Summer may be over in the real world, but in the Hamptons it’s still in full swing. Revenge has decamped to the far reaches of Long Island for yet another season of soapy high-society sabotage, as Emily Thorne (née Amanda Clarke) searches for the truth about her family and rains vengeance on those who betrayed them. This year, we’re keeping track of her quest — and the schemes of her friends, allies, and sworn enemies — by declaring winners and losers for each episode. Discover who came out on top in last night’s episode, which forced us to watch clips from one of the most nauseating sex tapes in the history of nighttime soaps, after the jump.
WINNERS:
Daniel: He had to walk in on Ashley with creepy Salvador, and it looks like that relationship is over for good, but Daniel still got what he wanted: he’s managed to up his manipulation game, and now he’s ousted his father to become CEO of Grayson Global. He’s also used Marco and the missing $500 million to gain a 51% share of Nolcorp and distanced Aiden by dropping him from the board. Daniel has made all the right moves, and he’s on top for now — but he’s also quite literally in the Initiative’s crosshairs, not to mention a possible target for Nolan.
Nolan: Sure, things looked dark for Nolan for most of the episode. Daniel cornered him and, with the help of his ex (and ex-CEO) Marco, wrestled away a controlling interest in Nolcorp. But in an intimate meeting with Padma, we learn that this might have been part of Nolan’s plan all along — and that he’s plotting to take down Grayson Global from the inside. “I have no intention of letting those bastards profit off David Clarke,” he tells her.
Charlotte: We don’t see her much this week, but when we do, she’s giving a snarky speech at the after-party for Carl’s christening about how messed up her family is. Good job getting away from them, Charlotte, because their fates are only going to get messier from here on out.
Amanda: Jack must not be sharing many of his troubles with Amanda, because she is the paragon of sanity and fulfillment this week. She’s flushed with happiness at Carl’s christening, and she even takes the time to (once again) confront Emily about how the endlessly complicated revenge plot is ruining her life.
Marco: Looks like Nolan’s jilted lover has wormed his way back into the Nolcorp fold! Sneaky!
LOSERS:
Emily and Aiden: This week was a roller coaster for Emily, with highs, lows, twists, and turns around every corner. She and Aiden are aiding Daniel in his scheme to take control of Grayson Global. Even after Victoria screws up their plan by using the Conrad/Ashley sex tape to blackmail Ashley into sleeping with Salvador and securing his vote for Conrad, they manage to recover with their own plot to have Daniel walk in on his girlfriend’s tryst. But it seems Daniel has still taken Ashley’s warning about getting too close to Aiden to heart, and when he becomes CEO of the company, he kicks Aiden off the board. Add to that Emily’s general depression about her own life, as seen in the jealous faces she was making at Carl’s christening and the questions she asks Aiden about whether people like them can ever be happy, and it’s a pretty gloomy week for the couple. We expect things to be looking up for them next week, though, after Victoria’s call for help to save Daniel at the end of the episode.
Victoria: Not only does she have to watch her disgusting husband bed her son’s girlfriend (over and over again!), but she gets out-schemed by Emily and Aiden. And when she, for once, has Daniel’s best interest at heart and tries to warn him about what will happen if he takes over Grayson Global, he doesn’t believe her. We imagine Victoria has to be feeling pretty desperate by the end of the episode to appeal to Emily for help.
Conrad: All of the above, plus the fact that he’s sure it’s the Initiative who sent Victoria the sex tape in order to further drive the couple apart.
Ashley: For the first time ever, we feel kind of awful for Ashley. She’s finally picked a side, but then Victoria confronts her with the sex tape, and pimps her out once again. Her final words to Daniel before leaving to meet Salvador confirm that she truly cares about him — but once he walks in on the two of them together, it’s over. Now that she’s proven disloyal to both the Graysons and their son, we’re wondering how (and if) she’ll manage to stay in their rarified world.
Jack: “Are you saying they’re related to that Joe Ryan?” Jack asks Nolan incredulously, after Nolan figured out this rather unsurprising bit of information via (we assume) a simple Google search. So, apparently we’re supposed to believe that Jack is so stupid that it wouldn’t occur to him to look into the connection between two people with the same last name. Now that the Ryans have done in Matt Duncan and we see them looming ominously over Jack at the end of the episode, it looks like all this totally unnecessary trouble is about to come to a head.
Padma: Time to watch your back, Padma! You’re not the first CFO Nolan’s fallen for. We know Marco’s coming for your job — but is he coming for your man, too?