Bittersweet "Revenge"

By Lindsay Paris

“There comes a moment in each of our lives when the control that keeps us sane slips through our fingers…The best way to fight chaos is with chaos”. Gun shots are fired and a body falls face first in the sand.

With catchy intros, as seen above, Revenge grabs the viewers’ attention from the first scene to the very last of each and every episode, that’s smart TV. Many characters have been hated on in previous reviews but, being a huge TV critic, I say regardless to whatever role they might have performed in earlier dramas, each actor in Revenge plays up their characters flawlessly and naturally given each hectic situation thrown their way.

Revenge is set in the Hamptons with the first episode being on Memorial Day and the current episode taking place on Labor Day weekend. The show revolves around Emily Thorne originally named Amanda Clarke, daughter of framed terrorist David Clarke, before she changed names with a desperate friend and began a new life seeking revenge on anyone and everyone that played a part in her father’s sentencing and eventual murder. Each episode successfully grabs the viewers’ attention by choosing a compliment to the word “Revenge” and carrying that motive throughout the episode with the overlying umbrella being ultimate revenge.

This particular episode takes place Labor Day weekend the same as the first scene of the very first episode. Labor Day is what we now know also the engagement party of Emily and Daniel Grayson, heir to the Grayson Global family that framed David Clarke for an act of terrorism that they caused. After the gun shots are fired and the body hits the sand, we are taken back to 24 hours earlier right after Emily’s box of secrets and revengeful schemes were stolen.

This episode shows Emily, strong driven woman, at her most vulnerable state yet. The

importance of this “infinity” box of secrets has built up throughout the season. The desperately trusting girl who changed names with Emily has now also betrayed her and joined forces with a previous enemy that had been cast away. This episode allows for Emily to get a taste of some of her own medicine. She for once is scared and unsure of what’s going to happen next.

Emily portrays a nice, innocent girl but her life basis revolves around this image that is a complete lie. She does not stop at any cost knowing that she is going to hurt everyone in the end. Emily seeks the most crushing form of revenge on everyone in her path, some are even innocent but if they are linked to her revengeful plan, they will also be taken down in the end. Each episode intertwines and weaves the plot between the characters leaving the door wide open for anything to step into the scene.

The way things unfold is constantly intriguing and captivating. The intensity of the show is dramatized at the end leaving everyone questioning the next direction of the show.

Chaos is the theme for this particular episode and will continue to play a role in episodes to come. The writer uses the titles of each episode to teach the viewers about the details behind this vengeful show. Perception was a previous episode and, by the definition given, I continue to relate that concept to the overall show. Perception, Duress, Infamy, Commitment and similar other titles are described, defined and put into action throughout each episode. This is not a show that is going to leave you feeling stupid after the credits roll. It keeps you intrigued and wondering what’s going to happen next. Revenge is definitely a show to discuss with other viewers; it keeps one’s mind scrambling trying to figure out all the different pieces.

“The outcome of chaos can never be predicted, the only certainty it brings is the devastation it leaves in its wake.”- Emily Thorne