Revolution
Season One
Episode Five
'Soul Train'
- 5.5
 |
| This isn't an exact screenshot from the show, but it was by far the most interesting part. |
What
interests me most about Revolution tonight was the map we see Monroe
strategising over in a very brief scene. This is probably because when you
watch a show called 'Revolution' you kind of expect to see references to
government and power and all that stuff, instead of getting some bullshit about
saving an annoying brat. No, I don't care about Danny or his sister, I don't
care about Miles and I felt nothing when Nora was stabbed. I don't care for any
of these characters because they are so poorly written that I think those that
do care don't know any real people.
It's almost
disturbing how easy it is to watch a likeable enough character get stabbed in
this show. Nora doesn't die or anything, but she's so boring that I really
couldn't care less if she did. This is a show about a dystopia, it is ripe for
a character drama and yet the writers have pretty much shat out some stock
garbage and tacked it onto their epic story, that so far has had so little to
do with revolutions it isn't funny. There were points in this episode that I
was eager to see what would happen next, but it was never because I wanted to
know what would befall our heroes, rather I wanted to see something worthwhile.
A violent death, a unique effect, something that distinguishes this seriously
awful offering. And that refers to the entire series, not just this episode,
which was honestly not that bad.
The only
intriguing character would be Neville, who I was disturbed to realise was the
focus of tonight's episode. I was highly against this manoeuvre, largely
because I worried they would humanise a fantastic villain and turn their last
respectable creation into another television trope that has been done a million
times. While I don't think what they did was particularly original, I was
pleasantly surprised at how much I didn't hate his former life. Of course he
used to be weak, that was a give in for a show as unimaginative as this, but he
also has a wife and son who depend on him. Once again, the shock twist here is
that Nate, that annoying stud following Charlie around, is in fact Jason,
Neville's son. We don't get this stated until the very end, but I'm not gonna
beat around the bush; I think you may be clinically retarded if you didn't
already guess it. Seriously.
Anyway, when
the blackout occurs, Neville was a quiet, beaten down family man, but when his
loud neighbour breaks into his home one night, our antagonist is forced to
punch the guy so hard he dies to death, right in front of Jason and his wife,
Julia. That's all we get of his transformation, other than the establishing
scenes which depicted him as the push-over he once was, but I hope we get to see
him gradually get used to his cold yet passionate stance with violence and
control. Giancarlo Esposito is really very good in the role, managing to no
longer feel conflicted or remorseful for any of his actions, and hopefully the
writers are able to maintain that sense of amorality, without turning him into
a 'likeable' villain by giving him human feelings.
As the title
suggests, there is actually a train, which would be a terrific location for
some fantastic action but no, they spend all of about five minutes there before
cutting to the very end of the journey. There's some scuffles and Charlie
finally sees her brother again, but nothing much really mattered.
Before they
get to the actual journey they meet a new rebel, Hutch, who is played by Lost's
Jeff Fahey, and he and Nora devise a plan to blow up the said train, despite it
being used to transport Danny to Philadelphia. This is done without consulting
with Charlie or Miles of course, as the two of them are out being stupid and
getting into fights with Neville himself. Charlie even reveals herself to the
captain, albeit unintentionally, when she decides to tail him only to get
caught. Luckily her uncle gets her out of the situation.
Nora does
eventually realise that Danny is on the train, but before she can rush off and
remove the bomb - which is inside a log on the steam train, for your
information, which means the soldiers will essentially blow themselves up when
they put it in the engine - a desperate Hutch stabs her. It's not that serious
a stab wound though, as she's able to warn Charlie and Miles about Danny, and
the two of them rush off on some horses to board the train.
Hooray,
action sequences! Charlie tracks down her brother in one of the carriages, and
he jumps Captain Neville when he sees her. Unfortunately, the door isn't
opening for her so she can't get in and help Danny. Meanwhile Miles goes to
remove the bomb, having to knock out the guy in the front carriage to do it.
Isn't that the slightest bit counter-intuitive? Now someone else is going to
have to take over or the train will just stop. Anyway, the log had been put in
the engine, so he ends up having to reach in and fish it out, throwing it to
the side of the tracks just as it explodes. I swear that the inside of a steam
engine is like five hundred degrees, which is the kind of heat that will often
turn your hand to ashes in all of about five seconds, but whatever. You do that
Miles.
Back in
Danny's carriage, Neville gains the upper hand and is able to pin Charlie to
the wall, holding a knife to her throat (do it Neville!), only to have Danny
knock him out with a bang to the back of the head. It's not over yet though, as
back-up comes in and is able to nab them both just as Neville wakes up and
seizes Danny. Charlie is being held by none other than Nate, who escaped from
the rebels earlier this episode, but when Neville demands she be brought to
him, Nate refuses and instead throws her from the moving train. Miles sees his young
niece rolling down the hill from the engine, so he strangely decides to jump
off the train as well. You're supposed to be like a cunning strategist, Miles.
What the fuck was that?
And that was
pretty much it. There were desperate glances down the train tracks as it
chugged away, as well as the revelation that Nate is really Neville's son Jason
once they arrive at Philly, but that was it for the two main groups. Up in her
cell, Rachel - possibly my other favourite, if only because it is Elizabeth Mitchell
and she hasn't done anything awful yet - sees Danny being dragged away and
pretty much instantly gives Monroe the information he desires; a diagram of the
special pendant device and the knowledge that turning the power on starts with
the twelve of them, meaning that instead of a revolution we are probably about
to see a scavenger hunt for ugly necklaces. Greeeeeat.
On the topic
of revolution, I was intrigued by the map of the United States, not only
because somehow in all this anarchy they kept the American land borders intact.
Seems that the US is now divided into six areas; the Monroe Republic, which
encompasses the North-Eastern states; the Georgia Federation, which would
probably contain Georgia, but is simply south of Monroe; the Plains
Nation is to the west. It is noted that these two nations have allied against
Monroe, but the character is so clearly the antagonist that he is unphased and
remarks that he'll gut them all. Cheery. Anyway, the other known areas include
the California Commonwealth, which is the western coast of the country; Texas,
which is slightly bigger than it was before the blackout and finally Wasteland,
the most evocatively named of the six kingdoms of the United States. It sounds
Game of Thrones-esque, and yet they give it the most passing mention. Ug,
please just give me politics. Please.
I'm getting
weary of this show and its awful characters, its meandering plot and its
failure to lift itself out of the sci-fi-for-idiots basket. I think it's trying
so hard to maintain a the easy-going feel that it's lost any sense of what
makes a revolution fun; it isn't easy, it's hard going, it's tough and violent.
You are overthrowing a government, you thought it would be simple? God, grow
the fuck up show, because in reality all your main cast should be dead, in fact
I want them dead. Have Monroe follow his word and gut the assholes, do it in
the town square in Philadelphia for everyone to see. That would please me. Show
the viewers why it is that there will be a revolution and give us someone to
lead it - and not Charlie. Just, just, no.
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