Some are calling this episode of Arrow the best of the season. I don’t exactly agree – let’s explore why.
1. We need to talk about the directing
This show has a very particular aesthetic, especially with its fight scenes. There are a lot of fast cuts, which act both as a device to build up the pace, as well as hide the actors’ clear limitations in martial arts. This isn’t a knock on anyone – they’re actors, not professional stunt people. By doing lots of quick cuts, you can get a shot of Thea’s face while blocking a kick, and then have a stuntwoman do the craziest shit you can imagine, and with editing magic, never ‘really’ know it isn’t Willa Holland doing it.
This episode marks the directing debut of James Bamford, who is a stunt coordinator by trade. I have to give him credit for trying something new with this episode, but I feel that it was distracting and didn’t work all that well. Instead of focusing on the show’s quick editing style, he, instead, had longer ‘uncut’ sequences of various characters fighting. I put uncut in quotes because there are a lot of Rope-like edits, where we’ll go past a pillar, or pull in tight on someone’s back, and an edit is hidden in there.
The problem with this technique is that Katie Cassidy and the rest of the cast just don’t have the skills to carry this approach. The fight sequences seemed incredibly choreographed – Canary would kick someone, have just enough time to reset to ready position, and then another Ghost would appear. The editing on the show can fix all of that, and it was sorely missing here.
This didn’t just apply to the action sequences, either. When Thea and Damien Darhk encounter each other, the camera (as it was most of the episode) was a handheld, and was quickly panned back and forth between the two characters, instead of using a wider shot and/or using two separate one shots.
I hate picking on a new director, but this episode really felt out of sync because of the reliance on the longer shots during the fight sequences, and took away a lot of the excitement that comes from seeing the (usually quite good) action sequences on the show.
2. Diggle could never run for president as a Republican…
…because he clearly has no family values. Diggle has to be convinced a number of times that his brother is worth trying to save. Now, this is an interesting turn for Diggle, who has been so focused on his brother’s murder for the entirety of the show. Granted, bringing his brother ‘back from the dead’ is a super cliche and overdone trope, but let’s give the show the benefit of the doubt – Diggle needed something to do, and this is as good as anything else they could’ve thought up.
This episode was only slightly less subtle than last night’s The Flash in terms of hammering home a theme of family being not just biological. Calling Ollie his ‘green brother’ was groan inducing for sure, but they wanted to make sure we got it – Oliver has taken Andy’s place in John’s life. I am interested to see if the show tries to rehabilitate Andy, or if he stays the smug criminal the show has introduced him as.
3. Darhk in the light
The show has spent a ton of time on mayoral politics over the past few seasons, and bringing Darhk into that world (instead of just showing him in that weird hallway office he has) makes a lot of sense. Having Ollie fighting him on both fronts is an interesting choice, and might just save Darhk’s story from getting too dull/predictable.
4. Ray’s re-emerging
Funny how both Ray and Sara needed to go sow their oats, eh? It almost seems as if DC is going to have them on a new show, debuting early next year or something…
But in all seriousness, the show needs to stop using Ray’s suit as an Iron Man suit. This was my big complaint last year, and last night it was just as bad. The beauty of the Atom as a character is that he can shrink down and pluck out your nose hairs so hard you’ll faint instantly. I know that those effects are expensive, but no more so than having him fly in and out of the frame. Hell, show a Ghost sneaking around the corner, and then have him grab his ear in excruciating pain and then fall down. Then, off screen, Ray can grow and say something like “Waxy,” or some other dumb joke line they always give Ray.
Continued belowI hope Legends of Tomorrow recognizes the uniqueness of his abilities. It is very similar to how Black Canary only uses her siren scream two or three times a season – why would she use her sub-par fighting skills when she can just scream and knock shit down?
5. Thea’s healing
Having Thea’s bloodlust subsided by touching Darhk is a really interesting place to take her healing. It can also help Sara out when she returns, and it brings the magic of the various corners of the universe together. Last season, we heard that Darhk was the arch nemesis of Ra’s al Ghul, but Malcolm has seemed pretty indifferent to him so far. Is this because he was the last Ra’s enemy, or is Malcolm playing it cool?
One of the benefits of having Malcolm as Ra’s is that we know he’s evil, but has a conscience of some sort. Let’s keep working with that, and the show will grow in leaps and bounds.
What did you guys think? Tell me in the comments!