Weekly Hamptons Revenge Recap – Season 3, Episode 5: “Control”

Welcome to our weekly Revenge recap series, where you’ll get a Hamptons perspective on ABC’s hit show. Consult our primer for characters and background, and make sure to check out last week’s recap, Episode 4: Mercy, to see what you missed.

And now, Episode 5: Control…

We begin with Emily, who is not pleased to hear that Aiden is “helping” Conrad find out who cut the brakes and tried to have him killed. Aiden lies when she asks him if Jack is in any danger.

Across the tracks in Montauk, a buff, shirtless Jack gets some parenting time in with baby Carl while chatting with Margaux. She invites him to her Voulez premiere party. He isn’t sure, but she convinces him to live a little. He agrees to come and (sadly) puts on a shirt.

Just minutes away (not) in Southampton, Conrad shares suspicions that Jack is out to kill him. The investigator tells Conrad he shouldn’t have destroyed the car and leaves. Aiden enters and tells Conrad he can help. He doesn’t want to hear it until Aiden promises to help get Charlotte back in his life. Conrad tells Aiden to make sure that Jack rots in prison for the rest of his life…

Outside, Patrick (who is suddenly an aspiring artist now that mom owns a gallery) is sketching the poolside when Daniel shows up. After realizing that Victoria summoned him there on purpose so he could get to know Patrick, Daniel relents and offers an olive branch to his soft-spoken (creepy) half-brother. Victoria arrives and is pleased that the two have decided to get along. Things take a turn for the awkward when Emily shows up to take Victoria dress shopping for her wedding—she claims she wants to make amends with Victoria after ruining her at Nolan’s party, and Victoria playfully tussles Em’s hair. If looks could kill…

Emily, Charlotte and Victoria pretend to enjoy each other’s company while trying on dresses. Charlotte’s dark, sultry dress is a little…severe for a wedding, but Emily says she wants them to be happy and have fun, which she genuinely seems to mean in regards to Charlotte, who is being a bitch to everyone this season. Emily leaves the room, and Charlotte accuses Victoria of hating every woman Daniel’s ever dated, including Sarah, the waitress Daniel accidentally maimed in a drunk driving accident prior to Season 1. This is not the first mention of Sarah this season—could we be getting a visit from his first love?

Nolan visits Patrick at Victoria’s gallery, and when Patrick asks how Nolan knew he was gay, Nolan says his gaydar is “well-calibrated.” Patrick doesn’t want to hear the charming billionaire’s crap, though, and reveals his ex-wife Lacey told him Nolan went all the way to Florida to get the goods on him. Shortest. Relationship. Ever.

As Margaux excitedly prepares for the Voulez launch party, and the inevitable wedding issue, she suggests that Emily and Daniel participate in an article. Daniel says that Emily’s very private. It suddenly dawns on Daniel that, in three seasons, he’s never seen a picture of her as a child or with her parents (who, as far as the Graysons know, died in a car crash when she was a little girl).

Jack is shocked and horrified when he sees Aiden in his room with a baseball bat. Aiden promises not to hurt him but says he needs to leave the Hamptons before Conrad comes for him and Carl. The most shocking twist in this scene: Jack and Aiden have never met?!

At Nolan’s manse, Emily laments how her plans seem to be unraveling. “The more strings you pull, the easier it is to get strangled,” Nolan offers.

Aiden jumps in the Grayson pool for a soft-core-porn-style swimming sequence, and Victoria, looking sharp in a beautiful pink dress, waits for him. She warns Aiden to be loyal as he takes a quick pool-deck shower, and he tells her Jack is probably responsible for trying to kill Conrad. Victoria takes the opportunity to hurry over to Emily’s house and warn her that Jack is in danger, hoping that Emily will hurry to Montauk and miss the Voulez party.

Speaking of the Voulez party… While enjoying the fruits of their labor at the trendy, hip soiree, and Daniel casually asks Margaux if she’s still sore over him going to her father to put the kibosh on her Nolan cover story. She very sweetly responds that if he does it again, her claws will come out. Conrad, Charlotte and Victoria show up (separately) and Victoria casually gloats about Em’s absence.

Emily, meanwhile, apologizes to a furious Jack for what’s happening and then realizes Aiden is the one who threatened him. She promises to make things better, leaves and finds Aiden waiting for her. She accuses him of being jealous and warns him not to cross her or mess with Jack. And not for nothing, but this scene makes Montauk look like a dock from a 1940s film noir.

Margaux is disappointed that her father, Pascal, refused to come to the party because he didn’t like the issue. Victoria compliments the French beauty on the magazine and tells her she needs to learn to control men. Ems arrives at Voulez and apologizes to Daniel, but he tells her he feels like he doesn’t even know her anymore and he thinks they should call off the wedding!

Nolan finds Patrick painting in a tank top. The sexual tension is palpable as Nolan apologizes for invading his privacy. Patrick admits that Nolan’s actions freaked him out. The two reach an understanding and Nolan leaves, telling Patrick he knows where to find him.

The next day, Emily freaks out to Nolan about Daniel wanting to call off the wedding. Nolan thinks that Daniel has “evolved” (which I think is code for “no longer a dim-witted moron”) and suggests she share a piece of herself with Dan.

Back at the gallery, Victoria tells Patrick he should have come to the Voulez party and hints that she wanted to set him up with some of her friends. Patrick mentions he may have met someone and Victoria implores him not to sacrifice his happiness.

Margaux confronts Jack about not showing up at the party but apologizes when he tells her he had a break-in and fears for Carl’s safety. After she comforts him, they kiss—and Emily, who was conveniently snooping around, witnesses it.

Victoria is horrified when Aiden confirms that it wasn’t Jack who tried to kill Conrad…it was one of her kids! We then see Victoria go to Conrad with Charlotte, who admits to trying to kill him because of her anger over Declan! Conrad immediately forgives his apparently unhinged favorite child, but something’s off when she basically winks at Victoria. It quickly becomes apparent that this was all a setup: PATRICK is the culprit, and Charlotte ’fessed up so Conrad would leave Jack alone.

Emily and Aiden reconcile after they both apologize. They kiss in a lovely scene. Emily then goes to Daniel with a photo of Amanda as a child and tearfully apologizes for being distant. They kiss in an equally lovely, sloppy-seconds scene. And with that, Danny’s back in love with our girl. With this Flowers for Algernon moment, it seems he hasn’t “evolved” after all…

In a soapy end montage: Conrad looks sadly at a photo of Charlotte; Victoria runs to confront Patrick but finds his gorgeous painting instead; and Patrick surprises Nolan at his house. The two begin to undress each other as the episode ends.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
Quite an episode! I totally called Patrick being the culprit last week. Charlotte probably can’t even open her gas cap, how was she going to cut brakes? Still, since we didn’t see Patrick do it, is it possible there’s another twist coming?

Episode Five Takedown: None
Best Moment: I never thought I’d say this, but Charlotte’s evil little grin to Victoria after “confessing” to Conrad was priceless.
Worst Moment: Seriously, Aiden and Jack have never met?
Question of the Week: What crime did Victoria’s mother force her to falsely confess?

Check back on Thursday for a Revenge Top 5 list, and get the scoop on Episode 6, “Dissolution,” next Monday.