1. All the basics are there. Perfect writing, acting, pacing, direction, music ... just wonderful. In fact, if a viewer who had NEVER seen the first two seasons were (hypothetically) to see this episode, I believe said viewer would become an instant fan and back-order the first two seasons from Amazon. It's THAT good.
2. Boone and Diego Klattenhoff step up their game, revealing aspects of their characters even die-hard fans have never seen before.
3. The always-amazing Spader does a throwaway exchange at the diner which could well go down in film history, alongside De Niro's ARE YOU TALKING TO ME, Eastwood's DO YOU FEEL LUCKY and Nicholson's instructions from FIVE EASY PIECES (also set in a diner) on how to order toast.
4. Also like the running gag off the top which is obviously meant for insiders only, where the drop-title with the Blacklist number that USED to represent the FBI target for the episode is still running, even though (discussed in an earlier review) the short-arc for the entire series has changed in a most dramatic way.
5. With the writing team at POI caught in a lobster trap entirely of their own making, this series along with BANSHEE are possibly the two board leaders for the year.
2. Boone and Diego Klattenhoff step up their game, revealing aspects of their characters even die-hard fans have never seen before.
3. The always-amazing Spader does a throwaway exchange at the diner which could well go down in film history, alongside De Niro's ARE YOU TALKING TO ME, Eastwood's DO YOU FEEL LUCKY and Nicholson's instructions from FIVE EASY PIECES (also set in a diner) on how to order toast.
4. Also like the running gag off the top which is obviously meant for insiders only, where the drop-title with the Blacklist number that USED to represent the FBI target for the episode is still running, even though (discussed in an earlier review) the short-arc for the entire series has changed in a most dramatic way.
5. With the writing team at POI caught in a lobster trap entirely of their own making, this series along with BANSHEE are possibly the two board leaders for the year.