Ramblings On…Revolution Episode 1.06: “Sex and Drugs”

I can’t even with this week. “Sex and Drugs” aired the Monday night following Chicago’s Salute to Supernatural. I was going to miss the episode because I was going to be on a train–I figured I would download it the next day…while STILL on the train and watch it. I actually wound up stuck in Chicago for two extra days. Bonus? I got to watch the show when it aired. Not so bonus? Trying to find two minutes to myself when dealing with my parents. That…just didn’t work. As I explained to my mother–there are reasons I moved out of their house and they have been planning what to do with my old bedroom. Because clearly the two extra days in Chicago was not taxing enough on my patience and my purse, now Joan won’t start (my car. see my personal blog for write ups on her) and that must be fixed TODAY. And what is wrong with my iPhone NOW???

The power outages, my car not working, and my SIM CARD FAIL iPhone seem so fitting for the post-blackout period I’m writing about!

Every single week I become a little more obsessed with this show. Sonnets about Miles and his sword…I have renamed Monday to “Miles Monday” in honor of him. (So we now have Miles Monday and Winchester Wednesday) This week, aside from seeing Miles kick ass with his sword (it is absolutely necessary that this happen EVERY EPISODE, show. remember this), we got to be a little more invested in Aaron. I loved how we had a near catastrophe this episode! Remember when we got the Maggie backstory and then she died? I wasn’t really worried about that here because I do my research and knew that Anna Lise Phillips wasn’t long for this show. I hadn’t heard anything about Zak Orth leaving, so I figured show was just playing with us…But If I wasn’t so meticulous, I’m sure I would have been scared that OMG!!! all this backstory, ARE THEY KILLING OF AARON???? But no, he’s safe…for now anyway…

This episode did such a masterful job with juxtaposing different situations in which people are at their most vulnerable–what are we willing to do to protect the ones we love? When do we feel helpless in a situation? Aaron’s story was so beautifully the foundation of this because we know from the past convos he had, especially with Maggie, a little bit about him. He was that geeky guy who was able to use his brains to make mega money with the internet. He lost all his money and power though when the technology was no longer available. He was able to be strong on the internet–in the digital world. As a kid, he was bullied by the jocks. He is overweight and not physically strong. After the blackout, he felt he was just a burden. He even left his wife in the capable hands of others because he wasn’t able to protect her. Not even his smarts worked in this post technological age. He was brilliant, but didn’t even consider that if the sewage mains weren’t working, lake water would be polluted and make them sick.

I loved seeing his maturity. Before, he ran from the responsibility of others. He had moved into the little town/compound that Ben seemed to be a leader of and allowed others to make the decisions while he used his brains to teach. Out here on the road trying to help Charlie find her brother, he was again thrown into that world where he has no power. I loved seeing him take responsibility. I loved Aaron finally standing up for himself and others and saying finally that he will do what he has to do. I’m wondering if his wife will show up, or at least that Sean guy. I doubt we have seen the last of them…

Aaron was able to not only stand up to Drexel, but kill him. I was proud of that move he made. I just loved the scene. Is he dead? NO! He was just faking it! We saw what we needed to, too we knew he had the flask–it wasn’t like it was pulled out of nowhere. I was loving it…

Charlie has been struggling with really coming into herself. When we first met her, she was a dreamer–acting younger than her age. Now we have Miles and Aaron both noticing the change that has come over her…and in their minds, maybe not all for the better. I find it funny how many adults are like that with kids. Oh, you have to toughen up, but only in the ways that I want you to toughen up…It’s a common mistake. I think so often we want to protect people from a pain we know they will feel if we don’t “toughen” them up…but then we don’t realize the other side of that. If they are toughened up, they no longer see things through those rosy glasses of innocence.

I’m hoping she and Miles will learn a lot from each other. Charlie is trying to be the tough she thinks Miles wants her to be–breaking connections to her dreams as if the act of dreaming is hurting her chances of becoming this stronger person. Maybe they are, but I’m hoping she will come to the decision that dreams are important, we just have to make sure not to allow our dreams to become our master. I was happy Miles got to Charlie in time and was able to stop her from killing O’Halloran. As much as Miles wants Charlie to toughen up, he wants to protect her from the pain of that loss of faith. I think Miles would rather have to chastise Charlie for being too soft than see her become the cold blooded killer he seems to see himself as…which leads me to Miles…

I can’t get into a Revolution review without commenting on both how much I love Miles Matheson and how in love with Billy Burke’s acting I am…When Drexel is talking about how he knew Miles, I couldn’t stop watching Miles. He seemed so ashamed of what he had become. Why did he defect? What happened that made him see how wrong he was? I really can’t wait to find out more about that. I wonder if it was Nora–if maybe something happened when he met her that made him realize what he had intended for the militia wasn’t the actuality? Maybe he met Nora after he left…Just so much more to find out there!

Nora spent the whole episode just about sick and doing fairly little. But seeing the blood transfusion, seeing Miles take her limp hand while the doctor did a blood transfusion, we got to see that Miles genuinely cares about Nora. And when he hit the road initially, she was the first one he thought to go to. I wonder then why they broke up in the first place. Was Miles trying to protect her the way that Aaron was trying to protect his wife? Did Miles think that Nora was better off without him?

Miles and the group were on the run from Neville, but they needed a place to crash and get Nora better. He goes to the closest place he can think of–Drexel’s place. He knows that Drexel deals in drugs and prostitution. It seems a safe bet he wouldn’t give them up to the militia…But this out of the way hideout turns out to be possibly worse than Cloud City (OMG, how much did this whole scene remind me of Empire?), with Drexel in the role of a really scary version of Lando Calrissian. Even the beginning with the “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face around here” moment! Drexel turned out to be evil though, whereas Lando had some redeeming qualities!

I also wanted to comment that I fell in love a little with Jason in this episode! He’s worried about Charlie! He was not happy over Sebastian’s decision of who to send for the pendant and Miles. My spidey senses are tingling. I’m seeing a defection here. I think Jason will change sides and be on the new Team Miles and Charlie…

On the other side, I’m seeing a future of Danny possibly staying with the militia. The episode ended with Danny learning Mom is alive! I’m wondering what Rachel will tell him about why she is there and how she is not dead. Why did she let them believe she was? I can imagine Danny will have a million questions. I’m wondering if he will have some serious problems with the way she has handled things so far…

As for the writing of the episode, I really enjoyed the dialogue, like the Drexel lines that mirrored Lando lines! I also loved the transitions into different scenes and the connections between them. We meet Strausser when Neville gives him the assignment. He is telling a young boy about “needing the right tool for the right job”. We get some insight as to what Bass is doing here. We know that he is sending this particular guy for a reason…He was careful with Danny though–I’m kind of surprised that he is willing to just give Rachel’s daughter to the wolves…I’m thinking maybe he is testing Jason. Setting him up to defect or show his true colors. Meanwhile, he is reeling in Jason’s father. Bass is totally a schemer. In J.J. terms, I am seriously questioning his end game. The take over of America? I’m thinking fascist regime…

Other cute little snippets? The fact that O’Halloran was a police officer prior to the blackout! What is that joke about how there are only four jobs for an Irishman? Policeman, firefighter, bar keep or priest? Well, my Irish side went the firefighter route…just was a little bit of a funny for me…

Everyone looked great in this episode! It was great getting the Supernatural connection with guest star Todd Stashwick! He was awesome as the psychotic Drexel…and is it wrong that I also though that in addition to being psychotic he was hot?

This episode was written by executive producer David Rambo, who has written for various shows, including V and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Directing this episode was Steve Boyum, who in addtion to directing many shows, including Hawaii Five-O, has directed seven Supernatural episodes, including “Swan Song” and “The Song Remains the Same”!

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of the episode and how the characters are developing! Screencaps taken from grande-caps tumblr.