Revenge review – 2×19: ‘Identity’

It’s all baby drama and Falcon! Falcon! Falcon! reveals as Revenge returns from its long hiatus for the final few episodes of the second season.

Let’s bitch it out…

It’s been so long since Revenge has been on the air that I’d nearly forgotten what last happened. ‘Identity’ does a decent job dealing out the necessary exposition while also moving the story along. I’d say that the episode does more than move it along, except that the payoff on The Falcon reveal and the baby mama drama doesn’t merit the time we’ve spent on it so far this season. As much as I like Nolan (Gabriel Mann) getting in on the REVENGE! action, taking down Edith Leewith a simple game of Street Fighter and a jimmy-rigged USB drive is kinda…weak. Isn’t this the computer hacker that’s eluded him and Emily (Emily VanCamp) for decades? Why did it take them so long to find and out her if she’s so easily disposed of now? I mean, I’m all for ushering these plots along, but doing away with such a significant villain in one fell swoop makes the entire exercise feel empty.

As usual the real prize is to hurt Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) – in this case for abandoning her first son Patrick back in 1973. Naturally the reveal takes place during a live interview conducted one week before Conrad’s (Henry Cznery) election, making me wonder why the hell these rich idiots ever hold a party or a press conference? Clearly bad shit will be going down, so consider staying in with some wine and a Duck Dynasty marathon or something.

It’s nice that the secret is officially out, however. This means that Revenge can focus on tracking down the missing heir instead of draaaaawing it out. As far as episodes go, though, this one does feel like a bit of a stepping stone to a larger, more interesting story.

Other Observations:

• Good to see Takeda (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) again, although I’m not quite sure why he swung by. Did we need his “Emily can REVENGE! on her own, you should come home” bit with Aiden (Barry Sloane)? Won’t the inevitable break-up with Emily in t-minus 5…4…3…2…1 be enough?
• I’m hating the new Charlotte (Christa B. Allen) storyline. Last episode we hate this Regina girl and now we’re skipping out on Declan (Connor Paolo) to go for coffee and faux lesbian club hopping? The girl is clearly just using Charlotte, but apparently the Grayson idiot is too dumb to figure it out (as usual). This is far too Gossip Girl. Just cut this character loose already. Remember the pills cliffhanger from last season’s finale? It’s time to revisit that storyline…only with a different outcome
• Is Juju Chang, the reporter who interviews the Grayson family, a slang version of Julie Chang? Weird
• Victoria Grayson, in true Ice Bitch mode, gave up her baby for a summer scholarship at L’ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris?! Oh that is cold. Also: Patrick is a cute baby name
• Thoughts on where Ashley’s (Ashley Madewke) allegiances lie? Part of me thinks that she’s been burned so often by Conrad that her offer to help is phoney, but she’s such a gold-digger that I wouldn’t be surprised to see her betray Jack (Nick Wechsler) either. One way or another, we’ll see what happens since those pictures of Conrad meeting with his opponent’s wife, Allison Stoddard (Jessica Tuck), will clearly be a major factor in the remaining episodes
• Everyone catch the Drive reference? Nolan’s jacket with the red lobster is a dead ringer for a similar gold scorpion number that Ryan Gosling’s unnamed driver wears in the revenge film. Good to know that when Nolan means business he dresses the part
• Finally, how perfect is the moment that Emily catches Jack’s eye immediately after announcing on-air that she’d be happy to join the Grayson family? You can practically hear the “roh-roh” Scooby Doo sound effect

Best Lines:

• Victoria (to Conrad, losing her quip-iness): “Well I suggest you go to hell!” If this is the best you can do, then you’re losing your touch, sweetie
• Ashley (demonstrating how dumb she truly is): “And a not so hot hot chocolate for Carl. I’m sorry I have no idea what babies drink”
• Ashley (when Jack wonders if Allison is Conrad’s type): “She’s a woman”
• Nolan (watching Victoria melt down during the Nightline interview): “I really should watch more TV”

What are your thoughts on ‘Identity’ and Revenge‘s return? Do you think Ashley will betray Jack or Conrad? Do we care about Victoria’s first-born son? Was The Falcon’s capture too easy? And what do we think of Emily’s decision to re-engage with Daniel at Aiden’s behest? Sound off below!

Revenge airs Sundays at 9pm EST on ABC