New Show Review: Revolution

J.J. Abrams, Shonda Rhimes, and Ryan Murphy are at the top of the list when it comes to creating TV shows these days. It seems like everything they touch is an instant success. But I watched Abrams' newest show, Revolution, last night, and I gotta say, I'm not so sure about it. There might be spoilers ahead. 

In the future, people will be made of plastic. Also the lights are on. Also...why is Bella's dad in Chicago?

Revolution starts out great. It's fast and furious and before you know it the world is without electricity. Given that I love a good disaster movie, I was thrilled about this opening. I couldn't wait to see what was happening.

Until it skipped ahead 15 years with no explanation. Now I get that this gives Abrams tons of opportunities to go back and fill in the gaps of what has happened, but I needed more for the pilot episode to really hook me. Instead, I felt like I was watching The Village meets Mad Max meets Dances With Wolves. And what was up with all that sword fighting? Ugh. 

Like LOST, I realize that we will have to be patient to see what develops and how, but the difference is that LOST drew me in with the depth of characters right off. From the moment we see Jack's eye open and he stumbles onto the beach, we get an idea of who he is. All we know about the characters in Revolution is that one used to have money, another has asthma that will apparently show up every 5 minutes (I mean...explain that...seems like pollution and asthma inducing elements would disappear a little after 15 years with no electricity...just saying.), another is a hard-ass, and someone is hiding something. Abrams, you didn't give us the disaster stuff we all want, and you didn't develop the relationships or get us attached to any one character up front. Where are you going with this?

This gun is gonna go off.

I did like the end when the woman booted up the computer. It's intriguing, but wasn't that the computer from LOST? I think I even saw her type in 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 at one point. Kidding. But come on.

I'd love nothing more than to see Revolution work itself from either end and meet in the middle in the end. Playing with time is fine. But already the non-linear moments are happening in brief flashbacks that didn't leave me wanting more, but instead left me wondering if Abrams even has a plan for the show. 

I will watch again, but I need less tents, less men in Matrix coats, and less Count of Monte Cristo swordfights. Either give us more of the problem or more of the people. I will give it 2 more episodes.

Did you watch Revolution? What did you think?