I don’t watch a lot of TV and what I do is on either Netflix or Hulu. A while back a friend of mine, knowing my love of post apocalyptic fiction, told me about this show. The plot summary for Revolution via IMDB is:
“Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it? On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.”
The show airs on NBC on Mondays at 10/9c and the next day on Hulu.
First Impressions
So far I’ve seen the first two episodes of this show and will probably watch the third today. Probably not definitely though. I enjoy parts of the show. Just enough to have watched two episodes and possible the third. I have had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. Mostly because the character development has been slow and poor. I really don’t know much about them yet and am not very intrigued to learn more. The acting is not very good either. The protagonist Charlie (Charlotte) is very dull and uninteresting. For some reason I have a hard part believing any emotion from the entire cast. The sets though look believable and gorgeous. This show has some serious plot holes though.
Broken Physics
The world revolution is set in has no power of any kind. That means that batteries are dead, gas and diesel engines don’t run and any sort of electrical energy seems to have broken. Some mysterious man-made event broke the laws of physics. Chemical reactions are selectively nullified. I have not seen it but am assuming that gas does not combust?! Batteries that had energy is no longer accessible. To me it seems that all electrical energy has been removed from the world and any reaction to produce it does not work. Other chemical reactions still seem to work though. Gun’s, although now a limited commodity, still fire. I also have not seen any steam power. My suspension of disbelief can only go so far and a man-made power nullification field (I made that up) around the entire earth that completely breaks the laws of physics is too far for me. I try watching and paying attention but mostly I am thinking well this is crap. I can deal with minor breakage of physics in shows. The more unrealistic the show is the more I can tolerate. Shows based in our reality that break them this hard though, not so much.
Environment
This is where the show shines. The sets and environment are gorgeous. I can definitely envision an post apocalyptic America looking somewhat like this. The return to an agriculture based life, smaller villages and nature destroying the dominance we’ve imposed in it. I love seeing the overgrown cities and landscape. The show takes place 15 years after the blackout and nature is grown a lot in that time. I really think that the show creators spent a lot of time on this aspect of the show. Another thing I like is the re purposing of no longer useful parts of life. In the first episode I saw a car being used as a raised bed garden. It’s almost like the old world has become ruins. Similar to inhabitants of the dark ages looking at the marvels of the Romans.
Conclusion
Not to be too hasty but I’m going to give this show one more shot. I’ll watch the third episode later today. If I’m not hooked by then I’m giving up. Poor characters development, bad acting and plot issues are a lot to ignore. To be honest I may have only continued watching so long because of the lush environment. That’s just not enough to devote my time for. Let’s hope for something exciting in episode #3.
Have you seen this show? Whats your thoughts on it? Agree or disagree let me know in the comments.
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Ill have to give it a watch. I wasn’t too interested when I saw the previews. I haven’t heard too many good things about it.
I have been watching it and it reminds me of, “firefly” or “Xena” with the disney looking costumes. Everybody has VERY clean clothes, not very post apocalyptic, I mean even farmers I see today at the local hardware store have more dirt stains from riding tractors. Another thing is all the main characters are clean shavin and have fresh haircuts, styled with hair gel, even when they flash back 15 yrs, Miles still has the same sideburns and long hair that the Army dosent allow.
There are alot of other things I cant stand, good guys and bad guys all have brass knuckle swords ect..
I think they could have taken a look at “Falling Skys” and “Jerico” and look how the people with hard lives, and a struggle to survive dont have time to look like super models.
The background environment does look good though.
Haven’t seen the show yet, but the idea was actually knocked off from a classmate of mine at Penn State University.
Check out the full story: http://thismyshow.net/post/31723046231/did-j-j-abrams-rip-off-a-student-film-for-his-new
Yes, I have watched the show from the pilot. I agree, the plot is slow to develop after the possible initial premise (EMP? CME)was presented. Unlike ‘Jericho which was fast paced and showed the immediate onslaught of anarchy, societal collapse and human response immediately following the ‘event’, ‘Revolution starts 15 years after the ‘Die Off’. In Jericho there was more of a ‘Survival’ mentality to it than Revolution. Revolution focuses more on the poorly equipped characters trying to find answers to some yet unknown goal (agenda). It does seem interesting enough to keep watching, at least to allow some time for characters strengths to develop and the plot to unfold a bit more clearly. Although Revolution has the sexy 18 y/o with crossbow quotient to it, but really lacks the hard survival edge it needs. I mean really, are they still lighting campfires with a ‘Bic’ lighter? Are they purifying that drinking water from the stream? You never see anyone hard at work making shoes from leather or a village blacksmith forging some iron tools. The script writers could learn a thing or two from the new show ‘Walking Dead’ which is loaded with the hard edge of survivalism.
On a more funny note, is the ‘Car’ being used as a raised bed garden, was a Toyota ‘Prius’ hybrid……. how ironic.
I too love apocalyptic fiction…. for anyone interested in gripping apocalyptic trilogy, I loved ,”Dies the Fire” by S M Stirling. I took notes on that one.
How clean everyone is and stupidly costumed is another thing that irritates me. Lot’s of bad to this show definitely no Jericho which I hear is making a comeback.
I have watched all three episodes so far. I think the biggest problem for me isn’t the complete disregard of how electricity functions, but the planes dropping straight out of the sky. I’m pretty sure something that was moving a few seconds earlier at a few hundred miles an hour wouldn’t come to a complete forward stop from friction with air.
People are clean, and that does seem to be a problem, but I guess the viewers would rather not see a bunch of mud-piles? Not that it would make it harder to remember who the characters are.
I find my mind wandering while I watch. I can’t even remember if they show people eating. If they haven’t, I bet that’s one reason why it doesn’t feel ‘real’. Talk of food, even a bit of hunting, but has anyone had anything to eat?
And EVERYONE seems to know each other!
I found the fight scenes to be cheesy and the fact that they were using black powder rifles after only fifteen years ridiculous, even in a society with no electricity I see no reason that knowledge of modern firearms and the ability to make them would stop maybe they would be crude but not gone. Just my opinion.
The fights are cheesy. I would figure small scale hand loading factories would open. Also I’m confused why gasoline won’t combust but gun powder still goes boom…