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After a long wait, the first episode of Blacklist finally aired last night. How did it fare amongst critics? Check out a general overview of its reception below!

AV Club: C[]

"It ought to be easier to get sucked into The Blacklist than it is; Spader is fun to watch, and you can scarcely help but wonder where some of the dangling plot threads are going. (The true nature of Red’s paternal interest in Elizabeth is the least of them.) But if the show is going to develop any substance, the producers are going to have to endow the characters besides Red with some stature and interest. Making Red himself seem, if not vulnerable, then at least not exempt from the laws governing gravity, time, and space wouldn’t hurt, either."

The Huffington Post[]

"The Blacklist" is never going to be anyone's idea of great art, but at least it has a pulpy kind of momentum that may well be worth watching for a while; I will stick around to see whether Spader's performance really is the only dish on the menu. And at least it has a moderately credible plot engine; presumably Reddington will offer up a new bad guy to the feds every week. That could get old, but not if Red's backstory and psychology are developed in imaginative ways."

The Salt Lake Tribune[]

"Spader is delicious to watch as he manipulates everyone around him. And there's genuine suspense in the pilot episode, offering up hope that this could indeed be a good series."

IGN[]

"Entirely conscious of the exact kind of show he's in, Spader chews up every bit of the scenery he comes into contact with, as the rest of the cast races to keep up with him; which, ultimately, feels just as it should be. Though we can't promise that it will deliver, the potential for a fun and engaging bit of weekly intrigue is there."



So, a bit of a mixed bag, from a critical standpoint. What did you think? Vote in the poll and let us know in the comments.





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