The Blacklist (TV Series) Ivan Stepanov (No. 5) (2021) User Reviews

One of the best episodes in the last 2 seasons

[LodgeDweller · 9/10 · 15 May 2021]

When "The Blacklist" is good, it's really good. Were any answers actually revealed to the audience tonight? NOPE. Was I expecting them to tell us anything? No way. Do I still hate what they've done with Liz? Big time. Even so, this was a really strong episode. Only way it could have been better is if Townsend had finally been killed. Just watch and enjoy this one. It doesn't make up for the overarching story of the season lacking and being fairly dreadful at times, but this was a well done episode showing that the writers are still capable of delivering excellent chapters of this insane story.

I hope we are blessed with the presence of jewel thief Priya again in the future. She is incredible and her abilities are believable. I want her on Red's team for good. If Blacklist can't or won't use her I hope someone will hire this talented actress, ASAP!!

This episode proves the Blacklist can still be a great show.

[izzathamideh · 9/10 · 15 May 2021]

It's been slow the last few weeks but this episode is exactly what makes the Blacklist great. Priya has shown to be a valuable addition to the show. There's finally a main villain we can all agree on (Townsend). The Liz situation is still awkward but at least things look to be trending in the right direction. We still have a lot of questions to be answered but at least this time with a good plot and no aggravating cliff hangers to end the episode. Even though this season has been a roller coaster compared to others hopefully this episode is a trend that helps the season end strong.

Finally!

[mlyhancock · 9/10 · 16 May 2021]

This episode was a breath of fresh air. Still no answers yet, but that was expected. What I appreciate is that: 1) Aram finally showed some common sense by questioning why it even matters who Red really is when he's helped the country so much.

2) Red finally called out the task force for working against him and with Elizabeth when they have no idea what's actually going on.

3) Finally (kind of) showing how little Elizabeth knows and how gullible she is. And how terrible she is at being a criminal, because she doesn't know what she's doing.

Hoping more episodes are like this one. Then I might actually look forward to watching again, instead of suffering through it.

It bodes well for the season finale

[forla-107-463119 · 10/10 · 16 May 2021]

Random thoughts after episode 8.17:

1- Aram is the only one in the TF who understand the situation. He said exactly what some of us have been writing for weeks. Do they seriously think that a person who allowed them to stop 150 criminals (on American soil and/or potential threats to the United States) could be a traitor to the US?! Even if he was trafficking Russian intels, who cares?

2- Park got a well deserved earful but it was also destined to Cooper and Ressler. Sorry to say this but the TF, apart from Aram, is made up of incompetent people at all levels.

3- Elizabeth is clearly wrong, she was wrong to judge the situation from the beginning. We'll see what she does from now on but it goes without saying that in this season she has only done damage.

4- Priya Laghari is a fantastic character, congratulations to Rana Roy. She has a remarkable charisma and stage presence.

5- If Townsend repeats one more time that his wife and children have been killed, I enter the monitor to silence him forever because I can't take it anymore. We are neither fools nor deaf.

6- More than answers we got new questions but I would say that we fans tend to complicate the plot even more than it actually is.

7- With episodes like these the writers try to keep alive all the theories dear to the fans (Redarina, Daddygate, Lizzington). I really hope this season ends with some answers because I'm really tired of all these misleading clues.

8- Given how the season was handled, I no longer believe that Boone was missing for plot reasons. I believe the whole story about Anne was added later, probably as a filler. Characters act as if 8.13 and 8.14 never existed. The madness that seemed to pervade Liz has disappeared as it arrived, no one refers to the bloody events that took place in Kansas, Red has quietly overcome the death of his beloved and treats Liz as he would have done before 8.13.

It makes me smile to imagine that the showrunners didn't foresee the success of the story with Anne. That a subplot would have led to one of the best episodes of the whole series.

Having said all this, 8.17 is a good episode, finally it is collective, there is action, pieces are added to the mythology and there are some outspoken dialogues. I can't wait for Liz to get her personal earful but there is still time (and she has time to do more damage).

Mr.Red

[tarekp-71916 · 10/10 · 15 May 2021]

I swear this episode is the best one I watched in this season and season 7 OMG! That my face reactions after I watched it 😲😲😳🙃

Finally a great episode

[brittonwayne-287-425268 · 10/10 · 15 May 2021]

After last weeks debacle this week is what I like about the Blacklist. Red shows he is still the smartest in the game. Also even though I don't trust her anymore Liz sees that Red has her best interest at heart.

make Priya a series regular

[Misha0809 · 15 August 2021]

She was fantastic!

Great episode, and I was not annoyed by Keen this time. :D.

OMG this episode was on FIRE🔥🔥

[negarshirani · 10/10 · 15 May 2021]

Look this ep really deserves to be on top 10 on the blacklist cause it has everything in it , a lot of actions and soooo many extremely exiting moments that made you feel worried and incredibly exited and in my opinion it got us a bit closer to the truth that we all are waiting for to find out afetr all these years...🙌

The best episode I recall, quality level of the first few seasons

[jon-22643 · 9/10 · 15 May 2021]

This is what The Blacklist is all about, and it's back to it's roots, a promising future.

OMG, WOW, EXTRAORDINARY!

[jeersNcheers · 10/10 · 16 May 2021]

BEST EPISODE in a couple of years! Very interesting and nail-biting!

And when you mingle Liz in with the other players, rather than featuring only her and Red, she blends nicely and is so much less annoying! James Spader and Harry Lennix can hold their own as major actors, but not Megan Boone.

Good episode...but

[sreenathc-43802 · 7/10 · 17 May 2021]

It was a pretty exciting episode with more unanswered questions. Get rid of the Elizabeth Keene character already...she adds no value and the actress is dead pan in her expressions. Get a FBI team that is actually competent....instead of this group who still regard Keene as an agent even after she was responsible for numerous deaths of fellow agents by supporting her killer mother. Isn't that ridiculous? Especially Ressler...perhaps he wants to sleep with Keene again! All in all, a better action packed episode in this season...but the story lines are sucking big time.

Raymond Reddington

[bexiibz · 10/10 · 15 May 2021]

Raymond Reddington is amazing and this episode is full of action I loved it finally Liz is danger because she's stupid she thinks that she's smart but in the fact she's stupid and now I think she's N-13 that's why Reddington is keeping her safe.

Typical Blacklist

[dgrabau49 · 6/10 · 16 May 2021]

Predictably no one who matters to the story does. A limping bleeding out man easily gets out the back door that the clueless FBI can't watch or track him down with all their technology and resources. Red has 9 lives, and the task force is clueless again. Rinse and repeat.

Series becoming unrealistic and boring 😴

[wesram · 4/10 · 1 June 2021]

Very predictable and as if all casts are dumb and the only character awake is RED.

Is Ivan Masha's father

[letiamj-95088 · 8/10 · 22 May 2021]

I am loving this season!

I think Ivan Stepanov is her real dad. Remember he told "Red" that he waited 30 years to meet Masha (Liz). I don't think her real mother is dead.

I think the secret goes back to the fire 🔥. Masha (Liz) is definitely a secret, deep, sleeper agent. "Red" had her memory erased but she has that chip or scar in her arm.

Can we focus more on Red and Dembe and Harold? They are my favorites!!!

Great episode!!!

[tim_itfc · 9/10 · 25 May 2021]

Back to what The Blacklist is all about. The chase, the find, the deception, the secrecy. Fantastic episode!!

Improvements

[kyfwpvqst · 9/10 · 15 May 2021]

It seems the writers finally realized what we want, all that's left is for them to wrap up this n-13 arc and get rid of Elizabeth. They need to stop milking her character. She is one dimensional. Now this episode was great from beginning to end and Red's performance was once again a joy to watch. Making Townsend the main villain is a good road to take but on the long run you need someone else. Please make sure Keen either dies or leaves the show by the end of this season.

Best episode in 2 years. And looks to continue.

[leebm-69089 · 9/10 · 16 May 2021]

It's finally back and I hope it stays. I think the writers have been seeing the reviews and rewrite the end of the season before filming. As they could see the show was going down a deep hole. And by the looks of it the new story is going to be awesome. If it was a rewrite thank you sooo much for listening. To those who have given up, watch this episode. Your faith will return.

[8.5] For Priya - the jewel robber!

[cjonesas · 8/10 · 15 February 2022]

Episode 17: An explosive episode with all that we love in The Blacklist with great acting, nail-biting suspense, seamless flow and some of the best Reddington's sharp tongue-lashing directed at the young hot head yet to be wise.

Also, Rana Roy was fantastic, especially in this episode and her charisma, svelte figure, decisiveness and capabilities lifted up the storyline. She deserves to grace us with her acting as a regular and super shine, given the writers see her potentials!

Finally a great episode

[markoskontoulis · 17 May 2021]

Action-packed and one of the best if not the best in at least 3 seasons.

The best episode of all time

[fpythdw · 10/10 · 23 August 2021]

The end of this episode is the best I've seen in almost 8 years since it has first aired. The combination of the plot and the soundtrack is surreal! Recommend a lot.

Great episode except Liz part

[magafadu · 7/10 · 17 May 2021]

How and why Liz left interrogation to find Lagari? It does not make any sense to me.

Very Intense

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 11 December 2022]

Lots of action. Several close calls. Creativity in avoiding escape. A new character who is devious and delightful. Reddington showing respect and love for someone. Elizabeth having to make some decisions. But still not convinced after all the evidence she sees. The FBI continuing to have their proverbial heads you know where. Donald, so dedicated, and so incapable of critical thinking. We just have been handed a bunch of questions that need answers. Of course, Harold keeps threatening Reddington, who assists him in chasing down Townsend. He can't wait to arrest him when all is said and done. This is one of the better episodes in the canon.

Liked the mood

[jppesonen · 7/10 · 17 May 2021]

But seems that this is a copy of Berlins tale. Townsend too lost his family, is now on his avenger-trip and if Liz now again is Reds daughter, it rly confirms that it´s just Berlin II as an arc.

Save yourself 40 min

[nejfiser · 3/10 · 15 May 2021]

Nothing is revealed. Red magically finds and saves his Russian friend and now Townsend is after Liz.

No wonder story is not going anywhere since yall praise such a pointless predictable episodes 🚮