Long-running TV shows always have to decide when to bring themselves to a close. Audiences are debating if Grey’s Anatomy should continue without Ellen Pompeo whenever she elects to hang up her scrubs, and the original NCIS has long-since surpassed its parent series JAG in number of seasons even with its own recent major casting change. The Blacklist has been on the fence numerous times for NBC, yet the network just renewed it for Season 10.
Even with all the grace in the world that every show has fans, and the understanding that TV is a business first and a creative outlet second, it’s hard not to be amazed that some shows are still in production. The Blacklist is a prime example of a series that’s showing its age. The recent announcement that the show would return for Season 10 was met with bemusement not just from critics and trolls — fans of the show seemed surprised as well.
The network’s official Instagram post that announced The Blacklist’s renewal did receive its share of enthusiastic responses from fans of the show — but it also featured a noticeable amount of viewers lamenting its return. Some pointed out how the much series has changed in the absence of Elizabeth Keen, the show’s longtime main character played by Megan Boone, who was killed off in the Season 8 finale. The show’s mythology largely revolved around her mysterious backstory. While it’s possible that Seasons 9 and 10 will finally give longtime fans the answers they’ve sought for so long, many no longer care if Elizabeth isn’t around to be part of the revelations since it was her journey that started the mystery in the first place.
Beyond that, many commenters just seemed to be exhausted at the prospect of more Blacklist. Comments ranged from “Great show, but where does it end?” to someone hoping Season 10 would be the last season, given how the show has been dragging on. It’s true that these comments aren’t representative of the Blacklist fandom as a whole, and that die-hard fans can sometimes complain the most (see: Yeardley Smith telling off Simpsons fans recently). It’s still not encouraging when the response to a long-running show’s early renewal is split between excitement and irritation.
However, there are solid reasons why The Blacklist season 10 is happening. Having an actor of James Spader under contract is nothing to sneeze at, and his character Raymond “Red” Reddington is almost universally beloved (as opposed to Liz, who often divided the fan base). And even with the exits of Boone and the show’s creator Jon Bokenkamp and a new Thursday night timeslot, The Blacklist’s ratings have remained solid; Season 9’s premiere had more viewers than the Season 8 finale. Since viewers have stuck around even after the turnover and the biggest star is still present, NBC still sees life in the series.
10 seasons is a healthy lifespan for any show. NBC has another series that’s airing its tenth season right now in Chicago Fire, which is still going strong despite Jesse Spencer’s departure (although it has the benefit of being part of a franchise). The question with The Blacklist is if Season 10 will be the final one — a chance to tie up its loose ends and give the show a proper sendoff — or if the network will push it into Season 11 and beyond. Judging by the reaction to the renewal news, it might be best to let Season 10 be the conclusion.
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