Today has been an absolute rollercoaster. I heard the news that Megan would be leaving the show around midday today and, since then, have been experiencing every single stage of grief. Part of me still thinks I'm in denial because I keep thinking to myself: there is no way she's leaving. There's no way to do the show without her. But then I think maybe I'm at acceptance already, because I think about the future of the show and how excited I was for season 9 (even before the Megan Departure announcement) after we found out that we're going to get the answers we've been waiting for in tomorrow's episode ('Nachalo'). And then I'm just so angry. Angry at the Jo(h)ns for teasing Keenler when they knew this entire time that Megan would be leaving, angry with NBC for not telling us until there were only two episodes left, and especially angry with the people who made The Blacklist so awful for Megan that she began changing the captions of her photos to certain passive aggressive comments.
First, let's talk about Megan!! Queen! The only one who could have played Elizabeth Keen!
I MISS HER. And she isn't even gone yet. The 9 episodes that she was gone during season 8 just proved that her mere presence was such a force on screen. The show needed her to stay afloat. It wasn't enough to just talk about her or talk to her through some weird interface. We learned that Megan Boone herself needed to be on screen in order for the show to work. Knowing that, I can't even begin to imagine how the writers are going to write her character off in a way that is satisfying.
Various articles have been saying that her departure was a mutual decision. I obviously have no idea what happens behind the screen, no idea what's going on between her and the network, but her recent caption updates show that there is some venom on her end.
And, honestly, that's what hurts the most. There is nothing worse than finding out that an actor is so unhappy working on a show that brings you so much happiness. I want Megan Boone to play Liz Keen forever because I love Liz, and I love her as Liz. But I'd never want her to continue playing the character if she has such an awful experience doing it.
At the end of the day, that's my last thought. I love Liz, but she is a fictional character. Megan Boone is not. Megan Boone does not deserve to give her all into a performance just to be dragged through the dirt when episodes air. Megan Boone does not deserve to be hated on just because people hate Liz Keen, the fictional character. And Megan Boone does not deserve whatever garbage treatment she's getting behind the scenes that has made her feel so terrible that she has to change captions on her Instagram posts just to feel some kind of satisfaction, as if those captions are a good enough retribution for what is happening.
So, yes. I want Megan to stay on the show. But never at the cost of her own well-being. If the show isn't bringing her all the sparkles and glitter in the world, then I'm glad she's leaving. She's doing what's best for her, as she should.
Now, let's talk about the show. And to go forward, we have to go back.
This show was built upon the premise that Reddington became an informant to the FBI with the sole purpose of protecting Elizabeth Keen, for unknown reasons. Those unknown reasons were the backbone of the show for eight years. Some, me included, thought that these unknown reasons should have been revealed to us earlier. I think the show can be so much more than this relationship. I think Raymond Reddington, Elizabeth Keen, and the rest of the task force are good enough characters to carry the show beyond its original premise.
What I'm about to say next is probably going to cause some people to be angry? Maybe? But I don't think it should, so I'm going to try to say it as best I can.
We stuck with this Red/Liz relationship story for eight years. Red/Liz were the main characters of the show because of this story. Raymond Reddington made Elizabeth Keen the main character by choosing her in the very first episode. The completion of the Red/Liz relationship story (that we are going to get in 'Nachalo' tomorrow) technically means that Liz no longer needs to be the main character. HOWEVER. HOWEVER HOWEVER HOWEVER. That does not mean she can't be! She's been the main character for eight years; just because this portion of her life, the portion that had a huge question mark above Red's head, was coming to a close did not mean that her entire character had to come to a close!! There was still so much Liz story to tell outside of her relationship with Red, and it's a damn shame that we won't get to see it.
Even before I knew about Megan's departure, I was so excited to see where season 9 of the show was going to go because it would no longer be hindered by this storyline. The show would have essentially stripped itself of its skin, and I was so thrilled that it would gain a new identity.
I know a lot of people are going to stop watching the show after 8x22. And honestly, that's totally valid. Megan Boone, a huge part of the heart of the show, is going to be leaving. We have plenty of evidence that the show tanks without Megan, so it's reasonable to assume that the show will be equally as bad without Megan in season 9. I think there are also a lot of other problems with it, not just the fact that there are obviously some behind the scenes stuff we don't know about, but also their low-grade treatment of women on the show (Laura Sohn come THRU in season 9 please).
We still have two episodes left, so I don't want to be premature, but I think personally I will be tuning in next season (as long as every other original cast member is still around. Looking @ Diego Klattenhoff right now because that man better be alive). I think one of the primary shortcomings of the 9 episodes where Megan was absent this season was that the plot was still centered around Liz Keen. The issue was that Liz Keen never showed up in the actual episode. How do you make a season centralized around a character and then take her out for half of the season? It didn't make sense and the ratings proved that.
In season 9, presumably the plot won't be centered around Elizabeth Keen. For the first time in The Blacklist history, the writers have a completely clean slate. They no longer have to write with the Red/Liz relationship in mind. It is now up to them where the story goes next. What is Red going to do now? In his original demands he said he spoke only with Elizabeth Keen. He's definitely deviated from that since then, but what's next? Will he still be an informant? What is his primary goal now? I'm not sure how the writers plan on writing Liz off, but I'm sure Liz's safety will be a top priority in the finale.
And what's happening with the Task Force? Will it still be intact? Will there be consequences for helping Liz? How does an FBI task force deal with the aftermath of losing one of their agents?
I have so many questions, and the only reason why I have so many is because next season will be unlike all the previous ones. This is a huge turning point for the show. I don't know when it will end, but I can see the decisions they make in season 9 affecting whether they go out in glory or in shame.
For now, though, I am so excited for all of our questions to be answered tomorrow night. See y'all on Twitter <3
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