Key Takeaways:
– ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' was an unsuccessful spin-off of popular series ‘The Blacklist.'
– It starred Ryan Eggold and included former X-Men stars Famke Janssen and Edi Gathegi.
– Despite a stellar cast, the series was canceled after one season owing to poor ratings.
Introduction
During its decade-long presence on network television, ‘The Blacklist' carved out a reputation for itself as a must-watch crime thriller. The intriguing plotline and captivating characters, expertly portrayed by a talented cast led by James Spader, attracted fans globally. However, not all ventures associated with the show enjoyed the same level of success. Fans may remember an offshoot of the series, ‘The Blacklist: Redemption,' which, despite immense potential and a stellar cast, floundered rather quickly.
Spin-off spotlight: ‘The Blacklist: Redemption'
Billed as a dramatic extension of the original series, ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' debuted in February 2017, featuring Ryan Eggold reprising his role from ‘The Blacklist.' Two former X-Men actors, Famke Janssen, and Edi Gathegi, were also part of this project. These casting choices certainly evoked interest, given their commendable performances in the X-Men franchise.
Former X-Men stars join the spin-off
Famke Janssen, known for her role as Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men series, joined the cast as Susan Scott “Scottie” Hargrave, the mother of Eggold's character. Her character brought the same complex dynamics that Spader's Reddington and Megan Boone's Liz enjoyed in the original series.
Edi Gathegi arrived in ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' as Matias Solomon, a ruthless mercenary first introduced in ‘The Blacklist.' Fans recognized Gathegi from his role as Armando Muñoz/Darwin in 2011's ‘X-Men: First Class.'
Muted reception and eventual cancellation
Despite its impressive cast and the prestige of being associated with ‘The Blacklist,' the spin-off failed to meet the expectations of both fans and critics. With mixed reviews and paltry ratings, ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' faded into obscurity rather quickly. After a single season of eight episodes, NBC canceled the series.
Audience response and cast's subsequent journey
According to reports, ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' drew in a mere 6.3 million viewers per episode, a significant drop from the 9.25 million viewers that ‘The Blacklist' enjoyed during its concurrent fourth season. Following the cancellation, Eggold returned to the original series before moving onto the medical drama ‘New Amsterdam' in a leading role.
Post ‘The Blacklist: Redemption,' Janssen appeared in films like ‘Boy Kills World' and ‘Knights of the Zodiac,' while Gathegi found success in the Apple TV+ series ‘For All Mankind' and is set to appear in James Gunn's Superman as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific.
In retrospect, ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' appears as a minor detour in the successful careers of its leading cast. Despite the initial frenzy around the spin-off, it now remains a largely forgotten fragment of ‘The Blacklist' universe. Fans looking to revisit ‘The Blacklist: Redemption' can find the series available for rent on Amazon Prime Video.
