Megan Boone was last seen as Elizabeth Keen in The black listAt the end of Season 8, and because she was so prominent, many viewers wondered why she left before the show's final two chapters. First appearing in The black listBoone's pilot Elizabeth Keen was among the series' main characters. Often called Liz, Keen was portrayed as a talented FBI profiler whose storyline underwent many significant changes as she began to unravel the mysteries of her past and her connections to criminal mastermind Raymond “Red” Reddington.
As one of The black listElizabeth's main characters, Elizabeth plays a significant role in driving many of the primary storylines in the long-running series. Considering that Elizabeth was the main character of The black list Over the course of the first eight seasons, it's not surprising that audiences are curious as to why Boone left the series after staying on it for so long. However, Boone's decision to leave The black list and the fact that the character Elizabeth Keen was eliminated from the series was a simpler story than fans might imagine.
Megan Boone left the blacklist in search of other opportunities
Elizabeth Keen was written off the show with plenty of warning
Megan Boone decided to leave The black list to pursue other opportunities long before the show was renewed for Season 9. The black listThe film's creators meticulously crafted her character's Season 8 finale arc in such a way that gave her a satisfying closure.
The decision to drop Elizabeth Keen from The black list it was mutual between Boone and the show's creators and producers NBC and Sony Pictures TV who also did not comment on these changes to the show's overall plot. After Megan Boone's departure from The black listJames Spader, Diego Klattenhoff and Harry Lennix were the only original cast members who remained on the series.
Megan Boone is not blacklisted again
Despite the hopes of some fans, Elizabeth was not seen again after her death
Near the end of its arc in The black listMegan Boone's Elizabeth Keen turns into a fugitive. In The black list In the final moments of Season 8, she comes face to face with Red, who asks her to kill him because he is terminally ill anyway. When she hesitates to shoot him, he tries to coerce her by stating that he will give her a letter from his mother.
Unfortunately, as Liz struggles to pull the trigger, one of Neville's henchmen shoots her in the back. When she falls into Red's arms and bleeds to death, her plot in The black list comes to its conclusion, marking the end of Boone's tenure on the series.
Meanwhile, as seen in The black listIn seasons 9 and 10, Elizabeth's shocking death continued to impact the show.
Since Elizabeth dies in The black list final moments of season 8, Boone was unable to return to the series in seasons 9 and 10. However, considering how Boone has her own production company called Weird Sisters, she will continue to work on new projects in the future. Meanwhile, as seen in The black listIn seasons 9 and 10, Elizabeth's shocking death continued to impact the show.
Did the quality of The Blacklist drop after Megan Boone left?
The show seemed to be on a downward trajectory with or without Elizabeth Keen
It is difficult to determine whether or not The black list ended up suffering due to Megan Boone's departure from the show. Viewership numbers had already suffered a significant drop when Season 8, her final season as Elizabeth Keen, arrived. Season 9 averaged just over 5.4 million viewers per episode, which was about the same as Season 8 (via THR), so his departure did not appear to impact the wider audience. However, there are many fans who have expressed their opinions on the matter online, and many of them seem to think that her departure actually improved the show.
If Elizabeth were still on the show, there's a chance that some of the longer plot arcs could have been wrapped up in a more satisfying way, like Raymond Reddington's identity.
Of course, this is subjective, but Elizabeth was far from a fan-favorite character in The blacklist. Although she has been central to many plots, if any character could be considered a major attraction for viewers, it would be James Spader's Raymond Reddington. However, it's important to note that there is also a significant portion of viewers and critics who feel that the series declined during the last two seasons, especially when it came to the end of season 10.
This can't necessarily be attributed to Boone's departure The black list, as several factors resulted in some feeling that the ending was subpar. If Elizabeth were still on the show, there's a chance that some of the longer plot arcs could have been wrapped up in a more satisfying way, like Raymond Reddington's identity. Unfortunately, since Boone did not return for the final episodes of The black list, Whether the show would have been better if she had been present in seasons 9 and 10 will remain speculative.
What Megan Boone has done since being blacklisted
Boone's acting career calmed down after being blacklisted
As expected after starring in a series for 8 seasons, Megan Boone did not find a role as big as in The black list since leaving the show. In fact, Boone's on-screen work has remained relatively quiet since his time in The black list it ended. The same year Boone left the show, she starred in the period drama miniseries The Underground Railroad by Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins, appearing in one episode as Miss Lucy.
Boone starred in the second episode of the series' first season as Jenny, a woman whose baby is taken in by a surrogate mother.
Boone then returned to television in 2023 with his appearance on the crime anthology series Accused. The show features new stories and casts with each episode, all focusing on a court case from the perspective of the accused. Boone starred in the second episode of the series' first season as Jenny, a woman whose baby is taken in by a surrogate mother.
Outside of his acting work, The black listBoone has become an outspoken advocate for climate change awareness. She became a spokesperson for climate and environmental legislation in 2017 and is still dedicated to the cause today.
The Blacklist Compared to Other Shows That Lost a Lead Actor
Boone's importance to the series provided a challenge that other shows faced
The black list is far from the first show to continue after a main character's departure, but it faced a challenge that only a few shows have faced. The office and Health are examples of shows that lost main characters, with Michael Scott and Diane Chambers, respectively. However, these shows revolved around an ensemble, so while the loss of the character may have impacted the quality of the show, it didn't hurt the story as a whole. Megan Boone's departure from The black list it was more difficult because much of the show's story revolved around her.
Other programs have also struggled with this dilemma, with yellow stone being the most recent example. While it could be argued that John Dutton's death before the series finale was necessary, ending his story so abruptly after Kevin Costner's departure gave the final season a confusing feel, with so many things left unresolved about the character and his various relationships. How with Yellowstone, house of cards was hit with the abrupt departure of its main character when Kevin Spacey was fired for misconduct. Although Robin Wright excelled in the lead role, Frank Underwood's off-screen death was a disappointment.
That 70s show is another show that was largely an ensemble, but Eric Forman was at the center of this coming-of-age comedy. When Actor Topher Grace Left That 70s show in season 7, the series continued with the other beloved characters. However, since Eric's parents' basement was such an important setting for the series, it was strange that Eric's friends were still there now that he was gone.
Two and a half men was a show that proved that the departure of a key character doesn't always cause the end of the series. Charlie Sheen was another actor fired for his behavior. Despite the fact that the show was set in his mansion when his brother and nephew came to live with him, his character Charlie was apparently killed off and replaced by Ashton Kutcher as a new character who simply moved into the mansion. The show continued for four more seasons with Kutcher in the lead role.