The Best Episodes of The Blacklist Season 1
Every episode of The Blacklist Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Blacklist Season 1!
Raymond "Red" Reddington, one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, surrenders in person at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He claims that he and the FBI have the same interests: bringing down dangerous criminals and terrorists. In the last two decades, he's made a list of criminals and terrorists that matter the most but the FBI cannot find because it does not know they exist. Reddington calls this "The Blacklist". Reddington will co-operate, but insists that he will speak only to Elizabeth Keen, a rookie FBI profiler.
Season 1 Ratings Summary
The best episode of "The Blacklist" season 1 is "Pilot", rated 8.2/10 from 5599 user votes. It was directed by Joe Carnahan and written by Jon Bokenkamp. "Pilot" aired on 9/23/2013 and is rated 0.3 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Freelancer".
8.2/10 5,599 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/2013
The race to stop a terrorist begins in the premiere of this crime series about a most-wanted fugitive who works with a rookie FBI profiler to take down criminals and evildoers.
Director: Joe Carnahan
Writer: Jon Bokenkamp
7.9/10 4,081 votes#2 - The Freelancer
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/2013
Red and Liz go under cover to stop an assassin known as The Freelancer from killing his next target; Ressler and a recently re-hired CIA agent try to protect Red from a distance; Liz wonders what she should do about Tom and the mysterious box.
Director: Jace Alexander
Writer: Jon Bokenkamp
7.6/10 3,618 votes#3 - Wujing
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/2013
The FBI is on the hunt for a high-ranking Chinese spy, Wujing which Red claims has hired him to help decode a classified CIA transmission. Liz, posing as an FBI cryptographer goes with Red to decode the message while protecting US government secrets. Meanwhile, Liz proactively investigates Tom.
Director: Michael W. Watkins
Writer: Lukas Reiter
8.1/10 3,661 votes#4 - The Stewmaker
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/2013
While continuing her investigation into the truth about Tom, Liz testifies against drug lord, Hector Lorca. Later another witness is abducted when he is forced to testify against the dangerous drug trafficker. Red’s interest is peaked and he informs the team that the witness may have been taken by "The Stewmaker" a man responsible for hundreds of missing and presumed dead people. Meanwhile, in an unlikely twist of events, Red and Ressler must work together for the first time.
Director: Vincent Misiano
Writer: Patrick Massett, John Zinman
7.7/10 3,297 votes#5 - The Courier
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/2013
Red and the FBI try to stop a dangerous messenger (Robert Knepper) whose appearance is unknown; Liz is thrust into a kidnapping plot.
Director: Nick Gomez
Writer: John C. Kelley
7.7/10 3,115 votes#6 - Gina Zanetakos
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/28/2013
Tom claims he is innocent and wants to turn the box into the FBI; Red's next target is a beautiful and deadly corporate terrorist (Margarita Levieva).
Director: Adam Arkin
Writer: Wendy West
7.6/10 3,036 votes#7 - Frederick Barnes
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/4/2013
The FBI searches for the man responsible for a chemical attack on a subway; Liz wants to avoid Red after he implicated Tom.
Director: Michael W. Watkins
Writer: J.R. Orci
7.7/10 2,964 votes#8 - General Ludd
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/2013
When Red reveals a new name, Liz learns of a plot to destroy the country's financial system; Tom helps Liz when a loved one falls ill.
Director: Stephen Surjik
Writer: Amanda Kate Shuman
8.9/10 4,000 votes#9 - Anslo Garrick (1)
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/25/2013
Anslo Garrick, the newest person on the blacklist, tries to capture Red; Liz is caught in an elevator.
Director: Joe Carnahan
Writer: N/A
8.7/10 3,541 votes#10 - Anslo Garrick (2)
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/2/2013
Liz infiltrates the blacksite and disarms the signal jammers to call in backup but runs into trouble along the way. The fate of Ressler hangs in the balance as Red tries to bargain with Anslo Garrick. Meanwhile, Tom becomes increasingly worried about Liz’ situation and the fate of Red is unknown.
Director: Michael W. Watkins
Writer: J.R. Orci, Lukas Reiter
8.3/10 2,961 votes#11 - The Good Samaritan
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/13/2014
A serial killer from Liz's past strikes again while Red hunts for whoever betrayed him.
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: Brandon Sonnier, Brandon Margolis
7.8/10 2,693 votes#12 - The Alchemist
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/20/2014
Red informs the team that "The Alchemist" - a man who relies upon science to transform a person’s DNA - has been contracted to protect a well-known mob informant and his wife. As the team goes undercover to catch him, Liz finds herself on the hunt for an unlikely couple. Meanwhile Liz and Tom find themselves at another bump in their relationship and Ressler debates whether or not he should give his ex-girlfriend his blessing.
Director: Vincent Misiano
Writer: Anthony Sparks
8.0/10 2,693 votes#13 - The Cyprus Agency
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/27/2014
After a recent spate of abductions of babies from their mothers, Red informs Liz that the "Cyprus Agency" is the illegal adoption organization responsible. Coincidentally, Liz and Tom contemplate adoption of their own which fuels Liz to track down the organizations CEO, Owen Mallory.
Director: Michael W. Watkins
Writer: Lukas Reiter
7.7/10 2,670 votes#14 - Madeline Pratt
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/24/2014
Liz helps Tom adjust to the impending adoption; Red reveals a woman from his past is a target; Red convinces Liz to pull of a heist at the Syrian Embassy.
Director: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Jim Campolongo
7.8/10 2,647 votes#15 - The Judge
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/3/2014
Red believes he knows who was responsible for a prominent prosecutor's 12 year disappearance; Red investigates the woman who tempts Tom.
Director: Peter Werner
Writer: Jonathan Shapiro, Lukas Reiter
8.0/10 2,642 votes#16 - Mako Tanida
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/17/2014
One of Red's former associates, a crime lord, becomes the next target; Tom decides to confront Jolene.
Director: Michael W. Watkins
Writer: N/A
7.8/10 2,601 votes#17 - Ivan
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/24/2014
After a cyber defense asset is stolen by a terrorist only known as Ivan, Red and Liz discover a cover-up; new evidence regarding Jolene's disappearance unravels some of the mystery surrounding Tom.
Director: Randall Zisk
Writer: Amanda Kate Shuman, J.R. Orci
8.1/10 2,523 votes#18 - Milton Bobbit
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/31/2014
Red and the team search for a life insurance claim adjuster who talks people into becoming contract killers; Liz and Red try to uncover Tom's secrets.
Director: Steven A. Adelson
Writer: Daniel Voll
8.4/10 2,581 votes#19 - The Pavlovich Brothers
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 4/21/2014
As the team tries to protect a target of the Pavlovich brothers -- specialists in abductions -- Red has a job of his own for the duo; Liz patiently pursues the truth about Tom.
Director: Paul A. Edwards
Writer: Elizabeth Benjamin
7.9/10 2,473 votes#20 - The Kingmaker
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/28/2014
Red thinks the Kingmaker (Linus Roache), a strategist, is responsible when a politician in Prague is framed for murder; Liz uncovers a secret Red has been hiding.
Director: Karen Gaviola
Writer: J.R. Orci, Lukas Reiter
8.4/10 2,620 votes#21 - Berlin (1)
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/5/2014
After discovering the truth behind her father's death, Liz refuses to work with Red, just as his situation grows desperate.
Director: Michael Zinberg
Writer: John Eisendrath, Jon Bokenkamp
8.8/10 3,098 votes#22 - Berlin: Conclusion (2)
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/12/2014
Liz is forced to reunite with Red in order to track down Berlin.
Director: Michael W. Watkins
Writer: N/A