The Blacklist Refugees » Episode 6.14 The Osterman Umbrella Company

Eastcoast · 3/29/2019 9:55 pm

Big Badd Bazzer wrote:
Great sendoff episode for Samar - at least it seems that way?

Her fight with Suzy Ski-Bunny was classic! The vascular dementia hasn't slowed her fighting and self-defense skills!

Suzy Ski Bunny!

TheYeti · 3/30/2019 4:54 am

I can't believe Samar is truly gone. I'm guessing she'll make a short comeback in the final season or the end of this one. Anyway, I like how the Blacklist says goodbye to their main characters in a respectful way. Both Tom Keen and Samar had a lot of screentime in their final episodes and their disappearance changed the direction of the show. Does anyone think she might have gone to the island that Red offered to Mr. Kaplan? That sounds like a place where no one would look for her.

Tuxie400 · 3/30/2019 8:28 am

Yeti, I think Red is really good at making people disappear without having to resort to using the island. I agree that the episode was a great send-off for Mozhan.

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/30/2019 8:36 am

Thoughts & prayers for Levi. But he got what was coming. TBL sure portrayed Massaad as one evil organization that doesn't even have a pension plan for their sick employees.
Red personally bagging Levi almost gave me as much satisfaction as when Root terminated the highly trained Hague police-woman Martine on Person of Interest.

Tuxie400 · 3/30/2019 9:08 am

Red never kills anyone who doesn't "deserve it."

IamCngRed · 3/30/2019 9:51 am

Um, Aram? You know I love you, right? But why are you blaming Red? He only tried to fix your, albeit well-intentioned, mess.

Last edited by IamCngRed (3/30/2019 9:51 am)

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/30/2019 10:48 am

Should be a major tell if TBL show-runners fill Samar's shoes immediately or kinda sluff things off for awhile. Big void if they don't - don't know how long they can keep Aram "hot after Red" while still trying to work with the Blacklist source? Thats gonna be tough - just having Harold, Liz & Donald doing the grunt work.

When Person of Interest killed off Joss Carter (she was heading to Empire anyways) they immediately gap-filled with recurring character Root (Amy Acker) and Shaw (Sarah Shahi).

Acker came in to gradually replace the lead woman on Angel nearly 15 years ago.

Several new gals on NCIS shows.

New gal Megan Rath on Hawaii Five 0 for Grace Park.

Levy Tran in for George Eads on McGyver (she's amazing btw)

New gal on NCIS; New Orleans

If Acker is available after The Gifted folds she'd be the best bet - her interractions with Harold, Ressler, Red, Dembe, even Liz would be amazing. Even Jellybean & Heddy! Aisha Tyler would be a good get from Criminal Minds but moreso Paget Brewster or A.J. Cook from Criminal Minds

Best bet might be bringing the first lady of NCIS Cote de Pablo (who was also a Mossad agent) in.

Last edited by Big Badd Bazzer (3/30/2019 10:53 am)

Tuxie400 · 3/30/2019 11:31 am

IamCngRed wrote:
Um, Aram? You know I love you, right? But why are you blaming Red? He only tried to fix your, albeit well-intentioned, mess.

It makes sense to me that Aram is angry, and he sees Red as the one who took Samar away from him. He doesn't want to be mad at Samar, so he's mad at Red even though he was following Samar's wishes and trying to keep them both safe. The truth is, naive Aram would have slipped up along the way and gotten them both killed.

Tuxie400 · 3/30/2019 11:35 am

BBB - I think they may hold off on filling Samar's spot until Season 7. But who knows? I really don't think another agent is needed immediately. And with the McMahon supervision they've got now, can they trust bringing someone new in at this time? The only way a new character would work right now would someone Cooper or Ressler could 100 percent trust.

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/30/2019 2:25 pm

Tuxie400 wrote:
BBB - I think they may hold off on filling Samar's spot until Season 7. But who knows? I really don't think another agent is needed immediately. And with the McMahon supervision they've got now, can they trust bringing someone new in at this time? The only way a new character would work right now would someone Cooper or Ressler could 100 percent trust.

Agreed a new agent isn't really a requirement with all hell breaking loose elsewhere. They could always demote Cynthia Pannabaker down to the task force on a temporary basis - until word emerges on whether TBL continues for 1 or 2 more seasons.

Nice plum if its 2 full seasons.

Honey West · 3/30/2019 3:10 pm

I had wondered at some point along the way if maybe Red came into Liz's life because he might be terminally ill or something. But nothing ever pointed in that direction so I never gave it another thought. We have had a lot of medical stuff over the years, though.

I'm glad they didn't kill off Samar. Instead, her exit story sets up a lot of other stuff to happen. Aram thinking he could trust Levi and ended up being what almost got her killed, is what would certainly have gotten both of them killed if they'd gone ahead with their original exit plan. I kept thinking, they need to let Red help them disappear if it's going to work. Red said he'd tried to talk Samar out of it. I think he meant the going off on her own without Aram part. Then again, Red knows that Aram is an extremely valuable member of the Task Force and I'm sure he'd hate to lose him in that position. But, Red also knows that Aram loves Samar, and if he could tolerate Tom because of his love for Liz, then I'm sure he would have no problem trying to keep Samar and Aram together. But it was Samar's decision, in the end, that separated them. Of course Aram doesn't see it that way at all right now. He's thinking with his heart and not his brain. I suspect that the previews showing him taking a bunch of Red's money isn't so much for revenge, but is his way of thinking he can get Red to tell him where Samar went.

So what's the latest count now of people not being able to forgive Red for something or other?

Tuxie400 · 3/30/2019 3:48 pm

The Samar storyline is definitely a plot device. The whole situation is heartbreaking, but I really sympathize with Aram. He is thinking with his heart and not his brain. Aram's been through the emotional wringer. First he finds out about Samar's serious health issues. Then he has to face the fact he's never going to have children with her, and finally he totally loses the woman of his dreams after he's agreed to give up everything and flee with her. He's in much the same place Liz was after Tom died. He's in that anger stage of grief.

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/30/2019 6:41 pm

Might take several episodes but I'm of the belief Aram & Mr. Reddington will form another close bond - but they'll be testy & wary of each other for a tad. Harold might have to threaten Aram with re-assignment in order to keep him in line!

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/30/2019 6:45 pm

The absolute funniest part of the 2-parter was when Robert relieved Red of the keys to the gold storage hide-away - and made off like a bandit (which he is). The anguish on Red's face was palpable. The joy and delight expressed by Liz was very out of character (for her) and thus made it even funnier!

Eastcoast · 3/30/2019 7:39 pm

I felt very sorry for Aram. He has a big heart. Not too much brain being used punching Red and doing what we saw in the preview! But it is understandable.
I wonder if there is any possibility that this is setting up some of the back story we are suppose to get? I cannot help but wonder how long Aram can work with Red after all this? Maybe the back story to Aram would give him some understanding.

Tuxie400 · 3/30/2019 10:50 pm

Big Badd Bazzer wrote:
The absolute funniest part of the 2-parter was when Robert relieved Red of the keys to the gold storage hide-away - and made off like a bandit (which he is). The anguish on Red's face was palpable. The joy and delight expressed by Liz was very out of character (for her) and thus made it even funnier!

I did get a kick out of both Liz and Ressler's reaction to Red being conned again.

TheYeti · 3/31/2019 4:42 am

Does anyone know whether Aram's contract negotiations have ended yet? I'd love to keep him for season 7, but I can also see a season finale happening in which he still follows Samar after all. The showrunners really need to find new cast in that case, as they would lose three main stars in under two seasons. I agree with some others here that Amy Acker or Sarah Shahi would be great choices. Other interesting options would be Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland) and Odette Anable (Banshee).

Last edited by TheYeti (3/31/2019 4:50 am)

Tuxie400 · 3/31/2019 8:24 am

Yeti - Amir said at C2E2 that supporting cast have their contracts re-upped in the summer before each season starts.So he won't really know for sure that he's in Season 7 until them.

Last edited by Tuxie400 (3/31/2019 8:24 am)

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/31/2019 9:36 am

Like Amy Acker & Sarah Shahi, I sincerely believe Mozhan Marno will have a fairly difficult time finding a starring project where she's the #1 or #2 lead. Very tough finding a spot for an exotic and super-lanky 40 yr old persian looking woman - TBL s-runners actually restrained her beauty, when she glams up she's superior to my faves Sarah & Amy
FWIW - I think Mozhan decided she wouldn't put up with another year being 6th to 7th lead on a very good NBC series.

Tuxie400 · 3/31/2019 12:56 pm

I think Mozhan probably thought the Samar role wasn't really stretching her acting chops. It tended to just be more of the same, season after season. I hope she has some exciting new opportunities on the stage or in film.