James Spader as Raymond 'Red' Reddington in The Blacklist season 1
By
Ben Sherlock
Published Feb 17, 2026, 7:01 PM EST
Ben Sherlock is a Tomatometer-approved film and TV critic who runs the massively underrated YouTube channel I Got Touched at the Cinema. Before working at Screen Rant, Ben wrote for Game Rant, Taste of Cinema, Comic Book Resources, and BabbleTop. He's also an indie filmmaker, a standup comedian, and an alumnus of the School of Rock.
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Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
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James Spader’s 10-season crime drama The Blacklist is getting even better in the streaming age, because we don’t get long-running procedural shows like this anymore. Spader has a long history with procedurals. He originated the character of Alan Shore on The Practice, and later reprised the role as the lead of Boston Legal.
Throughout his impressive career in television, Spader has had guest roles in Seinfeld and Frasier, he was the saving grace of The Office’s eighth season as Robert California, and he’s about to bring back his Marvel villain Ultron in the upcoming series VisionQuest. But Spader’s most iconic TV role is Raymond “Red” Reddington in The Blacklist.
The Blacklist Has Aged Well Thanks To The Streaming Era
James Spader in The Blacklist
The Blacklist ran for 10 seasons from 2013 to 2023, comprising a whopping 218 episodes, and that’s precisely why it’s aging so well in the streaming era. These kinds of long-running procedural thrillers used to be a staple of the TV landscape, but they’re becoming a thing of the past in the age of streaming.
In the streaming era, studios want to make short seasons that air years apart, so they can retain subscribers for as long as possible for as little cost as possible. Even the procedurals on network TV have to compete with a lot of other things these days, so most won’t ever reach as many seasons as The Blacklist (besides the already established franchises).
Why There May Never Be Another Show Like The Blacklist
Liz pointing a gun at Red in The Blacklist season 8 finale
The Blacklist sees Spader in a sort of Hannibal Lecter role, playing a notorious criminal who reluctantly agrees to assist law enforcement in catching other notorious criminals. Red is one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives, and throughout the series, he helps the FBI track down other criminals on his eponymous “Blacklist.”
Sadly, we may never see another show like this. The Blacklist has an episodic format. In each episode, Red helps the FBI find another criminal on his list. Today, the streamers prefer serialized shows that feel like a long movie, so they’re unlikely to greenlight a case-of-the-week show like The Blacklist.
Procedural Thrillers Shouldn't Become A Thing Of The Past
Ron Perlman as Luther Braxton biting his lip in The Blacklist season 2
It might be tempting for streamers and networks to just let the procedural disappear into obscurity and become a thing of the past. But there’s a lot of value in shows like The Blacklist. The ability to drop in on any given episode and follow a self-contained mystery storyline is great for audiences. Serialized shows string you along, but procedurals give you the satisfaction of closure in every single episode.
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The Blacklist
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