THE MESSENGERS Is a Mess

Article first published as THE MESSENGERS Review on Seat42F.

It’s never a good sign when The CW holds a show until mid-April before airing it, even bumping it back one more week as the premiere date approaches. Having just viewed the first episode of THE MESSENGERS, titled “Awakening,” I can see why this drama is being held until cast-off time, rather than getting a chance during the regular television broadcast season. It’s not the worst show the network has ever made, but it’s near the top of that list.

THE MESSENGERS begins with five strangers. Vera (Shantel VanSanten, One Tree Hill) is a scientist who sees something streak across the sky. Erin (Sofia Black-D’Elia, Gossip Girl) is a divorced mother with a little girl. Joshua (Jon Fletcher, Between the Black) is a preacher’s son at a mega church, sharing the gift of persuasion with his father. Raul (JD Pardo, Revolution) is involved with some bad dudes, though it’s unclear exactly what their deal is. Peter (Joel Courtney, Super 8) is an uncool high school student being picked on by a bully.

Then, one day, all of their lives change and intersect.

There is also a character called The Man (Diogo Morgado, The Bible). His intentions are hidden, and while his presence makes one uneasy, especially the way he is introduced, there really isn’t much to him yet, nor is the actor so menacing that viewers are likely to fear him.

The premise of THE MESSENGERS is far from original, but that doesn’t mean no television shows should do the strangers-drawn-together concept. It just means that there is a lot to compare it to, so if one is going to use the same format, one needs to make sure the product is high quality and can hold up to comparison. Usually, this is accomplished by casting very good, but often not super well-known, performers and crafting an intriguing, complex mystery. THE MESSENGERS lacks both of those elements (as well as subtext), the cast being OK, but nothing special, and the story confusing in such a way that it’s hard to care about.

A lot of THE MESSENGERS hinges on the mystery. “Awakening” shows us how the five get their powers, sort of, but doesn’t explain what those powers are and why they’ve been granted them. Press materials for the show reveal (SPOILER) that they are angels tasked with saving the world. I do not get that from “Awakening,” and even knowing what their mission is, it doesn’t matter. This pilot does almost nothing to make you care about these characters and their secrets are not laid out in a tantalizing way.

I do feel slightly sorry for a couple of them. Circumstance has dealt them a bad hand, or blindness to what’s going on around them has allowed them to become victims. But their situations seem too ridiculous to be believable, and should be put behind them quickly. An ex-husband threatens to lie in a police report and say you were drinking prior to the car wreck? You’re in a hospital, for goodness sake! Have medical professionals test you and provide evidence for your case. Your family is so sleazy it makes your skin crawl? Leave them far behind and have nothing to do with them ever again. Two problems with very easy solutions.

Could THE MESSENGERS improve enough to be good? Anything is possible, but I doubt it. The concept is just far too poorly executed at the start to recover. The show needs new actors, new writers, and basically a reset of the premise to even begin to show promise, and once the pilot has been released, it’s too late for that. I don’t hold out any hope for this one.

THE MESSENGERS premieres April 17^th on The CW.

"Love" REVOLUTION, Finally

Article first published as "Love" REVOLUTION, Finally on TheTVKing.

NBC's Revolution is finally finding its legs in the second season, which paused with the mid-season finale "Everyone Says I Love You" last night. In the installment, there are many people missing, and some doubting their sanity when they see things they don't expect to see. It's not much of an episode for closure, but it does further a number of arcs in a satisfying manner.

Aaron (Zak Orth) is front and center at present, suddenly having the power to heal even more wounds, and not just for himself, which he discovers when Cynthia's (Jessica Collins, Rubicon) knife wound disappears. But it's not actually Aaron doing any of this. The nanotech that saturates the world recognizes Aaron as the man who woke him up and is bending to his will, as well as appearing to him (and only him) in the form of a childhood friend.

Revolution has barely begun to scratch the surface of what the nanotech means for the characters or the planet. It definitely doesn't understand human emotions, letting Cynthia die again later in the episode, after Aaron has been screaming at it to go away. Yet, they understand preservation, killing Dr. Horn (Zeljko Ivanek, Damages) and the other Patriots who threaten Aaron. Have they already outgrown the human they've been helping now, and what drives them? These are interesting questions that the show will hopefully delve into down the line.

This series must strike a balance between character development and mythology, something the entire first season struggled with (not to mention plot holes and bad acting from the younger cast members, which seems to have mostly fixed itself over the summer break). There are plenty of viewers who are watching to unlock the mystery of this dystopian America and find out what political faction can seize control, but there are others who just want to see what will happen to the people they've become attached to.

"Everyone Says I Love You" mainly serves the characters, letting Miles (Billy Burke) fess up to long-hidden feelings for Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) after a very revealing flashback, Rachel tells her daughter, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos), just how much she is loved, and Rachel is worried about her MIA dad (Stephen Collins, 7th Heaven). Yet, this also ties into the larger arc. For instance, Miles is looking for Aaron to heal him from an infection. But will the nanos abandoning Aaron mean that Miles is out of luck?

I feel like this is a good way to handle things. Rather than keeping the elements separate, the series is starting to really weave an interconnected story and use all of its very talented adult cast appropriately, allowing them more layers and history. Thus, it's improved markedly.

Monroe (David Lyons) is one who has benefited from this shift. Once a pretty flat villain, he's now a broken man, having lost his nation, and is only getting by because of the hope that he might find his long-lost son. Miles is the key to the boy's location, tying Monroe and Miles together once more, and along the way Monroe has to do some things to protect our heroes, something we don't expect from him prior to this. Very interesting, and dynamic.

And, of course, Revolution is still going to try to shock fans with the Big Reveal from time to time. Among the many happenstances in "Everyone Says I Love You," the most surprising may be when Tom (Giancarlo Esposito) finds Julia (Kim Raver) alive and remarried. This not only throws Tom for a total loop, making his grief a waste of time, but also destroys the reason behind the mission he is on. There's no telling how he may proceed now, especially because it seems Julia isn't willing to just come home with Tom and their son, Jason (JD Pardo), but also asks that Tom abandon his quest.

Practically everything Revolution has done in its sophomore year has been a step up over the freshman run. If it continues this in the second half of the season, it just may crack into must-see, recommended TV. It's certainly got some great elements!

Revolution will return soon to NBC.

REVOLUTION Still Same Old, Same Old

Article first published as REVOLUTION Still Same Old, Same Old on TheTVKing.

NBC's Revolution begins its second season tonight with "Born in the U.S.A." It's been six months since the bombs decimated Atlanta and Philadelphia, and the survivors of the Tower have spread out. Some are settled in a small town, others have taken off to find missing relations, and still others are out on their own, heading down a self-destructive path.

First things first: the power is back off. Turns out, it only stayed on for a few minutes. Why? Well, no one knows, or at least no one viewers are familiar with knows. There are hints that this is still an ongoing thread, though, and I look forward both to further exploration of the topic, and movement on the getting-it-back-on front. This central storyline often takes a backseat to personal issues, but it's really what drives some of the most exciting episodes, and should be paid more attention to.

The most likely to be involved in this arc is Aaron (Zak Orth). Though he has moved into a house with a woman (Jessica Collins, Rubicon) and teaches elementary school, he still worries about what is going on in the world at large, and is curious about strange behavior by fireflies and other insects. He's got to be the one to figure things out, or at least spur the others to go somewhere they can find more information.

I have to admit, "Born in the U.S.A." really upset me by killing off Aaron. He ranks at the top of the list of favorite characters, and it would be a shame to lose him so early in what could be a long run. I was furious at the show and ready to rail against it had there not been that final scene of him opening his eyes again. Without it, this review would likely be colored by strong emotion and be much less positive.

Aaron dies when the small town where he, Miles (Billy Burke), and  Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) are living are attacked by raiders. This is an interesting turn and definitely one that people in their situation would have to deal with, but I can't help comparing Revolution to The Walking Dead here. The town is surrounded by a wall, like Woodbury, though it keeps out living humans, not zombies. And the leader of the raiders (Matt Ross, Big Love) does have shades of The Governor in the way he runs his camp and the falsely pleasant demeanor he tries to exude.

Unfortunately, while we know fans of good TV like this sort of development based on The Walking Dead's ratings, Revolution is much more poorly written than that show, meaning it suffers when it invites comparison. I'd rather they try to differentiate themselves more. It may be that this similarity was not purposefully conceived, but now that it's obviously happened, it's best to abandon it quickly and move on.

Miles is still playing the hero in "Born in the U.S.A." He tries to leave the town, but comes back when he rightly fears they will be attacked, leading to he and the sheriff getting captured. I guess this means the sheriff is probably expendable and will die soon. Miles could end up getting his job, and then he'd have a real reason to stay, even though that would be out of character for him. Though it wouldn't be the first time Revolution let someone veer out of character, and Miles always walks a thin line between believability and stereotype.

The gripping drama of this setting goes to Rachel who is deeply damaged by the events at the Tower. She is haunted and feels guilty, looking like a hollow shell of a person. Mitchell handles this beautifully, really making us understand her pain. Sure, she'll have to come out of it sooner rather than later, but I'm in no hurry to see that happen if only because I like that Mitchell has meaty material to mine, as the scripts aren't always worthy of her.

Rachel is staying with her father (Stephen Collins, 7th Heaven) during her time of healing. It's nice that she gets to go home to a caring parent who can take care of her, as that seems like just what she needs in her sorry state, even if he doesn't seem to be really helping much. Of course, I like Collins and I like this part, especially because it expands what we know of Rachel, so he joining the cast as a new main character is a welcome development.

Rachel's dad talks about how she has always gone for the wrong guys until she met her now-deceased husband, Ben (Tim Guinee). I can definitely see some truth in that, coming through in the way Mitchell plays Rachel. However, her dad is totally wrong that Miles is one of those "wrong" guys. Miles certainly has been selfish and careless from time to time, but bringing Rachel home at a critical junction should have earned him points, and defending the town ought to, too. And Rachel isn't exactly a perfect girl, either, making her share of mistakes. Really, Miles is a great combination of the bad boy and the noble man, at least in the episodes that serve him well, so perhaps he's the right mix for Rachel to end up with, even if he is her brother-in-law, since that seems to be where Revolution is heading.

In season one, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) is initially painted as the main character. This is unfortunate, because while she works OK as a member an ensemble, her role isn't strong enough to hold the show. Considering this, I was hoping she'd stay with the group for awhile and not get played up. No such luck.

In "Born in the U.S.A.," Charlie strikes out on her own in search of Monroe (David Lyons). We don't know why she does this because the episode doesn't tell us explicitly, so we must assume it's holdover anger from last year. Maybe she still wants revenge for her brother's death? And her father's? She certainly doesn't want to be Monroe's friend, aiming an arrow at him. But it's hard to find anything compelling about her story. Plus, she was settled for a couple of months in the town with the others before she went hunting, so it would be nice if Revolution explained why she decided to depart when she did, what is so urgent about her quest.

In fact, we only get a couple of small glimpses at the intervening six months. This is fine, letting the story reset itself, and there's always the possibility of seeing more down the road.

Before Charlie has the chance to kill Monroe, he is nabbed by some bad guys. I'm much more interested in his story than Charlie's. His nation fallen, Monroe is hiding in New Las Vegas, getting into fights for money, gambling away his earnings, and generally acting like he doesn't care about his life. This makes sense, given the circumstances, and while we don't know why he is kidnapped specifically, there are plenty who'd like to get their hands on Monroe after everything he's done. Yes, we'll have to deal with Charlie intruding in the arc, but this still should be pretty interesting over the next few weeks.

One group that may want Monroe is the United States government. Sailing in from Cuba, rebuilding the White House, the unseen President wants to be back in charge. I assume this is the same President from when the power went out, so his term is long expired and he failed to hold the country together, which doesn't give me a lot of confidence that people will fall in line for him. But he could either publicly hang Monroe as a traitor to score some points, or use him to make Monroe's former subjects fall in line. Either way, the government seems the most likely organization with the ability to catch Monroe.

That being said, though the government is the most obvious choice, it could also be someone with a personal vendetta, like Charlie. There's got to be plenty of those out there. What I'm saying is, take my theory with a grain of salt, though it seems reasonable to me.

The reason we know the government is on the move, besides a brief, unexplained glimpse of activity at the White House, is that a representative sails to shore near Tom (Giancarlo Esposito) and Jason (JD Pardo), who are looking in Atlanta refugee camps for the missing Julia (Kim Raver). The pair haven't decided whether to approach the boat yet, but they likely will be involved in whatever is going on here.

Now, this could pull them away from their current mission. They can't exactly keep asking about Julia if the government is rounding folks up and moving them or assigning them some task. However, in this post-apocalyptic world, it makes sense few would have time to indulge in such hopeless pursuits as looking for someone who quite likely will not be found.

It must be said that the balance between Tom and Jason has definitely shifted, and that is to be appreciated. Both have been through a lot, and it has shaped them in different ways. Though they're not at odds as much as they once were, there is still thick tension between them. I wonder how long they can remain a pair alone.

I like the approach Revolution has of tying their characters into the larger arcs, approaching the big issues from the small scale. There's many things the show does wrong, including being cheesy and under developing its stories and players, but this is not one of them. It is far more interesting to have Tom and Jason, two familiar, main characters, get caught up in something and experience it from their viewpoint than to introduce a bunch of new people or take the situation broadly in an army vs. army scenario.

"Born in the U.S.A." has some good beginnings and a few really nice scenes for the a couple of the most excellent actors in the cast to show some range. It does still suffer some of the flaws of season one, being predictable and inconsistent, but for now I think it's worth keeping tabs on, as it still could eventually reach its potential, evident by several elements already present, and that would make for an amazing show.

Revolution airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

REVOLUTION Out of the "Dark"

Article first published as REVOLUTION Out of the "Dark" on TheTVKing.

With this week's "The Dark Tower," NBC's Revolution completes its freshman run. Inside The Tower, the race is on to turn the power back on, while outside, allegiances both personal and on a larger scale are rocked by new developments.

After watching "The Dark Tower," I am disappointed that Revolution has still not corrected the issues that have plagued it all year. The plot holes are still numerous, and while the focus has (thankfully) shifted to the adult actors, away from annoying kids, the characters continue to act in ways that don't feel right.

For instance, Jason (JD Pardo) falls in line behind his father, Tom (Giancarlo Esposito), as the new leader of the Monroe Republic (which will presumably get a name change). Yet, they've been fighting all year, lacking trust and affection between them. Granted, they are father and son, so there could definitely still be a level of love there, but nothing in the writing or acting really shows this to us, skipping over the nuances that would have been the clues, and just showing quickly changing minds.

The Nevilles are far from the only relationship like this. Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) spontaneously evolves a mother-like bond for Nora (Daniella Alonso), while hating her own mom, whom she is warm to not long ago. Miles (Billy Burke) chooses Nora over Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell), even though his mind has been on the latter a lot more lately. Rachel coldly murders Dan (Glenn Morshower) when he disagrees with her. Grace (Maria Howell) betrays her friends. Randall (Colm Feore) kills himself.

Now, all of these can be explained through plot developments, but not really by internal motivation. It's not the facts that are wrong, but the emotion. Circumstances seem to dictate how the characters act, rather than personality, values, or beliefs. The characters switch sides without much warning, and while perhaps it's believable that they do so, the writers don't take the time to show the evolution, nor do the actors play to the tiny bits that would give us warning that something is coming.

People die far too often, too. I'm not just speaking of main characters, who we've lost several of already. We are frequently introduced to a new player, and before we even get to know them, they're killed. This has happened with a number of parts played by very good actors who it would have been nice to see stick around. Death is obviously a large factor in the world they live in, but that doesn't mean we need to see someone bite the bullet every week. Let us have time to care about them, so when they do die, it means more.

I wonder if the problem is the pacing. Things happen rapidly and in very quick succession on Revolution. Fast movement can be good, but it also needs to balance itself with natural attitudes and actions. Maybe Revolution is just trying to go too fast.

Though that doesn't excuse the hokey shadow-Lincoln president-in-exile living in Guantanamo Bay. Coming on the heels of Randall's Civil War-esque preaching, this "surprise" ending feels forced and silly.

There are also two questions left at the end I'm not so happy with. One, is Julia Neville (Kim Raver) dead? We see her in Atlanta as the missiles launch, but that would be a crappy, uninspired ending to her, again coming too early. Two, why do we see Aaron's (Zak Orth) wife, Priscilla (Maureen Sebastian) again? She hasn't been much of a part of the story, so her cameo here in unearned. Will she be blown up, too? Is there something else planned for her next year?

Which is not to say that "The Dark Tower" is without merit. I absolutely love seeing Miles and Monroe (David Lyons) have it out with one another, removed from the battle field and distractions of others. We finally hear Miles's explanation as to why he couldn't kill Monroe, and we learn why Monroe hates Miles so much. There is a true brother bond between them, no matter what happens. These words make sense, and if more of this occurred, there would be less to complain about.

I also like seeing Miles mourn over Nora. They didn't quite work as a couple, but this acknowledges the real feelings between them. It also removes Miles and Rachel's obstacle towards being together, which means we won't have the pining and conflict that the predictable love triangle brings.

Thirdly, it's nice that the power comes back on. This dystopian future is cool, but given the way the story has been moving, it would have been very disappointing if it didn't happen in this episode. We still don't know if it's back everywhere, or what this will mean for the U.S. and the world, but it does move the plot along in a direction that it needs to go.

Revolution is full of so many good ideas, and the premise is fascinating. There are some really terrific stars in the ensemble, too. If it would only be allowed to truly breathe and live, rather than being forced to check off a predetermined 'to do' list, it could be really great.

Revolution will return next fall to NBC.

Not exactly a Revolution

Grade: 66%

NBC’s REVOLUTION is exactly the type of series that belongs on TV. It is sweeping and expansive, with a large cast of characters in an interesting and different world. All electricity has been gone for fifteen years, and people have gotten by in a variety of ways. Now, things seem to be at a tipping point, with those in charge, who are not very nice, intent to bring back the power for their own gain. A small band of heroes stands in their way. This mix of the classic story with a new twist sounds fantastic!

The execution, however, leaves a little something to be desired. First of all, why kill off two of the best members of the cast in episode one? We see Rachel Matheson (Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost, V) only in flashback, just before the electricity shuts down. Then, in the future, her husband, Ben (Tim Guinee, The Good Wife), is quickly snuffed out. Both of these are excellent performers, and I sincerely hope that at least one of them isn’t really dead, even though the old plot device is a bit overused in this genre.

Second, the heroes’ journey gets off to a rocky start in that the initial gang is a bit clumsily assembled. Viewers are introduced to Ben’s daughter, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos, Majority Rules!), who is brave, high spirited, and tasked with the fate of the world. Yet, Charlie makes a mistake right away by trusting Nate (JD Pardo, American Dreams) just because he helps her once. She has been raised in this dangerous world. Are we really supposed to believe that Charlie is that naive? And even if we believe her instincts, as Nate may end up being someone worthy of her trust, the character of Nate is extremely uneven in this “Pilot,” trying to prove Charlie’s feelings about him are both unearned, but not entirely misplaced. It doesn’t work.

The rest of Charlie’s group is also a bit odd. Aaron’s (Zak Orth, Romeo + Juliet) involvement is adequately explained because of his connection to Ben, and what he has been entrusted with, which supports that Charlie has reason to rely on him, too, even if he is given a hard time. But then there’s Maggie (Anna Lise Phillips), whom Ben had only recently started dating. Yes, Ben tasked her with taking care of his children before dying, but she doesn’t seem the type who would so operate in such a blindly loyal fashion. She is shrewd and jaded, not exactly someone who should fall in with Charlie and Aaron easily. Yet, she follows Charlie with hardly any argument. Why?

The trio of Charlie, Aaron, and Maggie head out on a quest to find Ben’s brother, Miles (Billy Burke, Twilight), who is also sought after by the evil militia. Miles has a connection to the baddies, and also to Ben, neither of which is fully explored in this episode. Instead, viewers just see that he is tough, resourceful, and can single handedly take on an entire squadron of soldiers. Miles seems to be the unrealistic superhero of the piece. Burke brings just enough mystery to the character’s face to make it mostly believable. Though his decision to join Charlie or not is also handled unevenly, with a glaring missing connection between plot points.

The villains are fleshed out a bit better. We don’t see much of the militia leader, Sebastian Monroe (David Lyons, The Cape, ER) in the first episode, be we do get quite a bit of his henchman, Tom Neville (Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad, Once Upon a Time). Tom is hardened, but fair. He serves Monroe, but he isn’t evil himself, just doing what he needs to do to make a life in this new world. He seems genuine when he talks to his captive, Ben’s son, Danny (Graham Rodgers), whom the hero troop wants to rescue. Esposito, already proven a brilliant actor in other work, delicately shapes a fully defined character in a landscape that doesn’t naturally lend itself to such a feat, a triumph on his part.

And then there’s Grace (Maria Howell), who helps Danny, but also seems to unexpectedly have a connection to Ben. While she is just as ill-defined as the rest of the cast, she is also the mysterious stranger, which means this fits a bit better on her. She doesn’t get a lot of time in the “Pilot,” especially after we learn her secret, so she still has time to make a great initial impression. Let’s see if she can do so when much of the rest of the characters haven’t quite landed.

The pacing is a problem, quite possible the biggest one. A lot happens in the “Pilot,” and in a show like REVOLUTION, that shouldn’t necessarily be the case. Many of the issues that arise occur by forcing events along too quickly, instead of taking time. Charlie and the others could have spent several episodes making their way to Miles, really earning them their prize. Instead, it feels like the writers want to rush through the introduction so that they can get to the story they want to make. This is a mistake, as if the relationships and motivations are explored more delicately now, then the set up will be ripe when the bigger action arrives. Fixing the pacing could solve many of the other complaints.

Television is capable of making a great sci-fi show (see: Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Fringe, etc.). Yet, many of the efforts of the last few years fall a little flat (see: Terra Nova, V, FlashForward, The Event, etc.) Why is this? Do producers think that delivering a good hook absolves them from having to develop the characters completely? The draw of great genre shows has always been rich, complex people filling out the strange worlds that are presented. Viewers want to relate to the characters, not just see interesting new landscapes and special effects. REVOLUTION has the potential to be a great show, if it can fix the problems with the “Pilot,” which thankfully are not universal across every character and scene. But there is much work to be done if it’s going to be the next cult favorite.

REVOLUTION premieres September 17 on NBC, and is currently available online.