The Blacklist Review: 2×02 - “Monarch Douglas Bank”

Sophomore slump? Not hardly. The Blacklist might just graduate early and reach iconic status if it keeps up this level of quality.

Lets face it, everybody loves a bad boy and there just isn’t a villain on TV right now that’s more fun to watch than Red. His one-liners alone make this show entertaining. Add in James Spader’s unbelievable presence on screen through the big moments, or perhaps most especially in the little ones, and you’ve got top notch entertainment. Then mix in the havoc and ensuing drama that Red brings to everyone he encounters and you have the makings of a ratings juggernaut and NBC knows it.

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In this second episode of the sophomore season of The Blacklist, Red (James Spader) focuses the attention of our team on the Monarch Douglas Bank (No. 112). That’s two royal Blacklisters in a row if you’re counting. The only catch is that this one isn’t one person (or two if you watched last week) but an entire bank. Squeaky clean at first glance, the Monarch Douglas Bank seems solid to any who look, but an insignificant branch in Warszawa, Poland is the underbelly of the financial underworld.

A dramatic heist of that branch to open the episode sets the team in motion to investigate Red’s latest ‘Lister. The ensuing investigation leads to betrayal, surprising allies and a confrontation between Red and Berlin (Peter Stormare) we’ve been itching to see since Red’s enigmatic adversary was first brought into play in season one. That’s all just too much NOT to talk about, so let’s dive in to what we know or “think” we know about this weeks episode!

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The Perfect Formula for Financial Secrecy

It might get old telling you every week that Jon Bokenkamp and team are emerging as a geniuses for their development of this show. So we’ll spread the credit around by noting writers Kristen Reidel, Amanda Kate Shuman and Daniel Knauf help them by crafting yet another stellar episode and crafty Blacklister to sink our teeth into this week.

Despite an official report that nothing was stolen, when asked by Keen what actually WAS stolen, Red replies in his best all-knowing tone:

“Everything.” ~ Red

Monarch Douglas Bank it seems has a secret. Liz and Ressler arrive in Warsaw to investigate and are assisted by on-site Agent Salerno (Arron Lazar) and bank executive, Matt Strickland (Mark Zeisler) only to find our latest ‘Lister has covered their tracks well following the heist. It’s Aram that pulls the rabbit out of the hat by exposing an “extra” unsub leaving the scene. It wasn’t a robbery at all—it was a kidnapping.

Kaja Tomczak (Annika Boras) a.k.a. The Formula, a woman with a photographic memory, is the perfect hard drive for all sorts of underworld transaction records that shouldn’t ever be put to paper or database to be found. We never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity of the writing team and how they weave in new, creative Blacklisters each and every week. They make it look easy, but we all know it’s not. A lot of hard work must go into ideas that get kicked around in the writer’s room.

Neither The Formula nor Red, ever forgets

The hint of rum-soaked rose petal pączki on the seat of the kidnapper’s get away van, sends Red straight to his favorite pastry shop in Warsaw and delivers one of the most sparkling scenes of the episode. We’ll never order donuts again without wondering if there’s a stockpile of illegal arms in the refrigerator out back.

In a masterful scene, Spader oozes charm as he lovingly adores upon the shopkeeper Apolonia (Lola Pashalinski). She leads Red to the back where Spader shows just how good he is at the subtle moments. As she starts her sales pitch from her cache of illegal arms, Red flips the loving switch into one of a threat, to learn what he wants about the kidnappers who were also her clients. As Red’s tone turns ever-so sinister he warns her in a slightly understated, but simultaneously bright tone that only Red can get away with:

“God can’t protect you. But I can.” ~ Red

It doesn’t take Liz and Ressler long to take that lead and track down Kaja who wasn’t kidnapped at all, but orchestrated a dramatic escape from her corrupt organization. In custody, as she starts to tell her story, all hell breaks loose. Did we expect less? Agent Salerno attacks Liz behind the one-way, sound-proof glass and sets up a vicious life or death struggle opposite the calm interrogation by Ressler who is completely unaware. Well choreographed, directed and edited, the fight sequence left us swaying back and forth as we watched Liz fight for her life while the oblivious Ressler continued on. When a shot finally breaks the glass, Diego Klattenhoff surprises us with Ressler’s momentary pause to react which isn’t lost on Keen later.

Before they can escape the storming assault team, they are conveniently saved by our mysterious Mossad Agent (Mozhan Marnò) who we last saw relinquishing Red to the FBI in episode one. Coincidence? We didn’t think so either. But without explanation she stalls the pursuers and our team is now on the run on foreign soil. Just when things get completely dire and with a wounded Kaja in tow, Red saves the day, but not before snatching Kaja right out of their hands for his own purposes.

The Hat vs The Hook

All this sets the stage for perhaps the most anticipated scene of The Blacklist so far. Exquisitely shot in the late evening sun, Director of Photography, Eric Moynier had to be proud of the way that entire sequence looked when finished. The only issue was editing. Clearly the wider shots were taken earlier in the day when the sun was high and the close ups as the sun was setting. When the scene flips back and forth it’s a slightly noticeable, but that doesn’t at all detract from the rich atmosphere the late day sun added to these two masterful actors as they brought together a scene 24 episodes in the making.

“Revenge isn’t a passion, it’s a disease. It eats at your mind and poisons your soul.” ~ Red to Berlin

If anyone on set the day these two finally met face to face didn’t have some chills watching Spader and Peter Stormare spar threat for threat, barb for barb, wicked line for wicked line and even hat to hook, they weren’t paying any attention as these two masters of atmosphere put together one of the best villain, mano a mano scenes we’ve seen in a long time.

“Your wife is coming apart nicely.” ~ Berlin to Red

The music during the meeting between Berlin and Red was outstanding. It’s safe to say we’re fans of Dave Porter and his music choices that helped make the scene far creepier than the lighting and the performances alone could accomplish. But it was Spader and Stormare that stole the show as they agreed to trade all of Berlin’s money stolen by Red via Kaja for Naomi’s life.

As Berlin and Red face off again at a late night rendezvous to exchange the money for Naomi, the music again sets an ultra-tense mood that deadly things are afoot and if anyone makes a misstep, hell is likely to follow.

After the exchange and Naomi is finally in safer hands, it’s music again that lifts the mood with enchanting piano that enters. The haunting and longing voice of Tom Odelle bring us full circle. There’s finally safety for Mrs. Reddington, but can there every really be with her life so intimately attached to Red? Can anyone so close to him ever live without their lives being turned completely inside out? The pained look in Red’s eyes as he reaches for her, but can’t bring himself to touch her is palpable. Spader’s emotional drive throughout Red’s confrontation with Berlin is punctuated by his remorse in that moment. It’s a stunning performance swing from steeled determination to pain. Spader is an emotional genius. And we’re just along for the ride.

The FINAL VERDICT: Strong performances and deeper mysteries make this episode of The Blacklist not only entertaining, but must-see TV.

If there was any doubt that season two of The Blacklist could continue it’s strong performance those were quickly cast aside. This second episode of the season was as strong as any we’ve seen with applaud-worthy performances and writing throughout. Director Paul Edwards definitely had his hands full with all the intricacies of a mystery and action driven episode. As he did in last season’s “The Pavlovich Brothers” Edwards delivered a strong and captivating performance throughout from all those involved and even when things were hectic, kept us focused on the moving plot. Perhaps though he should receive the most praise for the powerful scenes where no action was required. Those moments left us riveted.

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Guest star, Mary-Louise Parker as Naomi was again superb opposite Berlin (Peter Stormare). Her ingenuity, spirit and good old fashioned fear were highlights of an episode that had very few flaws and culminated with one of the most epic showdowns in bad vs worse in recent TV memory.

So many questions remain. Who was Liz’s source that tipped her to Berlin’s money being in the Monarch Douglas Bank? Was she bluffing about freezing the assets? How deep will Ressler slide and is he becoming addicted to his pain meds? How will Cooper react to learning that his very Task Force was secretly funded by money run through the Monarch Douglas Bank? How does that make the Bureau any different than any other off-the grid organization in the world? And most of all, will what will become of Red and Naomi? They never speak, never touch and Red can’t ever bring himself to even say her name during or after his drive to save her. What happens next for these two?

We don’t know the answers to any of these questions just yet, but there’s no doubt we’re hooked and want to know. What we DO know is that in no way did any of this episode disappoint. We’re left with a safer Naomi, but with so much duplicity and so many secrets there’s material to entertain us for a long time coming and we’ll be counting the days until next week where we can get our next fix of The Blacklist.

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Questions, Comments, Concerns and My Reaction On Twitter…

• Mr Kaplan has a name. Kate. And a deep connection to Red. I’d like to know THAT story. Oh, and apparently she can’t watch when Red shoots a guy in the head. I guess she’s only got the stomach for clean up after!
• “Make me one” Looks like Captain Hook a.k.a. Berlin wants to upgrade to a “full hand” with a pretty fancy prosthetic. Bionic hand anyone?? That’s not scary on a psychopath.
• What was Berlin buying that was “sitting in a container ship” just off the coast of Mogadishu? Hitting the bank, also disrupted Berlin’s business.
• “Tastes just like Patty Sutton” #ThingsRedSays seriously needs to be a thing. We could write a book from all his off the wall sayings. Even Dembe thought this one was funny.
• On the other hand Berlin is just the opposite. Stormare is so creepy that his lines entertain us in a completely different way. “The people I’m working for expect me to make an example. To peel you like a grape.” #ThingsBerlinSays
• “Come on, lets make some music, eh?” The delight of Berlin is something I NEVER want to see in person! And man did Parker play her terrified part well. What performance. #ThingsBerlinSays
• “Shhh. Listen. Hear that? That’s the sound of your checks bouncing from here to St. Petersberg. From Bangkok to Mosambique.” #ThingsRedSays (Seriously … needs to be a thing we get going on Twitter)
• “That’s why we’re sitting here today. Because of Keeeeeeen.” #ThingsBerlinSays And Red literally blows in his face. Ha! FTW?? Red has balls! What a moment. Wonder if that was scripted or impromptu. How many takes did that one take to get through?
• “Can any of you tell me one thing we’ve still got going for us!?” ~ Cooper
  “Coffee machine still works.” ~ Aram
  Ha!! That didn’t make “Irate” Cooper any happier. lol
• What deal did our new Mossad agent strike with Red to get herself into the Task Force? What’s her “real” agenda?
• Red plays all the angles. But Lizzy clearly surprised him. How DID she know that Berlin’s money was in the bank? Who was her source? Or did she know at all? Was she bluffing when she called Red to get him to admit what he was doing just to get him to spill the beans and tell her? She didn’t say and we want to know!