My Review of Revenge's 1x12: "Infamy"

Written by Dan Dworkin And Jay Beattie
Directed by Matt Earl Beesley

Nolan (re Mason): “You know I haven’t been this disappointed since Phantom Menace.”
Emily: “You didn’t actually think he’d come clean, did you?”
Nolan: “Didn’t you?”

And you know I haven’t been pleased with this show since – the previous episode. Seriously, this level of quality is bordering on the implausible at the moment. Twelve episodes in and this show has yet to really put a foot wrong. This however may be the best episode yet that I’ve seen though.

The last seven episodes haven’t seen Emily actually enact any vengeance on anyone and considering that she’s had to deal with Lydia, Frank, Tyler and Amanda, it’s amazing she’s been able to catch her breath. Of course, things have settled a little and Mason Treadwell re-emerged from the woodwork in time for Emily to strike.

I’ve never been sympathetic to Emily’s victims so far but it’s interesting that after Michelle Banks, the show managed to pick someone else so rotten to the core. It’s not the fact that Mason published a book about her father that was mostly lies that bothered me as a viewer. It’s the fact that Mason really knew what the truth was and still published his book of lies that bothered me and mostly Emily to the very core.

As a child she trusted that Mason or Leo as he was known back then would’ve done the right thing and helped save her father. Instead he betrayed her by making out that David was guilty and while Victoria and Conrad were responsible for the way he depicted David in his book, Mason could’ve easily done the right thing but he chose not to and so Emily got her own back in glorious style.

I found the sight of Mason’s burning house with his destroyed tapes and unsaved memoirs quite a delightful way for Emily to get back at him. She knew that even with Amanda needling him to do the right thing that he never would so Nolan distracting him long enough for her to commit arson was the best way she could get even on him.

Mason did seem to show the tiniest bit of discomfort in interviewing Amanda at Victoria’s behest but his manner towards her at the bar and when they actually did the interview was odious at best. It’s lucky for him that that Amanda wasn’t too interested in actually getting back at him because then Emily would’ve had a problem on her hands.

As for Amanda and Emily this week – it’s great that they worked together in order to get to Mason but at the same time, the tension between those two is reaching breaking point. Amanda seems to have sussed that Jack might still be into Emily and her wild child antics at the bar are probably a prelude to how she’d react if she realises that Emily might be attracted to the man she’s currently sleeping with.

Also while Nolan has been pointing out for a while that Amanda’s presence is too much of a liability for Emily’s overall plans, it’s probably well past time that Emily found a way to rein her wilder cellmate in before things do spiral out of control. On the plus side, Amanda’s spiky nature did get Jack to loosen up a little towards the end of the episode, so may be in some ways she’s actually a positive influence on him to a degree.

Of course the biggest news in this episode courtesy of a taped confession was that Charlotte happened to be David Clarke’s daughter. Congrats Emily, you’ve got a half-sister and it’s another little complication in the overall battle between Victoria and Conrad but while it’s also one of those moments that were predictable, the execution was superbly handled as well. Also, we could do with Charlotte having a storyline away from Declan for a bit now.

Last but not least – Daniel must be a little mad if he’s willing to actually marry Emily so he can control of Grayson Global. For once, I really do hope he actually takes heed of Victoria’s advice because while she desperately needs to sever the apron strings, she’s wise enough to tell him not to marry Emily for selfish reasons. That being said, I also got the impression that Daniel was more delighted to have an opportunity to marry Emily than to get one over on his father and the company. Interesting that both Victoria and Conrad have similar opinions on the likelihood of Daniel and Emily’s relation though.

Also in “Infamy”

It’s amazing how all these people keeping meeting Emily and not realising she’s Amanda, though I did think at one point, Treadwell was going to piece the connection.

Emily: “Infamy can be a sentence more damning than any prison sentence.”

We learned in this episode that Emily/Amanda name swapped around ten years ago. Amanda also had to be told that David was actually innocent of the terrorism charges as well.

Emily: “What you guys did was brave.”
Jack: “At the end of the day, there were no bullets in the gun, so no big deal.”

Amanda: “Come on, be impulsive. Unplan your life.”
Jack: “Amanda, I’m sorry, I can’t.”
Amanda: “I wonder if you’d say no to Emily Thorne.”

Amanda’s little kissing session with a female patron ended up on the internet, as Declan was keen to point out.

Female Patron: “I totally want to kiss you right now.”
Amanda: “Not while my boyfriend is watching.”

Amanda: “Level with me, is there something going on between you and Jack?”
Emily: “What? No! Jack and I are just friends, you know that.”
Amanda: “Not sure he believes that.”

So, apart from being David’s daughter, Charlotte’s future education prospects also seem to be designed to drive a wedge between her and Declan as well.

Nolan: “Have I mentioned I’ve never done this before?”
Daniel: “Helps if you keep one eye open.”

Amanda: “Sometimes bad things happen to good people.”
Mason: “Indeed. I’m here because your father says he’s innocent. That he didn’t do what they’re saying.”

Nolan had to fake wanting Mason to pen his biography, was also cited as number 6 on Forbes list of Youngest Billionaires and his moments at the shooting range with Emily and Daniel were delightfully amusing.

Mason: “All stories have competing truths. I simply settled on the most logical.”
Amanda: “And you were paid handsomely for that endorsement I’m sure.”

Daniel (re marrying Emily): “What do people wait for exactly – a sign? Maybe this is it.”
Victoria: “People wait for certainty.”
Daniel: “Did you have that with dad?”
Victoria: “No and that’s why I want it for you.”

Standout music: Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded” and Gem Club’s “Red Arrow (John)”.

Emily: “Some words are immortal. Long buried or even burned, they’re destined to be reborn, like a phoenix rising from the ashes and when they do, they literally can take your breath away.”

Chronology: A few days since the events of “Duress”.

“Infamy” has really sealed this show’s fate. If you’re not watching this series right now, you’re definitely missing out, that’s for sure. The reveal of Charlotte’s parentage was beautifully done, Mason’s just desserts deliciously satisfying and Victoria and Conrad trying to best each other in their divorce proceedings continues to be fun to watch. It’s a shame that Ashley’s animosity towards Emily remains intact but you can’t have everything.

Rating: 10 out of 10