Red is back! Our favorite member of the FBI most wanted list is on the run as Season 3 raises its curtains and he is not alone. Agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) has become the hunted after her murder of corrupt Attorney General, Tom Connolly (Reed  Birney) along with the deaths of a senator and federal agents.

For you newbies to the world of The Blacklist, Red Reddington (James Spader) is an expert criminal who surrenders to the FBI. In exchange for his continued freedom , Red provides the Bureau with critical information on his fellow criminals, terrorists and overall bad guys. The one caveat is that he will only communicate with Elizabeth Keen. Red’s history with Keen is shrouded in mystery and lost memories, as  Keen comes to terms with Tom (Ryan Eggold) her spy husband, the role Red played in her youth and the crumbling of her life.

Season 3 kicks off with the brilliant escape of Red & Keen from the D.C. streets. Elizabeth’s former partner, Donald Ressler (Diego Klatenhoff), is now in charge of the investigation and is gunning hard for Keen as it appears through the frame job that capped last season that she is a Russian spy. Red seeks out the Troll Farmer, a master of social media misdirection, to draw the attention off the fugitives to provide the window of opportunity to get off the grid. The plan works for one but not the other, who is forced to make a life altering decision. Meanwhile, Reddington’s right hand man Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq), has problems of his own. In exchange for his granddaughter’s safety he must work with the clandestine organization that Red has been trying to eradicate.

The Blacklist is one of my favorite program. It integrates the successful formula of cops vs bad guy weekly showdown, however, they are used to perfection to keep the larger plot moving. James Spader is as usual outstanding with his singular wit and effortless emotional range. Boone’s portrayal of Agent Keen has grown leaps and bounds since season 1. Gone is the hurt deer in the headlights look she seemed to display in most scenes. It has been replaced with a fierce determination to make this character truly her own and she keeps pace with Spader scene for scene.

If the showrunners of The Blacklist continue with these tightly on point episodes, it will be a heck of a fun season.

5 Russian Spies of 5