Revolution: Review: Season 1 Ep 2

NBC, 24 September 2012

Led by Miles, the explorers continue their search for the kidnapped Danny, while Militia leader Neville executes a gun owner. Charlie’s mother Rachel is revealed to be alive and in the custody of President Monroe.

Two episodes in and this J.J. Abrams-produced and Eric Kripke-created series is proving to be a formulaic disappointment. This episode in particular, following an efficient set-up in the pilot, appears to have been written by a piece of software.

Every 15 minutes things stop for a ‘thrilling’ fight sequence, in which Billy Burke’s ‘rugged’ Miles Matheson tackles a bad guy, usually with a sword, and emerges unscathed.

On top of that, and dialogue from movies and TV that real people would never utter, Tracy Spiridakos as Charlie proves to be one of the most whiney ‘heroines’ television has to offer.

There is some hope that revelations seem to be coming quickly, with Aaron confessing to holding the mysterious USB stick and the reveal at the end of the episode that Elizabeth Mitchell’s Rachel is in fact alive, contrary to the situation laid out in the pilot.

While it’s great that we get to see Mitchell and Tim Guinee in flashbacks (a technique stolen from Abrams’ Lost) to the immediate post-blackout period, I can’t help feeling I’d much rather watch a series focusing on them than what we’ve been offered so far.

Verdict: Revolution needs to really step up its game soon, or this is one show heading for the permanent blackout of cancellation.

Episode 2 ‘Chained Heat’: 5/10

Brian J. Robb