TV REVIEW: Emily finds a “Kindred” Spirit on Revenge

Clear Daddy’s name? Check.

Serve up revenge on those responsible for Daddy’s downfall? Check.

So now that Emily Thorne has accomplished all her revenge goals, what’s a girl to do?

On tonight’s “Kindred,” Emily found plenty of things to do, coming to the aid of Lolan, warding off a Margaux mini-attack, flirting with a cute cop (not Jack), and bonding with Dad. All of it was done with a light and airy tone, an atmosphere of, dare we say it, happiness. Happy Emily is a revelation, something we are not accustomed to seeing, but Revenge writers are mixing it up this season. They let Emily complete her Revengenda and have a reunion with dear, not dead Daddy. They gave us what we’ve all been waiting for, a resolution of sorts. But now, where to go with character and plot? Tonight’s installment showed us a content Emily. Will it last? Nah, this is Revenge. We suspect she’s only packed away her hoodie and red Sharpie; she didn’t burn ‘em. Let’s unfold all this unicorn and rainbow happiness from tonight’s episode.

Louise vs. Mama

Well it may not have been all joy to the world in “Kindred.” There was plenty of Lolan drama dished up, complete with a mama takedown.

“Nolan Ross married,” Emily muses to her best friend.

“What can I say. You miss some things when you get kidnapped by a sociopath,” Nolan teases.

“You know some people would say the same thing about you.”

Emily’s planning a huge wedding reception for her best friend and the megawatt smiles from the two compete with the bright lighting in the beach house. It’s a happy feel with Nolan asking the question and theme of the night, “So what’s next for Emily Thorne now that danger no longer lurks around every corner?”

Up first for Ems is to help Nolan’s new bride battle a mean Mommy Dearest with a police report subbing in for a wire hanger.

Mama Ellis insists that Louise killed her Daddy, and she has the police report to prove it. Mama offers the ultimatum, hand over control of your money, or the world will know you’re a Daddy killer.

Louise is ready to cancel the reception admitting she thinks she may have done it. Nolan says it doesn’t add up. “I’m gonna get some answers.”

He enlists the help of Emily who uses an ancient Japanese memory retrieval technique on Louise so she can remember what happened the night of Daddy’s death. Emily plays that cool knife trick of plopping the blade in between each finger going faster and faster. She uses Louise’s hand, asking “What do you see?” It works! Red sees herself at the top of a staircase watching her Dad fall down the stairs. She lies to Emily and Nolan, telling them, “I didn’t do it.”

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
ELENA SATINE, GABRIEL MANN

Runaway Bride

Louise is MIA at the reception with Mama Ellis gloating, “This is going to be a runaway bride of biblical proportions.”

Nolan reveals to Emily, “Louise has gone bye, bye, bridey.” Emily takes off to bring back Red, a small package from Nolan in hand.

Do we really think Louise is capable of killing her Daddy? No way! The redhead is a little crazy for sure, but not “pushing my Daddy down the stairs” crazy. Emily tracks Louise down at the Clairmont Psychiatric Facility, and hands her Nolan’s gift – the REAL police report. Louise remembers more of that tragic night; she realizes she was trying to catch a hold of Daddy.

“How could Nolan have such faith in me when I had no faith in myself?” she asks Emily.

“Because that’s who Nolan is.” One of the big truths on tonight’s Revenge, for sure. Don’t we all wish we had a bestie just like Nolan? The loyalty? The killer techie skills? The wit? And mainly, the outfits?

Louise rings in with another truth, “Marry the man, marry his friends. Emily, thank you.” Don’t tell me Emily is about to have an actual “let’s tell secrets at a slumber party” girlfriend.

Louise confronts Mama back at the reception and says, “You did it! Daddy found out you were cheating on him with Judge Miller. You drugged me and made me think I was crazy. All so you could retain control of my money.”

Mama Ellis is smug, “Who do you think the court is going to believe?”

In the gotcha moment of the night, Louise pulls the “police report” card showing the original.

Louise banishes Mama to return home with Nolan adding they won’t be making it down for Thanksgiving. Don’t you just love it when Emily and Nolan pair up to outsmart everyone? Tonight they did a good deed and helped defeat an evil Mama.

Jack Is so Good It Hurts

Ben and Jack are getting medals of honor from the mayor’s office with Porter not handling the honor well. He is mighty guilty over the killing of bad agent, Kate, and Jack being Jack cannot let it go.

He turns to David for a little help. Clarke offers it up, saying, “You saved my daughter’s life… like it or not you’re a hero.”

“Then why can’t I live with it?” Jack asks. “I’m a liar.”

“Well, yeah you’re that too,” David adds.

Emily also tries to take away some of that Jack guilt saying, “It will go away eventually.”

Do we want it to go away? No way! If it does then Jack would not be the altruistic Emily proponent we’ve grown to love. He would be a morally corrupt character in a long line of the Hampton ethically challenged. Jack’s appeal is that he is so good it hurts.

Later, Jack accepts his medal, turning in his shield shortly thereafter. He runs into Margaux at the bar of the reception and tells her, “Daniel died a hero.” They toast her unborn child. “May he or she grow up in a less complicated world.” Wait, is Margaux moving?

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
CAROLYN HENNESY, ELENA SATINE, GABRIEL MANN

A Margaux Revengenda

Victoria and Margaux meet up with Vicky wanting to honor Daniel with a foundation. Margaux has little interest, all of her attention focused on clearing Daniel’s name. Victoria warns her, “Don’t go to war with Emily. Pain and conflict only breeds more pain and conflict.”

Margaux will not hear it. Her first step in disgracing Emily is to ruin her reputation. She publishes pics of David and Emily, suggesting that Ems is Clarke’s new girlfriend. This seems like a feeble attempt at a takedown and Margaux agrees. She berates her father’s associate who’s helping her bring down Emily, disappointed in this less than stellar fake story.

The real story is how far Margaux will go, how far she will sell her soul in her quest to bring down Emily. We will find out soon enough. Her guy digs up a recording of Jack talking to Emily, confessing to the killing of Agent Kate. Revenge is a master of the moral dilemma with so many characters taking the low road. Will Margaux follow suit and throw her former love under the bus or will she bury the story and another way to destroy Emily?

There’s a new B in Town

Gina Torres makes a guest starring appearance as new Hampton socialite, Natalie, who tries to out-bitch the queen bitch of Revenge, Victoria.

She crashes Vicky’s lunch group, saying “Victoria, I believe you’re in my seat.” Mrs. Grayson puts new girl in her place and it damn sure isn’t in the seat at the head of the table she’s occupying. Later, Natalie shows up at Victoria’s gallery, offering up, “It’s not easy being queen.”

Victoria corners her gaggle of socialite geese asking why they didn’t show up at the big Daniel Grayson fundraiser last night.

“A friend is like a business. Investing in the wrong one can prove costly,” she warns her “friends” of all their dirty laundry she’s holding. They can make it up to her by doubling whatever they originally planned to donate. Charitable donations through blackmail, Victoria Grayson style.

Victoria and Natalie are at the reception, was anyone not invited? Later Natalie approaches Victoria suggesting they both got off on the wrong foot. They play another game of wordplay with talk of uncovering secrets when Victoria gets a call. “There’s been a death in the family.” Not another death! We’re not over Daniel and now this? Any bets on who it is? And what is Miss Natalie up to?

(ABC/Danny Feld)
EMILY VANCAMP

Emily Amanda Clarke Thorne

David and Emily are bonding and all smiles getting ready for Nolan’s party. He says he wants to make up for lost time with a birthday present, handing over Amanda’s birth certificate. He thinks, “It’s time to be Amanda again. You cleared my name. Let me do the same for you.”

Does she even know how to be Amanda anymore?

Emily finds her answer in an unlikely source – Ben. He meets Ems at a bar and she says she needs his advice. “I became Emily Thorne to clear my father’s name. What now?” Emily admits that she never intended to be Amanda again. She says she was going to ditch Emily too and become another person altogether. Ben, in the cheesey moment of the night, says he can’t imagine a world without Emily Thorne. She’s got her answer.

At the reception, it’s Daddy/daughter dance time, reminiscing about happy childhood memories. He says it’s time to start again.

Emily admits, “I can’t just be Amanda Clarke. Don’t be upset. Look around, I’ve got friends, I’ve got you… I’m glad you asked because I didn’t realize I was happy until you did.”

What a revelation for Emily; what a revelation for us. Who would’ve thought that her Revegenda could lead to … happiness? But here she is, admitting as much.

That happiness keeps on rolling … in the last scene, Emily shows up at Ben’s doorstep.

“Emily, this is unexpected.”

“Yeah, for me too,” she says, rocking that whole smiley, happy vibe.

“So do you want to hear about that time that I worked undercover?” he asks.

“Shut up,” Emily answers bringing him in for a kiss. What? And to top it off, the lip lock occurs just in time for Jack to show up and see.

So tonight Emily was letting the good times roll with her revenge powers being used for good, helping Lolan defeat evil. She made an important revelation about herself, she is content staying Emily Thorne, happy with the life that person has built for herself. And she’s opening up to new romantic possibilities with Ben.

Revenge has switched gears this season, doing a virtual 180 and allowing Emily to garner her revenge while adding a little redemption to the story as well. Will it last? We’ll have to wait a bit on that one.

The show is on hiatus until March but the latest promo (catch it below if you missed out) features a mighty Jemily moment. Will all of Jack’s patient waiting finally pay off? Will he get the girl of his dreams and childhood? And most importantly will Emily keep that bright smile on her face and rein in a happily ever after?

Revenge airs Sundays on ABC at 10 p.m.