Revenge is an American television drama series that premiered on September 21, 2011 and airs on ABC.
Revenge is a new take on Alexandre Dumas's classic tale, The Count of Monte Cristo, told from a female perspective starring 'Brothers and Sisters' alum Emily VanCamp. The show follows the character of Emily Thorne who returns to the Hamptons with one firm goal: to get revenge on those responsible of destroying her family.
The series was picked up for a full season by ABC after garnering a high 3.3 Nielsen rating in the all-important 18-49 age advertising demographics for its pilot episode and regularly winning its timeslot against every other television network (CBS, Fox, The CW, and NBC) in 18-34 demos. Revenge has become ABC’s highest-rated series in Wednesday’s 10 p.m. timeslot since Lost's 2006–2007 season and has become the only new series in more than four years to replicate the 18–49 demo ratings success that Lost had in its timeslot since leaving the air. For its second season, the show was moved to Sunday at 9:00PM Eastern/8:00PM Central, which began on September 30, 2012.
Overview
Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) comes to the Hamptons for the summer, renting a home next to the Grayson family to enjoy a bright summer. However, it is revealed that Emily has been to the Hamptons before as a little girl. In reality, Emily is Amanda Clarke, whose father, David Clarke (James Tupper) was framed for a crime he didn't commit and sent to prison for life. She was permanently separated from him and never saw him again.
Now, she's returned to the Hamptons, intent on getting revenge against those who wronged her and her father, the top of that list being Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe), matriarch of the Grayson family and the woman whom her father loved who, in the end, betrayed him. As she sets her plan in motion, Emily tries to navigate the upper society to destroy those who betrayed her father. But the further she goes, the more her emotions get involved and the more she questions her motives and the moves she makes.
Central Cast and Characters
For a complete list, refer here
Current
- Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke
- Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson
- Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross
- Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter
- Josh Bowman as Daniel Grayson
- Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Clarke
- James Tupper as David Clarke (Season 4 - ; Recurring Season 1 - 3)
- Karine Vanasse as Margaux LeMarchal (Season 4 - ; Recurring: Season 3)
Former
- Margarita Levieva as Amanda Clarke/Emily Thorne (Season 1 - 2)
- Ashley Madekwe as Ashley Davenport (Season 1 - 2; Guest: Season 3)
- Connor Paolo as Declan Porter (Season 1 - 2)
- Henry Czerny as Conrad Grayson (Season 1 - 3)
- Barry Sloane as Aiden Mathis (2x14 - Season 3; Recurring: 2x01 - 2x13)
Development and Production
In January 2011, ABC ordered the script to pilot. In March 2011, actress Emily VanCamp was cast as the lead character, and shortly afterwards it was released that Ashley Madekwe was cast in the series. Madeleine Stowe and Henry Czerny joined the cast as well. Max Martini and Robbie Amell joined the cast as Frank Stevens, a private investigator and Adam, a wealthy student who is hoping to attend Yale. James Tupper replaced Marc Blucas in the role of Emily's father, after Blucas was forced to drop out due to his commitment on Necessary Roughness. Recurring Gossip Girl star Connor Paolo was cast as a series regular playing the character of Declan Porter. Former Nikita star Ashton Holmes landed a recurring role as Tyler Barrol, a Harvard classmate of Daniel Grayson.
On May 13, 2011, ABC picked the project up to series. On May 17, 2011, ABC announced that the series would air on Wednesday nights at 10:00 pm Eastern/9:00 pm Central, beginning in the 2011 fall season.
Reception
Ratings
The show has been met with generally favorable reviews, with a collective score of 8.3/10 from 23,526 users on the Internet Movie Database and 66/100 from 20 media reviews on Metacritic.
Dorothy Rabinowitz of The Wall Street Journal praised the series, writing that "The arrival of one pure and unadulterated drama about a passion as old as man is something to celebrate. That's particularly true when that drama is as spellbinding in its satisfyingly gaudy way, as Revenge turns out to be", whilst awarding particular praise to Van Camp for a "beguiling and entirely chilling study in revenge lust." Writing for The New York Times, Alessandra Stanley compared the series favorably with Gossip Girl, concluding that it has "just enough campy suspense to be enjoyable." Episode 5 of the series received particular acclaim, with C. Orlando of TV Fanatic writing that "Revenge took things to a whole new level this week", and noting with reference to the set-up of David Clarke that "Victoria seems the only one with a conscience".
Yahoo! TV mentioned the series among the top television programs of 2011. The series made the covers of Parade, Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide, and was featured in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Vogue, People, Us Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, and Teen Vogue magazines. On May 10, 2012, ABC announced that it had renewed Revenge for a second season. The Hollywood Reporter reported that it was one of the first series to get a "stamp of approval" from ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee, who called the show "sexy" and "sticky," telling critics in January, "You just want more of it."
Ratings
The pilot episode scored a 3.3 Nielsen rating in the 18–49 age demographic and 10.02 million viewers, winning the 10 p.m. hour time slot against CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. It was reported that Revenge is the highest rated television series in the hour for ABC since Lost. On October 22, 2011, it was reported that Revenge regularly won its hour in the 18–34 and 18–49 age demographics ahead of CSI and Law & Order: SVU.
After a nearly two month hiatus since February 29, 2012, Revenge returned on April 18, 2012 at No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings and won its timeslot against every other television network with a first-place finish among Total Viewers, Adults 18–49 and Adults 25–54. Revenge won over an original episode of NBC's Law & Order: SVU in Total Viewers (+33%), Adults 18–49 (+53%) and Adults 25–54 (+45%) and generated big year-to-year time-period gains in Total Viewers (+81%), Adults 18–49 (+35%) and Adults 25–54 (+38%), rising over first-run programming on the same night last year. The April 18, 2012 episode attracted ABC’s largest audience to the hour since the middle of February sweeps on February 15, 2012. On April 25, 2012, Revenge won its timeslot for the second consecutive week when the episode rated at No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings among Total Viewers, Adults 18–49, Adults 18–34, and Adults 25–54. Revenge is ABC’s highest-rated series overall in Wednesday’s 10 p.m. hour in more than five years since Lost during the 2006–07 television season.
Episodes
Season One (2011-2012)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | U.S. viewers (in million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Pilot | Phillip Noyce | Mike Kelley | September 21, 2012 | 10.02 |
| 2 | 2 | Trust | Phillip Noyce | Mike Kelley | September 28, 2011 | 8.54 |
| 3 | 3 | Betrayal | Matt Earl Beesley | Salvatore Stabile | October 5, 2011 | 7.68 |
| 4 | 4 | Duplicity | Matt Shakman | Wendy Calhoun | October 12, 2011 | 7.90 |
| 5 | 5 | Guilt | Kenneth Fink | Nikki Toscano | October 19, 2011 | 7.94 |
| 6 | 6 | Intrigue | Tim Hunter | Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie | October 26, 2011 | 8.72 |
| 7 | 7 | Charade | Sanford Bookstaver | Mark B. Perry and Joe Fazzio | November 2, 2011 | 8.58 |
| 8 | 8 | Treachery | Bobby Roth | Ryan Scott | November 16, 2011 | 7.98 |
| 9 | 9 | Suspicion | Bethany Rooney | Salvatore Stabile | November 23, 2011 | 7.30 |
| 10 | 10 | Loyalty | J. Miller Tobin | Wendy Calhoun and Nikki Toscano | December 7, 2011 | 7.35 |
| 11 | 11 | Duress | Jamie Babbit | Elle Triedman | January 4, 2012 | 8.06 |
| 12 | 12 | Infamy | Matt Earl Beesley | Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie | January 11, 2012 | 7.58 |
| 13 | 13 | Commitment | Kenneth Fink | Mark B. Perry and Liz Tigelaar | January 18, 2012 | 7.67 |
| 14 | 14 | Perception | Tim Hunter | Nikki Toscano and Sallie Patrick | February 8, 2012 | 7.70 |
| 15 | 15 | Chaos | Sanford Bookstaver | Mark Fish and Joe Fazzio | February 15, 2012 | 7.69 |
| 16 | 16 | Scandal | Kenneth Fink | Elle Triedman | February 29, 2012 | 7.53 |
| 17 | 17 | Doubt | Matt Earl Beesley | Mike Kelley | April 18, 2012 | 7.77 |
| 18 | 18 | Justice | Bobby Roth | Liz Tigelaar and Sallie Patrick | April 25, 2012 | 7.03 |
| 19 | 19 | Absolution | Sanford Bookstaver | Nikki Toscano and Ryan Scott | May 2, 2012 | 7.14 |
| 20 | 20 | Legacy | Eric Laneuville | Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie | May 9, 2012 | 7.01 |
| 21 | 21 | Grief | Randy Zisk | Mark Fish and Joe Fazzio | May 16, 2012 | 6.90 |
| 22 | 22 | Reckoning | Sanford Bookstaver | Mike Kelley and Mark B. Perry | May 23, 2012 | 7.85 |
Season Two (2012-2013)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | U.S. viewers (in million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | Destiny | Ken Fink | Mike Kelley and Mark B. Perry & Sunil Nayer | September 30, 2012 | 9.74 |
| 24 | 2 | Resurrection | David Grossman | Sallie Patrick & Mike Kelley | October 7, 2012 | 8.36 |
| 25 | 3 | Confidence | J. Miller Tobin | Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harbert | October 14, 2012 | 8.28 |
| 26 | 4 | Intuition | Randy Zisk | Dan Dworkin & Jay Beattie | October 21, 2012 | 8.71 |
| 27 | 5 | Forgiveness | Matt Earl Beesley | Sunil Nayar | October 28, 2012 | 8.18 |
| 28 | 6 | Illusion | Bobby Roth | Michael Foley | November 4, 2012 | 7.94 |
| 29 | 7 | Penance | Colin Bucksey | Elle Triedman | November 11, 2012 | 7.73 |
| 30 | 8 | Lineage | Christopher Misiano | Nikki Toscano | November 18, 2012 | 6.92 |
| 31 | 9 | Revelations | Kenneth Fink | Ted Sullivan | November 25, 2012 | 7.65 |
| 32 | 10 | Power | Roger Kumble | Joe Fazzio | January 6, 2013 | 7.12 |
| 33 | 11 | Sabotage | John Scott | Dan Dworkin & Jay Beattie | January 13, 2013 | 6.17 |
| 34 | 12 | Collusion | Matt Shakman | Sallie Patrick & Sunil Nayar | January 20, 2013 | 5.75 |
| 35 | 13 | Union | Wendey Stanzler | Michael Foley & Ted Sullivan | February 10, 2013 | 5.20 |
| 36 | 14 | Sacrifice | Stefan Schwartz | Mark B. Perry & Mike Kelley & Sunil Nayer | February 17, 2013 | 5.99 |
| 37 | 15 | Retribution | Helen Hunt | Nikki Toscano & Elle Triedman | March 10, 2013 | 6.97 |
| 38 | 16 | Illumination | Bobby Roth | Michael Foley & Sallie Patrick | March 17, 2013 | 6.57 |
| 39 | 17 | Victory | Colin Bucksey | Dan Dworkin & Jay Beattie | March 24, 2013 | 6.31 |
| 40 | 18 | Masquerade | Allison Liddi-Brown | Sunil Nayar & JaSheika James | March 31, 2013 | 5.49 |
| 41 | 19 | Identity | Charlie Stratton | Joe Fazzio & Ted Sullivan | April 28, 2013 | 6.05 |
| 42 | 20 | Engagement | John Terlesky | Elle Triedman & Salle Patrick & Mike Kelley | May 5, 2013 | 6.28 |
| 43 | 21 | Truth, Part 1 | Randy Zisk | Mike Kelly & Michael Foley & Nikki Toscano | May 12, 2013 | 6.12 |
| 44 | 22 | Truth, Part 2 | J. Miller Tobin | Mike Kelley & Mark B. Perry & Sunil Nayer | May 12, 2013 | 6.12 |
Season Three (2013-2014)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | U.S. viewers (in million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 1 | Fear | Ken Fink | Sunil Nayar | September 29, 2013 | 8.11 |
| 46 | 2 | Sin | John Scott | Joe Fazzio | October 6, 2013 | 6.84 |
| 47 | 3 | Confession | Matt Earl Beesley | Sallie Patrick | October 13, 2013 | 6.02 |
| 48 | 4 | Mercy | J. Miller Tobin | Karin Gist | October 20, 2013 | 6.16 |
| 49 | 5 | Control | Ted Sullivan | Allison Liddi-Brown | October 27, 2013 | 5.71 |
| 50 | 6 | Dissolution | Bobby Roth | Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts | November 3, 2013 | 6.29 |
| 51 | 7 | Resurgence | John Scott | Christopher Fife | November 10, 2013 | 5.49 |
| 52 | 8 | Secrecy | Colin Bucksey | Sallie Patrick & JaSheika James | November 17, 2013 | 5.81 |
| 53 | 9 | Surrender | Jennifer Getzinger | Joe Fazzio | December 8, 2013 | 6.04 |
| 54 | 10 | Exodus | Ken Fink | Sunil Nayar and Karin Gist | December 15, 2013 | 6.04 |
| 55 | 11 | Homecoming | Matt Earl Beesley | Ted Sullivan | January 5, 2013 | 6.69 |
| 56 | 12 | Endurance | Sanford Bookstaver | Sallie Patrick | January 12, 2013 | 5.66 |
| 57 | 13 | Hatred | John Terlesky | Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts | January 19, 2013 | 5.31 |
| 58 | 14 | Payback | Romeo Tirone | Sunil Nayar & Christopher Fife | March 9, 2013 | 6.60 |
| 59 | 15 | Struggle | Christopher Misano | Michael J. Cinquemani | March 16, 2013 | 6.17 |
| 60 | 16 | Disgrace | Christopher Misano | Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts | March 23, 2013 | 5.71 |
| 61 | 17 | Addiction | Tara Nicole Weyr | Joe Fazzio | March 30, 2013 | 5.24 |
| 62 | 18 | Blood | Wendey Stanzler | Karin Gist | April 6, 2013 | 5.16 |
| 63 | 19 | Allegiance | Jennifer Wilkinison | Ted Sullivan | April 13, 2013 | 5.26 |
| 64 | 20 | Revolution | Christine Moore | Sunil Nayar & Michael J. Cinquemani | April 27, 2013 | 5.19 |
| 65 | 21 | Impetus | J. Miller Tobin | Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts | May 4, 2013 | 4.98 |
| 66 | 22 | Execution | Kenneth Fink | Sunil Nayar & Joe Fazzio | May 11, 2013 | 4.87 |
Season Four (2014-2015)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | U.S. viewers (in million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 1 | Renaissance | John Terlesky | Sunil Nayar & Sallie Patrick | September 28, 2014 | 5.71 |
| 68 | 2 | Disclosure | Kenneth Fink | Joe Fazzio | October 5, 2014 | 5.27 |
| 69 | 3 | Ashes | Colin Bucksey | Alex Taub | October 12, 2014 | TBA |
| 70 | 4 | Meteor | J. Miller Tobin | Karin Gist | October 19, 2014 | TBA |
| 71 | 5 | Repercussions | Kate Woods | Ted Sullivan | October 26, 2014 | TBA |
| 72 | 6 | Damage | TBA | Sallie Patrick | November 2, 2014 | TBA |
Specials
| Special no. | Title | Narrator | Aired between | Original airdate | U.S. viewers (in million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | From The Beginning | Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne | Scandal (Episode 16) Doubt (Episode 17) |
April 11, 2012 | 5.60 |
| 2 | The First Chapter | Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross | Reckoning (Episode 22) Destiny (Episode 23) |
September 26, 2012 | 5.20 |
