Ever since Revolution returned from its four month hiatus, I’ve been consistently amazed by how impressively the show has reshuffled its status quo. After all, that’s what makes a serialized story so exciting and gripping.
First they kill off Dany – a move I never expected in a million years – and now: Neville and Julia are on the run? Not bad at all! The commander and his wife are definite wild cards who’ll be escalating things moving into the finale. Even their son Jason has improved remarkably. He began the show as nothing more than a useless love interest for Charlie, but now he’s part of the rebellion and quite effective in manipulating the most ruthless of soldiers (his dad in this case). Suffice to say, this family is even more messed up than Charlie and her kin.
They’ve really worked a lot on making Charlie a lot less whiny which makes the character infinitely more likeable. The fact that she’s also training to be a warrior is a definite plus. I’m not totally convinced of her relationship with Rachel though; sometimes it feels like Spiridakos and Mitchell are missing something in the chemistry department.
Speaking of Rachel, on her own, she continues to be one of the show’s standouts. It was a bit jarring to see her ditch her daughter so swiftly after swearing she’d never leave her, but I guess the quest for The Tower is vital to the rest of the season.
Which brings us to the episode’s biggest moment (which kind of felt like an afterthought shoehorned in at the beginning of the hour): they just answered the show’s biggest mystery! Apparently something went wrong in The Tower and little computers with the power to absorb electricity (and replicate) caused the blackout by spiraling out of control! It’s obviously a bunch of scientific techno-babble but hey, that’s a pretty bold step from a serialized television show. Lost might have had a ton more finesse in its first year, but it never attempted to even try and answer its main mystery. So props for Revolution; maybe answering this question will give the show the opportunity to focus on its strengths. I’m undeniably intrigued…
Revolutionary Bits
– God I love Kim Raver. She’s even better than Elizabeth Mitchell if that’s possible.
– Love Neville listening to Lionel Richie just as his truck explodes and flips. Awesome action moment culminating with Charlie finishing him off!
– Neville sure turned the tables on Miles. I’d forgotten that the latter had killed “hundreds”. Antihero indeed.
– Something felt very awkward in the scene with Charlie trying to stop Rachel from killing Neville. I did like momma crying into Miles’ arms afterwards though.
– How could anyone like Neville after he sliced the priest so brutally?
– Julia calmly telling the “ladies” to get out of her house cracked me up.
– Why have they made Nora so superfluous to the proceedings? Do I care?
– Brilliant scene with Miles passionately kissing Rachel before she heads off on her journey.
– Monroe has a nuke? Hmm…
– The ending with Rachel leaving Charlie and telling her she’ll never see her again really depressed me. I loved how Charlie looked like she was holding herself together better than Miles was!
Dystopic Digs
Miles: If you go anywhere near him, I will bash your little boy-band face in.
Jason: (to Charlie) What’s a boy-band?
Rachel: (to Miles) In what world does it turn out that you’re better for Charlie than I am?
Rachel: (To Miles) You need to take better care of her than you ever took of me!
Conclusion
A thoroughly exciting and compelling hour of Revolution.
Nad Rating
A-