How James Spader Signed Drama After 10 Seasons – Deadline

NBC

Spoiler alert: This story contains plot points from the last two episodes of Black list.

Black list He ended his 10-season run on NBC on Thursday as James Spader’s Raymond Reddington eluded the authorities for good.

Before making the decision to end the Sony drama earlier this year, Black list He was a useful player and reliable net performer, despite occupying 10 different timeslots over 10 seasons. It also underwent a major transition after Season 8 when both lead Megan Boone and creator John Bokenkamp departed. But the crowd stuck. Season nine It reached 29.1 million viewers, more than double its rating in the 18-49 demographic and its total audience on Live+35 against same-day data.

Season X began in March with Reddington facing “a danger like no other” as the former Blacklisters were rallying against him in a murderous desire for revenge. The two-hour finale began with Reddington on stage, with strike force team and vengeful congressman Arthur Hudson (Toby Leonard Moore) trying to locate the elusive criminal turned FBI informant.

By the end of the first episode, Reddington comes face to face with Hudson and shoots him after the congressman puts a bullet into Reddington’s bodyguard-turned-agent Dembe Zuma (Hisham Tawfik). Reddington manages to get Demby into a nursing home for treatment before continuing his quest to flee the country.

At the start of the second hour dubbed “Goodnight,” the task force returns trying to locate Reddington while Special Agent Jordan Nixon (Derek Williams) vows to avenge the congressman’s death by killing Reddington himself. This leads to a pitching match between Nixon and Assistant Director Harold Cooper (Henry Lennix) because tough guys have to be tough guys in moments of crisis.

Meanwhile, Reddington has arrived in Spain, where he is shopping for fruits and vegetables at a local market and makes a final call to his granddaughter Agnes (Sami Brae). He also takes the time to check in on Dempy, who later learns from Harold that he will lose his job. Dempy doesn’t seem to care but turns idyll about his old friend.

The Strike Team continues to stay one step behind Reddington, who spends his final moments on a scenic drive through the countryside. He comes face to face with a drooling bull, studying Reddington intently before charging towards him in slow motion.

The camera pans to a helicopter landing in the field with Donald Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) from Strike Force aboard. He sees Reddington curled up in a ball of blood, his body lifeless.

Reddington finally dies.