Skip to main content

PILOT REVIEW: Revenge

REVENGE











Starring: Madeleine Stowe, Emily VanCamp, Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Nick Wechsler, Joshua Bowman, Connor Paolo, Christa B. Allen
Created by Mike Kelley
Written by Mike Kelley, Directed by Phillip Noyce

Revenge is an unconventional new drama from ABC that is about exactly what its title implies. A loose takeoff on The Count of Monte Cristo, set in the Hamptons, it is unlike anything else so far this season. That alone is a good thing but there are some flaws to consider as well in this show. It centers on a woman, formerly known as Amanda and now known as Emily (Emily VanCamp) who returns to the place she lived as a child to exact revenge on the people who ruined her father's life. The main villain is Victoria (Madeleine Stowe), a socialite who basically runs the island and was once romantically involved with Emily's father. Her family includes philandering husband Conrad (Henry Czerny), daughter Charlotte (Christa B. Allen), and son Daniel (Joshua Bowman), who Emily immediately flirts with (he also ends up dead while engaged to Emily as we see in a flash forward scene at the beginning). Rounding out the cast is Emily's childhood friend Jack Porter (Nick Wechsler) and mysterious island member Nolan (Gabriel Munn) who knows Emily's secret former identity.

THE GOOD: As I said before, this is unlike anything on TV. While it sounds like a mini-series and not a permanent TV show, it certainly has an interesting and very layered plot to begin with. Emily VanCamp is strong in the lead role and a complex character. If the show lasts, it will be interesting as they continue to explore her past and present. As Queen Bee Victoria, Madeleine Stowe was a bit understated at first and in my opinion, not quite mean enough. But she improved as the episode went on and was particularly strong during her speech on the boat. The cast in general seems good even though we're just starting to understand the characters. The episode also did a nice job of tying up a few loose ends at the end of the episode while leaving many questions in tact. Also from a cinematic standpoint, it's very well done with beautiful houses and beautiful people (on the outside).

THE BAD: There are some flaws in this show. First of all, how in the world is it going to sustain itself if it were to last 2-3 seasons? This seems to be a very specific story with a start and end point and anything beyond that, would feel forced. Much like Prison Break a few years ago. It just doesn't seem like it's built for the long haul. The story got a little convoluted at times but it ironed itself out pretty well over the course of the episode. The beginning didn't play very well at all to me because I just felt confused but by the end, I had appreciated it more. It's the kind of story that really needs viewers to focus in and see what's happening. Also it's soapy to the max but some people like that. All in all, these are nitpicky things. It was a good pilot.

BOTTOM LINE: This would be the perfect show if it were to just run this season or even just 13 episodes for that matter. I'm intrigued enough to want to know what happens with this story but I don't know that I want to get into a long drawn out soap opera with these characters. I'm hoping it does just enough in the ratings to play out its story without doing well enough to try and extend it.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EPISODE GUIDES: Rhoda Season Five

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Five (the final season) of  Rhoda ! RHODA: SEASON FIVE 1978 13 episodes Rhoda' s final season was a truncated one as the show was cancelled in December 1978 after only 13 episodes had been produced (and only nine had aired). This feels like a continuation from season four in many ways except with the ill-advised split between Ida and Martin (more on that below). While  Rhoda  has an occasional good moment and even a couple decent episodes, it is a show that seems so wildly different from season one and not in a good way.  Rhoda  could never figure out what it fully wanted to be and only made it four and a half seasons as a result. Starring Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern  (13 episodes) Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern  (13 episodes) Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin  (11 episodes) Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle  (9 episodes) Nancy Wa...
Post a Comment
Read more

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1995-1996 Thursdays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1995-96 season! ABC 8:00 8:30 9:00 10:00 Sep Charlie Grace The Monroes Various Programs Oct Murder One Nov Various Programs Dec Various Programs Thursday Night Movie Jan Feb World’s Funniest Videos Before They Were Stars! Mar Apr May NBC was the powerhouse on Thursday nights but ABC still gave it the old college try in the Fall of 1995 with a trio of new dramas that they hoped would help them cut into the Peacock's dominance. Headlining their night was Murder One , a high profile new show from Steven Bochco that received much of the network's attention before the season started. The series focused on one murder case for an entire season, whi...
Post a Comment
Read more

DECADE IN REVIEW: The Best Comedies of the 2010s

During the month of December, I will be looking back at the decade that was the 2010s on TV. I will be sharing my favorite sitcoms, dramas, the best episodes, the best performances and the worst shows of the decade. To be eligible for this list, a show had to air the majority of its episodes in the 2010s. However, for the rankings and determination, all episodes were taken into account, including ones that may have aired before 2010. I will also preface that there are comedies that have aired this decade that I haven't watched yet so this is the best of what I have watched. To be fair, that preface is more true for dramas. There's not a ton of unwatched comedies sitting in my Netflix or Amazon watchlist. So here are my Top 10 comedies of the 2010s! Close Calls:  Master of None (Netflix) - An inconsistent but occasionally fascinating commentary on many life issues done so with innovative storytelling. The Good Place (NBC) - A show that aims high with a fascinating premis...
Post a Comment
Read more