Revolution official started last night, even though the pilot has been on Hulu for a week or so now. As we previewed in last week’s post, Revolution is a semi-post apocalyptic type tale that centers around the concept that electricity has ceased to exist. I’ve decided to re-watch the pilot on TV and do a bit of a live recap mixed in with commentary. Sorry it’s a bit long but hey it’s the pilot so there’s a lot to learn/cover.

We open in modern day Chicago on two young children as they are glued to the TV (no commentary on kids and technology there), and their Mom (Elizabeth Mitchell aka Juliet from Lost…LOVE HER!) is talking on the phone when her husband Ben, storms through the door giving commands like “we need more water, fill the sinks and tubs…we don’t have much time”…it’s clear something BAD is about to happen.

We cut to Port Royal, South Carolina where two buddies cruise down the highway in a Camaro. One of the passengers is texting a 22 year old girl on his iPhone and mocking the other (OMG it’s Bobby’s brother from My Boys and Charlie Swan from Twilight!) for his “big fat Casio 80s brick phone”, aka a flip phone. Anyways, the guy with the quote “big phone” gets a call from his brother, Ben (from Chicago), in a panic, warning him that EVERYTHING IS GOING TO TURN OFF!…cue shut down of all things; phones, navigation systems, TVs, cars, the list goes on and on. Right before the blackout we cut to Ben downloading some files from his computer onto a USB drive and placing it into some sort of necklace.

In South Carolina, Ben’s brother and his friend emerge from their vehicle and look back as every car on the road shuts down, and in the sky you see planes spiraling out of control (is this more Lost imagery J.J.?).

Cut to a view of Earth from space, with all the lights going out, leaving us in TOTAL DARKNESS.

15 YEARS AFTER THE BLACKOUT

We get a quick rundown of what went down after the blackout, and it was not good; people got sick, starved and died, goverments fell, militias rose up and people moved in mass exodus out of cities into the countryside and no one has figured out what caused the blackout.

Cutting to a cul-de-sac turned village we meet some new players.

Aaron is your typical “conspiracy theorist type” who doesn’t understand how people can go about their lives not knowing why or how the laws of physics have allowed this to happen. I also suspect  he will play the role of comic relief.

Ben is back! But I’m concerned where is Juliet?…I mean Elizabeth Mitchell’s character Rachel. Ben is looking for his kids, Charlie and Danny who have gone hunting.

SCORE ONE FOR NO ELECTRICITY: Getting to learn how to use awesome weapons like a bow and arrow.

Turns out, Charlie (girl) and Danny (boy) aren’t actually hunting they are exploring, and stumble upon an old RV…this can’t be a good idea. Does anyone get a Ariel in The Little Mermaid vibe from this Charlie girl?  As they are exploring Charlie flashes back to the night of the blackout where she experiences every kid’s dream, her parents letting her eat all the ice cream in the house.

MINUS ONE FOR NO ELECTRICITY: Wait with no electricity that means no Ben & Jerry’s, I’m out!

While exploring someone (Danny) has an asthma attack…NERD! Charlie rushes Danny home to see the doctor, a blonde British chick who is NOT Juliet, I mean Rachel. Charlie gets reamed out by her Dad (Ben), for putting themselves at risk. (Definitely feeling more of an The Little Mermaid vibe as Charlie argues that “BUT I LOVE HIM DADDY!”, oh wait wrong story). Charlie is obviously bored of her sleepy life and wants to see what’s out in world. Blonde British chick tries to interject and it’s obvious that Charlie is not a fan of her, and then it comes out that their mother is dead….NOOOO, JULIET!

Charlie leaves and goes to find her treasure box which is a Return of the Jedi lunchbox, hmmm good symbolism J.J.

Back in the village foreboding music has just started playing and men dressed in black ride into town so obviously something bad is about to happen. Ben realizes this can’t be good and hides the mysterious necklace from the beginning of the episode with Aaron. The lead man in black is looking for Ben and his brother under the authority of General Monroe, the leader of the local militia. Ben is willing to go quietly and asks blonde British chick to watch over his children. Alas Danny tries to be a hero and pulls a crossbow, causing an all out fire fight which leaves Ben on the ground bleeding and Danny being hauled away from the militia.

Charlie makes it back in time to say goodbye to her Dad, as he gives her a mission, “find my brother Miles in Chicago, he can save Danny.”

Charlie sets off to find the elusive Uncle Miles and guess who tags along, that’s right Aaron and blonde British chick. Along the way Charlie meets a dreamy stranger who’s obviously trouble, the rag tag team almost gets killed in an abandoned airplane and Aaron utters two funniest lines of the night:

“I used to work at this place called Google.”

“80 millions dollars int he bank and I would trade it all right now for a roll of Charmin.”

Meanwhile Danny escapes from the militia, and finds sanctuary at a farm house owned by a semi-suspicious woman (who looks a lot like Cam from Bones). Unfortunately the man dressed in black from earlier finds him and recaptures him.

Finally Charlie and her crew (including dreamy stranger) arrive at a old hotel in Chicago and start up a conversation with the bartender none other than Charlie Swan, aka Uncle Miles. After she admits to be Miles’ niece he is willing to hear her out. Unfortunately her chants of “we are family” do not sway Miles, he wants nothing to do with this mission. He’s obviously too much of a rogue scoundrel to care.

During this conversation I have come to a stark realization, this show is turning out to be a Star Wars remake.

Charlie=Luke Skywalker
Danny=Princess Leia (but way less awesome, because she kicks some ass)
Miles=Han Solo
British Blonde Chick and Aaron = C3PO and R2D2

When’s Chewbecca getting introduced?

Surprise dreamy stranger turns out to be a member of the Monroe militia and after he’s found out he runs off. Miles orders them all to leave because the rest of the militia will be upon them soon.

The militia shows up and Miles basically kicks everyone asses (with the help Luke, R2 and C3po who come back) and the band of merry men forms. Miles just uttered the phrase “we are all going to end up with our heads on a stick”, did they get to see the first season of Game of Thrones before the blackout?

Is it me or is Charlie a little too doe-eyed and innocent? It’s starting to get on my nerves.

We flashback to the night of the blackout as Miles and his friend head back to the military base they serve on and we learn that Miles buddy is non other than the infamous General, TWIST!

The woman in the farmhouse that tried to help Danny is back and she opens a locked door that leads to an secret attic. She takes out a necklace exactly like the one Ben had, twists it and electricity comes on! A computer boots up, 90s modem style, and she starts typing to an unknown person. She is hiding something and we end the episode with a question.

>>So…what now?

What now indeed, will you keep tuning in to Revolution?

Check Out Revolution: Pilot on Hulu.
( http://www.hulu.com/watch/397518)