Spader is brilliant as usual (an Emmy for his performance is needed) however his performance cannot compensate for the huge plot gaps and the shabbiness of other characters.
I have watched the other reviews and still cannot understand why people appreciate the plot and characters. The mysteries dangled from one episode to another keep you watching but the way they are fabricated is horrible.
Who would believe that Feds wouldn't make a blood analysis in the first day to determine if Red is Red and if there is a connection with Keen? Why someone would think that the same person would treat different 2 daughters? one discarded and forgotten and the other protected to the heaven?
Keen comes out as a combination between stupid, liar, week, arrogant, disloyal and a horrible mother but all others are considering her special....why? Actually, she kind of qualifies as a sociopath in my book. She gets fixations and when she does not obtain what she wants she moves to manipulation, kidnapping and killing. She gets more people killed then the villains in the series. Sane persons do not marry killers or abandon their kids to go hunting for secrets for years while managing to stir issues wherever they go. she should have been flagged a risk from year 2.
The rest of the FBI team is there for show. The blond one looks good while running and holding a gun. One American hero was a must. Truth be told Spader probably could not run like this :). One Mosad agent was a second must...how do you keep the info of working with an international criminal with an agent working also for a foreign intelligence agency? they respect confidentiality agreements? not to mention that the agent bangs the guy responsible with the IT security...which by the way looks to be the one with the highest standards in the entire series.
In order to create the mystery the producers use some unbelievable unrealistic premises that make the show painful to watch if not for Spader's performance.