General Ludd (The Blacklist)

"General Ludd" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on November 11, 2013.

Plot

Elizabeth uncovers an elaborate plot to destroy the country's financial system when a new name on the blacklist, General Ludd (Justin Kirk), is revealed by Red. Red demands access to the ViCAP database in return for his help. Meanwhile, Tom informs Liz that her adoptive father Sam's cancer has returned. Due to the terror caused by General Ludd's group, Liz is unable to fly to her adoptive father Sam's (guest star William Sadler) hospital. Meanwhile, Red goes to the hospital and talks to Sam, who says he wants to tell Liz the truth about her family. Red tells Sam that Elizabeth must never know the truth, and then smothers Sam with a pillow after the latter expresses the wish that he not die a slow death from his disease. General Ludd is able to steal a hard drive containing the blueprints for newly minted U.S. currency. However, Red is able to capture him and steal the hard drive before turning Ludd over to the FBI. Elizabeth finds out that her father has died. Red uses his new access to ViCAP to look up the number the Chinese gave him in "Wujing"; it's the number of a file on a woman named Lucy Brooks. Red comforts Elizabeth as she mourns her father.

Reception

Ratings

"General Ludd" premiered on NBC on November 11, 2013 in the 10–11 p.m. time slot.^[1] The episode garnered a 3.0/8 Nielsen rating with 10.69 million viewers, making it the highest rated show in its time slot^[2] and the eleventh most watched television show of the week.^[3]

Reviews

Jason Evans of The Wall Street Journal thought that "the side stories about the bad guys being caught each week are getting dull", stating: "We want to learn more about Tom and Liz and Red. But the show is giving that info out in very small doses".^[4] He noted the show's "hints that Red is Liz’s father", but felt that idea was "too obvious".^[4]

Phil Dyess-Nugent of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "C+".^[5] He felt that the show was "so close to saying out loud that Red is Elizabeth’s father that any other explanation for his interest in her is likely to ring hollow"^[5] He was confused about General Ludd's character, noting "that he gives Red a convenient whipping boy to whom he can deliver his own heartfelt defense of capitalism".^[5]

References