Revolution

Revolution is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction television drama series created by Eric Kripke. It is produced by J. J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions for the NBC network. It debuted on September 17, 2012 and airs on Mondays at 10:00pm in the US.

Revolution takes place in a post-apocalyptic dystopian future. Fifteen years earlier, an unknown phenomenon disabled electricity on the planet and effectively all devices powered by it, ranging from computers and electronics to car and jet engines. People were forced to adapt to a world without electricity. Due to the collapse of government and public order, many areas are ruled by warlords and militias. The series focuses on the Matheson family, who possess a special device (a mysterious pendant) that is the key to not only finding out what happened fifteen years ago, but also a possible way to reverse its effects. However, they must elude Sebastian Monroe, the General of the Monroe Militia and President of the Monroe Republic who wants to possess that power for himself for conquest of the former United States of America.

Production

Executive producer J.J. Abrams told the Los Angeles Times' Hero Complex blog that series creator Eric Kripke "came to us with an idea that was undeniably good. It was such a great premise for a series that it was just that feeling of the misery that you’d feel if you had a chance to be part of that and didn’t take advantage of it. I’m really looking forward to that show. He’s so obviously the real deal, and we’re just really lucky and honored that he wanted to collaborate with us on it."

The series debuted in the United States on September 17, 2012. On October 2, 2012, NBC announced it would pick up the series for an additional nine episodes after achieving an average of 9.8 million viewers for the first three episodes. After November 26th, 2012, Revolution will go on hiatus for a holiday break and to catch up on post-production, expected to resume broadcast on March 25th, 2013 for the remaining episodes.

The role of Rachel Matheson was originally played by Andrea Roth until she was replaced by Elizabeth Mitchell.

A portion of episode 4 of season 1 was filmed at Freestyle Music Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Billy Burke as Miles Matheson, a former US Marine Corps sergeant turned tavern owner and pursued by the Monroe Republic Militia. As Ben Matheson's brother, he is later revealed to be one of the founding fathers of the Monroe Republic, having established it with Sebastian Monroe after the collapse of the United States. He was also the Commanding General of its Militia; and is responsible for making them as brutally efficient as they are now. However, Miles later became disillusioned with the Republic, unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Monroe, and deserted. The Militia now considers Miles a traitor and seeks his capture, as well as the rest of the Matheson family. Miles is shown expressing regret for his role with the Militia, although not without conflicted feelings about his former best friend Sebastian Monroe, and agrees to help his niece in her quest to save her brother from the Militia partly out of an attempt at redemption.

Tracy Spiridakos as Charlotte "Charlie" Matheson, the only daughter to Ben Matheson and Miles's niece who manages to locate her uncle from her father's instructions given at the time of his death. Miles described her initially as unusual, insisting that it's not meant as an insult. Charlie has strong remorse for the things around her in the new world and is very caring, but is increasingly at odds with trying to find a balance between concern and self-preservation in the post-blackout society, often choosing to emulate her Uncle Miles more than her own family. After Rachel left she took responsibility for looking after her brother, whom she is actively pursuing. She is reunited with her mother and brother in the mid-season finale.

Elizabeth Mitchell as Rachel Matheson, Ben's wife and Charlie and Danny's mother who is initially believed to have died following the blackout but later revealed to be alive and working under duress for Monroe; Threatened, she has told Monroe about the pendants and provided other information to the Militia.

Graham Rogers as Danny Matheson, Charlie's brother who gets captured by the militia. Danny is asthmatic and before being kidnapped, was constantly watched over by his sister. Similar to Charlie, Danny feels sympathetic for various people and in a moment when Capt. Neville was vulnerable, chose to help free him and get recaptured rather than to escape and let the Captain meet a swift demise from collapsing rubble. He is currently in Philadelphia with Rachel, being used by General Monroe to coerce information about the blackout and her involvement from Rachel.

Zak Orth as Aaron Pittman, a former Google executive and friend of Ben Matheson. Aaron was a teacher in the community, educating children about life before the blackout. He abandoned his wife after feeling unable to protect her from looters and thieves, leaving her with a group they were traveling with. Aaron has a great deal of suppressed guilt and remorse over abandoning his wife. Just before Ben's death, Aaron was secretly entrusted with a pendant flash drive that Ben downloaded files onto from his computer just before the blackout. Aaron and Maggie decided to keep the pendant's existence as a secret from the rest of the group, fearing Miles' reaction and complicating the pursuit of Danny from his captors; the others later discover the pendant's existence and it is eventually stolen by Nora's sister (a double agent) and handed over to Sebastian Monroe.

Daniella Alonso as Nora Clayton, a woman who has a history with Miles from a past relationship. She has connections to the rebels, who fight against the Monroe Republic to restore the United States. Her primary expertise is in explosives.

Giancarlo Esposito as Captain/Major Tom Neville, a former insurance adjuster who joined the Monroe Republic militia after the blackout. Capt. Neville is the first antagonist in the story, his troops are responsible for both Ben Matheson's death and Danny's capture. He is very calculated and committed to the militia, seeking primarily to survive and to keep his own family safe. Originally a mild-mannered and compassionate family man, the blackout forced him to become more ruthless; he is frequently encouraged to be even more ruthless by his politically-ambitious wife who wishes for him to replace Sebastian Monroe as General. Upon his return to Philadelphia with Danny, Monroe promotes Neville to Major, and appoints him to head the Militia's intelligence and interrogations.

J. D. Pardo as Lieutenant Jason Neville (originally known under the alias "Nate Walker"), the rebellious son of Tom Neville and a soldier of the Monroe Militia tasked with tracking down Miles. While loyal to the Militia and his orders regarding Miles, he develops feelings for Charlie, which drives him to protect her on several occasions.

David Lyons as Sebastian "Bass" Monroe, a former US Marine Corps sergeant who co-founded the Monroe Republic. He is the Leader (de facto dictator) of the Republic as well as the Commanding General of the Militia (assuming that additional role when Miles deserted). Monroe and Miles were best friends prior to the blackout when they served together in the military. Monroe knew the Matheson family well before the blackout and believes Rachel is the key to turning the electrical power back on. He holds her captive at his headquarters at Independence Hall in the Monroe Republic capital of Philadelphia.

Tim Guinee as Ben Matheson, Charlie and Danny's father. Along with Rachel and Grace, Ben was a part of the team that initially developed the technology that caused the blackout. Meant as a method of cheap green energy, it had the unintended outcome of suppressing electronic activity within a given radius. Ben was able to warn his family in Chicago and his brother Miles just before the blackout occurred. He was murdered in the first episode by the Monroe Militia, and shortly before his death he sent his daughter to find his brother Miles in Chicago in order to help her find and rescue Danny.

Anna Lise Phillips as Maggie Foster, a British medical doctor who became stranded and separated from her children following the blackout. She became Ben Matheson's girlfriend following his wife's supposed death. Maggie's relationship with Charlie is often strained, since she is her de facto stepmother, but Maggie cares for Ben's children as her own. She came to the Midwest and met Ben after failing to find a boat to cross the Atlantic to return to her own family in the United Kingdom. She is killed by a bandit.

[edit]Recurring characters

Maria Howell as Grace Beaumont, a woman who hides Danny from the Monroe militia and also has a pendant matching the one Ben Matheson gave Aaron. She is in contact via a computer with an unknown party. Randall (who also possessed a pendant and an Electric Shock Baton) captured her. When Aaron and Maggie discover the house she lived in, the pendant she possessed was missing and her computer destroyed.

Kim Raver as Julia Neville, Captain Tom Neville's wife.

Colm Feore as Randall Flynn, the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Defense who was the DOD employee working with Ben Matheson and his team to fund and support their project to develop an energy removal technology for military purposes. After the blackout, he attacks Grace in her home in the episode "Chained Heat".

Mark Pellegrino as Jeremy Baker, a militia captain, and former friend of Miles Matheson.

Jeff Fahey as Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson, Nora meets and bonds with him because they both are a part of "the resistance". He later stabs her to prevent her from removing a bomb on the train the militia had headed out of town. His name is actually the same as that of David Soul's character on the '70's ABC hit crime series Starsky and Hutch .

Leslie Hope as President Foster, the president of the Georgia Federation.