NBC-The-Blacklist-100-pilot-092313

TTAG reader Aaron writes:

After binge-watching season 1 of The Blacklist and getting into this autumn’s season 2, I’ve noticed a very anti-gun bias on the part of the producers. In season 1, a concealed carrier tried to take out one of the episode’s villains and is not only shot himself, but while falling, fires an errant bullet that hits an innocent little child. In another episode of season 1, a bad guy mocks an attempt at armed self-defense by spouting a standard civilian disarmament talking point; “We all know you’re more likely to have your gun taken and used against you than use it successfully” . . .

In last night’s episode (October 14) an unhinged psychiatrist triggers an aggression gene in people he’s screened and turns them into spree killers. As the feds first notice the pattern, they call the assailants, “the shooters” even though various weapons were used in the murders. Toward the end of the episode, a community meeting is held to discuss the uptick in mass slayings, and it’s called a “gun violence forum.”

Perhaps the most chilling part of the episode was that the villain was someone trying to propose a “gun violence” solution in the form of preventive clinical intervention, not curbing our rights. And of course, he’s depicted as a complete loon.

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99 COMMENTS

  2. I noticed that too. But I still like the show. Does anyone do smarmy better than James Spader?
    How many dark comedies since Breaking Bad have had so many laugh out loud moments?

    • “The Blacklist” would already be defunct except for Spader. He’s utterly fantastic and the only reason to watch the show.

      • yup he makes the show, I’ve noticed the bias on that show more then once, another that grinds my gears is “ncis” they always throw a jab in there. “ncis” loves to stomp on your rights and make it look cool and right

        • I don’t understand the support of those working to destroy an essential right or closely held belief. If an actor, or a program or a restaurant or a retail store is disparaging of my rights, or is actively working against one of my closely held beliefs, they receive none of my money or time. I will not subsidize subversion; why would anyone?

        • UUGHHH.

          I LITERALLY groaned at last night’s episode of the new NCIS New Orlean’s. Someone was killed with a “Black Talon bullet” and some mumbo jumbo about them opening up and having sharp edges and trying to have them banned for years.

          And the ME doing the autopsy cut herself on it.

        • Given that the last episode of NCIS I saw had the techies “isolate” a laptop with a virus by placing it a glass box (because that’s totally how wireless networks work) and then the virus magically spreads through the power cable, I’m not sure the writers for that franchise know much of anything about anything.

      • I’m not a fan of his, not really sure why. I just don’t care for him.

        That being said this show is the exception for me, he is excellent in this role and really does make the show.

      • Agreed. The female FBI character (Elizabeth?) is such a dumbass, in the real world, she would have been long dead. Even my relatively not pro-gun wife is getting aggravated with the stupid stuff she does. If not for all of the men protecting her, she’d have been toast mid way through season 1. There are some effective female characters on the show, but they seem to be relegated to secondary roles. The CIA agent from the first season is someone I would not want to mess with.

        Surprised that feminists aren’t up in arms over the portrayal by the female lead

        • Thankfully this season they fixed her hair and makeup, so at least looks like she’s not out of a 60’s rerun. Her old ‘look’ was just god-awful.

          But yes, she does some incredibly Darwin Award worthy things. Every show.

  4. Blacklist is tame compared to the gutter sludge on ABC. Did you see the episode of Scandal that aired two weeks ago? Made all of Obama’s grandstanding/temper tantrums post Newtown look like they were from a right leaning moderate. So much condescension and preaching/ self righteousness. I almost threw the remote at the television.

    Last night I was watching one of those NCIS/CSI whatever City (Think they are in New Orleans now) episodes and someone got shot with an evil “black talon” bullet fired from a gun with a homemade improvised silencer. They ascribed almost mythical destructive powers to the Talon. They were talking about the injuries as if the guy had been hit by a claymore full of razor blades… ok maybe that part is an exaggeration but they sure had the hysteria train going full steam ahead.

    • Yeah, the ME said that ER doctors tried to ban the Black Talons for years. Which might account for the fact that Winchester withdrew them from the market in 2000.

      The Ranger T-series features a very similar round with more rounded “petals” and without the Lubalox coating. It’s just another hollowpoint.

    • On the other hand, after Beckett was sniped on “Castle” (ABC show), Esposito took her to the evidence locker to see the Knight’s SR-25 and gave a great speech about how it’s just a tool and has no personality or morality. Excellent moment.

      By the way, CSI and NCIS are both on CBS, just like Blue Bloods.

    • 1. Yeah, that Black Talon bullet was so potent it even cut the medical examiner’s finger after it killed the victim.

      2. Sounds like “The Blacklist” should be blacklisted by the people of the gun…

    • My girlfriend and I love that show. She saw the episode before I did and said something along the lines of “Babe, this episodes gonna make you mad…like really really mad.”
      Yeah – She was right. I just about screamed at the television during his speech. The logic, or lack thereof. And as if it wasn’t bad enough, the cinematography and the score framed the president during the speech as if he was within the best of all virtue and was entirely correct – it made him look heroic in that sequence. It made me cringe. If that happened in reality, we’d probably of seen a revolution by now. I totally see what Old Ben’s saying: they make up they’re own little (fictional) reality. Well, the silver lining is that in order to pass his gun control bill, the 7th circuit judge had to be blackmailed into agreeing with it. Still, I have lost all interest in the show. Sorry Olivia.

    • Here is link about the episode of Scandal Tex300BLK was speaking of:

      http://controversialtimes.com/politics/abc-uses-entire-episode-of-primetime-drama-scandal-to-push-anti-gun-agenda/

      ABC’s political drama, Scandal, had an entire episode devoted to pushing gun grabbing. In the episode, a shooting similar to Sandy Hook happens, and the president of the USA devotes his entire State of the Union address to it. Here are some quotes:

      “…thousands of people last year who lost their lives in a completely avoidable way.

      The right to bear arms was set in stone in the Constitution by our founding fathers… so was slavery, by the way.

      The right to bear arms is indisputable… until the shooter comes in. Until you’re Lisa Elliott covered in blood, watching a little girl take her last breath. Watching the life go out of her eyes.

      And that… that is where the arguments ends. That is when the debate is over.

      How many other people’s children are we going to let die before we put a stop to this?”-President of the USA on the show

    • I used to sorta like Scandal, even though it was completely over the top. After the totally retrograde story arc about them evil guns, I can’t stomach it.

      It’s not too hard to tell that the writers/directors/producers are leftists and enemies of freedom.

      • I will say i thought the part where the AG blackmailed the guy in the name of gun control made it seem more accurate.

  5. You actually watch network TV?

    Why?

    You not get enough anti-gun bias from the rest of the mainstream media?

    And nice MagLite on the pretend cop’s belt.

    John

    • +1

      I can’t fathom how my life is somehow less rich for having not seen any of the shows people talk/complain about.

      Every hour somebody spends in front of the TV is a hour they’ll never get back. We all have very few hours to spend like that. Some fewer than others.

      • To be fair, I had a 55lb greyhound snoozing on my lap, while her big brother was sleeping next to me on the couch.

        I made it through both “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” and “Person of Interest” without them stirring.

  6. Taking a tangent, did you see last night’s “Person of Interest”?

    The teen-aged boy that Reese was protecting, had an unregistered handgun (acquired for defending his family), for which his mother ended up going to jail.

    Towards the happy ending of the episode, the legally -savvy teen expressed an interest in finding a “Ivy League” lawyer and discussing legal precedence in getting his mom out of jail, citing STATE OF NEW JERSEY v. BRIAN D. AITKEN. Reese got him the representation that he wanted.

    The closet full of conservatives over at CBS must be quite crowded.

    🙂

    • Caviezel isn’t so closeted. It’s great to see him leading a hit show. My son and I watch POI together and Reese is his hero. We love watching his first-rate gun (and people) handling.

      • On Selleck’s (mentioned below), I’d say his comments that episode were esconsed in the libertarian camp. I don’t know how much creative control he has, but it is there.

        Joseph Mantegna (Criminal Minds) is not very discreet about his defense of 2A rights.

        Gary Sinise needs a new platform on CBS.

    • I haven’t owned a TV for decades–no foolin’. Only see TV when I travel and stay in a motel, which never happens anymore now that son has graduated from school in New Mex. Mainly it reminded me of why I don’t own a TV.

      • I own a TV for one reason: video games. It is really hard to make an anti-2A message in a video game in which your primary problem solving tool, even in puzzle games, is a gun. Sometimes the gun isn’t even for killing, it’s just for knocking something down that you can’t quite reach, or breaking a lock, or setting of a Rube Goldberg-esque chain of events that starts by shooting a metal bucket on a 2×4.

        TL;DR: Screw daytime television, I’ve got vidya games to play.

  8. I really enjoy the Blacklist, but the obvious answer to why they’re anti-gun is simple: it airs on NBC. But did we really expect any prime time show on a major network to shine a positive light on guns, concealed carry, or gun rights? I’ve (sadly) just had to sit back and enjoy the show without activating any part of my brain. But that’s not just this show, of course.

  9. In the last episode of “Bones,” (on Fox!) the deceased is a right wing radio host who is into S&M because he wants to be punished and his manager/producer is told that he’s stupid because of his position on global warming and guns. In “Blue Bloods,” (CBS) Tom Selleck’s character (Tom Selleck!) says that the Church is “behind the times” on gay sex.

    Hollywood is Hollywood. They hate us and I’m beginning to hate them. Look for a lot more political messaging in shows that are supposed to entertain. As for me, I was a big fan of Bones, but no more.

    • Fox Entertainment is an entirely different animal than Fox News, I am given to understand. And lots of actors portray characters who are not the same as the actor is in real life. And besides, it really isn’t the church’s job to be “up with the times”, it’s the Church’s job to be truthful. That said–yes, they hate us, almost universally, and I have no love for them either.

    • I actually thought the Chruch/State thing with Selleck’s character was pretty good. I mean, you’re the boss of 35k employees – you want each to believe that you’ve got his or her back, regardless of what they do in their free time.

  10. The gun grabbers’ best friends are in Hollywood. Since they don’t have any facts on their side, they create their own.

    Can’t you people find anything more productive to do than watch network TV? I would consider it less pathetic if you sat in front of a slot machine, smoking cigarettes until you’re broke.

    • “…they create their own.”

      These delusional cop shows are the other side of the anti-reality spectrum that subtly and sometimes not so subtly propagates the anti’s message in an ostensibly “entertainment” setting.

      They’re all cartoonish fantasy and illusion presented to a mostly unwise unknowing general public who ingest the crap they’re being fed and even when it is clearly illogical most still think it represents reality. It’s just like how all the pretty witty, brainless, actors and actresses are supposedly representative of real life coppers and feds who must complete the intricate process of an investigation. Liberal rhetorical slop served up to feed propaganda to those with no life experience and/or no life other than their own limited bubble. They’re being brainwashed show by show and they don’t even know it.

      Total liberal stupidity leading the unsuspecting viewers down the path to the Kool Aide stand. I despise those shows.
      NCIS, CSI, et.al. are all a dangerous joke being fed to the uninformed.

      • It’s too bad our society has lost its way toward educating itself and is so willing to be spoon-fed what others choose to feed them. It’s the lazy man’s way. People’s time would be better spent cutting way down on TV watching and picking up a book and reading. A good place to start would be “America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great” by Dr. Ben Carson.

  11. Look up Ben Shapiro. He does an extensive infiltration of the media and Hollywood. He gets in and convinces these Hollywood elites to go on tape showing the liberal progressive agenda.

  12. I did turn on Spader for a moment but it didn’t grab me. On the other side of the coin I was startled to see The Flash. There was a robbery at a gun shop and 6Glock 19’s were stolen. Could it POSSIBLY be product placement???

  14. Newsflash: all television shows on the major networks are anti-gun.

    There are two reasons:

    First, the major networks want us disarmed. Thus they portray firearm ownership in the worst way possible to poison the idea of serfs owning firearms. They also want to portray government agents as always coming to save the day. It is simple social engineering on a grand scale. Joseph Goebbels would be proud.

    Second, the major networks are anti-gun because 90% or more of their plots do not work if We the People are armed. All those portrayals of helpless victims — victims of stalkers, domestic abuse, rapists, muggings, violent neighbors, armed robberies, spree killings, racists, etc. — depend on the victims being unarmed. What terror and empathy would we feel for victims who are confident and independent and promptly dispatch an attacker?

    • I was watching the show “Grimm” on TV a few years back- the preternatural UnSubs were a bunch of homoanthphilia types, i.e., humans with a hive mind. In the first few minutes there was a scene where they are stalking the Victim Du jour in his residence with knives. On the show – the victim turns around and the usual network TV bloodbath at 9:00 pm on Friday ensues.

      Then – I look down at my hand – my 642 was out of my right front pocket (finger off the trigger, natch) and aimed at my computer screen. It freaked me out a little, to be honest.

      However – it did hit me then what has pointed out by many here – that in 90% of the cases on TV if the victim were armed, our heroes would have little else to do but sit around and twiddle their thumbs. Of course, the prosecutors/DA’s would would be very busy deal the affirmative defense of self-defense in all the 1st degree murder cases they would be bringing against homicidal home owners.

    • u-c,

      You nailed it with #2.

      I loved Barney Miller when it was on. Great characters, great relationships, great quips. A frequent theme was the inability of the squad to respond to all of their calls. And yet, the only way private gun ownership was portrayed was negative: the shop keeper was a vigilante (I forget his name), you’ll hurt yourself, let the professionals handle it, etc..

      Private gun use would have ruined many stories.

      It was disappointing to discover that the star, Hal Linden, was a Jew. I guess he was one of the majority: left-wingers that worship the State, instead of G-d. Just another one of the poor souls riding in the cattle cars wondering, “How the hell did this happen?”

      (Sorry to ramble)

  15. I don’t know what you guys are talking about. TV taught me all there is to know about guns like a shotgun can blow a person off his feet and through a window or if someone points a gun in my face all have to do is grab it away from him. Also, if it wasn’t for video games I wouldn’t have any tactical training. I’ll have you know I’m as good as any marine sniper. I’ve killed dozens of terrorists with my high caliber m4-15 fully-semi automatic sniper assault rifle. -____-

  16. Um that doesn’t mean the show is anti-gun. That’s just silly. The concealed carrier in the store drew his gun like an idiot and if you remember the mother picked up the gun and shot and killed the father. It’s just a friggin story line and it seems a little obssesive ro go looking for ‘anti-gun bias’ in every little thing. Especially when there probably is none there. Are you really that short on topics? TV shows tend to reflect, to varying degrees, elements of real life and in real life there are absolute morons. Its just a TV show, get real.

    • I only watched the first season on netflix, but I initially gave that first event a pass since I chalked it up to plot device. The part where the assassin kills the politicans to have his seat taken however, was ludicrous since he goes out of his way to tell his victim that he had a higher chance of being killed by his own gun, but part of his plan required the victim to die anyways. At that point, it doesn’t matter if it death comes by gun, knife or beatings. The killer than proceeds to get the drop on the (vapid) female FBI agent, before being shot in the back of the head by her partner…with his gun.

      As for your thing about “It’s just a TV show”, never underestimate that power of popular culture over the masses. The term “Breads and Circuses” is not exactly a modern saying.

    • So 2maik7, TV shows reflect elements of real life? You can say this with a straight face? Wow! Just Wow!

      So give one example of the thousands of documented instances of a successful use of a gun by a citizen in defense of life and property in “real life” played our on a major TV show!

      Just one example, I’ll wait.

  17. Well, there’s “The Walking Dead”. And…..thats about it, as far as pro-gun shows go; or at least how many I know of.

      • Anything could happen. (cough)

        Did you see the way Carol magically got cleaned up and showered after all that dead blood on her when she had her reunion with Daryl?

        Almost shed a tear, I did…

        But watch out if she tells you to look at the flowers…

    • I’m not sure Walking Dead is pro gun. I watched the season premier. The thought that came to mind was where are these people getting all of these full auto AK-47s and M-16s? Even if the came across a cache of military weapons at one of the many bases in Georgia, they are not full auto. So the anits are getting the false message that all of these ‘evil’ guns are full auto and there are a lot of them around.

  18. Ironically, while the show gives normal people defending themselves short shrift, it depicts professional criminals continually outfoxing and outmaneuvering conventional law enforcement and Federal authorities. In several episodes, private mercenaries steam roll over the FBI agents and swat teams. The U.S. government is depicted as corrupt and incompetent, the private criminal underground to be organized and effective. Usually on network tv shows, government agencies are shown to be ultra-competent, filled with best and most well intentioned; not so much on the Blacklist.

  19. The Blacklist from what I have seen is so retarded.
    One episode involved a “Russian” plane carrying prisoners into the US and it was an old WW2 era transport plane. It got shot down by F-14 Tomcats, even though we don’t use that damn plane anymore.

    • “It got shot down by F-14 Tomcats, even though we don’t use that damn plane anymore.”

      Don’t hate on the Tomcats… Well, at least not the D model.

      • Not hating on the plane. The fact that they didn’t fact check their stock footage is what bothers me.

  20. This is one of the main reasons I cancelled my cable and hardly watch TV anymore…it’s all agenda driven crap!

    It’s called programming for a reason you know 🙂

  21. Why are you watching that waste of bandwidth anyway? It’s not like there will be some stunning new pro-gun revelation or anything.

  23. I like the show, but i remember fuming when they did “all guns must be registered” bs that appeared last season. It is amazing how many times this pops up in network tv. I live in South Florida and my neighbor thought that they need to get a gun registered I asked why
    they said well they did in “Glades” – cop drama set in Florida

  24. You’re talking about NBC, the network that encourges Bob Costas to blather on. That’s all there is to it.

    • Don’t forget, it’s the same network that edited a 9-1-1 recording in order to libel George Zimmerman and make him look racist.

  25. Why are YOU spending time watching TV? You could be spending VAST AMOUNTS of time on TTAG commenting to others who already agree with you. Preaching to the choir 🙂

  26. The show has good gun porn in it but I lost interest halfway through the first season. Too little Spader, too much everything else.

  27. 2maik7: I disagree with your point of view. This is a long term subliminal message. Next time ask ome high schooler is they know about WWI, WWI or Korea. .they stop teaching history in many highschools at 1900. ‘they got to the educational system, they don’t teach the Constitution anymore.

    30 years from now, guns will be like Ebola to the uninformed. That is the gun grabbers goal. This isn’t just entertainment, it’s indoctrination. Some schools are banning swings cause kids might get hurt on the playground.

  28. I’ve watched a couple of episodes, and it seemed kind of silly, though I agree that Spader does a good job with his character. But has anyone else noticed that the FBI handler talks exactly like Obama? Tone, diction, to the letter. I keep waiting for him to say “let me be clear.” I’m sure there’s no subtle brainwashing intended. (not)

  29. The show Gotham is terribly anti gun too.

    The Wayne’s are killed with a mysterious “untraceable” gun that wasn’t in the police database, Gordan is considered an outcast within the gun/police community for not being trigger happy enough and just this week Gordan was running from a perp with a knife and he tripped and dropped his gun and the perp picked it up. Which he should’ve known was bound to happen statistically.

    I love batman but the show is a long way from the original comic.

  31. To each and everyone of you who is upset, get a damn life.

    Your so busy glued to the idiot box crying about unfairly portrayed issues that you forget to do anything about them for real, while the same actors your viewer ship pays for donate large sums to actually fight for their beliefs.

    If you can spend 3 minutes losing your shit over a fictional drama you can spend 3 minutes writing your represent I’ve, donating time to the NRA or doing something real.

  36. There IS a highly pro 2A network TV show. Last Man Standing on ABC. Which is ironic because the show stars Tim Allen-a convicted felon. In the network landscape it is unique.

    • Not to split hairs or disparage the show, but I wouldn’t call LMS highly pro 2A. I consider it balanced, giving fair shots for each/both side, or slightly pro 2A at best. Compared to the rest of TV, it seems very pro 2A.

      In defense of my statement:
      The show certainly fosters familiarity with guns, taking place in a gun selling outdoor store, a boss with display rifles on the wall, the main character’s house having a pistol on display and being open about his gun ownership, safe and positive recreational sport shooting with “scary black” rifles, etc. However, in discussions about guns, we’ve heard arguments from both sides, and the “pro-gun” arguments are usually (in my opinion) more common, watered down arguments that most people have already heard, leaving the more poignant and specific points unsaid. Some of the politically manipulative terms to which we draw attention as flawed here on TTAG are used on the show, which is not ideal.
      To end with a positive and supportive note, I agree that for all its shortfalls, it does reinforce positive and safe use of guns, rather than the mentality of “There’s a big black gun! We’re all going to die from its presence!” Sadly, those with the latter mentality will likely not watch the show.

  37. And here I was ready to give the show a chance because they showed an SP-01 Phantom in the first episode…

  38. Thanks for sharing.
    I WAS going to make an attempt to watch one of its episodes, but now they are preaching an anti-gun agenda, I will strike them off my list.

  39. I was watching a re-run of Law and Order SVU and the two female cops were disarming a female army veteran who had been raped and was being threatened again by the same rapist. They said basically, look we’re cops and armed and we have been raped and assualted by men, so really a gun won’t help you defend yourself. What crap!

  40. I’ve never seen “The Blacklist.” Not even once. In fact, this is the first time I’ve heard of it.

    Priorities are as follows:
    1) Work (for money) for food, water, shelter.
    2) Time with kids and family
    3) Shopping for gun stuff.
    4) Shooting guns.
    5) Handloading cartridges (for guns)
    6) Unnamed computer related activities
    7) TTAG and other gun related news.
    .
    .
    …
    6127) Exploring unfamiliar TV shows for the purposes of entertainment.

  41. Bump, a couple of years later Season 4 Episode 1 minute 27 a guy with a Glock 17 tries to fire it 3 times like it is a Dual Action pistol. WHAT!?

  43. Done watching blacklist. The last episode was pure propaganda against gun companies. I’m tired of them politicizing my entertainment

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