Couple of quick further thoughts on "Whodunnit"  

OK, so I'm thinking about my recent review of clocks in the show.  Red had a camera in the clock in that apt.  I wonder if that will eventually reveal who was sneaking around and put the poison in the bottle?  That's if Liz didn't smash that clock after finding it!  but it was a nice clock, LOL.

Re Kapan, it looks more and more like her, but then I thought of this:

How would Kaplan know that Red had called that meeting of the 11, and where and when it was taking place?
And how would she know that Marvin would not be able to make it due to his Tahiti trip, hence giving opportunity to set him up?  Kaplan is not in Red's inner circle right now.  She wouldn't have access to that info.  So to me, it goes back to Cabal/shady organization/government - either as perpetrator, or enabler (of Kaplan).

Other than Kaplan, only the gove/shady security org would know Red's medical details,  

I think anyone who knows about the flat, could get inside.  So It could be Kaplan, or someone else knowing about it.

I also don't get how Kaplan would be vindictive enough to have all that collateral damage, set up Marvin and possibly implicate Dembe.  Still anything is possible.

So either someone who is an enemy of Red is using Kaplan or its the gov,/shady org, in my view.  Or- Katarina!  though her motives at this point for coming after Red and basically destroying his life would be completely unknown.

The other strange thing is that whoever is after Red, isn't going after Liz.  Points to Kaplan again!  LOL  how will I survive 8 weeks!!

Last edited by lara1 (2/24/2017 9:32 am)

The writers put in the Lulu character as homage to Lou Lou, a Blacklist superfan who died recently from cancer. The real Lou Lou would have given anything to help Raymond Reddington.

It really was a beautiful tribute and the actress did a wonderful wonderful job. I just wanted to give her a big hug 

I think we can find all the answers if we turn to the pilot and early episodes as parallels as so many of you have pointed out. Except it's a 'reverse' parallel. 

Grey's betrayal: His man betrayed him because another criminal group threatened his family. When Red discovered Grey was the mole, he told him, if you had come to me, I could have protected you. So Red's mode of operation loyalty above all else. Because his right hand man was not loyal, Red had to kill him.

So  we now with Dembe, we have Red's most trusted right hand man 'betraying' him. But there is no evidence that Dembe's family is being threatened from the outside. Dembe could be motivated to continue their mission by protecting Liz and Agnes (and maybe even Red from himself). Which brings me think even more that somehow Kaplan is behind it. Lara-as you so astutely pointed out, was Flat Cat, aka, Cattington, a clue that Kaplan is still making her presence known 

Bokenkamp's interview doesn't have much ambiguity about Dembe's involvement, at least that's how I read it. 

"Dembe has attempted to kill Red. And, again, Dembe is one of the only people who would have this kind of information — such intimate details about how Reddington moves, how he does his business. And it was established that Dembe, after he told Elizabeth Keen that Red had murdered Mr. Kaplan, was not happy with it. He made very clear to Reddington that he thought it was a mistake and that Kate was a friend and part of their family"

"It takes eight weeks for Reddington to hunt Dembe before he gets his big lead that brings him back in episode 16. And that is where he puts Dembe in the line of sight and lays out for the task force why he’s so incredibly dangerous. Only somebody so close to him could hurt him in such a significant way. So, yes, the episode is very much about Red hunting Dembe down and ending this war."

This is from Bokenkamp, so while it's not canon, I would have to think there's crumbs of truth in it. It's possible Red will save Dembe, but it's clear from JB that Dembe is incredibly dangerous to Red.



 

Honey West - I've never seen D.O.A., but I looked it up, and the plot really does sound so similar to this episode. I just hope this storyline doesn't end like the movie - with the poisoned man dying.

Wow. I missed the first 15 or so minutes due to NBC scrambling on not one but two local stations I can get OTA. I finally got reception when Red was talking to the doctor and the doctor was all (people can't see us together, let's go in a room and talk while a patient is just laying in his bed). Was it revealed who gave Red the inhaler? The Apothecary's wife also used an inhaler that he administered to her. It seemed to put her in a different state and  that could be what's slowly happening to Red. Yes, maybe he was poisoned, but the inhaler is prolonging the effect or causing him to forget things that happened/split minds?  I still didn't understand how that storyline worked with the guys Samar was questioning? I'm not sure what I missed there other than she thought he poisoned the young guys wife (in the hospital). 

The flashbacks show Red coughing during his speech at dinner, did he have the inhaler then? I'm going to have to watch the beginning tonight. Too many questions!!! I also think his associates seemed concerned for him after he freed them from the kitchen. I mean pissed, but once they picked up on his state they were all super sleuths playing Clue.

I thought Liz did seem concerned when they were at the mobile hospital. Looked like she had tears in her eyes to me. She was even the first to ask if they could see him. *But on Redemption, she was all "Red's going to be fine. Tom you go ahead and make us a millionaire so we can hire a nanny." And Aram is the sweetest person EVER!

Moving on...Dembe loves Red and Marvin is indebted to Red, I just don't believe either would ever betray him. I think Dembe is unknowingly being set up and showrunners want us to believe it's him. Dembe had to know something was up and needed to get to the bottom of it without Red (too risky for them to be together). Kaplan could be behind it, possibly against her will. Or maybe not! I'm still holding out for Katarina to be alive and and she's possibly behind all this! She could have faked her own death just like Liz did to get away from Red (possibly with the help of Kaplan????). Like Mother, Like Daughter????  And then I also worry it could be Kaplan's sister (would Kaplan tell her secrets???) to avenge her sister's death?

So many questions!!! Can someone also answer if it was ever resolved who hired Isabella Stone?

"Oh, and best line of the night goes to Levine: "if you're even thinking about another parable I may strangle you myself!"" - Honey West - Loved it!

And Aram with his "Incredible Edible"!!! Oh did that ever make me laugh, he's so cute!!!



Yes, let's call Red's condition fractured identity! - Tuxie ha!!! 
We used to watch Fractured Fairy Tales when I was little. So good, warped humor, the best! 

Patter - The doctor did give Red the inhaler. How awful that you missed the first 15 minutes! You must have been going crazy.

Tatiana - The fractured identity made me think of Fractured Fairy Tales too. It was great!

Last edited by Tuxie400 (2/24/2017 11:33 am)

For all Cooper's talk of Red's selfishness last week, I find it interesting that even when Red is dying, Dembe is the one he's worried about. Red is the least selfish character in The Blacklist, or at least tied with Aram.

Wow. Lots of great posts!  I'm in the park now - its in the low 70s in NYC today!  I will read everything again when I get home

Tatiana - what you wrote about dembe made a lot of sense. And he knew about the dinner meeting. Marvin's response to Red reminded me of the guy on the putting range back in season 3 when Red thought he'd let tom and Agnes leave the country, and then Red finds out it was Kaplan. Only here, he finds out it "was" dembe

What I don't get though is why dembe would drive Red to the ICU. And why not just shoot him?  He certainly could do that. Unless he wanted Red to suffer. Then again, why help save him?   

Someone mentioned flat cat might point to Katerina rather than Kaplan. I like that. I've sometimes thought the flat was Katerina's and cat is short for Katerina!  Lol

Tuxie400 wrote:

Tatiana and lara1 - I think the Flat Cat points more to Katarina than Kaplan. I know we theorized that Kaplan was the one who took care of the cat, but the show never confirmed that. I'm Dembe loyal. I can't believe Dembe would betray Red in these ways. I don't think Kaplan would either.

lara1 - Good point about the camera in the clock! It may prove helpful in identifying the culprit.

Honey West - It was surprising that Liz wasn't worried more about Red until the very end. Aram was the only one expressing concern and alarm at the very beginning. His fruit basket was so thoughtful. Did you see the note on Twitter?

 
Didn't see twitter yet. Thanks for the heads up.