10 REASONS NBC'S REVOLUTION DOESN'T SUCK LIKE YOU THINK IT WILL

 

The video above is the recently released pilot of NBC's Revolution. And the ungrateful trolls orbiting the darker comment sectors of the nerdly interwebs seem to have a quibble with it.

Well, after a delightful 45 minutes, or so, of pleasant viewing during my lunch hour, I'm here to stand up for Revolution with ten incredibly well-reasoned counterpoints - whether JJ Abrams likes it or not. (Caution, possible spoilers ahead. -ed.)

#10) It's post-apocalyptic done positive.

There's light at the end of the tunnel. People aren't dropping dead of plague the whole time. It's not about the beginning of the end, it's the path to a new beginning. Despite the setting, the story is a bard's tale of a quest for rebirth, not the death of civilization. Something we're woefully lacking lately... Not pointing fingers, CNN. (He's totally pointing fingers. -ed.)

#9) Giancarlo Esposito's Capt. Neveille is wicked good fun.

Friendly, yet icy. Handsome, yet frightening. Gentlemanly, yet psychopathic. His character is the prime time television friendly version of Christoph Waltz's Col. Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds. And he's deliciously vile. One of the best characters you'll see this season. No, I don't have a man crush on him. Yet.

#8) It totally rips off the best parts of every other post-apocalyptic tale and doesn't give two shits.

The Hunger Games, The Postman, Road Warrior, I am Legend, et cetera, et cetera and stuff and junk. You name it, it's here. Hell, if you look shallow enough there's even a whole pound o' Tolkien's Lord of the Rings going on in there. And I'm ok with that. Just because it doesn't have an original bone it it's focus group scripted body doesn't mean it's friggin' fun and worth an hour of my time vs. the alternative:

The alternative.

#7) It makes you think.

"Gosh, what would I do?" you'll ponder. "I'd definitely be one of the tough, peace-loving survivors living a simpler life and farming corn in my McMansion's living room." Guess what, you won't be. But it's ok to think about it anyway. Now get off your iPhone and do some pushups, softy.

#6) It's a western with crossbows and totally out of context Desert Eagles.

And who doesn't love that.

#5) Tracy Spiridakos, starring as Charlie, actually looks like she could kick your schlumpy couch potato ass.

Whoever keeps sticking stick-thin, bag o' bones Summer Glau in TV shows where she pretends to be a female action lead needs to be strapped in an uncomfortable chair via duct tape and forced to watch Revolution until their colon bleeds. (No, I have no idea how that's possible.) Charlie is a fun character. Relatable, tough, attractive. And she actually looks like can kick your ass if she wanted to. No, she's not ripped. No, she's not Jessica Biel or Kate Beckinsale - and, believe me, I love a little Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale in skin tight latex - but she's believable and fun to watch. And that's just nice for a change. K?

Gratuitous Biel.

#4) It's not all hyper-realistic, uber-gritty and super-serious-look-at-me-I'm-making-serious-cinema-here-peopley.

You work hard, right? So sometimes you just want to kick back with a High Life, suspend a little disbelief, have a little fun and not want to slit your wrist after an evening of prime time viewing. Am I right? Of course I am.

That's the High Lifes.

#3) There are no zombies.

I love a good zombie flick. But they're played. Done. Finito. Revolution is proof positive you don't have to manufacture danger via some stumbling imbeciles sporting chintzy halloween masks your prop department picked up a Spencer's going out of business sale. Same goes for aliens, Falling Skies. Good riddance.

#2) The story isn't built to create the world, the world is actually a setting for the story.

I can't explain this. But it just feels right for a change. Go ahead and argue, but I won't listen because I don't give a flying fudge. (Keep it clean. -ed.)

#1) I hate JJ Abrams. But I don't hate this.

And that's a good thing.



Did I hail it? Or did I fail it? Leave your comment below.

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Posted in: hilarity,memos,misc,reviews