TV Show Review

TV Review: THE BLACKLIST: Season 4, Episode 16: Dembe Zuma [NBC]

Hisham Tawfiq The Blacklist

The Blacklist Dembe Zuma Review

The Blacklist: Season 4, Episode 16: Dembe Zuma kicks the third quarter of the show’s fourth season into high gear with laughs to match the abundant drama.

Coming in the wake of a confusing midseason finale that seemed unable to decide where it wanted to go, the fluid, focused nature of last night’s episode was greatly appreciated. Instead of spreading itself to accommodate every possible character and storyline into the show, the program wisely trims the fat and zeroes in on the hunt for Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq), who handed Red (James Spader) the glass of wine that nearly poisoned him in the previous episode.

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In typical-Blacklist fashion, however, the whole thing turns out to have been a ruse by Dembe to make it look like he was trying to kill Red so as to get closer to the party that actually plans to. As part of this scheme, the former bodyguard kidnaps a hapless Aram (Amir Arison) and enlists his services. This leads to one of the funniest moments of the moments of the season (if not the series), where Aram uses his FBI credentials to bluff their way into a secure location. When the guard asks to see their warrant, Aram berates Dembe for leaving it “on the desk” and asks if there is somewhere they can wait while the proper authorities forward another copy. The guard obliges and escorts them into a waiting room where Aram is able to hack into the building’s system and obtain the information he needs.

For a show that has been through as many as twists and turns as The Blacklist has, it is heartening to see that it cannot only tell a simple story, but make it entertaining as well.

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Reggie Peralta

**** We hired Reggie, fulfilled our obligations to him, and he quit in the middle of covering two TV series w/ no notice and no explanation. He then ignored our emails asking him to complete his coverage (we had no one else to cover those TV shows). He didn't care. We regret hiring him and we regret putting our trust in him. **** An aspiring writer, longtime film junkie, and former UCLARadio.com disc jockey (where I graduated with a BA in Political Science), I've made the jump from penning book reviews and current events editorials for HonorSociety.org to writing movie and TV news and reviews. When I'm not working towards my certificate in Radio and Television/Video Production at Fullerton College, I enjoy reading (horror, science fiction, and historical/political nonfiction are particular favorites), participating in my school's TV and theatre clubs, attending movie screenings, plays, concerts, and other events, and trying to come up with pithy things to say on social media. Believe it or not, there are occasions where I find time to write for my own leisure.
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