TV REVIEW: It’s a Trip Down Memory Lane on Revenge’s “Exposure”

“Exposure” had all the markings of the beginning of the end for ABC’s soapy delight with parts of tonight’s episode looking more like a finale than just another offering. It was a major trip down memory lane with oh so many feels, showcasing just about every major player who’s dabbled with Emily Thorne over the course of four seasons. Victoria is in full attack mode, Margaux grows a brain then loses it, Nolan ticks off his bestie, and Jack is told to just go get his girl, but the highlights in this one involved all those we’ve lost. It was a sort of In Memoriam with those Revenge writers evoking feel after feel as we see our old friends and foes shuffle through the Hamptons.

#Amanda or #Emily

“Exposure” picks up at the press conference where Emily reveals her true identity saying, “I am Amanda Clarke.” Cameras are everywhere taking in every word; this is apparently big news.

Nolan later tells Emily that Twitter’s abuzz also, wondering if it’s #Amanda or #Emily. Emily answers with, “Emily Thorne no longer exists.”

So we’re all just supposed to call her Amanda now? For our own sanity, we’re sticking with Emily. To us, Amanda was Jack’s wife, Carl’s mother, the one who did the Titanic Jack float away.

It was just a few episodes ago that Emily said she’d built a life as Emily Thorne, and that was what she was sticking to. I guess you can’t take the Amanda out of the girl because she’s now ready to embrace her true Amanda Clarke self. She cleared Daniel’s name with the confession, but it seems her reveal was just as much for herself. Amanda Clarke, you wear the name well.

(ABC/Danny Feld)
ELENA SATINE AS LOUISE

Wonder Twins DE-activate
Louise is on the beach sobbing about Nolan lying to her and who’s there to offer up comfort? Victoria. She is digging through the sand looking for the flash drive that fell along with brother Lyman. She says she wants the whole truth, handing over Nolan’s computer copied drive.

It’s flashback central as Victoria gives a retelling of how Emily had her committed with Nolan’s help. We see her in the insane asylum being chided by Ems. The lies and plotting have Louise wanting to hang Nolan by his “unmentionables.” So now we have Victoria and Louise working together?

Louise confronts Nolan about all his secrets – secret friends, secret bonfires, secret laptops he slams shut. She hits below the belt saying , “You were never my true Wonder Twin. Goodbye Nolan.” Oh she did not! This turncoat Louise seemed a bit abrupt. We were just getting to know and love Lolan. Now we have Lictoria? That sounds plain wrong.

Nolan Gets Kicked Off Team Emily

Nolan suspects a computer breach, confirming that a file backup’s been run. He tells Emily, “I’m so sorry.” His computer holds six files that can implicate Emily in all Red Sharpie matters.

Emily is not amused. She asks furiously, “Why hold onto anything?!” She is so mad at her bestie. I don’t like this Amanda. I don’t think Emily would ever talk to Nolan like this.

Later, sad Nolan’s in front of the fireplace holding Shamu-cam, that little Nemily recording device that captured so many shenanigans. Jack shows up to comfort him. “Don’t beat yourself up, man.”

But Nolan’s doing the poor pitiful me routine. “I’m just the hacker who provided the information.” We get way, way back flashbacks of the two when they looked like they could be Prom King and Queen. Jack tries to cheer up Nolan, “You two are the dynamic duo.” Nolan throws the whale in the fireplace and we all say, “No!”

Do we think Nemily won’t kiss and make up? No way, but it was still sad seeing Nolan so sad. Even his outfits were dreary tonight.

Baring More of her Soul

Victoria’s talking to the media, ready to get public opinion on her side. But of course Emily shows up to snatch that interview away. “Ask me anything, just don’t ever put HER on,” Ems tells the journalist.

Emily talks about her Victoria abuse, how Queen V locked her up and brainwashed her as a child. We’re treated to more flashbacks with the infinity box, with Amanda (the fake one), Charlotte, and AIDEN. It was all those Aiden feels that really had us upset, showing Aimily in action, happy, looking like Revenge end game. And then they showed the horrific Aiden death scene, all the happily ever afters suffocated just like the gorgeous Mr. Mathis.

Emily finishes the interview talking about Victoria’s “dark soul” and how she was accused of killing a man at 15. Wow the interview is even on the jumbotron downtown, and we’re left wondering do these people not have real shows to watch?

(ABC/Danny Feld)
GABRIEL MANN AS NOLAN

Margaux Pulls a Charlie Gordon (Flowers for Algernon style)

Flashback Sunday continues with a whole slew of Daniel scenes as Victoria and Margaux reminisce. We miss you preppy cutie! The gals talk it out with Margaux admitting she lied, “Emily didn’t push me.”

It’s a role reversal with Margaux telling Victoria to let it go. She says she won’t help her, but she also won’t stand in her way. This has to be the smartest Margaux has ever acted. She admits that she’s the only one to blame for her lost baby. It was that darn all consuming revenge against Emily plot that ultimately led to the tragic accident.

Margaux loses her new found smarts when she heads over to Victoria’s to comfort her after the big Emily interview. She says she knows the murder at 15 thing isn’t true and she now wants Amanda to pay and “not get away with this.” This was about as head turning as Louise’s walk on the Victoria dark side. We’ll overlook it holding out hope that those Revenge writers have something epic in mind for the real season (perhaps series) finale.

Go Get Your Girl, Jack!

Nolan, computer hacker by day, counselor by night. He gives out some sage advice to his buddy, Jack. “Are you going to her? Why aren’t you going to her? This is your moment.”

See what we mean about this feeling like a season finale? Nolan goes on, “You two belong together and deep down she knows it.”

Sweet Jack/Amanda flashbacks ensue, cute kid memories. Go, Jack, go! But Jack also remembers how Emily turned him down, so no reunions tonight.

Because this was not a finale, we have a new conundrum on our hands by episode’s end. We see a mystery person drawing a red Sharpie circle around a picture of Emily! Only four episodes are left, and the crazy shows no signs of subsiding.

All in all it was a sentimental episode as we took a trip down memory lane. We got to see some of our old favorites and go for the kleenex in an episode that left its audience missing those not hanging around Revenge anymore.

So did this one read like a finale or what? Do you have any guesses on who the newest red Sharpie lover is? With four episodes left, we’re feeling a mix of excitement and sadness. Could this really be the beginning of the end? We’ll see you back here next week as the countdown begins, hopefully ending with a fade to black shot of a girl with two names riding off into the sunset for a happily ever after.

Revenge airs Sundays at 10 pm on ABC