MEET THE BLACKLISTER An exclusive Interview with Jon Bokenkamp, creator of NBC’s hit crime thriller ‘The Blacklist’ and the new spinoff series ‘The Blacklist Redemption’
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By Robin Jay
You can’t just serve up super criminals like Chinese takeout Harold,” said Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington, the dry-witted debonair concierge of crime and FBI informant played by the brilliant James Spader on NBC’s The Blacklist.
In the shocking third-season finale, former FBI agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) was discovered alive after a failed attempt to shield her new baby from further collateral damage by associating with Reddington’s crime ring. A mysterious man claiming to be Liz’s real father (despite the series-long hints that Red is her father) targets her, but first she must resolve the mystery of her lost childhood and reconcile her true identity. Betrayed by those closest to him, Reddington’s specific moral code demands justice, all the while battling an army of new and unexpected blacklisters. If you’re an obsessed fan of The Blacklist like yours truly, you can hardly bear the wait and anticipation in between seasons. Thankfully NBC answered fan pleas by launching a new spinoff series, The Blacklist Redemption, that will air when The Blacklist is in hiatus. In this thrilling new spinoff, the world’s most elusive criminals from Red’s infamous list come together to form an elite mercenary team as they try to regain their self-worth after a lifetime of inflicting damage on the world. Seeking redemption for their past transgressions, this new group solves problems governments don’t dare touch. International Opulence sat down with the creator of both series, Jon Bokenkamp, to get the behind-the-scenes dish on both. International Opulence: I can’t imagine anyone other than James Spader playing the part of Reddington. What direction was he given and how much did he embellish to create his character? 140
Opulence Spring 2017