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It feels like it isn’t talked about as much as other successful shows from the 2010s but credit where credit is due, “The Blacklist” had an incredible run on NBC. In an era where it feels like we’re lucky to get a few seasons from a show with each season lasting maybe 10 episodes, this series churned out a whopping 2018 episodes during its 10-season run from 2013 to 2023. For most of that journey, the series was a two-headed monster led by James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington and Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen.
The series had a cool hook from the start, with criminal mastermind Red turning himself in, offering to help the FBI capture other bad guys on the condition that a rookie profiler, Elizabeth Keen, be assigned as his partner. Spader was coming off a single-season run on “The Office,” while Boone was very much an up-and-comer, with this serving as her breakout role, as the show was an instant hit for NBC. But all good things must come to an end.
Even though the show ran for 10 seasons, Boone left “The Blacklist” after the season 8 finale and she never returned. The 2021 episode “Konets” served as her swan song. This was a shock for longtime fans of the series, particularly since it had already been renewed for season 9. So, why did Boone decide to leave a wildly successful show that had already been picked up for another run of episodes? For many actors, it’s an unthinkable thing to do. Boone, however, made this decision long before her final episode made it to air.
Megan Boone’s departure from The Blacklist wasn’t a surprise
In June 2021, Deadline reported the news that Megan Boone would be leaving “The Blacklist” after season 8. Rather crucially though, the report made it clear that the decision was made early on and was described as “mutual.” As such, the writers were able to craft the final arc for Liz in a way that didn’t leave viewers with a frustrating cliffhanger or anything along those lines.
The show left some mysteries hanging. Most notably, “The Blacklist” never revealed Red’s true identity. But the show didn’t leave any lingering questions when it came to Liz, as she was killed off in the season 8 finale. Shot in the back and bleeding out in Red’s arms, there was no ambiguity regarding one of the show’s main protagonists through more than 170 episodes up to that point.
The show was able to move on from Liz, and Boone was able to move on to other pursuits. Whether or not it was a satisfying end to Liz’s journey on the show is a matter of individual taste. Taking to Instagram in a since-deleted post after the episode aired, Boone had this to say about it (via Bleeding Cool):
“This experience, for me, has been an entire life inside of my own life. These eight years playing Liz Keen have helped me better define the world and myself, as she set out to do the same. Liz sought incorruptible familial bonds, and collided with powerful forces to reveal the boundaries where a cruel, indifferent world ended and she began. As her story ends I am grateful, most of all for the people I shared this time with: my fellow cast members present and past, our incredible crew who carried every single day for all involved, and those of you we entertained. The dreams inside this little life are the memories I still have of the guest stars passing through, however briefly — of their faces, their voices, their idiosyncrasies and talents. There have been such an astounding abundance of you over my 150+ episodes that, ironically, I could not list you all here, but … What a list. What a dream. Thank you all.”
Megan Boone started her own production company after leaving The Blacklist
While Boone never explicitly stated why she left “The Blacklist,” it was clear that she wanted to pursue other creative ventures. As such, she launched a production company named Weird Sister in 2021, with the announcement coming mere days after Liz was killed off from the hit show she had been a part of.
Evidently, there were no hard feelings as Weird Sister signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television, which had produced “The Blacklist” for NBC. “I am beyond excited to have a home at SPTV where I can branch out and continue to work with this incredible team,” Boone said to Deadline at the time. “They have been instrumental in my career, and fundamentally believe in my vision for Weird Sister. I’m thrilled for this new chapter.” Jeff Frost, President of Sony Pictures Television, had this to add about the partnership:
“Megan was instrumental in the success of Blacklist and we are elated she will continue to be an integral member of the Sony family. Megan’s artistic prowess and vision is extremely complimentary to our creative focus and direction and we’re very excited about developing new projects with her. We look forward to much continued success together.”
Been’s company has yet to bring any shows to air as of this writing. Boone also hasn’t worked a whole lot since departing the show, appearing in Barry Jenkins’ Amazon series “The Underground Railroad” in 2021, as well as an episode of Fox’s “Accused” in 2023. All we know for sure is what Boone hoped to accomplish with her company, explaining to Deadline in 2021 why she chose the name Weird Sister.
“The name Weird Sister encapsulates some of the most important aspects of what I aspire to with my company. Weird Sister is woman-led and embraces difference. I view alternative perspectives & abnormalities as essential strengths in the people I collaborate with, the character-driven stories I want to tell and the unique worlds I look forward to crafting with a diverse team of collaborators.”
You can grab “The Blacklist” season 1 on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon.