Revolution

[Jennasis]

They already exist, well in short supply but they do. Stanley Steamer cars, my dad's friend has one.
And I've seen a guy on TV that converted his truck to a wood burning car, instead of gas.



In the opening credits I heard them say people in the city would die, I didn't see it. But after seeing the effects of hurricane Sandy, I believe it now. Food resources would deplete very quickly and people would be SOL fast.

If some of the responses on my "Are YOU prepared for a disaster?" thread are any indication, I wholeheartedly believe the people in the cities would die.

 

[gometros]

First, it's being replayed tonight (Friday).

Here's my synopsis (as I remember it)...
Desperate for medical help for Nora, Miles takes them to an acquaintance of his. Upon arrival there, the Dekker (the acquaintance) acts like he's going to execute Miles, pulls the trigger, and the gun's empty. Dekker is obviously a little off his rocker (and raises poppy for herion).

The doctor Dekker keeps patches up Nora. In exchange for the work, Dekker wants his neighbors (who burned his poppy fields) "taken care of". Miles agrees to do it, but Dekker says Charlie must. Miles, Nora, and Aaron have to stay with Dekker while Charlie goes to assassinate the neighbor.

When Charlie gets to the neighbor's (at OSU), she finds out his daughter ran away to Dekker's, basically became a drug addicted prostitute, and Dekker's people brought her body back after she died. That's what prompted the burning poppy field.

We see some flashbacks of Aaron from shortly after the blackout. It shows how he wasn't able to physically protect his wife and leaves her because he can't.

Aaron convinces Miles to escape to catch Charlie because he (Aaron) is the most expendable (they assume Dekker will kill them all). Miles escapes from Dekker and stops Charlie just before she kills the guy.

While they're gone Dekker forces Nora & Aaron to duel, the winner will be let go. Aaron shots himself in the chest, when Dekker comes over to look at him, Aaron shoots & kills Dekker. It turns out Aaron had a flask and the bullet hit the flask.

In the meantime, Danny is delivered to Monroe & is reunited with his mom. Monroe tells Neville to send some sergeant after Aaron to get the charm/usb stick back. Neville's son protests says the sergeant won't leave any survivors.

Not exactly a synopsis, but I think that's about it. Sorry for the length.

Thanks for that, Sam.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I like the show but the premise is a little far fetched. I would think that older cars would still run, ones that don't have a computer on board. Also what about all the other equipment that isn't high tech...tractors, etc. Heck I'd be riding the heck out of my riding lawn mower. I guess they just didn't really explain what works and what doesn't. I agree that people in large cities would be totally SOL - it would be chaos.

 

[Jennasis]

I like the show but the premise is a little far fetched. I would think that older cars would still run, ones that don't have a computer on board. Also what about all the other equipment that isn't high tech...tractors, etc. Heck I'd be riding the heck out of my riding lawn mower. I guess they just didn't really explain what works and what doesn't. I agree that people in large cities would be totally SOL - it would be chaos.

BATTERIES do not work. So none of the things you just described would work as they all require a battery.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

BATTERIES do not work. So none of the things you just described would work as they all require a battery.

Ok now it makes sense. I had thought that it just fried anything that had computer components...

 

[Colleen27]

I'm glad you're buying it. I, on the other hand, consider it VERY far fetched fiction, ala LOST or FRINGE (shows I also enjoy).

Absolutely. The premise is an event unlike anything known to mankind, so it is solidly sci-fi/speculative in nature. But if you accept the base premise - that all electrical activity has for some unknown reason ceased to function, not as a one-time event like an EMP that fries wiring/components but as an ongoing inhibitor - the rest of the story flows believably from that premise.

This is my take based on what we've seen so far, posted a few weeks back but it still holds up after the most recent episodes:

I don't think it is going to turn out to be a power source... I think it is a shield/neutralizer of some sort that creates a zone where whatever the force is that killed electricity is blocked. Entirely speculative, of course, and requiring total suspension of disbelief, but this is my take based on what we know so far. Something - and I think it is far too soon to speculate about what, but I lean alien/otherworldly in origin simply because the first episode implied that it was a global event - is inhibiting the movement of electrons. It wasn't a one-time event that killed existing electronics, it is, as Aaron said, a change in the laws of physics, a sort of invisible insulator that effects the very nature of electricity. That would explain why no one has rigged up coal or steam generators or otherwise found means of small scale energy generation, and it would make controlling those devices even more essential than if it just contained a one-time "fix" that would bring power back to the world.

 

[Jennasis]

Absolutely. The premise is an event unlike anything known to mankind, so it is solidly sci-fi/speculative in nature. But if you accept the base premise - that all electrical activity has for some unknown reason ceased to function, not as a one-time event like an EMP that fries wiring/components but as an ongoing inhibitor - the rest of the story flows believably from that premise.

This is my take based on what we've seen so far, posted a few weeks back but it still holds up after the most recent episodes:

I buy the premise of a worldwide power outtage. I don't buy some of the results of said outtage.

 

[DianeV]

But if we wanted to watch something nonfiction we would watch something nonfiction. This isnt supposed to be a factual show in my opinion although it sure seems as if it would be possible

 

[Jennasis]

But if we wanted to watch something nonfiction we would watch something nonfiction. This isnt supposed to be a factual show in my opinion although it sure seems as if it would be possible

***sigh***

I LIKE the show. We watch it every week. There are some things about it though that make me roll my eyes (like Glee...great show, but one must completely suspend disbelief to watch it). It makes me wonder if the writers are lazy or if they think their viewers are stupid.

For example..after 15 YEARS, society has steam trains but not a single person has figured out how to power a car or truck with steam? As the poster above stated, those vehicles exist NOW.

Or the guy in last weeks episode has some nerd in his basement who has figured out how to make homegrown penicillin...but NOBODY else has?

Why are they walking on foot everywhere? If after 15 years there still weren't steam cars or other transportation, the proliferation of horses would be like Chevy's and Fords. They'd be everywhere.

Stuff like that pulls me out of the story (and the story is good.)

 

[DeaverTex]

It's really ALL about the militias. They may have started at least partially to maintain order, but that changed almost immediately I'd suspect. The militia commanders are the heads of government -- effectively, feudal lords or even the more primitive "strong men" -- and they maintain their status only by maintaining the status quo. Any technical progress that makes life easier will give the new peasants too much time to think, and all technical progress that's not totally under the thumb of the militias is intolerable. And since it's likely that the whole world has reverted to the strong-man form of government, there is no outside force that could spark anything resembling the 14th Century Renaissance.

Once you accept the premise of the militias, a lot of the oddities fall into place. Horses give mobility and power, both of which would be dangerous to the militia-centered governments. Therefore, nobody except the militias is permitted to own a horse. It's already obvious that the militias have an absolute monopoly on firearms, even the blackpowder muzzle loaders that most of the militia carry. Owning a firearm carries the death penalty, you'll recall. The militias have taken any means of effective resistance away from the populace, and constantly remind them that it's for their own good. (Which may have been true in the beginning, but it's just an excuse now.)

If there are any steam-powered cars or other vehicles, they are 100% controlled by the militias. The same would go for diesel-powered vehicles, only even more so, since aircraft can (and have) been built using diesel engines. If a militia commander wasn't certain that he (or she) could maintain total control over this technology, he would have no hesitation to destroy it so that nobody else could use it.

Which also explains why there aren't any large ships. A ship is a self-contained little world. A mutiny would put a powerful tool into the hands of "the wrong people", meaning people who weren't totally loyal to their militia. Far better to destroy the ships, than to take that chance.

 

[TrustMeMom]

It's really ALL about the militias. They may have started at least partially to maintain order, but that changed almost immediately I'd suspect. The militia commanders are the heads of government -- effectively, feudal lords or even the more primitive "strong men" -- and they maintain their status only by maintaining the status quo. Any technical progress that makes life easier will give the new peasants too much time to think, and all technical progress that's not totally under the thumb of the militias is intolerable. And since it's likely that the whole world has reverted to the strong-man form of government, there is no outside force that could spark anything resembling the 14th Century Renaissance.

Once you accept the premise of the militias, a lot of the oddities fall into place. Horses give mobility and power, both of which would be dangerous to the militia-centered governments. Therefore, nobody except the militias is permitted to own a horse. It's already obvious that the militias have an absolute monopoly on firearms, even the blackpowder muzzle loaders that most of the militia carry. Owning a firearm carries the death penalty, you'll recall. The militias have taken any means of effective resistance away from the populace, and constantly remind them that it's for their own good. (Which may have been true in the beginning, but it's just an excuse now.)

If there are any steam-powered cars or other vehicles, they are 100% controlled by the militias. The same would go for diesel-powered vehicles, only even more so, since aircraft can (and have) been built using diesel engines. If a militia commander wasn't certain that he (or she) could maintain total control over this technology, he would have no hesitation to destroy it so that nobody else could use it.

Which also explains why there aren't any large ships. A ship is a self-contained little world. A mutiny would put a powerful tool into the hands of "the wrong people", meaning people who weren't totally loyal to their militia. Far better to destroy the ships, than to take that chance.

This.

It is so similar to the aptly named Dark Ages in world history.

That, I think is the whole point here - the cautionary tale. Not really the absence of technology. That was just the catalyst. The real point is the inherent nature of humans, and the fact that if we don't learn from history, we will repeat it. Regardless of how "advanced" we think we are.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

I really wish that I would have started watching this from the beginning. I'm hoping the release the series on DVD. Does anyone know if the episodes are online? I haven't looked yet. Thanks!

 

[Mel522]

I really wish that I would have started watching this from the beginning. I'm hoping the release the series on DVD. Does anyone know if the episodes are online? I haven't looked yet. Thanks!

You can watch past episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/revolution/

They don't have the pilot though.

I think Hulu plus has all the episodes. They have a 1 week free trial if you don't have it.

 

[gometros]

They don't have the pilot though.

I think Hulu plus has all the episodes. They have a 1 week free trial if you don't have it.

It does, as I thankfully found out. Got power back Saturday and am catching up on last week's shows. Interestingly enough, although it says one week free trial, the confirmation email I received from Hulu says I have until Dec. 6 to cancel, which gives me a month.

 

[smidgy]

you can all stop watching it. because I am watching and like it, so that is always a death knell for a show!! If I like it , it's gone!!!... I think they said 3 more episodes this season. i liked FLASH Forward (not FAST Forward) it's gone.. terra nova, V, you name it. (I think I was the ONLY person in the USA whoe watched Cop Rock back in the 80s,,, a cop show that had soning and dancing interjected,,ok, that one WAS bad!)

so the mom is revolution... wasn't she the mom is falsh forward? or terra nova? or both?

I , too, have to shut my mind off qwhen watching, though.. esp about the ships.. come on, people crossed the ocean long before electricity.

but , to me, it's fun... mind candy.

 

[Mel522]

you can all stop watching it. because I am watching and like it, so that is always a death knell for a show!! If I like it , it's gone!!!... I think they said 3 more episodes this season. i liked FLASH Forward (not FAST Forward) it's gone.. terra nova, V, you name it. (I think I was the ONLY person in the USA whoe watched Cop Rock back in the 80s,,, a cop show that had soning and dancing interjected,,ok, that one WAS bad!)

so the mom is revolution... wasn't she the mom is falsh forward? or terra nova? or both?

I , too, have to shut my mind off qwhen watching, though.. esp about the ships.. come on, people crossed the ocean long before electricity.

but , to me, it's fun... mind candy.

The mom in revolution was in Lost and V, but not Flash Forward or Terra Nova.

 

[disney1990]

you can all stop watching it. because I am watching and like it, so that is always a death knell for a show!! If I like it , it's gone!!!... I think they said 3 more episodes this season. i liked FLASH Forward (not FAST Forward) it's gone.. terra nova, V, you name it. (I think I was the ONLY person in the USA whoe watched Cop Rock back in the 80s,,, a cop show that had soning and dancing interjected,,ok, that one WAS bad!)

so the mom is revolution... wasn't she the mom is falsh forward? or terra nova? or both?

I , too, have to shut my mind off qwhen watching, though.. esp about the ships.. come on, people crossed the ocean long before electricity.

but , to me, it's fun... mind candy.

Me too. I watch and it gets cancelled. I watched both FLASH Forward and terra nova.

 

[gometros]

The mom in revolution was in Lost and V, but not Flash Forward or Terra Nova.

The Lost in connection with Flash Forward is Sonya Walger.

 

[smidgy]

oh yeah! she was the mom in V! thanks!

 

[traces7]

I really wish that I would have started watching this from the beginning. I'm hoping the release the series on DVD. Does anyone know if the episodes are online? I haven't looked yet. Thanks!

Our cable provider (Charter) has all the episodes on demand. So last weekend my DD watched all the episodes right in a row. I hadn't seen the show, but had heard that it was good.