James Spader's Crime Drama With A 91% RT Score Is A Reminder To Watch His 5-Season TV Masterpiece
James Spader in The Blacklist delivered one of the most compelling crime drama performances of the last few decades. With a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score and over 200 episodes to its name, The Blacklist cemented itself as a genre-defining hit. Stylish, intense, and twist-filled, it gave Spader the perfect stage to showcase his enigmatic, unpredictable acting style. As Raymond "Red" Reddington, Spader was the emotional and narrative anchor of The Blacklist. His eccentric charm, razor-sharp wit, and sudden bursts of menace elevated the series beyond its procedural roots. Without his presence, The Blacklist wouldn’t have had the same mystique, momentum, or emotional weight. Spader made Red unforgettable. However, while The Blacklist represents one of the highest points of Spader’s career, there’s an argument to be made that it wasn’t actually his best work on TV. Before he donned the fedora and joined the FBI’s most-wanted list, Spader played a deeply layered, delightfully unethical lawyer in Boston Legal - series that fans of The Blacklist absolutely need to watch.
Every Fan Of The Blacklist Should Watch James Spader In Boston Legal
Boston Legal Is A Very Different Show, But Spader’s Performance Makes It A Must-Watch For Fans Of The Blacklist
While The Blacklist leaned into dark intrigue and covert crime, Boston Legal (2004-2008) was a whip-smart legal dramedy that blended outrageous courtroom antics with powerful political commentary. It starred James Spader as Alan Shore, a brilliant and morally flexible attorney with a penchant for chaos, and William Shatner as his equally eccentric colleague, Denny Crane. For fans of The Blacklist, Boston Legal might seem like an odd detour. However, James Spader in The Blacklist and Boston Legal shares the same DNA: an unapologetically captivating lead who thrives on unpredictability. Alan Shore is every bit as layered, complex, and magnetic as Raymond Reddington - just in a courtroom instead of a crime syndicate.
Both shows tackle issues of identity, power, loyalty, and the cost of brilliance.
Spader’s dialogue-heavy monologues as Alan Shore are just as mesmerizing as Red’s cryptic stories. Whether delivering an impassioned speech about civil liberties or smoothly manipulating opposing counsel, Spader commands every scene with total confidence. If you loved the way Red could steal focus just by speaking, Alan will have the same effect - only with fewer bullets and more objections. Both shows revolve around morally ambiguous protagonists who defy expectations. Red is a master criminal working with the FBI; Alan is a self-serving lawyer who fights for justice. Both refuse to play by the rules. It’s that renegade brilliance that makes Spader’s performance in Boston Legal such a natural follow-up for fans of The Blacklist. Ultimately, while The Blacklist is an espionage thriller and Boston Legal is a legal comedy-drama, the two share a surprising amount of thematic overlap. Both shows tackle issues of identity, power, loyalty, and the cost of brilliance. James Spader’s ability to bring flawed, charismatic antiheroes to life is the connective tissue.
How Boston Legal's Alan Shore Compares To The Blacklist's Raymond Reddington
Alan Shore And Raymond Reddington Are Polar Opposites, But Both Shine Thanks To Spader’s Distinct Energy
On paper, Alan Shore and Raymond Reddington couldn’t be more different. One is a high-powered attorney in a Boston skyscraper; the other is an international criminal turned FBI informant. One wins battles with closing arguments; the other with manipulation and bloodshed. Yet somehow, both characters feel unmistakably cut from the same cloth. James Spader in The Blacklist played Red with calculated precision. Every word, gesture, and pause felt loaded with purpose. His Reddington was mysterious and commanding - capable of terrifying violence and surprising warmth. In Boston Legal, his Alan Shore is looser, cheekier, and far more emotionally transparent. However, both roles thrive on Spader’s ability to make unpredictability feel natural.
The characters are different, but the acting DNA is the same: unpredictable, riveting, and deeply human.
Where Red hides his pain beneath riddles and power plays, Alan wears it just under the surface. He’s a romantic, a skeptic, a provocateur - someone who challenges institutions not with bullets, but with brilliance. Still, both characters share a deep loneliness and a quiet longing for meaningful connection. Spader plays them with emotional intelligence and moral ambiguity. Alan Shore’s friendship with Denny Crane (William Shatner) mirrors the dynamic nature of Red’s bond with Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). Both relationships are built on contradiction: deep loyalty and sharp betrayal, emotional vulnerability and deliberate secrecy. It’s these rich dynamics that give Spader the room to stretch. James Spader in The Blacklist often dominated the screen with sheer charisma. However, in Boston Legal, he reveals a more intimate, emotional version of that same presence. The characters are different, but the acting DNA is the same: unpredictable, riveting, and deeply human.
The Blacklist Is Great, But Boston Legal Might Be James Spader's Best TV Show
Spader's Dynamic With William Shatner And Consistent Writing Make Boston Legal His Finest Work
There’s no denying that James Spader in The Blacklist gave the actor a career resurgence. Red was the kind of TV role most actors dream about: complex, scene-stealing, and built to last. However, even with The Blacklist’s success, Boston Legal remains the show where Spader delivered his most complete television performance. Unlike The Blacklist, which stretched over 10 seasons and occasionally suffered from narrative fatigue, Boston Legal kept things tight and consistent across its five-year run. The writing was sharp, the cases were timely, and the character work was always front and center. It never lost focus - and neither did Spader.
His chemistry with William Shatner was lightning in a bottle. As Denny Crane, Shatner brought a larger-than-life eccentricity, but it was Spader’s grounded and emotionally aware Alan Shore that gave the show its soul. Their infamous balcony scenes in Boston Legal offered some of the most heartfelt and mature portrayals of male friendship on TV. Where Red was often closed off, Alan was expressive. He didn’t just deliver monologs - he made viewers feel every syllable. In courtroom speeches, Alan tackled everything from civil rights to government overreach with raw conviction. It wasn’t just about winning cases; it was about challenging the system with words instead of weapons. James Spader in The Blacklist delivered fireworks. However, in Boston Legal, he delivered fire and feeling in equal measure. For fans of The Blacklist looking for more of Spader at his best, Boston Legal isn’t just a worthy follow-up. It might just be his finest hour.
Boston Legal
Release Date
2004 - 2008-00-00
Showrunner
David E. Kelley
Writers
David E. Kelley
