Tatiana - I wanted to set the poll up to vote for three, but the poll maker connected to this site only allows you to vote for one. Some make it your top favorite in the poll, and then explain your other two in the comments.

Don't mind Red as crisis counsellor, at all . . . .

He's superbly direct, deals with his client in a totally forthright manner and refuses to beat around the bush!

Mr. Fagen couldn;t find a better counsellor if he tried.

The critics will say Red's counsel is flawed because its like getting a chain smoker to quit - but promising him a free carton of the finest german cigarettes known to mankind - IF HE PROMISES TO SMOKE THEM ALL IN A FEW HOURS!

Honey West wrote:

Tatiana wrote:

Can we vote for three?

If I absolutely had to chose I think Earl Fagen....still waters run deep, and he even scared Red.

I find the relationship with Red intriguing and Fagen's struggle with his addiction compelling.

 
I really like the Earl Fagan character. He is scary. There’s a lot to him. He’s dangerous, yet fascinating. And he is being masterfully played by C. Thomas Howell.

 

​He is perfect for the roll! I am not sure we have heard Red say that to anyone else? lol
 

I had always figured Ballerina girl was Jennifer or possibly a much younger sister who had died (because I have speculated before that the 'family' Fowler mentioned could have been parents/siblings instead of wife/child).  If they wanted to make her into Liz, we'd have to forget the date on the program and the fact that she was very blonde.  But I've also wondered if the show could have been one that he attended with Jennifer or Liz when they were children and he just goes back every year to remember watching the show, that perhaps Ballerina girl isn't anyone he knew, just the memory of the event.   I also think this could never come up again because perhaps they have shifted things a little along the way and it doesn't fit into the story any more.  That was mid-season 1 after all. 

But there is a consistent theme of daughters and sisters.  I tend to think (hope) that Jennifer will make an appearance one day.  I'd love for her to be a good person who is just trying to live her life and could form a healthy relationship with Liz, but I could see the show making her out to be this resentful woman, blaming Liz for Red's departure and her life being upended. Wouldn't that be horrible for Red, having one of this children trying to kill the other?  Would he kill Jennifer to protect Liz?  Talk about angsty. 

I re-watched last night.  I think most of the obvious parallels have already been mentioned:  the 2 daughters, the blood from two people on the deceased husband's shirt. (hmmm, deceased, another hint?), the inhalers, the lack of oxygen for Aram, and the dog skeletons for the fire.

I picked up a couple of lesser things:  in the opening sequence, the waitresses in the diner are wearing GREEN uniforms; toward the end, Liz is photographed sitting in front of a red front door, through a GREEN glass; Red quotes a sentence with Christmas in it to the IRS inspector; Aram says he cannot see through the mask.

Question:  Singleton's bedroom and bed frame design reminded me a lot of the room and bed in which Dembe was convalescing in Season 4 (where Red gives him the gift but mentions to him not to open it yet).  Actually, that bed and bedroom I saw again earlier this season and that reminded me of Dembe's room too but I forgot to write it down at the time.  Definitely Season 5.

Just wondering whether any of you had noticed this too (Eastcoast?  you have such a great eye for detail!).
 

lara1 - I was hoping you would add that saying that Red quoted about to your Christmas thread:

As Old Man Quimby, my fencing instructor used to say, "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, Oh what a Christmas we'd have!"

Tuxie400 wrote:

lara1 - I was hoping you would add that saying that Red quoted about to your Christmas thread:

As Old Man Quimby, my fencing instructor used to say, "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, Oh what a Christmas we'd have!"

Thanks Tuxie for sharing the exact quote.... I will add it.....I am behind in updating all of my lists.....life has got me scattered LOL. .  

I agree, Patter.  This storyline being stretched out over an entire season has been tedious at times.  I’m hoping things are interesting now that they know who Garvey is.

Honey West or someone who is super cable/network show savvy? I was under the impression that 6 years is the golden number for shows, but I don't know if that's true anymore. 

There was an interview Spader did early fall 2017 and it's on our board here. If you listen to the full podcast, he just about says it straight out: we have two more seasons (17-18 and 18-19 so really only a little more than one season now) and that will give us adequate time to tell our story. He also said, repeatedly, that they have taken a meandering, circuitous route to tell the story, in other words, there's filler galore. 

It's a really good interview and it's probably the most revealing he's ever done, as he's very tight-lipped when it comes to the Blacklist. But I would bet my white plush bunny that were in until spring 2019.

Well, I think there is much more we don't know than what we do know, so 2 more seasons doesn't seem stretching it to me, but that's just my view.  What would be good is if they decide on a set route, ie a set number of seasons to go so that they can pace the story accordingly.    I think its very hard to plot something like TBL, which is more than standard procedural, not knowing how many seasons they have.   

I don't know whether they signed on for two more years.  But I'd be surprised if they did not renew for a season 6, based on the ratings.  But what do I know.  I guess it won't be too long now til we know for sure.