Revolution (Mondays on NBC) - Season One

[MarieM]

Dystopia is the new "in" it seems. I've never seen so many books about dystopia in years. And they're coming from everywhere.

That TV is picking up the trend is quite right IMO. They vampirise everything so why not that kind of universe ?
I'd love to see a tv show about a "what if" world. They could use Philip K Dick novels

[Artemis@BC]

I said I'd give it one more episode ... and I did. But that's it. I'm done. Life's too short to waste time on bad TV.

Dystopia is the new "in" it seems. I've never seen so many books about dystopia in years. And they're coming from everywhere.

Dystopian lit has been popular for over a century, but I agree, it's über-popular now. Partly because of the Hunger Games? Perhaps.

BTW, for a much, much, much better post-apocalyptic TV series, I highly recommend Survivors from the UK, 2008-2010. I'm sure it's available on Netflix tho I haven't looked. The apocalypse in that case is a virus, and the story takes place immediately after so can't really be classified as a true dystopia, but the acting and writing are about 30x better than Revolution.

It in turn is a remake/reboot of series of the same name from the 70s, which I remember loving when I lived there. I wish they'd issue that one on DVD.

I also recommend the book In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood. It's nonfiction, and she writes about why humanity loves to write about (and read about) "other worlds" -- be they other planets or speculative/dystopian versions of our own -- and what that says about us. She also does a bit of a history on literary dystopias which I found very interesting.

[susan6]

OK, I can suspend my disbelief enough to buy the blackout and to wait and see how it was triggered.

However.

Watching a little slip of a girl essentially bench press a 200+ pound guy off her, then grab the sniper rifle (presumably one of the more complex types of guns) and kill him with it? Come on now.

[WildRose]

OK, I can suspend my disbelief enough to buy the blackout and to wait and see how it was triggered.
However.
Watching a little slip of a girl essentially bench press a 200+ pound guy off her, then grab the sniper rifle (presumably one of the more complex types of guns) and kill him with it? Come on now.

This. I mean seriously? I'm curious as to where the plot is going on this show, but I can't sit through this kind of garbage. From now on I think I'll just watch the last 5 minutes - that seems to be when all the interesting stuff happens.

[WildRose]

BTW, for a much, much, much better post-apocalyptic TV series, I highly recommend Survivors from the UK, 2008-2010. I'm sure it's available on Netflix tho I haven't looked. .

I just checked and it is available on Netflix. I'm going to add it to my list of shows to watch - thanks!

[Jenny]

I'm all for characters with superhuman skills, but there better be a back story to go with it.

On Lost, Sayid was ex-military, Locke was a hunter, Kate had been on the run for years. On Hawaii 5-0, McGarrett is an ex-SEAL.

How did a 20 year old who's lived a basically pioneer farming life get those skills, and for that matter, the hard drive to do what she's doing? Sure, her mom died, but that's not enough to explain the character.

Haven't watched ep2, but back to ep1 the other thing that's been gnawing on me is Miles living in a grand hotel in Chicago, with tons of wooden furniture (not burnt by now?), museum-quality paintings (surely still worth money), and hundreds of torches and candles burning (wasteful). Hardly how I'd expect someone who is laying low and trying not to be found to be living.

[centerstage01]

I'm having a hard time buying the idea that governments and law enforcement collapse just because there's no electricity. How exactly do they think this country (or any country for that matter) got started??

Another nitpick is the scene where Charlie flashes back to nearly getting her head twisted off because the guy wanted their food. Maybe I read it wrong, but didn't it say it was just a week after the blackout? Six months after, maybe even two or three, but a week? Give me a break.

[Spareoom]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it takes a little longer then a week for civilization to collapse into oblivion.

[A.H.Black]

Count me as another who gave it 2 episodes. Won't be back. It's just dumb. I don't like the characters or where the plot is going. I'm old fashioned. I like a show that resolves the story (or at least some of the story) each episode.

[4rkidz]

I don't see any particular similarities between this and the Hunger Games, other than both are based on dystopian societies. But there are a ton of dystopian stories out there.

This reminded me instantly of S.M. Sterling's 'Emberverse' series, which is based on the identical premise and explores what happens to society in the absence of technology and centralized government. At first I was sure this show was based on that series, though it appears not to be the case. It's not a novel premise at all, though, and it is the basis of many a post-apocalyptic tale.

I guess I'm not the only one? Boston Herald and New York times amongst others..
http://www.latinospost.com/articles/...ws-roundup.htm

I understand they are both from the dystopian genre - especially with regards to the post-apolyptical theme.. I have not seen the Sterling series - I must check that out?? Was it a book or movie series??

In someways I guess there are more similarities with the running man??.. but with regards to the hunger games what stood out for me was;
-wardrobe choices for the lead actors
-physical simlarities in the lead actors - even down to the cross bow and 'hunting'..
-futuristic/disaster theme/post apolypitical setting

[PeterG]

Well, I really wish I could disagree with what most people are saying. But I cannot. It feels like this show is either written by a grade 9 class, or for a grade 9 class. I know that younger audiences bring in more $$$ in regards to advertising, so I'm wondering if the powers behind the show are dumbing it down for a more lucrative audience?

I'm going to give Revolution at least two more episodes before throwing in the towel. There have been so many shows since Lost that I wanted to like...Fringe, Alcatraz, Terra Nova, Grimm, Once Upon A Time...I wanted Revolution to be the one that kept me coming back week after week. Oh well, I still have The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, Nikita and The Good Wife.

[Matryeshka]

This reminded me instantly of S.M. Sterling's 'Emberverse' series, which is based on the identical premise and explores what happens to society in the absence of technology and centralized government. At first I was sure this show was based on that series, though it appears not to be the case.

I thought the same thing about five minutes in to the point that I posted on FB that I hoped SM Stirling got royalties.

[star_gazer11]

Well, I really wish I could disagree with what most people are saying. But I cannot. It feels like this show is either written by a grade 9 class, or for a grade 9 class...

I'm going to give Revolution at least two more episodes before throwing in the towel.

Yep, definitely one more for me because of the WTF taser-wielding Randall. For a show attached to JJ Abrams' name, this has been disappointing.

[genevieve]

yeesh, I have a really high tolerance for suspension-of-belief in these types of shows, but Revolution is losing, just because Charlie is so unlikeable. Even the little girl Charlie is annoying. I'm sick of her pouting, and her moralizing, and her well-tailored fashion in the apocalyptic future.

And her brother's obvious dye job is just making me wish the militia would off the both of them so we could have a better show.

BUT...there's an interesting show in there. If we can move away from the sheltered Katniss wannabe and focus on stepmom n' sidekick, Rachel, and Miles, and 'Bas, with a healthy dose of Giancarlo Esposito, then we've got a show!

[MarieM]

Of course Charlie is the central piece of that show, but for how long ?

I kind of want Elizabeth Mitchell to turn badass

[BaileyCatts]

I liked it. Twice now the ending has got me wanting more. I really want to know who the people are talking to each other on the computers. And how come there are several of those flash drives it seems. And now I want to know who Randall is. I could do without the sword fights and stuff but I guess you have to have those fights with the militia to have a good guys/bad guys deal going on. Once I watch a show I really don't like to just stop watching because then it bothers me I don't know how it ended. I'll stick with the show until the bitter end.

[Jenny]

BUT...there's an interesting show in there. If we can move away from the sheltered Katniss wannabe and focus on stepmom n' sidekick, Rachel, and Miles, and 'Bas, with a healthy dose of Giancarlo Esposito, then we've got a show!

Indeed - perhaps every since Alias, Abrams is stuck to the idea of a tough young female hero? I think I was one of the few who grew to like Kate on Lost, but so many fans did not ... however it didn't matter in the end because of the very strong group of characters around her and Jack, who many fans weren't big on either (Miles here being Jack there).

[MarieM]

I have HIGH hopes for Miles ! I sure hope he won't become a Jack 2.0. Pleaaaaaase !

[Buzz]

Revolution is doing best amount scripted shows in it's time slot. I LOVE this type of show but they never last. Hopefully the show will get better over time.

[genevieve]

Indeed - perhaps every since Alias, Abrams is stuck to the idea of a tough young female hero?

And Felicity - she wasn't the same kind of "tough", but that character fits in with his penchant for young women defying expectations.

I don't think Charlie is much of a Kate, though. She's more of a Shannon - overprivileged (she appears quite sheltered for having grown up in the post-electric world), whiny, and can't see anything with any view besides her own. Hopefully she hasn't had sex with her brother, but it would actually make her more interesting

I think I was one of the few who grew to like Kate on Lost, but so many fans did not ... however it didn't matter in the end because of the very strong group of characters around her and Jack, who many fans weren't big on either (Miles here being Jack there).

I LOVED Kate at the beginning. Such promise! Her backstory episode ("What Kate Did") did not live up to that promise - but perhaps by that point any explanation would not have felt like enough. Looooved her with Sawyer. Did not love her with Jack. Did not love her character being more defined in relation to those men rather than on her own. And eventually her insistence of doing the opposite of what she was told got weary (ok, Charlie definitely has that quality).

I don't see Miles as Jack, though. He's more like a Sawyer/Sayid hybrid. With Jack's ability to maintain a haircut that wouldn't look out of place in a lawyer's office despite compromised circumstances