Nothing Is As It Appears (Blacklist Episode 6)

(RECAP AND REVIEW)

THE BLACKLIST

EPISODE 6 "GINA ZANETAKOS"

NETWORK: NBC 

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: OCTOBER 28TH 2013

SPECIAL GUESTS: Margarita Levieva as Gina Zanetakos

SYNOPSIS: A beautiful yet menacing corporate terrorist is tracked. Meanwhile, Tom confronts Liz about a mysterious box.

                   

            

RECAP AND REVIEW: WARNING *SPOILERS AHEAD*

Ok everyone, this was a grab on to your seat and don't take your eyes off the screen for the full 60 minutes. Because, if you even blinked to long you've already missed something. A lot happened in episode 6 so let's get started.

 In Germany a man is working on a car, adding electrical equipment to it when a women maybe early thirties approaches him (she turns out to be Gina). She asks if he's ready and he proceeds to show her that he is by blowing the car up with a cluck of a button. That's nice but the women wants the next bomb to be a dirty bomb (loaded with nuclear materials), the man says that's doable. She needs it in 36 hours.

On the otherside of the world in the Keen household, Tom is freaking about about the gun, the money and all the passports with his face on it. ( could it be he had no idea?) Since he brought the box to her attention, Lizzie decides now is as good as time as any to find out what the hell is going on, but Tom isn't budging from his original story. He challenges her to call the FBI if she thinks he's guilty, with few alternatives that's exactly what Lizzie does. (Does anyone believe he's just a normal teacher? Anyone.....)
 

The FBI come and detain and blindfold Tom, and then take him to the blacksite where Lizzie works, which appears to be a surprise for Tom. He thought he was headed for FBI headquarters. Marched in much like Raymond Redington was, he is separated from Lizzie and placed in interrogation.

But Tom isn't the only one in trouble so is Lizzie, Dircetor Cooper isn't real happy with how this all went down and in light of Tom's situation, with the money and the passports he's having doubts about Lizzie connection to Reddington and what else she may be hiding. Until the matter is all figured out , he places Lizzie on leave and tells her to go home away from where they are keeping Tom. (She turned her husband in, so why is she under suspicion?)

But Lizzie can't go home, so she heads to the only other place she could possibly get answers, she decides to meet with Reddington. He listens and points her in the direction of a woman named Gina Zanetakos who engages in corporate espionage in the most extreme ways possible including terrorism. Reddington says Gina is Tom’s lover.
 

After meeting Lizzie, Reddington meets with Dir. Cooper, but he makes it clear he will only work with agent Keen if was part of their arrangement. No Keen no help taking down this corporate terrorist. When Dir. Cooper doesn't buckle immediately, Reddingtion threatens Dir. Copper with something about His past in Kuwait. And in no time at all, Cooper brings Lizzie back to active duty to investigate Gina, the terrorist. Against the opinions of the rest of his team. ( so was it the terrorist or the secrets Reddington knows about Dir. Cooper that made him change his mind?)

While the FBI is figuring all this out, Gina is dressed up like a sex kitten complete with leather and a blond wing with a middle eastern man who has apparently done her a favor. Once he shows her papers confirming that he has done her this favor, she sticks a needle in his neck and kills him. She quickly plants pills around the body, to make it appear as if it was an overdose. She then changes her clothes and hair and leaves the room, but as she heads toward the elevator, agent Keen, Agent Ressler head toward the room she just evacuated.

She gets on the elevator and because Agent Ressler doubles back to elevators so he can talk to security in the Libby they both end up on the same elevator, with some giggling volleyball players and their coach. The terrorist and the FBI agent. ( this would make a good sappy romance book don't you think?) the girls and the coach exit before they hit the lobby, Gina decides the risk of him recognizing her is to great so her best plan; immobilize him in the elevator and that's exactly what she does.

 Gina gets the jump on Agent Ressler, and for him kept going down hill, she beats him up and leaves him on conscience before they hit the lobby. But during the struggle she leaves her phone behind which Ressler uses grabs when he finally comes too. (Lol he got his ass kicked by a girl.... That has to hurt his ego) The FBI uses the phone to figure out that Gina is planning to set off a dirty bomb, the only issue is that they don’t know where, it's set to go off.

Back at the FBI, nothing about Toms story is checking out. The school he said he met with has never heard of him. (Not looking to good Tom) But Lizzie's faith in him is unwavering. As she studies pictures from that weekend in Boston She realizes that Gina was at Angel Station the same time she and Tom were. (Ok, I'm beginning to believe Reddingtons version of the story)

Using her phone and her latest alias the FBI are able to locate and raid the apartment Gina was using and where they find evidence that she is indeed an assassin. (Assassin terrorist kind sorta the same thing lol)

Lizzie's new theory is that Gina killed the Russian spy Tom is suspected of killing. But, they find in Gina's apartment does nothing to help exonerate him, in her bedroom is a close up picture of Tom which makes it appear as if Tom knows Gina.( his picture is by her bed.... That seems intimate to me)

Lizzie is Understandably upset with this turn of events so she heads off to talk to Reddington. She's confused, sad and upset and spouting conspiracy theories with Reddington as the instigator, she doesn't know who to trust. Reddington says she can trust him.

The FBI have reached a dead in, and the need Reddington to help them find the German bomb maker, a man named Maxwell. Reddington is game so he heads gto Germany to talk to Maxwell. And with a little coaxing from Reddington Max tells them that the bomb is built into a car.

Somehow the FBI has found and is moving in on Gina. ( how are these professionals always caught on the basic stuff) They have her surrounded in a DC-area park. Noticing all of the FBI agents in the park, Gina runs. She eventually heads into a public restroom and Lizzie follows her inside. The two women get into a fight, and Gina pulls a knife on Lizzie. Agent Ressler walks in and seeing Lizzie in danger shoots Gina. Gina looks like she is dying which means there is no way to figure out where the dirty bomb is.

Putting the clues together Lizzie and Reddington figure out that the dirty nuke is at the port of Houston. It is designed to shut down Houston and allow a company that controls the port in New Orleans make a huge amount of money. (It's always about the money)

In Houston, Liz figures out that the Middle-Eastern guy Gina killed killed was being used to bring the bomb into the country as diplomatic cargo. They find the nuclear car, but the bomb guys best advice: RUN.

Instead of running, they decide to contain the radiation by dumping the car into the water. Ressler makes like a hero and just in the nick of time saves the day by driving the car into the water. (Sorry little fish and the entire industry Ur screwed for a few years)

The FBI goes to talk to Gina, she made it through surgery. They offer her a deal in exchange for talking to them. She tells them that she killed the Russian double-agent and that Reddington paid her to do so. ( if he knew this would come back on him why would he point them in her direction?) (something is not quite right but the FBI is eating it up) When asked about Tom, she has no idea who He is. In light of this development The FBI sets Tom free. (Ain't that convenient) He and Liz have a tearful reunion. Tom then recognizes one of Red’s associates as someone who he thinks set him up.

Lizzie is seeing red after all that Gina confesses too, she goes to see him where she accuses Reddington of arranging everything and setting up Tom. (But why would he do it?) He denies it, and insist that it's Tom that is fooling her. She tells him to go to hell.
  

As Lizzie and Tom get home, the men in the van who planted cameras around their house are still watching. The man that enters the van says he's not sure what Tom is up too, the only thing he is sure of is that he doesn't work for Reddington. ( anyone else get the feeling he might have been interviewing for a job with Reddington or trying to make a deal with him In Boston?) I guess we shall have to see

Ok, wow that was a lot in an hour, the mystery with Tom was addressed and yet completely left up in the air all at the same time. Anyone convinced of Tom's innocence yet? Yea me neither. While there are some obvious timeline inconsistencies, this was a fast paced episode with a few slight of hand moments and an end game that was never quite clear. Which is exactly how I like it. I was pleasantly surprised that they did not wait to address the Tom issue until the mid season finale. The blacklist seems to want move at a fast pace and I am right there with them. I can't wait till next week.

  

SCENE STEALER AWARD GOES TO:

Gina kicking Agent Ressler's ass ( lol it was fun to watch)

THE LINE THAT MADE US PAUSE AND REWIND OUR DVR’S: 

Like I'm Bond.... I'm Tom Bond (best line by Tom all season)

SECOND RUNNER UP: delivering criminals to you is a hobby, a diversion that may become tiresome. (Reddington)

RATING?

A (Loved it)

DID YOU CATCH THE BLACKLIST? WILL YOU BE WATCHING NEXT WEEK?