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S05.E05: Human Target


Tara Ariano
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I wish I hadn't wasted my time.  

Clarity, they said. Clarity was seeing Felicity and Mayo post-coital in the same bed--same ugly sheets--she shared with Oliver. Clarity was hearing Olicity admit they were moving on and then linger over the heart eyes.  It just feels like crumbs and not characterization.

Clarity is admitting this show just doesn't do it for me right now. Ugh.

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That was clarity? This was supposed to be the episode with clarity right? I mean, I like that last little Olicity scene, and I'm glad that it doesn't look like there will be any high school jealousy antics, but I'm not sure how that's clarity. 

The last scene with the reporter was unexpected, and it makes me hope that Oliver doesn't hook up with her even more. 

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2 minutes ago, Chaser said:

I can't watch tonight so I checked out the live feed. It was raging the whole time. 

Was it really that bad or was it MGs tweet influencing everything?

I think it was pretty bad, but I also think that yes MG's tweet made it that much worse. 

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A few thoughts:

So Christopher Chance was Diggle's friend? And it just so happens he also shared a past with Oliver but Diggle's the one who brought him in?

Also, clarity for Olicity? I'm supposed to believe that Felicity and her boyfriend can maybe be "real" when he's been in 4 scenes (one not even with her), we know nothing about how they met or who he is and Oliver and Felicity are still looking at each other like that?

(I'm also mad they had Felicity meet with for a quickie in the afternoon in her and Oliver's bed, but I guess it's a good sign they didn't give him a set? But really, shouldn't he be wondering what she does all day? What does Felicity do all day? Curtis? Evelyn? Rene? Rory? Does anyone have a job if they don't work in the mayor's office with Oliver? Diggle at least has an excuse right now.) 

And please, Oliver, don't sleep with the reporter. Be smart - both of them. It would be a bad decision on both Oliver and Susan's parts if they hook up while she's the reporter writing on him while he's mayor. But it does feel like they're setting it up and just using Felicity being in a new relationship first to make Oliver look better. 

Right now, I'm just going to continue to love Anatoly and ... that's pretty much it.

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7 minutes ago, Chaser said:

Was it really that bad or was it MGs tweet influencing everything?

I think because of the way things happened in the ep the reactions were probably worse than the actual actions in the show. I've had more mood swings watching that than I have watching anything else in a while. But at the end I felt okay about it? It wasn't good, but I didn't think it was terrible - could've gone forever without seeing Billy Small Hands post-coitus. Ick. 

As per usual, it's stuff that happens outside of the show that turns me off than the actual show (so far). And I'm not sure what the EPs were getting at regarding clarity here, because all I got from their two relationship talks was that Felicity's not so sure she's into Mayo, and they still give each other soft looks and heart eyes. Like...for a second at the end I thought Felicity was going to kiss him, haha. 

Edited by apinknightmare
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7 minutes ago, Chaser said:

I can't watch tonight so I checked out the live feed. It was raging the whole time. 

Was it really that bad or was it MGs tweet influencing everything?

It was really that bad.  Felicity and Mayo post-coital in the loft bedroom; scene opened with her putting her shirt on. Then, the Human Target guy was the one who told Oliver that Felicity was seeing someone new.  Oliver and Felicity (I refuse to use their ship name) then had a middle-of-the-night talk on the balcony (Oliver apparently scaled the outside of the building like King Kong) during which they talked about why she didn't tell him, he wants her to be happy, blah blah blah. Then, a scene near the end during which they cheerfully talk about how they're moving forward, deserve to be happy, always care for each other, blah blah blah, and then like the longest heart eyes ever to heart eye.

I can't believe how stupid these showrunners are, and to read MG's shipper-baiting tweet?  He can fuck off.

Edited by EmeraldArcher
Stupid typos 'cause I'm mad
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Positives:

1. Newbies appreciating Spartan. It was a beautiful thing. I loved Evelyn recognizing him.

2. Rene shirtless. Has he always looked like that? I don't think he looked like that on Reaper.

3. "Anatoli, what the hell?" continues to be my new favorite Oliver catchphrase.

4. I like Human Target.

5. Felicity putting on the Oliver mask to do a "You have failed this city!" while Oliver looks on disturbed.

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Well that I think has become my new least favorite episode of Arrow.  I was dying of boredom before they ever got around to the completely casual way in which they dismissed (for now) Olicity.  There were small moments but mostly I found the whole thing deadly dull.  Even episodes I hated in the past, I felt more emotion over.

  The Flashbacks were super pointless and then end absurdly so we could have a ridiculous tie in to the reporter.  I didn't care about Church’s plans.  Diggle’s scenes were only about the Dong.  Oliver wasn’t even playing Oliver.  The Human Target was only there to fake out the audience, not to do any character work on the show.  And to top it all off the gift of looking forward to the INCREDIBLY icky moment when Oliver uses the number the other guy gave him like a pimp. 

And why in the world would I believe that Felicity wouldn’t tell Oliver about Mayo when she knew he was going to not only be working for him, but working for him while assuming he knew all about his relationship.  She wouldn’t.  And that scene on the balcony – what was that?  I mean, sure, nobody shows up in the middle of the night cause he really doesn’t care and they confirmed Mayo isn’t special but again, a totally pointless scene unless they wanted to make sure to piss off people even more?  And the end scene was basically Oliver’s announcement he’d going to go get it on. The lighting on EBR was TERRIBLE.  Super unflattering. And Oliver decided not to kill Church even though he totally could have used the info to cut a deal – absurd. 

Just a really terrible episode. 

Edited by BkWurm1
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Quote

So Christopher Chance was Diggle's friend? And it just so happens he also shared a past with Oliver but Diggle's the one who brought him in?

Yea, the writing there is wonky to say the least.

Still, I really enjoyed this episode.  I'm sorry to see Church go as I enjoyed the actor.  Diggle makes a welcome return and immediately improves the Wild Dog character in the process.  Really liked the guy playing Christopher Chance and I got fooled twice, not expecting him either time.  Still, I'm always be a fan of Mark Valley in the role (who was the second guy to play the Christopher Chance character as I recall.  Wasn't there one in the 90s?).

I laughed at Felicity's "You have failed this city" with the mask, complete with Curtis laughing.

Edited by benteen
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Felicity post-coital with Mayo was all about making sure Oliver is protected when he sleeps with which ever random new female character they have slotted (as of now probably the reporter).  Not sure it was necessary given the rage MG has likely stirred up for some. 

My fear is this also moves Felicity off to B/C story land given how important Mayo has been/is - except for the scenes where the full platoon is on screen (and since I don't really care for more than half the "team" now that leaves very little opportunity to enjoy Felicity.

While I had the show on I was catching up on work and realized I really did not look up often as my apathy is now that high.  I have doubts they have Oliver and Felicity back together and/or that OTA ever really get to really interact now that they all have to baby sit the newbies. 

Not sure if it was intentional or not, but I almost snickered that Felicity technically did wear a mask this episode (briefly and poorly to be sure but she did).  And it was the highlight of the show.  Sigh.

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Just now, Thundercatmary said:

 I think I would have preferred if Felicity had to have a BF to have it be Human Target, I mean it's like they found the one dude Emily doesn't have chemistry with lol.

Oliver probably wouldn't be wondering if what Felicity and Mayo have is real if he'd ever met Mayo or especially seen them together. He'd be making plans to move back into to loft and buy a new bed because Mayo is clearly not a long term obstacle. 

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I've been watching this season, but haven't felt compelled to comment until now. And I only feel compelled to comment because I realized tonight that I'm totally over this show. I'm gonna take Oliver and Felicity's advice and see what else is out there for me. Hope you'll be happy, Arrow!

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It occurred to me that Prometheus is Oliver's doppleganger brought to this world by Barry's (The Flash) time travel.

The Oliver/Felicity stuff was blah and to be expected. Oliver will probably start sleeping his way through the city shortly.

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bkwurm1

Quote

The Human Target was only there to fake out the audience, not to do any character work on the show.  

I'm just glad they brought back the latex masks.  I know Mark Valley has a pretty face, but the lack of latex masks were one of my few gripes about 2010 Human Target.  They even had latex masks in  the Rick Springfield version.

Several months ago (when they announced the new TV show), I couldn't find hardly anything on YouTube about the really old show, but now it appears someone has posted eight episodes of the classic 90's Rick Springfield show.   I LOVE IT!!!!!

Edited by Twilight Man
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3 minutes ago, KenyaJ said:

I've been watching this season, but haven't felt compelled to comment until now. And I only feel compelled to comment because I realized tonight that I'm totally over this show. I'm gonna take Oliver and Felicity's advice and see what else is out there for me. Hope you'll be happy, Arrow!

I wish I could give up on this show. 

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I don't know if I liked this episode or not.  I kept waiting for things to happen that didn't and got "treated" to some I wish I hadn't.  

I think clarity was for Oliver.  He was hoping things were going to go back to the way they were. Now he knows she has moved on. He just wants her to be happy.  He has to figure out what comes next for him.  She doesn't really have clarity.  She said she wasn't holding the door open for them (but not confidently).  She owes it to herself to figure out if what she has with Billy is real. Oliver agrees. (eyeroll)

I liked Human Target.  

I really wish I liked Curtis.  The more I see the less I like and he had almost no screen time. Sigh.  Unfortunately he's probably going to be Felicity's main scene partner going forward.  Were he and Evelyn using swords at one point or just defending against?

Tobias Church bit the dust.

Susan Williams gave HT as Oliver her personal cell.  HT also informed Oliver about Felicity moving on.  Susan did get a little more interesting in that her PI mentioned HT who she seemed to be aware of.  He also gave her a picture of Bratva! Oliver.

I saw this elsewhere but I think OneSceneMalone is a good summation of the character.  His only purpose at this point is to give Oliver a pass to move on.    

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6 minutes ago, SmallScreenDiva said:

Marc Guggenheim is making it easy for a lot of fans to do so:

 

He is really not that good at the ratings thing.  If they hated tonight's episode enough to stop watching it would impact the ratings next week when they don't watch (and possibly the live+ numbers for this week). 

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"You must be the new kids on the block" "More like the Backstreet Boys...that sounded better in my head" I'm a boyband nerd so I cheesed up at this. Which is more than I can say for the rest of it, especially after seeing a tweet others have mentioned here.  I'm meh on the pairing with the new guy (and still distracted on how much Tyler Ritter looks like his dad) and this "we're officially on a break for sure" scene was a snooze. 

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Well that was boring and predictable.  

First impressions - At this point I don't care who Oliver sleeps with.  I wish Felicity had someone more interesting that I could root for  (I would prefer a better story line).  I still love Diggle, still don't care about wild dog. The reporter left me with a "I don't care " impression.

Oliver's reaction to the bf was not surprising. 

Come on show give me something or you will lose me. I just want to be entertained.  Is that too much to ask for.

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I wanted to like this episode, but I didn't. Like many said, a lot that could have happened, but didn't, and a lot they kind of ruined.

I dislike Wild Dong. Unfortunately, as ok as the actor can be, even he can't save the clear Special Snowflake Status that he's been given. Oh look, he's all tough and badass. He's sharing scenes with Oliver and now Diggle in length. He's clearly going to get all the heavy storylines. They always choose the wrong people to focus heavily on. Meanwhile, this is the first episode I liked Evelyn and I just know she'll be given not nearly the attention that Wild Dong is. Rory is so great, so dark, and so snarky, yet he'll almost certainly be shipped off at the end of the season or he'll be killed. And we'll get stuck with Wild Dong and Mister Not So Terrific. 

Although, on another note, Christopher Chance/Human Target was a total surprise, which is so rare for Arrow to do for me nowadays. I did NOT see any of his scenes coming, so good job, show. You got two new characters right now (Rory and now Human Target). Also, Chance has 100000000% more personality than Mayo.  

So if Oliver/Susan hook up. I know, deep down, that it's just a short term thing and it won't last, so whatever. It does regress Oliver as a character, though, so hopefully it's just a hookup. I don't want to have any more negative emotions about this season, so I'm just going to ride out the non-surprises for as long as I possibly can. 

As much as I'd love Tommy as Prometheus, I know the chances of that happening are very slim. So I'd settle with E2 Oliver. It would be funny, especially with the Human Target as Oliver switcheroo this episode. 

I enjoy the flashbacks a lot this season. Last week's were a bit boring for me but at least I'm not fast forwarding. And, also, no #Poppy.

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Christopher "Human Target" Chance was easily the best thing about this episode.  Both of his reveals were actually surprising, and I really enjoyed Wil Travel's performance.  He managed to get himself in both the DC and Marvel universe (he was Will Simpson on Jessica Jones.)  Nice!  And finding out he has history with Diggle makes me really want to see a flashback or two about how that all came about.

Glad that Diggle more or less rejoined the team, and how the kids pretty much went nuts over getting to meet "Spartan."  And it was extra great to see a scene or two of the original "Team Arrow" trio.  As much as I've enjoyed some of the new additions every now and then, there is something special about how Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity play off one another, and the chemistry Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, and Emily Bett Rickards have.

Bummed that Church has already been taken out of the equation.  Oh, well: hopefully this means Chad L. Coleman will get to do more in The Expanse in January.  The Prometheus mystery better live up to what they are trying to hype.  If he ends up just being some minor character, I'm going to be very annoyed.  His identity better be a game-changer.

Could care less about anything involving Felicity's dull boyfriend.  The whole thing is stupid, because he is such a nonentity, that it is obvious that nothing is actually going to happen, and this is just the writers' way to hold off on any kind of Oliver/Felicity reunion.  But it will happen, because this block of wood has no chance.  And now they are even trying to make me buy something will happen with Oliver and Carly Pope's reporter, although at least her finding out about his time in Russia could actually lead to something interesting.

Not enough Rory in this one, although I liked him also pointing out how people can just walk into the lair with ease.  Somewhere, Roy is nodding his head and saying "I told everyone we need to start selling tickets to the Arrow Cave!  We would be rich!"  And if Rory only knew just how many people have easily invaded past and current Arrow lairs.  Between that and S.T.A.R. Labs on The Flash, security systems suck in this universe.

The flashbacks continue to be interesting and kind of fun!  Never thought that would be possible again.  Although, I'm cracking up how they keep going out of their way not to actually say Poppy's name.

Diggle managed to make Rene/Wild Dog not being annoying for a few minutes, but he still has a ways to go.  Then again, Rory is the only I think is worth anything.  So, maybe they're less Backstreet Boys and more NSYNC, with Rory the Justin Timberlake of the group.

Edited by thuganomics85
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56 minutes ago, Hiveminder said:

I believe we were also told Oliver's reaction to Felicity's new relationship would be surprising. I was not actually surprised. 

 

55 minutes ago, lemotomato said:

When MG says we'll be surprised, we're never surprised.

Reddit Arrow's forum is mad at Guggie and now so is the Previous tv forum.  He just can't win.

 

I don't know where the complaints against Arrow are coming from, I've really enjoyed this season so far.  Maybe I've just got shit taste lol.  But seeing Oliver as a responsible Mayor and training an "Arrowfamily", the Bratva flashbacks, the cool fight scenes, and a mysterious and intimidating villain, it's doing it for me.  I'm a fan of Olicity but it has never been more than 20% of the reason I watch the show, so I'm okay with it being broken up right now, even thought it's pretty obvious that they're coming back together eventually.  So long as Oliver and Felicity's characters are done justice, I'm good.

 

On a shallow note, I appreciated the shot of no-glasses, long hair, topless Felicity.  It's been too long.

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6 minutes ago, lion10 said:

I don't know where the complaints against Arrow are coming from, I've really enjoyed this season so far.  Maybe I've just got shit taste lol.  But seeing Oliver as a responsible Mayor and training an "Arrowfamily", the Bratva flashbacks, the cool fight scenes, and a mysterious and intimidating villain, it's doing it for me.  I'm a fan of Olicity but it has never been more than 20% of the reason I watch the show, so I'm okay with it being broken up right now, even thought it's pretty obvious that they're coming back together eventually.  So long as Oliver and Felicity's characters are done justice, I'm good.

Yeah, I kind of agree. I've liked these episodes so far, and it's really just the awful PR that's been going around. I think if the phrasing for this episode or if the overall season's PR was different that I would not have been as annoyed with some of the things in this episode as I was (even though I didn't hate this episode or anything, but it wasn't as good as 501-504).

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Quote

 But seeing Oliver as a responsible Mayor and training an "Arrowfamily", the Bratva flashbacks, the cool fight scenes, and a mysterious and intimidating villain, it's doing it for me.

I've enjoyed the previous episodes but this one didn't work because the responsible Mayor we saw turned out to be a one off guy that is meaningless to me.  There was no training of the "Arrowfamily" from Oliver and Felicity and while Diggle got a crack at Renee, it was clearly not at all about Diggle. It was all about propping Wild Dog and I just didn't give a damn.

 Actually, they went backwards with me because he did buckle and give up Oliver's name.  ONE thing.  I expected him to succeed at doing ONE thing and he's useless even there.  I don't blame him but I still don't care a bit about him (and why should I, I don't actually know anything about him past the same one note he's played from the start - has anger issues and doesn't respect anyone.  Again, until he gives me a reason to like or care about him, that's a big nope.  

And the Flashbacks the previous weeks were interesting and stuff happened but at the end of last week, Oliver was accepted into the Bratva even though Victor wasn't happy.  And this week he was still accepted into the Bratva even though Victor wasn't happy but now randomly Oliver got beat up and then saved by the same dude that faked his death in the present.  

And again, I don't care cause I don't know anything about the comic character and found the most recent show unwatchable and of course it was him when Oliver was shot, that was obvious.  And the fake out with him being the Church's goon was another so what because instead of me thinking "coool" I was thinking, what a cop out.  

Were the fights good?  I was too bored by everything else to bother paying attention.  

Everything that I thought they could do that would make this episode really interesting didn't happen and honestly, not much was done instead.  Just a disappointment all around.  

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4 minutes ago, Chaser said:

So did Church die?

Yep.  Oliver let him go into police custody (with some BS about how now he was in custody Oliver's secret would be safe.)  Then Prometheus stops the police convoy, kills everyone, Church tries to bargain for his life by telling him that the GA was Oliver Queen and Prometheus kills him.  Couldn't even tell if he already knew or not.  

Edited by BkWurm1
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It wasn't a terrible episode, the Oliver/Felicity scenes were good, Human Target was interesting, until the stupid boyfriend reveal and flashback, they really should have kept him in present day only and not have had him be the one to tell Oliver.

Also, as much as I loved the O/F scenes, There was this... undertone, to them that made it seem as if it was Felicity's fault that their relationship ended. I can't remember the wording but it made me stop and go "seriously writers?!!"

It is obvious that while they seem to have picked up the ball on the flashback they have dropped it in present time.

I do have one major complaint: so let me get this straight, wardrobe department and director who failed to notice this; Felicity is at home, totally chillin - wearing comfy clothes, when Oliver shows up. They talk, they get the notice to go into the lair.. they do, but now she's dressed like she's heading into the office?!

I am officially sick of them dressing up Felicity all the time!! 90% of it is not necessary! I don't believe for one second that she would have stopped and said to Oliver "you go on, i'll be there in an hour, I just need to dress up and do my makeup and shit". NO!!

 

Arrow is losing me, it really is. I no longer watch live (well my version of live), and I feel okay if I postpone the episode for the next day. Either last week, or the week before I was planning on watching it after airing, but got side tracked and totally forgot and watched it the next day. I'm not sure if it's the show, or just everything that is going on in my life but.. the show is slowly losing me.

I don't care for reporter woman, she's not that good of an actress. I do like the noobs, and yes that includes Renee. I need Thea to have more to do, as well as Lance. and I think this idiotic storyline with diggle being a fugitive to turn into a bad, bad dream. AND! I need baby Sara back.

I don't watch Supergirl, Flash lost me last season (though I saw some vids with Tom Felton and some Wells and a couple of caitlin and it was okay, not enough to get me to watch again). Honestly the only Arrowverse show I am actually enjoying this year is LoT.

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2 minutes ago, foreverevolving said:

 

It wasn't a terrible episode, the Oliver/Felicity scenes were good, Human Target was interesting, until the stupid boyfriend reveal and flashback, they really should have kept him in present day only and not have had him be the one to tell Oliver.

 

I think my problem with them was they made me feel like the show was rubbing my nose in it.  I didn't need this kind of "clarity".  Maybe Oliver did, but they did it in the most unsatisfying way.  

 

5 minutes ago, foreverevolving said:

Also, as much as I loved the O/F scenes, There was this... undertone, to them that made it seem as if it was Felicity's fault that their relationship ended. I can't remember the wording but it made me stop and go "seriously writers?!!"

Because they did make her in the wrong about not telling him about Mayo and lying about it, so he got to be hurt that she kept it from him.  Yeah, I felt that was a calculated call back.  Didn't make me happier with the scenes.  

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I didn't get that it was calculated - seemed to me that she was being considerate in not wanting to hurt him over something that she didn't think would last? It didn't read - to me - as any kind of blame or hypocrisy or any kind of callback to their breakup at all. 

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8 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

I didn't get that it was calculated - seemed to me that she was being considerate in not wanting to hurt him over something that she didn't think would last? It didn't read - to me - as any kind of blame or hypocrisy or any kind of callback to their breakup at all. 

No, I meant that the writers put it in, that he was hurt by something she kept from him.  An all meta complaint, not aimed at the characters at all.  

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