Revenge (2011 Season 1) Review

“What goes around comes around” 

…And revenge sure does come around. With its first hit TV series kicking off in September 2011 Revenge has definitely been a success. The drama follows the story of Amanda Clarke seeking revenge on all the people who were allegedly involved in killing her father; David Clarke. However, it isn’t that simple. Amanda has to carefully disguise herself as Emily Thorne in order to reach closer to these people. But will Emily be able to hide her true identity? Will she be able to find the true suspect?

Personally, Revenge is one of my favourite TV shows of all time. I believe that one of the reasons for its success has got to be due to the confident character development. Emily Vancamp who plays Emily/Amanda deserves all the awards coming her way. She brilliantly perpetuates this assertive, powerful persona through her serious facial expressions and cold dialogue. Emily portrays this driven, counter type whom enthusiastically aims for her goals without letting anything, and I mean anything get in her way.

   

Not forgetting, with the help of her fellow companion, Nolan Ross who somewhat is a very likeable and watchable character. His slow and suspenseful dialect and quirkiness of his character really adds to the show, making us more fond of him.

The casting crew definitely deserves credit here by casting the perfect people for the right roles. From Victoria, Declan, Daniel to Conrad, each protagonist is memorable with their own special story and secrets.

“Power provides the ability to choose but has the proclivity for corruption.” ~ Emily

In terms of the story itself, Revenge is enthralling, gripping and engaging. The visuals are clearly unforgettable. The way the flashbacks are edited and enhanced, making the audience feel involved in the past, recalling events are all so intriguing. The thrilling plot of how each event is portrayed through non-conventional ways is truly mesmerizing. Each week we are introduced to a new target, leading to a new story, a new secret, a new clue. As we dig deeper, the story unfolds many distorted secrets that leave us on the edge of our seats.

Overall, Revenge is an outstanding programme filled with suspense, twisted secrets, cunning lies and enthralling tales. With the help of great characters and cast, the creator Mike Kelley definitely deserves many awards for its success. Season 1 took us on an unforgettable journey, leaving me satisfied yet buzzing with so many questions. Season two has recently premiered, which looks promising and just as good. A must watch!

Rating: 9/10

Written by: Meera Darji