And apparently I'm doing reviews of TV-shows now, next up Arrow S3E17

I watched the latest episode of the Arrow yesterday morning. It was with some apprehension that I clicked play as the episode was called ‘Suicidal Tendencies’ but even though Arrow can be really dark sometimes, this episode wasn’t darker than the usual.

I read through reviews after I’ve seen the Arrow just to digest the episode properly, but the review I usually read isn’t published yet so I guess I’ll just write my own.

So – what did I think of this installment?

I liked it. I’m biased though. I love the show and this episode remains consistent with the tone and the feel. There were some plot developments that I found lovely (spoilers ahead…).

Getting Lyla to quit her job was perfect. I just wished I could have seen that interaction between her and Amanda Waller. I always wondered why she stayed in that job. I supposed it gave her character something to do. And I guess one could argue that her being Diggle’s wife and then immediately resign to be –what a house-wife? – is kind of weird. Hopefully they will get something fun for her to do besides just changing diapers. There are so many strong women on this show so I trust that Lyla will continue to play a part in this universe.

Felicity finally had her two worlds collide as Ray Palmer decided that the Arrow must be caught and set upon doing it with his super-duper Atom suit.

He managed to identify Oliver Queen as the Arrow remarkably fast, confronted Felicity, and then continued to disregard her input and pursue the Arrow. It was kind of stupid. Ray had up to that point not seemed like a person who would do stupid things because of pride. I’m surprised Felicity didn’t explode in anger at him. That seems to be something she reserves for Oliver.

Of course, the Arrow was far superior than Atom. And just the fact that Oliver didn’t kill him, made Ray trust him. Guys are weird like that. They had the perfect opportunity for Oliver to scold Ray for putting his life in danger and thus putting Felicity in the position of getting her heart broken, but even though it’s something that Oliver and Felicity talk about, Ray is kept out of it for now. I suspect that will change.

I always enjoy watching Oliver being all formal. His relationship with Laurel this season is 

also much improved from the first two seasons.

Laurel was superb in this episode, sticking up for Arrow as a lawyer, reminding us that she’s not just a pretty face, or a masked vigilante. She’s a lawyer as well, and a damn good one. There are also continued hints to her ongoing training and it gives her character more depth that we as viewers can allow ourselves to imagine her as living outside of the narrative of the show-

I didn’t like how useless Roy/Arsenal was this episode. The only thing that happened to him, was Atom knocking him out with a power-blast thingy. Roy is a really good character, and really under-used. But I guess that’s the consequence of having a large cast. Imagining an off-screen life for Roy is one of things I have trouble with – and that’s unfortunate.

 

The first and last appearance of Deadshot - Floyd Lawton. Source for GIFs

What else? Oh yeah. The flashbacks this episode were not centered on Oliver, which was a relief. Having him run around Hong-Kong has gotten tiresome. For the Hong-Kong story line we all know what will happen: The kid will die and it will be tragic. And somehow Oliver will end up in Russia. That Shadow was revealed to be alive last episode was just – weird. I’m glad they didn’t follow up on that thread.  I’ll reserve my full judgment of that plot-line when I see it unfold. Until then, let’s get back to the episode at hand.

The flashbacks where on Deadshot. I really like that character. And having the flashbacks on him was a wise choice, providing more depth to him. What can I say? I like my characters deep and sarcastic – and Deadshot is both in spades. He seemed to blow up though in a final redeeming act of saving the rest of the squad. But this is a superhero show and I’ll hold on to the hope that he survived. He deserves freedom from Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad.

Thea didn’t have any lines this week and I’m anxious to get back to her. How is she dealing with her pain? Is it possible for her to get better without being destructive?

So what was the theme of this episode? It was whether or not you can be a hero and still have a life outside of that calling. For Felicity and Ray, they still believe it to be possible. For Diggle and Lila, Lila decided to stop running around getting shot at. I don’t even know why they risked their life for the Suicide Squad in the first place, so I’m happy about this development. And for the Arrow? He’s always chosen to be alone – to sacrifice his own chance of happiness for the greater good.

Speaking of greater good – I find it interesting that Oliver isn’t considering becoming the next Ra’s for the greater good. Oh no. He has decided that his city and his own life if more important. That choice is bold and evidence that he’s starting to value himself and his life. Good for him that he’s developed some sort of self-love and self-acceptance. But I don’t actually support the choice he’s making.

Oliver’s selfishness caused an important character to get an arrow in her chest. This unfolding of events should have been anticipated by Team Arrow. I can just imagine Malcolm Merlyn lecturing Oliver on this (speaking of which - where was my favorite devious wizard?)

It was only a matter a time before The League of Assassins would upgrade from killing criminals to targeting innocents. Oliver knows how the League operate and his inefficient attempts to stop the fake-Arrows (let’s call them Farrows, ok?) were just stupid. You cannot fight of the entire league. You need to either outsmart them or submit. Oliver knows this. So why is he not changing his tactics?

And seriously – what would be so bad about the Arrow becoming the next Ra’s al Ghul? I’d love to see that.

What I like about: Arrow

I’m sitting at a newly opened Starbucks and sipping my chai. Starbucks makes the best chai.

It’s the fourth Starbucks to open in Copenhagen. I’ve of course been to all four. But for some reason this one feels more American than the others.

I bounce between being sad, being happy, being stressed, being indifferent. Is that how life is now?

To be honest, that’s how life has been for a while.

I don’t want to talk about my head anymore. It doesn’t change, anyway.

Instead, let me tell you about my current TV-obsession.

The show I look the most forward to each week is Arrow.

For those of you who don’t know it, is a superhero TV-show placed in the DC universe (so no links to all the Marvel stuff).

The main character (and titular hero) is Oliver Queen, millionaire young man turned vigilante after being shipwrecked (among other things). He was assumed dead for 5 years, before he returned with a mission ‘to save his city’.

The story of each episode consist of a storyline taking place in present day, and then a storyline taking place 5 years prior, explaining the experiences of the shipwrecked Oliver Queen and his transformation into a vigilante.

When I first started watching the show I didn’t particular like it. I thought the actor playing Oliver Queen was wooden, and fake, and I couldn’t understand his need to constantly lie to the people he loved – his family and friends. Why not just say ‘Yes! I’m a Vigilante! Support me!’ Even when directly confronted he refused.

His sister, Thea Queen, desperately tries to break through to him, but he insists on keeping his secret.

Back when I first saw season one I was annoyed at this act of martyrdom.

But I get it. He came back from a Hell he didn’t think he would survive. And the Oliver Queen that first disappeared? He never made it off the island. Oliver Queen came back broken. And to protect his family he shut them out, afraid that his darkness would consume them.

I’m trying to avoid spoilers, for any of you still considering watching the show. I highly recommend it. But suffice to say that Oliver Queen as a character does eventually grow. He does connect with people and let them see who he has become. And I guess in the process learns that he’s still Oliver Queen.

We’re in season 4 now and a lot of his darkness has been transformed into – I wouldn’t say hope, but maybe self-acceptance? That and healthy relations with people who know him.

For me, the central relationship on this show is between Oliver and Thea Queen. Brother and sister. Bound together by blood. Both having to let go of their notions of who the other should be, and instead accept the person in front of them now.

An alarmingly high number of people who know him end up dead, though. A character in the latest episode said the following: “How many people can Oliver Queen lose before there is no Oliver Queen?”

That line still sits in my head, bouncing back and forth.

And that’s another reason why I love this show. It’s not afraid to get dark and gritty. It’s not afraid to show the suffering that death brings. How it ripples through every relation the dead person had, and creates different reactions.

I re-watched parts of season 1 the other weekend and it was so weird to see all these people being alive and well (or maybe not well – but at least alive). And seeing Oliver being as damaged as he was. He was completely devoid of mercy back then.

It was this contrast between season 1 and season 4 that really showed me the journey of that character.

And that’s one of the most important things of any show for me. I need character growth. I need to be able to see how the character adapts to his or her situation. What works for them. What doesn’t. And how their choices and actions change the person they are.

Oliver Queen had to learn to let go of his rulebook and his black/white view of the world. He had to let other people in and let them help him. He had to learn to trust other people. And to hope. Hope for a better world.

So yeah. A PTSD suffering vigilante is my source of inspiration in terms of dealing with my life.

Let’s not dwell too long on that.