Episode Title: “The Three Amigos”
Writers: David Rambo and Anne Cofell Saunders
Director: Charles Beeson
Previously on “Revolution:”
Episode 2.09 “Everyone Says I Love You”
“Revolution” returns with a father-son reunion, as if this show needs more “daddy issues.” Determined to meet his son, Connor, Monroe (David Lyons) demands Miles (Billy Burke) fulfill his end of their bargain and make it happen. Thanks to Grandpa Gene (Stephen Collins), a hot knife and a bowl full of maggots, Miles recovers from his infection and agrees to take Monroe to his boy, whom Miles brought to Mexico as a child.
Miles warns Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos), Gene and Aaron (Zak Orth) not to be “morons” and heads off with Monroe and Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) to find Connor. Of course, as soon as he’s gone, Aaron leaves for Spring City, Oklahoma where the imaginary nanotech kid claims to be from while Gene and Charlie investigate a suspicious Patriot wagon full of oranges. So much for not being “morons.”
Elsewhere, Neville (Giancarlo Esposito) is forced to endure watching his wife, Julia (Kim Raver) parade around at a political party with her “ass clown” of a husband. Though he initially fails in his attempt to poison the President’s Chief of Staff, Neville later catches up with him and forces the man to down the poison, leading to Julia’s hubby getting promoted. Meanwhile, Jason (J.D. Pardo) sneaks a peak at the Chief of Staff’s documents.
As usual, everyone’s splintered off on separate missions, but the bulk of the episode focuses on the “Three Amigos,” Rachel, Monroe and Miles. Rachel reminds us how much she hates Monroe though she’s yet to kill him, despite ample opportunity, while Miles cautions Monroe about a expecting a “Field of Dreams” kind of relationship with his now grown son.
That’s because Connor (Mat Vairo) is the whitest gangster south of the border and he wants nothing to do with his father, even after finding out he’s the Sebastian Monroe. Dad even tries the Darth Vader approach, suggesting he and Connor could rule a resurrected Monroe Republic as father and son, but like most pre-blackout pop culture references with the youngins, the allusions to “Star Wars” are lost on him.
Though it still feels like the “Revolutionaries” are on an endless quest, the goal of which remains hazy (they’ve already turned on the lights and that didn’t go so well), at least this mid-season premiere offers up some interesting revelations. Aaron arrives in Spring City, only to be greeted by Rachel’s former coworker, Grace Beaumont (Maria Howell) and a rifle. Meanwhile in Mexico, Rachel points out that Monroe and his son are a lot alike, even if they’ve never met.
We’ve seen “Revolution” burn through, (literally, at times) some potentially interesting characters, which is disappointing. Hopefully, Connor and the returning Grace stick around long enough to really shake things up with Miles and company. As for the Neville clan, the family reunion is a nice distraction from father and son’s constant bickering. And Julia’s ambition to be more than a “lame housewife,” something which she claims her husband promised her, puts some further purpose and meaning behind Neville’s plot to destroy the Patriots.
“The Three Amigos” shows potential for an improved second half of the season as the storylines feel a bit more grounded, thanks to some new/old characters getting in the mix. Unfortunately, Charlie, though one of the more evolved characters, isn’t doing much more than shocking Grandpa Gene with her ninja assassin skills. Still, there is the mystery of what the Patriots are injecting into those oranges, which gives Charlie and Gramps something to do while everyone else is busy plotting to take over world with their respective kin.
