I get what Arrow is trying to do this season, I really do. But so far, the show is falling into all of its old, bad habits, and not really holding its own against the other CW DC shows. This episode tries, in a few ways, to recreate the heights of its earlier years – especially season 2 – but it falls short again. The potential is there, but I don’t really have a ton of faith in them actualizing the plan. Prove me wrong, Arrow.
1. Tying in last season
The one thing that the show is doing well this season is building on the past. Laurel’s death is a black cloud over every action that Oliver and co. take, which is more than was true for Sara’s death, or really any other loss the team suffered. Laurel’s death really matters, and I appreciate the show recognizing that.
With the introduction of Ragman (more on him later), the show also returns to Damien Darhk’s ‘Genesis’ plan, and reminds us that, while Oliver was trying to save his city, they took out another one. Havenrock’s destruction was positioned last season as the action that would really change the team and, while it might have changed a few things, Laurel’s death became that catalyst. But having Havenrock as part of the show’s DNA is a good thing, and should remind fans and writers alike of the real consequences at play.
2. We’ve now got both boring flashbacks and boring Diggle stories!
I have wanted to love a Diggle story since season one, but the show just can’t help but make him incredibly boring. Now, instead of being the incredibly boring member of Team Arrow, moralizing and getting pissed at Ollie, he’s now the boring Army sergeant, moralizing and getting pissed off at his commanding officer. His story was such a typical Diggle story – he trusts people he is supposed to, and is burned for it. He’s a good guy operating in a world of bad guys, and he never, ever, sees it coming.
Tell me, why is this a better place for the show to have Diggle? I get that they don’t want to have him on the sidelines for a few months, but is this really the best they have going? This feels exactly like Ollie’s flashbacks on the island. It is clear as day why they think these are interesting stories to tell, but that just isn’t true, and never will be unless the stories have some real meat to them.
Which, of course, they will never have, because they are the C and D stories of each episode.
3. Ragman
Arrow, probably rightly so, ditched the Ragman origin from the comics and tied him directly into the show’s DNA. What is interesting is that, in a season where the show wants to get back to its roots, it gives such a mystical character the spotlight. This year, there’s no magical undercurrent, and yet, we have a guy who can make tentacles out of his rags, imbued by ancient power and a nuclear warhead. It’s not quite in line with the show’s tone, but at least we are getting a member of the new Team Arrow that has a bit of an arc.
4. Speaking of that team…
…oof. Evelyn Sharp was a minor character before this, and we are given almost no refresher on who she is or what she’s about (she was imitating the Black Canary after Laurel’s death last year). Wild Dog (played by Rick Gonzalez, alumnus of the CW’s Reaper, an underrated but undeniably crappy show) is a vigilante with no real purposes so far, aside from wanting to help make the city better. Curtis wants to be a hero, but sort of just because he thinks it is cool.
If we are ranking the reasons for getting involved, it goes Ragman/Evelyn/Wild Dog/Curtis, and if we are ranking them for characters we should care about, both based on the show so far and the importance the show is giving them, it should be Curtis/Wild Dog/Ragman/Evelyn. That’s just poor writing, and something that could have been fixed if there was more time. Why isn’t there more time? Oh yeah, ridiculous flashbacks and pointless Diggle stories. Got it.
Continued belowAnd look – I want to love this team. Wild Dog, Mister Terrific, Ragman? Shit, I want those characters in a monthly comic as a team – but the show needs to earn those characters because, right now, it isn’t exactly making me all that excited for Team Arrow 2.0.
That said, the Curtis/Ollie double salmon ladder scene was pretty great.
5. Moving On
Felicity is trying to move on from Ollie with her hot cop boyfriend; Quentin is trying to move on from his losses by accepting the job as Deputy Mayor (I don’t have the energy to go into what that is such a bad idea); Ollie is trying to move on from his old team; Diggle is trying to move on from his losses and the shady world he was living in for the past four years; Thea is trying to leave her party girl image add her vigilante past behind.
While that is a fine place to find the start of a new season, it rings a little hollow because of how we know the show is structured. We know that by the end of the season, Spartan and Speedy are suiting up again and Ollie and Felicity will be back in each others’ arms. And that’s ok! I’m not saying the show needs to change its stripes, but I am saying that there are more effective uses of time than just shuffling things that will be put back together sooner or later.
What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments!
