If you were missing your weekly dose of "Revenge" on Sunday, worry not: The ABC drama returns this weekend with a Thanksgiving-set flashback episode.
It's 2006 in the upcoming installment and the Hamptons has not yet met Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), but Emily has just met Aiden (Barry Sloane). Also, as it turns out, Emily and Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) have something in common: estranged mothers. Victoria's shows up to the Grayson 2006 Thanksgiving meal. And according to the official episode description, Jack and Declan's (Connor Paolo) dad Carl Porter "gets into hot water when he crosses the wrong people on the docks."
Nick Wechsler, who plays Jack, told HuffPost TV via phone that we'll find out how the Ryan-Porter problems began in the Nov. 25 episode of "Revenge," titled "Lineage." Wechsler also talked about Jack's love triangle with Emily and Amanda, whose body is in Jack's boat -- which we learned in the premiere is resting at the bottom of the ocean -- those Tyler Shields photo shoots and more.
This week's episode flashes back to 2006. Where was Jack then?
Well, this is obviously back when his dad was still in the picture. There's just a lot going on. Basically, when we jump back in time to see them, it gives some backstory: We learn that my family has a connection to the Ryans. It seems like we just happened upon them with Declan having robbed Kenny Ryan [J. R. Bourne], but, turns out, it may not be such a coincidence. Our families have history.
Last episode, Kenny's brother Nate [Michael Trucco] was introduced and it definitely seems like they have an agenda. When will Jack realize that something's up with the Ryans, since he's so trusting?
Yes. As is generally the case with him, he will pick up on it, but only when he is being slapped in the face with it. I think Jack is such a good, honest guy that he doesn't expect anyone else to be dishonest. He isn't anticipating it so he can look a little foolish sometimes, but -- my take anyway -- he's just too trusting, as many of us are. You know, it takes us a while to see warning signs. Mostly, we do that in relationships, but I think he's going to catch on definitely, but it might be when he's in too deep already.
In the Season 2 premiere -- which is what we're working up to this season -- we see Jack's boat, the Amanda, at the bottom of the water and a dead body. Were you told at the beginning of the season who that person would be?
No, much like first season. When we read the pilot, we didn't know that that wasn't Daniel on the beach. But I think that Josh [Bowman, who plays Daniel] was always kept guessing. [Creator] Mike Kelley always kept him guessing, like, "It could still be you! It could still be you!" That's the thing: We don't know who this is on the boat.
In the last episode, Amanda told Jack that she just wants a small wedding on the boat with the baby and some friends. Will we see that wedding happen?
I expect we will. We're about to start Episode 11 so we'll be halfway when we finish this one.
At the start of the season, Jack was in a really bad place, especially in regards to his relationship with Amanda. How do you think he's feeling now that the baby's been born and everything?
I think he knows she's trying to be present and good to him. I think he has a hard time trusting her just because she's disappeared so many times and all that, but I think he wants desperately to love her again because what a prison his life would be if he didn't. He's got this kid with her and there's something old-fashioned about him -- I think he just could never bring himself to not be in the kid's life. He's like, "Well, this is Amanda. This is the girl from my childhood. What a beautiful story this would make if we made this work this time." I think he's just not quite sold on it yet. He's getting there. He's trying to fall in love with her again because he has to and I think he's on his way. There's always going to be hesitation that perhaps he's not telling her about or talking about everything and some of it will always have to do with his draw to Emily.
There haven't been quite as many Emily and Jack moments this season. Do you think he's still in love with her?
Basically, yes. I hesitate because maybe Mike Kelley wouldn't use that term, "in love with her." But because he doesn't know it is this girl with whom he has this crazy history, he can't claim to know her incredibly well. She's kept him at a distance since he's reconnected with her, but he feels an incredibly strong thing for her, whatever it is. Some people would call it love, but I think its current state is that it's on track to being love. It would be love if he only knew, but right now, it's just like, "Oh my god. I'm drawn to that woman. I like her so much and it's inexplicable." [Laughs.] I think he's just kind of in this perpetual state of fascination.
Will we see Jack and Emily interact more later in the season?
I'm nearly positive. I think it's all building. Amanda is there all the time and Jack has a baby with her and that's very preoccupying, but whenever Emily is in the room, they're always connecting. I always think of it as a heartbreaking look -- a sweet longing. Once some big stuff comes out, they're probably going to have to lean on each other again.
In "Glamour" magazine, Madeleine Stowe said she has a "huge crush" on you and she wishes you two got to act together more.
[Laughs.] I heard her say something like that once. I don't think she says it in a genuine "I want that guy" way, but it's a sweet, playful thing. In any case, it's hugely flattering.
It's funny -- and I say this with all respect to her awesome husband; I met the guy and I really like him a lot -- there was a time shortly after I moved to LA and I was working at a record store and this buddy of mine asked me to name someone that I think is beautiful, like what really grabs you. And he said Nicole Kidman, I think. I thought for a few minutes -- I never, for some reason, really thought of that before -- but I said Madeleine Stowe. I was like, "Yeah. She's got an ideal beauty." It's just funny to have the woman I said that about when asked 15 years ago or something say that, even lightheartedly is just sweet and flattering. It was really nice.
It seems like the cast has a lot of chemistry as a whole, especially because of those Tyler Shields photoshoots.
Tyler Shields is a friend of Connor's and now, a friend of ours because we've worked with him so much. [Laughs.] He's got crazy ideas and he's just an eccentric, lovely guy and we all get along so well. He even told me -- though I guess he has to because I'm right there -- that as a cast, we're his favorite because we all get along well.
It's impressive because the cast is so big.
It's shocking. It's shocking how well we get along. And then we keep adding people as the show progresses -- there's Barry Sloane who plays Aiden, Dilshad Vadsaria who plays Padma, there's J.R. who plays Kenny Ryan, there's Michael who plays Nate Ryan -- and when they add someone new, we're like, "Here we go. This one's probably going to be the asshole." Because it's shocking that no one has been a problem yet. The casting people are doing such a great job of not only casting talented people, but just good people -- people that you want to work with, people that you want to sit around and talk to between takes. I know I've said shocking three times already, but it really is.
Anything else you can tease about Season 2?
Everybody should tune in to see my hair in this flashback episode. [Laughs.] But things start to heat up with the Ryan brothers -- it's a problem. [Laughs.] It ends up being a tremendous threat and I'm excited to see how that plays out and what people's reaction to it is.
"Revenge" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
