The Blacklist Season 2 Episode 20 Review: Quon Zhang

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Liz has been desperately searching for answers from Red, but this time, she got a few crumbs of information to mull over.

That sun-filled photo was of Liz and her mother, and she just so happened to be a KGB agent.

But where I’ve continued to think that the big secret reveal remains that Red is actually Liz’s father (even Tom suggested it this time), The Blacklist Season 2 Episode 20 threw in a different theory.

What if Red was actually in love with Liz’s mother? What if Liz’s father was killed because of Red’s love for her mother, and that past that Liz’s mind has been blocked from and its connection to Liz’s mother is the reason Red has such a vested interest?

C’mon, Red, tell the whole truth!

I really enjoyed seeing Liz’s persistence in finding out answers, and it’s funny how Red’s lack of answers has pushed her towards Tom. Those two seem on the verge of rekindling something, and clearly his genuine affections for her make that much more believable.

She’s certainly more vulnerable in that sense, and Tom provides that connection that allows her to talk to him about Red and those secrets.

The hour didn’t stop with some truth about Liz, as we learned that the cabal, that secret organization with the Director, is planning an attack on U.S. soil. It’s an attack that’s part of their plan to bring about another world war.

I was definitely shocked when Samar announced she was working for the Director. It really was a “no way” moment, and I was excited for the turn of events that would come from it. Even shooting Dembe had me wondering what was going to happen, though I couldn’t help but think that maybe she was pulling a fast one.

Turns out she was, but I was fooled for the moment.

It’s rather clever to go from the physical torture (and Red’s great narration about the torture scene in The Marathon Man was visual enough) to pretending to rescue and gaining that confidence.

And on top of that, we learned that Tom Connolly is the one on the inside working for the cabal.

It was great to see Harold try and stand up to Tom, even putting his life on the line. But it was a chilling response from Tom about owning Harold, about Harold’s wife leaking the documents, that has really put Harold into an even deeper hole.

I don’t know how he’s going to get out of that.

Then there’s the case of the week, which was actually intriguing, about the smuggling of bodies. The tradition about taking bodies to bury with unmarried men was something I’d never heard of, but it was a nice twist that departed from the typical hidden drugs or weapons that could have come from it.

Except, in wonderful fashion, the case of the week turned out to be ultimately tied to the larger story with the cabal. The smuggler had been contracted to bring an agent over and it had already been done.

What a cool and creepy shot of the casket opening and then the man’s eyes opening.

Thing’s are definitely going down in the next episode.

This was a fantastic hour that incorporated multiple stories that were equally important and revealing for both the plot and the characters involved. Some good twists are always welcome, but so are some answers, and this episode had that and it really ramped up the anticipation for what’s to come.

Were you shocked by the reveals? Will Liz learn more about Red? Sound off below and see this great hour again when you watch The Blacklist online now.

Quon Zhang Review

Editor Rating: 4.8 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.1 / 5.0 (39 Votes)

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.

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