The Blacklist has taken the world by storm with its fascinating premise and top-notch character actors. Now in the middle of its 10th and final year, there has been some debate over which of its seasons are the best. While one cannot deny that each had its own set of highly memorable episodes, some seasons of the show focused on finding the bad guys, while others wanted to explore Elizabeth "Liz" Keen and Raymond "Red" Reddington's relationship further. So which side wins out?

Updated April 22, 2023: If you're a fan of all things Blacklist, you'll be glad to know this article was recently updated by Amanda Minchin.

Here is a list of all The Blacklist seasons, ranked.

9 Season 7

Animation in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC

This season focuses mainly on Reddington after he discovers himself stranded in hostile terrain. After being kidnapped by Katarina Rostova, he's unsure who, if anybody, he can trust. This season had some very memorable episodes, including Dr. Lewis Powell, Twamie Ullulaq, and Cornelius Ruck. Although many may rank this season as the worst of them all, it is remarkable that it was even filmed at all. How they managed to finish the show till the finale when the pandemic hit the world is astounding. Production was forced to end early. Rather than making the watchers wait for the situation of the world to get normal, the crew and cast improvised. They made a creative decision to use animation to complete parts of episodes that were not filmed.

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8 Season 8

Elizabeth Keen in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC

In this season, Reddington finds himself up against his most ferocious foe yet: Elizabeth Keen. Liz had to decide how much further she is ready to go to learn why Reddington came into her life and what his true objectives were. Fans also saw Reddington and Keen's fall-out, which would have disastrous repercussions for everyone, including the Task Force they established. Unfortunately, the ending of this season did not sit well with fans, the main reason being that Liz was abruptly killed.

While it may have been heartbreaking to watch for fans who cherished their relationship, many also felt disappointed it all happened so suddenly. Most fans even felt like the show changed its writer as characters were acting differently from how they had in past seasons. It felt like they dumbed the season down a lot, which ruined the nuance of the show.

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7 Season 9

 Raymond "Red" Reddington in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC
 

This season took a different approach, which might be one of the reasons why many viewers didn't like it very much. Unlike other seasons, which picked up right where they left off, this season is set two years after Season 8 ended. Following Elizabeth Keen's death, viewers were placed in a setting where Raymond and all the members of the Task Force have been disbanded, and their lives changed completely.

There is much to unpack for viewers, such as a tragic anniversary, which is yet to come, or how Aram signs up for a mind-bending therapy. This wasn't an approach people foresaw, especially considering how certain characters ended. The sudden shift was highly jarring to fans. Many fans rank it as pretty low because it couldn't live up to the mark of other seasons.

6 Season 6

Elizabeth Keen and  Raymond "Red" Reddington in The Blacklist
NBC

In the wake of the shocking discovery that Reddington is not who he claims to be, Elizabeth Keen is conflicted between the bond she has grown with the man she believes to be her father and her determination to uncover years of secrets and falsehoods. During the season, Reddington expands his empire while eradicating his competitors by pointing the FBI toward them.

The entire season had the audience hooked as Liz and Reddington play a tense game of cat and mouse. Boundaries were breached and absolute truths revealed. This is one of those seasons that mainly focused on the family drama more than the FBI in their action (although a lot else was happening). This might have been what put off some fans, as the procedural crime thriller elements of the show were what kept them tuning in again and again. This was one of those seasons that started off very strong but somehow, in the second half, got a bit too formulated.

5 Season 5

Elizabeth Keen in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC

In this season, Raymond Reddington has returned and is trying to reestablish his criminal enterprise. Liz, meanwhile, struggled to balance her duties as an FBI agent alongside her desire to pursue her more psychopathic tendencies. Plus there's the aftermath of finding out that Reddington is her real father.

This was one of the most exciting seasons due to its unveiling of once-hidden secrets. However, since this season was renewed by Netflix, many saw it as having the staple Netflix element (as compared to previous seasons). Many of the choices the characters took didn't feel fit in line with their characters. The season also included forced phrases that ham-fisted the narrative, making it gimmicky.

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4 Season 4

Elizabeth Keen and  Raymond "Red" Reddington in The Blacklist
NBC

The fourth season focused on how a mysterious man claims to be Liz's real father. At the same time, she is trying to uncover the enigma of her lost childhood. As a result of Liz's resurrection, the Task Force is in disbelief, and various relationships are strained. Reddington's moral code seeks justice after being betrayed by the people he considered close.

This season was full of secrets and suspense that kept the audience hooked until the end. The intensity just kept getting higher and higher with each episode. While it has several pros, many fans also felt that its dialogue was relatively flat and didn't have the same impact as previous seasons.

3 Season 2

Elizabeth Keen in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC

In this season, Reddington now worked alongside the FBI to compile a list of worldwide politicians, terrorists, spies, and mobsters. Whether Liz intended it or not, Reddington also helped her to "look at the broader context" and to think just like a criminal. This season drove fans insane with anticipation, with even bigger secrets and mystery than the first. The performances in this season are mind-blowing, especially those of James Spader. This season truly kept everyone on the edge of their seats

2 Season 1

Elizabeth Keen and  Raymond "Red" Reddington in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC
 

The one that started it all... Season 1 introduced viewers to Raymond Reddington, a former government official turned longstanding member of the FBI's Most Wanted List. Things take an interesting turn, however, when he inexplicably turns himself in to the FBI with an incendiary proposition. In exchange for speaking exclusively with Elizabeth Keen, he will aid in the capture of the most elusive criminals in the world.

It's not every day that viewers get to see such a unique premise! That alone took viewers by surprise and kept them guessing as to his true intentions. The Blacklist's first season is an incredibly engrossing, stop-and-go affair, with some outstanding performances interwoven throughout.

1 Season 3

Elizabeth Keen and  Raymond "Red" Reddington in The Blacklist
Sony Pictures Television
NBC

The Third Season found Liz as a fugitive on the run alongside criminal mastermind Reddington. This season laser-focused on the uneasy relationship between Reddington and Liz. As it turns out, they are far more dangerous together than apart. With the Task Force doing everything in their power to find them, the stakes were higher than ever.

Top-notch in the thriller aspect, this season engrossed fans even more than in earlier seasons. There were so many twists and turns that no one saw coming, making it one of the best seasons of all. This was the most rounded of the seasons, from its writing and direction to its plot and performances. With a low 90s percentile on Rotten Tomatoes, this season proved it had the chops to become a long-running series.

Now die-hard fans are tearfully counting down the episodes now that the series' tenth and final season is well underway. Things are going slow, smooth, and steady for the series, which has an average viewership settling in at around two million viewers an episode this season. Early readings on the Tomatometer rank the series with an Audience Score of 64%. The newest season sees Reddington's covert role as an FBI informant on the brink of exposure, with former Blacklisters back out and ready for blood as a result.

Having lost two more actors after the end of Season 9, what comes next for Raymond Reddington is still to be seen. One thing we do know? He does love a good ending.