Natalie Amato" />
Psycho Drive-In logo
Search
  • PDI Press
    Featured
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      Natalie Amato
      January 17, 2022
      Fiction, PDI Press, PDI Press Writers
    Recent
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      John E. Meredith
      January 17, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Seven)

      John E. Meredith
      January 16, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Six)

      John E. Meredith
      January 15, 2022
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    Featured
    • Heart of Stone (2023)

      Natalie Amato
      August 18, 2023
      Movies, Reviews
    Recent
    • Heart of Stone (2023)

      Nate Zoebl
      August 18, 2023
    • Obstacle Corpse (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      July 20, 2023
    • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2023
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
    Featured
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      Natalie Amato
      July 13, 2018
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      The Final Girl
      July 13, 2018
    • David Black: Carnies, Carnage, and the Creative Chaos of Darkness Visible

      Dan Lee
      March 7, 2017
    • Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, Zip

      Andre Lamar
      September 29, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Batman: The Killing Joke

      Jason Sacks
      July 28, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Syfy’s Van Helsing

      Dave Hearn, Paul Brian McCoy
      July 27, 2016
    • Wondercon Interview: The Cast of Damien

      Gary Richardson, Laura Akers
      April 16, 2016
  • News
    Featured
    • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

      Natalie Amato
      February 1, 2023
      News, Shot for Shot
    Recent
    • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

      Paul Brian McCoy
      February 1, 2023
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      psychodr
      July 30, 2019
    • X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrives on Digital 9/3 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD 9/17

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2019
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Breaking
  • Heart of Stone (2023)
  • Obstacle Corpse (2022)
  • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
  • Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
  • The Flash (2023) / Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
  • Evil Dead Rise (2023)
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Who We Be
  • Contact
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Home
Reviews

The Blacklist 1.15 “Mako Tanida” & 1.16 “Ivan”

Natalie Amato
March 31, 2014
Reviews, TV

Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/psychodr/public_html/wp/wp-content/themes/valenti/library/core.php on line 1104

Well, that was confusing. But it sure tied up some loose ends. The last two episodes of The Blacklist crammed a ton of plot and information into an hour apiece… or 43 minutes… whatever run time is these days. The first of the two episode plots involved Mako Tanida: A Japanese criminal who has just escaped from prison to exact his revenge on his enemies, one of whom happens to be Donald Ressler… dun dun dunnnnnnn.  Friends and coworkers of Ressler’s begin turning up dead and he fears for himself and his girlfriend’s safety.

Tanida

Now if you haven’t seen either of these episodes I’m going to make it very clear: SPOILER ALERT.  I have every intention of talking about who died.

Moving on. After Tanida has killed several of Ressler’s collegues, Ressler believes Audry, his girlfriend, may be in danger. Ressler rushes to bring Audry to safety but is hit by another vehicle. The man in that vehicle is Tanida, who shoots Audry and flees. Audry then dies in Ressler’s arms, which didn’t really surprise me. She was either going to end up dead or as a villain as far as I could see.

Ressler and Audry

I really enjoyed this episode. The focus is mainly on Ressler and his character development, which is well overdue. After Audry is murdered, Ressler breaks from the FBI to find Tanida and get his revenge. Ressler seeks out help from Reddington who provides it but warns Ressler that the there is no turning back from the path he is about to embark on. It was an interesting episode to watch. For once Ressler and Reddington are able to relate on human level. Reddington provides help to Ressler giving him instructions on how to find Tanida.

Ressler and Red

With the help of his former colleague, Robert (Bobby) Jonica, he goes after Tanida. What Ressler doesn’t realize is that Jonica has been running Tanida’s empire since Tanida’s imprisonment. It isn’t until they have Tanida in their transport and are en route to bring him back to the FBI when Jonica causes a car crash and Ressler realizes the reason Audry is dead is because of his best friend Jonica.

On the edge of a breakdown, Ressler grapples with shooting his best friend or turning him over to Keen and company who arrive shortly after the crash. After unloading his clip into the snow beside Jonica, Ressler surrenders his gun to Keen and makes the choice to walk away.

Jonica and Ressler

This is a defining moment in Ressler’s character development. Here he has had a traumatic event happen like many a character before him. His decision solidifies his character’s path for the remainder of the season, and potentially the series, as an agent of good rather than evil.

Here is also where he separates himself from Reddington, who as far as we know did not make the same conscious choice. This is exemplified by the wonderful gift box sent by Reddington to Ressler containing the head of Tanida at the end of the episode.

Head of Tanida

The latest episode “Ivan” is about a teenager, Harrison Lee, who causes a car accident murdering a man in order to acquire a “skeleton key” which has the ability to knock out citywide infrastructure — such as defense grids, weapons systems, communications, etc. — and uses it to try and woo a fellow high school student. She is less impressed and more creeped out considering he’s been stalking her.

Harrison Lee

As for Keen, she played a much smaller role in “Mako Tanida” than she does in “Ivan,” where she discovers Reddington’s warnings were accurate about Tom. However, Tom Keen’s role in both episodes is rather large. Between the two episodes we are finally able to see the other side of Tom Keen. What are we privy to?

Not much.

So far we’ve learned that he’s kind of a bastard. He murders two people, Lucy Brooks, and the investigator Reddington hired to find her, without batting an eye. He also brutally knocks down Elizabeth with a rather large wooden door and then punches her in the face in the latest episode so that she doesn’t have the opportunity to recognize him while he escapes, all the while maintaining his “loving husband façade” with her at home.

Tom and Elizabeth

Reddington and Keen’s relationship develops further in this episode as well. Keen finally realizes that Reddington’s warnings about her husband were warranted and becomes aware that she doesn’t really know who her husband is. At the end of the episode, Reddington comforts Keen, knowing she would discover the truth about Tom having set the investigation into Jolene Parker’s (aka Lucy Brooks) murder into action. He fixes a music box which plays a tune that Keen recognizes from her childhood, raising more questions about their past and former acquaintance.

Reddington and Keen

I’ll be honest; I was rather disappointed that Lance Reddick was barely used in this series. He did a good job as the “Cowboy Investigator” that Reddington hired, but I would have liked to see him last a little longer. He was a solid force in Fringe and I think had they integrated him into the show for even a few more episodes he could have brought a lot to the table. I will say this; at least there was interaction between him and Reddington. I’m still cranky about Robert Sean Leonard having only been used for one episode and no character interaction with Reddington.

As for the future of this show, anyone else have any predictions?  I sure do. I have a feeling the show is slowly guiding Keen and Ressler to a romance. I hope it won’t be that predictable, but I have an inkling. However, you never know, maybe Red and Tom will run off together. Sometimes this show throws one out of left field.

Other queries? We the viewers still have no idea who Mr. Kaplan really is, what her relationship with Reddington is, and what her past may include. I’d like to see more of her as an involved character and less of her as simply Reddington’s “cleaner.”

Finally, if you out there reading this agree, disagree, or have your own theories I’d love to hear them. Please feel free to comment. As for me, I’ll be back with my impressions and conjectures next week.

(Visited 256 times, 1 visits today)
The Blacklist 1.15 "Mako Tanida" & 1.16 "Ivan"
"Mako Tanida"
"Ivan"
4.3Overall Score

Related

Natalie AmatoThe Blacklist

Power Rangers: Seasons 13-17 DVD Box Set
Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge 1.01 “What Lies Beneath”

About The Author

Natalie Amato
Shutter Bug / Visionary

Natalie Amato is a ninja cappuccino-slinging barista by day, undercover freelancing graphic designer, photographer, and writer by night (…and sometimes during the day).

Related Posts

  • 4.0

    The Blacklist 1.03 “Wujing”

    Natalie Amato
    October 11, 2013
  • 4.5

    The Blacklist 1.05 “The Courier”

    Natalie Amato
    October 27, 2013

Daily Top Ten

  • Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014)Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014) by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Uzumaki (2000)Uzumaki (2000) by Matthew Fantaci
  • Arrietty (2011) ReviewArrietty (2011) Review by Kelvin Green
  • Jason Trost Needs Your Help to Create A World Without SuperheroesJason Trost Needs Your Help to Create A World… by Adam Barraclough
  • Prometheus (2012)Prometheus (2012) by Shawn Hill
  • All Binge… No Purge: The X-Files S7 Part TwoAll Binge… No Purge: The X-Files S7 Part Two by Rick Shingler
  • The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) by Nate Zoebl
  • An Ode to LuciferAn Ode to Lucifer by The Final Girl
  • Venezuelan Horror Story: Calla (2019)Venezuelan Horror Story: Calla (2019) by The Final Girl
400x400 GI Joe Funko Banner

Weekly Top Ten

  • The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014)Haunted House on Sorority Row (2014) by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy”Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
  • Lost in Translation 435: Remaking Blue Thunder (1983)Lost in Translation 435: Remaking Blue Thunder (1983) by Scott Delahunt
  • The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Corin Totin
  • Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) by Alex Wolfe
  • Advance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-rayAdvance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-ray by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Night of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary EditionNight of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary Edition by Dan Lee
  • The Xeno File: The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979)The Xeno File: The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979) by Serdar Yegulalp
  • Dungeons & D-Listers: Barbarian Queen (1985)Dungeons & D-Listers: Barbarian Queen (1985) by Alex Wolfe
400x400 UA Affiliate Banner

Latest Reviews

  • Heart of Stone (2023)

    Nate Zoebl
    August 18, 2023
  • Obstacle Corpse (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    July 20, 2023
  • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

    Paul Brian McCoy
    July 16, 2023

psychodrivein

Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 449: Gamera - Rebirth (2023)

Overall, Gamera: Rebirth takes the goofier aspects of the Gamera films and turns them into moments of awesome.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #Gamera #GameraRebirth #Netflix
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E66 - De-Classified Debt

Greg and Jaren talk news, acquisitions, and balancing the budget when all your toys are arriving at the same time.
---
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod guys at the link in our profile!

#Anything Joes #GIJoe #GIJoeDeclassified #WrathOfCobra
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation - Defusing Bombs: Cutthroat Island (1995)

Cutthroat Island is worth a look, keeping in mind its weaknesses.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #CutthroatIsland #GeenaDavis #RennyHarlin #MatthewModine #FrankLangella
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E65 - Pyramid of Darkness (2): Rendezvous in the City of the Dead

Greg and Jaren continue their dive into the classic G.I. Joe mini-series Pyramid Of Darkness! 
---
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod gang at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoe #GIJoeARealAmericanHero #PyramidOfDarkness
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 447: Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

Batman: the Animated Series demonstrates how to adapt a popular character without losing the character’s essence.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#Batman #BatmanTheAnimatedSeries #MarkHamill #KevinConroy #ArleenSorkin #WB #DC
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Heart of Stone Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Heart of Stone (2023)

It’s hard for me to envision anything Heart of Stone could offer that people would request a return visit.
---
Read more of Nate's review at the link in our profile!

#HeartOfStone #GalGadot #Netflix
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E64 - Pyramid of Darkness (1)

It's time! Greg introduces Jaren to the first episode of the iconic "Pyramid of Darkness" series from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero!
---
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod guys watch the cartoon at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoe #ARealAmericanHero #PyramidOfDarkness
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E63 - Kentuckiana 2023 

Greg and Jaren discuss the new layout, the vendors, and their recent acquisitions from attending The Kentuckiana G.I. Joe Toy Expo! 
---
Watch the new @AnythingJoesPod video at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #Kentuckiana #KentuckianaGIJoeToyExpo #GIJoe #Kentuckiana2023 #KentuckianaGIJoeToyExpo2023
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 446: Cowboy Bebop (2021)

One snag the live-action Cowboy Bebop has is trying too hard to look like the anime.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #CowboyBebop #Netflix #Sunrise #HajimeYatate #ShinichiroWatanabe #YokoKanno #Seatbelts #JohnCho #MustafaShakir #DaniellaPineda #AlexHassell #ElenaSatine
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Latest Columns

  • Lost in Translation 449: Gamera – Rebirth (2023)

    Scott Delahunt
    September 22, 2023
  • Anything Joes: S01E66 – De-Classified Debt

    Greg Engle
    September 13, 2023
  • Lost in Translation 448 – Defusing Bombs: Cutthroat Island (1995)

    Scott Delahunt
    September 8, 2023

Look Who's Talking

Barbie Worldwide
Barbie Worldwide - 8/5/2023
Lost in Translation 429: The Barbie Movie Teaser
Barbie still in the driver's seat and the movie is speeding past a billion by August 7, 2023.
John E. Meredith
John E. Meredith - 4/5/2023
EZMM 2023 Day 3.1: Zombie for Sale (2019)
Of course, I just woke up from an old-man nap and had a strong urination before reading this, so now...
John E. Meredith
John E. Meredith - 4/3/2023
EZMM 2023 Day 1.1: I Am a Hero (2015)
Oh hell yeah. Looks like one more thing to add to my watch list.
RSSTwitterFacebookinstagramtumblr

Archives

Large_rectangle_336X280
All work on this site is Copyright © each individual writer.
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise