The Endgame

While the similarity with The Blacklist cannot be understated or even unwarranted. I have to say Morena Baccarin's presence on screen is worth the 2-4 episodes worth of rope I'm willing to give this show.

Let's see where it goes and right now I cannot wait to hear another story from Elena Federova.

It's fairly outlandish and I wasn't sure where it was going the first few episodes - but by halfway I was invested. By the end it won me over and I think it's fairly good. It's very good for these types of shows (like the Blacklist and the like). The two leads have very good chemistry - I think it's better than the leads on the Blacklist. All of the actors won me over by the end of the season - it's very well cast. I give it a 9 because I think it's very good for the type of show it is - it's not a great quality show compared with the best - by any means.

For those of you who think that this is a female "Blacklist" you're wrong. Elena Federova is captured and brought to a black site for questioning. In the meantime seven different banks are robbed by military precision motives unknown. Ms. Federova has begun her game of cat and mouse. It seems every scenario. Results into wrong doings by one of "the good guys" are brought to light thus taking out another criminal. What Ms. Federova endgame is who knows.

Her F. B. I. Counterpart. Val Turner seems to have Federova's respect. Turner herself wants to know what is what and despite some of her superiors misgivings she seems to be Federova's "Elizabeth Keene" to Raymond Redington. What would be interesting would be a Blacklist Endgame crossover..

I like this way more then I thought that I would. I am hopeful for a season 2. If there is a season 2, I would like for them to step it up a bit as far as the action scenes are concerned (I feel like they don't have that big of a budget). I would also want to see more of a drama aspect.

I'm not expecting high art from an NBC serial, I just want to feel like I'm okay with losing the hour it took to watch. So far I'm okay with The Endgame. A Russian crime boss who seems to be looking for revenge but might be working for a higher cause, leading a straight-arrow cop down a path of discovery. Corruption uncovered, vendettas fulfilled. It certainly does remind me of early Blacklist, with a little early Revenge thrown in.

I only hope they don't make the mistakes those two shows made, such as constantly stretching out the mystery until it's no longer interesting, or throwing in nonsensical twists just to keep things going. Let the story progress, let it grow and go where it needs - even if it leads to an end. They have good leads and a lot of potential. Fingers crossed.