I love this idea Scott. And I think audiences love revenge stories because they can have revenge by proxy. Watching someone mete out painful deaths on those who have wronged them is a vicarious way of dealing with our own issues of revenge, issues that most of us would never deal with in that way in real life. There are so many directions in which you could take it. I like the idea of a man or woman locked up and planning their revenge in minute detail only to discover that when they get out, the person they want revenge on is president of the U.S. Or a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Or a scientist that has found a cure for cancer. I like the dichotomy of the truth the wrongfully convicted prisoner knows about them and how the world perceives them.

A modern day Count of Monte Cristo? I think that idea works extremely well. I also like Lydia's idea of having the target be perceived as good by the world when the protag and audience knows the truth.

Lydia, sometimes simple is the best way to go. And revenge movies can create a very simple moral universe and narrative structure. Plus as you note, through our vicarious experience of the character meting out rough justice, we get to have a bit of our own catharsis.

I also thought Count of Monte Cristo, but also Park Chan-wook's vengance trilogy: oldboy, lady vengance and symplathy for mr. vengance, which are great action movies. I wonder, is there any comedy that deals with vengance? How will you manage a story like that? I think of very dark humor, maybe...

I'd get all Law Abiding Citizen on them.

And here comes RECTIFY running just the opposite way. The wrongly convict not returning as a dark angel of revenge, but an angel of forgiveness. What a bold move, what a great, great series. Still Daniel must have learned some evil ways of survival inside the pen. When will they come out? Love your an idea a day project. Very inspiring.