A Dozen Doubles

If you've ever watched a television show, and thought, hey, wait a minute, I've seen that face before... chances are, you're right. Sometimes an actor portrays more than one character over the length of a series ('cause that's not CONFUSING).

This kind of de ja vu kamikaze casting can threaten suspension of disbelief (past breaking point, some might say). Still, production companies seem reluctant to let go of a good thing. 

I've listed twelves examples below that stood out for me over the years:*

*It should be noted that Star Trek (by which I mean all of the shows in the franchise) are guilty of this practice so often, it would take pages to list their repeat offences. I've also avoided mentioning procedural shows, since the crime solving format easily lends itself to regular dips in murky casting waters. Once a victim, not always a victim, right? By which I mean, last year's corpse could easily be next year's murderer. Or a family member. Or coworker. Or man who owns the local liquor store... You get my drift.

Jeff Kober in Buffy The Vampire Slayer as Rack and Zachary

First time around he kidnapped Buffy's mum and tried to kill Buffy, on her eighteenth birthday, no less! Kober came back as a black magic dealer who hooked Willow on the habit. Famously remembered for the line, "You taste like strawberries", delivered in a skin-crawling tone.
PRO: Frankly, Jeff Kober is hell creepy. (Onscreen I mean. Maybe he's uber-cuddly off-camera). Not a lot of actors exude this level of menace, so I can see why a show might want him back. And at least they waited a few years between appearances, unlike some I could name...
CON: I find Jeff Kober's voice really distinctive, so the reasoning, "he's a vamp so you can't see his face" didn't work for me. 

Rebecca Balding in Charmed as Elise and Aunt Jackie

I had to mention this casting example, because so many fans recognised Balding from her first, very small, appearance on the show. (And she wasn't even the main guest star in that particular episode). 

PRO: I always liked that Charmed had a couple of older female characters in the mix (ie Elise and Grams) who were respected by the young leads.

CON: The fact that she's such a memorable actress, people remembered her four years on from her first, single episode, teeny-tiny Charmed appearance. 

John Hillerman in Magnum P.I. as Higgins and Elmo

While Tom Selleck owned the series in the title role, Hillerman provided a perfect Odd Couple foil with his pompous portrayal of Higgins. Hillerman also gets to play three of Higgin's half-brothers during the series. I chose to mention the Texan character Elmo Ziller, because the actor is Texan (yes, he's faking that impeccable British accent the rest of the time). 

PRO: Sometimes it's fun to see a series regular enjoying themselves.

CON: Saying that, three times over is a tad indulgent...

Jane Horricks in Absolutely Fabulous as Bubbles and Katy Grin

Bubbles is the dense, fashion-saturated assistant to Edina, who won hearts with her crazy outfits and bizarre way of talking. While Bubbles remained a steadfast fan favourite, rumour has it Horricks grew tired of playing an adorable moron. Frankly, I can see where she's coming from, because there's no denying Bubbles was a heel short of a stilletto...

PRO: Jane Horricks is pretty hilarious. She plays a couple of other roles in the series, too. 

CON: Bubbles was funnier than all the other parts put together.

Karl Urban in Xena: Warrior Princess as Cupid and Julius Caesar

When it comes to importing acting talent, I get the impression NZ can't be reached by sea or air, because the Xena/Hercules cliche are almost as bad as the Star Trek mob. Yes, New Zealand is an island, but it's not like it's a deserted island. Production companies aren't stranded there! In Xena, Urban plays Cupid first, then Caesar. He also has another part 'cause, hey, why not, right?

PRO: Urban portrays a chilling Julius Caesar who's also bad-guy hot. You kind of like the flirtation he's got going with Xena, UNTIL he crucifies her. (Literally). Man, that cut deep. (Sorry, accidental pun). I won't make any reference to him nailing the part. (See? Total self-restraint). 

CON: Cupid? Really? I get that it meant KU with less clothes on, but bleaching his hair and having him shoot lovers and stuff... man. Was this really a strong casting effort? Saying that, I am glad they doubled (tripled) up on his appearances. No KU as Caesar would have been a loss for the show.

Catherine Bell in Jag as Mac and Diane

Bell first appeared in an early episode as Harm's girlfriend Diane. Since she'd already appeared on the show, this posed some continuity problems when they decided to make her a series regular... especially since Diane had been murdered. (Cue conundrum).

PRO: Rather than trying to slide this one past viewers, the writers had other characters on the show openly comment on the startling similarity between Harm's dead gf and his new workplace colleague, which did admittedly add another complex layer to the sexual tension.

CON: There's a difference between looking similar, and being the SAME PERSON.

Sherrilyn Fenn in Gilmore Girls as Anna and Sasha

Fenn played Luke's ex-girlfriend Anna, who (it turns out) had his child. The actress later rocks up as Jess's stepmother (relatively speaking), when he visits his father in Venice Beach.

PRO: Sherrilyn Fenn is a good actress. She's also very popular/iconic, thanks to Twin Peaks, so a Fenn appearance=media attention (x2 here).

CON: Gilmore Girls was one of those shows that ran into a number of continuity problems, partly due to its longevity. In-your-face repeat casting didn't help matters much. Even with a new 'do, Sherrilyn Fenn is too distinctive to pull this off. The sense of de ja vu was not helped by both characters being sassy, independent mums of quirky preteen bookworm daughters.

James Jordan in Veronica Mars as Tim and Lucky

First time around, he was a student who went to fight in Iraq when his family lost their fortune, and came back with PTSD. The character then works as the school janitor until he waves a (supposed) loaded gun around, and is shot dead. Next season, the actor plays a teaching assistant at university who turns out to be a murdering sociopath. 

PRO: They put him in a wig and glasses for the second role, and it was years before I realised it was the same actor.

CON: The wig and glasses were terrible, and I kept waiting for an appropriate storyline reveal, ie he was in witness protection or something. I didn't actually find this actor standout in either role, and was kind of dumbfounded the show brought him back. Strangely enough, there is one scene in Veronica Mars, a flashback to when Lucky was a rude rich kid, that sticks in my mind. With just a few sentences, the actor made a startling impact, so maybe he was just miscast in the other roles?

Dolly Wells in The IT Crowd as Paula and Miranda

This is an honorary mention, suggested to me by a friend. I haven't seen every episode, so I can't really comment on the double-up. Wells appears in one episode as dinner party guest Paula, and later, as Miranda. Hilariously cringeworthy, the Brits of The IT Crowd make their American counterparts on The Big Bang Theory look incredibly suave in comparison (and that's saying something).

PRO: Great use of comedic full-face bandaging. Anyone who claims they used facial recognition to identify Dolly Wells in both episodes (judging from the stills above) is quite probably full of it.

CON: Feel free to help me out here x

Christopher Heyerdahl in Sanctuary as Bigfoot and John Druitt

Sure, it's easier to double-up when one of the characters you play wears full special effects makeup, but still, a mannerism or movement often gives the game away. Heyerdahl is flawless. If I watched an episode right now, I would still be dumbfounded to think Heyerdahl's portraying both Bigfoot AND Druitt. My mind just can't quite wrap around the idea.

PRO: Today's technology allows for the characters to appear in scenes together regularly, which helps maintain audience cluelessness.

CON: Not quite as flawless in both roles as Combs (see below), but pretty close.

Sheryl Lee in Twin Peaks as Laura Palmer and Maddy

"She's dead. Wrapped in plastic." The image of Laura Palmer's dead body is synonymous with David Lynch's Twin Peaks, one of the kookiest television efforts of the nineties. Lee's character showing up less-than-alive in the first episode kicks off the series. Of course, things only get weirder (and more Lynchian) from there.

*RANDOM CONFESSION: As a teen, I owned The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer. Feel free to judge.

PRO: I love the idea of a doppelganger relative. This really added to the spooky factor (already sky-high, btw). Not that you can tell from these stills, but Laura's hair was more blonde, while in contrast, Maddy's all brunette. I respect the hairdye effort. 

CON: Lee's most memorable appearance in pop culture television history is as a pretty, plastic-wrapped corpse.

Jeffrey Combs in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Weyoun and Brunt

This is the only example I'm going to include from the Star Trek universe. Partly because despite being a Trekkie, I had no idea this was the same actor! Just incredible. (He also played some other parts, too).

PRO: Weyoun is one of my favourite characters. I'm not a fan of the Ferengi, but Brunt was always one of the least annoying incarnations. Obviously, that was because the actor playing both is a serious talent, truly embodying each part, hands down. He even manages to play the various cloned versions of Weyoun with recognisable similarities, yet subtle differences, every incarnation.

CON: Struggling here... Hats off to you, Mr. Combs.

Things are looking GRIMM.

Grimm is slightly off-kilter, and I'm not referring to the fairytale aspects. This show's got PROBLEMS, which is a pity, because with Supernatural winding down and Fringe set to finish, there's a definite cult tv gap up for grabs.

David Greenwalt is one of the series' creators. If the name sounds familiar, it's because you've seen it in the credits of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Moonlight, Eureka and The X-Files.

Of course, this could be part of the problem. Mediocrity was not on my list of viewer expectations. Supernatural creatures, references to old myths, sassy sleuthing, yes. Kind of crappy television... not so much.

Turns out, David Greenwalt+Fairytales (& who isn't a fan of fairytales??) does not=AWESOME SAUCE.

I think this warrants a sad face.

:(

The frustrating thing is the concept of the show is pretty solid, in terms of a supernatural procedural, ie lots of cop shop talk and a weekly creature feature.

For those who haven't caught an episode, policeman Nick Burkhardt discovers he's from a bloodline known as Grimms, humans who can see the 'true' faces of creatures living amongst humanity's droves. Naturally, this causes complications in Nick's life, personally and professionally.

While his heritage is a bit bloodthirsty (bordering on ethnic cleansing, some might say) today's Grimm chooses to walk a milder path. He's more thoughtful and empathic, using his hereditary talents to bring justice to both worlds.

In theory, the main character should deliver. He's jolted from his comfortable life into a confusing, complex, supernatural world. He has to keep his Grimm skills a secret from those he loves, while trying to manage both sides of the equation (yes, like a superhero).

In reality, despite the great set-up, this show simply doesn't work.

I want to be bright rather than bitter, so I'm going to focus on one area in which the program excels (for now, that is. Will let you know when the rant's a'comin').

Visually, this series is top notch. Utterly beautiful cinematography (especially the lighting), with occasional saturated scenes that are very fairytale-esque. Quite stunning. Kudos to the crew.

Moving on to the conflicted hero. (Yes, taking off my compliment hat, a 1920's style cloche complete with silk flowers, putting on my critical cap, which is, frankly, quite dowdy).

The bald truth is, our protagonist is not impressive. The character is middling.The actor is middling, his storylines are middling, he's just... middling. Not good, not bad. Middling (no relation to Bette).

His (unofficial) sidekick saves Grimm from the dvd bargain bin. Silas Weir Mitchell plays Eddie Munroe, a creature known as a Blutbad. He's on a kind of twelve step monster program, preferring a vegetarian, (relatively) violence-free lifestyle. This guy's hilarious, and the only reason I've hung in there. He fixes clocks, too. (How randomly fairytale-esque is that?).

He's a bit like the incredible hulk, ie determined to remain non-violent, which kind of goes haywire sometimes. Possibly the funniest gory moment on the show was when he accidentally pulled off a baddies arm during a fist fight. My bad, indeed.

Remember that old chestnut, if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all? (And why is that called a chestnut?) I'm applying this sentiment to the protagonist's best friend/police partner and his live-in girlfriend*.

Please note, this is not a reflection of the actor's talents. The characters are metaphors for a 'normal life', and that's how they're written. Clunky, two-dimensional, ANNOYING metaphors. Poor form from the script department. Tsk, tsk.

I think a large part of the show's problem is the CARICATURED 'idea' of a police detective. Exaggerated blokey walking, the posing, the terrible, terrible cliched comments coming out of the cop's mouths... so painful.

Dot-to-dot policing isn't helping either btw. Here's a prime example:

Nick: We've got a bunch of blood being illegally transported, and a dead kid missing seven pints.

Hank: Maybe we should check to see if there's a connection between the two.

Grimm, Season 1, Episode 10.

Really? They felt that this dialogue was NECESSARY?

I think it's time to take a note from The Walking Dead and overhaul the writing staff, because at this stage, cancellation can't be too far off.

To be fair, part of the problem may be that Grimm airs on a much more commercial network than a lot of other supernatural-themed programs. This means bigger audience numbers are demanded/expected. Perhaps they're trying to lay the standard procedural stuff on thick, so as not to lose viewers wary of the weird?

At this point, with a good chunk of season one over, it's safe to say the attempt at fusion has failed. Time to fish or cut bait.

Here's the trailer for the first episode. Promised so much, yet delivered so little. The Grimm brothers would be disappointed.

*On a random note- what is with the doppelganger casting of the female characters?? I get that sometimes guys have a type, but seriously, now may be a good time to try and move away from long red/brown hair parted in the middle and pale, pale skin.

I was watching an episode of the show with someone who's only a random viewer, and this conversation pretty much sums up the problem:

"Why is his girlfriend doing that?"

Oh, that's not his girlfriend, it's a guest star. She just looks like his girlfriend."

"Oh right, okay, yeah, I remember this one, I got her mixed up with the girlfriend before. She's the crazy one who used to go out with the clock guy."

"No, that was another actress, from a different episode. This crazy one wants to date the cop."

""Christ, why do they all look the same?"

(Good question, and one the casting department should probably be asking themselves).

It All Started With A Big Bang

In the US of A, scripted sitcom The Big Bang Theory recently out-rated iconic reality program American Idol. The burning question is, why exactly are viewers so enamoured with these nerds?

After a lot of thought and constant TBBT viewing (hey, someone's gotta do it), I came up with the following hypothesis outlining ten intrinsic factors imperative to the show's success (look at me, I can speak science!)...

1. The Sheldon Factor.

The character of Sheldon rules his little roost with an iron hand. Watching this epic control freak attempt to manipulate his cohorts, whilst simultaneously lacking the ability to read nuances of human behaviour, provides endless entertainment.*

*Another reason the audience can laugh freely at Sheldon's antics is because he's a genius, so it's okay to crack up at his quirks. He's not stupid or anything, which means you're not ridiculing a moron. You don't feel mean laughing at his lack of social graces, because you know there's a killer IQ in the mix. Guilt-free humour.

2. Everyday People Find Ubersmart People Being Unsuccessful at Life Weirdly Reassuring.

The idea that the intellectual elite can have relatively crappy existences seems to cheer up the everyday American no end. Right or wrong, seeing a genius unable to drive himself to the dentist, or a rich Indian intellectual completely incapable of holding a conversation with a women, is somehow highly comforting.

3. Nerds Make Bad Jokes.

This is a great little subliminal excuse for atrocious script moments. The audience is a lot more forgiving of any flashes of subpar comedy writing in this show, because they attribute a lack of cleverness to the social ineptness of the nerd characters. It's like a Get Out Of Jail Free card for the scriptwriting team.

4. Wish Fulfillment.

When Leonard started dating the hot blonde across the hall, men of America sat back and sighed happily. Women (mostly) also liked this coupling, for myriad reasons. The romance is helped along by the fact most of the nerds are actually kind of good looking. (Except for Howard. Don't get me started on Howard, he CREEEEPS me out!).

5. Up To Date Cultural References Run Rife.

I always thought part of Seinfeld's success was the way they incorporated crazes and social trends popular in New York at that time. A number of old school style sitcoms are sadly out of date with happenings in the outside world, but not The Big Bang Theory. A recent episode focusing on the character Raj's attachment to Apple's Siri is a prime example:

6. Is Bizarrely Full of Sterotypes.

You'd think viewers would frown on this, but instead, they seem to revel in the non-PC characters. The parents really cop it here. Sheldon's Texan mother is a devout Christian who enjoys clay shooting and regularly makes racist comments. Raj's parents are rich Indians who want him to marry a good Indian girl. Leonard's mother is an emotionally detached intellectual (psychologist and neuroscientist). Howard's mother (offscreen) plays out more Jewish stereotypes than I could list in one blog...

7. They Never Stop Eating.

Seriously, these kids live in Chow Down Town. I only noticed when I suddenly started wanting to eat my meals while this show was on. We often see them eating dinner in the apartment. They also spend a lot of screen time having lunch in the cafeteria, not to mention eating out at at Penny and Bernadette's work, The Cheesecake Factory. The question is, how many viewer's have unconsciously started eating dinner in front of the telly when The Big Bang Theory is on? WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS EATING AND WHY ARE THEY NOT FAT?! (Sorry about the caps locks, could be the diet talking).

8. The Protagonists Are Not a Fat Husband and Skinny Wife in the Suburbs.

That sitcom format is so, so tired. Instead, The Big Bang Theory revisits The Odd Couple (in more ways than one). Nerds and the bimbo (neither societal label turns out to be completely true, mind you). Penny and Amy. Leonard and Sheldon. Penny and Sheldon. Actually, Sheldon and anyone...! The cast is also relatively young. Age-wise, the Big Bang Theory is more conducive to Friends than the FHSWS sub-category.

9. Star Trek Alumni Make Appearances.

Okay, okay, so this might just be a me thing, but there's no denying Star Trek's always been a huge part of both popular culture, and nerd culture. Star Trek references and appearances on The Big Bang Theory have been pretty epic. As an example, I offer the final scene of an episode in which Sheldon was ridiculed for inviting Levar Burton (Geordi La Forge on Star Trek The Next Generation) to his party via Twitter:

10. Blossom is Awesome.

Bringing girl nerds into the fold proved to be a stroke of genius. The character of Bernadette is hilarious, a perfect foil for Howard, while Malim Bayik's comedic timing as neuroscientist Amy is just superb. (And how trippy is it that the actress also happens to have a PhD in Neuroscience?). Kudos to the production team on this one.

In summary, a lot of factors are involved in making The Big Bang Theory hugely successful. But is it possible I've missed the most important one of all? That maybe, just maybe, we're all kind of nerdy on the inside? (Awwww)...

Fair Dinkum Television Memories

Since it's Australia Day, I thought I'd look back at some old time Aussie television. Remember The Flying Doctors? Kingswood Country? The Thorn Birds? Yep, a dozen ocker classics. So take a seat, eat some pavlova, and check out the down under tv flashback.*

(*Of course, this list kind of shows my age... but I think television you're exposed to when really young can make a more intense impact, sometimes).

A COUNTRY PRACTICE

What Was It About? Followed the trials and tribulations of Wandin Valley locals. As hinted in the title, a lot of the action revolved around/passed through the medical centre. Most disliked character was old busybody Esme, who constantly caused trouble with her gossiping.

What I Remember Most: The character Molly died of a terminal illness and the whole country had to have counselling.

Interesting Tidbit: The actors who played onscreen couple Molly and Brendan were also married in real life. Oh, and Nicole Kidman guest starred back in the day.

E STREET

What Was It About? The adventures of a group of Sydney inner city residents. A bit of a different premise for Aussie television at that point, since most family dramas and sitcoms of the time were set in the outback, or the suburbs.

What I Remember Most: Being a teenager (barely) when this show hit screens, and deciding that living in a city was the ULTIMATE in cool.

Interesting Tidbit: A young Simon Baker was one of the shows stars, but his screen name back then was Simon Baker-Denny.

KINGSWOOD COUNTRY

What Was It About? Sort of like an early Australian version of Married With Children (but less smutty). Ted liked to sit in his chair, watch the telly, read the paper, and loved his car more than anything. Some complain about his sexist and racist ways, but the truth is, the joke was always on Ted.

What I Remember Most: The poor harried wife, who had the most hilarious lines.

Interesting Tidbit: There was a later spin-off, focusing on Ted in an old people's home, but it didn't rate well.

THE SULLIVANS

What Was It About? The Sullivan family, of course. The show was set in 1939, the beginning of the second World War, so there was a definite sense of gravitas to the story.

What I Remember Most: How beloved the series was, across multiple generations. You would hear people at the shops gossiping about the Sullivans as if they were real neighbours.

Interesting Tidbit: I don't have any. I was only seven when it finished its run, so my memories of it aren't as clear as some of the other programs. (But I do feel it made a very big impact on the industry, as a whole).

PERFECT MATCH

What Was It About? A game show where one contestant would ask three contestants behind a screen a series of questions, before choosing one to date. If you think about it, it's kind of like early internet dating. Without the Internet.

What I Remember Most: When returning from their date (which sometimes lasted for days, if they'd been sent away on holiday), the show would interview the two contestants separately, then get them to sit on the same couch and watch what they had both said about each other... In a word, brutal.

Interesting Tidbit: A 'robot' called Dexter would come out and calculate the compatibility rating of the final couple (before they went off on their date). Naturally (by which I mean ridiculously) he became the most popular thing about the show.

SALE OF THE CENTURY

What Was It About? Contestants would start with a $20 score, then compete to answer questions first (with big buzzers!) receiving $5 for every correct answer. The winner was the person who finished with the highest score, which they could then 'spend' on the prizes. Of course, there were other factors, like the Who Am I questions (which we LOVED). If you guessed the identity of the person, you got to choose from a game board of celebrity faces, all of which offered assorted prizes when spun around.

What I Remember Most: How obsessed it made everyone with general knowledge. Since this was pre-web, encyclopaedia sales surely benefited.

Interesting Tidbit: For some reason, the format really appealed to Australians. The show ran for over two decades, as well as a later reboot that ran for a few more years.

SKIPPY

What Was It About? A kid's show from the sixties often repeated on Australian tv. Skippy was a kangaroo in a national park who made friends with a ranger's son. Cue adventures.

What I Remember Most: The theme song, because "Skippy the bush kangaroo" always sounded as if they were clarifying Skippy was not, in fact, an urban kangaroo(??).

Interesting Tidbit: The main thing I remember about this show is that it had a HELICOPTER. These flying machines were pretty rare back in the day, so every time a storyline included a helicopter appearance, excitement ensued. Yes, we were simple folk. (Or maybe the crime rate was just lower?).

THE FLYING DOCTORS

What Was It About? The title's kind of self-explanatory. Alongside more traditional hospital story lines (including doctor/nurse romances, of course), the challenges of outback medical care provided a lot of story fodder.

What I Remember Most: Learning about the existence of The Royal Flying Doctor Service. I'm guessing the exposure was invaluable for them.

Interesting Tidbit: Check out a young Rebecca Gibney in this clip.

THE THORN BIRDS

What Was It About? A mini-series based on the Colleen McCullough novel. Think family saga, outback setting, and a priest in love. There was also a stellar cast. (Christopher Plummer and Richard Chamberlain are among the illustrious talent in the mix). The sum of these elements equalled massive ratings explosions.

What I Remember Most: Oh, the scandal. A priest in love (and lust)? Shocked was not the word.

Interesting Tidbit: Rachel Ward and Brian Brown met on set and later married.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS

What Was It About? Straight up soapie stuff. Arguing families. Lots of drama.

What I Remember Most: The theme song. It was weirdly catchy, even though some of the lyrics were less than challenging (ie we will find out our sons and daughters are what, we too, were once about...).

Interesting Tidbit: Actress Judy Nunn went on to write many novels, including children's books. I loved them so much when I was little that I wrote her a letter. And she wrote one back!

BRIDES OF CHRIST

What Was It About? A mini-series, set in the sixties, that takes place in a Catholic school. Both the students and the nuns face difficult decisions, cause, you know, times, they are a'changin'...

What I Remember Most: I went to a Catholic school and I can honestly say, this show really humanised the nuns and priests in our eyes. Up till that point, we'd never really thought about their lives prior to joining the church.

Interesting Tidbit: The fantastic cast included a youthful Russell Crowe and Naomi Watts.

BLUE HEELERS

What Was It About? The lives and loves of police stationed in the fictional Australian country town of Mount Thomas. Epically popular in Oz... there's no denying thirteen years is a long time for a cop show to run.

What I Remember Most: My dad was a policeman and he used to say, "Christ, if I was posted to Mount Thomas, I'd be asking for a bloody transfer". This country town saw a WIDE array of HIGHLY unusual crimes. Even the station itself was bombed at one point.

Interesting Tidbit: I remember someone telling me they used to watch Blue Heelers when they were growing up in Ireland, oddly enough.

...So there's the list. Honourable Mentions also to The Henderson Kids, Hey Dad, Prisoner, GP, Police Rescue and Acropolis Now. I could go on, but all this talk of Aussie television has made me want a lamington...

A Lot Of Eyes For An Eye

With New Year's resolutions in full swing, now might be an apt time to talk about Revenge. (The tv show, I mean).

The saying hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, should really be changed to, hell hath no fury like a child betrayed, if this tale's anything to go by...

Some might say time and money are integral elements of a truly devastating, multi-tiered revenge. Luckily, the protagonist of this series has both in SPADES (I so want to work in some kind of Marie Antoinette "let them eat cake" joke, but my humour's not savvy enough):

Revenge is a strange concept (the feeling, I mean, not the show). We're taught at a young age that it leads to bitterness and ashes, but when truly wronged, the desire for payback can be a dominating emotion. Let's face it, there's almost something primal about the (occasionally) reflexive, thirst-for-revenge response to perceived injustice.

Likewise, Revenge (the show, not the feeling) is a strange little drama. Many dismiss it as a simple soap, but I think the overarching theme makes it a tad too complex for obvious labelling.

Sure, this saga has enough petty power plays, beautiful people, glamorous parties and luxurious locations to keep the average viewer happy. But for those who like a little more (intellectual) meat to chew on, scattered throughout each episode like little chicken nuggets for the brain (can you tell I'm hungry?) are quotes from ancient philosopher's and classic literature that ponder the nature of revenge and its myriad, inevitable repercussions.

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

Confucius

Here's the basic story:

An uber-rich young woman called Emily Thorne rocks up at the Hampton's one summer to party the season away (elegantly, mind you). Quiet, confident, beautiful and sophisticated, she catches the eye of the local pretty boy bachelor... and it's game on.*

(*This is all just surface fodder. The backstory is WAY more relevant.)

Emily Thorne is actually Amanda Clarke, who lived in the Hamptons with her father until he was framed for a terrible crime. Daddy's since died in prison, and now Amanda (slash Emily) is back, ready to exact her meticulously planned revenge on his enemies, via a sequence of devastating strikes culminating in an end game we, the audience, can't quite imagine just yet...!

One by one, our (sort of) protagonist destroys every person involved in the framing of her father, and god DAMN is this chick thorough. She decimates her targets personally, professionally and financially, dismissing battered innocents along the way (ie husbands, wives and children) as little more than collateral damage.

Keep in mind, she has one woman in her sights at all times. Through Emily's carefully timed machinations, her father's married mistress Victoria is slowly and irrevocably alienated from her best friend, husband, trusted security liaison, therapist, and children.

As a viewer, you can never quite decide at what point Emily crosses the line. She's been so brutally wronged that you're kind of cheering her on at first... but at the same time, is it truly okay for the aggrieved party to transform from persecuted, to persecutor?

Just to clarify- she is UTTERLY focused on revenge. No matter what happens, the character steadfastly refuses to change her path, which makes you wonder sometimes what's going on behind her guarded gaze, and if she just might be one diamond short of a tennis bracelet? (Or something like that. Cut me some slack, I'm trying to speak Hampton-ese here!).

Let's not forget, while Emily's been dealing with the terrible repercussions of what was done to her family, the guilty rich have lived with tortured consciences eating away at their souls, and occasionally (it would seem), their sanity. Almost every character in the show is written in a way that makes the audience perceive them as intensely flawed, and often conflicted.

So, yeah, the baddies aren't always a hundred percent, well, bad. But don't get me wrong- they're still, you know... bad. (Yes, pretty soon we, the audience, are as conflicted as the characters!).

The show not only looks at the ripple effect these acts of revenge are having on community members closest to the guilty parties, but also at the impact carrying out ongoing, staggered revenge is having on our (pseudo) protagonist Emily. In a way, it's both her greatest strength, and her greatest weakness.

Hardcore, much?

The important casting is impeccable. The actress in the lead role, Emily VanCamp, plays the part superbly, an understated portrayal that is so much more powerful onscreen than raging hysterics could ever be. Her emotions are heavily internalised (which let's face it, is the opposite of standard soapie practice).

Madeleine Stowe kicks ass as Victoria, the evil matriarch and Emily's arch nemesis. She knows something's off when it comes to Emily (no shit, Sherlock!), but since she's losing allies left, right and centre, Hampton's Wicked Witch is not at the top of her game right now...

Gabriel Mann puts in a great performance as billionaire computer programmer Nolan, a character integral to the story because he knows Emily/Amanda's secret.

Nolan is the angel on her shoulder, albeit a flawed one. He alternates between a) dabbling in Emily's 'games' because he's bored, hyper intelligent and socially inept, and b) trying unsuccessfully to lure her away from the lesser-worn, prickly path of revenge.

I also like Nick Wechsler as Jack, Amanda's childhood sweetheart and constant (emotional) thorn in the side of her Emily persona. (Thanks to Nolan's machinations, Jack is regularly thrown in Emily/Amanda's path, as a possible deterrent).

Don't get me wrong. A lot of the storylines, especially the sub-plots, still unfold in dramatic, soapie-esque style... but the motivation behind the overall series is quite unique, which helps hold audience interest.

And while it doesn't appeal to me, maybe some Americans kind of like the idea that fellow citizens rich enough to holiday in the Hampton's achieved their wealth through nefarious means? Morals and ethics seem in short shrift among the richies on the show. Is it possible that watching the monied up getting their asses karmically kicked (metaphorically speaking) appeals to the middle class psyche somehow? Who knows.

By halfway through season one, Emily's schemes are already unravelling. Unforeseen variables (ie the arrival of unexpected characters she hadn't anticipated and can't quite control), threaten to ruin everything.

Man, the vagaries of human nature really can mess with the best laid plans... it's true, Murphy's Law is a bitch.

Just ask Emily. Or is it, Amanda?