Fall television 2011 has brought us a large lineup of many new programs to accompany our returning favorites. These new shows hope to find a permanent home on the networks, while some have already vanished from the TV schedule (R.I.P. The Playboy Club and Free Agents).
Not everyone watches as much television as this crazy girl. So, after giving almost all of the new shows a try, I’ve picked a few that have definitely peaked my interest. For those of you with just enough time for a few programs a week, this is for you!
Part I
The return of the night-time soap opera… Wednesday Nights on ABC – Revenge
Revenge stars Emily VanCamp (Everwood) as Amanda Clarke/Emily Thorne, a young and beautiful addition to the rich and prestigious Hamptons. However, Emily’s arrival isn’t her first trip to the neighborhood…
When she was a little girl, Amanda and her father lived in the quaint beach house next door to her father’s boss and his mansion. Late one night, Amanda’s father was ripped away from her for crimes that later sent him to prison for the rest of his life.
Not necessarily believing in his innocence, Amanda rebelled and spent time incarcerated herself. The day Amanda was released from her own prison, she was greeted by a stranger with life changing news: her father was dead, he had been framed, and she was now filthy rich.
Amanda’s father believed in and secretly invested in a young man named Nolan Ross (Gabriel Mann) when no one else would. Nolan awarded Mr. Clarke forty-nine percent of his company in return for the investment, and his investment was now worth millions. When Amanda’s father died in prison, all of his assets were awarded to Amanda.
But something greater came with these riches – a map and information on each and every person responsible for framing her father and sending him to prison. Amanda assumes a new identity as Emily Thorne and sets her plan in motion vowing revenge against those responsible – primarily the Grayson family.
After establishing herself around the world as an educated and philanthropic young lady, Emily returns to the Hamptons and rents the beach house where she spent time with her father; the house where he was so abruptly taken from her.
In each episode, Emily destroys someone involved with her father’s demise: her father’s assistant and current mistress to Conrad Grayson, Lydia Davis (Amber Valletta); her father’s closest friend and a corrupt hedge fund manager, Bill Harmon (Matthew Glave); and the district attorney who prosecuted her father and current state senator, Tom Kingsley (Yancey Arias).
But who are Emily’s prime targets? Conrad Grayson (Henry Czemy), the CEO of her father’s company who spearheaded the entire take-down, and the CEO’s not-so-loyal wife who stood by and watched her lover taken away in handcuffs (yea, you read that right – love triangle 101), Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe).
How will Emily destroy the Graysons? Will she involve their son, Daniel (Joshua Bowman); the man she’s slowly but surely seducing? The pilot episode began at Emily and Daniel’s engagement party before rewinding to Emily’s arrival in the Hamptons….so probably.
Will Emily confide in anyone other than Nolan? How about her childhood friend Jack Porter (Nick Wechler) who adopted her puppy and named his boat Amanda?
Do you watch Revenge? What do you think? The series claims to be loosely based on the Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Count of Monte Cristo – do you see any parallels? I’d love to hear from you!
Come back next week for more top performers that have peaked my interest this television season.
Tiffany A White's Ooo Factor 
Unfortunately, this isn’t one we watch. I know it would be really good, but I have to consider the hubby. LOL. And if I watched everything i wanted to, I would never have time to write. Now if I didn’t have a full time job….
Maybe someday I’ll pick it up on Netflix. If I EVER get uVerse at my house! Stupid slow Verizon card with limited data usage!
We have uVerse and love it, Lauralynn. I hope you get it someday soon so you can check out Revenge. Along with Person of Interest and Secret Circle, I enjoy it the most! Of course, this is one that I too have to find the time to watch when my guy isn’t around. Thanks for stopping by!
I only watch about 3 hours of TV a week and I must admit, I LOVE Revenge. I mean who wouldn’t, it has everything an Author loves, twists, turns, money, implied sex and REVENGE, oh so sweet. So there, I have confessed, it is the only show I watch, the other 2 hours a week is either sports or news.
I feel better for the confession, thanks and a great review of the show.
Peter
Hi, Peter! Do not take shame in watching Revenge. You said it best – it’s the perfect show for a writer to indulge in the twists and turns, etc to feed his or her imagination. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I love this show, which surprises me! I wasn’t sure I’d like a show about revenge, but they have written it in a way that you actually cheer for her. The only thing I dont like is how she treats Nolan. Yeah, he’s a bit weird, but she’s so bitchy to him.
I’m hoping Emily’s treatment of Nolan eases up just a bit. I think he genuinely cares for her and wants to help her ruin these people. Otherwise, why hasn’t he outed her yet? Thanks for stopping by, Lori!
Tiffany, I have to say I always head over to you and Amber’s blog to get the best reviews on these new and returning fall shows. Your post today is another wonderful review of a show that I’ve yet to see. I like the intrigue that seems to surround the main character’s story and my curiosity is piqued. I will definitely have to check this one out! Thank you! 🙂
Hi, Bella! Thank you for the support and kind words. The purpose of these blogs is to share my crazy TV addiction with others, and when I read a review like this it brings a smile to my face. And poor Amber, I think she’s watching more TV now than she ever wanted. LOL.
I hope you check out Revenge and come back to tell me what you think! 🙂
I need to watch this one. I’m sure I could get caught up online. It sounds interesting, and I think I heard it’s been picked up for the year.
You should definitely check it out, Stacy! I believe you are right – it was picked up for the full season. YAY!
That looked intriguing when I saw the promos, now I definitely want to see it! You’ve piqued my interest, too!
I know Wednesday night is big for us (Outplay, Outwit, Outlast), but I don’t think you’ll regret adding Revenge to the list. Thanks for stopping by, Kathy!
I LOVE Revenge. It’s by far my favorite new show. I love the intrigue, watching her destroy people, but outwardly she is so sweet. It’s awesome. And the two love interests are adorable too. I mean a guy that named his boat after you. How cool is that?? And my husband also likes this show a lot. It’s one of the few that he watches with me. (That and Blue Mountain State!)
I’m with you, Jill; I have nothing against the Grayson boy, but someone naming his boat after you? Winner! Plus, the dog’s reaction every time she’s around, doesn’t it just melt your heart? I’m pulling for Jack….but not until the very last episode ever. Otherwise, it might soggy up the revenge.
I am in love with Revenge. I hope it lasts several seasons because the story could go so many different directions. I’m happy to see Emily again; this is the best I’ve ever seen her act. Brothers and Sisters was my favorite show I think ever and I really wanted a proper ending instead of a cancellation. Also, I liked Playboy Club, bummer there too. I heard Bravo might pick it up.
Hey, Sara! I didn’t watch Brothers and Sisters (can you believe it?), but you are not alone in wishing the network would have given the long running show a proper ending. Maybe viewers will get a 2 hour movie to close things out one day? I’ve also heard that while Playboy Club was cancelled, filming hasn’t (or at least, hadn’t) stopped. Sounds like someone is interested….PC and Pan Am would do better on the cable channels, IMO. Thanks for stopping by! I’m looking forward to Emily’s revenge tonight…
Oooooh, I might have to check this one out, but fast before I get behind in the story. It sure looks uberfabulicious.
Yes, Tameri – watch it! Let me know if you have any questions on previous episodes….
I am totally into this show! Great casting and the writers are fabulous :-). I do wish Jack was a little more… something. But he’s growing on me.
Hi, Heidi! I have a feeling we’re going to see a lot more of Jack and his little Gossip Girl brother. 🙂 Jack’s taking in Sam, his naming the boat Amanda, and sellind his boat to Nolan to save his dad’s bar is enough for me to yell for him. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m into this show and curious how long they can sustain the premise. At some point one of her victims will have to figure out what she’s up to. Otherwise this one guilty party punished an episode will get old. Besides, how awesome would it be if Victoria figured out who Emily really was, but couldn’t do anything about it? And what if Emily knew that she knew?
The negative for me was in the pilot with the flash forward. So far it seems there was no reason to do it aside from trying to hook the audience with a season long mystery. Because of it, I have a hard time caring about Emily and Joshua. I’m really hoping what I think I saw wasn’t what I saw.
Andrew, I am with you 1,000%. There was no need for the flashforward. The only thing I can think of is that they were indeed worried about hooking the audience early. I also agree that I hope what we think we saw wasn’t really what we saw in the pilot episode. While that may be the ultimate revenge on the Graysons, I’m on the “Joshua is innocent of all this” boat. Especially since he was a child at the time, and it doesn’t seem Emily is taking anything out on those not directly involved.
Thanks for stopping by! I love that we have another show to chat about…. 🙂
Well, there could be more to Joshua’s accident than what we’ve seen so far. And the fact that Victoria really loved Emily’s dad is interesting. Makes me wonder if she had a good relationship with Emily as a child.
Oh my gosh! That’s Emily from Everwood! She’s changed so much.
I’m ashamed. I didn’t watch Everwood or Brothers and Sisters. This is the first time I’ve watched an Emily VanCamp show. Bad, Tiffany…..
And, wasn’t Everwood on the CW? It’s probably my favorite network behind USA, TNT, FX, and CBS. Okay, maybe before FX, but it’s a close call.
I have a problem, don’t I? LOL – Thanks for stopping by, Ellie!
Everwood. A must watch. Even though the series finale was kind of a dud, the rest of the show’s run makes up for it.
Oh, MAN!!!! All my pals are over here lovin’ on “Revenge.” It could be that I’ll have to break the moratorium and sit down and watch more than Elmo. This blog has me intrigued, from the FAB title all the way down. 🙂
Jenny, if you don’t feel like breaking your TV moratorium, you know I can help you along with whatever you need…. Thanks for stopping by and for your endless support! ❤
I’ve been seeing the trailers for this show and have been wanting to check it out because it looks sooo good! Glad to hear the review and I will totally made it a point to watch – sounds uberlicious!
Tiffany, I’m a first time visitor and have seen Revenge only once but I did like the episode I saw. If Revenge is based loosely on Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo, I would say it is as loose as diarrhea. It’s one of my all time favorite movies (1922 version, I believe) and most definitely one of my favorite books. Revenge doesn’t remind me of the life of Edmond Dantes at all.