I’m too lazy to make a Flash-less logo for this one post.
Arrow: “So It Begins” (Season 5, Episode 6)
After being mostly confined to episode-ending stings, Prometheus finally took the focus of an episode, even though it was mostly through presence rather than through physical appearance. The mystery surrounding the anonymous archer got a lot more interesting with the reveal that he knows about the list, like the List, and is fashioning weapons from the arrows Oliver’s left behind. That latter revelation is pretty badass. The attempts to make Prometheus an unsettling villain went a long way. Usually when we see someone get murdered on Arrow, it’s a police officer or something, but Prometheus goes off and kills a woman, a mother, in broad daylight. Bruuutal. The “twist” that Lance is the man behind the mask wasn’t all that convincing. It’s just way too unbelievable. How could Lance get to Oliver’s level of fighting skill that quickly? The show’s thrown us red herrings in the past with mysteries like this, and I have no doubt that this is another.
Back to the List, the callbacks to the first season were welcome ones. And they weren’t just cutesy, “remember when” ones (though the tennis ball shooting was), but it looks like the List will play a big role again going forward. I also enjoyed the Recruits calling Oliver’s earlier, Season 1 days of being a “serial killer.”
The episode’s big critical flaw was that it seemed to be structured in a strange way. For example, the Recruits don’t enter the picture until like halfway into the episode, and Evelyn’s beef with Oliver’s killer beginnings was awkwardly paced and placed. The ending’s quite anticlimactic too, and not just because of the Lance “twist.” There’s this build-up toward Thea’s concert, an entire scene is dedicated to it, and we don’t see much of it. I was totally expecting something to happen at this darn concert. It’s like Chekov’s gun. Katana’s sword. You don’t show the audience something, or tell them about something, and not bring it back it some way later in the story. But maybe having no concert was a good thing. If there were scenes at the concert, I’m sure we would have gotten some awkward band or pop singer cameo.
Other Thoughts:
- That was quite the introduction to Dolph Lundgren as Kovar. He just casually snaps that one Bratva guy’s neck!
- Not gonna lie. I think I squealed a bit when Oliver shot that arrow directly down that gun barrel.
Rating: 7.6/10 American puppies
Next week, Oliver and the team face off against Vigilante. We all know it’s Adrian Chase, right?
Legends of Tomorrow: “Compromised” (Season 2, Episode 5)
I’ve spent a good 24 hours or so deciding whether or not I liked this episode, and I’m still not sure. There’s just something about it that I didn’t like,and I just can’t put my finger on it, but at the same time there was plenty to like. Maybe I’m just missing the presence of Rip and Snart this season. Hopefully that changes when the two inevitably return.
Anyways, “Compromised” was still entertaining. Having Darhk and Eobard back again is a plus, as always, and we get some sweet set-up for what their scheme might be. And it looks like there’s possibility of an Arrow Season 4 retcon? Score. The other highlight for me was Mick training Ray in the ways of the Snart. It kind of ended up with a generic “You just gotta be yourself” moral, but the dynamic between the two is still as hilarious as ever, and the revelation that Mick still hasn’t quite gotten over his former partner’s death was a great touch. I can only imagine how things are going to be for him later on in the season. Reuniting with Young Stein was fun too, and provided the heart for the episode. I loved Old Stein’s dance with Young Clarissa. There’s something really stirring about that.
The weak link this week was Amaya and Nate discovering what happened to the JSA since Rex’s death. On one hand, it was kind of interesting to have the two new characters go off on their own adventure, and to get to know Obsidian a bit more. On the other hand, I feel like it didn’t lend much to the story, like it was there just to give Amaya and Nate something to do, and I think the impact of seeing an older member of the JSA would’ve been bigger if it was one we’d gotten to know a bit more earlier. Like, if it were Nate’s grandfather, it would’ve made things all the more interesting, and reinforced the idea that Thawne is messing up the timeline. Regardless, Amaya finally telling Nate about what his grandfather was like was a nice way to end this subplot, even if the rest wasn’t quite up to par.
Other Thoughts:
- Why the hate for Cutting Crew, Mick?
- The way Darhk was revealed to already be working on his Ark in 1987, only for Sara to go and quash his dreams and tell him that his plan fails like that at the end was really well done.
- Another problem that I just realized I have with the characters this season is that there isn’t as many differing personalities now as there were before. Ray and Nate have the same personalities, Amaya and Sara are almost the same, and Mick still seems neutered to me. There’s still time to get a lot more development for the new characters, so I won’t pass judgement on this gripe o’ mine just yet.
Rating: 7.3/10 smashed car radios
Next time, the Legends reunite with the one and only Jonah Hex…
Noah
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