S03.E17: Mr. Solomon

[Tara Ariano]

Part 1 of 2. Thieves target a tactical nuclear weapon, so the team races to stop them and prevent a nuclear disaster. Meanwhile, a decision could alter Tom and Liz's relationship forever.

[Primetimer]

The Blacklist returns and so does Mr. Solomon. Isn't that ironic?

Read the story

[ottoDbusdriver]

Man that was dull.  And kind of stupid.

 

Let's cause a distraction involving stealing a nuclear weapon, only to go after the true target -- Lizzie !!  Of course it's Lizzie.

 

Oh noesss -- Lizzie is nervous before the wedding. Umm, she's been married before.  To the same guy.  And the whole 'no kissing before the wedding' thing was equally stupid.  Heck, the entire wedding was complete and utter nonsense.

 

The whole attack on the church was equally stupid -- despite the fact that Mr. Solomon and his men were supposed to capture Lizzie alive, they were pumping heavy weapons into that building like there was no tomorrow.  Have they ever heard of ricochets/deflections/etc. ?

 

What a waste of the Major.  Lance Henriksen could have phoned that in for all the screen time he had.

[Free]

Oh noesss -- Lizzie is nervous before the wedding. Umm, she's been married before.  To the same guy.  And the whole 'no kissing before the wedding' thing was equally stupid.  Heck, the entire wedding was complete and utter nonsense.

 

The way the show has been treating their relationship is just weird, they point out all the problems and then  you constantly have Liz brush them away like it's no big deal.

 

The whole attack on the church was equally stupid -- despite the fact that Mr. Solomon and his men were supposed to capture Lizzie alive, they were pumping heavy weapons into that building like there was no tomorrow.  Have they ever heard of ricochets/deflections/etc. ?

 

I guess it was for the pointless shootout slomo fest.

[Smitty227]

The suspension of disbelief in this episode was over the top. 

 

There's no way somebody wouldn't hit Lizzie.  She's bigger than a barn door! 

[Free]

The suspension of disbelief in this episode was over the top. 

 

There's no way somebody wouldn't hit Lizzie.  She's bigger than a barn door! 

 

She's a big target sign waiting to happen.

[torqy]

The suspension of disbelief in this episode was over the top. 

That beautiful black 62 Buick magically became a 70's model and back again. They must have cut the continuity person from the budget.

[Dowel Jones]

Just who was Lizzie going to throw the bouquet to in the last scene?

 

I had to laugh at the cop's comment about not getting paid enough to open those doors on the van.  So, you have a vehicle with 1200 lbs. of ammonium nitrate, enough to take down a four lane overpass, and your security line is 100' away?  And you don't carry any tech stuff that would allow you to remote into the cargo area to see if it was booby trapped?  They must have left it back at the motel, when they rushed right by her door.

 

The female ex-Army goon is going to live just long enough to regret her part in the whole mess.  Reddington does not forgive or forget that stuff. 

 

I always wonder about paid mercenaries and what they are thinking when they take that bullet.  Was it worth it?

[mertensia]

Well I did love that Lizzie just waddled down the aisle to get the satchel.

That poor church. Shot up like that.

[dwmarch]

Well, that was exactly what I would expect from a Blacklist wedding.

 

Overall I liked it although I couldn't suspend disbelief in the beginning of the episode with the whole "terrorists might be stealing nukes but let's talk about that wedding!" Lizzie is all "the wedding's at 4pm if you guys can make it" as they're working the biggest case an FBI agent could ever have nightmares about. No pressure Lizzie, thanks.

 

I did love that one woman from the nuclear joint who said the task force looked special.

 

However, I am going to take a moment to genuinely fully appreciate that this show didn't do the usual plot here. So many times we've been warned of an impending attack which forces the macguffin to be taken on an alternate route. And so many times the bad guys are waiting for exactly that and they know exactly how the FBI is going to react. In this episode the diversion is a distraction and there never was any plan to steal a nuke in the first place. That is an unprecedented moment for this show! I would imagine the real military plans for this kind of thing all the time and has dozens of alternate plans, including keeping the nuke right in the middle of a military base surrounded by thousands of angry and paranoid soldiers. It would never be as simple as "Obvious Highway One is closed, we should switch to Ambush Alley!"

 

Nonetheless, a Hollywood nuke has some special properties such as leaking radiation all over the place. I don't have or need any special knowledge of the subject to know that if you have a nuclear anything the first and foremost thing you do is make sure it doesn't leak radiation! You don't need to put it in a special casing to move it around, it's already in one!

 

I also question why the facility for nuclear accessories is not guarded in a manner similar to the facility for nuclear weapons. The last thing I want to hear from these people is "Oh man, some kids totally disrespected our chain-link fence and spray-painted rude slogans on the building!" The liquor store I work at has better security FFS!

[molshoop]

If they were supposed to get Lizzie out alive, then why were at least three weapons aimed right at her

the entire time she came down the aisle and back again. 

[RCharter]

So here is what annoys me about Lizzie -- "my wedding isn't a big deal!"

 

"But get peonies, and don't forget the candles!"

"My wedding isn't a big deal"

"But you can't kiss me!"

"My wedding isn't a big deal, obviously the warhead is more important"

"But seriously.....if you can just get ordained real quick, prepare a few words, and marry us by 4pm, that would be great"

"My wedding isn't a big deal"

"But can you two be there?"

"My wedding isn't a big deal"

"But my wedding will be at 4pm if you all can manage to get out of the warhead thing by then"

 

Bitch -- either the wedding is a big deal or its not....either go off and get married with your husband, or don't.  But don't guilt people into coming to your wedding if it isn't that big a deal...just go off and do it and have a party after the missile thing is done......or wait until after you give birth and have a huge ass wedding when there is no threat of a missile thing.

 

Although I would say, marry Tom as soon as possible before he realizes you're not that cute and you're pretty annoying.

Edited April 8, 2016 by RCharter

[Demented Daisy]

This whole pregnancy story line has been a huge fail.  How can two people -- one of which is, essentially, a mercenary and the other is a former FBI agent/America's most wanted -- believe, for even a second, that they can be normal parents?  And have a normal family?

 

What?  The people who want to kill you and anyone around you are going to decide that your kid if off-limits?  Seriously?  I don't care how badly Lizzie wants to be a mom, the story is ludicrous.  And that's saying something, for this show.

 

As for the wedding....  "Yeah, he hit me, but I tortured him, so I figure that makes us even."  Sounds like a great foundation for a marriage.  *eye roll*

[rexytheking]

Before this episode, I was completely on Liz's side, I felt that there were things that she deserved to know and that Red really should tell her. But man did this episode change that. Reddington: "Solomon is going to steal a nuclear warhead from the US Air Force". Liz: "NO. I'm going through with my wedding" I mean seriously? And the whole "No pressure or anything about you guys stopping a huge criminal syndicate from getting their hands on nuclear weaponry, but my weddings later today and I'd like you to be the minister". Seriously? She even got Aram to focus on this more than the mission. I think Liz has just desensitized the entire task force to care about useless things...

 

That Gina and the Major scene...seriously how many times is gina going to backstab people, AND get away with it? Seriously you'd think people living that sort of life would understand to trust no one. Kudos to Tom for actually telling Liz the truth.

 

Also that gunfight...yeah thats about as much as i have to say about that.

[Free]

As for the wedding....  "Yeah, he hit me, but I tortured him, so I figure that makes us even."  Sounds like a great foundation for a marriage.  *eye roll*

 

A truly cringeworthy moment.

 

Just who was Lizzie going to throw the bouquet to in the last scene?

 

One of the snipers?

[Gregg247]

 

 

 

 

Just who was Lizzie going to throw the bouquet to in the last scene?

One of the snipers?

 

Oh, that would have been so funny if Mr. Solomon accidently caught her bouquet, gave a little smile, and tucked it under his jacket! LOL

 

Since I don't keep up with the behind-the-scenes aspects of this show, there was a moment last night where I actually thought they were going to write Liz off the show.  The possibility made me so happy, but then it turned out that, once again, EVERYTHING is all about HER.

 

I've always been under the impression that this show is actually going somewhere, and that these little mini-arcs are leading up to an overall big story that ties everything together; like I'm doing a jigsaw puzzle and every episode is a single piece.   Now, I'm starting to think that the writers are just making up stuff as they go along.  We had Fulcrum, then the Cabal, and now.....?  They're just doing the same stories over and over, with fancy new "bad guy names" attached and big guest starring actors.  I'm really getting kind of fed up with it, to be honest.

 

I thought I was watching an intricately plotted cold-war novel on TV.  Instead, I'm getting NCIS with a grey color palette and all the "fun" drained out of it.

[tljgator]

Out of all the ridiculous nonsense on this show and in this episode, it's probably wrong that I was most annoyed by the writers having Harold say "close the 95!"  Dear writers who have clearly lived in LA so long that you've forgotten from whence you came, not a soul on the east coast would ever say such a thing.  Just "95," sure, "I-95," most definitely ... "the 95"? So much no.

[saber5055]

not a soul on the east coast would ever say such a thing.  Just "95," sure, "I-95," most definitely ... "the 95"? So much no.

The only way it would be said is "I-95." Period. I've only heard "the 95" in California. NEVER in the midwest or east.

 

I was only watching this during American Idol commercials. I saw enough, plus I knew you guys would catch me up here. All I could think of was yet another cute building gets shot to pieces, just like that neat cabin in the woods a few eps back. I know a set decorator for this show so I mostly looked at the background stuff she had to provide and then watch get destroyed.

 

Liz and that little girl/Lord Fauntleroy haircut ... I'm not one to pick on appearances, but just NO to that.

 

Why bother wearing full body armor since anyone can still kill you dead while wearing it. Go-to-wedding dress clothes are safer outfits in Blacklist land.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Solomon stands around and checks his phone while the wild-and-crazy shooting goes on. 

Edited April 8, 2016 by saber5055

[Free]

I've always been under the impression that this show is actually going somewhere, and that these little mini-arcs are leading up to an overall big story that ties everything together; like I'm doing a jigsaw puzzle and every episode is a single piece.   Now, I'm starting to think that the writers are just making up stuff as they go along.  We had Fulcrum, then the Cabal, and now.....?  They're just doing the same stories over and over, with fancy new "bad guy names" attached and big guest starring actors.  I'm really getting kind of fed up with it, to be honest.

 

Exactly, they're just making stuff up, there's been no clear plan, just Red and his blacklist and a vague, dark shadowy organization.

[thuganomics85]

The Blacklist is back and it's boring as ever.  Seriously, I don't think there was a single moment that I found refreshing or at least interesting.

 

First, there was the big shoot-out where, despite the massive build-up, Solomon and his men apparently can't shoot shit.  I mean, seriously?!  Besides all the redshirts on the outside, the only person that got hit and killed was some nameless person I don't even know about?  Who was that woman?  Was she a friend of Liz's?  Just a witness?  But I'm suppose to be all shocked and sad, when she dies and Aram starts crying over her dead body?  Why?  I mean, at the risk of sounding heartless, I need to actually know someone for a second, before being effected by their death on a television show.

 

On the other hand, Red, Tom, and the FBI are pretty much hitting the bad guys without breaking a sweat.  It's like their bullets can magnetically lock onto anyone they want to.  I know this is common on a lot of action shows, but The Blacklist takes itself so seriously at times, that it just comes off silly that I'm suppose to be worried for our intrepid heroes, when nothing bad ever happens to them permanently.

 

As an example of that is that they trot out Gina and The Major for a scene, and try to make me think Tom is going to die, but, of course, he's not.  Because they aren't going to that to him, because this isn't that type of show (plus, 

Tom's got a spin-off to get too!

 So, I rather they just quit being coy like that.  Either way, the scene was random and stupid.  A waste of Lance Henriksen and while I find Gina to be a fun enough character (certainly helps Margarita Levieva is nice to look at), I'm getting tired of her consistently flipping and being mysterious about her motives.

 

At least Ressler is pointing out that Liv and Tom giving it another go is weird.  Meanwhile, the rest of them are acting like this is all normal.  Especially Aram going nuts with the song choices and Harold even agreeing to officiate it.  What a bunch of weirdos.

 

Only part I really enjoyed was Red and Solomon's banter over the phone.  It feels like we're getting less and less of that and Red in general.  Kind of a bummer.  Although, lately, I wouldn't blame James Spader if he does the bare minimum work here and gets those sweet NBC paychecks.

 

I swear if feels like this show and Blindspot are competing to see which NBC show that should at least be fun and entertaining, somehow become more dull and boring as the season progresses.

Edited April 10, 2016 by thuganomics85

[Dowel Jones]

I think the lady redshirt was the organist for the ceremony.  Aram pulled her off a chair and was trying to shelter her when she took one in the back.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Solomon stands around and checks his phone while the wild-and-crazy shooting goes on.

 

He must have been well sheltered by various cars, because I would think that Reddington's forces (or him inside) would have made it a priority to drop him at the first opportunity.  To a henchman, If your paymaster is gone, that removes a lot of incentive to carry on the mission.

[AimingforYoko]

As for the wedding....  "Yeah, he hit me, but I tortured him, so I figure that makes us even."  Sounds like a great foundation for a marriage.  *eye roll*

See, that was the moment I figured the show decided to lean into the ridiculous.

[Free]

I swear if feels like this show and Blindspot are competing to see which NBC show that should at least be fun and entertaining, somehow become more dull and boring as the season progresses.

 

Agreed, both are boring and dull.

[Texasmom1970]

Wet Tom digging a grave, hot. Ressler being protective and damn I just love Dembe, that is all.

[RCharter]

Wet Tom digging a grave, hot. Ressler being protective and damn I just love Dembe, that is all.

If I'd known there were so many hot guys in the world of espionage I might have changed my career plans.

 

Ressler was the hottest this episode "he hit you, and you don't come back from that."  Sexy.

[SteviaInTheRaw]

So you're transporting this nuke right (on the interstate, which is dumb as hell by the way). You find out this crazy terrorist has a plan to steal the nuke en route.

So why don't you just, I don't know, NOT SEND THE NUKE? Was it going to be late for something? Catch the super well equipped terrorist, then strap the nuke to your el Camino and take it down I95? Maybe? Maybe?!? Hello?

Who writes this shlock?

[Danielg342]

I guess we'd call that a "shotgun wedding". Literally.

 

Okay okay...stop groaning, please!

 

I'm not sure there are words to describe this episode. It was just plain awful, there's no way around it.

 

Sure, very early on I decided it's not worth nitpicking all the breaks from reality this show gives me...it's a mindless action show, they're not going to be great with the details. I almost half expect things to happen and not entirely make sense except because the plot demands it, because action shows are never about the intricacies.

 

Even then...with the bar exceptionally lowered...I still find ways to question this show's sanity. Seriously? How bad must these writers be if they can't even write a straightforward blow 'em up that requires almost no nuance at all? You have virtually no expectations...and yet you still can't hit them.

 

*sigh*

 

The two most egregious faults was that opening scene where Matias Solomon was supposedly in transport and the nuke misdirect. OK, fine, Laurel Hitchins has the ability to arrange Solomon's transport and his captors so that he wouldn't go where he was supposed to go. That's well and dandy. How did one of his minions find out where Hitchins arranged the new mode of transport? I doubt Hitchins would tell anyone what she was really going to do with Solomon. Also, how stupid was that U.S. Marshall to not find some kind of cover when the sniper was clearly shooting at everyone? Yes, just run in plain sight, arms out and chest out making yourself as big a target as possible. Also- do none of those guys have bulletproof vests? Seriously.

 

Then there was this nuke storyline. I keep thinking there had to have been a scene on the cutting room floor because Red seemed to pull "he's going after Lizzie" out of thin air. It would have made more sense if Red or Ressler realized she was a sacrifice, called her out on it, and then she blabbed something about Masha Rostova. Also, how did Solomon know that Liz would be at that Church? What if she cancelled her wedding? What if she had to go to New Jersey to help with the nuke operation? Then what? Solomon got pretty lucky the way he did.

 

Other points:

 

-Not enough Red. I know he led the shootout, but until then all he did was appear ominously in one scene (besides brief exposition ones) to tell Lizzie that Tom isn't who she thinks he is. Newsflash Red, that didn't work the last 420 times you said it, what makes you think it will work this time around?

-Red and Solomon bantering on the phone was fun. Pity they don't have more scenes together.

-RIP The Major. Waste of Lance Henriksen. Didn't see his death coming though.

-Did like seeing Gina Zanetakos. Maybe my favourite Blacklister, and she's got such chemistry with Tom. Seriously, Tom, enough with the Lizzie stuff and shack up with the hot blonde already!

-The wedding planning took up most of the episode- and Lizzie's mind- but that storyline, like Lizzie, was a total bore. Totally not noteworthy.

-Did like that Tom now wants to be honest with Liz and willfully told her about The Major's death. It's merely a small improvement on his character but it's an improvement.

-Aram being nervous around Tom was funny.

-One last point: if I lived in DC in this world, I'd probably move in a heartbeat, especially after this latest fiasco- traffic shut down for no reason at all. How many times has DC had its traffic shut down and had things blown up since the series started? It's catastrophic down there, and no way would it not need hundreds of millions in infrastructure spending to overcome all the damage it's taken.

 

Episode Grade: D Did have some watchable moments, but overall it was a real waste of time.

[mertensia]

Has Lizzie considered that she's the most hated person in the D.C. area because wherever she goes buildings get destroyed and people die?

[saber5055]

See, that was the moment I figured the show decided to lean into the ridiculous.

You mean it took you this long?

Ressler was the hottest this episode "he hit you, and you don't come back from that."  Sexy.

Okay, I missed this part. Now you are making me have to watch the entire episode? Ressler ... 

strap the nuke to your el Camino and take it down I95

I95? I guess we know you don't live in California.

Edited April 9, 2016 by saber5055

[Sparger Springs]

I don't understand why anyone wants Liz. It has never made any sense to me.  She knows nothing about anything at all. What would Red have done if Elizabeth became, idk,  a pharmacist instead of joining the FBI? This man spent years manipulating her life so she could remember where she put a flash drive. 

[Free]

Has Lizzie considered that she's the most hated person in the D.C. area because wherever she goes buildings get destroyed and people die?

 

Probably not since she's that clueless.

 

 

I don't understand why anyone wants Liz. It has never made any sense to me.  She knows nothing about anything at all. What would Red have done if Elizabeth became, idk,  a pharmacist instead of joining the FBI? This man spent years manipulating her life so she could remember where she put a flash drive. 

 

Because she's 'special', that and Red constantly has to bail her out of her own problems.

[Dowel Jones]

So you're transporting this nuke right (on the interstate, which is dumb as hell by the way)

 

I think you would be amazed at what gets transported from the factory to the armory.

[Danielg342]

I don't understand why anyone wants Liz. It has never made any sense to me. She knows nothing about anything at all. What would Red have done if Elizabeth became, idk, a pharmacist instead of joining the FBI? This man spent years manipulating her life so she could remember where she put a flash drive.

Something tells me the writers' intention all along is to portray Lizzie as stupid so we're all wondering "why is she so special?" so that, in the final episode, they can "shock us" with the reason.

Or maybe I'm giving the writers too much credit. I probably am.

[RCharter]

I don't understand why anyone wants Liz. It has never made any sense to me.  She knows nothing about anything at all. What would Red have done if Elizabeth became, idk,  a pharmacist instead of joining the FBI? This man spent years manipulating her life so she could remember where she put a flash drive. 

Nothing about men wanting Liz makes any sense.  She is not that pretty, she is naggy and annoying, she doesn't seem to have a great sense of humor.

 

I don't know if NBC is trying to somehow even the playing field, because for years there have been shows with sort of ugly dudes in the lead with hot wives (I'm looking at you King of Queens)  and so NBC is turning the tables and having one very average women getting a bunch of hot dudes.  Because by all right, a dude like Tom, would want Gina (thats her name, right?).  She is beautiful, dangerous, sexy, smart...I bet she gets her own damn peonies!

[saber5055]

Because by all right, a dude like Tom, would want Gina (thats her name, right?).  She is beautiful, dangerous, sexy, smart...I bet she gets her own damn peonies!

 

Heck, I'm not even a dude and I want Gina. And if I were head of that FBI team, I'd fire Liz and hire Gina. Now that could be an interesting TV show ...

[ottoDbusdriver]

Heck, I'm not even a dude and I want Gina. And if I were head of that FBI team, I'd fire Liz and hire Gina. Now that could be an interesting TV show ...

 

The actress playing Gina is pretty hot -- and in 'The Blacklist' she is playing pretty much the same character she played in the (thankfully) canceled 'Allegiance', where she was also pretty hot.

Edited April 10, 2016 by ottoDbusdriver

[Ottis]

Are the writers trying to annoy the people who watch this show? Not only was this episode Lizzie-centric (never a good direction), but it was Lizzie at her most Lizzie, stubbornly holding a wedding and inviting her coworkers while they were, oh, trying to stop the theft of a nuclear bomb. Lizzie's acknowledgement of this goofiness, which sounded like she was talking with colleagues with a staff meeting conflict more than a national security issue, just made it worse.

 

I really, really, really want know what James Spader thinks of the show's direction, and how he reacts when he reads a script that features Lizzie. The best episodes have been the ones where Lizzie was in the background, as an object to be moved around, and not driving any actual plot. He has to know that. Doesn't he?

[saber5055]

I really, really, really want know what James Spader thinks of the show's direction,

 

Is Spader behind the Tom spinoff? Maybe he's concentrating more on that if so, and figures Blacklist can just run itself while he works on something that (maybe) will be better?

 

Of course, in all interviews, every cast member of every show/movie LOVES everyone and everyone always gets along and they all love the show/movie, blah blah blah. So getting Spader to say what we say here would be priceless.

[gazebo]

I think I would also like to have a little wedding at a church like that (if I ever got married again).  It was very sweet looking, until, of course, when it all got shot up to hell.

 

I'm a little dismayed at Liz's relationship with Red right now, in that she is very, very angry at him and refuses to listen to him.  I'm also angry at Red for keeping so many secrets from Liz.  No wonder she is angry at him and even though he gave good advice not to marry Tom, she wouldn't listen to him.

 

I am a Liz/Tom shipper, always have been.  But I think it's not the right time for them to get married.  Tom does have a lot of baggage and he still needs to sort out his very, very messy life (Gina?) before he can fully commit to Liz.  I was not surprised that Tom got ambushed by Gina and his old boss at the day of his wedding.  Tom will always have these problems.  What surprised me was that Gina shot his boss and saved Tom's life.  I still don't know why she would do something like that considering last time she tried to get him killed.

 

When I think of it,  wouldn't it have been easier if Solomon had his men fire tear gas into a smashed window, and while the inhabitants would be coughing and rubbing their eyes, go into the church, grab the bride and then run out quickly?  I don't know if that makes sense.  I think I've been watching too many action movies.

 

 

[Danielg342]

When I think of it, wouldn't it have been easier if Solomon had his men fire tear gas into a smashed window, and while the inhabitants would be coughing and rubbing their eyes, go into the church, grab the bride and then run out quickly? I don't know if that makes sense. I think I've been watching too many action movies.

Then we might learn that Red has magical eyes and lungs that render him unable to be affected by the gas.

Or someone like Aram will say something like "the paper the Bibles are written on will nuffify the effect", allowing enough time to keep Lizzie from being captured.

[Sparger Springs]

Nothing about men wanting Liz makes any sense.  She is not that pretty, she is naggy and annoying, she doesn't seem to have a great sense of humor.

 

I don't know if NBC is trying to somehow even the playing field, because for years there have been shows with sort of ugly dudes in the lead with hot wives (I'm looking at you King of Queens)  and so NBC is turning the tables and having one very average women getting a bunch of hot dudes.  Because by all right, a dude like Tom, would want Gina (thats her name, right?).  She is beautiful, dangerous, sexy, smart...I bet she gets her own damn peonies!

I don't mean sexually.  Why all the effort to capture Liz in the first place. Is her long lost mamma going to show up and save the day. Liz has zero information on anything important. She was a rookie FBI agent when the show began. Now 2 years later she is hired as a consultant. Why?  No one needs Liz's help to get anything done. 

[dwmarch]

Or someone like Aram will say something like "the paper the Bibles are written on will nuffify the effect", allowing enough time to keep Lizzie from being captured.

 

They would do something like that! Please don't give them any ideas!

[Danielg342]

They would do something like that! Please don't give them any ideas!

Knowing them, they thought of it too- and they'll do something similar later.

[dwmarch]

Knowing them, they thought of it too- and they'll do something similar later.

 

They already did it in "The Vehm" when Aram unlocks the case by figuring out that the villains were repainting the molten lead with some easy-to-find color before pouring it onto the faces of their intended victims. Because you know, before you melt someone's face you want to make sure that molten lead is the right color.

However, I do pray to all gods great and small that we'll get a Kill Bill scene involving a magic bible at some point, especially since this show has made some pretty explicit Pulp Fiction references. Paraphrasing since it's been a while: "Agent Ressler carried this bible in his pocket, right over his heart and it stopped this bullet. And if he'd had another one in front of his face, he'd still be alive right now."

[ottoDbusdriver]

She was a rookie FBI agent when the show began. Now 2 years later she is hired as a consultant. Why?  No one needs Liz's help to get anything done. 

 

But that's the thing -- Lizzie wasn't a rookie FBI agent when the show started.  She had just graduated from FBI profiler school at Quantico when Red turned himself in.

 

But Lizzie had worked for the FBI for several years, as she was formerly the head of the FBI mobile psych unit in New York and a board-certified psychologist, and was such a hard-ass to her subordinates that her nickname was 'sir".  And she also taught at FBI profiler school in season 2 (I think).

[saber5055]

I'm a little dismayed at Liz's relationship with Red right now, in that she is very, very angry at him and refuses to listen to him.  I'm also angry at Red for keeping so many secrets from Liz.  

 

This post could have been made during season 1. And season 2. And season every-number-from-now-until-cancellation. It never changes. It's the heartbeat of this show. A very exhausting and tiring heartbeat.