Revolution (NBC): Season 1 was good. It started with electricity turning off all over the world. Then it jumped a couple of decades into the future where most of the story takes place. The Monroe Republic ruled the northeastern portion of what used to be the United States. The show focused on the lives of a few selected families as they all struggled to make things right (that is, according to what they thought was "right").
As the show progressed, we learned some interesting tidbits. The uncle turned out to be a major part of the Monroe Republic. That mom from LOST turned out to be alive, and also the one who caused the whole electricity-turning-off incident. Similarly, every character turned out to have an interesting backstory.
My only complaint would be that the action scenes relied heavily on coincidences and bad guys shooting like storm troopers. Are we really supposed to believe that Miles armed with nothing but handguns, could take down twenty trained gunmen? At least the plot kept things interesting.
The season ended with a very believable explanation as to how the electricity went out. Cool ... and freaky.
Season #2 was bold, as if looking for a fresh style ... perhaps borrowing from the successes of The Walking Dead? I actually found it to be more interesting, though a lot more violent. I'm sure the show lost a lot of viewers because of the change in formula. I'm also sure that very few new viewers came onboard. The change in tactic was a failed attempt to keep the show on air, and sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if they had stuck with the formula and kept the show how it was.
After the Monroe Republic was destroyed, life seemed to be a lot more hectic. At first I was annoyed with the first few episodes in the season #2, as the writers were holding back information from us that the characters knew. Plus, we were four months in the future. (Why do show writers feel they have to add in four months so as to simulate the passage of "real" time over the summer?) Eventually, though, the writers made with the details, and the show became watchable again.
Season #2 dealt with the nano tech striving to become some kind of god. At first this was cool, as the nano seemed to be watching over the good guys, but then as the season progressed, it became very freaky as we learned what the nano really wanted to do. At the same time, Monroe tried to regain power, while Miles constantly tried to keep him in check.
I think it came to a satisfying end, except for the very last bit about the nano starting to collect people. I wasn't sure where that could lead. Either way, we won't find out since the show is cancelled. Despite the efforts of fans trying to get someone anywhere to pick up Season #3, there's no sign that this will happen. It's a shame, but I'm nowhere as torqued up as I was with Firefly and Jericho.
Believe (NBC): This show was a pleasant surprise this past Spring (along with Resurrection). This show is Touch without the annoying mathematical coincidences, and slightly better writing. It also allowed itself to come to a satisfactory end in just one season (just like Awake, though not as good an ending).
The show started out showing William Tate getting busted out of jail just before his execution. By the end of that first episode, he learned that he was being asked by some questionable people to watch over a little girl, Bo Adams, who had amazing powers. Bad guys were after her, but of course, as the series progresses, we come to learn that the bad guys weren't quite so bad, and the good guys not so good.
The show does get to be a little slow sometimes. As Tate tries to hide Bo and protect her, she always ran into some stranger that needed her help--thus getting in the "damsel in distress of the week." Whenever any of these subplots became slow, I think it helped to make the show less interesting. Being a spring show mixed with these slow parts most likely killed off any renewal chances.
Even as it is now, I think the show does fine with just one season. There doesn't seem to be too much material for a second one. But since it comes to a satisfying end, I recommend catching this online. Right now the whole season is on nbc.com for free, and I'm sure it'll eventually show up on Netflix.
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