User Reviews

Buffyholics like me were expecting Ringer like the new Messiah but despite some undeniable qualities it's still not the thriller I had hoped it would be. That's when Revenge entered the stage because nothing had prepared me for such a pilot ! What drove me to the show is Madeleine Stowe because her role in 12 Monkeys had a certain impact on me. Okay the truth is that like millions of teenage boys and young men I - my libido - just had a crush on her. Sadly after 1995 she sort of vanished into thin air and I never really heard about her until Revenge. Of course she's still ravishing and a fifty years old lady couldn't be more beautiful, even if actresses shouldn't dye their hair in my humble opinion, but it's really her character that won my vote. Indeed her villainous role as Victoria Grayson is refreshing considering I always saw her as a pure and innocent white dove, like Andie MacDowell and all these wonderful brunettes mere mortals can only dream of but that's an other story… Her performance was both seductive and deadly. A woman to die for ? Definitely, if you're masochist. And to balance her attractive darkness we have Emily VanCamp as Emily Throne. She's new to me so I had no prejudice. She was quite convincing, stunning in her white dress and a great mirror match for Stowe. I also found their age difference interesting because it makes the challenge far much more exciting. This is not Gossip Girl. This is not Harper's Island. Most people are rich and beautiful but Revenge isn't a guilty pleasure nor a silly Scream-like series.

Around Emily and Victoria revolves a palette of versatile and unpredictable characters. From the rich kids to the adults in trouble for once I don't have a single complain to make. I didn't find them stereotyped nor annoying when you would expect profiles like the annoying and arrogant prom queen or the hot guy who gets the girls. Here they all serve a purpose and seemed like pieces on a chessboard. What will be their next move ? Is Emily the master or the puppet ? Among them I noticed Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter. I hadn't seen him since Roswell as he played Kyle Valenti in the teen drama. Mister nice guy, again ? We'll see if he gets burnt but he should grow on you if you can relate to his story and issues. Moreover his personality contrasts with Emily manipulative and obsessed profile. Is he off limits ? Will she be able to protect the people she cares about or is her heart blinded by her incapacity to forgive ?

All these elements already make the show an instant hit and the pilot won't just convince you to watch the upcoming episode, you will die to watch the whole season ! You might also consider reading the Alexandre Dumas novel it's based upon, The Count of Monte Cristo. I wish I had already read it because I'm sure there're plenty of literate references to it. Beside the lavalike character development and hypnotic story Revenge has numerous other qualities that make it stand above its peers. The first of them would be its top notch production. It's Dawson's Creek in 2011 ! Wild beach, boats for a romantic escape or macabre cruise, wooden houses full of ambivalent memories… All the settings are so well polished, filmed and refreshing ! If it was aired on The CW our immersion would be broken by subliminal ads and poop music but on ABC from beginning to end it's a journey I'm not ready to forget. In fact once it was over I already wanted to watch it all over again ! An other appealing element are the flashbacks. Nothing special ? Of course they're enlightening, like in Ringer, but here they're filmed in first person view ! You'll feel like the cute and joyful little girl Emily used to be. Last but not least some people may find the infinity sign anecdotic but I found it inspiring because it materially and spiritually binded her to the show's fictional universe. Is it a vicious eight ? Will she ever transform the twisted circle into a virtuous one or is her Dark Passenger doomed for all eternity ? Don't resist. Once you will have seen the pilot your desire to know more will be too strong.

Absolutely excellent from start to finish ,might have to watch it again definitely a must

Fantastic show. I never expected anything much, but the plotting, the acting, and the cinema photography are all stellar. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I am just sad that I am coming to the end of season 3 with only season 4 to go. I still cannot believe that other than Madeline Stowe I wasn't familiar with all the actors. This is one great cast.

A great start to the series with all the elements we would later come to love on display.

Honestly speaking, I had no expectations of this show whatsoever. I didn't even have it in my must-watch list, but I am so glad I gave it a chance, because it was amazing!!

The storyline was intense, the cast was perfect and I couldn't find anything wrong with the show. Emily VanCamp does an amazing job in her role as Amanda/Emily. Kudos to the young girl who also plays Amanda, she was terrific! The story was well-paced, and I enjoyed how we got flash backs of the characters to see how they were related to Emily's father. The scene where Victoria finds out about Lydia at the party was epic. I also liked the scene where Sammy runs to Emily, even though Jack doesn't recognize her. I find Nolan's character also interesting, and would like to know why he has such an interest on Emily.

My issue with the pilot episode was that I felt they revealed too much in the opening scenes, and I think it would have been better if they just started off with Emily moving in to the Hamptons itself, rather than showing the engagement scenes. Also, I didn't care much for Declan and his interest in Daniel's sister Charlotte, but they didn't focus on that too much. Other than that, it was a perfect opening to what I hope to be a great show that lasts a few seasons.

If you are a fan of the last Sidney Sheldon or Aaron Spelling's works, you will definitely enjoy "Revenge". Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the pilot episode for Revenge, and cannot wait to see what happens next.

My TV Reviews Blog: http://rajivsrants.blogspot.com/