The Shocking Truth About ‘The Blacklist’ You Never Knew!

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Originating from NBC, “The Blacklist” – a crime thriller now highly regarded on Netflix – first aired in September 2013. Created by Jon Bokenkamp, this series revolves around an unusual alliance between a renowned criminal and the FBI. In recognition of its impressive success, Netflix bought the series for an astounding $2 million per episode in 2014, which was a record-breaking price at the time.

For over a decade, The Blacklist has managed to captivate audiences like very few other shows have, maintaining viewer interest throughout its impressive run. A significant factor contributing to this success is the compelling character of Raymond “Red” Reddington, portrayed by James Spader. This pivotal character forms the basis for the entire Blacklist storyline, as the concept of the blacklist itself originates from Red. However, despite Red’s crucial role in the narrative, a sense of mystery shrouded the character for much of the series’ duration. What makes Red even more intriguing is that his character has roots in a real-life mob boss, adding an element of authenticity to the storyline.

Who Is Raymond Reddington in ‘The Blacklist’?

At first glance, Red appears to be a cunning mastermind with a criminal background. With his smooth demeanor and exceptional intellect, Red has an uncanny ability to control people’s actions and, although not particularly fond of violence, is not averse to using it when the situation demands. These traits have earned Red a top spot on the FBI’s most wanted list, reflecting his formidable status as a criminal.

Instead, it’s worth mentioning that a sense of enigma was rarely absent from Red. In fact, this element of mystery seems to be one of his most distinctive traits, sparking viewers’ intrigue and captivating them. From the outset, he chooses to collaborate exclusively with Liz, which makes the audience question why Red holds Liz in such high regard and what their connection might be – questions that have remained central throughout the show.

Throughout its run, the show The Blacklist maintained an air of mystery around Red’s true identity right up until the final episode. Although Liz came to believe in Season 8 that Red could be her father, this was never definitively confirmed on screen. Instead, there were numerous hints suggesting some sort of parental relationship between them. To further complicate matters, Red responded to a joke from Liz’s daughter as if he might have been a mother figure. This has fueled fan theories that Red could actually be Liz’s mother, who was once known as Katarina Rostova.

Raymond Reddington Was Inspired by a Boston Mob Boss

Intrigued fans of “The Blacklist” found themselves even more captivated by the mysterious Red character, as they learned that his character was based on real-life figure, Whitey Bulger – a notorious and formidable Boston gangster.

1929 saw the birth of Whitey Bulger, a notorious criminal who found himself on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list due to his elusiveness. He was the undisputed leader of the Boston-based Winter Hill Gang and held immense influence in organized crime from the late 1960s until the 1990s, much like the character Reddington on “The Blacklist.” Interestingly enough, Bulger also served as an FBI informant for a while, but allegedly, this association became tainted and corrupt. He was eventually apprehended by the police in June 2011 and was found guilty in August 2013.

In creating The Blacklist, Whitey Bulger’s character played a crucial role as the show’s creators aimed to develop a series around a mob boss. As stated by John Eisendrath, the showrunner and executive producer, in an interview with Collider back in 2013, their original concept was to produce a show focusing on apprehending criminals, but with a criminal at its heart. It was during this period that Whitey Bulger was discovered.

The concept that emerged was, “Imagine if a figure like Whitey Bulger surrendered and said, ‘I’m here. I have certain guidelines I want you to adhere to, but if you do, I will provide the names of individuals I have associates with over the 20 years I was on the run.’ This real-life event played a significant role in shaping the existing ideas for the show.” It was serendipitous, as the notion for a series was already being contemplated when this actual story happened, providing it some structure.

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2025-02-23 01:31