REVENGE: 5 Ways to Save the Show

As many of my Twitter followers know, I have been a massive supporter of “Revenge” from day one. I even enjoyed the Initiative storyline, knowing that at some point we’d have to get to the root of the David Clarke conspiracy, the terrorist cell behind it, so why not sooner rather than later? Season three then took off right out of the gate with a fantastic first half and returned at midseason with an equally impressive slew of episodes. However, ever since Emily’s mysterious blackouts were so conveniently and unsatisfyingly resolved and Margaux’s father, Pascal, arrived in the Hamptons, the show has come to a screeching halt. My patience is fading and if that’s happening then surely everyone else with a much lower tolerance for “Revenge” is losing interest, too.

With only three episodes left in the third season, here are my top five fixes that “Revenge” should consider before breaking ground on the fourth.

Kill Daniel.

This shouldn’t need explanation. Joshua Bowman has gone on the record hoping that Daniel gets killed off, citing the character’s wishy-washy behavior in season two. While Daniel has certainly been given a solid arc this year, one without a single waffle, it has also completely decimated his character. The boy whose smile would give me tingles is now the man whose smirk I want to smack right off his face. Daniel has devolved into a slimy, mustache-twirling-if-he-had-a-mustache bad guy who has no business going toe-to-toe with Emily. He’s simply not good enough at coercion and lying to be a believable threat which means that when other characters – namely the strong-willed Margaux – succumb to his blatant manipulations they look moronic and weak. Daniel has become the diseased limb of “Revenge” and it’s time they cut him off.

 

Ditch Aiden.

This has little to do with shipping yet everything to do with shipping. The show, having completely eliminated Daniel as a suitor and broken up Emily and Aiden, seems to be headed towards pairing our girl with Jack.  This leaves no room for Aiden. Aiden only works when he’s working with Emily. But when the romantic dynamic is removed between them, he simply does not belong. Whenever he’s on his own Aiden is rather boring and whiny and I would struggle to accept the idea of him sticking around to help Emily finish her revengenda when marrying her is completely off the table. Give him and Emily a clean break, let him exact his revenge against the man who murdered his father (hopefully by eliminating Pascal in a violent, painful manner), and then let him disappear, ready to pop in to assist Emily in a recurring capacity instead of a regular one.

 

Bring Charlotte into the fold.

The show clearly doesn’t know what to do with Charlotte. They try making her Amanda Clarke’s sister and then she reverts to her Grayson ways. If the show doesn’t have Victoria discover Emily’s real identity soon (see below), then it’s certainly time Charlotte learns the truth. She turned on her father when she discovered his role in Declan’s death (remember Declan?) so I don’t think it’d be a leap for Charlotte to join Emily’s cause to avenge their framed, fallen father. Plus, as we’ve learned from classic television, estranged sisters tend to generate great stories.

Have Conrad scheme against Emily for once.

I recently said on Twitter that if anyone has benefitted from this season it’s Conrad. Whereas he used to annoy me with his grumbling, constantly-on-the-brink-of-losing-his-voice whispers, now I’m intrigued whenever Conrad’s on the scene. Plotting against Victoria and for his own financial well-being, as he’s essentially been doing for three years straight, was fun while it lasted but now it’s time to pit Conrad and Emily against each other. Season three finally paired them up and we saw that Emily VanCamp and Henry Czerny have electric chemistry as “allies” – so I can only imagine the fire that’d ignite if they were set up as enemies. Victoria has been more often than not tasked with handling Emily’s attacks against the Graysons. Letting Conrad go on the defensive would not only freshen up the Takedown of the Week formula, but it’ll also give Czerny material to sink his teeth into and, undoubtedly, tear apart.

 Let Victoria learn who Emily really is.

This is a bold one. So bold that I highly doubt “Revenge” will go here by the end of this season - even though all signs point to it being the only direction they can possibly go, I’m sure the writers will subvert our expectations and have Emily come out on top, keeping her identity a secret from the Queen of the Hamptons yet again. But let’s say Victoria does discover that the woman plotting against her family is Amanda Clarke. You want to reinvigorate the show? This is how you do it. How does Emily continue her revengenda when her identity and plan has been exposed? It would put the Graysons and Emily on equal footing, allowing them to finally play the same game instead of blindly calling checkmate when Emily’s been playing checkers all along. Watching Emily scramble to get revenge when Victoria is ready to deflect her every move would be exciting TV, just like the first season was. Of course, that should only last until midseason. At that point, a common enemy should arise – possibly Conrad, possibly someone else – that would force Emily and Victoria to align themselves and use their powers of manipulation and sabotage to stop their shared nemesis. Had the obnoxious Frenchman Pascal not already been introduced, I would suggest a character like him to step up as the central villain, but I’m praying Pascal makes like a salted snail by season’s end.

How are you feeling about this third season of “Revenge?” What is working? What needs changing? Does the entire show need to be overhauled to sustain another year? Are five fixes enough? Or have you lost all hope that “Revenge” will return to its first season glory?