‘Revenge’ blasted back on the air on Wednesday, February 8th with another all-new episode ‘Perception’. This week’s installment delivers tense moments and some ending twists as Grandpa Grayson (William Devane) arrives and Charlotte’s (Christa B. Allen) paternity secret is blown open wide. The show feels like a high speed train right now en route to next week’s ‘Chaos’ in which hopefully, this question is answered: Is Daniel (Josh Bowman) going to die?
No one is better at delivering chilling demands than Madeleine Stowe when Victoria informs Conrad (Henry Czerny) that he’s going to play nice at the dinner arranged for his father and pretend their separation is amicable. She also wants him to return to being a loving father toward Charlotte.
Czerny and Allen share a very tender and emotional scene before dinner, when Conrad apologizes to Charlotte for shutting her out and tries to reassure her that whatever is happening in the family isn’t her fault. It is particularly bittersweet when he tells Charlotte that her laugh is his favorite sound in the world and she tells him that she can handle anything as long as she has him.
Meanwhile, Emily (Emily VanCamp) is walking on thin ice, because Jack (Nick Wechsler) found the tape of Mason's interview with her when she was a little girl. She uses Amanda to try to get the tape back from Jack before he sees it, and things fall apart.
Amanda makes it clear to Emily she doesn’t want to hurt Jack anymore, and could care less about anything Emily wants her to do. Will Amanda’s desperation to be with Jack cost Emily everything?
Emily was going to have Charlotte receive the tape and find out about her biological father via a package that would arrive at the family dinner.
But Emily overhears the exchange between Charlotte and Conrad and decides not to shatter Charlotte’s world with the tape. She’s able to grab the package before Victoria sees it. But, the save doesn’t matter because Jack has seen the tape and storms into the dinner, furious. He calls Victoria out for being in love with David Clarke and he blames her for doing nothing to save a poor little girl who was taken away and put into the system.
Victoria tries to defend herself and say he’s imagining things, but Jack lets it be known it’s all on tape. Then Conrad becomes enraged, when Daniel tries to defend his mother, saying David committed ‘other crimes’.
Conrad tells Daniel Victoria is lying and then ends up telling Charlotte the truth about her paternity. Daniel still believes David raped his mother, but, when he asks her to confirm it, she refuses to speak.
It’s obvious that Emily feels terrible for Charlotte, but, relieved that her father is absolved at least, of being a rapist. Another shocker is revealed in flashback: Emily met Daniel years ago at college. So, it appears she's been tracking him, or, potentially targeting him for years.
However, her feelings for Daniel at this point seem so genuine. Is it possible she regrets pulling him in so far - especially now that her father's name has been cleared as a rapist?
The real twist is saved for last, when Emily goes home and finds the rug pulled away and her Infinity box missing from its hidiing spot under the floorboard. A Fire and Ice Ball invitation is there in its place with a mark that says ‘Will Be Attending’.
Emily looks around, spooked. Who broke in and took the box? Amanda? Is she going to spill Emily’s whole plan at the engagement party?
Or, better yet, because this show is known for delivering shockers, did Tyler escape confinement and take the box? He was close to finding it before he got taken into custody. He certainly carries a grudge against Emily and all of the Graysons. And, he is certainly psychotic enough to ultimately be the one to shoot at someone on the beach.
Is it going to turn out that Tyler shoots Daniel out of hatred for him and his family and to hurt Emily? Or, will Amanda snap because she doesn’t want to play Emily’s game anymore. And, if she thinks she can’t have Jack, will she shoot Daniel to hurt Emily just as badly?
In the preview, Emily hides a gun under her dress, someone is laying in blood on the beach and Victoria is hovered over the body screaming Daniel’s name. But that doesn’t mean the person is Daniel. Or, if it is Daniel, that he will be the one who dies.
Here’s another scenario: Daniel gets badly wounded, and whoever shoots him gets shot by someone else and then they are the one who dies. Think: Amanda shoots Daniel, Emily shoots Amanda. Or, Tyler shoots Daniel, Emily (or anyone) shoots Tyler.
This series defines dramatic tension and suspense. It should also be noted that Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross provides just enough clever and sarcastic (in a dry humor sort of way) quips to bring some light into the darkness. (Case in point: ‘Excuse me for being Captain Obvious’ and ‘What’s on the Revengenda tonight?)
Plus, Nolan tries to talk some sense into Emily and reign her in (sadly, to no avail most of the time). By doing this, in his own way, he’s offering her protection and friendship that no one else does. And, he does the same thing for Jack, who tells him what a good friend he’s been.
At least someone in The Hamptons has compassion…’Like a good neighbor, Nolan is there…’
Overall, ‘Revenge’ is brilliantly written and played by an incredible cast and ‘Perception’ does not disappointment. We’ll keep sitting on needles and pins, waiting for the train to slow down or stop at the Fire and Ice Ball where undoubtedly nothing will be as it seems, and as always, no one can be trusted and no one is safe.
‘Revenge’ airs Wednesdays at 10 PM EST on ABC.
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