After a tumble in space, the team are back on the trail of Vandal Savage. This time they’ve tracked him to a small town in Oregon, 1958. While they hunt the immortal, they also encounter some very mortal things. Be wary of some spoilers
1. The Fifties Were Kind of Shit
I have massive amounts of contempt for the wholesome image of 50s America that is constantly propagated. Which is why Jax and Sara knocking Stein out of that nostalgia, if only for that scene in the dinner, is so satisfying. Not as much as “Afterlife with Archie” where I like to think tearing that image down was the reason for the Zombie Apocalypse, but beggars and choosers.
2. Sara Lance is All Good Things
Seriously, she is the new best character. Knocking idiot men down a peg, chatting up a woman she’s so into and also helping said woman who is closeted in a heavily closeted time period by assuring her that it gets better. All of it is enhanced by the great talent of Caity Lotz. She’s able to switch from professional to humorous to playful to compassionate to serious in such a smooth way when the situation calls for it.
3. Why Do They Keep Splitting Up Martin and Jax?!
No, really! Why would you keep doing this?! It seems so counter-productive! Because every time either one of these two get in trouble I can’t help but think: “Gee, if only they had access to an immense level of literal nuclear power to get out of this situation. But where could they get that?!” And I get wanting to keep cover, lest you change the timestream, but come on! Feel like after the third or fourth time, they would think to stick together.
4. Hall H
Yeah, I really just can’t get on with this dude playing Vandal Savage. I am all for the character being the big bad. Vandal Savage is a Big Bad-tier villain. What Savage is doing in this episode makes perfect sense for the character. But the actor is just so wrong for the role. Comic writer Justin Gray said it best on Twitter last night: he sounds like a bad Christoph Waltz impersonation. I can appreciate that the guy is trying, but it’s just an ill fit.
5. This Was a Fun One
Okay, credit where it’s due. There were some flaws to this episode; the ending was kind of weak and while I appreciate the episode taking an examination of some very important topics, It could have delved deeper. That said, this was fun! And you know, I think sometimes we do forget that. Superhero comics should be fun and the media based on them should be to! We got a small hiatus before the show returns at the end of March, but it was a nice episode to go out on.
