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October 24, 2012
Revolution S01 E01-E05
Revolution is a new TV series set in the (former) USA a decade or so after everything electrical in the world stopped working. Not in a "we've run out of oil way" but in a "the laws of Physics have changed way". It's a contrived plot device used in order to present a post apocalyptic world with no easy escapes, or basically a Science Fiction excuse to do fantasy in the future. There's lots of sword fighting, guns are scarce, a steam train is a super weapon.It is made of cliché.
The main plot currently follows a young woman trying to recover her brother from the evil militia (who also killed her father), who are taking him to the evil General Munroe, who is head of the militia and the Munroe Republic. It's the old cornerstone of alternative/future SF set in the USA, the USA is no longer United. Shock! Horror! As someone who (a) is not from the USA (b) does not believe that Nation States are the future, I find this incredibly amusing. Also amusing is that a big point is made about guns being illegal! Shock! Horror! As is owning any image of the Stars And Stripes! Shock! Horror! It's really quite funny.
The plot is trying to be Lost with flashbacks to character origins and odd mysterious plot contrivances, and even unexpected deaths. But it's not Lost, not even a thin shadow of it.
Despite that, I'm quite enjoying it. Maybe it's because I can laugh at it? Because it's so predictable? Because I'm enjoying watching Billy Burke do lots of sword fighting? I'm not really sure. I'm pretty sure it will go downhill and that there's not much behind the façade but as my substitute for watching a ridiculous soap-opera I like it.