Berlin (The Blacklist)

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"Berlin"
The Blacklist episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 21
Directed by Michael Zinberg
Written by John Eisendrath
Jon Bokenkamp
Production code121
Original air dateMay 5, 2014 (2014-05-05)
Episode chronology
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"The Kingmaker"		Next →
"Berlin Conclusion"
The Blacklist season 1
List of episodes

"Berlin" is the twenty-first episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist . The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on May 5, 2014.

Contents

Plot

Elizabeth tells Ressler, and then the FBI, her story about Tom. In the midst of a virus outbreak inside a bank, Elizabeth refuses to work with Red and sends Cooper her resignation, informing him that Red killed her father. Red tries to explain to her that the outbreak is connected to Tom, and ask if her anger towards him (Red) is above putting lives at risk. Elizabeth agrees to work the case, but declares it her last. Red is certain that the Cullen virus is part of a plan to kill him, as well as being capable of creating a widespread epidemic. Red and Elizabeth meet with Dr. Sanders (John Glover), an expert on the virus, who is also a mental patient. The conversation gets loony when Dr. Sanders speaks of Space Agent UD-4126 and omens of the Cullen virus leading to the apocalypse. Elizabeth storms out, accusing Red of using the visit as a diversion to change her mind about quitting. Meanwhile, Cooper is given an ultimatum by his superiors: if Elizabeth walks, Red no longer has immunity and the task force is no more. Elizabeth learns that Dr. Sanders had created an antidote for the virus and the team suspects that he was working with another doctor from outside the mental institution. Elizabeth pays Dr. Sanders another visit and noticing the nurse's ID badge number, it turns out that UD-4126 leads to one Dr. Nikolaus Vogel (Brennan Brown). Once he's arrested, he refuses to talk to Elizabeth, except with the warning of Berlin's coming. Elizabeth had laced his drinking water with the virus, and uses the antidote to blackmail him into talking. Using Tom's code book—which Red had given to her earlier as an "olive branch" - Elizabeth discovers connections among several members of Red's Blacklist, deciphering that he knew someone was targeting his interests, but not specifically who it is. He's been using his relationship with the FBI task force to systematically eliminate his enemies and draw Berlin out of hiding. Dr. Vogel gives up the names of 5 people involved in a prison plane transport, all airport employees infected with Cullen. Elizabeth begins to have a change of heart about leaving, but Cooper tells her it's too late. She finds Red and warns him about the FBI's pursuit and his immunity. She begs him to run, but he refuses, wanting to know about her sudden change of heart. Elizabeth goes on to tell Red how much she wants to kill him for ruining her life, but that she also needs answers from him. He tells her that he needs things from her also, and that nothing is worse than losing her. It becomes apparent to both that they are stuck with each other. As Red surrenders himself, the prison transport plane flies overhead and crashes. The war has begun.

Reception

Ratings

"Berlin" premiered on NBC on May 5, 2014 in the 10–11 p.m. time slot. [1] The episode garnered a 2.7/8 Nielsen rating with 10.47 million viewers, making it the highest rated show in its time slot [2] and the fourth most watched television show of the week. [3]

Reviews

Jason Evans of The Wall Street Journal gave a positive review of the episode: "Wow… just wow! I love the way the show has now connected many of the random Blacklisters to a larger story. Red and Liz each had some great scenes this episode! Liz turning the tables on Vogel was one of her best moments all season. I can't wait to see what happens next week!" [4]

Cory Barker of TV.com gave a mixed review of the episode: "Like many of the 2014 episodes of The Blacklist, "Berlin" was far from bad, but lacked some of the spark that drove the episodes from last fall. This one delivered a couple of key reveals and certainly set stories and characters up for what could be a crazy, deadly finale. Yet, this second half of the season has been so content to just push the goalposts to the next week that there's no guarantee that the crazy and deadly will ever come". [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Blacklist</i> American crime thriller television series (2013–2023)

The Blacklist is an American crime thriller television series created by Jon Bokenkamp and developed by John Eisendrath. It stars James Spader as Raymond Reddington, a former US Naval Intelligence officer turned one of the Most Wanted fugitives who cooperates with the FBI in hunting down threatening criminals on a special list of his called the "Blacklist". The series also stars Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold, Amir Arison, Hisham Tawfiq, and Harry Lennix. The Blacklist was produced by Sony Pictures Television, Universal Television and Davis Entertainment. John Eisendrath, John Davis and John Fox served as executive producers for the entire run of the series; its creator Jon Bokenkamp also executive produced the series for the first eight seasons. Other executive producers include director Joe Carnahan and Spader.

"The Decembrist" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series The Blacklist, aired on NBC on November 10, 2014. The episode was directed by Michael Watkins, and written by Jon Bokenkamp and John Eisendrath. This episode serves as the season's fall finale; the show returned on February 1, 2015 after the 49th Super Bowl.

"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on September 23, 2013. It was written by series creator Jon Bokenkamp and was directed by Joe Carnahan.

"The Courier" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on October 21, 2013.

"Gina Zanetakos" is the sixth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on October 28, 2013.

"Frederick Barnes" is the seventh episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on November 4, 2013.

"General Ludd" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on November 11, 2013.

"Anslo Garrick Conclusion" is the tenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on December 2, 2013.

"The Good Samaritan" is the eleventh episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on January 13, 2014.

"The Alchemist" is the twelfth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on January 20, 2014.

"The Cyprus Agency" is the thirteenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on January 27, 2014.

"Madeline Pratt" is the fourteenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on February 24, 2014.

"The Judge" is the fifteenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on March 3, 2014.

"Mako Tanida" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on March 17, 2014.

"Milton Bobbit" is the eighteenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on March 31, 2014.

"The Pavlovich Brothers" is the nineteenth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on April 21, 2014.

"The Kingmaker" is the twentieth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on April 28, 2014.

"Berlin Conclusion" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on May 12, 2014.

"Tom Connolly" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the second season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on May 14, 2015.

References

  1. ↑ "Episode Title: (#121) "BERLIN"". The Futon Critic. 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2015-06-05.
  2. ↑ Kondology, Amanda (2014-05-06). "Monday Final TV Ratings: '2 Broke Girls' & 'Dancing With the Stars' Adjusted Up; 'Mike & Molly' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers . Tribune Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on 2014-05-07. Retrieved 2015-06-05.
  3. ↑ Bibel, Sara (2014-05-13). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'The Big Bang Theory' Tops Week 33 With Adults 18-49; 'NCIS' With Total Viewers". TV by the Numbers . Tribune Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on 2014-05-14. Retrieved 2015-06-05.
  4. ↑ Evans, Jason (2014-05-05). "'The Blacklist' Recap: Season 1, Episode 21, 'Berlin'". The Wall Street Journal . Dow Jones & Company . Retrieved 2015-06-05.
  5. ↑ Barker, Cory (2014-05-06). "The Blacklist "Berlin" Review: We're Stuck With Each Other". TV.com . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 2015-06-05.
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