---
title: "The Blacklist"
year: 2013
canonical_url: "https://www.archytele.com/show/the-blacklist-2013"
media_type: "tv"
tmdb_id: 46952
imdb_id: "tt2741602"
status: "Ended"
seasons_count: 10
episodes_count: 218
community_rating: 7.6
vote_count: 3632
content_rating: "TV-14"
---

# The Blacklist (2013) — Television & Cinema Intelligence Dossier

> **Archytele Living Vault Canonical Record**: https://www.archytele.com/show/the-blacklist-2013

## Executive Summary & Cultural Positioning

The Blacklist is an American crime thriller television series that premiered in 2013. Created by Jon Bokenkamp and developed by John Eisendrath, the show features James Spader as Raymond Reddington, an international criminal and one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives. The narrative begins when Reddington surrenders in person at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. He offers to assist the agency in capturing dangerous criminals and terrorists who are unknown to authorities. Reddington has compiled this group of individuals over two decades and refers to them as the Blacklist. He agrees to cooperate with the FBI on the specific condition that he speaks only to Elizabeth Keen, a rookie FBI profiler. Following his surrender, Keen finds her life uprooted by the partnership. The series, which stars Spader alongside Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, and Harry Lennix, concluded in 2023 after ten seasons on the air. The program is recognized for its focus on the collaboration between the fugitive and the FBI to eliminate threats from the Blacklist.

## The Hook & The Verdict

**The Hook**: "A high-profile fugitive surrenders to the FBI with a list of dangerous criminals only he can identify."

### Why Watch
- charismatic lead performance
- high-stakes criminal investigations

### Caveats & Content Note
- complex long-term narrative arcs
- Tone & Suitability: The series contains intense themes of crime and violence suitable for mature audiences.

**Micro-Themes & Vibe Matrix**: suspenseful, crime, procedural, mysterious

## Streaming Availability Matrix

| Region | Stream (Subscription) | Free / Ads | Rent / Buy |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **United States (US)** | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | None | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home |
| **United Kingdom (GB)** | Amazon Prime Video, Sky Go, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | Channel 4 | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store |
| **Canada (CA)** | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | None | Apple TV Store |
| **Australia (AU)** | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | None | Apple TV Store, Fetch TV |

## Season Architecture & Lore Primers

### Season 1 (22 Episodes)
The Blacklist is an American crime thriller television series created by Jon Bokenkamp and developed by John Eisendrath. The series stars James Spader as Raymond Reddington, a former government agent who became one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives. Known as the Concierge of Crime, Reddington spent decades brokering deals for criminals across the globe. The narrative begins when Reddington mysteriously surrenders in person at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. He offers to assist the agency in capturing other dangerous criminals and terrorists, claiming that he and the FBI share the same interests. Reddington possesses a list of individuals he has tracked over the last two decades, which he refers to as his blacklist. His cooperation is contingent upon one specific condition: he will speak only to Elizabeth Keen, an FBI profiler who is fresh out of Quantico. For Keen, whose life is uprooted by this encounter, the arrangement marks a challenging start to her career. The series features a cast including Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, and Harry Lennix. The show is categorized as a drama, crime, and mystery series that originally premiered in 2013.

## Filler vs. Essential Episode Classifier

- **Total Tracked Episodes**: 111
- **Crucial Mytharc Episodes**: 11 (10%)
- **Character Core Episodes**: 100 (90%)
- **Side Quest / Filler Episodes**: 0 (0%)

## Creative Credits

- **Created by**: Jon Bokenkamp
- **Networks / Studios**: NBC

## Key Cast Continuity

- **James Spader** as *Raymond 'Red' Reddington*
- **Diego Klattenhoff** as *Donald Ressler*
- **Harry Lennix** as *Harold Cooper*
- **Hisham Tawfiq** as *Dembe Zuma*
- **Amir Arison** as *Aram Mojtabai*
- **Megan Boone** as *Elizabeth Keen*
- **Mozhan Navabi** as *Samar Navabi*
- **Ryan Eggold** as *Tom Keen*
- **Laura Sohn** as *Alina Park*
- **Susan Blommaert** as *Mr. Kaplan*

## Canonical Frequently Asked Questions

### Q: When did the series air?
The Blacklist ran on NBC from September 23, 2013, to July 13, 2023.

### Q: Who is the main character?
The series centers on Raymond Reddington, a long-wanted fugitive, and Elizabeth Keen, a rookie FBI profiler.

### Q: What is the Blacklist?
It is a list of criminals and terrorists that the FBI does not know exist.

### Q: How many seasons were there?
The series concluded after ten seasons.

### Q: Why does Reddington surrender?
He turns himself in to help the FBI capture dangerous criminals and terrorists.

## Grounded Source Citations

- [The Blacklist - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blacklist)
- [The Blacklist (TV Series 2013–2023) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2741602)
- [Watch The Blacklist | Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/70281312/)
- [James Spader Reveals Why The Blacklist Ended The Way It Did: "We …](https://screenrant.com/the-blacklist-series-finale-explained-james-spader/)
- [The Blacklist (TV Series 2013-2023) - Cast & Crew - The Movie Database ...](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/46952-the-blacklist/cast)
- [Why The Blacklist Is Ending After Season 10 - NBC](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/is-the-blacklist-season-10-final-season)

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*Generated by Archytele Open Intelligence Systems. Data verified against TMDB and JustWatch APIs.*