Four months is a long time to wait. Is Revolution worth it?
Network drama has been seriously struggling for a while now. Since Friday Day Night Lights went off the air, there have been very few broadcast network dramas that can artistically compete with what’s happening on cable. And, ever since Lost went off the air, networks have scrambled to replace the hit with high concept dramas that ranged from bad to awful (see FlashForward–actually don’t–you know what I mean).
But, none of those shows have had the success that NBC’s Revolution has. I reviewed the pilot of Revolution a while back. While I wasn’t thrilled with it, there were some promising notes, mostly from actors Giancarlo Esposito and Billy Burke.
Revolution just aired its midseason finale this week. The show’s flaws still persist: lead Tracy Spiridakos is not a strong actress, and her case is not helped by the stilted, whiney dialogue she’s often saddled with. The show’s over-reliance on hostage situations and the motif of family have become especially grating.
But, some good things have emerged from this first run of episodes. Miles’s confusing dynamic with militia leader and former best friend Sebastian Monroe has become the true central conflict of the show. It’s a much better anchor to the proceedings than Charlie’s constant whining about her brother Danny (another dud actor in Graham Rogers). Giancarlo Esposito continues to out-act everyone around him as Captain Tom Neville. The militia’s newfound electric capabilities make for many more interesting conflicts to come.
Revolution might not be a great show, but it has made some considerable improvements in the first half of its debut season. If it can sustain some good forward momentum and shift focus to Miles Matheson rather than the family-hostage-crisis-of-the-week format, it should continue to improve and maybe help out network drama.
