WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

So, I guess the big take away from Episode 16 is it’s always wrong to lie unless you really, REALLY need to.

Red mentioned moral relativism several times in this epsiode. No absolutes. To each his or her own. Do what you will based on your circumstances.

Of course, that’s what seems to work for Red in “his world” as he so often says, but he claims it as a universal truth, which is ironic considering the word “relativism”.

Cooper seems to believe in moral absolutes, though Red claims otherwise, but does he really? He certainly has a very strict code but he obviously does not see it as universal since he recognizes the need for Red to act outside of it, but then he expects his friend Lew, who agreed to testify against him, to stick to it. Then he says that Aram, who did in fact stick to his principles, will learn to embrace moral relativism.

It’s interesting to me that Red is angry at Aram and want’s to punish him for deceiving him and then let’s Maghi go to her new life in paradise even though she did the same. Why? Because Maghi’s motives for lying were somehow more noble than Aram’s?

Again, it’s all relative.

As a Christian, I believe in an absolute moral standard–the character of God. And that character and all that it requires is laid out in the Scriptures. How that is applied in various situations is a unique challenge sometimes, but probably not as often as we’d like to think.

For example: One of the ten commandments is “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16). In other words, don’t lie to each other. The Scriptures also say that God hates the lying tongue (Proverbs 6:16-19). So, obviously, it is always wrong to lie.

However, is it REALLY always wrong to lie? What if I was a Christian in Nazi Germany and had Jews hiding in my home? Some Nazis come by one day and ask me the direct question: “Are there any Jews hiding in your home?” If I tell the truth, a family that is utterly helpless and dependent on me will die. I too will die. And my family will also most likely die. If I lie, all lives are spared, but lying is a sin.

That actually happened to Corrie Ten Boom. She lied to the Nazis. I would have too.

This is an extreme case and I doubt any of us live that kind of life–thank the Lord for that. I think in our world, we are masters at justifying immoral acts for what we claim are moral reasons when really, all we’re trying to do is alleviate our feelings of guilt and shame and justify what we want to do even though we know it’s wrong.

That is certainly the world Red lives in only he’s not as hypocritcal about it as we are. That’s his code.

Fascinating.

I like the way this show tosses around ethical, philosophical, and relational issues. It gives it some depth, some heft.

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW

I was more than a little concerned that one of my favorite shows had jumped the shark after watching the robo-sex-slave/assassin episode (S9:E13 - Genuine Models, Inc.). It just seemed to have lost its way, like it didn’t know what kind of show it wanted to be any more. And, in my opinion, the whole plot was ridiculous.

It regained its footing a little in the Eva Mason episode (S9:E14) and brought Pannabaker more into the mix and she is a character I thoroughly enjoy.

Then, I watched the Andrew Kennison episode and I thought, “Yes! It’s back!”

This is one of the first epsiodes of Season 9 that had the old Blacklist mojo.

It’s been difficult to find for the show runners. I imagine it would have to be. When Megan Boone exited the show it could no longer be about who Red Reddington really is because she was the only one who really cared. So, now it’s about who Elizabeth’s killer is, which is a nice direction, but the show seemed to be struggling to find its way.

This epsiode seems to have them solidly back on that path.

You’ve got Red walking that razor thin edge between darkness and light. A man at war with himself. The scene between him and Cooper when they both discovered that Cooper’s blackmailer and Red’s search for Keen’s killer were connected was excellent. You could see the shadow pass over Red. Spader is a wonderful actor.

You’ve got Cooper wrestling with matters of conscience and once again proving to be a person of integrity and responsibility. He’s a light in the darkness. He’s an angel shaking hands with the devil. That’s good TV.

You’ve got Aram being his amazing, loyal, child-like, genius self. He’s the conscience of the team.

And I was really pleased to see Pannabaker have so much screen time. She’s an excellent character, whose arc has really developed more this season.

And the intrigue! The mystery! The complexity! All on point in this episode.

And, let’s face it, the scene where the dirt bag ex-cop and the dirt bag lawayer were gunned down in the street, pushing Red a little farther away from his goal of finding Elizabeth’s killer, was masterfully written and beautifully shot. Pun intended.

So, faith restored.

I was never off The Blacklist bandwagon, you understand. I would have ridden it all the way to the bitter end. I am just thrilled to see that it seems to be back on track.