lizzie needs to be the one to Shut The F*ck Up. 

Agent Navabi is a Jewish mother now? That's Iranian Agent Navabi we're talking about, right? Okay, I looked it up and there is a such thing as Iranian Jews. But seriously show, make up your mind.

Well, there's that plus the kick-ass Navabi is now all weepy because her EX whom she DIVORCED is now engaged. Like it was okay that she shagged Ressler. But some guy she hasn't seen since ... when? ... has her all mopey and wanting to put on a baby shower? Aram, you can do SO much better.

 

This show's writers hate dogs. First, Lizzie's dog got left in the fleabag (ha) motel. Then Tom brings her another one, which disappears from her new apartment. Then Monk leaves his two Poms in that restaurant, and now they are homeless on the streets. Geesh, show. WTH?

 

And what's up with Lizzie going through that ONE adoption agency. There aren't other agencies out there? She can't put an ad in the paper/on the Internet? Or, OH YEAH, what about Red helping out? For sure he can find a fake family/nanny since that's what Lizzie is looking for, someone to take care of/raise her kid while she drops in whenever to play the role of "real mom."

 

I got the impression that Red's girlfriend was attacked not all that long ago. For some reason, I thought it was just three years ago? (Which would put it at the beginning of this show.)

Edited February 5, 2016 by saber5055

[HawaiiTVGuy]

The stupid thing is if Shaloub's character never "volunteered" to orchestrate the killing of the fiancee, and thus get his own hands dirty, pretty much he wasn't doing anything illegal.

[saber5055]

When I saw the title of this episode, all I could think of was Elaine Benis: "Mr. PITT! Mr. Pitt!" Someone needed to buy him some socks.

[Gregg247]

I got confused at the end of the episode, when it turned out Monk had used this same "marry off the children of the warring families" technique years ago and Red's girlfriend was involved.  Earlier on, they showed that it was one of Monk's dogs who came up with the plan while in the bathtub. So, show, which is it?!?!  ;)

[calipiano81]

So now Lizzie is absolutely fine with Red murdering federal agents because they called her bad names? Gaaaahhhhh!!!!

Red did not kill the DEA agent. The guy got shot from the side...probably from all the gunfire still going on in the event hall.

ETA: Already explained by Stuffy

Lizzie's coldness towards Red these past few episodes is really ticking me off...it's as if the whole first half of Season 3 (and the heartwarming end of 3x10) didn't happen and we have returned to the back half of Season 2.

Well, at least she had his back against the DEA agents .

Edited February 6, 2016 by calipiano81

[Danielg342]

Well, I'm probably not going to call this one of Tony Shaloub's greatest roles...but I'll at least say as the sinister Machiavellian Alistar Pitt he was fine.

 

It was a nice idea for a story- merge failing crime families by marrying them together, especially by convincing them with "one last hit" to take out the love interest of the prospective couple. Might have been a bit more fun if we saw Pitt actually create the rivalry by setting the families against each other, but that might have been a bit too outlandish. Still, I did think the episode had pacing problems, so having Pitt actually orchestrate the rivalry through the episode might have better filled the time needed.

 

I also did dig that this was a Blacklister who had a very personal connection to Red- too many times the reason why Red goes after a Blacklister is spurious, so it was nice to see the story come around in this episode. I also liked that Josephine managed to live...but Stephanie Szostak is too young to be Red's love interest. Szostak is 40, James Spader will be 56 in two days...I mean, this show got Molly Price (49)...couldn't that have worked better for Red?

 

At least Szostak and Spader had some sparks...so I guess it could work.

 

Then there was Tom's subplot with Gina Zanetakos...you know, Gina and Tom should just run off and pull off Ocean's Eleven type plots and just forget about Lizzie, the baby, Red or even this show...because Ryan Eggold and Margarita Levieva had far more chemistry in one millisecond than Eggold and Meghan Boone have on the entire series. I believe I've said it before but Eggold should have a shown on to his own- he can be scene stealer and a dynamic presence, but he's hamstrung by poor writers and executives who can't create a character as deep as Eggold makes him nor give him ample space from other characters to let him shine.

 

Actor's 31, and Levieva will be 36 in four days (lots of Blacklist birthdays this month don't we have?)...still enough time for both to make a name for themselves.

 

The rest of the episode? Well, Aram was funny making that comment about letting go of someone who "made an insane error in judgement", but other than that- Lizzie's baby drama, Samar's love drama, Ressler and Cooper doing little- everything else fell flat. It's only Red who makes this show worthwhile.

 

Which is why I'll say this episode was worthwhile...I was entertained, but it wasn't stellar. B.

[betsyboo]

Kind of a waste of Tony Shalhoub, but a nice insight into Red's deficit of fucks. He's really settling accounts right now. Someday the FBI is going to stop being his monkey, but only when NBC doesn't renew.

 

Alert! new band name!

 

Only minor nitpicking here: Agent Navabi is a Jewish mother now? That's Iranian Agent Navabi we're talking about, right? Okay, I looked it up and there is a such thing as Iranian Jews. But seriously show, make up your mind.

She's Mossad, isn't she??

So now Lizzie is absolutely fine with Red murdering federal agents because they called her bad names? Gaaaahhhhh!!!!

I was confused here, too - DId RED shoot the DEA agent? I couldn't tell - and then thought maybe he caught a stray bullet from the dining room.

Well, there's that plus the kick-ass Navabi is now all weepy because her EX whom she DIVORCED is now engaged. Like it was okay that she shagged Ressler. But some guy she hasn't seen since ... when? ... has her all mopey and wanting to put on a baby shower? Aram, you can do SO much better.

 

Isn't her ex Oded? Am I remembering that correctly? She took the time during her brother's terror ambush to smooch him?

I thought he was hit by a stray bullet from the gunfight. He was standing near the doorway.

I need to learn to read all the other posts before I respond....

[Chaos Theory]

I got a kick out of Tony Shalhoub on this. I thought he did great and was actually kind sad to see him get killed off. I am of the unpopular opinion that this is a is good (not great and by no means a prestige) show. I actually look foward to it each week. It is one of the few shows I watch live anymore.

I thought DEA guy was being a dick for being a dick sake and kinda smiled when he got shot by a stray bullet. Honestly I was hoping Liz would turn around and shoot him herself. That would have been fun.

I still say the adoption plot is interesting and at least semi realistic in that Liz knows how dangerous her life is but doesn't want to leave her kid with the same questions she has been asking. An open adoption or at least a friendly adoption would let her be a part of her child's life in some form. Situations differ in tvland and in Real life as well. I knew a girl in highschool who was adopted who was always in contact with her birth parents in one form or another.

[ottoDbusdriver]

This bugged the heck out of me, too. Lizzie was all crybaby, "Wah, wah, don't call me that, I TOLD you not to call me that." This from a cold-blooded killer and international fugitive? All she had to do was say, "Shut the f*ck up, Tiny Dick" or some other even worse thing one can call a man, then give him the nickname "Peanuts" or something even worse that you can tag a man with.  I guarantee, he would have stopped calling her "that."

 

So we get Lizzie all "How did my mom die?" several times, and Lizzie whining "Don't call me that" several times. Then we get her all "I'm giving up my baby but I'm staying in his/her life, I want to drop in whenever and leave whenever, at my whim." Man, Lizzie needs to be the one to Shut The F*ck Up. 

 

Well said.

 

Lizzie's coldness towards Red these past few episodes is really ticking me off...it's as if the whole first half of Season 3 (and the heartwarming end of 3x10) didn't happen and we have returned to the back half of Season 2.

 

How many episodes do we have to wait before Lizzie returns to the "I'm done with Reddington" routine ?  Because they have done this nonsense so many times the writer's always circle back to it.

[Dowel Jones]

Another great Reddington line:  "Honestly, if I paid taxes, I'd be outraged."

 

Should we start a forum on what to get Elizabeth for the baby shower?  I'll spring for a set of custom made wigs.

 

I dare say that the diamond merchants will be looking for a new security service soon.  Those guys couldn't organize a two car parade.

[anarchyangel84]

And what's up with Lizzie going through that ONE adoption agency. There aren't other agencies out there? She can't put an ad in the paper/on the Internet? Or, OH YEAH, what about Red helping out?

  

I thought about this as soon as the lady basically told her that no one would take her baby and keep the adoption open. Just because she & Tom went through them when they were going to adopt doesn't mean she HAS to use that agency to give her baby up. Go to another agency!! I'm sure there are people out there that felt bad for Liz when it came out that she was set up & would be just fine with taking her kid. There are also people out there that would do anything for a baby. All she has to do is look or, like you said, have Red help.

I really don't want her to have this kid because then she'll never really be able to get away from Tom. Sometimes I really like him but sometimes I really don't. He doesn't like Red & wants to get Lizzie away from him, which isn't cool. I like Red & don't want to see him hurt. I also like Liz & Red's relationship & don't want it to change.

I got a kick out of Tony Shalhoub on this. I thought he did great and was actually kind sad to see him get killed off. I am of the unpopular opinion that this is a is good (not great and by no means a prestige) show. I actually look foward to it each week. It is one of the few shows I watch live anymore.

I thought DEA guy was being a dick for being a dick sake and kinda smiled when he got shot by a stray bullet. Honestly I was hoping Liz would turn around and shoot him herself. That would have been fun.

I still say the adoption plot is interesting and at least semi realistic in that Liz knows how dangerous her life is but doesn't want to leave her kid with the same questions she has been asking. An open adoption or at least a friendly adoption would let her be a part of her child's life in some form. Situations differ in tvland and in Real life as well. I knew a girl in highschool who was adopted who was always in contact with her birth parents in one form or another.

I also really like this show, especially since some of the other shows I like to watch have gone downhill a bit. I often wonder where they come up with some of the Blacklisters & story lines. I was never a big fan of Megan Boone as Liz- but I love James Spader. I like most of the other characters too- especially Aram. He's so sweet & nice.

[Noirprncess]

I guess I was the only one that laughed when the DEA agent got shot in the neck. Serves him right for calling Liz "Comrade Rostova" several times even when she asked him to knock out off.

[saber5055]

I guess I was the only one that laughed when the DEA agent got shot in the neck. Serves him right for calling Liz "Comrade Rostova" several times even when she asked him to knock out off.

Jeepers, and I'm the only on who didn't see the name-calling DEA agent even GET shot. Blame that on either my cr*ppy ancient tv or me not paying all the best attention. I hope he's only partly dead so he can continue his grade-school name calling and making Lizzie cry. Maybe he'll start pulling her pigtails later on.

 

I was vaguely disappointed we didn't get to see what the commercials teased all week for this episode, Red telling Lizzie that woman is Tom's ex-lover. Jealousy! Still, I liked the con Tom got in with her. I mean the guy's an international hired assassin, he needs to do something besides teach junior high history in some town somewhere. Plus his ex needs to be his current love interest ... she is hot and yes, her chemistry with Tom as his ex was ... well, let's just say they actually HAD chemistry as opposed to what he has with that "other" woman.

Stephanie Szostak is too young to be Red's love interest. Szostak is 40, James Spader will be 56 in two days

 

Daniel, I applaud you for wanting men and women to be closer in age when they are a couple. However, I am surprised Red isn't dating a bunch of 20-year-olds, that would be more like real life. A 40-year-old woman is lucky to get a date from a 70-year-old man since the 70-year guy is looking for 20-year olds too. Not that I know anything about that ...

Edited February 6, 2016 by saber5055

[Julia]

Oh dear. I've been using the Boston Legal marathon night on Ovation as Spader methadone, because I kind of can't with pretty much any plot with Liz in it, but now Tony Shalhoub and I'm really tempted. Did he chew scenery, and was it awesome?

[saber5055]

was it awesome?

 

I kept seeing Monk, and I've never even watched one episode of Monk. YMMV, of course.

[Happytobehere]

Once again, the show kills off a villain who is interesting, played by an actor who would be great with James Spader in a multi-episode arc. This show is so in need of a worthy villain played by a strong actor, that's what some of the best episodes had in common in the past.

I'm asking this seriously, and not as an anti-Lizzie/Megan Boone slam. Why is Lizzie still involved in anything, she is no longer a government employee. Isn't her involvement a crime in both her part and the part of the government employees?

Now here's my anti-Lizzie rant: Lizzie's deluded sense of entitlement continues. She wants to give up the baby because she and Tom live lives that are too dangerous to raise a child, but she thinks using her own name and demanding to play Aunt Susie to the kid is a good idea. Lizzie continues to be too stupid and too pointless to be anything other than a walk in, talking tree stump, yet we are supposed to believe that people will sacrifice their careers and lives for the non-existent awesome that is her.

[saber5055]

Why is Lizzie still involved in anything, she is no longer a government employee.

 

Great post, Happy, and I'm with everything you wrote. Lizzie is now an FBI "asset" or whatever they call people who work on the side nowadays. Sorta the same as what Red is. What I find crazily stupid is that Lizzie still the one telling the FBI task force all about the history of their next "victim," even though she should not have access to any federal websites or database. Aram should be the one telling Cooper's people what's what. But Lizzie is the Best.Profiler.EVAH, you know.

Lizzie's deluded sense of entitlement continues.

 

A-men.

[Danielg342]

Daniel, I applaud you for wanting men and women to be closer in age when they are a couple. However, I am surprised Red isn't datinga bunch of 20-year-olds, that would be more like real life. A 40-year-old woman is lucky to get a date from a 70-year-old man since the 70-year guy is looking for 20-year olds too. Not that I know anything about that ...

Maybe I'm one who bucks the trend...soon I'll be on the wrong side of 35 and I don't think I could ever envision dating a teen. Probably when I'm older I wouldn't want someone under 30, unless they're way more mature than their age would indicate. Truth be told, as you get on in your years, the experiences and needs you have change, and there's hardly any reason why I could expect someone twenty years my junior to relate to those things.

Then again, maybe I am different because I want a relationship and not just someone to bang...who knows.

Once again, the show kills off a villain who is interesting, played by an actor who would be great with James Spader in a multi-episode arc. This show is so in need of a worthy villain played by a strong actor, that's what some of the best episodes had in common in the past.

I wholeheartedly agree. I wonder if it has something to do with Spader's ego, fearful that the “long term villain” would upstage him. It'd be sad if it were true, because I'd hate to think this show would be ruined because of a petty ego.

Now here's my anti-Lizzie rant: Lizzie's deluded sense of entitlement continues. She wants to give up the baby because she and Tom live lives that are too dangerous to raise a child, but she thinks using her own name and demanding to play Aunt Susie to the kid is a good idea. Lizzie continues to be too stupid and too pointless to be anything other than a walk in, talking tree stump, yet we are supposed to believe that people will sacrifice their careers and lives for the non-existent awesome that is her.

Isn't this the show's continually resurging problem? We keep on hearing from Red, Ressler, Tom, Cooper, the various dogs, etc. about “how special Lizzie is” and yet we never know why. Maybe the show thought that because Lizzie has boobs we'd automatically care about her...I know I don't.

[orza]

Once again, the show kills off a villain who is interesting, played by an actor who would be great with James Spader in a multi-episode arc. This show is so in need of a worthy villain played by a strong actor, that's what some of the best episodes had in common in the past.

 

I wholeheartedly agree. I wonder if it has something to do with Spader's ego, fearful that the “long term villain” would upstage him. It'd be sad if it were true, because I'd hate to think this show would be ruined because of a petty ego.

They just finished a big arc featuring a great villain portrayed by a stellar actor. James Spader and David Strathairn had some great scenes together. There were also multi-episode arcs with Allen Alda and Jane Alexander as memorable villains. Perhaps they are timing things to introduce the next big villain later to launch a story arc that carries over into next season, or something similar. 

 

It's not always the show's fault when good actors only appear in one episode. Sometimes sought-after actors are only available for a single episode. This show films in New York. A 4-episode arc means being away from home for up to 2 months for any actor who isn't local. Not everyone wants to do that if they can get work close to home.

 

I doubt that James Spader has an ego problem. After all, he worked for years with William Shatner and was, apparently, quite happy to be constantly upstaged.

[torqy]

Maybe I'm one who bucks the trend...soon I'll be on the wrong side of 35 and I don't think I could ever envision dating a teen. Probably when I'm older I wouldn't want someone under 30, unless they're way more mature than their age would indicate. Truth be told, as you get on in your years, the experiences and needs you have change, and there's hardly any reason why I could expect someone twenty years my junior to relate to those things.

Then again, maybe I am different because I want a relationship and not just someone to bang...who knows.

 

Well said Daniel. I've got 30 years on you (get off my lawn) and if I were single, I probably wouldn't consider a woman much under 50.

Someone recently mentioned the "10 year rule", as in 10 years older or younger. Hadn't heard that one before.

[paigow]

Should we start a forum on what to get Elizabeth for the baby shower?  I'll spring for a set of custom made wigs.

Each wig should be linked to a parenting task - e.g. Feeding; Diaper Change; Bath... - so the kid will have to wait in a dirty diaper until Lizzie is ready.

[betsyboo]

I forgot! I can't believe I forgot to reference Dembe and his droll reply to "What happened to your arm?"  "Snow boarding." HEEEEEEEEEEE

[saber5055]

Maybe I'm forgetting some things, but I didn't see Tony S. as a real baddie this week. He suggested the Romeo/Juliet marriages, it's the families who either went through with them or not. He was just sort of a gangster's Hello Dolly. If Red's girlfriend had been forced to marry a guy who wasn't a wife beater, he'd be sending her little animal figures on her 25th wedding anniversary. It was the (bad) luck of the draw on that match.

Maybe I'm one who bucks the trend...soon I'll be on the wrong side of 35 and I don't think I could ever envision dating a teen. Probably when I'm older I wouldn't want someone under 30, unless they're way more mature than their age would indicate. Truth be told, as you get on in your years, the experiences and needs you have change, and there's hardly any reason why I could expect someone twenty years my junior to relate to those things.

Another factor to consider in why men want young women is that, as you get on in your years, "things" change besides life experiences. Women have to try to keep up a youthful appearance to remain relevant; men do not. Everyone comments on how great Helen Mirren looks in a bikini. No one talks about what an intelligent conversationalist she is. So there's that.

 

Therefore, I was not surprised a powerful "older" man like Red had a beautiful younger girlfriend. Just disappointed. It would be cooler if this show linked him up with Mr. Kaplan or that stage manager woman from some episodes back.

Edited February 7, 2016 by saber5055

[thuganomics85]

Tony Shaloub!  And... of course he gets take out of the picture, after only one brief scene with Red. Come on, show!  Even if they could only have him for one episode, at least him give him more scenes with Red.  Part of the appeal of this show is James Spader getting to play off other great actors, not having the guest of his week just doing his own thing with actors I don't really care about.  What a waste.  As the entire plot just basically a gangster version of Rome and Juliet mixed with Game of Thrones.

 

Why am as I suppose to be sad that Samar's ex moved on from her?  I mean, does she really think someone who looks like Oded Fehr is going to be on the market forever?

 

The DEA agent getting taken out by a stray bullet was strange due to the show basically acting like he deserved it for daring to insult Lizzie.  Sure, he's an asshole, but actual killers have fared better on this show.  I think it would have made more sense if he was shot but wounded, but it looked like he got the bullet in the throat, so he's probably dead, and the show is like "Good!  You deserve it for being a meanie!"  Meanwhile, Red has killed people for less, Lizzie just killed someone in cold blood recently, and they're the heroes.  Weird.

 

Can't believe Lizzie is really this surprised over how the adoption is playing out.  How is she not even a little prepared that some are concerned over her history?  Even if it isn't fair, she should realize by now that humans are exactly rational.  She really comes off like a naive kid at times.

 

Tom and Gina were actually the highlights of the episode.  Tom is way more fun with Gina.

 

Hopefully, Allistar's dogs found a new home.  Just not with Lizzie or Tom, since they'll probably lose them after a few episodes.

[krimimimi]

That grosses me out when I see dogs unable to retract their tongues. If it's not some birth defect, then the tongue hangs out because the teeth have been extracted so there is nothing to hold the tongue in. (Yes, dogs get infected teeth; the infection then goes into their blood stream resulting in bad news for survival.) Anyway, selecting that dog was such a bad idea IMO when there are tons of other dogs available, I am sure.

...

And what's up with Lizzie going through that ONE adoption agency. There aren't other agencies out there? She can't put an ad in the paper/on the Internet? Or, OH YEAH, what about Red helping out? For sure he can find a fake family/nanny since that's what Lizzie is looking for, someone to take care of/raise her kid while she drops in whenever to play the role of "real mom."

I actually appreciated that they used a physically imperfect pup here for a couple of reasons. I thought 1) it brought a bit of the funny, 2) the dog was cute, 3) Monk wouldn't have tolerated it, and most importantly 4) it promotes acceptance. The four-footed physically imperfect need love too. (Along similar lines, I loved that "Cold Case" gave the lead a three-legged cat named Tripod.)

As to still seeing Monk, as soon as Shaloub held his glass out for the dog to lick, they got an "ew" out of me, which escalated to an audible "AUGH" when he followed up by drinking from it himself. (And that's me speaking as a dog owner.) All visions of Monk were firmly banished in that moment. And I *so* bet that was the reason for that scene.

With that specific adoption agency, I assumed that was just there to remind us that Lizzie had wanted to adopt a kid herself, back in the day. (I had pretty much forgotten it until reading posts here. Lizzie bores and that SL was back when Tom was made of suck.) It helps explain for the character why she's having this kid at all (as opposed to an abortion), beyond the RL constraint of "the actress is pregnant." If you can do something to make an action you are forced to take seem like it still fits with the characters you've created, it definitely helps.

OTOH, along the same lines I can't help but feel the writers want me to hate Lizzie, because why else would she want an open adoption, or even be proceeding on this without the father's consent? (Men have rights too. Pfft.) If adoption is about the child's safety, then surely an open adoption negates that. Take a page from Elementary's Moriarity, please.

Isn't this the show's continually resurging problem? We keep on hearing from Red, Ressler, Tom, Cooper, the various dogs, etc. about “how special Lizzie is” and yet we never know why. Maybe the show thought that because Lizzie has boobs we'd automatically care about her...I know I don't.

So very much what you said. And worse, I respect those characters less for worshipping at the altar of insipidity.

But taking boobs as a gender issue, which seems warranted, I gotta ask, does it work that way? Sure, some guys see boobs, and lose the capacity for critical thought. I've known a couple. But that's more of a Baywatch scenario. Blacklist's particular mammaries are rarely put to most effective use (for which I am grateful, as it can really drag a show down fast, when the need for such scenes drives the plot choices), and it's thankfully not that kind of story. But it makes me wonder a couple of things:

1) I suspect that writers are more likely to produce a female character that's thoroughly yet simultaneously unjustifiably "awesome" (all the other characters sing their praises, in the most OTT and off-tune (and egregiously OOC) fashion, while said qualities manage to remain largely inevident to the viewing audience) (season 1 Skye from Agents of SHIELD, anyone?)

2) I can't help but think we as an audience are *less* tolerant when the special snowflake is female, which if true would make me wonder why they do this. Beyond sheer inability to write for women, I guess. (Anyone know the stats on gender for writing / decision making staff, because that might explain it?)

Can anyone provide me with a reality check on these points? (I don't mind growing into a grumpy old woman, but I'd like to keep my basis in the real.)

Why am as I suppose to be sad that Samar's ex moved on from her? I mean, does she really think someone who looks like Oded Fehr is going to be on the market forever?

The DEA agent getting taken out by a stray bullet was strange due to the show basically acting like he deserved it for daring to insult Lizzie. Sure, he's an asshole, but actual killers have fared better on this show. I think it would have made more sense if he was shot but wounded, but it looked like he got the bullet in the throat, so he's probably dead, and the show is like "Good! You deserve it for being a meanie!" Meanwhile, Red has killed people for less, Lizzie just killed someone in cold blood recently, and they're the heroes. Weird.

I think *we* aren't supposed to be sad about Samar's ex (beyond this meaning less likelihood of appearances by the fair Fehr) so much as this is the kind of thing that helps explain why she (in a crisis of "what am I doing with my life") might give Aram some consideration in the near future. Which a lot of people seem to want to happen.

Personally, I think Aram's cute as a button, but can't imagine he'd make a good partner for her. You really need a partner who doesn't run around flinching when you're getting shit done. Also, it really annoys me how accepting folks are (both in and out of show) of how transparently he runs around telegraphing his want for/crush on her. If he were more confident or traditionally powerful (because a good tech *is* powerful, just not classically), I think most people would deem it harassment, but the absence of those two traits in no way make his in any shape or form a more professional behavior. I always wondered if Samar's hook up with Ressler wasn't in part motivated by a desire to put an obstacle between herself and Aram (like that maybe this would get him to stop crushing on her).

I felt like having the DEA guy get shot was there to 1) reward us and Lizzie for having patiently put up with his kindergarten antics (that "YES!" or "Finally!" moment) immediately followed by a 2) wake up call (for her *and* us) that being a dick shouldn't carry a death sentence ("Well that was a bit extreme..."). There's always a bit of a danger with premises like this one of a sort of corruption of both characters' and audience's morals. Red is just so much more appealing than the (relatively) straight-shooting Ressler, who can be kind of a tool, that it becomes easier to approve of Red's methods as time goes on. Every now and again, they need to shake us awake with a realization that that might not be called for, especially if they can do it without making Red look less sympathetic in the process (which is why it had to be a stray bullet and not Red). Last week we basically accepted Red killing Lizzie's attacker as a given, so this week they needed to give us a sense of it isn't OK to kill someone off just for being a mean ol' meanie.

[Danielg342]

So very much what you said. And worse, I respect those characters less for worshipping at the altar of insipidity.

But taking boobs as a gender issue, which seems warranted, I gotta ask, does it work that way? Sure, some guys see boobs, and lose the capacity for critical thought. I've known a couple. But that's more of a Baywatch scenario. Blacklist's particular mammaries are rarely put to most effective use (for which I am grateful, as it can really drag a show down fast, when the need for such scenes drives the plot choices), and it's thankfully not that kind of story. But it makes me wonder a couple of things:

1) I suspect that writers are more likely to produce a female character that's thoroughly yet simultaneously unjustifiably "awesome" (all the other characters sing their praises, in the most OTT and off-tune (and egregiously OOC) fashion, while said qualities manage to remain largely inevident to the viewing audience) (season 1 Skye from Agents of SHIELD, anyone?)

2) I can't help but think we as an audience are *less* tolerant when the special snowflake is female, which if true would make me wonder why they do this. Beyond sheer inability to write for women, I guess. (Anyone know the stats on gender for writing / decision making staff, because that might explain it?)

Can anyone provide me with a reality check on these points? (I don't mind growing into a grumpy old woman, but I'd like to keep my basis in the real.)

Trust me, it's not you- look up “strong female character” on Google and you'll see a few who have written about it. There's a great article from Shana Milwaski about the phenomenon which sums up my own frustrations about the character type.

It's a phenomenon I've observed myself, not just with women though- minorities in general get this kind of treatment (although male minority characters are starting to get some depth). Right now Criminal Minds has not one but two Mary Sues competing for attention- the blonde, white JJ (played by AJ Cook) and the short-haired, black Tara Lewis (played by Aisha Tyler, who I know can do much better). Both are extremely hypercompetent and can come up with answers easily, but what really grates is that neither character ever faces any difficulties or actual challenges where they need help- it's like the CM writing staff are worried that if they seek help we'll dislike them, when the opposite is true.

When it comes to Lizzie, it seems to be the reverse- Lizzie hardly ever succeeds, and if she does, it's fairly inconsequential. I can't think of any real breakthrough in the story- either in a case or when she has her own struggles- where Lizzie has made a demonstrative and productive contribution which led to a successful conclusion. Every “victory” Lizzie has had was given to her by Ressler, Cooper, Samar. Aram, Red or just sheer luck- Lizzie has never really “earned” it. I'm guessing the only reason why the show does this is because they want Lizzie to be the “wide-eyed child” who is “guided” by her “parents” or “siblings”, but in the absence of any real inspiration for that fondness, it falls flat.

As for why Hollywood does this- as Milwaski points out, it's likely because Hollywood executives misheard those complaining about a “lack of strong female characters” and assumed that the complainers wanted “tough masculine characters who are female” instead of “female characters who have a strong characterization and storyline”. Personally, I'll go even further- I think Hollywood execs are “scared” to write a female character with noticeable flaws lest someone decries that the creator is a “closet sexist” or a “closet misogynist”, so they don't write females who might sometimes need a man to help them.

As far as why we notice this trope- since Hollywood is averse to writing shows with a good mix of female and male characters (often the protagonists will have one woman and the rest all be men), we'll notice the “super competent woman” because that's the only woman we see on screen.

Of course, the easy solution is “write more women” but the truth is our society has identity politics in overdrive and you get people who will overanalyze a character simply because they're a minority character, so it becomes a double-edged sword. Creators don't like it when audiences focus on stuff that isn't related to the story or themes they want to tell or explore, so I believe many will write a lot of white male characters because audiences don't tend to overanalyze them.

The upshot to that is that I believe creators should just focus on writing great characters- female, male, minority or Martian- and not worry about the “overanalyzers” because you'll never get rid of them. If more people thought that way I think we'd solve our diversity problem quicker than we think.

[Risky Librarian]

It continues to be to my great sorrow and irritation that the multiple incidences of "Comrade Restova" didn't end with Lizzie chopping that asshole directly in the throat. I love you, show, but dammit, can Liz do SOMETHING useful instead of getting her kill stolen by Bullet Ex Machina?