Revolution, Season 2, Episode 8: “Come Blow Your Horn”
Written by Rockne S. O’Bannon
Directed by Charles Beeson
Airs Wednesdays at 8 pm (ET) on NBC
Another episode of Revolution, another set of key characters in captivity. Both Aaron and Gene find themselves guests of Dr. Horn and the Patriots (Gene is also subdued by his own family, and we’ll get to that). The act of placing its characters unwillingly under the care of enemies is a well the show draws from time and time again. While it can work effectively as a tension-building device, having our main crew fall into Patriot (or Militia, or another enemy) shackles time and time again contributes to the law of diminishing returns, especially when the more handy members of the gang bust out of their predicaments within minutes.
That said, “Come Blow Your Horn” offers some nice character beats along with the requisite action, as the show continues improving. This week we get a taut little action setpiece as the Mathesons converge on the Patriot conclave, with Rachel set to blow the building up before realizing Aaron is inside. We of course also check in with Neville, who seems to entrench himself further into the Patriot hierarchy while tying up one loose end: Justine Allenford, who dies at her husband’s hand. It’s a smart way for the writers to write off someone who could have really compromised Neville’s revenge mission.
The episode this week ends on a pair of solid cliffhangers, with the Mathesons ready to attack the Patriot camp to save Aaron and Gene. Horn’s goons plunge a knife into Cynthia’s abdomen, seemingly in a bid to get Aaron (who, by the way, is basically an X-Men member at this point with Wolverine’s regenerative and Pyro’s pyrokinesis powers) to compel the nanites to repair the wound, and Aaron screams and fire flashes as the scene fades out. Yet, while Aaron is a complex character we’ve grown to appreciate and empathize with, we have no real reason to care about Cynthia. Her character’s been painted in broad strokes and we know very little about her, save for how much she means to Aaron.
It’s a step up from the typical Revolution fare, thanks to the character moments that really land. Here’s hoping for more of the same going forward, ideally without the group rotating into and out of captivity.