Raymond Reddington’s affairs are in order and his wife accesses his safety deposit box. Wait. What?
**SPOILERS BELOW**
Red thinks the same thing when he finds out his box has been cleaned out in Istanbul. Apparently, it’s his ex-girlfriend/thief who just wanted to get his attention. This woman knows how to make an entrance which is probably why the episode is named after her. She wants Red’s help to steal a list of Russian spies hidden in a old art piece.
The writers must have been listening to our feedback because now Red is back at work with the FBI, but that draws suspicion that he killed Diane since her death marked his return. Of course Red denies killing her, but what’s interesting is another FBI branch cuts off Director Cooper’s investigation. Talk about suspicious.
One negative about this episode is yet again Mr. Keene is annoying in his whining that Lizzy doesn’t want to adopt a baby, so he goes off on a trip across the country. I can only hope its to kill someone, but more likely to continue with his affair with the annoying sub teacher.
The heist itself was by the numbers and shame on Red for not figuring out that Madeline was playing him for the fall guy. Lizzy completes the steps to break into the safe, but of course the alarm goes off. She is the distraction for Madeline to steal the artifact. Red then has to improv an act to distract her guards. Why an over the top gay guy? That was not Spader’s best work.
On to the best bits, which include hearing stories of Lizzy’s youth and Red’s family murder. The question is whether either story is true or a fabrication. Lizzy had a misspent youth which included robberies and seductions of some sort. She was good enough that she never got caught, but the story she tells Red and Madeline is a total lie. She admits as much to Red later, but is surprised that he knows about her semi-criminal past. Red is the champion of information and she should have expected it. Silly Liz.
Red tells Madeline the saddest Christmas story ever. He ran out of gas on his way home and walked five miles in the snow to get there only to find his family dead. It was a moving story Red used to manipulate Madeline to tell her secrets, but was it true? The story rang a bit true and begs the question if Red was supposed to be there to be killed along with his family.
Madeline is a really interesting character that is kind of the female version of Red — ruthless but maybe not as bloodthirsty. Her obsession with Red is a bit like Red’s with Lizzy, but much more romantic and her information is not as complete. It would be cool to have her return.
What did you think of the episode? Are you looking for Madeline to return? Was Red’s Christmas story the truth? How dark is Lizzy’s criminal past? Let us know in the comments.
