TV REVIEW: Revenge Shows the “Damage” of All Those Emily Lies

Revenge has been at its Emily Van Campiest best this season, music swelling to new highs (along with Nolan’s hair), facial expressions channeling the melodrama of a Spanish novella, and storylines that have left Shonda Rhimes wondering what the heck. Tonight’s “Damage” was no exception. David’s got more secrets that need to be uncovered, Nolan is betrayed, Charlotte hits rock bottom, and Emily inexplicably still refuses to tell dad that she is Amanda. It was a frustrating mess of an episode in that classic Revenge style leaving us asking “Is it Sunday night yet?”

Charlotte Goes Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Charlotte’s downward spiral continues with her waking up with one night stand, Vince, a thug she picked up at the club. Surprise, surprise, it turns out Vince actually picked her up. He says he usually doesn’t sleep with the “bait.” He’s got a gun and a bad, bad temper. When she tries to get away, it’s a violent battle with Charlotte highlighting some Matrix moves we’ve never seen before. She inadvertently kills him trying to get away. Emily shows up to save the day. I’ll say one thing for Charlotte – she knows who to call in a crisis.

Emily cleans the murder scene, lecturing Charlotte while arranging the body so it looks like Vince suffered a neck breaking, drug induced fall. Little sis accuses her of killing Aiden and Emily reveals that it was evil Vicky who took that hunk of a man away from all of us.

David’s Got a Secret or Two or Ten

David wants to tell his story, emphasis on story, as in fictional, fairy tale story on national TV. He’s prepping with Victoria for his big Margaux interview with David saying he needs to set the record straight to show he was the victim. Vicky wants to go over some “talking points” as if he’s running for office. David is up to something big; we can sense it in his crazy eyes and super sweet, un-Clarke-like demeanor.

Meanwhile, Nolan is on Emily all episode to do something revolutionary like actually talking to dear old dad. She tells him about the wounds on dad’s back and mentions something about giving him “space.” Hasn’t he had space for the past ten years? Emily watches a taped FBI debrief with her father where he admits he’s never felt more alone. He also says he hasn’t had any mood swings. Nolan pulls up his diagnosis that shows extreme PTSD. Emily says she knows there is more, “he’s hiding something.” Good, Emily. Get those ninja senses back and do some digging.

(ABC/Eric McCandless)
MADELEINE STOWE, JAMES TUPPER

Mommy Dearest

Victoria is not getting any mother of year awards in “Damage” or in any episode of Revenge ever. It’s hinted at that crazy, beautiful Louise may be a Victoria offspring. Vicky tells Daniel about the looney bin connection when she finds out her son is handling Red’s money. Danny’s not too worried, “Even if she’s not stable, her bank accounts are.”

Victoria summons Louise to the bar to talk about Red’s cozy-up with her son. They have a “fake off” to see who can tell the other how much they mean to each other. Vicky admits to Louise that she’s like her own blood. Turns out it’s all a dream concocted in the troubled head of pretty little Louise. When Red snaps back to reality, she tells Victoria she was like a mother to her. Queen V coldly says “we were roommates for a day.” Mommy issues? How many kids does Victoria have that we don’t know about?

Later, Daniel shows up to watch Margaux playing tennis with her substitute partner … guess who? Louise. He confronts the redhead about her stint in the crazy house and Louise says “quit being paranoid. This has nothing to do with you.” Yes, getting the feeling that this one’s all on Victoria.

Where Has David Been?

Jack and partner Ben have an officer spat. Porter takes offense that super cop suspected him of killing Conrad Grayson. He’s also not happy that over eager partner suspects foul play in the death of a retired cop who once had a run in with Conrad Grayson. Ben questions the cop’s daughter and ends up snooping around in the garage. Jack shows up pretending to help out, realizing that the garage was David’s hiding place, that he perhaps wasn’t in a Conrad prison.

David pays a visit to Nolan asking him to come to the big interview “in case I get cornered.” Something’s up, for sure. David’s acting like Nolan is his confidante, even appearing to finally understand that Victoria should not be trusted.

Emily finds out that dad wasn’t imprisoned quite as long as he claims. When she tells Nolan, he won’t hear it. He says he’s with his new/old BFF, supporting him for the interview.

During the interview, David talks about being held against his will, about “ending it all”, but then he wouldn’t have the chance to see the people he loves like… Nolan. Vicky looks like she just took a sip of some wine out of a box.

Nolan joins David for the interview where Clarke turns Mr. Hyde, confronting the younger man, accusing him of stealing the money he was supposed to give Amanda. Nolan keeps quiet, not able to make the big reveal. He stumbles out of the interview looking guilty as hell.

David goes back to Nolan’s that night to find him crying and upset. Nolan says he didn’t keep that money. “What did you do with the money then?” asks David. Nolan says he did give it to Amanda. David cold cocks him right in the nose. I think that means “I don’t believe you.” Okay, Nolan’s pretty nose better be intact next week.

Emily finds Nolan on the floor of the kitchen and demanded to know what happened.

“Your lies finally caught up to me,” Nolan says sadly.

(ABC/Eric McCandless)
KARINE VANASSE, MADELEINE STOWE

Goodbye Charlie

Charlotte packs a bag telling mom she’s checking herself into rehab and a large part of it has to do with getting away from her. She says David deserves to know about Emily but she won’t tell him. Apparently, no one’s going to tell him!

“I’m doing what’s best for David,” Victoria says unconvincingly.

Charlotte tells mom she’s sick of being caught in her “cycle of hate.” Victoria says she’s done it all for her family. “I love you, baby,’ Victoria calls out as Charlotte leaves.

Charlotte has one more stop to make … a visit with brother bear. She and Daniel bond, with Charlotte saying there’s something she’s got to tell him, it’s about Emily. We don’t get to hear it! The next scene we see her opening a note in the car. We don’t see that one either!

That cannot be Charlotte’s swan song, right? She’s gotta be back now that she grew a backbone, a whole set of problems, and a new ninja move, becoming an actual interesting character. Let’s hope.

Final Notes of the Night

In the last few scenes of “Damage,” we see David apologizing to Victoria for acting “distant.” Is that what we’re calling crazy now? She promises she’ll always be there for him. Always. David says, “Stay with me here tonight. And every night.” It looks like Vicky is getting what she’s been after, also taking the upper hand from Emily. Be careful what you wish for, Victoria.

We also see Nolan blaming Emily for David hating him and that darn bloody nose.

“Wake up and smell the subtext. He thinks I stole from Amanda. It’s time to tell him,” Nolan pleads with Emily.

“We can’t,” Emily says. She thinks dad staged the whole kidnapping thing. “If he’s lying about that, then he’s lying about everything.” So why can’t she tell him? Oh yeah, to frustrate us so deeply we feel like screaming at our TV’s. Thank you, Revenge writers, thank you.

Who else feels they cannot possibly drag out this “keep Emily’s true identity a secret” plot line for the rest of the season? The bigger question is, where will they go once the big reveal is revealed to David? Will Emily sketch out a new revengenda against her dad or will she laser focus that Sharpie back on Victoria?

It looks like next week we’ll get a little taste of satisfaction as David comes face to face with his daughter. Hopefully, she’ll tell him she’s Amanda, he’ll forgive Nolan, Victoria will be kicked to the curb and Emily will live happily ever after. Okay, waking up from my own dream sequence now, putting on my hoodie, and grabbing my stress ball to prepare for next Sunday’s episode of the sometimes frustrating always entertaining Revenge.

Revenge airs Sundays on ABC at 10 pm.