Revolution (Mondays on NBC) - Season One

[Bostonfan]

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.

I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that the actors were never told what their characters history was in advance. So whenever they had a scene alluding to some deep, dark secret from their past, they were basically flying blind. Kate (I forget her name - Lily?) played those opening episodes with so much angst, that when she finally got her history revealed, it didn't measure up to the weight she had given it in the early episodes. I felt that was the case with many of the actors on LOST. It handicaps them in a very real way. I think the same will happen for the actors on Revolution if they are kept in the dark about their backstory in the overall narrative.

I remember reading an interview that Alan Rickman gave where he said J.K. Rowling revealed to him (and only him) what Snape's story was all about. I'm sure that helped him immensely in the early movies to give a more nuanced performance.

[jeffisjeff]

with a healthy dose of Giancarlo Esposito

At least his character on Revolution is much more interesting that the wimpy "mirror."

I am still holding out hope that Revolution can be like The Event, which got much stronger as it went along. Although not quick enough to save it from being cancelled.

[Wyliefan]

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 ...

I like her so far, but I'm only six episodes in. (Yes, I've finally been persuaded to watch "LOST"!)

[manhn]

I loved Kate pretty much throughout the series. Unlike virtually every other show, it's hard to be overwhelmed by any one character. Given the structure of Lost, we may see only a few minutes of a main character over a stretch of episodes.

[Bostonfan]

I like her so far, but I'm only six episodes in. (Yes, I've finally been persuaded to watch "LOST"!)

Don't be discouraged by any criticisms here. LOST was a fun show. The key is to just enjoy the ride. That's where the real joy in LOST comes from. Every fan takes something different from the series, and have affinity for certain characters. (For me, it was Jin/Sun)

Sorry to divert from the thread topic!

[PeterG]

I loved Kate pretty much throughout the series.

I liked everyone on Lost. One day I will buy the box set of the series. And maybe post an ad on craigslist and get a bunch of Losties to get together every week and watch a few epsiodes!

I am still holding out hope that Revolution can be like The Event...

That's another one I gave up on! I did hang in there for about six episodes, but it just wasn't moving very quickly. Lost had such well-written characters (which in itself was enough for me) but they were also people I wanted to spend time getting to know better. Add to that, there were always a few !!!! moments every episode that almost made it must-view watching.

Sorry to divert from the thread topic!

I, for one, would be happy if you talked about Lost in any thread that you like.

[Artemis@BC]

I understand they are both from the dystopian genre - especially with regards to the post-apolyptical theme.

Technically, only Revolution is post-apocalyptic. There was a war in the backstory of The Hunger Games world, but no apocalypse. The Hunger Games world is certainly dystopian, but the world of Revolution may or may not be classified as dystopian. Frontier lifestyle and statocratic rule does not necessarily = dystopia.

[manhn]

One of my small pleasures when watching any new shows with these big, sprawling casts is recognizing actors from previous shows. Such as: Hey--the pilot from Pan Am! Hey--Jacob from Lost!

This show is not exactly good but it's fun and the plot is moving forward. I also think the actress playing Charlie is being unfairly maligned like Alyssa Czisney.

It seems like every new show these past few seasons have to have a SHOCKING! death early in its run in order to show that "no one is safe". I haven't found one death actually helping the show. But iwouldn't mind seeing Charlie's brother dead.

Lastly, where are the gay folks? This show needs gay people.

[PeterG]

This show needs gay people.

Gays are only allowed on sitcoms. And reality TV. But never dramas. Who's ever heard of dramatic gays???

[genevieve]

ugh, sad to note that someone will get killed next week and you just know it won't be Charlie or Danny

Other than that gigantic flaw, the show is getting a lot more interesting.

[Spareoom]

Probably Google guy, because he's outlived his usefulness by giving stepmom the tech thingie?

[Matryeshka]

Technically, only Revolution is post-apocalyptic. There was a war in the backstory of The Hunger Games world, but no apocalypse. The Hunger Games world is certainly dystopian, but the world of Revolution may or may not be classified as dystopian. Frontier lifestyle and statocratic rule does not necessarily = dystopia.

But the war was the result of an ecological/environmental disaster. The coasts were swallowed up. So Hunger Games qualifies as apocalyptic.

[my little pony]

Probably Google guy, because he's outlived his usefulness by giving stepmom the tech thingie?

i enjoy google guy so you have a good chance of being right

[Jimena]

This episode was better than the first two. Still, Charlie is way too annoying. She's just not a good actress.

[mtnskater]

I gave Revolution 3 episodes and I'm done too. This show is so dark and violent.....a real downer. And who needs that in this day and age? I sure don't! I deleted it from my DVR timers after watching tonight.

I LOVE good science fiction and apocalyptic scenarios. But almost none are good anymore. The only one I liked in recent memory was Jericho. Writers should take a page from Star Trek. The reason it was so popular because it had a hopeful/optimistic view of the future.

[PRlady]

I loved Kate pretty much throughout the series. Unlike virtually every other show, it's hard to be overwhelmed by any one character. Given the structure of Lost, we may see only a few minutes of a main character over a stretch of episodes.

Me too. I loved Kate, especially with Sawyer, what an interesting relationship between two not-so-nice but fascinating people. Then Kate got all mommyesque raising Claire's kid and so much of her time was spent on a love triangle, and she got less interesting.

I like Charlie. I caught up with the last Revolution two episodes last night and it's certainly enough to keep me interested although too violent for my taste. There are lots of unanswered questions, and key one is from Miles: How did everything fall apart so fast? I think there's a real answer to that somewhere.

And I'm very fond of Google Nerd who is back to getting wedgies from Fate, he's interesting.

[BigB08822]

I decided I was done when the woman turned on the damn iPhone.

[star_gazer11]

I decided I was done when the woman turned on the damn iPhone.

It's supposed to be 15 years since they lost power, right? The phone battery held a charge that long?

[HeatherC]

I think that pendent thing has more power to it than we give it credit for because that walk/disc man thing shouldn't have worked either unless those batteries in it were EXTRA super charged after fifteen years, LOL

I'm still enjoying this show overall and I'm constantly wondering what's going to happen next which is more than enough to keep me coming back every week for now.

[Matryeshka]

I gave Revolution 3 episodes and I'm done too. This show is so dark and violent.....a real downer. And who needs that in this day and age? I sure don't! I deleted it from my DVR timers after watching tonight.
.

See, and one of the problems I have with it is it's not dark enough. I think they were trying to split the difference to appeal to everyone and it ended up a mess.