[alt.er]

Oh and thank goodness we learned more about Ressler's background. I had a feeling he suffered growing up. I'm willing to bet his mother isn't around either and that makes me sad. But at least we know where he's coming from with his principles.

I like that the writers finally gave the poor man some backstory. But two measly minutes! It was just not enough. It was again DK'S understated acting that save the scene for me. It's his addiction stoyline all over again. The show needed him to catch her at this moment even though he should be smarter than this and hence he gets a sad backstory, lifted right out of a classic neo-noir no less!

Holy Crap. I am so upset over Reven. I didn't realize how much I liked her character until she was shot by Hitchins. Ugh. I was hoping that Reven would discover on her own that her friend was part of the Cabal and play a part in helping Liz get exonerated. But that ain't happening now.

Reven had to die to isolate Ressler completely at this point. I am guessing now he'll have no choice but to turn to Red and his team to keep Liz safe.

Not sure if I even saw it before... But I'll have a look and see what I can do

If it helps, it also has Kevin Spacey and Russler Crowe.

If you want to know, just have a look at the News Thread. I think Dan (or was it Believer?) posted it in there in spoiler tags.

Took your advice and all I can say is that the writers will completely ruin Samar, Aram and Ressler if they dare to continue this triangle from hell.

And great to see that you see it like I see it exactly... It's been a stupid move by the producers to get them into the post office again I guess. But Ressler is the one that looks stupid now, he looks as if he doesn't even see what's happening around him.

This doesn't surprise me anymore. Everytime the show needed to get a particular storyline in place, it's Ressler who gets to look stupid or incompetent or both.

But therefore he betrayed Liz and I'm not okay with that. After everything he's done for her and Red this season I didn't expect that. He could as well have confronted Samar with it. It was his ego as well that brought him there, not just protocol.

Aram's complete loyalty to Liz never made sense to me. I mean it's not as if the writers ever made the effort to demonstrate any real, long-lasting bond between the team members. Have we ever seen them socialize out the post-office? So it always seemed convenient that Aram was always there for Liz inspite of all the trouble Liz had caused over the years. He stood by her through the whole Tom fiasco in season 2.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right - it's just that their relationship always seemed so one-sided to me. He just took to her from day one but the show never bothered to show why.

Charlene cheating on Harold was such a crap again... Something like that isn't necessary if you ask me. Especially for those two! I'm so pissed about that. What's going on right now with our show?

Am I the only one or does every other female character is some kind of a cheater on this show? Liz cheated on her ex-bf to be with Tom. Audrey left Ressler and then later left her fiancee(same guy??) to be with Ressler again. Samar never actually cheated but made out with one guy and then had sex with her boss within a few hours. Given that she hurt fandom favorite Aram, she gets treated as a cheater. And now Charlene, without any rhyme or reason cheats on her husband!!! It's like the writers think cheating is an appropriate way to add complexity to female characters.

You know what's so sad about that? I was waiting for something like that for such a long time... But now, when it happened, I nevertheless don't understand him because having experiences something like that doesn't make you blind on what's really happening around you.

Exactly. It's not as if he had never bent the rules for Liz before! Like I said upthread, Liz needed to be back in the cage and so of course Ressler loses his IQ.

[telamon]

At this point I'm only watching it for Red and his little stories. James Spader is amazing.

I guess I'm the only one who thought there was something more between Reven and Hitchins? The gesture and the endearment when Reven was on the floor dying as well as the misty-eyes during and after (when they were putting her in the body bag) kind of hinted to me at something more between them. The intimacy there was a little surprising. Then again, I probably should lay off on the F/F books/fics..

As for the care package, it has to be something simple, since those two from KOTH recognized it. Gold bars or something? It would be heavier though.

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by ChellyChelle (View Post) Holy Crap. I am so upset over Reven. I didn't realize how much I liked her character until she was shot by Hitchins. Ugh. I was hoping that Reven would discover on her own that her friend was part of the Cabal and play a part in helping Liz get exonerated. But that ain't happening now.

Same here. I really liked her and she was one of the only ones that I still trusted.

Originally Posted by ChellyChelle (View Post) The writers can miss me with this Ressler/Samar bullcrap. That first scene in his apartment felt awkward and forced and just plain weird. So they hook up and then they're kissing good morning and joking about car pooling? What?

So I wasn't the only one who thought it was weird. I was glad though that we got to see "the morning after" and not just them hooking up and being at the Post Office next. But that kiss was very awkward and why couldn't Ressler walk out with a lot of buttons open on his shirt. I still want to see him shirtless again!

Originally Posted by Lauren Helen Graham (View Post) Do you think they'll find her body? I somehow count on Red and Mr. Kaplan to do that job and trying to find her... The Cabal has to come up with a story about her death or about her disappearing or whatever. So I count on Red to find her because I'm sure almost everybody can do the maths.

I hope they will but I have a feeling they won't. When I saw those people in those suits, I am pretty sure they know what they are doing. I think this is going to be like with Diane. They never found her body. But somebody will notice that Reven is missing. She was at the Post Office a lot these days so Ressler is definitely going to "miss" her. I hope he will get a bad vibe of of it and start looking into things.

Originally Posted by Lauren Helen Graham (View Post) Charlene cheating on Harold was such a crap again... Something like that isn't necessary if you ask me. Especially for those two! I'm so pissed about that. What's going on right now with our show?

I agree. Such crap. It's not even relevant. I mean it's sucks for Cooper that she cheated but it didn't fit in that moment.

Originally Posted by telamon (View Post) As for the care package, it has to be something simple, since those two from KOTH recognized it. Gold bars or something? It would be heavier though.

But I thought that Red told Liz that the package Dembe was waiting for could help exonerate her? I am not sure anymore and I really have no clue what could be in the package but gold bars don't do the trick for that I think.

Originally Posted by telamon (View Post) I guess I'm the only one who thought there was something more between Reven and Hitchins? The gesture and the endearment when Reven was on the floor dying as well as the misty-eyes during and after (when they were putting her in the body bag) kind of hinted to me at something more between them. The intimacy there was a little surprising. Then again, I probably should lay off on the F/F books/fics..

I did get a vibe that they were friends but I never had a feeling that there was anything more going on between these two. When Hitchin shot her and started tearing up that was just strange. Why shoot somebody and cry over it? I know Reven was on to something regarding the Cabal and Hitchin and of course Hitchin didn't want Reven to find out but to shoot your supposed friend, that is a lot.

[Lauren Helen Graham]

Well I crossed the first theory (like this) because I said that we won't see the care package again, but we know Spoiler: that in the next episode Red will try to find the care package, so my theory about not seeing it again is not valid .

Okay, got it... Man, I'm really so stupid sometimes. Thanks for explaining

Took your advice and all I can say is that the writers will completely ruin Samar, Aram and Ressler if they dare to continue this triangle from hell.

Yeah, my opinion exactly... Nobody saw all of this coming, right?

This doesn't surprise me anymore. Everytime the show needed to get a particular storyline in place, it's Ressler who gets to look stupid or incompetent or both.

You know, in the past I didn't even realize how bad it was but now, that I really fell in love with his storyline, his struggle the whole season I really saw it for the first time myself... And I don't like it at all. It's as if Ressler and Liz are always those who have to suffer character wise for others.

Aram's complete loyalty to Liz never made sense to me. I mean it's not as if the writers ever made the effort to demonstrate any real, long-lasting bond between the team members. Have we ever seen them socialize out the post-office? So it always seemed convenient that Aram was always there for Liz inspite of all the trouble Liz had caused over the years. He stood by her through the whole Tom fiasco in season 2. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right - it's just that their relationship always seemed so one-sided to me. He just took to her from day one but the show never bothered to show why.

I totally understand what you mean, Sarah. I didn't understand his behavior in the past either, I was really wondering what she had done to make him follow her always, no matter what...

But that's exactly why his behavior now is so strange and totally OCC and kind of a betrayal for me... She hadn't done anything to him in the last couple of episodes, not like giving him up to Cooper for example like last season... And still he kind of betrayed her and that's just stupid for me.

Am I the only one or does every other female character is some kind of a cheater on this show? Liz cheated on her ex-bf to be with Tom. Audrey left Ressler and then later left her fiancee(same guy??) to be with Ressler again. Samar never actually cheated but made out with one guy and then had sex with her boss within a few hours. Given that she hurt fandom favorite Aram, she gets treated as a cheater. And now Charlene, without any rhyme or reason cheats on her husband!!! It's like the writers think cheating is an appropriate way to add complexity to female characters.

*rises her hand* I'm all with you because that exactly was my thought as soon as I saw Charlene confess that she had cheated!

At this point I'm only watching it for Red and his little stories. James Spader is amazing.

For me it's really similar at the moment It's so sad because I was so in love with this show...

I guess I'm the only one who thought there was something more between Reven and Hitchins? The gesture and the endearment when Reven was on the floor dying as well as the misty-eyes during and after (when they were putting her in the body bag) kind of hinted to me at something more between them. The intimacy there was a little surprising. Then again, I probably should lay off on the F/F books/fics..

And no, it's not only you. I had the same feeling when I saw that moment... They at least seemed to be really close, know each other kind of forever or whatever. There was something. I'm just wondering if we'll ever find out what exactly it was.

I hope they will but I have a feeling they won't. When I saw those people in those suits, I am pretty sure they know what they are doing. I think this is going to be like with Diane. They never found her body. But somebody will notice that Reven is missing. She was at the Post Office a lot these days so Ressler is definitely going to "miss" her. I hope he will get a bad vibe of of it and start looking into things.

I think a lot differently about it... I'm sure that her body will be found. I think that Red will find the body. I've got a theory and I think this will be essential to exonerating Liz.

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by Lauren Helen Graham (View Post) I think a lot differently about it... I'm sure that her body will be found. I think that Red will find the body. I've got a theory and I think this will be essential to exonerating Liz.

Really? You think so? Now I really want to hear that theory!

[ChellyChelle]

Originally Posted by alt.er (View Post) Reven had to die to isolate Ressler completely at this point. I am guessing now he'll have no choice but to turn to Red and his team to keep Liz safe.

Hmm... I never thought about it like this. You may be right. And unfortunately now Ressler is on an island by himself surrounded by Cabal and Liz is there too. Ugh. Everyone knows how much I love his character but they're seriously making it hard this season with some of his decisions. I'm hoping he saves face for the 2nd half of the season and kicks ass to help Liz. But with the writing lately, I doubt it.

I accidentally found myself on the Blacklist facebook page and they posted something about Ressler. Literally everyone seems to hate him this season. I get where the writers were going with him, but it's like they took it to a level above where they needed to. I cringed at the final scene where he told Liz he'd shoot her if he had to. The look on both of their faces was awful. I like the scene, but it shook me. And someone mentioned that all of the men in Liz's life have pointed a gun at her at one point in time and now Ressler has too. It makes me sad.

Originally Posted by alt.er (View Post) Am I the only one or does every other female character is some kind of a cheater on this show? Liz cheated on her ex-bf to be with Tom. Audrey left Ressler and then later left her fiancee(same guy??) to be with Ressler again. Samar never actually cheated but made out with one guy and then had sex with her boss within a few hours. Given that she hurt fandom favorite Aram, she gets treated as a cheater. And now Charlene, without any rhyme or reason cheats on her husband!!! It's like the writers think cheating is an appropriate way to add complexity to female character.

I've noticed this too and I hate it. I don't think there is a lot of female influence in the writers room as shown through the actions of Liz and others on the show. Especially with regards to relationships.

[Lauren Helen Graham]

Really? You think so? Now I really want to hear that theory!

I kind of posted it in the Mr. Kaplan thread if I recall right

I've noticed this too and I hate it. I don't think there is a lot of female influence in the writers room as shown through the actions of Liz and others on the show. Especially with regards to relationships.

Yeah, so true... I wish there was a woman there as well, or some. All the producers of the show are male and you really can see that by what the show turns out to be from week to week

[alt.er]

I accidentally found myself on the Blacklist facebook page and they posted something about Ressler. Literally everyone seems to hate him this season. I get where the writers were going with him, but it's like they took it to a level above where they needed to.

Seriously, facebook is where one goes if one wants to lose faith in humanity. Deleted my facebook account years ago and never looked back. I made the mistake of going to the TBL page there once and left very confused. Most people there seemed like casual viewers who don't care much for character arcs or plot-points. It's all about what happened in the latest episode.

The writers always seem take the shortcut when it comes to Ressler. I mean think of all the times he had been kidnapped or tortured just to forward the plot. Has he ever gotten the chance to solve a case by himself. He's supposed to be one of the best but we never actually got to see it. The writers are so busy making Red look good that all the others suffer. But Ressler's lack of realistic character growth bugs the most among the non-Red male charcters is because he is the most prominent on the taskforce.

Yeah, so true... I wish there was a woman there as well, or some. All the producers of the show are male and you really can see that by what the show turns out to be from week to week

Agree. There are male writers in TVland who can write female characters well but these are not those writers. I have read a lot about how MB is not a great actor but given the material she has had to work with, even Streep would have had trouble. Then of course there was that leaked e-mail where Eisendrath wanted to kill off Liz and had to be convinced otherwise by the network. Seriously, it seems to me that the more interesting drama goes on behind the camera on this show.

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by alt.er (View Post) The writers always seem take the shortcut when it comes to Ressler. I mean think of all the times he had been kidnapped or tortured just to forward the plot. Has he ever gotten the chance to solve a case by himself. He's supposed to be one of the best but we never actually got to see it. The writers are so busy making Red look good that all the others suffer. But Ressler's lack of realistic character growth bugs the most among the non-Red male charcters is because he is the most prominent on the taskforce.

I couldn't agree more. They always do something to take Ressler down. I was so happy that this season he finally got a change to step up and I started loving him even more than I already did and it's like they swept that all away with this episode. And I don't understand why they do that. Why can't Ressler be a hero too? Why does it always and only have to be Red?

Originally Posted by Lauren Helen Graham (View Post) I kind of posted it in the Mr. Kaplan thread if I recall right

Thanks. I've read it.

Originally Posted by ChellyChelle (View Post) I accidentally found myself on the Blacklist facebook page and they posted something about Ressler. Literally everyone seems to hate him this season. I get where the writers were going with him, but it's like they took it to a level above where they needed to. I cringed at the final scene where he told Liz he'd shoot her if he had to. The look on both of their faces was awful. I like the scene, but it shook me. And someone mentioned that all of the men in Liz's life have pointed a gun at her at one point in time and now Ressler has too. It makes me sad.

The look on their faces was heart breaking and the fact that he pointed his gun at her made me cry. I have a feeling that we are back to square one again when it comes to Ressler but I am not sure. Like I said; I got to love him so much more this season because of what he was doing. Letting Liz go time after time. Believing that she is innocent and wanting to keep her safe and now this happened.

[Lauren Helen Graham]

The writers always seem take the shortcut when it comes to Ressler. I mean think of all the times he had been kidnapped or tortured just to forward the plot. Has he ever gotten the chance to solve a case by himself. He's supposed to be one of the best but we never actually got to see it. The writers are so busy making Red look good that all the others suffer. But Ressler's lack of realistic character growth bugs the most among the non-Red male charcters is because he is the most prominent on the taskforce.

I definitely have to say that in this chase I'm a little bit egoistic because I so love Red. He's my favorite character and I'm not sad that he is the hero so much and that they built his character so greatly. He's just a charisma that I don't feel from the other characters on the show, none of them.
But still I am with you thinking that there are other ways to make Red shine without sacrificing the whole cast of the show so to speak. It wouldn't hurt to make Red vulnerable or wrong for once, he's just human. And we all know he's a mastermind and I'm sure that we wouldn't think differently about him when once something would go wrong.

The look on their faces was heart breaking and the fact that he pointed his gun at her made me cry. I have a feeling that we are back to square one again when it comes to Ressler but I am not sure. Like I said; I got to love him so much more this season because of what he was doing. Letting Liz go time after time. Believing that she is innocent and wanting to keep her safe and now this happened.

That's what so bothers me, too... For me it really is back to square one and I wish it wasn't. No matter what he'll do now, it will only make him look the more stupid. Especially should he get her and right away try to get her out there again... It would really make me questioning why now. Because let's be honest, he had enough time to think it through.

[alt.er]

I couldn't agree more. They always do something to take Ressler down. I was so happy that this season he finally got a change to step up and I started loving him even more than I already did and it's like they swept that all away with this episode. And I don't understand why they do that. Why can't Ressler be a hero too? Why does it always and only have to be Red?

I definitely have to say that in this chase I'm a little bit egoistic because I so love Red. He's my favorite character and I'm not sad that he is the hero so much and that they built his character so greatly. He's just a charisma that I don't feel from the other characters on the show, none of them. But still I am with you thinking that there are other ways to make Red shine without sacrificing the whole cast of the show so to speak. It wouldn't hurt to make Red vulnerable or wrong for once, he's just human. And we all know he's a mastermind and I'm sure that we wouldn't think differently about him when once something would go wrong.

I have no problem with Ressler or anyone else on the task not being a genius and master strategist like Red or have a smaller role than Red. Red is after all the main character.

I didn't mean that Red needs to be lessened or demeaned somehow to make Ressler look good. Red is awesome and he can continue to be awesome. Which is the reason I can't accept someone as hyper-competent and knowledgeable like him would work with a bunch of morons to begin with. And the task-force comes across as morons most of the time. Why doesn't Red just work with his group of soldiers (the ones who rescued Samar from her brother)? Why would anyone want to work with these group of incompetent morons that need to be handheld every step of the way by Red?

As for Ressler in particular, my problem is the inconsistency in his character. He is supposed to be a smart, tough and experienced agent with a good reputation in the DOJ who is made to behave in an irrational manner to forward to plot. He began as a hardass agent who was all about upholding the law. But then he grew as a character, opened up to Liz and had his heart broken and developed an addiction which he then kicked successfully in a matter of months. All very admirable except no time was spent on any of those storylines. Then of course all the times he was beaten up, tortured and kidnapped. Then he lied and covered for Liz through the whole Tom fiasco in front of Wright and Cooper. Then he lets Liz escape but then he’s all about upholding the law again. He tries to catch Liz but then he doesn't and then he does. His character flip-flops so much that i'm surprised Klattenhoff doesn't suffer from whiplash at this point. The poor guy probably dreads reading the script every week. I know I'm dreading watching the next episode.

[Forwood4Bamon]

hope the fall finale was good.

[Lauren Helen Graham]

I didn't mean that Red needs to be lessened or demeaned somehow to make Ressler look good. Red is awesome and he can continue to be awesome. Which is the reason I can't accept someone as hyper-competent and knowledgeable like him would work with a bunch of morons to begin with. And the task-force comes across as morons most of the time. Why doesn't Red just work with his group of soldiers (the ones who rescued Samar from her brother)? Why would anyone want to work with these group of incompetent morons that need to be handheld every step of the way by Red?

I didn't feel as if you meant it that way, Sarah, no worries But I get why you would be really disappointed because yes, it's kind of the Red-show and I know that and sometimes it's even too much for me.

And yes, I'm wondering about that as well... If Red is such a mastermind, why would he want to work with that task force that's portrayed to be built by morons. Why would anybody want that. I think I would sometimes even be better than them and that really sucks. They are supposed to be some of the best and where I get that impression by Samar, Ressler and Liz for example lack that extremely sometimes.

hope the fall finale was good.

You haven't seen it yet? I didn't think it too good tbh...

[AlyB]

It's funny how we all can watch the same show and see different things. I don't feel like Ressler has been portrayed OOC or made to look stupid or bad this season. Quite the contrary. Finally this season we got to see him work through leads without Liz or Red around to point him along. In past seasons he's often stuck getting beat up or standing around in the war room listening to Liz. This season, we've seen glimpses (finally) of him using his own instincts that led him to figuring out that their van left the tunnel on the car carrier (Troll Farmer), figuring out that they were hiding under the floor in the bar (same), knowing that there was something suspicious with the 911 call from the diner (Marvin Gerard), figuring out that Liz had been in the apartment (Eli Matchett), figuring out what The Director was up to in Sir Crispin Crandall, manipulating Solomon in Zal Bin Hasaan, following good old fashioned policing (including Red's jacket) to find Liz in Kings of the Highway....

I think Ressler is like the audience, in a way. We all know that Liz is being framed and is innocent for the OREA bombing and the Senator's murder. But we all believe she murdered Tom Connolly and it's hard to see how she gets past that. Ressler knows/believes those same things. He's trying to bring her in for the crime he knows she committed -- not the ones she didn't. He let her go for those. He feels betrayed and guilty because he let her escape and she turned around and murdered Tom Connolly. He's gradually working himself around to a justification for that, but he hasn't gotten there yet.

He still has faith in the system - but someone should, right? This is the FBI - not a rogue police state. Ressler believes he has an ally in Reven Wright and until he figures out that she is gone (which should be soon) he doesn't have a reason to believe that the procedures he has in place won't work.

I bet he's going to figure it out pretty quickly when she goes missing. It will be interesting to see whether he goes outside the system at that point and how quickly. I think he will eventually but in what way remains to be seen.

I think Ressler's journey of coming to grips with Liz's situation and how she is gotten where she is is absolutely pivotal to any redemption of HER character. And Reddingtons. If by-the-book Ressler can come around to the gray areas - to understanding that Reddington too may have been framed, may not have "forsaken" the flag but been abandoned/framed by it -- this is the audience journey to redemption for both Liz and Red.

[alt.er]

It's funny how we all can watch the same show and see different things. I don't feel like Ressler has been portrayed OOC or made to look stupid or bad this season. Quite the contrary. Finally this season we got to see him work through leads without Liz or Red around to point him along. In past seasons he's often stuck getting beat up or standing around in the war room listening to Liz. This season, we've seen glimpses (finally) of him using his own instincts that led him to figuring out that their van left the tunnel on the car carrier (Troll Farmer), figuring out that they were hiding under the floor in the bar (same), knowing that there was something suspicious with the 911 call from the diner (Marvin Gerard), figuring out that Liz had been in the apartment (Eli Matchett), figuring out what The Director was up to in Sir Crispin Crandall, manipulating Solomon in Zal Bin Hasaan, following good old fashioned policing (including Red's jacket) to find Liz in Kings of the Highway....

While it is true that Ressler is finally getting the spotlight in season 3 and for a fan like me, it started out great. But in every single episode, he was still shown to be one step behind until the fall finale. And then he fired Samar for doing the same thing that he himself had done in season 2. (protecting Liz). He came across as a hypocrite. Then he wanted to start an investigation on Cooper who, as far as he knew only worked with Tom (who is not a convicted criminal, sadly).

I have always defended Ressler for believing in the system. He is a Fed, after all. It'd be the absolutely wrong of him to work in law enforcement if he didn't believe in the law. But he has no proof of Liz's innocence when he brought her in - how can he guarantee her a fair trial? I feel like the writers are setting this up so Ressler has to crawl back to Red and Tom for help in order to protect Liz. And I'm not liking it.

I don't think that most of the general audience ever cared whether Red was guilty or not. Most of the audience don't even care if Liz is guilty of some of the crimes of now. Red is on her side and that's what matters to them. They were always on his side from day 1. Look at the support Red has online. And then look at the vitriol Ressler is getting for doing exactly what his job is. Look at the hate even fan favorite Aram got for doing his job too.