Revenge has been full of twists and turns across its first three seasons, but ABC’s drama has planned yet another interesting arc for Season 4. This week the network announced that Yeardley Smith will be joining Revenge during the program's upcoming season, and if you don’t recognize the name, think spiky yellow hair and a shiny saxophone.
Smith is most known for doing voice work in the TV realm. She’s specifically famous for playing Lisa on Fox’s hit animated series The Simpsons, though she’s popped up in numerous animated and non-animated programs in the past. In Revenge, Yeardley Smith is set to play Phyllis, a character in a story arc that was only hinted at during the show’s spring finale. According to TV Line, Phyllis will be a patient in a mental home along with Victoria Grayson. Her character will show up in the show’s Season 4 premiere.
Spoilers for those who haven’t caught last season’s finale! If you remember correctly, Victoria played a ghastly hand at the end of Season 3, killing Aiden and leaving his dead body for Emily as a “gift.” Not one to lose, Emily had Victoria committed—although not for being a murderess. Instead, she concocted some wild story about Victoria believing Emily Thorne was really Amanda Clarke. Victoria’s not really one to be caught in a trap for a very long time, but apparently when the show revs up this fall, she’ll still be committed. And she’ll have found a friend, acquaintance or enemy in Yeardley Smith’s character.
Smith should be a good fit for the guest-starring gig. While she’s mostly known for her animated work, she has popped up in live action television in the past. Her roles have included stints on Dharma and Greg and Dead Like Me, as well as guest appearances on programs as varied as The Big Bang Theory, Hot in Cleveland and Mad Men, so she’s a pretty seasoned guest-starrer. Additionally, I’ve always found her vocal antics to be a bit creepy, and I’m sure she’ll heighten up the creep factor as a patient in the mental institution. Because if there’s anything Revenge does well, it’s camp.
Last season at midseason, Revenge moved to a new timeslot on Sunday nights. It looks like the show will be sticking with the 10 p.m. ET slot in ABC’s Sunday night fall lineup, with Once Upon a Time and Resurrection taking the 8 and 9 p.m. ET slots, respectively. You can catch the premiere—and Yeardley Smith!—on Sunday, September 28 at 10 p.m. ET.
