Arrow S:03 E:17

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

 Episode Title: Suicidal Tendencies

Original Airdate: 3-252015

Atom vs. Arrow! Suicide Squad! Felicity stands by her man! One shocking character death! And the manhunt begins!

If anything, this week’s show was probably a little too jam packed with storylines that would have been better suited as focus of their own episode. Putting two significant storylines in one shortchanged both and didn’t give either enough time to breathe. In one sense, it certainly kept things moving. Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:17

Arrow S:03 E:16

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

 Episode Title: The Offer

Original Airdate: 3-18-2015

Oliver has to decide how effective his stint as the Arrow has been as Ra’s al Ghul offers him the opportunity to save not just Starling City, but the world as his replacement. Season 3 has been all about destiny, purpose and deception and their impact on the cast leading to some interesting character soul-searching and eventful episode. Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:16

Arrow S:03 E:15

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Episode Title: Nanda Parbat

Original Airdate: 2-25-15

Consistently in “Arrow,” a little past the midway part of each season, the show feels less like your standard TV series and more these elaborately small scale movies. This week’s episode was the meaty middle act that finds our heroes at a crossroads as the burden of lies and guilt proves overwhelming for some leading to some unpredictable occurrences, the rise of a hero and a potential fall of another. Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:15

Arrow S:03 E:14

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Episode Title: The Return
Original Airdate: 2-18-15

“Arrow” had more of a 50/50 flashback/present day ratio this week and it came at the expense of two really intriguing plots— Oliver’s return to Starling City and the latest chapter in his rivalry with Slade Wilson.

To hone their skills, Merlyn suggests Oliver and Thea head to the island, but he neglects to mention he freed Slade making it even more of a deathtrap than normal. Slade wastes little time taking out the Queen siblings and places them in his cell so they can experience his life since his failed attempt to destroy Starling City. They eventually escape and Oliver finally tells Thea that Merlyn made her kill Sara. Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:14

Arrow S:03, E:13

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Episode Title: Canaries
Original Airdate: 2-11-15

This week’s outing marked a turning point for most of the characters and a significant shift to status quo as long held secrets finally came to the forefront that drastically impacts Team Arrow.

Most importantly, Merlyn convinced Oliver he had to finally admit to Thea he’s the Arrow so Merlyn can most effectively train them. I was dreading a long second half of the season arc where Thea is bitter and upset with Oliver, but surprisingly she’s incredibly grateful knowing he was sacrificing so much to protect the citizens of Starling. Their easygoing banter about Oliver’s crime-fighting exploits further indicated it was a great time for the show to pull the trigger on the last big reveal of Oliver’s secret identity. Quentin doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Continue reading Arrow S:03, E:13

Arrow S:03 E:12

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Uprising

Feb. 4, 2015

As Oliver makes his way back to Starling, Team Arrow has to decide if they’ll strike a deal with Merlyn to take out Brick.

Det. Lance finds evidence linking Brick to Rebecca Merlyn’s murder and Team Arrow has a crisis of conscious if they should partner with the man whose actions led to Oliver’s death. I liked that it wasn’t an easy decision for the group as Roy was in favor of the alliance while Diggle, Felicity and Laurel wanted nothing to do with him. Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:12

Arrow S:03 E:11

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Episode Title: Midnight City
Original Airdate: 1-28-15

While Oliver is still recuperating after his duel with Ra’s al Ghul, the rest of Team Arrow are still trying to pick up the pieces and determine if they will continue to carry on his mission. But this week, they get some unexpected reinforcements. Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:11

Arrow S:03 E:10

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Episode Title: Left Behind
Original Airdate: 1-21-14

Since its inception, “Arrow” has drawn comparisons to Batman, but tonight’s episode took a page from DC Comics’ other big icon in a fitting follow-up from the mid-season shocker.

Similar to DC’s classic “World Without a Superman (Superman (DC Comics)),” tonight we see how Team Arrow handles itself without their leader following Oliver’s fatal encounter with Ra’s al Ghul.

“Left Behind” was slower-paced than some episodes this season, but in the context of the season as a whole, it was an essential one that opens up a lot of potential subplots through the rest of the year.

Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:10

Arrow S:03 E:09

Posted on by Jeffrey Lyles

Episode: The Climb
Original Airdate 12-10-14

Silly me. I thought “Arrow vs. Flash” was last week, but DC’s top 2 comic book TV shows played another game of “can you top this?” Just as it seemed like the Flash vs. Reverse Flash confrontation gave Team Flash a seemingly insurmountable advantage, we get a jam-packed episode filled with major revelations after major revelations, Oliver vs. Ra’s al Ghul, the debut of A.T.O.M. and that insane cliffhanger making it clear that “Arrow” once again established itself as the king of the TV comic book shows.  Continue reading Arrow S:03 E:09

Arrow S:03 E:08

Posted on by Bubbawheat

Episode: The Brave and the Bold
Original Airdate: 12-3-14

As essentially the other half of the Flash/Arrow crossover episode, I had to watch it. Especially because they teased Captain Boomerang via the first half of the episode. One of the first things I noticed about Arrow is that I had no idea that they introduced a sidekick for him already and throughout the episode I don’t think I ever caught his name, though I do believe “Speedy” was referenced. I’m not entirely sure if that’s what they actually call him, or if that’s what his sidekick was named in the comics back in the day. I also thought it was interesting that the title of the episode was also used for a Batman cartoon series several years back. It also was great to see the Flash really act like the Flash that I’ve known from those kind of cartoons. The cocky, flippant character that is absolutely a blast to watch. He felt more like the Flash here in Arrow than he has so far in any episode of his own show. There wasn’t any bothering with the serious love story or the serious backstory of his parents, or anything else. All the serious stuff was kept with Arrow while the Flash just got to spend the entire episode being the Flash and I absolutely loved it. Even though I didn’t really have any idea what was going on with several of the other characters like Diggle and his love interest, or anything to do with Amanda Waller. I am slightly familiar with the Suicide Squad and I knew that it had been referenced in Arrow but I didn’t quite know to what extent. Coming into it blind, there was quite a bit to take in, but it was still a nice episode and companion piece to the Flash’s half of the crossover episode, especially the end tease with the full blown practice fight between Arrow and Flash.