tv echo

When TV Line asked how long Tom Amandes would be around, WM replied: "We love him. He’s one of those rare actors who can be both menacing and really warm and kind and fatherly, so we would love to keep him around as long as possible. It’s just a question of us having a lot of other fish to fry this season. But our goal would be to have him play a part in Felicity’s life going forward." The implication that Felicity's father will likely return next season kinda reduces the odds of Donna being the one in the grave, I think. The EPs are not going to want to close the door on the possibility of future scenes involving both of Felicity's parents. Also, Donna's visits always inject a much-needed ray of sunshine into the show. But of course, I could be wrong and they kill off Donna, while leaving Felicity with one surviving parent who's a villain.

You're welcome! Just remember that what I quote might not be what you or someone else might quote. It's no secret that my favorite characters are Felicity, Oliver and Diggle. :)

MG's explanation - do you buy it?... https://twitter.com/mguggenheim/status/695444510264791040

More grave speculation from WhatCulture... Arrow Season 4: Ranking Every Character’s Chance Of Dying James Hunt 3 Feb 2016 http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-season-4-ranking-every-characters-chance-of-dying.php 9. Felicity (0/10) 8. Diggle (2/10) 7. Curtis (3/10) 6. Laurel (5/10) 5. Samantha (6/10) 4. William (7/10) 3. Thea (8/10) 2. Donna (8/10) 1. Quentin (9/10)

If you agree with this writer (and I do), then I recommend reading the entire article and not just the portions I've quoted... When Is ‘Arrow’ Finally Going to Get the Credit It Deserves? FEBRUARY 3, 2016 http://fangirlish.com/when-is-arrow-finally-going-to-get-the-credit-it-deserves/

Forbes reviewer, Erik Kain, has "been pleasantly surprised with Arrow in the second half of season 4"... 'Arrow' Season 4, Episode 12 Review: Unchained And Reunited Erik Kain FEB 4, 2016 @ 12:18 PM http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2016/02/04/arrow-season-4-episode-12-review-unchained-and-reunited/#2926e3082d97

‘Arrow’ 4×12 Recap: ‘Unchained’ fangirlish FEBRUARY 4, 2016 http://fangirlish.com/arrow-4x12-recap-unchained/ CONTROL: UNCHAINED 4X12 REVIEW jbuffyangel FEBRUARY 04, 2016 @ 19:18 http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/138699909503/control-unchained-4x12-review Arrow 4x12 "Unchained" (The Guilty Arrow) Just About Write 6:47 PM http://www.itsjustaboutwrite.com/2016/02/arrow-4x12-unchained-guilty-arrow.html

Randy Dankievitch's positive review of 412... Arrow, Ep. 4.12: “Unchained” flips out for guest stars Randy Dankievitch February 4, 2016 http://www.popoptiq.com/arrow-ep-4-12/

This WhatCulture reviewer really enjoyed 412... Arrow Season 4: 11 Big Questions We’re Asking After ‘Unchained’ James Hunt 4 Feb 2016 http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-season-4-11-big-questions-were-asking-after-unchained.php

We Minored In Film's mixed review of 412 (thought that the episode "wasn’t so much bad as it was dumb") - article also includes a bunch of entertaining fan tweets... ARROW’S “UNCHAINED” (S4,EP12): MY CHOICE, MY LIFE February 3, 2016 by Kelly Konda http://weminoredinfilm.com/2016/02/03/arrows-unchained-s4ep12-my-choice-my-life/ * * * * * * * * *

Laura Hurley did not write a "What worked/didn't/next" review of 411, but she will be writing one for 412... https://twitter.com/lah9891/status/695335366375579648

Do these EPs even keep track of what happens on their own shows?... This week's Arrow - on why Thea is different from Sara: "Please do not refer to me as the host." "This isn't a joke. If you don't indulge this bloodlust, you will die" "I don't understand. Sara wasn't like this." "John Constantine made Sara whole and restored the balance." This week's LoT: "What the hell happened back there?" "You know I'm a killer. That's why you put me in your little group." "I didn't witness just a killer at work, Sara. What I saw was an animal." "You are the last person on this ship to judge anyone!" "This is not judgment, Sara. It is concern." "I thought you knew how I was resurrected and... and what it did to me." "I know you were restored by something called the Lazarus Pit." "Well, apparently there's a downside to being brought back to life. My friend Thea calls it a blood lust, and I think that's being too generous, and so is calling me an animal. I'm a monster."

The Workprint's mixed review of 412 (makes some good points)... 'ARROW’ MISSES OF THE WEEK: “UNCHAINED” BY JEN STAYROOK FEB 4, 2016 http://www.theworkprint.com/arrow-misses-of-the-week-unchained/123

Brooklyn is going to be turned into a BBC TV series starring Julie Walters (but no Saoirse Ronan and, I'm assuming, no EBR)... http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/julie-walters-brooklyn-bbc-tv-series-1201697036/

Wasn't that Season 1 - culminating in the O/L sex scene that one reviewer described as two pieces of cardboard rubbing up against each other?

Hmm - two cures maybe?... If we never see Nanda Parbat or BM again, I'll be a happy camper. The end of February is going to be a big week - Diggle on The Flash, Vixen on Arrow, and Old Oliver on LoT - although I may still skip 415 and watch the Vixen scenes on youtube.

BuddyTV's mixed review of 412 (incidentally, the reviewer got some of his episode titles wrong)... 'Arrow' Recap: Thea's Body Starts to Fail as Roy Returns Derek Stauffer Wednesday, February 03, 2016 http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/arrow-recap-roy-and-nyssa-retu-58742.aspx

Collider's very positive review of 412 (rated it 4 stars "Very good")... ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Unchained” – My Roy Friend’s Back and There’s Gonna Be Trouble BY DAVE TRUMBORE 12 HOURS AGO http://collider.com/arrow-recap-unchained/

Den of Geek's positive review of 412 (rated it 3.5/5 stars)... Arrow: Unchained Review Kayti Burt 2/3/2016 at 9:52PM http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/arrow/252579/arrow-unchained-review

I appreciate the interpretation of Nyssa's actions as wanting Oliver to clean up his own mess (and bravo for coming up with something reasonable), but upon further reflection, I still don't buy it. If Oliver kills Malcolm/Ra's, Oliver becomes entitled to take the new Ra's position (again). So he'll then turn around and give it to Nyssa? Instead of fighting for the position of Ra's, Nyssa is being given the position of Ra's? How does that make her any stronger or less of an usurper than Malcolm? If her claim to the Ra's throne is one of bloodline, I never got the impression that Ra's was a hereditary position. I thought that anyone in the League of Assassins (LOA) could challenge Ra's and become the new Ra's by killing the old Ra's. As for not wanting to go through Team Arrow who would protect Malcolm(!) - look, I get why people like Nyssa, she's gorgeous and a badass fighter - but she is not a hero. She's a killer. She's who Sara would've become if Sara hadn't left the LOA or died or gone off to LOT. Nyssa is an assassin. She would have no compunction about mowing down every member of Team Arrow in order to become Ra's al Ghul - okay, maybe she'd hesitate before killing her BFF Laurel, but she'd do it. I mean, she was willing to kill Tatsu to get the Lotus and only stopped to talk because they were too evenly matched. The Nyssa I've come to know through the show would challenge Malcolm outright and fight him for the Ra's throne, not engage in devious machinations to get a magical lotus and get Oliver to do it for her. If the only reason Nyssa is forcing Oliver to kill Malcolm for her, by basically holding Thea's life as hostage, is because she knows Oliver would protect Malcolm and she cannot defeat Oliver (for some inexplicable reason), then that seems a more cowardly motivation than I would expect from someone brave like Nyssa.

I agree that Roy has never been a big audience draw (although I like him). But I think Nyssa is also a factor. Nyssa makes me think of Nanda Parbat and S3 has kinda ruined the League of Assassins for me. If I hadn't been spoiled about the Calculator being Felicity's father, I might not have watched 412. I just hope that, if Diggle is the planned death (which I'm really hoping is not the case), the higher ratings for 411 (which was a Diggle-centric episode) will make the EPs rethink that decision.

Los Angeles Times' mixed review of 412 ("an enjoyable, fast-paced and fun episode")... It's nerd vs. nerd as Felicity takes on the Calculator in Arrow's 'Unchained' James Queally FEBRUARY 4, 2016 http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-arrow-unchained-recap-20160203-story.html

TV.com's generally positive review of 412... Arrow "Unchained" Review: Of Web-Nukes and Civil Wars By Noel Kirkpatrick 12 hours ago http://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/arrow-season-4-episode-12-unchained-review-145426174411/

Yahoo review of 412 (this guy writes fairly entertaining reviews)... 'Arrow' Recap: Felicity's Bad Dad Robert Chan February 4, 2016 https://www.yahoo.com/tv/39-arrow-39-recap-felicity-39-s-bad-1357707378106422.html

Script title reveals major hint at how they'll pull off that Supergirl and Flash crossover Trent Moore Thu, Feb 04, 2016 10:50am http://www.blastr.com/2016-2-4/script-title-reveals-major-hint-how-theyll-pull-supergirl-and-flash-crossover