J.J. Abrams ‘Revolution’ Preview!

On September 17th Warner Brothers and Bad robot Productions will begin airing their new sci-fi series ‘Revolution’. It’s premise rests on a dystopian future wherein all electricity components have failed to work and people are essentially pushed back into a sort of Mad Max style dark age. The series has been created by Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and is produced by J.J. Abrams. From what I can tell the story takes place in two timelines, one in the near future that deals with the immediate aftermath of the ‘Blackout’ and follows Rachel Matheson (Elizabeth Mitchell) and Ben Matheson (Tim Guinee) while the other timeline takes place 15 years after the previous events and follows the entire Matheson family. The story of Revolution will alternate between the two timelines as the Matheson family tries to undo the effects of the ‘Blackout’

Despite the official air date of September 17 the shows pilot will probably be available before that, this is usually to get the buzz going and to hedge against viewers not being able to see the pilot at the proper time. It is expected that the pilot will be available on or about the 3rd of September. Stay tuned to ScifiEmpire.net for the review afterwards.

In order for Revolution to become a success it will have to avoid a number of mistakes that previous TV-shows such as The Event, Lost and Alcatraz made. It will need to avoid being too dramatic or rely on Hollywood style happiness in order for viewers to start caring for the characters. The trailers in that respect already showed some ‘mistakes’. The shows inevitable fans will also be very critical in any inconsistencies regarding the use of technology. With regards to Me mentioning Lost, for some viewers the show became too complicated whereby missing an episode caused some to stop watching it. I hope Revolution will avoid this mistake as the use of two timelines can easily make things complicated.

Here is the synopsis of ‘Revolution’…

Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down, the lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it? On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future. From director Jon Favreau and the fertile imaginations of J.J. Abrams and Eric Kripke, comes a surprising “what if” action-adventure series, where an unlikely hero will lead the world out of the dark. Literally.

And here are two trailers…

As everyone knows Elizabeth Mitchell replaced actress Andrea Roth just before the filming of the pilot. I wonder why…