Revenge-Season 2 Episode 8

Last Time on Revenge: Conrad and Victoria were in love, Kara was crazy and Aiden and Emily got it on!

And now: It's 2006 and while Emily's revenge plan is in it's early stages, other  revenge plans are well under way, oh, and the subplot is STILL boring...or was boring back then too. I don't know. 

Emily walks into a club, dressed in a slinky black dress and red lipstick,where she encounters...Aiden. Aiden is wearing a Movember and a Russian accent, which as Emily informs him, doesn't suit him. He informs her that prostitution doesn't suit her. She gives him her patented, 'bitch please' look and asks for some Russian baddie called Sergei or Dimitri, I don't really know. Meanwhile in the VIP area, another familiar face appears. It's Ashley in an ill fitted lamé dress and dark lipstick. Ashley was a hooker?! She's told to wipe her make up off and while she's crying in the bathroom,Emily knocks on the door. Ashley exposits that she's just an art school girl who can't pay the rent. Emily hands over a wad of cash and a phone number and tells Ashley to get out of there now.

Later, Emily meets with Takeda who asks her about her revenge plans and asks her if she is ready for this mission. That's an affirmative, Takeda. Emily is an ice-queen and ready to get her some revenge.

Meanwhile at Casa Grayson, Daniel is home from Harvard and goes to have a heart to heart with his dad. Daniel informs his dad that he wants to be a poet instead of taking something more appropriate for the future heir of Grayson Global. Daniel really is terribly naive. Conrad says that he will gladly read Daniel's poetry but I think we all know how this is going to end. Except Daniel of course, that guy is as perceptive as a brick wall. He's also brought his grandmother, Marion, over and Victoria looks, well, less than pleased, let's say. Daniel wants them all to have a reunion and Marion informs Victoria that her husband, Maxwell, died a year ago. In a shocking (or not) twist, Marion only married Maxwell for the money. However, she informs Victoria, things are different with her new beau, Ben. It's love this time, and Victoria better not mess it up.  A creepy flashback depicts a young Victoria, being hit on by one of Marion's conquests. I'm guessing from this flashback that Marion's request of "not messing things up", is going to go unheeded. It turns out Ben and Marion met on a cruise. Marion claims that this was all an amazing coincidence but since this is Revenge we all know, this coincidence was, well, not a coincidence.

Back at the seedy Russian club (by the way, is anyone else confused as to where this club is supposed to be?) Emily shows up dressed all metaphorically in white. She becomes Ashley's replacement  in order to get close to Dmitri. Aiden, in desperate need of rescuing someone, and also getting revenge for Dmitri kidnapping his (Aiden's) sister, pulls a gun and fires. Emily chucks Aiden out of the way, saving the Russian baddies and getting Aiden hauled off into a secret torture chamber/ storage room. Takeda, via earpiece, tells Emily not to get distracted from her mission but Emily is now set on rescuing Aiden. Well, I would be too. Having a hot piece like that indebted to you can never be a bad thing!

At Nolcorp, Nolan announces the company is going public, then gifts everyone champagne and sends them home for the holidays. A cute Latino, called Marco, gives Nolan a gift and they kiss. Yes! I like Nolan so much more when he's gay. I guess we should talk about the boring subplot a bit. Back in 2006, Jack and Declan's dad was still running the world's most boring bar, and the bar was still in financial difficulties. He sends Jack and Declan away for thanksgiving, because obviously something is up. Jack, proving he is at least a little bit brighter than Daniel knows this and shows up at the bar anyway, just in time for a Molotov cocktail to come sailing through the window. Someone with the not-at-all suspicious last name of Ryan shows up and Declan tells him that they'll pay whatever it is they owe. 

Emily busts in to the storage room to break out Aiden but not before she does some interrogation of her own. Aiden says that his father was a baggage handler on the flight which Emily's father was accused of bombing. "That's how they got the bomb on", Emily says and Aiden explains that his father was also used by The Initiative. Emily's rescue attempt goes awry and the Russian baddies walk in, making snide remarks, not knowing they are all about to have their asses handed to them. As they leave the storage room, Takeda appears and all together they take down the Russian baddies. Dmitri takes off, followed closely by Aiden and Emily. Emily tells Aiden not to shoot but Dmitri taunts Aiden about his sister being forced into prostitution. Aiden, as any sane man would do, shoots Dmitri dead. 

More shit happens at The Stowaway/Subplot Bar. 

At Nolcorp, Marco discovers a lot of money missing from an off shore account that he set up for Nolan. Nolan doesn't want to tell him the truth but he finally does. That money went to Amanda/Emily, since her father was one of the original investors in the company. Marco gets mad that Nolan is helping a terrorist, despite Nolan's pleas that David Clark was innocent.  Nolan one ups him, though   by firing his ass (and I guess, breaking up with him, simultaneously).

At the Grayson family thanksgiving, Daniel is still proud of his poetry, which Conrad promises to send to the garbage publishers he knows. Victoria mentions their last family thanksgiving and Marion begs her not to tell. There is someone who wants to hear it though...Ben. Victoria tells the story and boy, is it a story. Marion had some, wealthy, I assume, but also married man in her sights (the one last seen hitting on 15 year old Victoria). When he refuses to stay with her ( I guess 'cause she's NUTS), Marion shoots him, then gets Victoria to shoot him again. Victoria won't go to jail, Marion explains, saying they will claim it was self defense. Victoria doesn't go to jail but she did get to send 6 months in inpatient evaluation. When she got out, Marion had married Maxwell, who also turned out to be a child molester. After witnessing Maxwell sneaking into Victoria's room,  Marion threw Victoria out. After hearing this tale, Ben storms out and Victoria's revenge plan is complete. More or less. Later Conrad burns Daniel's poetry ( I hope he made a back up) and tells Victoria that Ben has been paid. It turns out he was hired and this was all of Victoria's plan. You have to respect that. Before all the poetry can be burned Conrad reads some and it is alarmingly fitting for everyone's situation on the show. I think the poetry was quite good which makes it a shame that Conrad didn't even consider this option for his son.

Look guys, some other stuff happened at the Stowaway but I just don't care. Carl, Jack and Declan's father, was into some bad shit. The Ryan's have been blackmailing/doing shady business with the Porters for at least 6 years and stupidity is apparently a Porter family trait.  That's all I will say. 

Back in 2012, Aiden and Emily are in bed and it's clear they have genuine feelings for each other. Emily tells Aiden he better not leave her again and I'm a bit lost. I don't know if Emily is being serious or playing her part. I think she's serious but I also think that spells trouble for her..REVENGE. Daniel calls up Marco, who apparently is still harbouring a grudge towards Nolan, and asks him to help him take down Nolcorp, to which Marco agrees.

What do you guys think? I loved this episode and all the back story it provided  especially about Aiden and Emily and Victoria and Conrad. I really can't wait to see what episode 9 will bring. 

Revenge Season 2-Episode 7

Last time on Revenge: Kara is about to have a mental breakdown, the bride wore grey and Amanda wants to "handle" Mason...with a crowbar!

And now: Things are looking grim for, well, just about everyone and as Emily's voice over informs us that everyone  must do penance for the things they've done we get a shot of Victoria sleeping and Conrad cutting himself shaving. It makes me wonder though, is Emily not going to have to pay for the things she's done? Emily is setting herself up as a god and we all know how that ends in TV land. Mason drops by Emily's house to tell her that he's figured out the connection between her and Amanda...except he thinks they were lovers. I think Emily was fairly shocked that THAT was the only conclusion he could come to. Still, I think her smirk says that maybe they actually were lovers? Anyway. 

Last week Daniel went all  Star Wars on Conrad's ass, by declaring that they needed a vote of no confidence to get rid of him. As I said, I don't really get the business-y end of this show but suffice to say that they need to position (ooer) Daniel at the head of Grayson Global while Conrad is still in le olde (metahorical)jail cell. Kara, who has been lurking around Casa Grayson announces, subtly as ever, that she will be leaving and needs Victoria's credit card. Victoria hands it over, I guess when you're that rich you can do that!? 

Amanda is pining away about her dream wedding but this just all seems a bit ridiculous to me. Amanda seems like a fun loving, down to earth girl not a 'fairy tale wedding' girl to me. And Jack is like "yeah, I guess we'll have a nice wedding and all since I love you, like, a bit, I guess. " Luckily this scene is interuppted by Mason calling and asking to have lunch with Amanda. Amanda immediately informs Emily of Mason's invite and Emily tells her to tell Mason that there will be no lunch. Furthermore, if he doesn't leave her alone she is going to get a restraining order.  Amanda still wants to bust out the crowbar, after all, several months have gone by without her whacking anyone and she's getting bored. Emily reminds her that she has a family to look after now, and violent crime may not be the best idea.

At the Grayson manor, Conrad is feeling blue about their imminent downfall but Victoria tells him not to give up, they aren't going to go down without a fight. At the subplot, Kenny's brother, Anders from Battlestar Gallactica, shows up and some exposition informs us that they want to get revenge (!) on Jack and Declan's father for...something. Kenny's having second thoughts though, since he's starting to like the brothers. Well, that makes one person.

Mason shows up to question Amanda and she says she will tell him everything...somewhere else. Somewhere where offing someone via crowbar is less obvious. Amanda tells Mason that Emily is a psychopath (she really is, right?) and Mason eats up every word but when he turns around, Amanda has the crowbar at the ready. Fortunately Emily swoops in and stops Amanda's murderous ways. Then she straight up tells Mason that SHE is Amanda Clark. Well, that was a twist, but I liked it!

Nolan hands over the incriminating cheque linking Nolcorp, David Clark and Grayson Global because he loves Emily THAT much. Also there is dramatic glass smashing! Aiden also loves Emily and wants to make up for ditching her in the weird revenge school maze. Meanwhile, at the Graysons, an investor meeting is going on and the others  The Initiative have infiltrated said meeting. Kara has (not surprisingly) ditched her flight and has rented a car on Victoria's credit card. What? We already know she is a.) not smart and b.) not smart. Kara is intercepted by Mason who is being told what to say by Emily, namely that Gordon has left her. He goes off script though and tells Kara pretty much everything. Knowing that the Graysons have stolen not one but two of her husbands is too much for Kara and she takes off to go on her own murderous rampage. Jeez, Amanda really could have been her daughter.

While the investors discuss Conrad's ousting with Daniel, Nolan breaks into Mason's house and Kara breaks into the Grayson's house. When Victoria tries to tell Conrad about their son becoming Emperor Palpatine, she finds him being held at gunpoint by Kara. Kara  lets loose about Victoria's man-stealing ways, framing ways and general badness but Conrad defends her. This scene was so touching, Conrad takes all the blame and truly seems to love Victoria, or at least realise that he once did. Victoria decides to improve Kara's mood by telling her that husband number 2 actually killed husband number 1. Frankly, I wouldn't bother telling anything to Kara, that woman is crazy AND in denial.

Nolan plants evidence that will frame Mason for, well, everything and the police swoop in to arrest him (Mason, that is). Meanwhile, Emily is watching everything go down at the Grayson's. Kara has turned off some of the cameras (I didn't have her pegged as a tech-savvy kind of woman but okay, I guess). Emily calls Aiden who comes to the rescue of Victoria and Conrad, after instructing Emily to turn off the cameras. Later, Conrad and Victoria discover the cameras were off and believe that this was the Initiative's doing.

Kara wakes up  in a car with Emily. Emily tells her that Aiden is undercover and they give her a full tank of gas and her meds so she can make her exit. I really didn't like this character, so I'm hoping she stays gone for a while .

Emily goes to visit Mason in jail where he believes he will be getting out soon and she believes that this is not so. She tells him he will confess to everything and in exchange she will get him out by confessing that is was all her...after her vendetta is done. Then he can write a book about it.

Emily goes home to find Aiden there and....they make out! Yay!  Sigh, I wish Aiden was mine. Next door, Victoria is about to rat on Daniel when Conrad tells her that it can wait. Then he kisses her on the forehead. Aww, another good episode and more roof that Conrad and Victoria really are the characters who are driving this show emotionally.

Missed the last recap? Read it here

Revenge Season 2-Episode 6

Hola readers, I have been busy settling into my new place but here are recaps of the last two episodes! At last!

You know, one of my favourite moments of the last season was when Conrad confessed that he used to love Victoria. The relationship between these two, however troubled, has always been, to me, the most touching. Anyway, Conrad and Victoria are being fitted for their wedding attire what Daniel sulks around. Sure, he's taken Emily's advice about being less obvious but he is doing a shitty-ass job of it, in my opinion. Next door at Emily's house, Emily tutors Amanda about her scar removal, so Amanda can relay that information to Mason. I like Mason a lot, despite the fact that he is quite the villain himself. Then again, who isn't on this show?

Meanwhile, Kara is perfecting her super creeper mode and is spying on Victoria who is preparing for her wedding day by looking at a picture of her former lover, David, and Kara's former lover and murder extraordinaire  Gordon Murphy. A flashback reminds us that Kara and Gordon were in love, with a capital L, also that they liked to stroke each other with sunflowers. If we've learned one thing so far, it's that Kara makes really regrettable life choices. In another flashback Emily remembers drawing alongside her mother, and then Emily and Kara discuss the Graysons. Kara proclaims that they will get what's coming to them. You know, Daniel should really be Kara's child instead of Emily because they both have the same level of subtlety. 

Emily, who actually has a decent revenge plan, unlike those two halfwits, goes to collect Gordon Murphy out of the freezer she has been keeping his body in. Whaaa? And also....what else is in there?! Amanda tells Mason about her scar removal and how important her family is and, amazingly, Mason seems to believe all this. He must be hanging out with Daniel too much. After she calls Emily to tell her that she's done with this crap and she's going to handle things her way, ie: with a crowbar. At Chez Grayson, Victoria and Charlotte have a tender moment before Charlotte tells her that she will be in the boring subplot for the remainder of this episode. Conrad wonders where his cuff links are.  Speaking of the boring subplot, evil and badly named Kenny, apparently has his own idea about how much booze should cost and their alcohol provider storms out muttering about how Jack and Declan's father wouldn't be too proud of them. Bitch please, Jack is a whiny and useless drunk and Declan is an idiotic thief, I don't think where they buy their booze would even register on their dad's proudness o-meter. 

Emily goes to visit Nolan and tells him not to attend the Grayson wedding but he's going, if not to show off his new, heterosexual relationship, then to find out for himself what she's up to. Mason interrupts asking for Nolan to trace 'Gordon Murphy's cell', ie: the piece of evidence Emily planted via Amanda and that will surely lead to someone's demise. The information from Nolan leads Mason to a trailer where he finds Gordon's body  and Conrad's missing cuff link. He calls up the police who raid Casa Grayson while they are at the wedding.

Victoria is wearing a grey wedding dress, which I have to say, I loved, when Conrad shows up and gives a impassioned speech about how they were meant to be together and gives Victoria a bedazzled gun in case he can't protect her. Aww! She receives a call from Mason, and then heads out to be remarried to Conrad. Everyone dances with everyone at the reception. Daniel still loves Emily, Aiden also loves Emily, Ashley is jealous and Padma isn't up to no good. Just then the cops burst in, having conveniently found the same gun that was used to kill Gordon and arrest Conrad. 

Back at subplot bar Jack thanks his customers and toasts the new bar. Kara bitches about how horrible her life is, how she just can't win. I think a unanimous cry of  'shut the fuck up, Kara" just went around the bar, although who is really paying attention to this plot anyway?

Padma apologizes to Nolan and he gives a kind of creepy speech questioning how far she will go to right her wrongs.  Victoria goes to visit Conrad in jail, of course, he thinks she's behind this but she insists she isn't. After she leaves, the initiative rolls in to bust Conrad out, at a price of course. Unfortunately, as he later tells Victoria in their room, they won't know what that price is until it's too late. 

Kara confronts Victoria , having seen the news of Gordon's demise on the news and Victoria implies what everyone within a 10 mile radius has already figured out, that they were lovers. Kara storms off, clearly on the edge of a mental breakdown. 

Aiden and Emily nearly kiss, after some discussion about how much Ashley knows. Um, I think they must have come in short because there were a few scenes that felt unnecessary. This was one and the other one as a montage of Emily setting up the fake crime scene. I mean, zero percent of people watching this show were wondering how Gordon's body got set up in the trailer. It was pretty straightforward. Anyway,  Mason is pondering things when he makes the connection between Amanda and Emily being together in jail. Unfortunately, as we will see in the next episode, this means absolutely nothing, since he wasn't smart enough to figure out what it actually meant that they knew each other before. Still, it was a great episode and I can't wait to see what happens next between Conrad and Victoria. 


image source