Why Some Blacklist Fans Are Worried The Show Is Ending With Season 8

The Blacklist Megan Boone Elizabeth Keen Diego Klattenhoff Donald Ressler NBC
(Image credit: Will Hart / NBC)

There is no question that The Blacklist has some years on it. The NBC crime drama is getting ready to embark on Season 8, which means nearly a decade on the air. Now, with the premiere after a long hiatus only weeks away, some fans are already worried that the show is ending with Season 8.

It all started with a pretty innocent-seeming post. Megan Boone's partner, Dan Estabrook, took to social media ahead of The Blacklist's Season 8 premiere to share a picture of Boone with a caption that got fans talking. He posted on Instagram:

I’m gonna miss this hairdo (the 'Covid Gibson') but duty, with its attendant haircuts, calls... #LizKeenForeva #OrLikeOneMoreYear

Please note the first hashtag, which says, “Liz Keen Foreva.” Nothing suspect there. (I still love Liz, but she needs to make some changes regarding her allegiances.) It is the second hashtag that has some fans abuzz that The Blacklist could be ending with Season 8, as it says, “Or Like One More Year.” Does that mean that Megan Boone will only be playing Liz for one more year?

Or does it mean that The Blacklist is set to finish up its epic run this season? If so, the NBC drama has not officially acknowledged that its upcoming season will be its last. Is this hashtag a slip that alludes to the end of an era? Is the James Spader starrer going to the great beyond? On the Instagram post, users left comments thinking it did. For instance, theiryellowpaint:

So it’s a sure thing, then? Only one more season?

That several people left comments (with more below) and no one seemingly clarified the hashtag’s meaning certainly adds some layers to the concern. The Blacklist has not indicated that Season 8 is the end, though. User cars_ amazing _cars wrote:

Only one more year? That means after season 8 The Blacklist is ending? Noooo

Others in the comment section wondered what the situation is with Season 8 and The Blacklist’s longevity as well. On a possibly hopeful note, ahead of its previous season, the show’s creator, Jon Bokenkamp, spoke positively about continuing the show beyond Season 7. Now, fans are heading into Season 8, and this is a bit of a dark cloud. Another Instagram user, kayjaytay7, said:

you realize there has been no final season announcement yet? probably should have let the showrunners be the ones to do that

It all depends on if Dan Estabrook was actually stating that Season 8 is the last one for The Blacklist, which ended last season on solid ratings. The midseason premiere earned incredibly high ratings, in all likelihood due to the coronavirus quarantine situation. There could always be an influx of viewers for next season. In response to the above comment, myhipusername wrote:

Yeah, that was a little ominous. I mean, I hope this season won’t be the last but I will respect the cast and crew if they decide to end it. 8 seasons is a long time in network television. But I agree, maybe the announcement should come from the show runners.

Personally, I doubt that The Blacklist is ending. I think that the wording in the hashtag could have also referred to Megan Boone doing the show for another year, period. The hashtag does not necessarily mean there is a finite time left. Of course, I am game for Boone or The Blacklist clearing this up.

Hopefully, the end is still nowhere in sight. The Blacklist returns in less than a month. Season 8 is one of this fall’s premieres on Friday, November 13, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Until Season 8 premieres in November, you can check out all seven of the seasons that have led up to it via Netflix’s releases.

Britt Lawrence

Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.