Revenge 4.11 Review: Epitaph

It’s always difficult to decipher where a series will head after losing a prominent character. The transition was made a little less difficult for Revenge in ‘Epitaph’ though since Daniel, while remaining present in the series, had long since lost his importance in the story. Unfortunately this meant, at least for me, that Daniel’s death didn’t hold as much significance as it probably should have. Emily’s flashbacks to being in bed with him, Victoria imagining doing his tie,, Margaux dropping her phone at hearing the news, and even Jack’s ‘I can’t believe it’ all felt extremely cliché and melodramatic. I understand that melodrama is what Revenge excels at, but if Daniel’s death did anything for the series it increased the tension in a storyline that was already entertaining.

It seemed odd that the series had so quickly introduced and then disposed of FBI agent Kate Taylor (aka the elusive Malcolm Black’s daughter) in the mid-season finale, ‘Atonement’, but both her and Daniel’s deaths forced Revenge’s characters into immediate damage-control which made ‘Epitaph’ a thrilling watch. Emily was forced to concoct an elaborate lie that implicated herself in Daniel’s death, Jack had to back her up to ensure that Emily, the crime scene and Kate’s disappearance were believable, David had to dispose of Kate’s body, Victoria had to play along and betray the memory of her late son, and Nolan did his usual thing – sent Kate’s phone to Miami so that Malcolm would follow it there and meet his unfortunate end at the hands of some drug lords David contacted about his whereabouts. This was all a very entertaining continuation of the Malcolm Black storyline, and while I was concerned that Revenge had pre-emptively exaggerated his character, arriving in the Hamptons and immediately killing the police chief indicates he’ll be a formidable adversary for Emily for the rest of the season.

Although ‘Epitaph’ did tend to lose its momentum when focusing on the loss of Daniel it didn’t entirely fail at honouring his character. The scene in which Emily had to explain why Daniel didn’t have any defensive wounds to officer Hunter and she responded by saying that she understood why Daniel was angry at her – because of the horrible things she had done to him – indicated some remorse on Emily’s part. It’s a rare side we see of Emily, and she may have very well being lying (as usual), but after all, an epitaph aims to honour someone, and I like to think it was the writers way of saying thank you to a character that had served the series well while he could.

Quote of the episode:

Lousie: ‘Did you hear? About Daniel Grayson?’

Nolan: ‘I did. I’m sorry, I know you two were… colleagues?’

Rating: 3.5/5

Television Characters That Can't Be Killed

Writers pride themselves in creating loveable and memorable characters for audiences, and it's particularly important when it comes to television, because it's the characters that audiences keep coming back to watch each week. But there's more than one way to convince viewers to tune in and, and writers love nothing more than to place beloved characters in mortal danger to really keep audiences enthralled during an episode, on in anticipation for the next one.

The recent True Blood finale provides an excellent example of this, with the fate of arguably the show’s most popular vampire, Eric, played by Alexander Skarsgard, being left up in the air until the shows next season after he burst into flames on top of the mountain in the Swiss Alps. The discussion of the shows finale could have easily been about Warlow's sudden but inevitable transformation into the season's big villain, or Billith's transgression back to Bill, or that intriguing six month flash into the future, but no, fans, especially the female ones, were most concerned about the fate of their beloved Eric. And of course, the one question on everyone's lips until the show return in nine months is, 'is Eric really dead?' 

The obvious answer to that question would be evident to the most casual television viewer, which is, of course not. Not only is Eric a main character of True Blood, but he is an integral member of the shows forever running love saga, him being one of Sookie's many potential suitors, of which he is the most liked by viewers. For the writers to kill him off would unleash the most furious fan backlash a television show has ever seen, and the show would undoubtedly lose a substantial amount of viewers because of it.

The fact is in television, like most storytelling, there are some characters that just can't be killed. Some for the reason above, but mostly, characters that are integral to a shows plot, the 'main' ones, can't be killed because the show is about them, and it wouldn't be the same show without them. Shows that share their titles with the main lead are the most obvious ones. Dexter, Castle, Bones and Nikita are all shows in which the lead can't die (unless it's at the very end). And I don't recall House, Veronica Mars, or Buffy dying either (okay so Buffy died twice, but she came back because she couldn't stay dead! There wouldn't be a show without her.) And then there are shows in which there are one or more main characters who are so closely linked with the premise that there would be no show without them. There would be no Revenge without Emily, no Supernatural without Sam and Dean etc.

And then there are those characters like Eric, whose name's not in the title, and who the show could easily go on without, despite fan backlash. But writers understand the importance of keeping audiences both entertained and happy, and that means that there are some characters that just can't and won't be killed, and why Eric will most definitely survive to see True Blood's seventh season (SPOILER: True Blood producer Brian Buckner has confirmed this). And here's some other cherished television characters that are never going to suffer that fate because of how much they are loved by audiences:

Richard Harrow (Boardwalk Empire):

Since the shocking death of Jimmy Darmody on the period drama series that depicts the prohibition era in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Richard Harrow, a disfigured war veteran, has cemented his position as a fan favourite character. Despite the amount of violence that usually surrounds him, and the horrors he endured during his time in the war, Harrow is portrayed as a very childlike character, who is still discovering the world for the first time (or possibly again after the war) and it's a fascinating journey for audiences to watch. While Harrow is a simple and innocent man that knows nothing more than the hand life has dealt him, he's not one to ask for sympathy, and that, ironically, is what makes him such a sympathetic character for audiences. His temperament, sense of dress, and all the other ways in which he is presented make him a beautifully haunting character. Harrow is also an expert gunman, which not only comes in handy for those characters lucky enough to be his allies, but also strikes fear in his enemies. Any scene with him and a gun in it is fraught with tension because of his calm demeanour in wielding a weapon, and his shooting abilities not only ensure his livelihood on the show, but in the hearts of audiences as well.

Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad):

As Breaking Bad heads towards its final episode, fans of the show have been speculating wildly as to how things will end for science teacher turned drug lord Walter White. Just as importantly is how the characters around Walt, his family, and his ex-partner in crime Jesse, will be effected by the fallout that is undoubtedly going to befall him, and whether or not they'll be partially responsible for it, or just get caught in the crossfire. For the entire run of Breaking Bad Jesse has again and again suffered greatly because of Walt's actions, which has taken a significant emotional toll on his character. He has become the series' most sympathetic figure, a young man out of his depth who wants desperately to repent for his past sins. So for many fans, Jesse's death at the end of the series would simply be unjustifiable. He's been the moral centre for a show whose main protagonist has progressively turned into an antagonist, so if there's one thing fans want from the end of Breaking Bad, it's a happy ending for Jesse (or at least one that doesn't involve him dying).

Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones):

It's probably stupid to say that characters in Game of Thrones can't be killed, considering that the author of the fantasy book series the show is based off, George R.R. Martin, has become infamous for killing off prominent characters in shocking and unexpected ways, but I'm going to anyway. The reason Daenerys can't be killed off is that, and note I have not read the books, Game of Thrones is essentially her story. While majority of the characters are centralised on a singular continent, albeit a large one containing many kingdoms, Daenerys has spent three seasons separated from them in her attempts to return there. She’s crossed oceans, married the leader of a savage tribe, freed slave people and is the mother of dragons, who believes her rightful place is atop the throne in King's Landing. It's debatable whether or not she will succeed, but general storytelling practices tells us that so much time wouldn't be spent on a character and her journey unless it was for a reason. So Daenerys will eventually get to King's Landing, and hopefully fight for the thrown, and that's precisely why she cannot die.

Nolan Ross (Revenge):

Nolan is the smart, sarcastic and level-headed sidekick that anyone who's trying to exact large amounts of revenge on people, in this case the rich and powerful, needs. For Revenge, Nolan provides a much needed dose of humour into the Hamptons. Dramas like Revenge have a tendency to take themselves incredibly seriously, which can make for painful or hilarious viewing depending on your taste. Regardless, Nolan has that unique self-referential wit that stops the show from veering into the melodramatic too often, and audiences can't help but relate and understand the snarky comments he makes about the rich socialites he ostracises himself from. This in turn demonstrates his role as the moral compass of the show, sharing the highlife status, but distancing himself from it and trying to use his money and power for good. While he is an integral part of Emily's revenge plans, he's always questioning her motives, ensuring that her fiery temperament doesn't get the best of her by reminding her she's fighting to avenge the injustice her father was served. His strong emotional ties with Emily also form the show’s most meaningful (and pretty much only platonic) relationship, which make him an indispensable character that fans couldn't stand to lose.

Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead):

It's difficult to say that a character in a show about the zombie apocalypse won't die, but again, I'm going to anyway. The Walking Dead prides itself on the grittiness it's genre can present on television, and killing major characters throughout its run has been a recurring, if not constant, occurrence. The show also prides itself on its characters, those who are fighting to survive in a dying world, and who better to represent that then a very American 'everyman'. While he was portrayed as a low-life, self-serving southerner in the shows first season, after the departure of his antagonising brother Merle from the group, The Walking Dead showcased Daryl’s transformation. His skills as a hunter and tracker make him an important member of the group, and while initially seeming untrusting, Daryl has warmed to the others, and as he did so, the audiences warmed to him. Now he's arguably the most competent character on the show, with Rick suffering a prolonged mental breakdown, but he's far too humble to try and lead the others, but rather content on being the man everyone turns to for help. And of course he has to retain he's masculinity while doing this, so there's a lot of crossbows, really aggressive glaring and an occasional wise-crack to round out this lovable character. To be honest, Daryl can't die on The Walking Dead, because if he did, everyone else would soon follow.

So do you agree with my picks? Are these characters just too valuable to their respective shows, and more importantly, their fans, to die? Or do you think they're just as expendable as any other character? And do you have any characters you love so much that the show they're in would be forever ruined if they died?

Revenge 2.18 Review: Masquerade

After Padma's kidnapping Emily and Aidan try desperately, for Nolan, to track down The Initiative. Aidan uses his position at Grayson Global to ruin the companies finical holdings, which losses him his job but is successful in reuniting Daniel with Emily, Trask informing Daniel that The Initiative will no longer be doing business with Grayson Global. Aidan kidnaps Trask, and he takes him to Padma's body, revealing he killed his sister and father. Aidan snaps his neck, but Nolan is blamed for Padma's death. To me, Emily and Aiden felt cold towards Nolan throughout the episode, not truly understanding his loss. I'm interested to see when The Initiative and the Falcon will return, they obviously still have Carrion and I'm sure they have plenty more nicely dressed employees where Trask came from.

I love that Jack is infiltrating the Grayson's in an attempt to get his own revenge for Amanda, but his attempts to do so beg a different question: what does he actually want to do to make them pay? Emily has less problems in this department. She's after retribution for her father, and just when you think it's Jack's master plan to detour Conrad's election Q&A, Emily uses Nolan tricks to manipulate Conrad into making David Clarke's pardon for his crimes an election promise. This is all well and good for Emily, but it still annoys me that Emily never seems to be out of control, and I'd love to see Jack start spoiling her plans. He seems to know the right person to turn to as well, who else would want to recruit the self-serving Ashley Davenport as their co-conspiritor to bring down the Grayson's? Not a smart move Jack.

Using Mason Treadwell's information that Victoria had a son she put up for adoption when she was sixteen, Emily tortures her throughout her masquerade ball, sending letters and flowers from the abandoned son causing Victoria to faint. It also caused her to return to the nunnery to which she gave up the boy, unwittingly leading Emily there as well. What plans Emily good possibly have involving Victoria's long lost son is beyong me, but let's just hope it's good considering her mistreatment of both Nolan and Aidan to further concentrate on exciting her revenge.

Rating: 3/5

Revenge 2.12 Review: Collusion

Emily's playing a dangerous game trying to get to The Initiative, and Collusion made it apparent that she might not have all the control she might like. In convincing Daniel to acquire Stonehaven in a business deal, Emily unwittingly gave The Initiative exactly what they wanted. Furthermore, it severely hindered her partnership with Victoria, who was adamant she stop Daniel's furthering plans at Grayson Global. While The Initiative’s introduction into Revenge defines the show as extremely melodramatic, at least Revenge knows what it is. The revelation that they plan to use Nolan’s confidential Carrion project in order to shut off all of Manhattan's electricity, and that they've used Daniel to require Stonehaven, a disaster relief foundation, so that they can profit from using Carrion is over the top dramatics at its peak. The way in which The Initiative has seemingly worked their way into the lives of the characters of Revenge is another prime example of this. Aiden tried to play along with their plans and kill Victoria, but Emily convinced him not to, leading to (possibly) his sister's death. Not even Nolan is immune to their manipulative powers, discovering his employee/ lover Padma is working for them. Let's just hope her reasons are more intriguing and not so banal as Daniel's. Meanwhile, are even more banal storyline involving the Porters and the Stowaway continues, and just as I knew it would more of Revenge's characters have been dragged into this silly plot. Hopefully Conrad's business deal with Nate to take control of the docks, and tear small businesses down to create a new high-end casino in an attempt to run for politics provides more interesting developments for all the characters involved other than Jack and Declan wondering around like stunned mullets.

Rating: 2.5/5

What I'm Into...

Hi all,

Before I start posting I just wanted to give everyone a general idea of what sort of television (and all things pop-culture) stuff I like so you could get an idea of what sort of things I’ll be writing about, reviewing, ranting over etc. Here they are:

Favourite Television Show:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer

  

Favourite Sitcom/ Comedy:
Friends

Favourite Reality Show:

Survivor

Guilty Pleasure:

Desperate Housewives

Favourite Television Character:

Walter White (Breaking Bad)

Favourite Couple:

Not usually a shipper, but Ned

and Chuck were pretty cute (Pushing Daisies)

Last Time I Cried Watching TV:

Unaccompanied Minor (Grey’s Anatomy)

Favourite Character Archetype:

Femme Fatale

Favourite Television/ Movie Genre:

Contemporary Science-Fiction/ Fantasy

What I’m Currently Watching On TV:

Revenge, How I Met Your Mother, Happy Endings,

Alcatraz, Ringer, The Big Bang Theory,

Californication, Desperate Housewives,

Game of Thrones

What I’m Currently Watching On DVD:

The Vampire Diaries (Season 2),

That 70’s Show (Season 8),

Sons of Anarchy (Season 1)

Favourite Television Writer:

Joss Whedon

Favourite Movies:

Inception, Alien, Watchmen,

Kick-Ass, District 9, Mean Girls, Kung Pow: Enter

The Fist, X-Men: First Class, Chronicle

Favourite Song:

Touched by VAST

Favourite Band:

Linkin Park

Favourite Artist:

Lana Del Rey

Favourite Books:

Wuthering Heights, Paradise Lost

 

So thanks for reading everyone, and feel free to let

me know what your favourite things on TV are,

I'd love to here them.