Spoilers ahead: Midseason premiere of The BlacklistSeason 9, called “Between Sleep and Awake.”
The Blacklist returned in 2022 with an episode that didn’t actually involve the task force going after another blacklister, but instead focused on telling Ressler’s story as it unfolded Over the course of time, it jumps. In the premiere, it was evident that he hadn’t coped well with Liz’s death, considering that he’d left pretty much everything behind to become a mechanic, and “Between Sleep and Awake” filled in some blanks about what happened immediately after the credits rolled on Liz’s death back in 2021.
Midseason premiere featured flashbacks that picked up right from the Season 8 finale: with DembeHustling RedAway from Liz’s body and Ressler arriving on the scene, already distraught at finding the woman he loved dead. Now, The Blacklist revealed that Ressler didn’t just stay with Liz’s body after finding her, but took off running after Red, even commandeering a civilian’s car to continue the chase. Unfortunately, Ressler was drunk at the time, and caused a collision that severely injured him and another woman. Dembe and Red managed to escape without injury.
Ressler’s car crash showed how it was a new set of injuries that knocked him off the wagon, and he wasn’t His drug addiction is back in controlFrom the emotional pain alone. To avoid a disciplinary hearing by the FBI, he left his life behind and embarked on a journey that included drug-seeking behavior and eventually saving a woman with an abusive husband and her son.
Fans saw the end of that journey in Season 9, which featured him as a bearded mechanic, who had to be talked about returning to the task force. The episode ended with Liz talking to a clean-shaven Ressler at her gravesite. Diego Klattenhoff turning in a masterful performance with his emotional monologue, which helpfully summarized everything that happened since Liz’s death, saying:
And Dembe’s an agent. Aram was able to leave a fortune in tech. Reddington shaved his head, and his new lover’s a shaman. Park was diagnosed with cancer after I took her urine to do a drug test. It came back with high levels of hormones. I passed, and I was reinstated. However, my old problem with the pain medication is back for another performance after I punctured that and caused it to be broken in a car wreck while trying to find and kill Reddington right before you died. So I’m working with him again. We are. Because we think it’s what you’d want. FYI, he’s just as insufferable as ever, so if it’s not what you want, please, you feel free to tell me, and I’ll happily go back to being a mechanic.
It’s probably safe to say that Ressler won’t be going back to his life as a mechanic any time soon, although I’m ready for him to catch a break after he tearfully told Liz that he’s happy she’s with Tom, even though Tom was hated by him, because he wouldn’t want her to be alone. He seemed to experience some catharsis, but not closure, so it is possible that things will get a lot brighter as he moves forward.
Season 9 required a lot of adjustments, both behind and in front of the camera. With Megan Boone’s absenceThe behind-the scenes and after-the-scenes Exit of show creator Jon Bokenkamp. It hasn’t thrived in the ratings in its Thursday night time slot, but will Revert to FridaysIn February. You can still find new episodes for now. Of The BlacklistOn Thursdays, at 8 p.m. ET, ahead Law & Order: SVU9:00 p.m. ET Law & Order: Organized Crime10:00 p.m. ET on NBC ET on NBC