Revolution 1.11 "The Stand" REVIEW

Revolution 1.11 “The Stand” TV REVIEW

Episode: 1.11
Writers: Anne Cofell Saunders, Paul Grellong
Director: Steve Boyum

THE ONE WHERE Revolution returns with choppers, explosions and a new direction for the Matheson clan.

VERDICT I've only ever done it in videos games, but there's something particularity satisfying about watching a helicopter shot out of the sky with a rocket launcher then falling to the ground with a large explosion. Revolution knows this. The show has done well enough do earn a full season and with a UK air date now confirmed later this month, now is a good time to get on board. Spoiler warning! If you're watching at UK pace you might want to jump back a bit to earlier reviews .

We left the gang on the run from the Monroe Militia, Danny and his mum Rachel had finally been saved from the hands of megalomaniac Sebastian “Bass” Monroe who wants to run the whole country with his tightly-suited militia and army of sociopath generals, including Tom Neville.

After hiding in a diner from the pendant-powered helicopter gunship, with its power amplified by Rachel's generator, the gang escape Philadelphia in coffins and regroup. With Danny finally saved Aaron just wants to go home, this was the original plan after all, but it's evident that Bass can't be left with one of the pendants, the device that control s access to the electrical suppression field. He's well armed, so it's not long before he's got his chain-gunning choppers in the air mowing down rebels by the roomful.

Rachel and Miles head off to find some bigger guns while Nora, Aaron and Charlie (oh, and Danny) seek out the nearby rebel camp, unaware they are being watched by dysfunctional father and son Nate/Jason and Tom Neville. Their relationship has been on the edge of breakdown since it was revealed, and its actually a relief that it finally comes to blows in a volley of punches that sees Jason relinquish all family and militia ties.

A potential love triangle between Miles, Nora and Rachel? Revolution is taking on new shape, re-establishing characters and using this episode to change direction. Arriving at the door of the Bass manner house Randall Flynn looks set to shape things up. “Randall Flynn is coming,” says the scared weapons stockpiler. He's got into the tower and wants to get down to level 12, apparently. This means nothing at the minute but is exactly the kind of story baiting naughtiness that made Lost such good viewing. What's on level twelve?

THIS IS THE END BEAUTIFUL FRIEND Poor Danny. Having spent most of the a first half of the season being a plot device it looked like he was finally in on the action. A flashback and mention of experiments suggest a reveal involving his character, but we won't hear it from his lips. With one last chance to shine actor Graham Rogers can now put in his show-reel an awesome five minute chunk involving a rocket launcher, a helicopter a big explosion and a slo-mo death scene. If there's ever a cool way leave a show, this is it.

UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF THE WEEK A whole room full of rebels mercilessly squibbed to death by a helicopter. They barely hear the chopper before it's on them and too late. How didn't they hear a chopper? Maybe it had a whisper mode like on Blue Thunder.

BEST LINE:
Miles: “It’s too late. How's anyone gonna win this with muskets and crossbows?”
Rachel: “We get some bigger guns”

John Cooper @JohnCooper_uk

UK airing information: Revolution starts on Sky1 on 29 March

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