Revenge: Superheros don’t get balloons

I am finally catching up last week’s episode of Revenge, just in time for my DVR to catch the new one, and I’m reminded why this show continues to pull me in, even when I grow weary of the tried and true focus to the show’s moniker.  Here are a few of the things that draw me back, season after season…

Nolan and Emily’s relationship

I often think that some of the best relationships written on TV are friendships, and Emily and Nolan are one of my favorites.  From the beginning, he’s been her confidante, her helper, her partner in crime, and he’s always had the ability to tell her when she’s taking things too far (not that she listens..)  They are probably my favorite part of this show.  The title of this post is a line Nolan says in last week’s episode… he gets the best lines, don’t you think?

Emily’s Fashion

Yes, shallow as it is, I love the classic way that Emily dresses.  From her casual looks to her “Take Over the World’ dresses, she’s always impeccable.  Here’s Vogue‘s take on some of the best.  And Pinterest has lots of looks from Emily.   This gorgeous dress above can be found here.

The potential of Emily/Amanda and Jack

I was a big fan of Emily and Aiden and because of that, I completely understood why Aiden had to die. Emily loved him, completely, and they could have and would have built a life together, but from the beginning of this show one of the main relationship focuses has been Emily and Jack.  And not in an obvious way.  Their connection was set from the beginning, and they’ve taken steps forward, steps back and steps sideways in building that relationship.  Up until now, it’s been about the emotion between them, not about a budding romance and I appreciate that.  It’s been about their trust built, destroyed, rebuilt and how through everything that Emily has done and Jack has faced, in the end, they are connected to each other.  And times like last week’s episode when Jack saved Emily’s life, I’m reminded that through the seasons, they are slowly, slowly, slowly working their way to see what a romance would be like between these two.  Because I believe that a huge part of Emily’s eventual decision to embrace being Amanda and to let go of the driving force of Emily’s life will be Jack.  While I think Nolan is her center, I think Jack is her conscience. Her heart.

The Hope of Seeing Victoria Continually Brought Down

Victoria is one of those villains I love to really, really sink my teeth into hating.  She’s played brilliantly by #Madeline Stowe, because she is far from a one-note character.  Victoria truly is the heroine in her own life, and everything she does, she feels she has the justification, the purpose and the side of right behind her.  She’s been shown vulnerable, hard, and everything in between.  She’s a very complex character and a worthy opponent for #Emily Thorne.

Madeline Stowe says in this article that Victoria is hiding a world of pain, and that you have to tap into that humanity to make her compelling.  I 100% agree, and I also think that the show has at times forgotten that. Revenge isn’t a worthy plot if you can’t, in some way, root for the person seeking it. Or at the very least, root for her to grow as a person, to change, even if that means she’s brought down a notch or two.  I don’t want to see Victoria win at her power play for revenge against Emily, but I DO want to see her journey.

The Journey

That is the crux of what can make this show wildly watchable —and also not worthy of my time.  Season 2 went far, far into the weeds with their storyline about a mystery corporate villain called the “initiative” and almost lost me as a viewer because of it.  They went so far off the path, they completely removed what makes this show SO good in my opinion.  When they turned incredibly soapy with the Emily vs. Daniel thing, almost lost me there, too.  Not that I don’t love a good soap but they’ve already got a guy back from the dead.  Let’s leave the comparisons there, please?

Where this show SHINES when it narrows in and shines a light is on the human aspects of people, their relationships, their need for vengeance at times, and the lengths they will go to when they feel justified.  They have enough raw emotion in each of of these characters to fill seasons ahead without the need for tricks and mystery plots.  With the return of Emily’s father, I see so much opportunity ahead.  Emily, her father David and Victoria have a complex, difficult, ugly history.   Emily’s reunion with David.  The beliefs David has about who Victoria is.

Then when you add in Charlotte and her new understanding of who Emily is.  HER father returning.  Jack’s involvement.  That makes for some great conflict, with all the beauty and ugliness ahead. I’m hoping that this new season of Revenge stays the course and avoids the weeds altogether.

Oh, and P.S. I SO want that chair with the handwriting fabric on it!