Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Blacklist: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie Review

The Blacklist hits the ground running in its second season and doesn't let up for a second. By no small miracle, the popular NBC series continues to develop a tantalizing premise that nevertheless screams "gimmick procedural" and turn it into something far smarter and sharper than most naysayers thought it could ever be. Twisting, turning; changing direction altogether; juking, shooting off to the side. The plot veers, the characters evolve, and the intrigue, mystery and suspense only grow more complex and intense. And James Spader has never been more infectious. The Blacklist is still prone to plunging into a few network TV pitfalls -- Spader steals the show while his co-stars dutifully deliver their best performances in his shadow -- but it handles its brushes with convention quite well, finding new ways to tackle familiar genre material. It remains as entertaining 44 episodes in as it was when its pilot first turned heads, and its upcoming third season promises to take viewers on an even more addicting journey into Red's criminal underworld.

• Family Matters: Even though Red is still battling Berlin, he suddenly has to deal with a new threat from a man named Lord Baltimore. An important person comes back into Red's world. Liz attempts to move forward with her life following a showdown with Tom.
• Monarch Douglas Bank: Red attempts to take down a corrupt bank after it's robbed. Liz questions his intentions though. A new member joins Cooper's task force having managed to impress the team members.
• Dr. James Covington: The team has to try and track down a sinister doctor however they uncover his black-master operation. Elsewhere, Red tries to take an advantage of a new opportunity in Indonesia.
• Dr. Linus Creel: Several nonviolent citizens all of a sudden become killers, prompting Red to think a dangerous socio-psychological experiment may be taking place. Naomi and her husband are given a complicated proposition.
• The Front: The team attempts to deal with an eco-terrorist cell who are after a deadly weapon. Red uses manipulation to pursue a special somebody.
• Mombasa Cartel: Liz and Red find out more about the underworld of wildlife poachers after a mutilated corpse washes ashore. Ressler becomes involved in a dangerous habit.
• The Scimitar: After an Iranian nuclear scientist is assassinated in odd circumstances, a revenge ploy is planned against a valued American.
• The Decembrist: Red's plans for Berlin take a sudden turn after he finds out that he was manipulated by the latest Blacklister to avenge Red.
• Luther Braxton, Part 1: After Red is arrested and placed in a detention facility, Liz and the task force attempt to save him. There they encounter the deadly Luthor Braxton, played by special guest Ron Perlman.
• Luther Braxton, Part 2: Cooper finds it hard to save his team. Luther Braxton attempts to get his hands on some confidential information, only to have a direct run-in with Red and Liz.
• Ruslan Denisov: Liz and Cooper's FBI task force have to rescue an undercover CIA agent who has been kidnapped by separatists in Uzbekistan. Will Red help them? If so, will it only be for his own gain?
• The Kenyon Family: The team investigates the vanishing of a polygamous cult leader with dangerous shipping containers buried on his property. Meanwhile, Red seeks a hidden safe.
• The Deer Hunter: Red helps Liz and the task force find a killer known as the Deer Hunter who tracks victims like prey; Liz tries to keep her secret under wraps.
• T. Earl King VI: Reddington ends up being drawn into a dangerous game with a wealthy and very powerful family. Will he make it out alive? Will Liz help him? Or will she allow him to face his fate alone?
• The Major: When Agent Keen is questioned in court as a suspect in the murder of the DC Harbormaster, her unusual relationship with Red and their task force falls under scrutiny. Meanwhile, Red enlists Cooper and Ressler to locate "The Major," a dangerous former associate who is key in keeping Liz out of prison.
• Tom Keen: As evidence mounts against Liz in the case of the murdered DC Harbormaster, a federal judge makes it clear to her that she will face severe criminal charges. Reddington and Ressler jump into high gear to exonerate Liz but the only solution is to find the recently vanished Tom Keen - wherever he may be operating in the world.
• The Longevity Initiative: The task force looks for a scientist who has been kidnapping disabled patients. Red has his own plans. Will they align with the team's? Or will Liz once again find herself at tenuous odds with him?
• Vanessa Cruz: The task force are on the trail of a provocative frame-up artist who goes after wealthy people.
• Leonard Caul: Red wants Liz to help find somebody from his past with knowledge about the Fulcrum.
• Quon Zhang: After decoding the information that is embedded in The Fulcrum, Red is determined to stop the imminent threat. Meanwhile, the task force discovers that deceased bodies of Chinese-American women are being smuggled out of the country under false identities. Liz continues to search for answers about her past after discovering a picture hidden in Red's secret flat.
• Karakurt: Following intel from Red, the FBI find themselves one-step behind the most dangerous Russian Assassin, Karakurt, an enemy on U.S. soil. To avoid catastrophe, Liz and Ressler meet with Russian Counter-Intelligence who offer insight not only on Karakurt, but also on the identity of Liz's mother. Cooper finds himself in a compromising position.
• Tom Connolly: Liz discovers she's being framed by the Cabal, prompting Red to tap into his connections to clear her name, in the Season 2 finale. Also, Cooper receives stunning news, and the task force is plagued by trust issues.

The Blacklist: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Blacklist continues to impress on Blu-ray with a strong 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation free from any major issues. The series' palette remains striking from episode to episode, but it also remains quite bleak and heavy, with oppressive black levels by design. (Minor crush isn't uncommon but is inherent to the photography.) Primaries lend power, though, skintones are nicely saturated, and contrast is consistently satisfying despite being so dark. Detail is excellent too, with crisp edge definition and sharply resolved fine textures. The encode is clean and polished, without any distractions of note. Artifacting, banding and aliasing are nowhere to be found, and what little ringing appears is limited to establishing shots of cities and skylines. (A fairly typical anomaly in television shows.) Like The Complete First Season, the high definition release of The Complete Second Season doesn't disappoint.

The Blacklist: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony's second season DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is also comparable to its first season predecessor. Dialogue is intelligible, convincingly grounded in the soundscape and carefully prioritized. Low-end output adds plenty of punch, lending substantial oomph to gunfire and explosions and throwing the LFE channel's weight behind the series' chases, fistfights, assassinations, and score. The rear speakers are effective as well, with precise directional effects, smooth pans and a notably immersive soundfield. The Blacklist sounds great, without a problem or complaint worth mentioning.

The Blacklist: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentaries: Two executive producer commentaries with Jon Bokenkamp and John Eisendrath are available -- "Leonard Caul (No. 62)" and "Tom Connolly (No. 11)" -- both of which are found on Disc Five.
• After the Game: Luthor Braxton (HD, 13 minutes): Ron Perlman and the cast and crew of The Blacklist discuss Braxton's two-part episode, touching on everything from the story to the characters to the explosive events entailed.
• Raymond Reddington: Man of the World (HD, 10 minutes): James Spader, his co-stars and Bokenkamp delve into the mind of Reddington, examining Spader's performance, Red's ticks and the antihero's motivations.
• Building a Blacklister: Vanessa Cruz (HD, 10 minutes): Actress Ana de la Reguera earns an episode-centric featurette much like Rob Perlman and "After the Game: Luthor Braxton."
• Known Associates: Red's Inner Circle (HD, 14 minutes): Spader, Hisham Tawfiq and other members of the cast and crew talk about Red's loyal allies, their talents and their uniquely intense devotion to Reddington.
• Deleted Scenes (HD): Filed under "Episode Selections," alongside numerous episodes, are a variety of deleted scenes -- some good, some not so good -- which add up to even more content for the supplementally savvy among you.

The Blacklist: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Blacklist's second season is a blast. The series could have quickly devolved into cliché villain-of-the-week mediocrity, but instead continues to reinvent itself every time predictability threatens to consume the proceedings. Sony's Blu-ray release impresses too, with another terrific AV presentation and a small but satisfying selection of special features. Soon the series' third season will be upon us, and there's no better opportunity to catch up or reacquaint yourself with The Blacklist than Sony's latest BD release.