I’m really over Revenge. How could a show that was so brilliant in its debut year, turn so disappointing in its second? Maybe the recent news that the show’s creator (Mike Kelley) is departing at the end of the season and handing the reigns over to another show-runner is a blessing in disguise. Kelly obviously didn’t know how to take the show forward this year, and it’s time for someone else to step in and salvage this shipwreck.
A big issue I’ve been having with Revenge lately is that it takes itself way too seriously. When you have characters called “The Falcon” and organizations called “The Initiative”, you need to have a sense of humor about it. You can’t have characters running around in very relatable settings talking so casually about laughably-named hackers or wannabe-Alias corporations. A bit of humor every now and then would do wonders for Revenge, and I’m pretty sure it used to be much more self-aware than it is now. Or did it just get too insane and convoluted this year?
I was really hating this episode until Daniel’s interview. The show took an intriguing turn when Emily stated it would be an “honor” to join the Grayson family. This was followed by Victoria’s fantastic humiliation on live TV as she admitted to the birth of her long-lost son. We rarely see Victoria this vulnerable so it was an excellent moment to be sure. She also got a superb moment at the end as she practically begged Nolan to help her find her son. This could be awesome.
The return of Takeda (finally) should have a lot of potential going forward. The guy is now obviously being painted as a purely sinister presence, as he tried to convince Aiden that Emily was NOT on a destructive path. Tsk tsk tsk. What’s this guy’s endgame? To ensure his students cause carnage wherever they go? I hope they involve him more going forward.
The episode’s ending was suitably dark with Aiden slipping Daniel’s ring on Emily’s finger and surprisingly urging her to “marry the son of the bitch” and take down the Graysons once and for all. These two’s dynamic was one of this year’s few highlights, and I wonder if he’ll survive this year’s finale (which better be a bloodbath).
Weirdly enough, I feel like the finale is going to be spectacular. It’s been a clunky year, but I somehow feel like everything is going to come together. Or is that just the optimist in me talking?
Vengeful Bits
– Revenge really needs to get over Emily’s silly voiceovers. They’re painfully forced and melodramatic. Seriously have they ever been insightful in the slightest? She makes Meredith Grey sound like a Nobel scholar.
– I admittedly enjoyed the brief flashbacks of a young Victoria receiving a scholarship to Paris as she pretended to be Patrick’s “nanny”.
– Who else can’t wait for Emily to beat the crap out of Ashley? I started fantasizing about that moment the second Emily ran into that cretin at Jack’s.
– Priceless moment: the cartoon of Nolan shooting a falcon dead with a bow and arrow.
– This show will never learn that Charlotte (and Declan) are completely useless. Who seriously cares about little Miss Grayson indulging in her bad girl ways yet again and kissing a girl for the paparazzi? Is this Gossip Girl?
– Nolan and Falcon playing Street Fighter and rattling on about their feelings was a terrible (and awkward) scene.
– So what’s Connie doing with the Governor’s wife? Will Ashley die trying to find out?
– Jack doesn’t want Emily to be Carl’s godmother anymore. I could care less.
– Very sweet moment with Nolan digitally red-crossing Edith off Emily’s hitlist. I’m glad she gave him that opportunity.
Devious Delights
Victoria: The cavalier way that you exploit my personal pain is appalling.
Conrad: Well if you’ve been suffering with your choices all these years, I’m only happy I was able to provide you with a comfortable place in which to agonize in style.
Charlotte: I’ve been busy.
Victoria: Punching classmates in the face?
Charlotte: Would you have approved if I slapped her instead?
Aiden: Emily needs me.
Takeda: Emily needs revenge.
Conrad: (to Victoria) I’ll leave you to your demons.
Conclusion
Much like the rest of the year, this was a clumsy and cringeworthy hour of Revenge with a couple of great moments in between.
Nad Rating
C
i agree i was so letdown by this episode it was so ridicolous and i was like at an aracade really thats the best that they could come up with. anyways this season has been so disappointing mike obviously didnt know what to do with it on its second season im glad that abc fired him because now they could find this show a better writer this show has an interesting premise but just needs better writers. the finale better be excellent not just good. if its not excellent im done with this show and wont be coming back next season. the finale needs to make up for this years dissappointing season.
Glad to see you agree 🙂 I have a feeling season 3 might be great with a perspective that's different from Mike Kelley's! However let's pray for the finale! It looks like a lot of us are hoping it will restore our faith in the show!
By the way, I got your comment three times. It might be because I turned on comments moderation and you assumed it wasn't posting but I got all three of them! hehe. Thanks for commenting! Drop by always!
This episode was painful to watch. I was literally falling asleep. Everything is starting to feel old and tired. Emily and Daniel? Been there, done that. Victoria's secrets. Same old. Charlotte rebelling? Oh, hi I'm Season 1 Charlotte, and I'm into drugs and bad boys.
The show needs a serious makeover pronto.
I have a good feeling about the finale too. It might just be wishful thinking, or that feeling of building anticipation when you're enduring the less-than-stellar (like lugging through seasons 4 and 5 of Lost even though most of it was uninteresting and just plain unintelligible) in hope of revealing the big prize (like when Lost basically told the world f* you in not so many words). Prior experience says this is not going to end well (refer to Lost analogy before). BUT, it's only season 2, and season 2s have historically been awesome for shows (Alias, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, The Good Wife, etc.). I have hope.
Bless your heart child. I'm glad to see we're on the same page (as always).