Revolution wrapped up the first part of its second season with an action-packed, amazing episode. For anyone who gave up on it last season – this is a different show this year. I recommend you try it again.There was a lot to love, from the Julia/Neville steamy and schemey reunion, a gun-blazing back-to-school showdown, Dr. Horn’s final meltdown, romantic moments between Miles and Rachel, and my favorite part – the revelation that Aaron had created an artificial intelligence last season when he and Rachel turned the power back on, and that this AI was behind his new firey powers. The filming and effects were also top-notch, included the foggy/ misty feel to the journey of Charlie, Miles, and Rachel in pursuit of Aaron; and the slow motion death of Cynthia followed by moments of silence, heightening the sense of shock Aaron was experiencing.
High Points
There were a lot of great moments, but the standout scenes for me were around the nanotech turning into a creepy kid, or AI, and what followed. I just finished ranting in a Supernatural review that the kids aren’t creepy anymore, but Eric Kripke, who jumped over from Supernatural to Revolution as executive producer, knows how to do creepy kids.I figured something was off when the kid mentioned the second biggest ball of twine. That seemed like a pre-blackout detail, but it’s probably a clue to the nanotech story that we’ll explore more later.
The scenes that followed – Aaron in awe of what he was learning, in horror at learning that the AI was trying to please him by killing people, and questioning whether he should communicate further with it – were outstanding. Topping off the story was Cynthia’s death at the hands of Horn, and Aaron’s fury fantastically portrayed by Zak Orth as he instructed the AI to kill them all. This was followed by the tragic realization that he could have asked the AI to heal Cynthia, and that the AI was no longer doing his bidding.
Low Points
This was a solid episode, and nothing was really bad, but my least favorite parts were the Miles/Rachel flashbacks. Actors Billy Burke and Elizabeth Mitchell are just too old now to be playing characters in their 20s, and Mitchell looked ridiculous in her wig. I’m usually not a fan of casting other actors to play younger versions of characters either, but with the large time gap between the present and the pre-blackout scenes, maybe it should be considered.
Hottest Action
The gun battles at the school, particularly Charlie and Monroe teaming up to find Aaron and take down some Patriots, takes this category. The bullets were flying, and there’s a chemistry between the two. Runner up is Charlie pulling out her knife and whipping it across the mist-covered field to take down a Patriot soldier earlier in the episode.
TV Flashback Moment
“I’m batman” – Monroe“I’m batman” – Dean, Supernatural, Bad Day at Black Rock
