The Kenyon Family

Plot

Reddington and the FBI team investigate a family of polygamous cultist criminals known as "The Kenyon Family" which also doubles as a storage facility for military weapons, as a way of making their fortune to afford expensive lawyers to hold off the law. However, the cult is attacked by an unseen enemy, killing all of the members and stealing the weapons, while also kidnapping Justin Kenyon, the cult's leader, who they later kill. Afterwards, a series of vans, filled with explosives, appear near Washington D.C., being manned by children, which grants Liz and the task force a warrant to raid the Kenyon private property. However, Liz and Ressler are kidnapped by the same people who attacked the cult, who turn out to be boys that Justin had thrown into the wilderness because of his belief that there were too many boys, who have banded together under the leadership of David Kenyon, Justin's son. Liz and Ressler are later saved by the FBI, who have managed to track them, resulting in the death of David. Cooper receives a job offer to become a director of the FBI, but turns it down because of health issues and focuses on trying to get in on a trial for his illness, which he is denied. Reddington teams up with a reluctant Glen (a DMV contact) to track down the contents of Alan Fitch's safe in St. Petersburg. The pair arrive to find a card with an unknown telephone number, which Red tries to trace to no avail. Returning back to the Post Office, he surprises Liz with a key to her brand new apartment, which annoys her. Cooper finds out that he has been accepted as an 'extra' for the trial, thanks to his friend Thomas Connolly, who has powerful connections. After the Kenyon compound threat is neutralized by the FBI, Red goes back there to a secret bunker which houses what appears as an old '60's-'70's Lincoln Continental Presidential vehicle perfectly preserved. Red opens the trunk and takes out a silver briefcase. Red then calls the telephone number, which is answered by a mysterious man.

Ratings

"The Kenyon Family" premiered on NBC on February 19, 2015 in the 9–10 p.m. time slot. The episode garnered a 1.7/5 Nielsen rating with 7.71 million viewers, making it the third highest-rated show in its time slot behind ABC's Scandal and CBS's Two and a Half Men. It was also the twenty-eighth highest-rated television show of the week.

Reviews

Jodi Walker of Entertainment Weekly gave a mixed review of the episode. She questioned the relationship between Donald Ressler and Elizabeth Keen, stating: "The kidnapping stuff seems like a joke at this point, no? I like Ressler. I see Liz’s narrative purpose. But I’m not sure how much longer I can handle their constant fluctuations between badass FBI agents and, 'Yes, let’s split up in this very dangerous situation with no back up and no plan.' The frequency with which sheer luck gets them out messes completely undermines their inevitable moments of competency. Pick a lane, Lizzie."

Jason Evans of The Wall Street Journal also have a mixed review of "The Kenyon Family", calling it "one of those placeholder episodes with a Blacklister that doesn’t really matter". He went to write: " It was fun to spend some time with Glen and I’m pleased that they found Fitch’s safe so quickly. I thought that might drag out for a while. Now the mystery moves to the phone number and who Red was talking to."