Revenge 1×19 ‘Absolution’ review: The Forecast is Bleak

Ever since Revenge began, the underlying topics of the series have been quite dark — terrorism, death and murder, conspiracy. But what began as a show about scandal and fun takedowns in the summer sun has now transitioned into the bleakness of the winter cold.

And they don’t stop trying to remind me. Look at the snow fall, you guys! Look they’re cold! It’s dark and it’s winter and it’s cold!

I get it, I get it. And I suppose I never truly realized the gravity of the storylines in the beginning of the season, but its transition into the dark was most extremely evident during this episode. We have a murder that was setup to look as a suicide. You have a teenager being addicted to drugs, whose boyfriend called sex “you better not be giving it up to anyone but me.” Just how spooky was that scene when Daniel closed the door to his father’s office? I mean, we ended the hour with Amanda stating quite clearly and succinctly that she wants to kill the man that murdered her father — that, in fact, she will do so once she finds him. And I’m mostly sure that we’re rooting for her. I guess that’s why they’re doing a flashback episode next week. Though, I’m still wondering what her game plan is for the Graysons, since they…y’know…orchestrated the entire thing.

Speaking of the infamous family and Amanda’s plans, there are even more questions as to why she’s continuing with the wedding. Technically, the feds are about to bust Conrad (thanks to his almost-going-to-be-ex-wife) and I’m assuming Amanda recorded Conrad’s confession to Daniel. You take that and couple it with the fact that Daniel didn’t turn out to be the man Amanda thought he was once he decided to continue his family’s legacy (of lies and deceit), and you have to wonder what the deal is. I’m considering that final point sort of put a pin (at least for a while) in Amanda’s feelings for Daniel.

And although Aunt Carol and the picture and and the journal and the video from 1995 that looked like it was in HD felt like extreme plot crutches, I enjoy the push to fuel Amanda’s revenge plot even further. But as I mentioned, is it coming at a price to the overall breezy enjoyment factor of the show? Do we even care that the show has taken this stark and bleak approach? Those questions aren’t rhetorical, by the way, I’d like to know what you think because I’m not sure of what I think about it yet.

Elsewhere, Ashley is finally not just in the background anymore — and I like it. I love even more that now Conrad and her hands are “forever intertwined.” I think that might end with Ashley’s life (I’m already calling it) but as I stated last week, my biggest gripe since the show returned was that they halted the Ashley story. I like the idea of someone trying to enter the game. And what better way to stick it to Victoria?

Victoria, by the way, was almost annoying me when she was crying at a mural. I’m not a fan of when her character doesn’t have her stuff together. How many people is she supposed to be in love with anyway? So I appreciated her going to the feds and even trying to comfort her daughter with tales of her biological father.

Overall, another solid installment. I enjoy the darkness inside Daniel story that has progressed quite nicely and was somewhat cemented in this episode, but I’m still wondering what it is Amanda wants out of the family if murder isn’t her endgame. And what will the finale consist? Only three weeks left!