Wednesday, April 2, 2014

The Blacklist - Milton Bobbit


While Reddington (James Spader) sends the FBI after another member of The Blacklist who turns mentally-unstable terminally-ill patients into contract killers, he and Lizzie (Megan Boone) also begin investigating Tom (Ryan Eggold). As the villain of the week the over-the-top Milton Bobbit (Damian Young), complete with his own detachable nose and bizarre apartment, is one of the more ghoulish (but least interesting) so far in the show's attempt to skirt the horror genre as it has from time to time over the course of its First Season. Eventually finding a connection between how he chooses his assassins leads the FBI to their killer who is even less interesting once we learn his bizarre practice of unusual assassination is all for the singular purpose of revenge.

Far more interesting, although still somewhat troubling, is the investigation into who Tom really is. Seizing on Tom's suggestion for the couple to renew their vows, Lizzie brings his estranged brother (Peter Scanavino) to town for the ceremony allowing Reddington to put his skills to good use to try and discover who he is and what Tom is really up to. Although a few clues are dropped in the form of a safety deposit box key and the mention of "Berlin," the time spent with the operative posing as Tom's brother ultimately ends with the man choosing suicide rather than helping the pair any further.

The method of Bobbit's killings is interesting, even if the villain himself and his eventual capture are not. Lizzie's choice to stay with Tom and attempt to keep up the charade is increasingly problematic for every week The Blacklist continues the storyline. Although "Milton Bobbit" finally begins the investigation into who the man really is and the reasons someone (or some organization) wants him close to Lizzie, the first taste is little more than a tease with the likelihood of quite a bit of status quo before any real truth is uncovered.

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