Episode Title: “Born in the U.S.A.”
Writer: Eric Kripke
Director: Steve Boyum
Previously on “Revolution:”
After a shaky first season, “Revolution,” a post-apocalyptic homage to the works of Stephen King and Led Zeppelin, needs to get better to hang onto the gift of a second season and those viewers who’ve stuck with it this long. The season premiere isn’t particularly promising. but it’s hard to give up on a show with the kind of talent “Revolution’s” packing… at least not yet.
“Born in the U.S.A.” kicks off six months after the events of the season finale, when Randall Flagg Flynn turned the lights on long enough to launch a couple of nukes, decimating Atlanta and Philadelphia. Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) is on the hunt for Monroe (David Lyons), who since the fall of his Civil War Reenactment Empire, has taken up sport fighting in “New Vegas.” While in pursuit on Monroe, we see what presumably is meant to be an “edgier” version of Charlie, hooking up with a bartender while people square dance to a Mumford and Sons-inspired version of “Crazy Train.”
Meanwhile in Texas, we get more coffee house acoustic covers, this time it’s “Tom Sawyer.” Though it feels like “Revolution” leans way too heavily on pop culture references instead of building its own mythology and culture, the idea that “rock music” as we know it no longer exists in this world is interesting. It’s not something we would necessarily think about if not for these scenes, as heavy handed as they can be.
Last season, we got a lot of scenes where characters argue about leaving for whatever reason. Apparently, that’s not changing this season as we watch Miles (Billy Burke) tell Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) he’s peacing out, again. Rachel doesn’t know that her dad, Gene (yea, the gang somehow found Rachel’s dad, no biggie) told Miles to keep his ninja-pirate paws off his daughter. Rachel doesn’t want Miles to go, but he reminds her that “bad things “ happen when they’re together. And by “bad things “ he means a nuclear holocaust.
Of course, Miles doesn’t end up going. Well, he tries to… but when a “war clan” attacks their village, he turns right back around. Miles, who’s still going by “Stu,” (you know, as in “Stu Redmond” from “The Stand?”) warns the sheriff that things are only going to get worse. And they do when a couple of bandits break into Aaron’s home and murder him in front of his new girlfriend.
Rachel’s father, Gene (Stephen Collins) tries to save Aaron (Zak Orth), but he’s too badly wounded. However, before the attack, Aaron told Rachel about a swarm of fireflies he saw light up the sky. Rachel blows it off but when Aaron suddenly wakes from the dead, we’re left to wonder if the little buggers had something to do with it.
As for Captain Tom Neville (Giancarlo Esposito) and his son, Jason (J.D. Pardo), they’re in a Georgian refugee camp looking for Jason’s mother. Certain she died in the attack on Georgia, Neville is about to kill himself when Jason walks into the tent and admonishes his father for acting like a “little bitch.” That may sound harsh, but for these two it’s practically a Hallmark moment and It does the trick. Neville is revitalized by the arrival of the “American” Secretary, Justine Allenford (Nicole Ari Parker), whose lies about the Monroe Militia he plans to expose.
With everyone scattered about, this season starts off feeling a bit directionless. Instead of focusing on getting power back (or if they even should) the episode sets up a bunch of new conflicts that aren’t that interesting, except for perhaps the introduction of Titus Andover (Matt Ross), who appears to be “Revolution’s” version of “The Walking Dead’s” Governor. Matt Ross is another fine addition to the cast, along with Jim Beaver who’s set to appear this season. Let’s hope they’re put to good use before it’s too late.
