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

“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!)