Best Performances of the Week: Revenge's Charlotte and Once Upon A Time's Peter Pan

Welcome to the fourth edition of Best Male and Female Performances of the Week. This is a weekly update that will occur, for the most part, on Thursday’s – or shortly thereafter – once I’ve finished watching and reviewing the past week’s worth of episodes, where I will single out one male and one female performance that I believe merits special attention for the week. This, like my reviews, will be based solely on my opinion of the shows I watch in a week, and if you don’t like who I’ve picked, well that’s just too bad for you.

This week my choices came out of a pot of nineteen series’ (and if you don’t know which, go check out my reviews from the last week). For any not caught up in Revenge and Once Upon A Time, please feel free to exit promptly from this blog. I am not a spoiler free source for shows. THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! Proceed at your own discretion.

Best Female Performance of the Week:

Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Grayson in this week’s second episode of the third season of Revenge. While there are many remarkable performances in a week, Allen managed to outperform all the other females this week on Revenge.

This season the actress has been doing outstandingly well on the series. Not only has her character become less annoying, she’s also managed to make her feel like she stands for something. Charlotte this year is sticking to her guns, she’s become a stronger person, and has grown to have a better style this year. It’s easy to see the character has become an adult that is starting to find her place in this world.

While my only other knowledge of Ms. Allen is from the performance she made in the Jennifer Garner film 13 Going On 30, by way of Revenge I can see her acting talent developing before my very eyes. Although I can’t be certain how greatly she will develop as an actress, I look forward to seeing her on this series as well as any other roles she may take on in the future.

Best Male Performance of the Week:

Robbie Kay as Peter Pan in this week’s second episode of the third season of Once Upon A Time. Despite how dreadfully terrible the writing is on this series at any given time, Kay was able to play a rather villainous character more adeptly than any I’ve seen on the series in a great long time.

In a sea of adults this young man was able convincingly portray his character more realistically than any of the other actors on this series. While I have a soft spot for the likes of Emma, Hook, and Neal, it was Robbie Kay’s portrayal of Peter Pan this week that sat more strongly with me. Perhaps it is the devious attitude he appears to have, or just that evil is a more fun character to play and thus he enriches it, but either way the young man plays his character beyond fantastically.

Like many newer actors to the scene, I cannot recall ever seeing Robbie Kay in anything else. As the young man is a British born actor, moving to American television was quite the illustrious decision. I hope to see this man in future projects, as he seems to be one that could develop a renowned career.

All right now ladies and gentlemen, sorry for the lateness of this, but I’m Canadian and this weekend was Thanksgiving, so there’s that. I’m now going to go catch up on Friday’s episode of Haven, and then watch tonight’s Once Upon A Time and Revenge… I’m just honestly surprised I haven’t given up on these by now, I guess I’m growing up and actually wanting to improve myself.

Revenge 3.02 Review: Sometimes it's Best to Forgive

Anyone that hasn’t watched last night’s episode of Revenge, entitled ‘Sin’, should go do so now, otherwise this blog may spoil the contents. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

I’m going to keep this review brief, as it’s five in the morning, and I’m exhausted. So, I’m going to just hit the highlights, and go from there.

Quite possibly my favourite character in this episode was Charlotte. Christa B. Allen has grown so much just in the evidence of the last two episodes. As a strong, young woman, she is appearing very empowered, and much deeper than the whiny brat of the last two seasons. I very much approve of this strong willed, quite better dress young woman. And just her confession that her guilt for Declan’s death is what she believes caused her miscarriage was rather breathtaking in execution.

For the first time in Revenge, I honestly felt bad for the gentleman being taken down in this episode. By all accounts, he appears to have tried to make as deep amends for his actions as he can, and when Emily struck him over the head I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. I so strongly wished she’d been able to detract her revenge scheme in time, but it was too late. I’m just glad she, though too late, felt that this red X was wrongfully enacted, and I look forward to her attempts to exonerate the man in future episodes, because I honestly liked this character.

The way they’re writing Jack this season, I’m not sure I’m happy about. I don’t really like how he’s reacted to finding out he did not marry his childhood sweetheart, and that she’s actually this revenge-seeking woman. It doesn’t feel genuine, it feels like his emotions keep getting tossed from one end of the spectrum to the other, as if he’s a hormonal woman. To me, it doesn’t feel like the writing is doing a good job of keeping Jack around in this series. I mean, what’s the point of keeping him here, if this is all he’s doing? I do hope he has more scenes with Charlotte, because those were good, but otherwise, he needs better development.

Patrick this episode was a little strange. I understood, but didn’t like the way he closed the door on Emily. I’m sure his mother has imparted her dislikes of the woman on him, but that’s a woman who tried to give him hush money to stay away. Why would he honestly take her opinion of people to heart? Also, what is with the incestuous vibes she often gives off to him? That relationship doesn’t seem like it’s going to end well, they’ve got a rather strange connection. It makes for interesting television, but it’s odd nonetheless. I did, however, like the dinner table exchange between them where he gets up to leave, and she puts shame on her family for their shortcomings toward Patrick.

One thing I really didn’t like about this episode was the way they’re writing Aiden, even more so than the way they’re writing Jack. I know the showrunner bumped him up to a regular last season, but there’s really no necessity in having him around. This is really just away to keep the actor, when it’s not at all genuine to the story, or the characters. Especially when the way he left last season gave me the impression he desperately wanted to get to Emily, not back at her. Remember Aiden, you’re the one that killed her mentor, and she’s not too handy with forgiveness.

Otherwise, the momentum of the episode wasn’t bad, as usual Nolan was awesome, I just almost wish there was a little more of him, and a little less Victoria. Please get rid of this Aiden scheme and I’ll be happy, as well as giving Jack an actual storyline. I really liked the guy in the first season, and as a fan of Roswell, I don’t want the actor gone.

My rating: 7 out of 10.

I’m off to bed now, to continue rereading the first Harry Potter book. Tune in tomorrow for reviews of Bones, How I Met Your Mother, Sleepy Hollow, and The Blacklist, not necessarily in that order.