Revenge Never Tasted So Sweet!

While on call last night at my job I was up until 2 am (busy night) so I was able to catch up on some television I have missed.  My boss Ann and a few other people have been telling me I have needed to watch the show Revenge on ABC. When I looked at what shows I was interested for the fall this show was not on my list.  I remember going to the movies and seeing previews for this show and laughing and thinking this is going to be a terrible show.  As I saw more previews the show looked more appealing (as a guilty pleasure), but I refused to give in.  Finally a couple of weeks ago I decided I had to make the time to see what people were talking about.  Last night I watched the first three episodes of this show back to back, and I have to say I am hooked.  I guess this was one of the good things about being on call at my job.

Revenge a is twist on the classic, "The Count of Monte Cristo" with a female character at the center, Emily Thorn (Amanda) who is out to seek revenge on the people who put her father in jail, and made Emily think her father was responsible for a terrible crime. . Emily goes back to the Hamptons for the summer rents a beach house, and her goal is to enact revenge on the different people who contributed to her father's fate, with her endgame being the Grayson family.  The Grayson family includes Victoria Grayson (Madeline Stowe) who is referred to as "Queen Victoria" because she rules the Hamptons, her husband Conrod Grayson, (Henry Czerny).  The Grayson's have two children Daniel Grayson (Joshua Bowman) the "love interest" for Emily, and Charlotte (Christa B. Allen).  The other characters include a younger Bill Gates type ally of Emily's named Nolan Ross (Gabriel Mann).  There is also a homegrown family from the Hamptons who own a small bar/restaurant which focuses on two brothers who work and own the place Jack Porter (Nick Weschler), who was Emily's (Amanda's) childhood sweetheart and Declan Porter (Connor Porter).

The show sets the stage with a bang literally one of the main characters listed above is shot and killed within the first ten minutes of the pilot.  The show starts at the end of the summer with the big party for the end of the summer.  Emily's eyes say it all.  As you watch Van Camp commit these acts of revenge on the people who took her father down she looks poised and confident, but when the murder occurs at the beginning of the pilot she looks as though she may not be as sure of what she is doing and if she did the right thing with this one murder.

I loving the premise and the characters in this show, but like with Ringer (CW) I have to wonder how they will get the premise of the show to last and not drive fans nuts with drawing out the story too much.  I am going to continue to watch for the time being because the premise and the characters have me hooked!  The show has an added amount of camp.  Van Camp exudes this inner darkness through her sweet exterior; she has become stronger and I was nervous about her being able to carry a show on her own but she has great presence.  One of the interesting things about Emily Thorn is that you get why she wants revenge, but she is completely an anti-hero; she is doing terrible things to rectify past injustices.  I am excited to watch Emily and the "Queen Victoria" have it out.  The two look at each other on the show and they both know they hate each other, but in true Hamptons style the two fake pleasantries. Madeline Stowe plays evil and manipulative almost too well, as though it her second nature.  The rest of the cast mildly interesting, but I think as the show progresses they will flesh things out more.

Recently shows have tried too hard.  I was excited about Terra Nova, but the mainstream sci-fi genre is trying to make another Lost, and networks have not realized you have to let things happen naturally.  Revenge has a simple premise with an old school night time "soap opera" feel.  The new shows I have enjoyed most this season have had simple themes, and not tried too hard to be more than what they are.  I think this show fits within this category.  I hope they can flesh out all of the characters more, and keep going on the premise.  I know now that I am all caught up I will be watching tonight!

Posted in: Emily Van Camp, Revenge