In 2011, ABC’s Revenge dominated the world of primetime television after just one short season. Averaging 7.5 million viewers per episode, Revenge was destined to be another hit for the network, having appealed to audiences not only nationwide, but in fifty other countries as well. The immediate success of the show can be attributed to the originality and suspense carried through by the writers and actors week by week. Revenge’s modern, Hamlet-esque, suspenseful series continued to address and redefine what it means to be a soap opera today and subsequently became one of the best shows on television in the process.

The premise and basic theme of the show is stated in the title – revenge. This melodramatic series follows Amanda Clarke (Emily VanCamp), now renamed Emily Thorne, back to her childhood home in the Hamptons, destined for vengeance against the filthy rich and seemingly aristocratic Grayson family, led by husband and wife, Conrad and Victoria Grayson (Henry Czerny and Madeleine Stowe). The Graysons ­­­– the show’s central antagonists – are the two people Emily holds primarily responsible for the imprisonment and murder of her innocent father, David Clarke. David Clarke formerly worked for Conrad Grayson’s billion dollar company, Grayson Global, before the bombing of Flight 197, in which over 2,000 innocent people were killed due to a terrorist attack launched by an organization known as Americon Initiative. It was unbeknownst to Conrad, who was laundering money to Americon Initiative at the time that the Initiative was a terrorist organization. Knowing the blame would be directed towards him, he chose David Clarke to take the fall due to the fact that his wife, Victoria, was having an affair with him.

Meanwhile, Amanda, who was living in foster homes and juvenile detention centers during her father’s imprisonment and brutal murder in jail, returns to the Hamptons, having changed much from, the kind, compassionate girl who lived there when she was six. She believes her late father has left her a “road map” for vengeance that includes journals, videos, and other exclusive evidence that proves his innocence and could have rescued him in years prior. Taking the name of her best friend from ‘juvie’, the once-Amanda-now-Emily is destined to avenge her father’s death by destroying the people who made it possible – The Graysons. In her attempt to seek revenge alone, Emily struggles through her feelings for the Grayson’s most prized possession, their son, and heir to Grayson Global, Daniel Grayson (Josh Bowman). Season 1 follows Emily’s destruction of Grayson Global affiliates, betrayals from people whom she trusted, and the attempt to reconnect with a childhood crush.

The suspenseful ambition and carefully plotted plans of Emily  in the first season were crucial to the guilty pleasure that has become Revenge. The archetypal characters supporting Emily including the cold, brutal Victoria, also create for complex plotlines and plenty of backstabbing secrets that wreaked havoc throughout the season. As exciting and addicting as the past season of Revenge was, far less can be praised throughout its most recent episodes.

Season Two of Revenge can be best be summed up in one word – confusion. In the past season, most episodes revolved around Emily’s destruction of a single target, and whether it was the Grayson family psychologist, or the author that scrutinized her father, Emily always had an intricate plan for revenge. However, in Season Two, Emily’s focused motives seem to become very unclear, and because of this, many plotlines have frayed slightly — plus several of the character’s relationships are too exhausted and becoming unbearable.

In the most recent episode, “Retribution,” directed by Academy Award winner Helen Hunt, Emily mourns the loss of Amanda Clarke (Margarita Levieva) also known as the real Emily Thorne, with whom she changed names. After Amanda’s death, Emily vows to refocus her plans and heads back to the Hamptons more vengeful than ever. Also, Jack Porter (Nick Wechsler) learns that Emily and Amanda had known each other for years after befriending each other at a juvenile detention center when they were teenagers.

Although this episode once again refocuses the main premise of revenge that is loved by viewers of the show, it came far too late in this season. The episode also included meetings between the Graysons and the very unentertaining and hardly intimidating members of Americon Initiative who seem to be blackmailing almost every single character on the show. Also, Daniel Grayson’s takeover as CEO of Grayson Global has created for boring, confusing, economic disputes that contribute almost nothing to the show.

So — is Revenge still worth watching? Yes. Despite harsh criticism, the hit drama has not come close to hitting rock bottom in the least. New characters such as Padma Lahari (Dilshad Vadsaria), who works with Emily’s trusted friend Nolan (Gabriel Mann) and Aiden Mathis (Barry Sloane), an old warrior friend of Emily’s also destined for revenge, have added interest and fresh relationships, alliances, and betrayals to follow throughout this season. Emily VanCamp continues to shine as Emily/Amanda and Madeleine Stowe as evil Victoria despite the true lack of thrilling episodes throughout the season.

The relevance of the contrasting themes regarding 21st century economic and social classes in Revenge is another aspect of the show that resonates with modern audiences.  The corrupt and immoral ways of monarch-like, powerful insiders, in this case, the Graysons are exposed when compared to the hardworking, honest, lower class Porters who own the local bar. It could feasibly be argued that the Graysons, Porters, and many other characters in the show play important roles because of their allegorical significance in terms of American society today.

Success has and will continue to follow Revenge throughout this season and still has several episodes left in which the writers can redeem themselves. Viewer ratings for the show have still been high and supported by a large fan base. A third season is much anticipated, assuming Emily Thorne does not finalize and exact her revenge in the  few episodes to follow. Although this season has been a bit of a dud, Revenge has made it clear that it is a truly original and suspenseful soap opera and as long as this show reverts back to and follows the basic principle ideas that made it successful two years ago, Revenge will continue to prosper and revolutionize television.