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Revenge - Bait - Review:"A Step Up."

Mar 10, 2015

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“Revenge” came back, this week, after a five week hiatus, with “Bait,” an episode I, initially, wasn’t particularly excited about. The network had 5 long weeks to promote the episode, and if they, really, were attempting to improve the ratings, they should have done a better job at luring us in, because the episode a lot better than they made it out to be. This has me wonder if ABC has already given up on the show. They only managed to promote as a soap, as if they thought the love story between Emily and Jack was what really interested the viewers. I’m well aware “Revenge” is somewhat soapy, but the show’s core has always been so much more than Emily and her men.

Nolan described the show better than I could.


“Emily and I, we’re sort of like superheroes. We do good things for people who deserve it and bad things to those who don’t.” -Nolan

As uninspiring as the promo for “Bait” was, the episode proved itself charming. It wasn’t the best of Revenge, but it was a huge step up from “Kindred.” I have to confess I had lost my faith in the writers and producers of the show when they killed off Malcolm, and decided the second half of the season was going to focus on Margaux’s revenge on Emily. This episode, though, reassured my fears, and hinted that the remainder of the season (series?) could still yield an interesting story line. “Bait,” did the impossible, and got me, once again, excited for next week’s episode.

This was an episode filled with deceit, treachery and fake smiles and alliances. It was an hour filled with twists and turns, filled with surprising revelations. It was filled with what initially attracted me to “Revenge,” as Margaux tried to outsmart Emily, in an episode where we were never able to pinpoint who was on top of whom.

“Trying to get me on a B&E? Is that the best you could do? You should have brought your FBI pals over here, because I both broke and entered. Nice try though. Word of advice, if you’re going to keep coming at me, you’re going to have be a hell of a lot smarter.” – Emily

Many viewers, me included, were sceptical the CEO of the important media conglomerate would prove a worthy adversary for Emily, and it seems Ms. Thorne shares our opinion. The incriminating conversation between Jack and Emily, videotaped by Margaux’s PI in “Kindred,” was meant to bring Emily down, to reveal to the world who she really is. Surprisingly enough, Margaux’s plan was convoluted enough, trying to trap Emily in her own games. For a second there, I thought she had them, but Emily is a lot smarter, and better at this than Margaux is, and could ever be.

The culmination of the episode, of the attempted and failed take-down, led to an Emily and Margaux face-off, in the latter’s office, and it was brilliant. (I love cocky Emily!) Nolan, Jack and Emily devised a plan to erase the incriminating information, which, of course, included Ninja Emily scaling the building. But having Margaux destroy her own computer, and the information on it, was a stroke of genius, and of evil. She’s basically bringing herself down all by herself, by discrediting herself in front of the FBI, and acting clearly paranoid. I am not a fan of the character, but I absolutely loved Karine Vanasse in the scene where she destroys the bracelet. It was filled with anger, with desperation. And desperation is a very dangerous guide. Where will it lead her?


Everyone has a weak spot and Margaux hopes that, since Emily was spotted leaving Ben’s house in the morning, he’s hers. She plans on using Ben’s ex-wife against him, in order to get what she wants from him. I remember Ben mentioning his wife, April, in the beginning of the season, but I don’t remember more than that. From what I got, she’s a fugitive and if Ben doesn’t help Margaux she’ll turn her in. Anyone else have more memory than me?

Nolan and Emily are finally back to working together in this one, but there’s a new addition to their team. Louise learned early on in her marriage that “You marry a man, you marry his friends.” Now, she’s slowly learning that Emily will always come first in Nolan’s life, that he drops anything and everything for her. Like Nolan, the red-head just wants to be included, and finally be on the inside instead of the outside looking in, and they gave her the perfect opportunity to meld into their team by playing the dumb patsy, while Emily breaks and enters. I loved the insight at Emily and Nolan’s relationship, and the comparison between Louise and Nolan cravings for acceptance.

In the past episodes, I couldn’t wait to have Louise gone, but this episode made me feel for her. I don’t care for her family’s drama, and hopefully it’s over. I loved the way they included her in the A story line, hopefully she'll be a permanent fixture. How about you guys?

How can you dislike her when she delivers lines like:
“There’s that but again, and not the ‘looks good in those pants kind.’”

Louise isn’t the only member of the Ellis family to have an interesting potential storyline. Her brother, Lyman, teaming up with Victoria, also has the potential for greatness. With Emily and Victoria now status quo, Victoria finds a new nemesis in Natalie, her step-mother in law. (?)


The death announced in “Revenge’s” last episode was Conrad’s father. And although I’m sure Victoria is immensely saddened by his passing, she sees his death as an answer to all her money problems. He has no more living relatives, meaning her financial situation is about to change, but the reading of the will doesn’t really go as planned. (I can’t be the only one that finds it odd she keeps saying money was going to Daniel, who is dead, but not one mention of Charlotte.)

Victoria gets two incontinent dogs, and their Burberry dog beds, (Only in Revenge!) while the entirety of the estate is left to his wife, the newly appointed Hamptonite, Natalie Watters. And, what an entrance that was! How does Victoria manage to make enemies of people she hasn’t even met? Why does this woman, that she just met a few days ago, already have this vendetta against her? Or is it not just Victoria, per se, but anyone who gets in the way of her money? No one is this nice in the Hamptons. Natalie is definitely hiding something.

There wasn’t much David in this episode, only the beginning of what I can already predict will be an annoying romance. Do you guys think he got the boat for Jack? Will Jack sail to Haiti? Will they sail together?

As I previously stated, the promo for this episode really was misleading, but I, for one, will not be one to complain. Contrary to what they let us believe, the episode wasn’t centered on the Jack and Emily of it all. In fact, only the last 5 minutes were. If I was a “shipper” I’d probably be mad at how much the promo was misleading. It seems, they really are going to drag this Jack and Emily thing until the season’s (or series’) finale.

There wasn’t too much Ben and Emily in the episode either, only enough for me to determine I don’t really like them together. From Emily’s reaction when jealous Jack mentioned their relationship, she’s just having some fun, (who could blame her?) so nothing to worry about there. Seeing Emily with someone else pushed Jack into action. He had left her space, after Aiden, had waited before making his move, his big, romantic declaration, and maybe he should have waited longer. Emily isn’t ready for this overwhelming level of commitment.

She can’t.

“I’m not going to wait around.” -Jack

It broke my heart a little to have Jack shed a tear, as he stated he won’t be waiting around, but he will be. Even if he doesn’t think he is, he will be. He’ll wait for her, because it’s her, and it’s always been her.


Agree? Disagree?



On a lighter note:
Anyone else notice the matching shirts? It made me giggle. (I know; it’s the little things!)

23 comments:

  1. The strange creature is back!March 10, 2015 at 3:44 AM

    I think that Abc knows that the current storyline about Margauxs Revenge won't interest viewers. Thus, when your promoting something you always have to look for whats going to be mostly interesting about this episode. Which, was why they thought that the only interesting aspect of the show at this point was Jack and Emily. As for the episode, I thought that it was ok but still better then the last one. I just hope that Revenge will continue to get better creativity wise and ratings wise.

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  2. I dont know that it can, I think the whole premise of Revenge is very much a timed thing. it was

    'Amanda Clarke/Emily Thorne seeks revenge on VIctoria/Conrad other for getting her father killed'

    Essentially that premise is bunk because David Clarke is no longer dead.

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  3. Id think it still holds merit, as his death was not the only problem, but that everyone thought he was a terrorist so the premise is not completely gone, but this show was seemingly ruined with having brought him back though. Id might forgive this horrible story with Margaux, id the David story had not been this bad.

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  4. I dont think any actor was ever going to be able to redeem the character of David Clarke. It was never going to be win win scenario with that character.

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  5. The strange creature is back!March 10, 2015 at 4:52 AM

    I don't mind David being alive, because it still doesn't change what she went through.

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  6. I liked the episode, and next week looks even better, but I think all the current storylines going on since ep 14 will become full circle in ep 4x17: Loss. I hope after that something big changes things.

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  7. Станимира ТричковаMarch 10, 2015 at 6:45 AM

    One more thing that this episode gave us - when margo told Emily that she will find her weak point and Emily replied that she doesn't have one - actually the episode showed us that Emily HAS one and it is Jack. I get the feeling she was hiding her feeling in front of him, wiping her tears and when he parted - she cried. He is her weak point and may be she is protecting him again!

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  8. You do realize that Emily pointed out the bracelet to Margaux? You know the one Carl with Jack gave her? The one that wiped out the computer? If Emily was so protective of Jack, she'd kept quiet about that. Emily's weak spot might just as well be David Clarke.

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  9. Станимира ТричковаMarch 10, 2015 at 3:31 PM

    I am talking about her feelings. Giving the bracelet to Margo was also because they (Nolan and Em) wanted Jack to be clear. She promised not to lie to him and keep him in the dark anymore, that is why she told him about the video. And Emily didn't want Jack to be involved in anything at the first place, it just happens so - he is always somewhere around, but not because she wants him to and making things harder for Em. May be she deliberately wants him out of Hamptons, she sees that he is not protected when is there. She clearly has feelings for him, although I think they do not belong together as more than friends!

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  10. I actually thought the Margaux/Emily interactions in this one was pretty good, better than the Jack/Emily romance, especially given that nothing happened between them.
    I guess maybe you're right and the network didn't think it would "bait" people to watch it. Yes, I'm laughing at my own pun... I need a life ;)

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  11. What makes you say that?

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  12. I actually neither agree or disagree with you both. I think Emily's weak point is her sense for justice in general...for everyone, her friends and family in particular. I think everyone is her weak spot. She makes the people who deserve it pay... She fights for the underdogs, and that might be what ultimately brings her down.
    Jack is her weak point, but he isn't her only weak point. She'd do the same for her father, for Nolan... she'd even put her neck on the line for Charlotte. I don't know, what do you think?

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  13. Much better than Kindred, but not enough for me. The Emily/Margux face off was the best of the episode, but everything didn't really click with me, it felt forced. Well, not Jack's confession, because that has been in the making for quite a while, but it wasn't as impactful as the promos made it out to be.


    I honestly don't know what I want from Revenge anymore; it still has the action and the fakes smiles I always loved, but I'm not crazy about the new characters. Ben is slightly more interesting now, but still pretty bland, and Natalie seems to be here only to keep Madeleine Stowe cast on the show, so I really need something that starts making the pieces fit together, beacuse right now it seems like the show has all the pieces of the puzzle, but they are trying to fit them in the wrong place. I know there's something here to get Revenge back to its glory - heck, Abduction was one hell of an episode in midst of a disappointing batch! -, but there better be a pay off soon.


    I think my biggest concern about the show right now is that it seems that the writers have and don't have a plan at the same time, like a schrödinger cat; there is a state in the episodes in which you can see that the writers are heading somewhere, and then it seems like they are going around in circles.


    So I still need to be sold on these new storylines

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  14. Because I think that 'Loss' will be the kick that moves the rest of the season forward.

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  15. I know I will probably offend Jemily shippers, but IF Emily would entertain any idea of her and Jack as lovers, she'd have considered his feelings before hooking up with Ben. I am sure she might want to protect him, probably because he is the least capable of protecting himself - compared to David/Nolan. Does this mean Jack is her one weak spot? No. Jack is the constant damsel in distress, and we know she'll have to try to save him soon again, for the umpteenth time. This, to me, doesn't mean Jack is her sole weak spot. She went through enormous lengths to clear her father's name, and when he came back, she had to help with Malcolm Black. Nolan has been put in jeopardy with the WHM, but she went to battle then too. I don't think Jack is her only wreak point at all.

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  16. I don't understand everyone. I really enjoyed this episode and completely agree with the review. Great review! This episode had so many things that makes revenge so good. Next week looks even better.
    regarding the ratings, revenge jumped a million in viewers and .2 in the demo so actually abc did everything fine. I do expect it to Fall to a 1.0 this sunday though

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  17. The strange creature is back!March 11, 2015 at 10:56 PM

    I hope that revenge will go on an uprise in ratings

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  18. Haha, I got that, but what do we know about "Loss"?

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  19. I don't know if you were agreeing or arguing but seems to me we're saying pretty much the same thing. Emily's weak spotS are her friends and family, Jack included.

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  20. You really felt like the Margaux/Emily situation was forced?
    But, I have to agree with you about Natalie and Victoria, I hope it's part of a bigger picture, or else it will be blatantly showing that they only brought her along to give Victoria something to do. But I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt, for now..;)

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  21. Thanks, I'm really excited about next week too. The promo was great! Why do you think it will fall back, if more people enjoyed this episode than they did the last?

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  22. You missunderstood me, the Margaux/Emily face off was glorious! Everything else though..

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  23. I am agreeing that Emily has several weak spots, but arguing that Jack is NOT the only weak spot! Sidenotes; shouldn't Jack's one certainty be his son, Carl - not Emily? And we see Sammy as a puppy to go to the other dogs in the ep, incontinent corgies - analogy for Jack/Emily?

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