After a two-week break Revolution is back with the episode entitled ‘Sex and Drugs’. So far the series is progressing at a steady pace, the storyline seems if anything quite able to keep some secrets from the audience without getting boring. Most fans have so far been a bit irate over matters such as the acting of certain actors and how like Terra Nova the plot seems to focus a bit too much on teen angst. Personally I am not really troubled about any of these issues, I am willing to give Revolution a chance and so far the show is steadily improving. The sixth episode ‘Sex and Drugs’ is such an example of improvement though because the storyline is standalone it has flaws of its own.
The plot of ‘Sex and Drugs’…
In the last episode Nora (Daniella Alonso) got stabbed by a fellow resistance member, now the wound has become infected and our gang is forced to seek refuge with an acquaintance of Miles (Billy Burke) called Drexel. Apparently Drexel is a big time heroine producer who has a deal with the Monroe Republic in order to make money for them. Drexel isn’t pleased to see Miles because when Miles went AWOL Drexel lost a lot of credit with General Monroe. Right from the start it is obvious that Drexel is unstable and has used his own product.
Drexel orders Nora to be taken care of but as a price wants Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) to kill the man who has burned his poppy fields to a crisp. Charlie agrees to do so over the objections of both Miles and Aaron (Zak Orth), the latter having increasing problems with his somewhat pacifistic ideas as we see in his flashbacks were he repeatedly fails to protect his wife from harm.
Meanwhile General Monroe intends to send more men to fetch Charlie, Miles and Aaron after he finds out the capability of the pendant held by Aaron. Jason, Major Neville’s son objects over the use of violence but Monroe overrules him. Major Neville doesn’t hide his distaste for his son’s non-violent attitude and this scene is indicative of a future show down between the two.
Meanwhile Charlie has managed to hoist herself in a slinky dress that she intends to were in order to gain access to Drexel’s arch-enemy, Drexel also gives Charlie a black eye to make it look as though she is a disgruntled prostitute from Drexel’s own little harem. After Charlie has gone Aaron manages to convince Miles that he should go after her because they think she can’t do it alone. Aaron states that he will try and escape with the still unconscious Nora but Miles knows he doesn’t have much of chance.
Unfortunately Miles’s escape alerts Drexel who decides to finish off Aaron and Nora. The unconscious Nora is given a shot of adrenaline which wakes her up. Drexel puts a gun into the hands of both Aaron and Nora and tells they should shoot each other, the survivor is free to go. Aaron and his increasing struggle of not knowing how to use violence states that he won’t shoot Nora and uses the gun by shooting himself in the chest. A stunned Drexel kicks his seemingly dead body until Arron raises the gun and kills Drexel. Aaron shows that the bullet he fired into himself was stopped by his hip flask. As Drexel’s guards are stunned Nora and Aaron make it safely out of the compound.
Charlie, meanwhile, has gained access to Drexel’s enemy. The man appears to be a law-abiding man revenging his daughters death by burning Drexel’s fields. Charlie seems to have serious doubts about going through with the murder but manages to knock the man unconscious. Miles manages to stop Charlie from killing him and together they escape as well.
Outside they team up with Aaron and Nora and Miles has to hear in disbelief how Aaron killed Drexel, Nora gives Charlie her clothes back who has to admit she wasn’t able to kill Drexel’s enemy.
Back at General Monroe headquarters Danny Matheson is reintroduced to his mother (Elizabeth Mitchell) who he believed was dead, and thus the scene is set for the next episode in which Monroe will try to play one against the other to uncover the secret of the blackout.
Conclusion; Though the episode feels somewhat contrived in that the plot with Charlie having to kill another person to save the group seems a bit overdone. Nonetheless, the shift in personality of both Charlie and Aaron since leaving their little village is quite striking and now I find myself rooting for them just as much as for Miles and Nora. As we now know that Aaron’s wife did not die we can expect a subplot with him trying to find her now that he has his mojo back.
I think this episode fixes enough problems for the series to go forward towards the next few episodes which will show what is behind the hatch (lost reference). So far the show is moving at a good speed when it comes to the storyline and the background of each character. Personally I think Revolution has a better chance of a second season than both Terra Nova and Alcatraz.
Score; 8 / 10.
Viewer Rating; 9.16. The second episode in a row to have higher ratings. I hope than that the fourth episode’s rating of 8 million was just a one time fluke downward.
UPDATE; as per popular request I have uploaded more pictures of Tracy Spiridakos and her infamous ‘bathtub’ scene, I hope I won’t be getting anymore emails about it now. The pics are of a different source material and thus a higher resolution. For an actress who has so far gotten a lot of hate from fans she sure as hell turning into a fan pin-up girl really quick. then again, the studios blatant attempt at suggesting in this weeks episode promo that she was to have forced intercourse with Drexel was disgusting enough. If Tracy is willing to do a bathtub scene, then she can expect pics of it on the internet. See the five added pictures below, last row!
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I love revolution. I hope it lasts longer than Alcatraz. There has been a lot of great shows that never play past shows. I sure hope Revolution lasts for a long time. I really hope this show is around for along time! Thank You, Jim Kiser