'The Blacklist' Season 3 Spoilers: Liz Becomes A Russian Spy In The Premiere; What Happened In Episode 1, 'The Troll Farmer'?

"The Blacklist" is back! Season 3 of the NBC series premiered Thursday with its two main characters, Red Reddington (James Spader) and Liz Keen (Megan Boone), on the run from the FBI. With the show’s producers promising a more serialized story, Liz set out to clear her name and expose the Cabal to the public, but first she would have to get out of Washington D.C. That would not be easy. How would it all go down in episode 1, “The Troll Farmer”?

The premiere picks up right where the Season 2 finale left off, with Red and Liz in their getaway van trying to escape the city. While their police officer disguises and a clever car exchange buy them some time, Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) and the FBI are unrelenting in their search and Red and Liz were soon holed up in the basement of a bar owned by one of Red’s friends.

Watch Red and Liz run from the FBI in the premiere below:

Liz is eager to clear her name of the terrorism charges she faces for the murder of Tom Connolly (Reed Birney), but Red warns that they must wait out the FBI’s search for at least a week. In the meantime, Liz works on altering her look, dying her hair blonde. Though Red does not want to say it, she looks just like her mother and her makeover leaves him near speechless (a first for Red!).

However, thanks to a tip from the bar owner’s anxious sister, Red and Liz do not get to wait out the FBI. Ressler, who is not letting his affection for Liz keep him from doing his job, is closing in and Red and Liz need to get out of the city ASAP.

Reed contacts a young social media hacker known as the Troll Farmer (Meng Ai) to flood social media sites with fake reports about Red and Liz’s locations. Unfortunately, Ressler is onto their scheme and soon has them cornered. Red makes it out before the FBI institutes a blockade around D.C., but Liz is left to fend for herself inside.

Meanwhile, the Cabal has its own way of getting to Red and Liz. They send a “fixer” named Mr. Solomon (Edi Gathegi) to Washington who kidnaps Dembe’s (Hisham Tawfiq) daughter and granddaughter! Dembe is forced to meet with the creepy villain who, holding Dembe’s family hostage, forces Red’s right-hand man to inhale a gas that knocks him unconscious.

Watch Dembe confront Mr. Solomon below:

Elsewhere, Ressler almost has Liz in custody, the massive FBI search party reduced to a foot chase in the street. Liz does not have many options and decides to make a risky play. Liz jumps the fence at the Russian embassy, putting her out of the FBI’s jurisdiction.

“My name is Masha Rostova. I’m a Russian agent — I work for the FSB, and I’m seeking diplomatic immunity,” Liz tells the Russian soldiers as Ressler can only watch. She may be safe now (temporarily), but if Liz hopes to convince the world she is not a Russian spy, then this is not a good start.

What did you think of the premiere? Tweet your thoughts to @Ja9GarofaloTV.