Plus, watch a clip of the episode in which Liz makes her return.
It was about time we got Liz’s side of the story.
It’s all the underbelly."
James Spader and Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.David Giesbrecht/NBC
“Red coming into her life in the pilot isn’t so much strangers meeting,” Bokenkamp says.
“It’s the beginning of her journey of self-discovery.”
Tom was a massive part of Liz’s journey, but, initially, his story was very different.
Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Craig Blankenhorn/NBC
The EPs revealed that, in the original pilot, Tom died.
Clearly, it was good advice.
Tom Keen became one ofThe Blacklist’s complex characters, and even had a short-lived spin-off.
Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Will Hart/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
This was when I think I realized our show could really lean into and utilize most genres seamlessly."
“It reflected to the audience about how far Liz is willing to go,” Bokenkamp says.
Spending time with him meant seeing that she was more like him than she wanted to admit.
James Spader and Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Eric Liebowitz/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
Looking back on the moment, Boone remembered what Birney gave to the show.
“It just surrounded us.”
Boone adds, “The look on his face at that moment was so wonderful to watch.
A scene from ‘The Blacklist’.Sony Pictures Television
He gave something that is so essential to the show, a great villain.”
The arc came from Boone’s own pregnancy, which they chose to write into the show.
“We decided that in a show that is at its core a parent-child story,” Eisendrath says.
Piter Marek and Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Virginia Sherwood/NBC
The Blacklistcontinued to explore the parent-child relationship deeply when Liz returned.
Part of Liz’s time away had been having time with Agnes as she made her moves.
Each of those deaths had a significant impact on Liz.
Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Will Hart/NBC
Kaplan and Liz were connected through the mother Liz didn’t know, and they bonded over Reddington.
The arc that ended with her death started because Kaplan made an enemy of Reddington to save Liz.
Kaplan’s place in Liz’s life played a part in her return.
Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Will Hart/NBC
“Liz is carrying the same torch that Kaplan was carrying in a way,” Bokenkamp explains.
As she embarked on a journey against Red, Kaplan returned as a bang out of guide for Liz.
Liz stumbled across some trouble and decided to fight to survive, all while grieving losing Tom.
Megan Boone and Brian Dennehy on ‘The Blacklist’.Will Hart/NBC
“My God, to have gotten to work with Brian Dennehy on this,” Boone says.
“How lucky I’ve been.
(Dennehydied in 2020.)
Megan Boone and Jonathan Holtzman on ‘The Blacklist’.Will Hart/NBC
Watching Reddington kill Katarina
Katarina’s entry into Liz’s life changed her andThe Blacklist.
It was whiplash-inducing, but I think everyone was experiencing that during this time.”
“The death of Katarina really is the final straw for Liz,” Bokenkamp says.
Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Sony Pictures Television
All that time spent by Red’s side meant Agent Keen had watched how he operated.
“I was definitely hoping it would be Liz at No.
1, but I didn’t want to presume,” Boone says.
Megan Boone on ‘The Blacklist’.Will Hart/NBC
“I have to say… it’s an honor.”
The evolution of Liz allowedThe Blacklistto stay fresh eight seasons in.
The Blacklistairs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT onNBC.
(Video courtesy of NBC)
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