TV REVIEW: Who Took The Bait Hook, Line, and Sinker on Revenge?

It’s been over a month since we’ve seen our favorite Sunday night soap, so let’s start with a quick recap of what went down at the end of January.

This is what I know … David Clarke finally bonded with daughter after a quick trip to Victorialand, Jack became a cop then quit, Charlotte is still gone, Daniel is permanently gone (RIP pretty boy), Nolan married crazy belle Louise to stop her family’s money drain, Emily was in a non-revenge mode and began a thing with annoying cop Ben, and Margaux went full throttle revenge seeking to destroy Emily.

Tonight’s offering was an episode of couples, some good, some bad, and some just plain twisted. Let’s take a look at the pairings that had us laughing, crying, and doing a double take.

Emily and Ben

“Bait” picks up right where we left off, Emily and Ben the morning after. He says, “We don’t have to do this. Talk about our past.” He’s not big on that whole communicating and sharing feelings thing, suggesting they “do something else.” Every time he opens his mouth, we are left longing for a muzzle or maybe the ghost of Aiden to samurai sword him into silence.

Jack is bitter he can’t unsee the whole Emily/Ben hook up from last episode as he angrily empties his police locker. Ben strolls in to say he’s gonna miss the little guy. Aren’t these scenes so reminiscent of Ice Man and Maverick from Top Gun? The innuendo, the beyond bromance, hilarious! He lets Ben know that he knows about the Emily sexy time, saying, “It seems we have the same friends now.” Hmmm, will this be the thing that finally gets Jack to come clean to his first love?

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
EMILY VANCAMP, BRIAN HALLISAY

Emily and Margaux

Margaux’s mission to take down Emily continues, eating up a big part of tonight’s episode. She has that ‘Jack admitting to killing Agent Kate’ video and plans to use it. Team Emily has a day to come up with some way to stop her from showing it.

Jack has a plan of his own… talk to Margaux and reason with her. Emily prefers a more ‘let’s go steal the video’ approach.

Jack gets his crack at the video first, meeting up with Margaux and bringing the big guns… dragging cute Carl along to pull at those heartstrings. He admits he feels bad about the way they broke up. “I just want you to know, going forward. I’m here for you. Single parent to single parent.” He did not just use the baby card to save his ass? Jack, you did learn something from Emily.

Margaux asks about the last time he did something spontaneous, and he mentions a grilled cheese sandwich he made the other night. Okay, it’s that kind of talk that makes us miss Aiden for the second time in tonight’s “Bait.” Can Emily ever be truly happy with a man who doesn’t know how to karate kick her ass, no matter how much sea glass they gathered together as kids?

Before Margaux leaves the play date, Jack goes in for the kill saying everything he does now he considers how it will affect Carl. The cute little tot even makes a friendship bracelet for Frenchie. We think the beads spell out “Don’t hurt my daddy and show that video” or something like that.

She can’t still plan on the video premiere, right? Not after all that Carl cuteness. Oh, she’s got something bigger up her poufy sleeves. In the first twist of the night, the Nolan mole working for Margaux is a double knot spy who is really on Team Margaux!

There is no big film fest planned. Instead they are counting on Emily going in to steal the murder implicating video. Margaux’s called the FBI and the bait is set. Now, she waits for Ems to act.

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
MADELEINE STOWE

Victoria and Natalie

Victoria is less than grief stricken to learn that Grandpa Grayson has passed away. She’s expecting to inherit a bundle, so thrilled may be a more appropriate adjective.

The reading of the will does not go as Queen V expected. It turns out the elder Grayson has left her Ralph and Alice, the old man’s Corgi’s complete with dog beds. And that’s it. His estate is being left to his wife, Natalie Waters! What? The Suits beauty struts in wearing the gloating look that Victoria usually wears. They were married a whole four months ago after Natalie served as the old guy’s nurse.

Natalie says she kept mum on the Grayson connection so she could watch Victoria in her natural environment. I’ve seen you in your element and you’re not getting a penny.

Victoria does not go gentle into that good night. At least not when it comes to money. She’s approached by Louise’s slimy lawyer brother Lyman with a plan to snatch the money from Natalie. She’s all in.

In the strange coupling of the night, Revenge writers have paired up David and Natalie, first at a chance meeting at a bar, then on a boat that she gives him. They end up watching a Cubs game together, and the banter between the two seems genuine (if that can even happen on Revenge). Also, who doesn’t want to see the Victoria rampage when she finds out about these two? Hell hath no fury…

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
GINA TORRES

Nolan and Louise

Revengers all have their own picks for Emily’s end game (although most candidates are now dead), but can we just say that Lolan will have our heart forever. They are hilariously adorable together, and tonight their fake marriage was cemented in a Wonder Twin scheme.

Louise wants to jet off for an Italian honeymoon, but the brakes are on when the Nolan mole (who’s not really a mole) calls revealing the big video of Emily and Jack. Nolan tells a disappointed Red that he can’t go; he’s got pressing issues.

Louise is pouty about the no Italy honeymoon. She tells Nolan she wouldn’t have married him if she didn’t like him. She also tells him she’ll draw up divorce papers and “set you free.”

Nolan tries to explain, admitting, “Emily and I are sort of like superheroes.”

“Only in the sense that we do good things to people who deserve it and bad things to those who don’t,” he goes on to disclose.

He says they’re on a mission of Merciful Malice and Louise wants in.

Emily and Margaux X 2

The biggest twisty turn of “Bait” comes in the final scenes where Margaux’s trap is set in motion. We watch as Emily skips the hoodie tonight donning a catsuit instead and we all say, “Yay!” She’s doing her best Mission Impossible impression scaling the LeMarchal building for the big break in.

“She” opens the door to the server room in search of the video and is met with a faceful of FBI guns and a gloating Margaux. But in the world of Revenge, Emily usually has the upper hand and tonight was no exception. The “she” is revealed to be LOUISE who’s wandered into the computer room pretending to look for a soul cycle class.

The FBI is not impressed at this colossal waste of their time. Margaux says wait, I’ve got a video for you. When she tries to play it, the entire thing is wiped.

Meanwhile, Emily sits in Margaux’s chair at her desk looking like she owns the place. She tells her enemy, “If you’re gonna keep coming after me you’re gonna have to be a lot better.” The Emily gloat continues when she adds, “Nice bracelet” on the way out. The magnetized, Carl-given jewelry is what deleted the video off the computer. It’s like playing with children. Emily has still got it.

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
ELENA SATINE

Emily and Jack

At episode’s end, Jack at long last does what we’ve all been waiting for; he proclaims his love for the girl he grew up with. He begins with saying that he knows about Emily and Ben, but “There’s someone out there who’s a better fit for you. I realize my timing’s terrible.” He confesses all those pent up, long buried feelings to Emily.

“I’ve got one certainty in my life Emily and that’s how I feel about you. It’s always been you.” Yesss, finally. The longing looks, the almost reveals, all of it coming to fruition tonight. Emily will finally have one of her Prince Charmings sweep her up and give her the happily ever after we envision.

“I don’t know what to say. Things between us, Jack, they’re messy,” she begins.

“Life is messy,” he tells her.

Emily cries, “You know how much I care about you, but…” Uh, oh. This does not have the markings of a white horse, wedding ring, and boat trip around the world we were hoping for.

She finally says, “I can’t Jack. I’m sorry.”

What? Isn’t this supposed to be the Emily end game. “I’m not gonna wait around,” he threatens and storms off.

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)
NICK WECHSLER

“Bait” was a night of the expected – Victoria was bitchy, Margaux was hell bent on revenge, Lolan was totally adorable, and Emily ended up on top.

It was also a night of surprises – Natalie’s Grayson connection, and the big jaw dropper, Jack did not get his girl after declaring his not so secret love.

With over half the episodes done in Revenge’s season four, we’re left wondering if Jack will win Emily’s heart when it’s all over. Ratings have been less than stellar this season, and ABC has yet to announce if it will renew the Sunday soap. We’re hoping for a Revenge return but can’t help entertain a few thoughts that we may be heading for a series not season finale.

What did you think of “Bait?” Predictable or surprising? Are the Revenge writers setting us up for some Jack and Emily love? And most importantly, will Revenge be renewed for a fifth season? If not, what will we ever do without that Victoria side eye, Nolan outfits, Jack enthusiasm, and Emily red Sharpie?

Revenge airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. on ABC