NBC has its second drama franchise for the 2016-17 broadcast season. The Blacklist spinoff, a late-season order that aired Thursday, May 12 as a backdoor pilot, stars Famke Janssen and the flagship series' Ryan Eggold, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.
From Sony Pictures Television and Davis Entertainment, The Blacklist: Redemption counts the flagship's Jon Bokenkamp and John Eisendrath as writers and executive producers alongside John Davis and John Fox. Michael Dinner directed the pilot, which co-stars The Blacklist's Edi Gathegi and Tawny Cypress. While NBC's schedule will be revealed Sunday, sources say the spinoff is likely to land a slot on NBC's midseason lineup.
Here's NBC's formal description: Undercover operative Tom Keen (Eggold) joins forces with Susan “Scottie” Hargrave (Janssen), the brilliant and cunning chief of Grey Matters, a covert mercenary organization that solves problems governments don’t dare touch. While on the hunt for Liz’s attacker, Tom secretly discovered that Scottie is actually his biological mother. Now, as they team to employ their unique skills and resources in a dangerous world of deadly criminals, Tom begins his own covert mission to find out more about his shadowy past.
The pickup gives NBC a second franchise with both Blacklist shows joining Dick Wolf's Chicago universe. Legal drama Chicago Justice join the previously renewed Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med. Blacklist: Redemption becomes NBC's sixth new drama order, joining Taken, Chicago Justice, This Is Us, Timeless and Midnight, Texas. It brings SPT's total to five for the season.
Meanwhile, the fate of NBC's Cruel Intentions follow-up — also from SPT — remains in limbo as sources say the studio had been trying to package it with Blacklist: Redemption. The Sarah Michelle Gellar starrer remains in contention, with sources saying NBC is mulling it for a summer order.
