The Blacklist S2Ep3 Dr. James Covington (No. 89) Review

This episode Dr. James Covington (No. 89) starts with Keen having a nightmare about Tom and Reddington. Tom argues that Red will kill her if she gets too close to the truth about what happened on the night of the fire. Keen is also bothered by a man whom she suspects is stalking her at the various motels she is staying. The next morning Red warns her of Dr. James Covington, a disgraced heart surgeon, who may be running a heart rental scheme using stolen hearts. The audience is not certain why Red pointed Covington out to Keen and the FBI but that it has something to do with a business deal he is involved in is obvious. Red meanwhile deals with discontent in his own ranks. His henchmen Niko has been approached by a person named Mr. Vargas (played by Paul Reubens) who supposedly works for Berlin. Red seems nonchalant about the threat much to the irritation of Niko.

Keen and Ressler do everything to try and track down Covington. After they find a medical examiner who supplies hearts and lungs to Covington they track the courier. The story seems almost artificially slowed down by the writers when the courier dies in a traffic accident. This event seems to be a thinly disguised opportunity to introduce the gluttonous mob boss B.B. Red manages to poison him and so forcer him to call Covington. The scene may have been fun but it also felt too contrived making it very clear that agent Keen and Raymond Reddington serve two very different purposes on The Blacklist. Keen and Ressler ultimately find Covington, he has been using the proceeds of the organ rental to fund his efforts to help children get adult lungs.

Agent Keen meanwhile finds herself being doubted by Assistant Director Cooper, who uses the psychological evaluation to pressure her to open up about what happened last season between her and her husband. Ultimately Cooper confesses he does not want to use her failed test against her, probably because it won’t fix things, he just wants to talk. Keen thanks him for the opportunity to go to him for help but his offer is in essence rebuffed.

Despite the acting of James Spader the audience probably wasn’t fooled into thinking that Mr. Vargas worked for Berlin. There were simply too many coincidences. In the end only Niko was fooled and the audience was rewarded with the discovery that Mr. Vargas doesn’t take kindly to the sight of blood after Red shoots Niko dead. I hope to see Mr. Vargas again, along Mr. Kaplan (who is really a Mrs.) they give Red’s operation a lot more color. The death of Niko concludes Red’s attempt at securing what his partners call the Indonesian deal. The sole purpose for the arrest of Dr. James Covington was to make sure he couldn’t perform an operation on a Indonesian cabinet minister who would have vetoed the deal. Such revelations make it clear that despite agent Keen’s efforts and Harold Cooper’s suspicions they are still playing Red’s game.

Despite Covington’s arrest he is allowed to continue to perform one last operation. Ressler rebuffs her for this, thus further distancing their relations. Keen argues with Samar Navabi, the Mossad agent about how she managed to find Reddington. The episode ends with a near romantic encounter between Keen and the man from the beginning of the episode. When the man enters his motel room he unpacks a DSR sniper rifle and sets the sight. Red visits his ex-wide Naomi, who slaps him in his face.

Score; 8 / 10. A lovely tie-in between the hunt for Covington and Red’s business deal. Other aspects of the story were slowed down after the turbulent start to the season.

Source; http://www.nbc.com/the-blacklist

This was The Blacklist S2Ep3 Dr. James Covington (No. 89) Review, I hope you enjoyed reading it.