The Blacklist - Episode 1.03 - Wujing - Review: Chinese-American Relations

'Wujing' was an interesting episode, but not the most exciting of the three we've seen so far. We Reddington and Elizabeth tackle a Chinese informant, Elizabeth looks into her husband and a revelation that might question the FBI's trust in Elizabeth.

At first I couldn't quite understand what Elizabeth was doing with that gun. It seemed very strange to me that she was randomly firing bullets into books. I figured it out when Elizabeth hands a bullet (and casing) to a guy in Ballistics asking him to analyse them and check them against other cases. What bugs me is that he didn't even ask where she got them!

Reddington playing chess by himself, against himself. I'm not quite sure what to make of that. Perhaps it's a suggestion that he is more intelligent than anyone else, therefore playing with anyone else wouldn't be a challenge.

I love how Reddington meets with Elizabeth in a hat store. I'm pretty sure that if the FBI looked in his briefcase, it'll be filled just with hats. Nothing else - just hats, the only thing Red needs to live his life.

Red is so casual. There's calculated method to everything that he does, but it doesn't look calculated. In that respect, James Spader is complete genius in the role. I'm pleased at the fact that Megan Boone appears to be settling into her role well. I had doubts about her after the pilot episode, but Boone is definitely improving.

I have musings that Agent Ressler has no brain cells. Honestly, he is the complete antithesis of Reddington, with no logic or method to anything he does. His complete and utter stupidity is almost depressing. It's a shame to see that FBI aren't being portrayed as very smart. The only logical thing that he does relates to Elizabeth's 'investigation' (keep reading).

Reddington took a risk killing the Chinese agent, but there wasn't much else he could do. Had he not, he'd have figured out that both he and Elizabeth were with the FBI, which would have been terrible for obvious reasons. Interesting from Red that he would do whatever he needs to to keep her alive.

I liked the action sequence at the building. I was worried that the CIA agent wasn't going to show up in time to save Cho, but actually it was to be expected that she would save both Cho and his boy.

Elizabeth's idea to catch Wujing was genius. I hadn't seen it coming, but it was a brilliant idea, one that worked. Resourceful work from a woman who has been at the FBI barely a month.

After three episodes of questions, we get an answer. Well, a vague answer - but still, some sort of answer is better than nothing. Supposedly Red chose Keen because of her father, yet we still don't know quite what the connection between the criminal and Keen Sr is, and I'm confident that we're going to have to wait a great deal longer to find out.

Red is clearly hiding something. He looked at a note while eating his dinner (in something of a very posh looking room), one which simply read '042983'. This is just another mystery wrapped in the enigma that is The Blacklist, a mystery that will undoubtedly reappear sometime later in the season.

Back to the bullet. And the results were... classified. This was an interesting twist, especially when Cooper tells Ressler that any discussion of the case that the bullet is connected to should involve Homeland Security. It makes me wonder, what is Tom up to? Armed men had previously broken into the Keen house, presumably searching for the box - but who are they? Whoever they are, they're still watching the house.

Plot-wise, this wasn't the greatest episode. Yet the sub-plots provided enough key material that the main part of the episode didn't have to be so spectacular. Obviously, this is only the third episode and the show is still experimenting, but the main plot needs to be more gripping if it is going to go to the next level. The previous two episodes hit the mark brilliantly, but this episode slipped a little. 6/10

Check out the promo for episode 4, 'The Stewmaker'. To quote Red, "That sounds exciting."

Bradley Adams
15 year old in England. Love Hawaii Five-0, NCIS, NCIS LA, Person of Interest, Elementary, Criminal Minds, Nikita and Arrow, and the new The Blacklist, Hostages and The Tomorrow People. I am reviewing The Blacklist, Person of Interest and The Tomorrow People for Spoiler TV. Aside from TV, a keen cricketer.
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