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The Man in the Black Fedora
Thanks to the digital magic of the DVR, “The Blacklist” was last night’s feature once the awesomeness of, “The Goldbergs” rocked its final inspiring nostalgic note for the week. Another great half-hour journey back to the ’80s.
The power of the VHS tape…
Focusing back on, “The Blacklist,” this national security mystery added yet another name to the aforementioned list. The diabolical characteristics of the villains continue to shock and surprise, while the anti-hero Reddington remains a constant. However, Reddington is different than most television leads.
Why?
The answer boils down to the actor who plays him…or is it the other way around?
James Spader is weird, smart, sharp, cocky, borderline creepy and full of ambiguous intrigue.
He’s like a perplexing painting in a museum. At first glance, you think you have it all figured out. Then, as you begin to walk away, you take a second look and something’s changed. You gently rub your eyes in a bewilderment, but you’re still convinced something definitely changed. After a minute passes, you don’t want to or think you need to stay in the room, but you’re in a trance. The experience is downright odd, leaving a void of all the answers you seek. You can’t help but continue to look, searching for the exciting answer.
Spader has played lots of memorable roles, but Reddington suits him as perfectly as the three-piece suits he wears (plus the dynamite hats). As crazy and insane as it may read, it’s easy to imagine that James Spader is like Reddington in his spare time. As in that’s how he acts on the weekend. No big deal, just a Thursday-Saturday excursion to the Bahamas to Paris to D.C. with the itinerary consisting of moral dilemmas, beautiful women, breathtaking locations and powerful enemies to manipulate and defeat.
And one cannot forget about a delicious and savory meal in a five-star hotel with a bodyguard.
His eerily reassuring presence is one of the primary reasons why this show has been such a success thus far. Writing and portraying the story lines of, “The Blacklist” for network television without a major motion picture budget has proven to be difficult in the past. Consequently, the final product has come off as campy and, therefore, lacking in believability.
Not “The Blacklist.”
The action is explosive, the suspense is palpable, the settings are realistic, the characters and their movements are precise and gritty and the twists are startling and fun.
“The Blacklist” is accomplishing (so far) what all good television shows and movies achieve, which is temporarily relieving the viewer from his or her reality to fully immerse ones self into the dramatic, comedic and/or action packed world for a short period of time. We’re not simply watching the actors or actresses portray characters, but are instead embracing an engaging, puzzling story unfold through the guidance of a reticent lead.
Who is Reddington exactly? Why does he insist on working with Agent Keen?
We’ll just have to wait until next week for the 6th episode…or viewing.
The good news about a television show and a museum is that there are no visitation limits.
TV’s Circle of Trust
Last night, I watched (not for the first time) the series finale of “Frasier,” which was followed by the series premiere of “Frasier” on the Hallmark Channel (11:00 p.m.-midnight). Seeing the popular and witty sitcom come full circle in this fashion was a surreal experience, partly because most of the same sets were used for both episodes. Without question, witnessing the journey of all the characters was worth every second of every show.
A sight to see for sure.
This sequence of events begs the questions of the who, what, when, where, why and how of our own lives? Perhaps the most fascinating quality about Dr. Frasier Crane was his insistence to plan, plan and plan his life’s events with his overly analytical mind. And yet, his life was so much more fulfilling and enjoyable (and funny!) when the unexpected occurred without warning.
In the series premiere, Frasier took a chance at disturbing his new bachelor lifestyle in Seattle to reacquaint himself with Martin, his polar opposite father, by asking him to move in with him. Frasier was clearly a man of habits and preferences (“the chair”), so this provided quite the challenge for the famed psychiatrist. Still, the audience could see that Frasier’s life was going to benefit greatly from the unknown.
The series finale (spoiler alert from 2004) saw Frasier engage in a classic psychological dilemma of certainty versus mystery. In the end, Frasier chose mystery. While standing in his apartment for the last time with Niles and Daphne, Martin and Ronee and Roz, it’s safe to say he realized that his genius mind was not the primary source of wisdom that led him and everyone else into that room together after eleven years.
From the series premiere to the series finale, the famed radio psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane was talking and indeed listening…just not from the place he may have expected.
Nine years after signing off the air and it’s still worth a listen or two.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 