PILOT TALK is a new column I'll be writing about the many new pilots I'll be checking out throughout the fall TV season. I'll also be writing SEASON PREMIERE TALK for returning series I watch.
I had low expectations for Revolution, which is the first new series I'll be reviewing for this segment (though I also have been watching The New Normal, which I might be writing something about.) To me, Revolution seemed like a cheesy concoction of the past few years in pop culture, like a blend of The Walking Dead andThe Hunger Games. And the first few minutes of the pilot certainly didn't help. But, by the end of the pilot, I was convinced that Revolution could, if handled intelligently, end up an exciting action series with a captivating plot line.
What impresses me the most about Revolution is how much I enjoyed the action in this episode. From an intense shootout to a wonderfully staged and very exciting sword-fight that closes the episode, the action was effective and exciting. Maybe I'm just starved for great action after so many disappointing films this summer, but the action sequences in Revolution felt like something out of a summer movie.
The plot also feels like something out of a summer blockbuster. Nothing too serious, nothing too thought provoking, but filled with possibilities. We may be in a second 'Golden Age of Television" with intense, extremely dramatic dramas like Breaking Bad and Mad Men, to name a few of the fantastic series available to anybody with a television and a basic cable package. And I love shows like that, don't get me wrong. And, as far as I can see, Revolution won't ever touch that level of quality. But let's not completely disregard the age olden action drama, filled with familiar archetype, the age old 'good vs. evil' theme and fantastic cliffhangers that wet our appetite for the next week. That's what I look forward to in Revolution, assuming that the quality doesn't dip in coming weeks. The final moments of this episode, as all good pilots do, raises questions and allows for much speculation about what will happen in the coming weeks. That being said, do not watch the full promo for the series if you are at all interested in watching this pilot. It completely spoils many of the big reveals from this episode, which makes absolutely no sense to me.
As to what needs to be changed, some of the acting simply must improve. Series lead Tracy Spiridakos is quite wooden in this episode, and amongst the many interesting characters in the series, is incredibly boring in comparison. Her fellow young actor, Graham Rogers, is just as one note and fails to make an impression in this episode. Much of the series will, apparently, rest on their shoulders. An improvement in charisma is a must. The characters themselves also feel quite underdeveloped. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to see all the different shades of each and every character in such a plot heavy pilot, but the characters are certainly cliches and need to be further expanded to maintain my interest. Also, as with all sci-fi/fantasy series on TV, this show must maintain consistently strong story telling. Remember Heroes? Flash Forward? It's very easy for a series like this to become unwatchable.
One last thing: I want to give special notice to series regulars Billy Burke and Giancarlo Esposito, who completely steal the show. Billy Burke, frankly, exudes 'badassery' and has all the makings to be a wonderful action hero. Esposito, meanwhile, is incredibly threatening and a wonderful villain that, as all good villains are, is more appealing than the heroes.
So, I'll be sticking with Revolution for the next few weeks with the hope that the series delivers on what it promises in the pilot. I see a lot of potential in this series, and I could definitely see myself becoming addicted to it... if it lives up to all of it's potential.
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