Revolution "Pilot" Review

Fatigue is the word that best describes my initial reaction to Revolution way back when, during the Upfronts in May. NBC's pushing the series as aggressively as The Event two seasons ago. The heavy promotion for The Event did not pay off for NBC. The series lasted a full season but it went away slowly like the last embers of a fire on pre-dawn morning. The promotional tagline didn't even change between the two shows. Like The Event's "What is The Event," Revolution promos want the audience wondering, "What caused the blackout?" I understand why NBC pushes a question about an event, but, really, a show's characters should be the most important part of the build. Audiences are drawn towards well-written characters. The many questions about what was what on LOST happened well after the writers established the characters as the most important part of the show.

Fatigue is what I felt during the pilot as the mysterious premise deepened and the bearded man clutched the silver locket like it was the One Ring. I'm tired of these kinds of dramas. I feel like Terra Nova resided in the same fictional universe as Revolution, except for the dinosaurs and time-travel differences. The electricity inexplicably goes out across the entire world on a random weekday night. Ben Matheson rushes home to tell his wife "it's coming." A call to his brother is made about the impending blackout and, soon, the audience is transported fifteen years post-blackout. Life is more or less back to 18th and 19th century America. Young characters even dress like they're in the 18th and 19th centuries. Questions exist. Answers do not. Ben's trying to reside quietly in a former gated community-turned-farmland. His son and daughter, Danny and Charlotte, walk around the wilderness hunting and exploring. Their mother, portrayed by the lovely Elizabeth Mitchell, passed away sometime between the blackout and the present. Family tensions exist between Charlotte and Dad's new beau, who's the town doctor. The community is peaceful, populated by doctors and teachers and families, trying to survive and avoid trouble. Thanks to a narration at the start of Act I the audience learns that cities are places of death while rural communities are relatively safe, unless the Militia visits. The Militia visits the Matheson's little community and when they leave life isn't the same for the young heroine Charlotte.

The Militia is my least favorite part of the pilot because of what the presence of the group means for the future of the series. The tagline on the poster ends with "...power is everything." Eric Kripke's script is full of bits of expositional dialogue to tell the viewer about what America is fifteen years after a permanent blackout. The United States government fell and was replaced by numerous Republics, all who battle for the most power on the continent. The Militia is the most powerful. Giancarlo Esposito's Capt. Tom Neville isn't the leader of the republic, but he's the dangerously sadistic and remorseless captain of one of the republic's regiments. Esposito plays menacing well. As someone who never watched him in Breaking Bad, and who only saw him on Once Upon a Time, it's good to watch Esposito in a role that'll highlight his strengths. Great writing will elevate an actor just as bad writing will hurt an actor. Once Upon a Time is a terrific example of the latter. Esposito’s comfortable glaring menacingly at anyone who dare give him trouble. Tom Neville's an intriguing character, especially when he tells someone about his past. Tom wants Ben to peacefully surrender because he's tired from traversing through mud and filth to find him, and all he wants to do is go home to his wife and sleep. Later, during an encounter with a woman who's hiding a 'fugitive' of the republic, he tells her about his work in insurance; he was the guy who figured out if people were being truthful. I doubt the series will explore the idea of what turns honest working citizens into people who can shoot four people without blinking; perhaps the answer is inherent in the premise about a post-apocalyptic existence. The Walking Dead was supposed to explore the same thematic idea, too. Capt. Tom Neville is relentless in the "Pilot." I wonder if Kripke and his staff will humanize him in the weeks to come.

Tracy Spirodakos' Charlie is a character that owes its existence to the popularity of The Hunger Games. Charlie's just a badass braid away from being Katsniss (mind you I've never read/seen THG and am making a wild generalization and supposition about its heroine and narrative). The young actress seems comfortable in the role of a teenage girl who's thrust into a leadership role to save her brother's life from the Militia. Spirodakos particularly shines during a scene with Charlie's Uncle Miles. Miles is Ben's brother, a target of Monroe's Republic because of their theory that the Matheson boys know how to turn the power back on; however, Miles is the opposite of Ben. Miles is good at 'killing,' according to Charlie, when responding to a question posed about her uncle's personality. Charlie has been hardened and toughened by circumstances. She barely smiles and wants to travel alone to Chicago to find her uncle, unwilling to let doctor woman, the woman she feels tried to replace her mother in her life, and the town genius from going. The lone moment of happiness for Charlie is when she meets a boy in the woods. But, yes, her shining moment is the scene that's been advertised quite a bit, in which her voice breaks when she gives her reason for why Uncle Miles should join her: "'Cause we're family." Charlie's no longer a badass Katsniss type in that scene, but a girl who's overwhelmed by her circumstances, in need of help and someone to carry the burden with her. Charlie soon reverts to her tough girl demeanor after her tearful plea fails.

The newly formed team encounters a few dangers on their way to Chicago, mostly so the audience will have an idea of what the new America is like. Bands of outlaws hang out in abandoned airplanes; doctors carry around poison whiskey; no one should trust anyone else, because the instant a character trusts someone else, that character will experience the sharp pain of treachery. Trust between the group members is built through action scenes. The "Pilot" makes no time for conversation. Conflicts are eased through meaningful stares, recognition of bad judgment, and contrite hearts. Any significant character gets a beat or two to stand out. Aaron and Doctor Woman are defined by their physical appearance and their attitudes. Aaron is bearded and suffers from cowardice, whereas Doctor Woman is blonde, British, and tough.

"What caused the blackout?" won't be answered in the "Pilot." The elements of the first episode related to the question combined to be my second least favorite part of the "Pilot." The specific offending scene reminded me of the closing scenes of many failed post-LOST shows. Meanwhile, he character of Uncle Miles, who's related to the question above, is as important to the narrative as Charlie. Billy Burke isn't a charismatic actor in the role. Miles isn't supposed to be bouncing off the walls, but some energy in the performance wouldn't kill Burke. So much of Miles' character development is saved for the final act. Miles is written as the mysterious brother of Ben, so much so that Charlie doesn't know what he looks like. Billy Burke doesn't need to play Miles as boring to be mysterious, and I feel like that's what he's doing. Also, Burke is the laziest actor in a fighting sequence.

All of the fireworks surrounding Revolution and their terrific creative team resulted in a very ordinary series. The premise is original, but the rest of it has been done before, sometimes worse and sometimes better.

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