The Blacklist - Dr. James Covington (No. 89) - Review: "Loyalty Above All Else"

"Come a long way
Just to say
Doesn’t matter when it mattered yesterday
And tomorrow ain’t too far
Come a long way
From small beginnings
Come a long way

From small beginnings
Come big endings"
- "Pilgrim" - Fink

If you look at some webpages concerning The Blacklist you will notice many fans of this series are troubled and upset by some questions still posed by others; mainly that question is, 'Is Red Liz's father?'. The fact that questions from episode one still linger on the minds of its followers is a testament to how colossal this show has become, as well as how involved fans can and want to get. However, another question that seems equally important, and a few minutes older, is 'Why did Red turn himself into the FBI?". Tom mentions this to Liz during her dream sequence as something she needs to investigate and it could also be a possible hint, from the writers to the audience, that perhaps we should be questioning this ourselves.

The third episode of this season of The Blacklist brings us the underground operations, literally, of Dr. James Covington. Number '89' on Red's mysterious list, Dr. James Covington is someone who carefully treads the thin line between ethical and moral grounds. He harvests organs by illegal measures and transplants them into children who need them. To pay for his underground lair he charges wealthy clients a hefty yearly sum for them to keep their transplants. He is not the most nefarious villain we have seen on The Blacklist, but the story was still enjoyable and fun to watch. I especially enjoyed that the blacklister of the week was incorporated into the other story line involving Red. The Deputy Minister of Indonesia needed a heart transplant and the 'arrangements' (with Dr. Covington) didn't pan out paving the way for a new Deputy Minister that, of course, was willing to work with Red's organization, or 'The Syndicate'

I loved the scene between Red and B.B. in the restaurant when he needed to get Dr. Covington's phone number. James Spader continues to make Red a well-rounded character, blending serious lines with funny jokes seamlessly. The 'B' story this week was also a pleasure to watch as we see Red still rooting out people in his organization that are untrustworthy. This seems like it will be an ongoing job for Red as long as Berlin is continuously on his heals. RIP, Niko. Value Loyalty above all else.

I think it is important to note that Red cut Liz off just as she asked why he was hiding Naomi from her. As soon as she asked him about Naomi he brought up this week's blacklister, Dr. Covington, to change the subject. What is it that he is keeping from her? Who is Naomi to Liz? Equally important to ask is 'who is Naomi to Red'? The final scene between Red and Naomi might have some insight into that. If you notice, after Red walks in, he sees Naomi standing next to a cabinet. On top of the cabinet are two photos; one of a dog and the other of a little girl. That little girl looks similar to the little girl Red imagines running in the backyard of the house he purchased then set to explode last season (Frederick Barnes, Episode 7). I'm not saying they are the same girls, just that they look similar. The other piece of information we get is the book that is on the shelf next to Naomi, Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce. More on this in the 'Thoughts and Discussion' section below. Maybe it is nothing, but maybe it is a clue to the relationship between Liz, Red, and Naomi...if there is one at all.

Throughout the freshman season of The Blacklist, some fans spent a considerable amount of time contemplating who the father of Liz could or couldn't be. In doing so, some failed to realize their was a pattern amongst the varying blacklisters that Red handed to the FBI for his own gain. Needless to say, it is what The Blacklist does best - deception and misdirection. Those qualities (and a lot more) are what make The Blacklist the hit show that it has become. There were patterns in season one that some of us failed to see, while others were on top of each and every clue, however conspicuous or hidden they might have been. Knowing this, we can come to a better understanding of season two and where it is headed, while making some sense of our characters actions.

The underlying theme for season two, up to this point, is trust and loyalty. Liz is having some serious trust issues this season, which appear to be a central theme for season two, so far. Ressler even notices a change in the way she acts when he mentions her thought process in light of Dr. Covington's actions. Unwarranted, she frisks her 'nice guy' neighbor just because he looked suspicious (of course, later we find out it was warranted, but unbeknownst to Liz). How far can Liz go without trusting those people who really are there to protect her? How long will it be before those she does trust, however little, betray her? The most important question posed this season will be, "Can Liz really trust Red?" If he is around to protect her, is he doing a good job of it since season two began or are there other matters that require his attention more?

The episode was great, overall. Both story lines were entertaining and fun to watch and gave us more insight into what we can expect as season two progresses. I was happy to see Hal Ozsan as Liz's neighbor, but who knows if his reason to live so close is for good instead of evil. Then there is the question of who sent him? Is it Tom keeping an eye on her through one degree of separation? Is it Red keeping an eye on her to keep her safe? Just as last year with The Blacklist we are presented with many questions and few answers, but it is presented in such a way that engaging, entertaining and fun.


Red's Quotes

- "As much as I admire the police for their wonderful sense of irony, I'm afraid they've got this one wrong."
Red to Liz

- "Try a Grapefruit Gusher. It's just like you today, a little sour."
Red to Liz

- "...Look on the bright side, you'll die with a marvelous erection."
Red to B.B.

- "Value loyalty above all else."
Red to Niko

- "Luck rarely has anything to with it."
Red to Niko


Music from the Episode

"Forever and a Day" - Michael Rheault
Red sitting at the table with B.B. when he tells him he drugged him.

"Pilgrim" - Fink
Samar offers to buy Liz a drink. Liz apologizes to her 'nice guy' neighbor for frisking him. Liz glances at her work board while, unknowingly,
her neighbor sets up a sniper rifle. Red drives to visit with Naomi.


Thoughts and Discussion

- Did you notice...There is a newspaper on the ground right next to a deceased Mr. Wyatt in the 'cold open' of the episode. The Polish title on the front page, "Wierzę, że pójdę do nieba!", translates to, "I believe I will go to Heaven". This touches on the ethical dilemma the characters are faced with when ultimately learning of Dr. James Covington's methods and approaches to his work. He believes he is going to Heaven and is doing the right thing, while others still see it as unlawful.

- I love dream sequences in any show so when we get one on The Blacklist it is a very special treat. I like how the scene was shot with the scruffy and untrustworthy looking Tom stood pointing a gun at Liz in front of her photo board. At one moment, it appears Tom is standing right next to a photo of himself from the days when he was Liz's loving, and trusting, husband. It was a great shot that echoed of easier days for Liz combined with the unrest and upheaval she faces now.

- I don't expect to find out the answers to the questions posed by Tom, but I will list them here anyway so we have them in one place.
"What is the truth about why Red turned himself in to the FBI?
"What happened the night of 'The Fire'?
"Who is Liz's father?" (I can just hear the universal global groan, but we still have to ask, Lol)
"What is Liz's relationship, if any, to Naomi Hyland?"
"What does Liz really want?"

- Did you notice...Red and Kate reminisce about earlier days and bring up the time they had 'Reuben' soup with a coroner from Des Moines. A reference to the actor playing Mr. Vargas, Paul Reubens. For some added background information she tells Red, "How could I forget? I was sleeping with his sister."

- Did you notice...Red referred to his organization as The Syndicate.

- The book next to Naomi when Red walks in to meet her is titled Flora Segunda. Actually the full title is 'Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog'. The 'Red' dog part of the title was interesting, I thought. It's about a young heroine in a fictional place called Calif. When I was looking up the story I found some similarities to Liz. Flora is a girl filled with anger and sorrow. She wants to be a spy - strong, fast and clever - like her hero. Some elements of her story I couldn't quite piece together and made me think that it was just a book on a shelf that happened to be in front of Naomi and I am making too much of it, such as, Flora taking care of her father, who is strangely psychotic at times and her mother is rarely home. There are undertones of 'destiny' which mirror Liz's life since The Blacklist is somewhat a 'Chosen One' story. The title also references Flora as a second child (Segunda); Perhaps Liz is the second child and that girl in the photo is her sister? Unless I'm way off about all of this, Lol.

- I really enjoyed Paul Reubens as Mr. Vargas. I did not see the twist coming that he was working for Red.

- After seeing that dream sequence with Tom, I want to know more about the fire from Liz's youth and what Red's involvement was. It really ignited those lingering questions we had from season one about 'who was present in the fire?' - 'how did the fire start?' - 'who is Liz's father?' and all that. What a great series.

- What did Red and Naomi mean in the final scene of the episode? Red says to Naomi, "You look so different", with Naomi responding, "Not as different as you". All before Naomi slaps Red pretty hard. Is it alluding to both of them changing their appearances through surgical means or is it just that they have not seen each other in a long while and they look different to each other due to advanced age?

Thank you for checking out my Review! Please comment below so we can discuss the episode some more and go over some of the theories! Have a great week every one!

About the Author - Geo N

My name is George and I am from Detroit, MI. My favorite shows are The Blacklist, Hell On Wheels, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, LOST, The Leftovers, The Strain, Sons Of Anarchy, Sleepy Hollow and countless other shows. When I'm not watching tons of TV, I enjoy reading, playing hockey, comic books, weightlifting, and writing. Thanks for checking out my post.

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