‘The Blacklist’ Season 7 Uses Graphic Novel Style Animation To Finish Finale Episode
In this latest edition of “inventive ways to complete your tv show when it’s shut down by a global pandemic,” we bring you ‘The Blacklist‘, which has opted for a rather unique way to go out of its 7th Season in style… animated style!
The season’s 19th episode, titled “The Kazanjian Brothers,” was midway into filming in New York when TV productions across the industry were halted due to COVID-19. Looking to do something out of the box to finish the episode and close out the season, producers came up with an idea to add graphic novel-style animation that would incorporate with the already filmed live-action scenes.
This approach allowed cast members to record their dialogue from the socially distant safety of their homes. Then editors and animators will put together the scenes to ensure a seamless transition between the hybrid scenes of live-action and graphic novel-style animation.
“I hadn’t yet played Raymond Reddington with my son tiptoeing into the kitchen to get snacks,” commented actor James Spader who plays Raymond Reddington on the series. “But you do what you do. You turn the heat off so it wouldn’t cycle, you try to remember not to run the dishwasher.”
We’re obviously somewhat behind on ‘The Blacklist’ in the UK, so you might want to avoid the next paragraph if you want zero spoilers (although it doesn’t really give anything away). The finale episode sees the “Task Force investigates an accountant who works for lucrative criminals in order to find the violent and thuggish brothers hired for his protection, whilst Liz must make a momentous decision.”
The series stars James Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, Amir Arison, Hisham Tawfiq and Harry Lennix. John Eisendrath, Jon Bokenkamp, John Davis, John Fox, James Spader, Lukas Reiter, J.R. Orci, and Laura A. Benson serve as executive producers. ‘The Blacklist’ is a production of Davis Entertainment in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Television.
‘The Blacklist‘ Season 7 is currently airing Thursday nights at 9pm on Sky One and NOW TV in the UK. In the US, the series airs on NBC with the 150th episode airing May 8, and the Season 7 finale airing May 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The drama has already been renewed for an 8th Season.
