Most of the time on an episode of The Blacklist, there’s an air of self-importance to the proceedings. Like somehow, with all the split personality computer hackers and apple-eating stalkers, we’re supposed to think this show is doing something completely grand. While The Blacklist usually goes for this “take us seriously” approach, “Dr. James Covington” ends up being the best episode so far this season, by being knowingly ridiculous and having fun with it.
The main plot here is basically the same as that awful Jude Law film Repo Men, where a doctor is giving organ transplants, then takes them away from recipients who can’t make the payments. Here though, the recipients are seedy people who don’t want to have to be put on waiting lists, and the entire illegal operation is run by stealing organs, then putting them into the people who want them.
This works because it’s ridiculous, and it feels ridiculous. This isn’t The Blacklist trying to seem important, or going for Emmys; this is The Blacklist just having fun. It’s also one of the most simplified mysteries in the show’s history. There’s a guy stealing organs, and he needs to be stopped. Simple as that. Almost every week, I am reminded of just how complex The Blacklist attempts to make its weekly stories, and it never works. But by making it about as simple and as silly as possible, this becomes one of the best episodes of The Blacklist.
As if an underground organ smuggler wasn’t ridiculous enough, Reddington is now dealing with the shady group he’s in, which is only mentioned when it’s convenient: The Syndicate. It turns out that Berlin wants to recruit some of The Syndicate’s members into his own group, using his henchman Mr. Vargas to bring people over. Oh, and did I mention that Vargas is played by Paul Reubens? That’s right. Pee-Wee is now a Blacklist henchman.
Reddington’s backstabbing plot is complicated, but in a way that is actually enjoyable, and not overwhelmed with too many details. The Reddington vs. Berlin battle is filled with double and triple-crosses, with Vargas and Reddington working together. The teaming of Reubens and James Spader doesn’t exactly sound like a comedy duo that would be worth anything, but their one moment of humor (centered on the fact that Vargas is scared of blood) is one of the few moments in Blacklist history where I can remember laughing.
Meanwhile, Liz is losing her mind, continually trying to figure out Reddington’s meaning in her life. Now that Red’s ex-wife is back in the picture, she might have another person willing to give her answers, but if this show’s past is any indication, she’ll just provide cryptic clues that lead nowhere. Liz is also having nightmares of her supposedly dead ex-husband, telling her that Red knows exactly where he is. So, there’s that weirdness.
The strength of “Dr. James Covington” lies in its ability to not take itself so seriously. It has fun with these dumb, little ideas, and it feels so much more enjoyable as a show because of it. If things could lighten up like this every week, they might finally be on to something.
Ross Bonaime is a D.C.-based freelance writer and regular contributor to Paste. You can follow him on Twitter.