The Blacklist kept its audience glued for almost a decade with its storytelling and the way it handled the mysterious elements of Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington. The series starred James Spader as the criminal mastermind giving himself up to the FBI. At its core, The Blacklist held the mystery of who Raymond Reddington actually is.

The show began with a promising premise where an ex-Naval Intelligence officer becomes the top criminal, walks in voluntarily through FBI headquarters as a partner for the agency to catch the most dangerous criminals worldwide. The only condition he makes is that he would only work with junior profiler Elizabeth Keen, aka Liz, played by Megan Boone.

James Spader and Megan Boone in The Blacklist | Credit: NBC/Universal Media

This little arrangement started an entire decade of storytelling that would keep most viewers guessing. Fans observed each and every clue, every cryptic conversation between Red and Liz.