James Spader, right, as Raymond Reddington in a scene from “The Blacklist.”
 
NBC
Before we get to tonight’s thrilling recap – a quick reminder that Speakeasy is giving all of you a chance to chat with “The Blacklist” creator/Executive Producer Jon Bokenkamp through a Facebook Q&A. Head over to the Speakeasy Facebook page Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT to speak directly to Jon Bokenkamp about the show.
When we last left things, Red had delivered Zoe to Berlin, proving that Red did not kill Berlin’s daughter because she is still alive! Many of you commented that this raises some troubling timeline problems with Zoe being as young as she is. Based on what we know about Berlin’s daughter from Berlin’s own mouth and from the photo of Zoe from the Stewmaker’s album of victims, it is pretty hard to make sense out of Zoe being this young, but I think most of us Blacklisters are willing to forgive little errors like that. What really matters is that Red and Berlin now need to know who set them at each other’s throats. Oh, and there is still the pesky issue of Tom being held captive by Liz. Will she kill him or set him free? Now that Berlin and Red are no longer fighting, Tom’s usefulness seems to have pretty much run out. So, let’s see what Jon Bokenkamp and the other folks behind “The Blacklist” have for us tonight…

More In The Blacklist

The episode starts with a bang, with Liz shooting Tom 4 months ago and telling Red that Tom is dead. In reality, Liz has Tom in her car and drives him to a doctor friend, Ellie, who saves his life. We see her lock him on the boat and questioning him again and again, mostly about Berlin and Red. There is one touching moment where Tom implies that he really loved her.
Time to check in with Red, Berlin, and Zoe. Red asks Berlin who started the rumor that Red killed Berlin’s daughter. Berlin tells the story of his role in the fall of the Soviet empire back in 1991 and that there was a bombing that killed some top Russian officials, a bombing that was blamed on Red. After that incident, Zoe was accused of being a dissident. Eventually, someone accused Berlin of being sympathetic to the West and he was put in the Gulag. But, instead of his daughter being killed, she actually escaped Russia with the help of some mystery man named “The Decemberist.” Zoe stares down her father and says she just wants to get away.
Liz and Red meet up and Red tells her he and Berlin are now working together. Liz is upset. She blames Berlin for Tom being in her life and for getting Agent Malik killed. Red says Berlin will be held accountable once Red knows who is pulling Berlin’s strings, the Decemberist.
By the way, we briefly meet Brimley, who is Red’s interrogator. Like all of Red’s associates, we only get a brief glimpse of who he is, but he is a fascinating and funny character. I am telling you, Mr. Vargas, Dembe, Brimley, and Mr. Kaplan are some of the best characters on The Blacklist!
Liz and the FBI team begin looking into the 1991 Russian bombing in Kursk that the Decemberist was behind. Aram finds an old DNA profile on the bomber and it is revealed to be a man named Morozov who is today one of the most powerful men in Russia. The FBI is told not to pursue Morozov because he is too close to Russian President Putin. Liz calls Red and secretly tells him Morozov is The Decemberist.
Meanwhile, the harbor master finds Tom on the boat. Liz arrives and the man she had guarding Tom is now also guarding the harbor master. Tom says they need to kill the harbor master or he will turn them all in. Liz thinks she can solve this, but Tom manages to wrap his legs around the harbor master’s neck, killing the man. Pretty cold! Something needs to be done with the body and Tom says, “I think you need to call Mr. Kaplan.”
Red and Berlin are headed to Russia. Red arranges for Morozov to go to a building where a diamond heist has happened. Berlin’s men are waiting there and they kill Morozov’s security team. Berlin and Red corner Morozov and hold a gun to his head. Morozov says he was ordered to carry out the bombing, but he did not plan it. He reveals that Alan Fitch is really The Decemberist! Berlin kills Morozov anyway.
For those of you who do not recall, Alan Alda is Fitch. He is one of the members of a secret cabal that we met mid-way through season 1. This is the first we’ve heard of him this season. Red has some secret info on Fitch and his powerful Alliance, which is why they sometimes help Red out. Now Berlin wants to kill Fitch. Red tries to stop Berlin, but Berlin is dead set on revenge.
Fitch, who is the Assistant Director of National Intelligence, gets called out of a high level government meeting to meet with Red. Red tells him about Morozov being killed. They then have one of the most important conversations in the history of the show – recounting everything from how Fitch used The Stewmaker (from season 1) to help Zoe disappear to Red’s relationship with Fitch’s powerful cabal. Red is angry and says that Fitch is responsible for Berlin targeting Red. He also warns Fitch that Berlin has a new target now. Fitch points out that without him running interference, the Alliance will take Red out in a heartbeat. “This is as much your problem as it is mine,” says Fitch to Red.
The FBI tells Homeland Security that Berlin is after Fitch. But, Berlin has some men pretend to be Homeland agents and they manage to capture Fitch.
Red visits Liz at the FBI blacksite and confronts her about Tom being alive. She says she only kept him alive to get info. Red says she is keeping him alive because she still loves him. Red needs Tom’s help to find Berlin and Fitch. He figures Tom will know some of Berlin’s old safe houses.
Tom agrees to lead Liz to Berlin so she lets him out of his boat hole. She brings Ressler along and Tom contacts Berlin. Tom tells his former boss that he knows what the FBI is doing and he wants to meet with Berlin. Tom gets an address and gives it to Liz… once she sets him free and unlocks the ankle bracelet tracer on his leg. As Tom walks off, Ressler says, “I’m coming for you.” “Good luck with that,” says Tom and he disappears.
The FBI finds Fitch, killing some henchmen who were holding him. But, there is a bomb rigged around Fitch’s neck. The bomb has a remote detonator on it, meaning they need to put Fitch somewhere where the radio receiver cannot be detonated. They take him to the “box” in the FBI blacksite where Reddington spent a good portion of season 1 of the show. I love it!! This episode has been a wonderful tribute to some of the highlights of season 1! Once the FBI starts to de-arm the device they notice that it also has a timer on it.
Red goes to meet with Zoe. He needs her help to find Berlin. She arranges a lunch with her father. Red walks in and gives Zoe passports, tickets, and a new identity so she can get away from Berlin again. Berlin seems angry as Zoe flees from him for a second time. Red holds a gun to Berlin’s head and says, “I need to know how to stop that bomb.”
Inside the orange box, Fitch reflects on all the agents he has sent to die over the years. Good people who died in the service of their country. He knows the FBI bomb tech in the box with him cannot disarm the bomb. He tells the man to leave because he does not want to have another death on his hands. Fitch says he needs to see Red.
Red arrives and Fitch says he has tried to hold others off from going after Red, but he thinks they won’t listen to him. He says they will need proof of Red’s evidence against them. He asks, “Do you have it? Do you have The Fulcrum?” Red merely says that he cannot stop the bomb. Fitch says his death will make it harder for the moderates to resist the radicals. He talks about something that will happen in 2017 (is Jon Bokenkamp planning things 3 years in advance!??!) and that the closer it gets, the more nervous and bold some people in the cabal will get. He mentions two members of the group, Mitchum and Hoobs, who might be convinced to be allies to Red.
Fitch says he has a safe that Red needs to get to. The combination to it is 8-30-44, the birthdate of Fitch’s wife. He begins to tell Red that the safe is in St. Petersberg when the bomb goes off, blowing Fitch’s head to bits.
Red goes to where his men are holding Berlin and they share a bottle of vodka. Berlin is celebrating Fitch’s death. I’m not so sure about Red. As Berlin finishes the final drop of vodka, Red pulls out a gun and kills his old enemy.
Liz goes to the boat where she held Tom for 4 months. Red is there and tells her she should have come to him for help. Liz is frustrated that she did not have it in her to kill Tom. Red comforts her as she cries a little.
The episode concludes with a shocking twist. Tom goes to meet with Red, who gives him an envelope, likely containing money and papers for a new life. As Tom gets up to leave, Red grabs him and menacingly says, “You are never to see her again.” Tom replies by saying, “I 4 months, I never told her about us.” Tom has been a double-agent working for Red the whole time!
And the episode is over!!!

WOW!! What an episode! As Jon Bokenkamp promised, we got some amazing reveals and huge twists and turns. Fitch and Berlin are both dead, but it sure seems like the start of something not the end of it. I think this was one of the best episodes in the history of this show. Amazing!
Tonight marked the fall finale for “The Blacklist.” Due to the time it takes to produce episodes, NBC is putting the show on hiatus until February 1, when it will return with a special episode airing right after the Super Bowl. We’ll have to wait until then to find out about The Fulcrum, Fitch’s safe, and whether Tom will stand up to Red and try to get back into Liz’s life again. Oh, and what on Earth happens in 2017?!?!
But, just because we have to wait for official answers, that does not prevent all of us from posting theories in the comment section. If you have something to say about this episode, put it there and we can all discuss it. Oh, and don’t forget to check out thatFacebook Q&A with Jon Bokenkamp tomorrow at 4pm ET/ 1pm PT.
If you want to read more of Jason Evans’ thoughts on the movie and TV industries, follow him on Twitter @TVFilmTalk

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Remember Tom and Red sitting on the bench outside of the hospital while Liz was visiting the man we thought to be her dad.....what was that all about?