Ep 1. The Troll Farmer

In "The Troll Farmer," the opening episode of The Blacklist season 3, we find ourselves back in the company of former government agent-turned-criminal mastermind Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader) and his FBI handler Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone).

As we join them, the FBI is investigating Red for his possible involvement in the murder of Keen's adoptive father, while Red is working to clear his name and ferret out any remaining members of the shadowy organization known as "The Cabal."

Complicating matters is the emergence of a new villain: the titular "Troll Farmer," a tech-savvy operative who is manipulating social media to devastating effect. The Troll Farmer (guest star Tony Shalhoub) is targeting specific individuals online, driving them to commit suicide with an insidious form of cyberbullying that leaves no trace.

Red and Keen's investigation leads them to a backwater town in West Virginia, where the Troll Farmer has established his base of operations. With the help of local law enforcement, they track down the Troll Farmer's lair and engage in a tense standoff.

Along the way, we get several important character moments and plot developments. We learn that Red has a new alias, "Mr. Fitch," complete with a bespoke tailor and an underground bunker. We see Keen struggling with the fact that her former mentor and lover, Tom, is in the wind and unaccounted for.

We also get a sense that Red and Keen's relationship has grown more complex and tense in the wake of recent developments. Red's motives and allegiances are more opaque than ever, and Keen is torn between her loyalty to the FBI and her fondness for Red.

Overall, "The Troll Farmer" is a solid opening for season 3 of The Blacklist. The cyberbullying angle feels timely and resonant, and Tony Shalhoub is a delight as the unhinged villain. Along with the continuing mysteries of Red's past and the machinations of The Cabal, it sets the stage for what promises to be another intense and twisty season of this addictive show.