With the continual slide from slightly decent to bad after the long hiatus, Revolution reaches a new low with a filler episode that could have easily been cut since none of the events really mattered. They may have to the characters, but considering the characters have stopped being people the viewer can really care about thanks to poor writing, we are left asking, “why should we care about these events that don’t move the main story forward?”
Where, Oh Where, did Jason Go?
Something really needs to be done about Charlie. She started the series out as the character the audience was supposed to connect to the most, but she’s really become this hollow shell of a character as she’s moved into the land of no emotion. She opens this episode scavenging the dead soldiers for supplies, juxtaposed against Miles drinking his memories of the battle that just occurred away, a memory that should not have been fast-forwarded through by the way. When Miles tries to talk to her about this she shuts him down, and that is the last time they talk until the end of the episode.
At least she was nice enough to not shoot the woman Miles used to love (more on her later), though later she does tell Nora that she would have had the other soldier not. I think this moment was supposed to be of Charlie realizing that she was dead inside and being disturbed by this realization, but it just came off as an empty statement with no more meaning past the words spoken. Maybe she is just going to be dead inside for a while longer, but I prefer my characters with layers.
Which is where Jason comes in. We already know where this relationship is going thanks to NBC’s poor choice in clips for promotional purposes, so it’s all the more apparent when he is not in the episodes. There is only so much time left this season, and every opportunity for these two to have scenes together, even if it would start out just as fighting side by side, would really do something towards building this relationship. Plus, it would help make Charlie someone to care about again.
The Long Road To Colorado
Now color me a little biased based on my location on a map, but since Wrigley Field made its way into the premiere of this show, the least Revolution could do is use St. Louis as their random Missouri pit stop! Not some place called La Grange that no one has even heard of. I guess the Syfy channel has dibs on the arch, though.
Even though I had to look this town up on the map to see if it actually existed, it seems pretty popular in this world seeing as Aaron spies the wife he left behind among the crowded street, past the woman holding a Chihuahua that thankfully had not been eaten after things got rough. Eventually he makes his way to her side, and following the brief smile of recognition, her face drops as if she doesn’t remember his name. My first thought was bad acting, my second was amnesia, but eventually we realize that as she tells Aaron to leave she is actually being held at gunpoint by a man who appeared to be a rather disinterested, mute husband.
Aaron wasn’t actually replaced, as it turns out this was a bounty hunter collecting her for the stabbing of a militiaman, but I really wish he had. Matter of fact, this whole storyline really should have never happened. When we first learned of his relationship during some flashbacks in an earlier episode, it was impossible not to really feel for this guy, even though leaving his wife like he did was the worst thing he could do no matter what excuses he made. Yet, story wise this had been resolved, and he was redeemed when he sacrificed himself to save Nora. That should have been the end of that, keeping this story in the past, but it has been dredged up once more in order to give reason to follow Aaron and Rachel on the long walk to Colorado.
During the first part of the season there were some great scenes between Aaron and Maggie, so doing small scenes that were solely character based would have been the better way to go, especially since Rachel really needs them if we are supposed to be upset about the mission she is on most likely being of the suicide variety. Or just don’t include these two in an episode, which would have also been a better choice.
Going Home Again
Taking notes from the woman last week that said she would slit her wrists if she didn’t get what she wanted, Monroe sends a messenger Miles way with the threat that everyone in their hometown will die if he doesn’t meet him there. He specifically picks out a girl from their past, Emma. First we had Nora, a girl from Miles’ past, then we got Rachel, a girl that apparently is also from Miles’ past (though no one will tell us exactly how), and now Emma, another girl from Miles’ past. This is getting really old.
If you followed my write-ups of Chuck, you may remember how I took exception to one of the male characters calling Sarah a slut. If Sarah had actually been a slut then sure, I would let it slide, but it just seemed so out of place because it didn’t fit the character at all, even if he was just saying it to make himself feel better. But Emma? She’s a slut.
During some melodramatic flashbacks, we see that she and Miles appear to be happily engaged while Monroe creeps in the background. But as she pulls away from Miles’ kiss, she gives Monroe this look that screams adultery. Sure enough, while Miles is sleeping right in the adjacent room, they decide to dirty the counter top with their baby making. Ho. I say good riddance to her story ending the way it did.
Now it turns out that Monroe has a child, but again, why should we care? This was also just done in the last episode of a CW show, but the reason it worked there was because this villain treads the line of deserving hatred and understanding in practically every scene he’s in. Monroe doesn’t really draw these same feelings as he watches a man be beaten to death and then burns a building down with people inside, no matter how close he is to crying throughout the entire episode. I’m sure I’m not the only one who pretended the B was silent whenever Emma was calling him Bass, am I? It just seemed more like a last ditch effort to give Monroe fans, but it’s way too late for that. Especially now that Neville is coming back with the promise of actually providing an interesting conflict. Step aside, Monroe, this is someone we can get behind.
Final Thoughts
For a show that doesn’t always put the best foot forward, this was probably the worst episode yet. And that’s saying something for Revolution. So like I said in the intro, this episode should have never happened; instead going straight to what the preview for next week promises. Miles and Neville being forced to work together? Now that is something I actually want to see.
