Well, it’s about time someone important died. Or not.
When we last left our favorite marauding band of, well, really dumb smart people, they were all in or around the Tower killing everyone in sight not named Monroe and watching the power come back on and fill the sky with sudden static lighting that threatened to destroy the earth.
Luckily, that didn’t happen.
But what they did not anticipate was crazy old Mr. Flynn launching a crap-ton of nukes at Philadelphia and Atlanta, claiming to be a patriot trying to restore the actual President of the United States to power before shooting himself in the noggin.
Sure, the electricity came back on for a brief period, known as “the surge,” but then Fatty McBeards-A-Lot apparently shut down the grid again jusssst in time to NOT stop the bombs, but still keep people in the dark. Mission accomplished. If that mission was to obliterate two major cities without actually changing much of anything.
Kicking Off Season Two
So we find ourselves back for the beginning of the second season of NBC’s awesome-premised Revolution, hoping for a teensy bit more character development than the none we got in a split-up season one.
Look, I enjoyed the first season as much as anyone, but the most development we got was that Miles Matheson (Billy Burke) IS willing to think of others at the behest of himself, unless that involves actually killing former bestie/secret lover?/evil villain/militia leader Sebastian Monroe.
The two of them can fight to the death like 10 times, but no death will come once they gaze into each other’s eyes for a few seconds prior to the fatal blow.
‘Revolution’ Interviews: Billy Burke and David Lyons on Changes for Miles and Monroe in Season 2
Losing Half a Year
Well, a lot has changed in the six months that have passed since those events, but that doesn’t mean I can predict where season two is headed. All I’ve really learned is that fireflies are magic, David Schwimmer is the last surviving Friend and there are sluts galore in the Plains Nation.
‘Revolution’ Interviews: Tracy Spiridakos, Ben Edlund and Rockne S. O’Bannon on a Grittier and Darker Season 2
Since the events at the Tower, the gang has more or less gone their separate ways, and everyone is seemingly chasing different goals.
Rachel literally went crazy after the nuclear weapons detonated, so Miles brought her and Aaron and Charlie to Grandpa Gene’s for some R and R. The good doctor is played by Stephen Collins, who I coincidentally thought would’ve been a great choice for President of the USA. Go me?
Anyway, in Dr. Gene Porter’s quiet little Texas community, Rachel regains her sanity, Aaron becomes a teacher and settles down with a nice woman (with a huge gash on her hand that turns out to be from an abusive former husband, so his sweetness is appreciated), Miles gets anxious and Charlie skips town to the Plains, apparently to hunt Monroe and because she can’t stand her mom anymore.
Oh, and Miles is now known as “Stu,” which I can only assume is short for Stupid, to hide his true identity.
Ground Control to Major Tom
Meanwhile, Gus Fring and his now-reconciled son are searching the scorched camps of Georgia for their wife/mother/Jack Bauer’s former girlfriend, who surely would’ve died while waiting for the return of her family, even if there was no way she ever could’ve known she was about to be blown to bits by an atom bomb. Gus is sure she would’ve stuck around until the skin melted off her bones, but something tells me that’s the one moment she might wish she had left.
‘Revolution’ Interview: Giancarlo Esposito and JD Pardo Discuss Complicated Father and Son Relationship in Season 2
Gus is about to off himself until his son slaps him around and a ship arrives carrying a bunch of American flag-toting soldiers and an emissary of the good ol’ U-S of A trying to round up support for the formerly exiled president. But Gus isn’t buying it, believing the commander in chief is responsible for the nuke attack and vowing to kill everyone involved.
Then, for good measure, he shaves with a knife and no shaving cream, proving that awful razor burn is no match for unconfirmed directed rage and hatred. It’s a good lesson for the little ones.
Finally, a Half-Naked Charlie
Charlie sluts it up with a bartender (and really, it took us an entire season to see her in a bra?) to get info about Sebastian Monroe, who she tracks to a small village where Ross once appeared in a tent and Monroe, now known as Jimmy King after the fourth-most famous member of Michigan’s Fab Five freshmen, now beats the crap out of people Fight Club-style for roulette diamonds and lots of cheap whores.
Charlie lures him out under the guise of a sex romp and is about to shoot him with an arrow when a bunch of other dudes knock him out and steal him.
Bandits Beware
Stu, errrr Miles, gets restless after Dr. Gene calls him out on the fact that he kinda sucks for having an affair with his daughter while she was married to his brother, so he decides to bail. I’m confused though, because I always thought that’s what sisters-in-law were for? Perhaps I misunderstood the marriage contract?
So Miles rides off, that is, of course, until he runs into a group of bandits raping and pillaging. He steps in, slashes the throat of a man trying to gouge his eyes out and brings the body back to Rachel so that everyone can learn they’re dealing with a group of “war clan” guys about to wreak havoc on the tiny town. So now he’s staying.
To 10 Million Fireflies, I’m Weird Cause I Hate Goodbyes
Aaron sees a million lightening bugs appear and then shut off all their lights at once (a theme?), so he goes inside, complains about a student having polio and has a tender moment with his wifey before bandits jump through the open window and attempt to rape/kidnap/assault her. Aaron defends her and gets slashed in the chest with a large knife.
Great, way to kill off the geeky chubster who finally found some happiness and was actually willing to show some backbone for the firs time and die fighting for it.
But wait! Miles, who with a sword is clearly the greatest hand-to-hand combat man who ever existed, gives chase and slaughters a few bad guys with the help of the sheriff before the rest of the bandits arrive and capture them.
Rachel wastes booze by dumping it on Aaron’s wounds and Dr. Gene tries to save him, but it’s all to no avail. He has no pulse, until his girlfriend spots some fireflies lighting up outside and he jerks back to life.
So…
And that was it for the premiere. Miles and Sheriff Mason are kidnapped by a guy named Taylor Sandover who offers them sweet tea, Aaron has been resurrected from the dead, the dad from 7th Heaven is here and Charlie is trying to kill an already-captured Monroe.
And none of this mentions the fact that the episode started with Miles killing an unknown guy and burning the body inside a secluded shed. It will be interesting to see what comes of that.
All in all, season 2 of Revolution continued the same trends that we were left with. Last season, the goals were to rescue Danny (his death was another of the few other random acts of character development, but with that kind of asthma, how much time did he really have?), stop Monroe and eventually turn the lights back on. This time around, I have no idea what anyone is working towards.
That’s not to say anything about the quality of the show, but at this point, we need to care more about the characters. Sure, Nora died last year, but is anyone really wishing she was still around? And everyone likes Aaron, that’s part of his persona, but if he bit the dust, would we stop watching?
At some point, they need to flush out these characters to keep afloat. But after getting used to this much action, I’m skeptical that would even work.
‘Revolution’ Season 2 Spoilers: It’s a Darker and More Dangerous World
What did you think of the premiere? Are you happy with the way things are, or do they need more development? And what do you expect from season two?
You can watch Revolution every Wednesday at 8 pm on NBC.
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(Image and video courtesy of NBC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Emmy-winning news producer & former BuddyTV blogger. Lover of Philly sports, Ned, Zoe, Liam and Delaine…not in that order
