'Revenge' Creator Mike Kelley Leaves Show

Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) & creator Mike Kelley

I never really do entertainment based - or any sort of news articles on here but I found this quite interesting and actually a little irritating (let me explain why in a bit).

It was announced yesterday that creator of ABC's/E4's soap-y drama 'Revenge' would be leaving the show in its entirety. Mike Kelley's series starring Emily VanCamp and Madeline Stowe debuted in the US in September 2011 and is currently in its second season. The creator is set to finish post-production duties on the show shortly before he departs, which is expected to be next month.

The announcement surprised me mainly because I've never heard of a creator stepping down from a show this early on. 'Revenge' became a sleeper hit with its debut, gaining just over 10 million viewers on its first ever showing. The audience viewership stayed strong, as did its critical reception for the next 21 episodes in the season. However, its audience has depleted somewhat in the show's sophmore year, with only 5.49 million people tuning into its most recent episode, "Masquerade", on Sunday 31st March. The move is, as I said shocking to me, but what irritated me about Kelley leaving his beloved show behind was the supposed reason.

Kelley had allegedly lobbied for 'Revenge' to carry a shortened 3rd season, possibly to stand at 13 episodes, to abandon unnecessary story arcs and twists that ultimately aren't necessary to the shows main story. ABC opted against the idea, most probably because they would be losing out on thousands, maybe even millions of dollars of ad-revenue from only having 13 episodes in one series (although there isn't an official figure for how much 'Revenge' "charges", in October 2012 a 30 second ad cost a little over $150,000 according to this chart from ad-age). 

What ABC doesn't seem to understand is that a short season is exactly what the show needs at this point. At the end of season 1 we were left with a cliffhanger that 18 episodes later - still hasn't been fully seen to, and while the second series is good (at a stretch), it's been carried on for much longer then it probably should've been. The show is known for its ridiculously dramatic soap opera-like twists and turns; people from the past showing up unexpectedly, fake deaths, surprise pregnancies and the like, while also trying to maintain a very dark, crime related story at its core. The marriage of the two genres of soap and crime is what's brought the show into the forefront from its inception, but with its intricate and tricky sub-plots which are quickly getting more difficult to follow, viewership is declining. A concise season of much fewer episodes would allow less "waffle" in the show, and let the main story work perfectly without the interruption of pointless side arcs and guest characters.

Network television needs to put shorter seasons into practise. It happens here and there and shows such as 'The Following', (the first season of) 'Scandal' and NBC's 'Hannibal' are proof that it can actually work effectively. Plus all you have to do is look at the most celebrated TV shows of the 21st century so far: 'Breaking Bad', 'Mad Men', 'The Walking Dead', 'Game of Thrones', 'Luther', 'Downton Abbey' and 'The Wire'. How many episodes have they all had per season?

Not as many as Revenge.


You can read a review of Revenge Season 1 here.

List: The 8 Great Returning Shows

Yes, 8 is an odd number to count down...well, anything - but with the new US TV season starting this week, I've profiled the 8 returning shows, that have me in a current frenzy anticipating their return. So here goes:

8. American Horror Story (Season 2)

FX- 17.10.12

Officially titled American Horror Story: Asylum, creator Ryan Murphy opted for the second season scare-fest to be a completely separate affair to what was offered last year. This time, the setting is, of course, a mental asylum, detailing the various goings-on with both the patients and the staff within its 1950s setting. Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Zachary Quinto who all had roles in the first series will return as completely new characters, with details only revealing that they will play the “opposite” of who they portrayed last year. They will be joined by newcomers Chloe Sevigny, Jenna Dewan and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, along with a host of others.

7. Modern Family (Season 4)

ABC- 26.9.12

Ratings and critical killer Modern Family returns to ABC at the end of September, with big changes about to emerge. With the heart-breaking scene at the end of season 3 in which Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) had finally had enough of the stress of trying to have another baby with partner Cam (Eric Stonestreet), Gloria (Sofia Vergara) announced that she was pregnant with her second child. Being a huge comedic success I’m anxious to know how it’ll play out…as it’s been announced that the entire first episode will revolve around Gloria breaking the news to the extended family. There are sure to be fireworks, both of the good, and the awful kind.

6. 30 Rock Season 7

NBC- 4.10.12

Liz and co. will be talking their final bow in December, after the show finishes its short and sweet 7^th and last season. 30 Rock can easily be called by many (including me) one of the best contemporary American sitcoms of the last 10 years, loosely based on creator and star Tina Fey’s early experience’s as an ex-head writer for the now ironically unfunny Saturday Night Live. The show returned mid-season in early 2012 and the signs that the show was standing on its last legs were imminent, due to the fact that it had lost so much of the spark and wit it carried in it's earlier seasons. Nevertheless, it’ll be sad to see Lemon and Donaghy part ways for good.

Until a film adaptation is announced.

5. Parks and Recreation Season 5

NBC- 20.9.12

Golden Leslie Knope returns for a full length fifth season on Thursday the 20^th with a changing setting taking place for the cast. As Ben (Adam Scott) heads for Washington and Andy (Chris Pratt) hints at joining the police force, Knope will be taking her newly elected position in City Council when the show returns. Parks & Recreation has struggled to obtain a large viewership since its inception, but with its small yet devoted fanbase, NBC has given one of the funniest shows on television chance after chance as it rightfully deserves. Both Lucy Lawless and comedian Jon Glaser have been tapped for guest roles this season, with the latter playing Leslie’s new nemesis within her role in Office.

4. Revenge Season 2

ABC- 30.9.12

Although I named Revenge “the show Gossip Girl wishes it was” may have seemed harsh, it is also incredibly true. The surprise hit of last year, moves into the coveted Sunday night slot once occupied by Desperate Housewives. Styled as an appropriation of The Count of Monte Cristo, the series follows Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) and her subtle and extremely personal quest for vengeance. Many questions were left unanswered at the end of the first season, ready to be unfolded bit by bit over 22 episodes starting on the 30^th of September. While it has been revealed that Emily’s mother is very much alive, the role that she’ll play this season remains completely unknown. It would even be completely unsurprising if she had her own manipulative plans for Miss Thorne herself.

3. Scandal

ABC- 27.9.12

You know what (rhetorical) question I’m gonna ask...yet I'm gonna say it anyway: “Who Is Quinn Perkins?” Scandal, fronted by Kerry Washington and created by Grey’s Anatomy and TV juggernaut Shonda Rhimes left us all wondering last season who the hell the woman Olivia had invited to work alongside of truly is. Washington’s character, Olivia Pope, serves as the head of a crisis management firm, dealing with minimising political scandals in and out of the White House. 7 episodes were shown on ABC earlier this Summer, completely proving that less is more; as each episode flowed smoothly and concisely, without any waffle or unnecessary plot turns. More TV shows need to learn from this.

2. Happy Endings Season 3

ABC- 26.10.12

The most underrated sitcom returns towards the end of October for its third outing. At the beginning of the last season, the show was dubbed “The Year of Penny”, as an ode to the hilarious show standout Penny Hartz. As the dreaded and inevitable “love triangle” started to rear its head earlier this year, one can only hope that Happy Endings writers can tackle the cliché sitcom go-to the only way Happy Endings should…by making overt and unsubtle references to ‘Friends’.

Although it is one of my favourites, the fact that it’ll air the same time as the universally adored New Girl worries me. This better not be the last season already.

1. X Factor Season 2

Fox- 12.9.12

Judge me. Judge me all you want, but I’m not even gonna lie and say I’m not looking forward to seeing you-know-who on the judging panel this week. Did I watch it last year? No. But this is soon to change. A third of people I speak to about the upcoming season say they’ll watch it because they love Ms. Spears, the second say she’s a mess which is exactly why they’ll watch, and the third don’t care…but are gonna watch it anyway. Having been on reality TV overload last year, I completely neglected the first season of the show. But with the addition of Britney and Demi on the judging panel, it’s sure to be must-see-TV. 

Revenge- Season 1 (TV Series)

l-r: Nolan (Gabriel Mann), Ashley (Ashley Madekwe),
Jack (Nick Welscher),
Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), Daniel (Josh Bowman),
Declan (Connor Paolo),
Charlotte (Christa B. Allen),
Victoria (Madeline Stowe) & Conrad (Henry Czerny)

Urgh. URGH. There are no words to describe how much I enjoyed the first season of ABC’s breakout drama 'Revenge'. Created by Mike Kelley, 'Revenge' is an appropriation of the book The Count of Monte Cristo written by Alexadre Dumas in which the protagonist is sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and swears to bring down the people that put him there once he is released. Revenge is a modern day version of Dumas’s tale, in which main character, Emily Thorne (actually born Amanda Clarke, played by Emily VanCamp) is the daughter of the wrongfully imprisoned character from the book. The show is also set in the ultra-upper-class Southampton, New York, with money and power playing as two huge themes throughout the series.

Revenge is host to an array of different characters, both typical and atypical of what you might expect to see in a soap-ish female driven drama. Emily is aided by Nolan Ross (Gabriel Mann) the only person who knows her true identity and her intentions to bring down the Grayson family, headed by the ice-cold and treacherous Victoria (Madeline Stowe), who helped frame Emily’s father. Emily and Victoria’s scenes together are incredibly enjoyable, due to the fact that you can really feel their distaste for one another through their incredible politeness, even though Victoria has no idea who Emily really is. However, Victoria often takes a backseat to villain Tyler Barrol (Ashton Holmes) a mentally unstable friend of her son’s, and backstabbing liar that is so irritating you may feel the need to punch your TV screen.

Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke

'Revenge' has enough drama, twists and turns to keep fans of shows such as 'Desperate Housewives' interested, while the shows crime, power and of course, vengeance plot points are sure to bring in unexpected fans as well. It’s smart, it’s engaging, and it’s Kill Bill for the Gossip Girl generation, and it needs to be watched.

A+

Key Episodes: Commitment, Chaos, Reckoning 

Happy Endings- Season 2 (TV Series)

The US TV season is beginning to wind down, and breakout post-Friends sitcom Happy Endings has been one of the most enjoyable shows of the season. It started out as the “Year of Penny” and appeared to be that way throughout most of the season, with attention shifting from Dave (Zachary Knighton) and Alex’s (Elisha Cuthbert) non-wedding in the pilot to Penny’s (Casey Wilson) hilarious romantic desperation and “abbreeves”.

Although there is no official word as of yet whether Happy Endings will be renewed for a third season but hopefully the ABC network will make an announcement soon, as although the sitcom may not have the viewership of other ABC juggernauts Modern Family and Revenge or even the long-running Desperate Housewives which is set to finish for good next month, it deserves a place among the schedule as it is a hilarious and well put together series.

From Left: Brad Williams (Damon Wayans Jr.), Jane Williams (Eliza Coupe), Max Blum (Adam Pally),
Alex Kerkovich (Elisha Cuthbert), Penny Hartz (Casey Wilson) and Dave Rose (Zachary Knighton)

Happy Endings seems to have found its footing since its inception, as any show that features a group of six friends is bound to bare similarity to…well Friends; and although it may have finished in 2004, the image of the close knit clan stays ingrained in our minds and will do for years to come. And yes, even though we have the successful yet borderline snooze-some How I Met Your Mother, every other amazing sitcom seems to be relegated to cable channels, almost saying that you can’t be funny without being down right dirty. Happy Endings proves this wrong, by having a more diverse and interesting group of protagonists than many of their contemporary counterparts, the bloated, sluggish, gay Max (Adam Pally) and Yuppie-ish interracial couple Jane (Eliza Coupe) and Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.).

The season ended the same way the last did- with a wedding, only this time the wedding saw recurring character and super drama queen Derek, and his partner Eric tie the knot, as well as setting up a dreaded love triangle between Alex, Dave and Penny. But will the potential triangle make the show grow old fast? I hope not. I’m pre-ordering the box set as SOON as that hits amazon.

A+

Key Episodes: “Yesandwitch”, “Spooky Endings” “Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and One Funeral)”