'The Blacklist' Season 8 Hits Netflix, Elevates Show Into the Top 10
A beloved NBC crime thriller is finding massive success on Netflix. The Blacklist, which debuted on the network in 2013 and follows U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal Raymond "Red" Reddington as he works with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies, and international terrorists, dropped its eighth season on the streaming platform in early October, with the new batch of episodes helping the show secure a spot on Netflix's Top 10 streaming charts.
After arriving on Netflix on Wednesday, Oct. 6, it did not take long for The Blacklist to find its way back into Netflix's streaming lists. The new batch of episodes prompted a wave of fresh eyes on the show, which helped boost The Blacklist to the No. 8 spot on the streamer's Top 10 TV shows list, where it has since climbed to the No. 7 spot ahead of Cocomelon, The Baby-Sitters Club, and Pretty Smart. It falls just behind other successful Netflix hits like director Mike Flanagan's latest title Midnight Mass and the global phenomenon Squid Game, now the streamer's biggest series launch ever. While The Blacklist hasn't yet made it to the Top 5 series on the platform, it has made it onto Netflix's Top 10 overall chart, where it ranks No. 8.
The Blacklist's success on Netflix comes ahead of the Season 9 premiere on NBC later this month, which has likely sparked renewed interest in the show as fans look to catch up on the series. Season 8 of the fan-favorite series was a major one (warning: spoilers ahead!), as it ended with the departure of a main cast member. In the Season 8 finale, series star Megan Boone left the show with her onscreen counterpart, Elizabeth "Liz" Keen, ultimately succumbing to a gunshot wound.
Boone, who starred as the fan-favorite series since the show's inception, was confirmed in June to be exiting, just a week before the season finale. Addressing her departure in a social media post following the finale, the actress said her time on The Blacklist "has been an entire life inside of my own life." She added that portraying Liz helped her "better define the world and myself, as she set out to do the same." She also thanked all of those she "shared this time with," including her fellow cast members, the crew, and guest stars.
The cast shakeup was not the only major change The Blacklist underwent as it headed into Season 8, as creator Jon Bokenkamp also left the series ahead of Season 9, which is set to feature a multi-year time jump. The Blacklist Season 9 premieres on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Fans can prepare for the new season by rewatching Season 8 on Netflix.