NBC has picked up a full season for The Blacklist.
The network has ordered the back-nine episodes for the freshman drama, bringing its first season to 22 episodes, NBC announced Friday afternoon.
“The many layers of Red Reddington and his mysterious reasons for getting into bed with the FBI seem to be fascinating to fans of this show,” said Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment. “With great talent like James Spader and Megan Boone on board, as well our stellar executive producers and the whole cast and crew, we believe this outstanding series will continue to make NBC a big destination on Monday nights.”
The Blacklist, starring James Spader and Megan Boone,has averaged 12 million viewers and a 3.6 rating in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic in its first two airings in the 10 p.m. Monday post-The Voice slot opposite CBS' Hostages and ABC's Castle, making it the No. 1 new drama among the Big 4 networks in total viewers thus far this season. The Blacklist has topped its time period in both airings.
The one-hour drama, one of the highest-testing shows for NBC in years, also adds 4.4 million viewers in Live+3 ratings.
The Blacklist follows Red Reddington (Spader), a high-profile fugitive on the FBI's most-wanted list, who has mysteriously surrendered to the FBI and is working with the feds to catch a "blacklist" of politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists. But only with the help of FBI Special Agent Elizabeth Keen (Boone). Diego Klattenhoff, Harry Lennix, Ryan Eggold and Parminder Nagra co-star.
The order marks NBC's first full-season pickup of the young television season, and follows on the heels of Fox's early renewal of Sleepy Hollow and The Simpsons, as well as ABC's cancellation of Lucky 7.
Jon Bokenkamp, John Eisendrath, John Davis and John Fox are executive producers on The Blacklist, which is a Sony TV and Davis Entertainment production.
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