Ditto on the prospects for Revolution. Definitely not Jericho. It has potential but networks have no patience these days so they won't give a series time to gel and find its natural audience.

Okay, I watched the series opener and after thinking about it I've decided to let the whole realism thing slide. I was reminded of the Arthur C. Clark rule: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. The "technology" to alter physics in this series definitely resembles magic to me!

That said, it wasn't really that interesting of a show. I even tried giving the show a second shot (it was repeated last night) since I was pretty distracted the first time I saw it, but it still didn't really work for me ... the problem not being the underlying premise of the blackout but with the actions & choices of the show's protagonists and the overall lack of development of the world and its characters.

For example, by how they presented things, we're basically told the good guys are good and the militia is bad without really establishing any of that. They're simply relying on old archetypes instead of actually telling (and showing!) us what's what (so far at least). However, it seems to me the "good guys" are only good because the producer said so, nothing in the show actually made me want to root for them at all.

So, thinking about it a bit, I thought why not reverse things ... maybe root for the militia. I think the following makes more sense than what the TV show has said so far .

In a shocking, premeditated act, a group of terrorists built and used a weapon that fundamentally altered the rules of physics which resulted in a worldwide blackout; electricity no longer worked. This horrible act resulted in the death of billions of men, women and children. Even worse, the men and women who were a part of this original cabal held on to the key to undoing this modern apocalypse and did nothing but use this for their own, personal means. For 15 years they've watched the world burn - all the while holding the key to its salvation in their very hands.

However one man, General Monroe, has found out about this conspiracy and will use the full force of his resources to find the key behind the great blackout, and return power to the world.

In the series opener, family man Captain Neville comes to what he assumes will be the conclusion of his tiring quest to find one of these original terrorists, Ben Mattheson, and hopes to bring him peacefully back to General Monroe. In an unexpected turn, his forces are attacked and his query is killed in the crossfire. Hoping the instigator of these troubles, the terrorist's son, will help him find one of the other conspirators - the boy's uncle - Neville takes the boy into lawful custody.

The search is now on for the key to restoring power and the hope for a return to the modern age for mankind.

I too suspended my disbelief in order to try to enjoy this show. Unfortunately, it couldn't hold my complete attention. The interactions between the good and the evil were too hokey. I really wanted this show to work. Maybe it gets better in later episodes. I have had TV shows get worse for me as the episodes go on. For example, "Parks & Recreation" got worse for me. "House" also got worse for me after the original team left. So, maybe "Revolution" will go the other way. There is plenty of room for improvement.

It seems to me the method of the storytelling is to leave the audience in the dark intentionally. For example, we're supposed to wonder why General Monroe is evil and why the family man is good. The flashbacks start to reveal it, but it's evident it's supposed to remain a mystery for now. The problem for me is I'm not that intrigued. I don't really care why General Monroe is evil and the family man is good, but I should.

SPOILER ALERT, FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T WATCH, STOP READING NOW.

Again, the show could not hold my complete attention. So, can someone explain the ending? How did that woman have electricity and was communicating over a computer network? I chalked it up as another hokey thing about the show, but this thread motivated me to figure things out so that I can obtain some value from that hour of my life I spent.

I think they are trying to emulate LOST! Where you never really understood what was going on, but were intrigued anyway (at least for the first season).

A couple guesses about the ending ...

Guess 1. Whatever caused the blackout is an active force. Whatever it is, it's actively retarding electricity (possibly other forces too?) and by activating the pendant it blocks that force (kinda like a cell phone jammer?). This would assume she was running things off of battery power since it didn't show her firing up any power supply like a generator.

Guess 2. The blackout caused a permanent physical change in matter that retards electricity. The pendant temporarily restores the natural properties of matter in its direct vicinity and even causes electricity to flow when no power supply is available.

In either case, due to it's size it has a limited effect.

Regarding the communication network, I'd assume it is operating on some sort of radio technology because the existence of any sort of wired connection is simply not plausible. It's also possible that this inner-circle of conspirators have some sort of blackout resistant central command or satellite since it seems like the pendant holders were involved in the cause of the blackout.

As a side note, was I the only one to think that it's not exactly subtle to hide your secret communication centre behind the only interior door with 5 locks on it? And then, after unlocking it, she leaves the door wide open while inside?

as with most JJ Abrams "dramas", this one is also made to keep the viewer confused and off balanced. answers aren't ever offered, just more questions. that alone is suppose to be the draw. it works for some folks (mainly 20-somethings if the discussions i've had are any indication), but it sure doesn't work for me.

although the concept of the show intrigues me, i found it dull-witted and silly, with very 2-dimensional uninteresting characters. the sets/costumes have no sense of reality. the fighting tactics are even dumber.

i didn't even set my DVR to record future episodes. i'm saddened...

I find the cities = death part interesting; the show is stressing that those that survived were the ones that got out of the cities. They seem to believe that outside of the cities there is plenty of water, food and space just sitting there ready to be claimed by any who would make the trek (at least that's what's said through the Mom in the flashback).

This seems to be a popular idea, that in a major, nationwide disaster you could just head out of town with minimal supplies and find/take whatever you need.

Makes me think that if anything were to happen, maybe the cities will be the safest place after all .

right on that Denis..my only survival interest is taking care of myself if something go's wrong on a wilderness canoe trip.
having said that i was at a drive-in camp up in Northern Minnesota to spend a night before heading out for two weeks on the canoe path.i was sitting around having a can of stew and for about 5 seconds thought that this would be a good place to come too if "anything really happen".i say 5 seconds because first off getting out of Minneapolis would be a joke,if "it" was that bad i would not make it from the local streets to the freeway north with traffic jams and loss of law and order.
even if i made it to Jennette lake the locals would have the place locked down with not only every camp site taken but new ones cut out of the forest everywhere.the roads would be lined with cars out of gas and people camped next to them looking to get fuel any way possible.so on and on and on.
our house and the people around us we have know for years would be a better bet than anything on the road.the Mississippi River and the woods around it would be a source of water and fuel and the Vets Hospital just blocks away would be a good stable anchor.
the "problem" with ETS is that it does make me think of what i might do if "it" came down on us and we had to get along for years with little back up..task #1 would be to cut down the 60 foot pine in the back yard for fire wood!!!!
but in Real life the search for a better foil blanket to put in the PFD Ditch Kit is more up my line...