Revolution, Season 2, Episode 13: “Happy Endings”
Written by David Rambo & Trey Callaway
Directed by Ernest Dickerson
Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on NBC
After previous hints of a religious undertone to the creation of the nanites, the show goes full-bore into the topic this week. Aaron and Priscilla hit the next stop on their world tour of enlightenment, or whatever it is the nanites want them to do, and they meet up with old friend Peter. The trio worked together on the operating system that powers the tiny machines and the nanites hold all three in deep regard for bringing them to life. Where Aaron was confused by and dismissed the power he held as a master of the nanite, Peter has embraced it. Yet instead of understanding that he commands millions of tiny machines, he believes he is harnessing the power of God to conduct miracle healings.
It’s an interesting direction for the show to take. While it’s unlikely that the show will afford the arc much time to truly delve deep into the religion vs. science questions such a storyline inevitably raises, it’s a solid starting point. When the world turns to shit, many people unquestionably turn to faith and this plot surely will touch on the business and ego of religion.
Elsewhere, things are getting a little steamy. Both Miles and Rachel and Connor and Charlie leap into the sack. The Connor/Charlie pairing was evident as soon as a new strapping young lad strolled onto the show, but Charlie seems determined not to make the same mistake she did by falling for Jason. It’s solid character growth. The Miles/Rachel pairing is obviously much deeper, with 20 years of history to draw from.
Speaking of history, we get a chance to return to one of the best locales we’ve seen yet on Revolution: New Vegas. Like a post-apocalypse Wild West, the town revels in hedonism, Bret Michaels and all. It’s a fascinating little place and a good focus for the action. The story gives us a little more depth to Monroe’s character and relationships, even if it is just an excuse to get Monroe away from the Willoughby area, but boy is it getting tired to see an episode cut to black with main characters stuck at the more terrifying end of rifles.
Elsewhere in Revolution‘s never-ending imprisonment cycle, Neville and Jason are freed by the President (who we see for the first time and is an old white dude — surprise!), who coerces them into killing Monroe under threat of harm to Julia. We’ll skip over the idea it took the men just five days to reach Willoughby in Washington D.C. It’s great to see Neville back on the road with a focus, a mission in mind, and an unnerving ability to lie through his front teeth, giving Giancarlo Esposito something to really sink his teeth into again beyond political and family strife.
With a hope and a prayer, though, Neville, Monroe, and the rest of the gang will make it through their current tussle and march on Washington. That’s an idea in which we can all have faith.
Kris Holt