Revolution: Nobody’s Fault But Mine

Hello, again.

So, the family Matheson has been reunited and I’m pretty sure they won’t be singing Kumbaya anytime soon.

Aside from the fact that Rachel has been alive for fifteen years and separated from her children, and excusing the less than stellar condition Danny’s in, and maybe overlooking the full-bodied slap to the face that Miles received from his undead sister-in-law, now we’ve got Bass – crazy, my-whole-family-died-and-no-one-loves-me Bass – with power … and helicopters … and machine guns.

Oh yeah, this is gonna go great.

This fall finale gave us more of a pay-off on a few fronts than I was expecting. First, the fact they allowed us to see the multiple reunions, including Rachel with her kids, Danny and Charlie with each other, Rachel and Miles and Miles and Monroe, was a surprise. I thought for sure Kripke et al. would have held one or two of those back for the first or second episode in the new year.

Second, they gave us some resolution to the Miles-Monroe conflict. I had fully expected the reason Miles deserted was because Monroe so spectacularly went off the rails. And while I do enjoy being right, I’m wondering if there couldn’t have been another reason for his desertion. Of course, there still could be another motive that will be explored in the second half of the season and were I betting person (I’m not, by the way, but if I were), I would guess it has to do with Rachel. I had the distinct impression it was a fifty-fifty toss-up whether she was going to kiss Miles or slap him when she saw him again. I’m thinking there’s more going on there than we—or the dearly departed Ben—might have known.

Additionally, I’m very pleased with how Charlie has grown over these first ten episodes. I think her change was best summed up by Danny’s reaction to her knocking out the guard and taking his semi-automatic weapon. “Do you know how to fire that thing?” her incredulous brother asks. “I guess I’ll figure it out,” our heroine answers. Obviously, this is not the sister Danny left behind a few months ago and I think it’s going to be interesting to watch the dynamic of their relationship change as a result of what they’ve both been through.

It was a pleasure to see Mark Pellegrino back, as well as Kim Raver, although something tells me Mrs. Neville might divorce her husband for allowing him to be bullied into letting prisoners go. I’m predicting a torrid affair between Neville’s wife and Monroe in coming episodes. And, Neville, in disgrace will make it his renewed mission to kill every Matheson on the planet since he can’t release his rage on the real object of his desire, his commanding officer and the man boffing his wife.

Regardless of whether the reason behind their falling out was predictable, I felt that Billy Burke and David Lyons executed their reunion scene flawlessly. Both men brought their A-game, although it was Lyons who did more of the heavy lifting, especially as we hadn’t really seen his sentimental side until this episode. We kind of knew that Miles was softening, but to see Bass willingly put down his gun and give his best friend the chance to return to the fold was an interesting twist. And laid the groundwork for his unbridled rage now that the only person left in the world who he trusted has turned his back on him for good.

I’m excited for Revolution’s return in 2013. I think that the show has found its legs, giving us compelling stories each week that have built toward a nice, satisfying cliffhanger. Of all the new shows I watched this fall, Revolution was by far the best pilot and I think it’s followed through on its promise nicely.

Here’s hoping that Kripke maintains his vision through the second half of this inaugural season and J.J. continues to be a mostly silent partner. I think it’s a formula that’s been working so far.

Related Stuff:

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.