Jessie Robertson reviews the fourth episode of Arrow season 6…
On Diggle’s 2nd mission, Oliver flies co-pilot and a mysterious baddie is revealed!
Ollicity, to some, was deemed DOA and a complete disaster; it was something everyone was begging for (ok, the root CW audience) but once they got it, they hated it and it was always a storyline looking to end the relationship. Even Felicity was hated upon since then. Now, it feels the time is right and the writers are getting it right. In the history of Arrow, everything, literally EVERYTHING has happened; there’s no foe or fear they haven’t faced and with Oliver setting his life into the driver’s seat, instead of his (vigilante) career, it’s the perfect time for Felicity to come back in (and let’s face it: Ollie ain’t raising young William on his own!)
Black Siren re-emerges and she’s killing random people, with no real connection; so does Alena – who is that? I had forgotten her name but not her face and trademark nerd glasses; she’s the Helix chick that bamboozled Felicity into turning on Team Arrow for an episode last season – it’s ok if you forgot about that. Well, she’s back to say you were right Felicity; our former boss, Cayden James, he’s a bad dude and he’s planning on taking out the internet! What? That’s just evil.
Turns out James is played by the wonderfully and deliciously evil Michael Emerson! (Lost fans unite!) He’s got a band of bad-a mercenaries and Black Siren on his payroll and he already seems to be smarter than everyone in the room. Some scenes tonight felt extremely cinematic, esp. with him on-screen. When they broke into the “internet room” for lack of better terms, with that sterile white hallway and his payoff scene of Siren in the air hangar, both had a different look to them and thought they give the show some importance.
Felicity was front and center this episode, hacking, quipping, quipping under her breath, quipping to villains, all her best moments and I’m sorry, the writers do a fantastic job of her feature episodes. Her relationship with Alena, her handling of Oliver (both metaphorically and physically – I mean those are two dynamite looking people!), everything she does in the Arrow realm, she handles it so masterfully and I thought tonight’s episode was another step in the same great direction this show has been headed in for quite some time.
Great fight centerpiece, Oliver subbing in as Overwatch and Rene correcting his “Hoss” into “Boss” all made for small , but great moments in tonight’s 4th entry into Arrow’s 6th season.
Rating: 8/10
Jessie Robertson