REVOLUTION Episode 15 review: ‘Home’

REVOLUTION “Home”
Season 1 Episode 15

Executive Producer: J.J. Abrams
Creator: Eric Kripke
Writer: David Rambo
Director: John Cassar

SPOILERS follow. Don’t read if you don’t want to know.

In the aftermath of a recent battle with Monroe Republic forces, Miles (Billy Burke) and Hudson (Malik Yoba) ponder the high cost of victory, and agree in their dislike of Dixon (Joe Knezevich), the captain President Foster had sent to work with and spy on them.

On the losing side of the battle, General Monroe (David Lyons) becomes even more determined to kill Miles. He hatches a plan to lure his former friend to his death, which includes descending upon their boyhood town in attack helicopters, and taking the entire citizenry hostage. The sentimental boy also manages to slip in a visit to his parents’ gravesites as well.

Miles tries to talk with Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) about the psychological toll of non-stop fighting, but is interrupted when a runner arrives from the enemy camp. Monroe wants Miles to meet him in their hometown at dawn or else he will kill everyone there, including Miles’ former girlfriend Emma.

Flashbacks reveal a youthful Miles and his girlfriend Emma saying a tearful goodbye before he must leave for military training. It turns out that young Monroe is also smitten with the same girl, who is clearly shown to return his affections. Looks like she’s a girl who just can’t make up her mind.

Still living in the old hometown, a modern-day Emma (Annie Wersching) confronts Monroe. She admits that she knows he is planning to lure Miles there, and says she loves them both, and asks him to let everyone go. All of her pleading eventually results in his locking everyone into the town hall and then setting it on fire, so perhaps she was not the best person for the job.

“Lock everyone in the basement. Burn it all down.”

Back at the rebel camp, the soldiers are mercilessly beating Monroe’s messenger into submission to get him to reveal the General’s plans, allowing Miles to slip away. He arrives at the town hall to find it in flames and a dozen soldiers waiting for him, but they somehow let him slip into the burning building. (It’s a trap, DUH.) The Militia opens fire on the townspeople trapped inside and (I am praying that) Miles and Emma face certain death, but rebel troops arrive and save the day.

Monroe ends up grabbing Emma to use as a human shield simply because he knows Miles won’t kill her of all people, but she distracts him when she cries out that she doesn’t want to die, because she wants to see her son again. Surprise, Bass, you’ve had a son all this time.

Miles and Charlie bicker over whether or not to shoot Monroe regardless, but the matter is solved when Capt. Dixon takes matters into his own hands and fires. Oops, his shot kills Emma and only wounds Monroe, whose forces drag him off to the safety of a retreating helicopter. And angry Miles then shoots Dixon for killing Emma.

This is the point where I wanted to turn off the television in disgust. It made perfect sense for the rebels to shoot at Monroe, despite the risk of killing innocent civilian Emma. Demented, sadistic, murdering leader of the enemy in my sights? I would have done it in a heartbeat. Dixon deserved a medal, not a bullet.

In another equally implausible part of the forest, Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) and Aaron (Zak Orth) arrive in the Plains Nation, where Rachel continues to work at deciphering Dr. Warren’s diary and be disgustingly patronizing to the man who only came along to help. Dismayed at having his offers of assistance dismissed and then being sent off to shop for provisions, Aaron is shocked to catch a glimpse of his long-lost wife Priscilla (Maureen Sebastian) in a crowded market.

After hours of searching and being told by Rachel that he must have imagined what he saw, Aaron again spots Priscilla, this time sitting in a bar with another man. It’s easy to see that she looks terrified, that is, easy for everyone but Aaron and Rachel, apparently. She treats Aaron as a mere friend and waves him away, but then her companion is secretly holding a gun on her, so this makes a good deal of sense. In her capacity as frenemy, Rachel tries to convince Aaron that his wife doesn’t want him anymore and drags him off.

But for once Aaron decides to stand up for himself and goes back to Priscilla, whom he is sure needs help. In fact, her companion is a bounty hunter escorting her back to the Monroe Republic on murder charges. This fact doesn’t stop Aaron from attempting to free her, and he lunges at her captor. Unfortunately he ends up getting the worst of the fight until Priscilla slams the guy in the head with an iron bar.

Aaron finally gets to apologize for leaving her, and then has to listen as she admits  that she has a family now, including an 11-year-old daughter in Texas that she wants to go back to. She says she loves him and always will, but, you know, goodbye. Geez, aren’t you glad you wasted 15 years pining after her, Aaron?

Now that Dixon is dead, Georgia Federation President Foster decides to send a new man out to liason with Miles. And who better than his sworn enemy, former torturer and all around evil SOB Militia Captain Neville? After all, what could possibly go wrong with that?

Things that didn’t work in this episode:

• The small spark provided by adding Emma to the Miles/Monroe mix died with her. These one-off guest-of-the-week roles really waste the talent of the guest stars. Or is everyone simply appearing as a favor to one of the endless list of producers?
• Miles is being constantly pushed on the audience as some kind of love ‘em and leave ‘em ladies man, which is rather silly, honestly.
• Why in the world didn’t the Militia just gun down Miles when he was in plain sight as he was entering the Town Hall?
• Why in the world didn’t Charlie just shoot Monroe when she had the chance?

Things that did work in this episode:

• Good to finally see a storyline centered on Aaron, even if it was an ultimately dissatisfying one.
• Bringing back Baker, Monroe’s second-in-command, was an excellent choice. Mark Pellegrino takes very little and makes much of it, and so should be kept around as long as possible.

My take: The Miles/Monroe theme has gone way past old to cold. Their relationship has now descended to two little boys fighting over their toys. Presumably Monroe’s son will be the next push-pull item. Who will find him first? Whom will he choose for his daddy? Who really cares?

Revolution Revealed: Episode 15