Whats Going on With The Blacklist?
The Blacklist fandom, still reeling from the departure of series star Megan Boone after eight seasons, was rocked last week by the sudden announcement from creator Jon Bokenkamp that he would be stepping down as co-showrunner and exiting the show. With a ninth season on the horizon and a controversial season finale in the rearview, fans have been left to wonder what will become of their favorite show when it returns this fall without two of its key players  and whether or not theyll keep watching. The Blacklist launched in 2013, with Boone starring as FBI agent Elizabeth Liz Keen alongside James Spader as criminal mastermind Raymond Red Reddington. The initial premise of the series was that the pair would team up to hunt down the names on Reds blacklist of dangerous criminals, with the exact nature of Reds connection to Liz and their shared backstory serving as one of the driving mysteries throughout the eight seasons. Heading into last weeks finale, with Boones exit having been planned well in advance, all signs pointed to the show finally delivering answers. But the finale, which aired on NBC on June 23, didnt answer that one either, not really. Boones character  spoiler warning  was killed off at the end of the episode without getting the answers that she was promised. Both episodes seemed to hint at a popular fan theory about Red being Lizs birth mother, but no outright confirmation was provided before Boones character died on screen. The backlash from some segments of the fanbase was swift. Bokenkamp said in his statement announcing his departure that he genuinely believe[s] the series remains full of life, creatively strong, and that bright days lie ahead, and his co-showrunner, John Eisendrath, remains aboard. But the responses to Bokenkamps tweet suggest fans arent seeing the situation the same way. Several pledged to stop watching the show altogether. Absolutely the worst finish ever! How could you do that to the fans who have spent 8yrs supporting you and the show, wrote one disappointed fan, drawing the inevitable Game of Thrones comparison. Wrote another, I have no trust at all now about what the next season will be. Interesting times.  Even the more supportive comments contain a tinge of bitterness. Grateful for the characters you created and the actors who made us love them all these years. I wish things had ended differently for all of us, reads one of the most-liked responses. The Blacklist was a ratings hit upon its premiere, but the aging series has seen viewership decline over the course of its run as viewers increasingly shifted away from broadcast and live TV. The finale drew just 2.1 million same-day viewers and a 0.2 rating in the 18-49 demo, a series low on both counts. However, The Blacklist has proven to be a strong performer on Netflix, which claimed the off-network rights to the show in 2014 with a hefty deal that helped offset some of Sonys production costs. The Blacklist is set to return to its Friday night timeslot this fall, with Spader taking over as solo lead, joined by series regulars Diego Klattenhoff, Amir Arison, Hisham Tawfiq, Laura Sohn and Harry Lennix. Whether or not fans will tune in to see if Season 9 finally delivers the answers theyve been waiting for remains to be seen.