Revolution – Episode 2.15 – ‘Dreamcatcher’ Review & Highlights

This week Aaron was in the Matrix. Except that he was in his head. So the Matrix was in his head. Charlie was there, but Charlie wasn’t Charlie, she was part of Aaron’s subconscious that wanted Aaron to remember that there had been a world without electricity, and that Aaron did not want to fix the code. Except that Charlie was killed by Horn. So why did Aaron's head kill Charlie?

The nanotech was in the Matrix as well and it was trying to trick Aaron. The nanotech is everywhere, so it could make some sense that it’s in Aaron’s brain. But then why was Aaron trying to wake up? Wouldn’t the nanotech still be in his brain there too?

This was an episode co-written by Ben Edlund, credits shared with Paul Grellong. Fans familiar with Edlund’s work on Supernatural will recognize that that means it’s a trip way down into the rabbit hole. With some of these Edlund episodes, I follow as far as I can, and then just have to take it on faith that it makes sense to someone somewhere.

This was a fun episode. While premise seemed a little predictable and played – the nanotech was trying to trick Aaron into revealing something he didn’t want to reveal by convincing him his previous life wasn’t real – the episode made up for that in humor. Always good for snark and one lines, the Miles-Monroe-Rachel trio apparently are especially funny when they’re saying what Aaron would have them saying in his head – at least I think that was what was going on.

Joking aside, and putting the critical hat on, there are some gaps in the logic in what was going on here. If the nanotech are machines and are everywhere, does it make more sense that they control a part of Aaron’s brain – memory and perceptions to create a dream reality – or would it be less problematic to set them up so that they can affect the physical reality, but not people? If they’re inside Aaron deep enough to affect his perceptions, why can’t they just make him do what they want? Or better yet, access the part of his brain that would understand the programming problem and fix the code themselves?

But this was a fun episode. Cameos of a grinning insurance salesman Tom Neville, as he talks about people dying, or Nora as an irritable pedestrian Aaron bumps into on the street, added an extra touch. There was also a lot of coffee. I have no idea if that means anything other than Aaron really missed coffee, but it was everywhere – the coffee shop, the shot of coffee brewing in the kitchen, and Aaron always with a coffee cup in his hand.

High Points

The interactions when Monroe, Miles, Aaron, and Rachel got together were hysterical. There were so many good lines, the quotes section below is especially long this week, but my favorites were Monroe asking Rachel not to stalk Miles, and the moment when Aaron slipped into a hippies '60s beat, with his “Be it, be you,” rhythm. This was especially funny realizing it was in Aaron’s brain. I didn’t realize he was so funny!

The scene when the nanotech started attacking the world, eviscerating people with lightening strikes, comes in a close second. Cool effects there, and an awesome show of power from what promises to be a formidable foe.

Low Points

There was a moment early in the episode when I realized that the this was a dream, and was disappointed. I would have preferred there was more reality mixed in with this alt-reality.

Hottest Action

Charlie, a.k.a. “the belly shirt girl,” delivered the action, with taking out a couple of nano-nerds – the first with a crossbow. Charlie and Aaron’s attempted escape from the Horn-nano were possibly the most suspenseful moments of the episode.

Best Quotes

Aaron: “I’ve seen that guy before.”
Priscilla: “Which guy?”
Aaron: “This little bald dude, him.”

Aaron: “You’re the belly shirt girl.”

Charlie: “It’s like The Matrix."
Aaron: “How do you know about The Matrix?”
Charlie: “Not Charlie. In your head. Are you getting any of this?”

Miles and Monroe: Who’s Beardy McGee?

Aaron: “If they catch up to us, I just need you to … to do your thing.”
Miles: “What was my thing?”
Aaron: “The thing where you …. just go all bizerko with the sword, you know, and you kill everybody.”
Miles: “Oh, yeah, your friend’s nuts.”

Monroe: “Oh, what the hell is all this, huh? Rachel, I just came to town to try and stop this guy from stalking you. You could help me by not stalking him back.”

Aaron to Rachel: “You’re not some soccer mom. You’re actually a little scary, and I need you to be that.”

Aaron: “Miles, you are not some shady drunk. OK, you are a little, but in another world, you are a warrior.”

Aaron: “You’re my friends. Sort of.”

Aaron: “Right now, I need you to be who I need you to be. So. Be it. Be you. Right now. Be it! Right now!”
Monroe: “He’s an interesting cat.”
Miles: “What he might need is some thorazine.”

Monroe: “I remembered. Stay Puft.”

Rachel: “What makes you wake up from a dream? Fear? Death? Embarrassment?”
Monroe: “Snake chasing me every time.”
Miles: “Nobody asked you.”

Miles: “Any luck you’ll wake up before you hit the pavement.”
Aaron: “And if I don’t?”
Rachel: “Either way the nano won’t get the code.”

Miles: “All right. Let’s do this. Long walk. Short pier. Here we go.”

Aaron: “You’re a machine. You’re parts and programming, and you’re dying. And you’re losing control every second, you reject Skynet piece of crap. I’m not afraid of you anymore. So get the hell away from me.”

What did you think of the episode, and what was your favorite line?  Sound off in the comments!