The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

[statsgirl]

I'm always happy when a guy says he ships Oliver and Felicity because that's all some comic book fans will listen to.

 

I thought cutting off Malcolm's hand to get the ring made sense given MG's love of Barrowman. Malcolm was being physically hurt, but not too much.

 

 

.Arrow 'Sins of the Father' Review
By Robert Dougherty February 11, 2016 03:22PM EST
http://www.themovienetwork.com/review/arrow-sins-father-review

 

Robert Dougherty, having fought for Felicity's to get treated decently all last season, took up Thea's cause and makes some good points:

 

And therein lies the really big problem with this whole moral dillemma, other than how repetitive it has become well before now. It really isn't Oliver's to have.
 

By putting Thea in a coma and at death's door, Arrow robs her of any actual agency and say in how her own life is saved -- and whether she actually wants a father as badly as Oliver wants it for her. True, Thea came to terms with her impending death last week and didn't want anyone else to die because of her, and so she probably wouldn't want Malcolm or Oliver to die for her either. In fact, last week's episode made a pretty big deal of her making a choice -- and this week's episode completely takes it away from her.

For all that Oliver states about wanting Thea to have a chance at a real father, it should be her call to make. Although she seemed to have come to terms with Malcolm, she and the show have really forgotten that this is the man who basically violated her mind -- which is the mildest term for it -- to make her kill and put her in the crosshairs of Ra's. And not once has anyone on the show, or the show itself for that matter, argued that blood doesn't automatically make one family -- or argued that Robert Queen was still far more of a real father than Malcolm ever could be.
 

What if this was a show where Thea actually had a say in whether Malcolm should have a chance to be that father? What if she was awake to see Malcolm turn his back on making a deal with Nyssa at the last minute, endangering her further and triggering a civil war in Starling? What if she was actually awake when Malcolm roared out a rather half-hearted and unconvincing defense at her bedside that the league was too important to leave in the hands of Nyssa, even for Thea's life -- leaving aside he really doesn't have a case to make that Nyssa would be that horrible for it?

What if the final battle against Malcolm could have actually had him against a Queen who truly had a case for killing him -- even more than Oliver?
 

It probably is too much to ask for that such a battle would end with Thea killing him, then being cured and then struggling with the blood on her hands even with the bloodlust gone -- giving her a real crucible to bear throughout the rest of the season that doesn't involve supernatural murder skills. As Arrow has proven again and again in the past and proves anew tonight, it has no power to actually cut the cord and kill John Barrowman off for good, even less so than Oliver does.
...

It is so easy to see the much better episode this could and should have been right in front of us, regarding both plots, just out of reach. But it is out of reach nonetheless, which was pretty much the same outcome for too much of Season Three as well. All it required was real thinking outside of the box, actual good priorities, an unwillingness to sacrifice women and their agency for the sake of more ill-advised drama, and a real vision to see what really should have been done all along.

But if the Arrow writers magically learned in the offseason that they needed more of that, then they never would have reintroduced William or Samantha Clayton the way they did.
 

 

[tv echo]

6 Crazy Arrow Plotlines That Still Need To Be Resolved
BY LAURA HURLEY  2 HOURS AGO
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/6-Crazy-Arrow-Plotlines-Still-Need-Resolved-117607.html

Baby Mama Drama
Fans have known about Oliver’s secret kid since Season 2 when Moira Queen paid Oliver’s other woman $2 million to claim a miscarriage and move to Central City, and we’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop ever since. Oliver finally found out about his son during the Arrow half of the Flarrow crossover, and has since chosen to lie to Felicity and visit him in secret. It’s past time that the secret comes out and the lies stop, so this plotline absolutely needs to be resolved ASAP. Fortunately, Malcolm Merlyn has now informed supervillain Damien Darhk about Oliver’s kid, so resolution should be in the very near future. Hopefully, the aftermath is handled better than the plot has been so far. Maybe we’ll even get an answer as to what happened to the $1 million that Samantha neglected to tell Oliver about. 

 

- Wildcat in Star City
- Slade Wilson Keeps His Promises
- Time Travel Snapping Back
- Baby Mama Drama
- Oliver Joined the Bratva
- Oliver Decided to Come Home

Edited February 12, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Arrow Season 4: 15 WTF Moments From ‘Sins Of The Father’
Andrew Pollard   12 Feb 2016
http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-season-4-15-wtf-moments-from-sins-of-the-father.php

Nothing says “Sorry, I’ve been a sh*t dad and totally shouldn’t have been a criminal all of these years – won’t you please forgive me” better than buying your daughter a portable ramp for her wheelchair.

Really, Calculator? Really?!

If Felicity was on the fence on what to do about her recently-resurfaced daddy dearest, this awful present likely helped make her mind up for certain and set in motion what was to follow…

 

15. Nyssa Can’t Beat Malcolm?
14. The Calculator Knows Who Overwatch Is
13. How Naïve?
12. Malcolm’s Double-Cross
11. Why Star City?
10. Out For The Count
9. Same Old, Same Old
8. Malcolm Knows EVERYTHING
7. Playing The Wedding Card
6. Handy Work
5. Awful Present
4. Book Him!
3. Disbanded!
2. Marriage Time
1. Malcolm Spills His Guts

[tv echo]

Emertainment Monthly gave 413 a grade of B+...

 

‘Arrow’ Review: “Sins of the Father”
February 12, 2016 Nora Dominick ‘17/
http://emertainmentmonthly.com/2016/02/12/arrow-review-sins-of-the-father/

Although Rickards conversations opposite Amandes drive the episode, it’s the single scene of Rickards opposite Charlotte Ross that sticks with fans. In a very small and poignant scene, Felicity informs Donna that Noah is back in town. Donna has always been seen as the carefree character on Arrow, but this week things changed. As soon as Felicity mentions Noah, Donna’s demeanor completely changes. Charlotte Ross has done an incredible job at turning Donna into a multi-dimensional, strong female character on Arrow and this scene showcases her growth once again. When Felicity tells Donna she wants to believe Noah has changed, Donna delivers a crushing piece of dialogue. She says, “I’ve been where you are more times than I care to admit… People don’t change. Even if you want them to.” Ross delivers this piece of dialogue with such authenticity, it’s hard to distinguish where Donna ends and Ross begins. Rickards doesn’t even exchange any dialogue in return, her reaction is enough to seal the deal. Rickards and Ross have created the best mother-daughter duo on TV today and fans can agree that Ross needs to come around more often.
*  *  *
... This season, Felicity’s backstory is being explored even more and she is presenting it to fans in a beautiful way. In one of the saddest moments in Arrow this week, Felicity tells her Dad, “When I was a girl, I hated myself. I thought I was broken. That no one could, or would love me. All I ever wanted to know was why? What was so wrong with me, that you would leave.” This heartbreaking exchange further showcases Rickards ability to break fans hearts with a simple piece of dialogue. This, however, is not where the scene ends. In a moment that further proves Felicity is the strongest female character on Arrow, she turns her father over to the police! Felicity “Badass” Smoak is here and she isn’t playing around.
*  *  *
Rickards and Amell continue to be the heart and soul of Arrow this season and these small moments that are slipped into every episode showcase this. Rickards continues to showcase her natural ability to make fans cry with a single look. Amell has risen above and beyond expectations as he continues to shine in emotional moments opposite Rickards. The adorable moment didn’t stop here, Oliver and Felicity decide that they want to move the wedding up and get married as soon as possible. Cue screams from every Arrow fan as the “Olicity” wedding day approaches. Rickards and Amell dominate every episode of Arrow and these small, intimate moments are where they truly shine.

[Ann Mack]

Arrow Season 4: 15 WTF Moments From ‘Sins Of The Father’

Andrew Pollard   12 Feb 2016

http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-season-4-15-wtf-moments-from-sins-of-the-father.php

 

15. Nyssa Can’t Beat Malcolm?

14. The Calculator Knows Who Overwatch Is

13. How Naïve?

12. Malcolm’s Double-Cross

11. Why Star City?

10. Out For The Count

9. Same Old, Same Old

8. Malcolm Knows EVERYTHING

7. Playing The Wedding Card

6. Handy Work

5. Awful Present

4. Book Him!

3. Disbanded!

2. Marriage Time

1. Malcolm Spills His Guts

I don't agree with his "WTF Moments" for reasons and would go one further to describe them as "Wow Those Totally Predictable Moments". Arrow is becoming so predictable most fans can probably pretty much envision the whole episode by piecing together the spoilers and other bits of information released before the show even airs!

[EmilyBettFan]

It's so satisfying to read amazing reviews each week for Emily and Stephen. It never stops and it's awesome.

[tv echo]

Craig & Tatiana's discussion of Arrow begins at the 1:21:23 mark (you can drag the cursor forward and the audio will pick right up)...

 

Agents of GEEK podcast Episode 15
Craig Wack & Tatiana Torres  02/12/2016
http://agentsofgeekpodcast.com/wordpress/

 

-- Craig said that "we went two steps back with Arrow" with the revisit to S3 last week. Tatiana thought that this week "wasn't as bad as we thought it would be." Craig agreed and said we only went a "half step backward."
-- They both agreed that the whole League of Assassins story has been "put to bed", but wondered if it was because the next Batman movie was going to reintroduce Ra's al Ghul, so that's why they were getting rid of it on the TV side.
-- Craig thought that Thea's cure looked like a "bottle of Windex" ("Windex cures blood lust").
-- Craig mentioned a review he read that referred to Oliver going Old Testament and basically splitting the baby in half with his resolution of the fight over the Ra's ring.
-- Tatiana forgot that Nyssa and Oliver were married in Nanda Parbat.
-- Craig said that 3 important things happened: (1) Oliver "whips the hell" out of Malcolm and takes the Ra's ring, (2) Nyssa gets rid of the Ra's ring and dissolves the League of Assassins, and (3) Malcolm tells Darhk about  Oliver's son, thus making it a "grand possibility" that it's Oliver's son in the grave.  Tatiana is now concerned because "it's like, 'You're going to kill a child?'  Like, 'what is wrong with you people?'"
-- They then talked about the "B story" of Felicty and her father.  Craig said (and he could not stress this enough) that he liked Felicity "when she's not defined by her relationship with Oliver... I like when she's kinda doing her own thing."
-- Tatiana said that they're getting married(?!) but then Felicity's not wearing a wedding ring in the limo(?!) (in the flash forward scene), so Tatiana's like, "I can't, I can't." Craig said that there's something that's going to go wrong "for sure".
-- Tatiana said, "F**kin' Felicity, Digg, everyone is saying 'let's kill Malcolm Merlyn'" but Oliver's still trying to come up with a way to not kill him - ultimate backfire... like, you had permission from everybody, you coulda just killed him!"
-- Now Tatiana is "so stressed out" because Malcolm could come in at any time and tell Felicity about Oliver's son.
-- Craig said that now Malcolm's a free agent, he can do whatever he wants, even form his own League of Assassins.  It's like, "we haven't given Barrowman anything meaty for awhile," so "here you go."
-- Tatiana mentioned that "Lance showed up for about 5 seconds... like, 'I'm still here, guys.'"
-- Craig said that the flashbacks were "their normal group of nonsense." Tatiana said that they're still implying that something's important going to happen on the island ("not at all") and that "everything on the island is awful... can we done with the island now?"
-- Tatiana wondered how they're going to go from "clean-cut Ollie" to "hobo Ollie" with the long hair and beard.  Craig said that they still have a year to go with flashbacks and said that maybe whatever mystical artifact they dig up could make his hair grow long.  Tatiana: "Like Rogaine." Craig said that maybe that's what the bad guy is looking for on the island - a cure for baldness, "like a mystical Rogaine."
-- However, they are looking forward to next week.  Despite this episode, they got sucked in at the last minute with the marriage mention and Malcolm's reveal to Darhk.

[tv echo]

Jessica Breaux's review of 413 (she thought it was "ok")...

 

Arrow “Sins of the Father” Review (Season 4, Episode 13)
Jessica Breaux February 12, 2016
http://www.tvequals.com/2016/02/12/arrow-sins-of-the-father-review-season-4-episode-13/

Dr. Maya Angelou once said when someone shows you who they really are, believe them the first time. That’s a lesson that is usually only learned the hard way. It is learned after the person you love hurts you in ways from which you will never really recover. It is learned after being burned over and over again by a person you keep hoping isn’t as bad as they appear to be. If this week’s Arrow is any indication, it is a lesson Oliver Queen is about to learn in a very painful way.
*  *  *
... She’s challenged Malcolm several times, but he’s just better than her, so instead of her fighting her own battles, she used Thea as a bargaining chip to drag Oliver into it... That’s why I literally laughed out loud when she got a little prissy about Oliver asking her to let him fight on her behalf. She claimed she never had anyone fight her battles for her, but um, isn’t that exactly what she showed up in Starling City to do? Have Oliver fight a battle she knew she couldn’t win? Oh the irony.
*  *  *
Whatever their individual motivations, Nyssa and Malcolm brought war to Starling City. They pulled Team Arrow into the middle of their management conflict, and they killed dozens of innocent people. Neither of them came out looking good. I suppose Nyssa was supposed to come off looking like the hero because she disbanded the League and released everyone from their obligations. However, by the end of the episode, I wanted someone to put an arrow through her. I mean, it’s not like I was particularly surprised that she’s a cold–blooded killer. She is, after all, an assassin. But the fact that she somehow thinks all is forgiven because she disbanded the League is ridiculous...
*  *  *
... Donna (not so gently) told Felicity that her father is a lying, manipulative jerk who will tell you exactly what you want to hear so he can get whatever it is he wants. She also told Felicity that people never change. That’s a sentiment I share. Sometimes, people do grow up. They mature a bit, but very rarely do people fundamentally change who they are. For instance, even when Felicity was an angry, anti-establishment got girl, she was never really a bad person. She was lost and angry, but she has always been a good person. Noah, on the other hand, seems to have always been a manipulator. A fact Noah proved when he tried to surreptitiously steal info from Palmer Tech while Felicity was giving him a tour of their research and development lab. It clearly broke Felicity’s heart when she discovered he’d failed her test, but I don’t think she was completely surprised. The only reason it was even sad is for how it affected Felicity. She wanted Noah to be telling the truth, but alas. Unfortunately for Felicity, he’s exactly what Donna told her he is. Even though it was clear as day that Noah wasn’t on the up and up, I still felt really bad for Felicity.
*  *  *
... I dislike the way Arrow is cleaning house though. First having ARGUS become compromised, then the extremely anticlimactic death of Amanda Waller, and now the rather sudden demise of Ras al Gul and the dismantling of the League of Assassins. It seems that Arrow has spent a lot of time this season either serving as a springboard for other CW shows or clearing the path for the movie version of these DC characters. That last one is just speculation, but that’s really the only reason I can see for why they decided to handle ARGUS, Waller, and the League the way they did. None of what they’ve done with any of that makes sense within the confines of the story Arrow has been telling for the last few seasons. Especially given how integral a part each of these entities has played in Oliver’s life...

[tv echo]

ThreeIfBySpace reviewer gave 413 a score of 8/10...

 

Arrow 413 Review – “Sins of the Father” Explores If People Can Change
By: Alisha Bjorklund February 12, 2016
http://www.threeifbyspace.net/2016/02/arrow-413-review-sins-of-the-father-explores-if-people-can-change/#.Vr8jHfkrLIU

Can people change? This week’s Arrow episode asked this question of a lot of people, from Felicity and Oliver to Malcolm and Nyssa. This primary theme held the episode together as Team Arrow scrambled to find a way to cure Thea, stop Nyssa from starting a war, and get Malcolm to just cooperate. Perhaps it would be best to rename this episode “Everybody Has Daddy Issues.”...
*  *  *
It’s still a good time to be an Olicity fan. This episode had a few wonderful scenes between Oliver and Felicity that showcased the support they show for one another, especially when it came to Felicity’s disappointment over her father being the same scumbag he was when he left his family years ago. The re-proposal scene was also sweet, if a bit misguided. Darhk being quiet should send up red flags, not encourage Oliver that there’s a window of opportunity.
*  *  *
Next let’s explore Felicity’s daddy issues. First, he knows she’s Overwatch—boy, that didn’t take long. Second, he wants to team up with her and prove that he’s not such a bad guy. As we all know, that turned out to not be the case. Seeing Felicity want her dad to be different so much was heartbreaking, but also compelling. She goes to her mom and Oliver for guidance, and they do their best to steer her along the right path. She’s hopeful, but smart, and that trap she set was brilliant (much like her). The entire Smoak family put on great performances, and I hope we get to see more of Noah/The Calculator.
*  *  *
But unfortunately for Oliver, there are ways that people don’t ever change. He’s trying, bless him, but Oliver still keeps secrets from the people he loves (cough, William, cough) and still must resort to violence to get to any sort of solution.
*  *  *
As awesome as the “Malcolm’s hand got cut off” twist was, his duel with Oliver was kind of a let down. It was short and not very exciting, except for the moment of amputation. The way Oliver and Malcolm spoke to each other throughout it made me almost certain that they were putting on an act. But no, that wasn’t the case and at this point I almost wish it had been.
*  *  *
Sadly, the flashbacks were pretty forgettable for me. Oliver and Elena (I think that’s her name) were locked up and fighting about how Oliver killed her brother. There was some emotional appeal, but it was overshadowed by the utter lack of chemistry between the two of them.

[tv echo]

Blastr reviewer thought that 413 "rushed" all of its storylines...

 

The League goes to war, and Malcolm could use a hand in the latest Arrow
Trent Moore  Thu, Feb 11, 2016 10:21am
http://www.blastr.com/2016-2-11/league-goes-war-and-malcolm-could-use-hand-latest-arrow

The League of Assassins is no more?!
This was easily the biggest, and weirdest, twist of the episode. We’ve spent years hearing about how the League is this huge, far-reaching organization that has been shaping the world for centuries (Malcolm even repeats that line again in this episode) — and Nyssa takes about two minutes flat to shut it all down and wipe it off the board. Huh? ... Now, this is a strange direction to take the story, and the way it was told felt incredibly rushed. Not “Constantine finds Sara’s soul, something we’re told is impossibly hard, in five minutes” rushed, but still rushed. We got an all-out war for the control of the League (which spilled into ninja battles in the streets of Star City!), more than a few betrayals and the end of an organization that has been a major component of the series for years on end. All in one episode. ... So, what’s next? With the League disbanded, that apparently leaves hundreds of well-trained ninjas out roaming the world...
*  *  *
After that, Oliver takes out Malcolm in 20 seconds flat, in a fight that is ridiculous to the point of insanity. Merely [typo -Merlyn] has always been set-up as one of the baddest bad guys on the roster, but now Oliver can beat him up without breaking a sweat? Again, this is one of those elements that seemed waaaay too rushed...
*  *  *
... Turns out, he knows Felicity works with the Arrow, and comes clean about his real identity within the first five minutes. Honestly, that was a nice surprise, and it was refreshing to see the writers not string that reveal out for weeks on end. ...He fails, and Felicity makes the gutsy call to turn him in to the cops for all his past crimes. After the set up, it was an interesting twist to have this story (seemingly) resolved so quickly. That’s not to say the Calculator won’t hack his way out of prison later, but it seemed strange to take him off the board so quickly.
*  *  *
After spending much of the episode in a coma, Thea got a chance to finally get out of the hospital bed, after Oliver finally gets the Lazarus Pit cure from Nyssa. The cure felt like a McGuffin too-far, coming up just in the nick of time in an episode already crammed-pack with story....
*  *  *
“Sins of the Fathers” also grapples with the question of whether or not people can really change, and it seems the answer is somewhere in the middle. This season has dealt a lot with how much Oliver and Felicity have changed, while it seems people like Malcolm and Felicity’s father can’t seem to move beyond the mistakes they’ve been making for decades.

Edited February 13, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

4Your Excitement's reviewer thought that 413 was "rushed" and "one of Arrow's weakest episodes to date"...

 

Arrow Explores the “Sins of the Father” In This Week’s Episode
February 11, 2016 Verena Cote
http://www.4ye.co.uk/2016/02/arrow-explores-the-sins-of-the-father-in-this-weeks-episode/

In what feels like the longest game of tug-of-war Nyssa and Malcolm fire threats at each other for the first half of the episode, with Oliver and Team Arrow firmly caught in the middle. From the beginning, Nyssa makes it very clear that one person will die, but she hopes it won’t be her sister-in-law. Nyssa spends several moments of the episode reminding Oliver that he is her husband and she is his wife. Why? No one will ever know. This kind of character-assassination makes us wish that Arrow had killed off the heir to the demon herself, instead of making her look like a total fool for forty minutes straight.
*  *  *
Felicity invites her father to meet her at Palmer Tech and introduces him to their latest technology. The look on Felicity’s face tells it all, she is incredibly happy to have her father back. She has someone who can keep up with her intellect and her knowledge, someone who can challenge her in a way that not even Curtis Holt could. What seems like a second chance at a father-daughter relationship turns out to be a test set up by Felicity, which Noah promptly fails. Felicity proves she is stronger than any other character on the show by eventually handing her father over to the police.
*  *  *
Arrow had a lot of potential on its hands, not just the appearance of Felicity’s father, but also the conclusion of the Nyssa/Malcolm situation and Thea’s disease. That potential, however, has not been fully used. The episode felt rushed and what could have been put into several weeks was squeezed into forty minutes. None of the story arcs was explored to our satisfaction. Not even the bright spots of the episode, such as John Barrowman’s fantastic acting or the final tender Olicity moment were able to save it.

[tv echo]

The CW continues to pursue the Flarrow demo...

 

As eSports Goes Mainstream, The CW Is the Latest TV Network to Get in the Game

By Tim Baysinger  February 12, 2016, 3:39 PM EST
http://www.adweek.com/news/television/esports-goes-mainstream-cw-latest-tv-network-get-game-169647

Earlier this week, Adweek looked at how major TV networks like TBS and ESPN are riding the wave of eSports' growth into the mainstream. On Monday night, another big TV player will join them.

The CW will air the finale of Machinima's eSports docuseries Chasing the Cup. The third season of the series went behind the scenes in the lives of professional Mortal Kombat X players as they compete at the ESL Mortal Kombat X Pro League finals for a piece of the $100,000 purse. The first five episodes of the series have aired on The CW's digital platform, CW Seed. It's currently the most watched short-form series on the platform, third overall behind Mad TV and The OC. The one-hour finale will air Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
*  *  *
"There's an interesting cross section between viewers of Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and those that play games," said Rick Haskins, evp of marketing and digital programs for The CW. "This isn't just a small niche product anymore—this is a big sport."

Edited February 13, 2016 by tv echo

[TwistedandBored]

I dislike the way Arrow is cleaning house though. First having ARGUS become compromised, then the extremely anticlimactic death of Amanda Waller, and now the rather sudden demise of Ras al Gul and the dismantling of the League of Assassins. It seems that Arrow has spent a lot of time this season either serving as a springboard for other CW shows or clearing the path for the movie version of these DC characters. That last one is just speculation, but that’s really the only reason I can see for why they decided to handle ARGUS, Waller, and the League the way they did. None of what they’ve done with any of that makes sense within the confines of the story Arrow has been telling for the last few seasons. Especially given how integral a part each of these entities has played in Oliver’s life...

 

 

 

I would have felt sorry for Arrow if the writers didn't go out of their way and took a lot of Batman inspired storylines/characters. Like what they expected to happen when the inevitable movie for Batman/JLA was announce? 

 

I have said since the beginning, they should have chosen GA villains and made them badass in a new way. They could have done for a GA villain character what they have done for Felicity. But, these writers seem to have a hard on for Batman and it seems to be catching up to them. 

[Primal Slayer]

That's the sad thing since there are plenty of cool villains left that Arrow has glossed over that would be fun to adapt.

[tv echo]

Short but sweet (NOT) article on 413 by Esther Inglis-Arkell...

 

On Arrow, Ollie Makes the Ultimate Superhero's Mistake One Too Many Times
Esther Inglis-Arkell  Thursday 1:50pm
http://io9.gizmodo.com/on-arrow-ollie-makes-the-ultimate-superheros-mistake-o-1758491279

We can all agree that John Barrowman is the human equivalent of moonlight glinting off the haunches of a magnificent white stallion. But his character has been actively murdering innocent people, sometimes hundreds at a time, for eight years. Often those people are Oliver Queen’s family and friends. Killing Malcolm should have been priority number one the moment they found out he was still alive. Nyssa’s demand that Ollie kill Merlyn to save Thea was the perfect excuse to do what should have been done years ago.

Edited February 14, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

HeroesandHeartbreakers review of 413...

 

My Husband: Arrow 4x13 Olicity Heart-to-Heart
MARILYN PORTER  THU FEB 11 2016 12:11PM
http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2016/02/my-husband-arrow-season-4-episode-13-olicity-heart-to-heart

When Felicity opens up to her mother about Noah being in town, Donna Smoak goes from her usual cheerful self to Total Mama Bear in about 2 seconds flat. It’s actually an amazing transformation to see. You don’t want to cross Mama Smoak! It’s clear there’s no love lost there between her and her ex-husband and she cautions Felicity not to get sucked into her father’s charm. People don’t really change, she warns. The anvil of foreshadowing just barely misses my toes.

*  *  *
After a talk with Oliver about their shared issues (have I mentioned that I love when they spitball off one another, brainstorming ideas and trying to figure out solutions? because I do), Felicity decides to test her father... However, it came at a cost as she was deeply disappointed to discover the sleek tech her father left behind with the purpose of stealing from PT. She’s devastated by the betrayal. When Noah shows up at her office for more bonding time, she rebuffs him, lashing out at him for abandoning her and making her believe she’s unloveable all those years ago. Then, she calls the cops in to arrest him (is it just me that finds it kinda hilarious that Quentin is the one to arrest his girlfriend’s ex-husband?).
 

Felicity’s trust was destroyed this episode, giving us a glimpse of the bitter woman we saw in the back of that limo in the flashback from episode 4x10. Her reaction to this betrayal from her father is to pull back so severely and sharply that she hurts herself in the process.  This is some heavy foreshadowing for what is coming with Oliver and Felicity when she finds out about Oliver’s lie. How will she react when she learns the man who is supposed to love her didn’t trust her with the most important facet of his life?  I think tonight’s episode showed us the answer is: not well.
*  *  *
At the loft, we get one sweet Olicity scene where they reassure each other on their difficult choices they had to make. Oliver proposes to Felicity again, telling her he wants to get married now, while things are calm. She agrees to it and they share a sweet kiss. But I can’t help but wonder why he didn’t use this perfect opportunity to tell Felicity about his son. He wants to marry her, he wants to share a life with her, but he keeps the existence of his son from her? How does he expect this to work out? There’s no way she won’t feel betrayed, regardless when he tells her, but I guarantee this is a “sooner is better than later” sort of situation. Oh, Oliver.
*  *  *
-    Do you think Nyssa could have said “my husband” one more time? Because I feel like once every scene was not enough. /sarcasm
*  *  *
-    Shooting a tranq dart into Nyssa and locking her in a cage is kinda hilarious. A reminder that this friendship is thin at best.
*  *  *
-    Also, I wish Oliver still had his flashback wig. He looks too much like how he looks now. It throws me off every episode.
-    Lance being the one to arrest Noah made me laugh a bit too… clearly he knows this is his girlfriend’s ex-husband, right? Is this a conflict of interest?
-    How hard would it have been to throw in a line about how their “marriage” was dissolved along with the League of Assassins? C’mon writers. Work with me.
-    What does an assassin do after their league is disbanded? Do they just go back to their day jobs or what?
-    Fuming that Oliver could have told Felicity about William at the end and he did not. Yet again.
*  *  *
Charting the Course: On the surface, things look great this episode. We finished out with Oliver and Felicity reaffirming their desire to get married. In fact, Oliver wants to do it sooner rather than later. He doesn’t want to waste any more time. But the cracks are already showing. Felicity went through something with her father this episode that eroded some of the natural trust she has. She revealed she expects her trust to be abused. She believes she will always be abandoned. The secret Oliver is keeping is going to decimate her. I’m not sure what it will take to come back from that for this pair, but I know it probably won’t be easy.

Edited February 14, 2016 by tv echo

[Morena]

Top 14 genre TV relationships we’re obsessed with

http://www.scifinow.co.uk/top-tens/top-14-genre-tv-relationships-were-obsessed-with/

[Morena]

10 Swoon-Worthy Comic Book Couples From Movies and TV

http://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/gallery/10-swoon-worhty-comic-book-couples-from-movies-and-tv/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ComicBookCouples&utm_campaign=Gallery&adid=social_Twitter_Gallery_ComicBookCouples

[tv echo]

In celebration of Valentine's Day...

 

Arrow: The Top 5 Olicity Moments
Laura Schinner+  February 14, 2016
http://www.tvovermind.com/the-cw/arrow/arrow-top-5-olicity-moments

1. First meeting.
*  *  *
It was clear from the second that Felicity appeared on screen, that they had found something special in this character. Something so special that a one-off appearance turned the character into arguably the current female lead of the show. The producers could see it, the actors could see it, we could see it, and of course Oliver could see it. In their first meeting, he was immediately taken back by this person who was essentially a ray of light in his currently extremely dark life. Since then, she’s brought so much light to his life that it’s hard to imagine he was ever the man he was when it all started. Later in the series, Oliver reminisced on this moment, claiming that Felicity was the first person he truly saw as a person since returning from the island. If that’s not enough to make a top five moments list, I don’t know what is.

[tv echo]

Valentine's Day: Stars From Scandal, Grey's, The Flash, Thrones and More Name Their Favorite TV Couples
By Team TVLine / February 14 2016, 6:33 AM PST
http://tvline.com/gallery/favorite-tv-couples-sam-diane-coach-tami-photos/#!11/i-love-lucy-ricky-best-tv-couples/

Charlotte Ross, Arrow: "[Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz] fell in love at first sight, and as Desi said once, 'We would fight furiously and love furiously.' That's a kind of deep passion we can only wish for."

[tv echo]

TV Fanatic's round table discussion of 413 (fyi, they all think that it's Donna in the grave)...

 

Arrow Round Table: Oliver's Biggest Mistake
Carissa Pavlica at February 15, 2016 11:00 am.
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2016/02/arrow-round-table-olivers-biggest-mistake/

Who handled their situation better: Felicity or Oliver?
Jay: Does Oliver ever handle a situation well? So obviously Felicity. But she had a much simpler situation to deal with.
Caralynn: Felicity. SO much better. Sometimes Oliver's goal to avoid murder at all costs just kind of makes things worse. I think this is one of those times. Felicity handled the situation with her father perfectly. She tested him to see if he was serious in having changed, he failed that test, she called the cops on him. Boom.
Meg: Felicity! She had a much better approach, as usual. The only way to know for sure if her dad was legit was to test him.
Hank: Without a doubt, it was Felicity. Merlyn had the best line of the night, "Oliver you are very handsome, not especially bright." Allowing Malcolm to walk away from that duel was probably one of the dumbest things Oliver has done in four seasons.
*  *  *
Final thoughts?
Jay: Laurel and Nyssa's scenes are always great, and I really enjoyed their interaction in this episode, but I really enjoyed Nyssa and Oliver's scenes, as well. I hope, now that Nyssa is free, she'll stick around Star City and have some more scenes with the team.
Caralynn: It's so weird and hilarious that Nyssa keeps referring to Oliver as "my husband." I wish Diggle had something more to do in this episode; he was basically useless. More Mama Smoak, please, especially if her time with us is limited!
Meg: I love the idea of Nyssa hanging in the arrow cave calling Oliver her husband and Felicity rolling her eyes. My final thought is more Nyssa please! I enjoy her scenes with Laurel and she has really grown as a character. I'd like to see how things go for her without the league.
Hank: I don't want to keep bitching about Merlyn, so I'll agree with Jay that Laurel and Nyssa are a blast to watch. It would be amazing if Nyssa joined Team Arrow, just to see more of her on the show. Final final thought... No more pointless island flashbacks!

[EmilyBettFan]

Good Lord lol at them liking the borefest that is Nyssa and Laurel. But I mean they are one of the few sites that like Laurel.

[bijoux]

Interview with Charlotte Ross

https://t.co/NDwDXexTZw

[tv echo]

Hayner writes for Zap2it so keep an eye out for this article tomorrow...

Chris E. Hayner ‏@ChrisHayner
Full @charlotteross interview coming tomorrow. We talked #Olicity engagement, Donna and Lance, #PapaSmoak and much more.  #Arrow
11:58 AM - 16 Feb 2016

https://twitter.com/ChrisHayner/status/699684204947243008

[lemotomato]

Oh good. I won't have to give GATV any page hits, then.

[EmilyBettFan]

From what I read on Twitter Charlotte Ross said she loves working with Emily as they are the funnest scenes and that EBR is an angel.

She said she'd be worried for Felicity's safety when and if she learns Oliver is the GA.

She said that this might be a big episode for Donna and Quentin.

[tv echo]

The Zap2It interview has not been posted yet, but here's Tiffany Vogt's interview with CR (warning: it's a little spoilery for 414, but I've quoted some non-spoilery parts)...

 

EXCLUSIVE : ARROW Season 4 Scoop: Interview With Charlotte Ross
BY TIFFANY VOGT ON FEBRUARY 17, 2016
http://www.seat42f.com/arrow-season-4-scoop-interview-with-charlotte-ross.html

What’s currently going on with the hot and heavy romance between Quentin and Donna?
CHARLOTTE:  Donna’s had a bit of a rocky road in her love-life, as some women can attest to from time to time.  I think the trick is you do not want to get hardened.  You still want to be open and optimistic in finding true love. I think that Donna, while a little naive and optimistic — and she has gotten into trouble that way — has held off from a serious relationship for a long time and I think she has let her guard down more than even she thought she was capable of with Quentin.  First of all, he is perfectly handsome looking, he works in law enforcement and he is really emblematic of someone who has a wonderful core value system in terms of being honest and trying to do the right thing.  That is something that Donna probably hasn’t been around — men like that — and she really admires that and feels safe with that kind of value system.  So I think that she is really hoping this goes the distance.  She has really fallen hard for him.
*  *  *
How does Donna feel about the fact that Noah has resurface and is trying to get back in his daughter’s life?
CHARLOTTE:  I loved that scene last week.  It seems like the fans really gravitated towards that scene.  Again, I really like that balance for Donna that I love so much and am so grateful for.  He left them when Felicity was quite young.  I’m not Donna in any way, shape or form, but I am a single mom and I do know the kind of idea of feeling like Mama Bear and you need to protect your child.  I’m really good friends with my ex-husband, so it’s totally different.  But I think Noah completely left Donna and Felicity.  To what degree and how bad the situation was before he left, I don’t know. But I think that when there is a lot of anger and a lot hurt, especially when you have a child involved, for that person to enter their lives again, there is a lot of feelings that come up that are really intense and whether you want to say it or do something is very real.  I would love for Tom [Amandes] to come back and to have scenes with him and Emily and look into that storyline a bit deeper because I think there is a lot of rich layers that we could explore there.

Edited February 17, 2016 by tv echo

[NumberCruncher]

Too bad the writers don't know how to do storytelling in rich layers, Charlotte.

[tv echo]

Here's the Zap2It interview with CR (warning: a little spoilery about 414, but I've quoted some non-spoilery parts)...

 

‘Arrow’s’ Charlotte Ross: Nobody knows who’s in the grave and everyone is scared
BY CHRIS E. HAYNER AT 12:02 PM ON FEB 17, 2016
http://zap2it.com/2016/02/arrow-charlotte-ross-olicity-engagement-party-who-is-in-grave/

As you point out, we were just introduced to Felicity’s dad and we saw that deeper layer of Donna, which was so interesting to see appear. We know Tom Amandes, who plays Papa Smoak, can’t be around all the time, but will we get to see more into Donna’s thought process on why it’s important he wasn’t part of their life.
I hope so! We all have exes in our lives and can always kind of recall the one that screwed us over the most. I think what he did was that times 1,000. To what degree and how he did it, I have no idea. We know that Donna had to work three jobs and she had a really rough go — it was just her and her daughter.

Through a lot of pain comes a lot of growth and I think there’s so many rich storylines to be played if he comes back because there’s so many feelings that can come up, in terms of the pain.

Donna is obviously in a very different place than she was back then and her daughter is doing so well. There’s so many great feelings and storylines that could some up that Emily and I both want him to come back.
*  *  *
Of course, given what seems to be terrible luck for the Smoak family, that’s not the only bad that’s come to them this year. How is Donna coping with her daughter being paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, possibly for the rest of her life?
I know! My poor girl. That’s why I’m around more, I have to be with her. They were kind of estranged. You know, you can’t pick your parents. We’re reminded of this at holidays that sometimes it’s not to easy to be with your parents.

Now they’ve formed this friendship and a different layer that they never had when they were younger and when they were apart. I think they want to be around each other more, which is really nice. Emily and I love it and I love Emily to death, which is one of the biggest reasons Donna is working at all.
*  *  *
Well one of the reasons she’s such an interesting character is she’s the one who doesn’t know all of the team’s superhero secrets. That was a sobering thing to remember in the midseason finale when she took Oliver to task about not being at Felicity’s side when she was in the hospital. Is there still some resentment there?
Yeah, she doesn’t see any reason why he’s not there. And I wonder how much it’s going to color her feelings for this handsome, loving millionaire when I found out he’s out there saving the world and how that puts her in harm’s way. I wonder how that’s going to change things.

Edited February 17, 2016 by tv echo

[statsgirl]

 

"Now they’ve formed this friendship and a different layer that they never had when they were younger and when they were apart. I think they want to be around each other more, which is really nice. Emily and I love it and I love Emily to death, which is one of the biggest reasons Donna is working at all."

I really like it when actors/characters just click and it adds new and unexpected layers to the story.

[BkWurm1]

Obviously I'm a EBR fan, but I get a broad impression that she is great to work with on her own level. Meaning I think all the actors on the show are nice, but people talk like working with EBR is extra special.  I enjoy that for no particular reason . :)

[SmallScreenDiva]

There's an article in the latest Entertainment Weekly magazine (The Walking Dead on the cover) that's pretty dang interesting: "TV's Superheroes Can't Die." It's not available online yet or I would have linked to it. Essentially, it's about how "not one comic-book hero has gone to the great secret hideout in the sky." How dramas such as Grey's Anatomy and The Good Wife have higher "hero" body counts. The article mentions Hawkman but adds he doesn't really count since he only appeared in 2 episodes of LOT. But it's Marc Guggenheim's quote that gave me pause: "I don't believe that superheroes shouldn't die. They are living myths, but I like the fact that they're mortal myths." The article ends with the authors asking, "So what you're saying is ... no one is safe?"

 

The article is written by James Hibberd and forum favorite Natalie Abrams. 

 

Does our friend Ms. Abrams know something we don't? Are the Arrow EPs beginning to sow the seeds for why they're killing off a superhero? Does this mean Arrow is indeed killing a superhero, one of the regulars, and not second- or third-tier characters? My gut still says no, it won't kill off LL but dang if this article doesn't give spark a tiny flame of hope.

[Ann Mack]

These reviewer were not feeling much of the "Code Of Silence" episode.

 

Arrow Season 4 Episode 14 Review: Code of Silence
Carissa Pavlica at February 17, 2016 10:25 pm

 

http://www.tvfanatic.com/2016/02/arrow-season-4-episode-14-review-code-of-silence/

 

Arrow "Code of Silence" Review: Demolished Secrets

By Noel Kirkpatric

 

http://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/arrow-season-4-episode-14-code-of-silence-review-145557483164/

 

So I Pondered

Arrow – “Code of Silence” Review
Ashley Dominique / 5 hours ago

 

https://soipondered.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/arrow-code-of-silence-review/

 

Arrow struggles to make sense of its wonkiest plotline
By Alasdair Wilkins

 

http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/arrow-struggles-make-sense-its-wonkiest-plotline-232453

 

 

Let’s back up a moment to understand how we get to “Code Of Silence.” It’s worth pointing out that the very existence of Oliver’s son came out of a plotline that really had nothing to do with Oliver himself—“Seeing Red” introduced William’s mother Samantha Clayton to illustrate how far Moira Queen would go to keep the family’s dirty secrets, including from the rest of her family. As such, it’s perhaps not surprising that Arrow hasn’t quite figured out how to deal with William and Samantha in a way that directly connects with Oliver, because that wasn’t their original narrative purpose; they were plot devices in the concluding chapter of another character’s story. Samantha’s insistence that Oliver keep William’s existence secret from everybody in his life, Felicity very much included, never made any sense, because it didn’t connect with anything we know about Oliver. The “Legends Of Yesterday” two-parter had to gesture vaguely at the idea that Oliver is too much a scurrilous playboy to be openly a part of William’s life, which required Arrow to ignore that it hasn’t really given any indication that Oliver is still pretending to be his old self since he sold Verdant—if anything, he sure appears to have remade himself as a plausible mayoral candidate, which would put a whole different spin on the existence of a secret lovechild.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Ann Mack

[wonderwall]

There's an article in the latest Entertainment Weekly magazine (The Walking Dead on the cover) that's pretty dang interesting: "TV's Superheroes Can't Die." It's not available online yet or I would have linked to it. Essentially, it's about how "not one comic-book hero has gone to the great secret hideout in the sky." How dramas such as Grey's Anatomy and The Good Wife have higher "hero" body counts. The article mentions Hawkman but adds he doesn't really count since he only appeared in 2 episodes of LOT. But it's Marc Guggenheim's quote that gave me pause: "I don't believe that superheroes shouldn't die. They are living myths, but I like the fact that they're mortal myths." The article ends with the authors asking, "So what you're saying is ... no one is safe?"

 

The article is written by James Hibberd and forum favorite Natalie Abrams. 

 

Does our friend Ms. Abrams know something we don't? Are the Arrow EPs beginning to sow the seeds for why they're killing off a superhero? Does this mean Arrow is indeed killing a superhero, one of the regulars, and not second- or third-tier characters? My gut still says no, it won't kill off LL but dang if this article doesn't give spark a tiny flame of hope.

 

COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN :p

[SleepDeprived]

COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN :p

 

I love your consistent enthusiasm and determined hopefulness of the Laurel is in the grave speculation. Truly. Even though I'm still hanging on to my skepticism (S2/3x01 really burned me deep on ever hoping Laurel finally leaves Starling City somehow), I'm living vicariously through your optimism. :)

[lemotomato]

These reviewer were not feeling much of the "Code Of Silence" episode.

 

Arrow "Code of Silence" Review: Demolished Secrets

By Noel Kirkpatric

 

http://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/arrow-season-4-episode-14-code-of-silence-review-145557483164/

Noel Kirkpatric speaks for all of us:

Look no further than Thea being totally pro-secret keeping to keep William safe from Darhk. Thea. Thea. The woman who, after discovering all the lies that were told to her to keep her safe, went off to go live with Malcolm in Corto Maltese. Yet, there she was, telling Oliver he was doing the right thing by not telling his wife-to-be about William. It's almost as if Felicity can't keep a secret. Oh. Wait. She totally can. Obviously this is all about to come a head, what with Darhk abducting William for a playdate with his daughter and all, so I don't want to harp on the stupidity of all of this, but it was still deeply stupid. Arrow has always wanted its characters to interrogate their own hypocrisy and perceptions of right and wrong, but man, this was just the worst possible way to go about it.

I'm really hoping all the reviews point out how incredibly stupid "we need to protect the kid!" is as the reason for continuing the lie.

Edited February 18, 2016 by lemotomato

[wonderwall]

 

I love your consistent enthusiasm and determined hopefulness of the Laurel is in the grave speculation. Truly. Even though I'm still hanging on to my skepticism (S2/3x01 really burned me deep on ever hoping Laurel finally leaves Starling City somehow), I'm living vicariously through your optimism. :)

 

It's foolish and naive hope :p But it's there! I know it's most probably not her in the grave, but I always like being positive :) So anything that points in that direction makes me super happy! For example:

• KC changing her profile pic on twitter
• Her supposed mom going on a rampage
• All of LLs storylines being tied up into a neat bow whilst others are only beginning to unravel
• KC cancelling the Dallas con and hopefully she'll cancel the next one too
• That interview with Guggenheim
• I'm loving @apinknightmare's final destination theory which only leaves Diggle/Laurel
• Potential for LL flashbacks this late in the season canNOT be a good sign. No character has flashbacks this late in the season unless they're going to die or something
• KC posting a quote about "Things falling apart" the time MG/WM were there
• The fact that she's getting the Roy treatment so far

 

I'll take what I can get ;)

[Velocity23]

https://twitter.com/lah9891/status/700173776898695172

[BkWurm1]

Arrow Season 4 Episode 14 Review: Code of Silence

Carissa Pavlica at February 17, 2016 10:25 pm

 

http://www.tvfanatic...ode-of-silence/

 

My fav quote from this: 

There is so little common sense involved with anything surrounding the decision making process where William, Malcolm and Felicity are concerned that I can't even feel sorry for Oliver and Samantha. May Felicity help William at some point, because she seems to be the only person capable of making good decisions in that crowd

 

[looptab]

AVClub's review for Code of Silence: Arrow struggles to make sense of its wonkiest plotline
 

[...]there’s something deeply weird at the core of this episode. At best, what we’re dealing with here are the inevitable knock-on effects of one initial strange decision. At worst, what we get here could portend the implosion of what has generally been a very solid bounce-back season for the show. Because, my goodness, there are a whole bunch of ways this whole secret son plotline could end in complete disaster. And “Code Of Silence” isn’t exactly promising in that regard.
[...]
It’s hard enough to come up with a justification for Samantha’s proviso that makes sense intellectually, let alone plays emotionally. (Funnily enough, there would have been one explanation that would have made sense for Oliver and audience alike—if Samantha had somehow found out William’s father was the Green Arrow, with all that implies about the danger Oliver would be in.) What it sure feels like we’re left with is a plotline that exists just to blow up Oliver and Felicity’s relationship for a deeply contrived reason, particularly when the deleted timeline from “Legends Of Yesterday” showed that precise explosion. Tonight’s episode is doing one of two things. It’s possible the show is taking every last opportunity to hit the audience over the head with how destructive the reveal of this secret will be, as Donna Smoak and Captain Lance repeatedly point out how damn honest Oliver is. That would fit best with how the show has handled this plotline thus far, with Felicity making occasional comments about her trust in Oliver just to really up the dramatic irony.

The other possibility is that Arrow is planning a narrative swerve, with Felicity being far more understanding in this timeline than she was in the previous one. Certainly, “Code Of Silence” advances a whole bunch of arguments that really, really look like attempts to let Oliver off the hook for keeping William’s existence a secret. Felicity’s chat with Donna about how she needs to trust Lance does no one any favors, as the show throws out the internal logic of those characters and their relationship to serve the show’s larger needs. As Donna made clear to Lance in the campaign office, her time with Felicity’s father has given her a perfectly tuned bullshit detector, and she’s not about to let someone lie his way into hurting her once again. Given all that, it’s strange that Donna wouldn’t push back at all when Felicity suggests Lance might have a good reason to keep things from her, and it’s Donna, not Lance, who needs to show more trust. Felicity takes onboard what Donna has to say, shows some initial support and comfort for her heartbroken mom, and then tells her the man who won’t be honest with her knows best. That’s, to put it mildly, not a great message!

I wondered about this myself. Felicity sure had some weird POV, and I don't know whether that was because she knew the reason why Lance was lying or because she'll be more understanding than we expect. Anyway, this is a very good read.

[BkWurm1]

AVClub's review for Code of Silence: Arrow struggles to make sense of its wonkiest plotline

 

I wondered about this myself. Felicity sure had some weird POV, and I don't know whether that was because she knew the reason why Lance was lying or because she'll be more understanding than we expect. Anyway, this is a very good read.

Replying in Code of Silence Episode discussion

[EmilyBettFan]

What we know is Oliver and Felicity don't share many scenes after the "break up" so I feel bad for these reviewers thinking that Felicity will be understanding towards Oliver and the son situation.

[bijoux]

4 Ways Arrow Could Deal With Oliver's Latest Problem by Laura Hurley

 

If I wasn't tired of this story, or rather it hanging over everything, I'd propose a fifth. HIVE takes William and raises him. So 20-30 years down the line he can face off against his step-sibling(s).

[tv echo]

ITA with those negative reviews of 414 with respect to the stupid BMD.  I completely agree with the A.V. Club reviewer's criticisms.  I really hope the EPs are taking notice.

 

I especially like the poll at the end of Laura Hurley's CinemaBlend article. Apparently most voters so far want William either killed or shipped off to Fiji!

Edited February 18, 2016 by tv echo

[dtissagirl]

I'm really hoping all the reviews point out how incredibly stupid "we need to protect the kid!" is as the reason for continuing the lie.

 

The only good thing about this garbage fire of a storyline is pro-reviewers calling it stupid.

[looptab]

ITA with those negative reviews of 414 with respect to the stupid BMD.  I completely agree with the A.V. Club reviewer's criticisms.  I really hope the EPs are taking notice.

 

Nah, they'll dismiss them as shipper bias. ;)

[tv echo]

I don't know yet if the Los Angeles Times reviewer, James Queally, is going to review 414 (he doesn't review every Arrow episode), but here's a tweet from him...

James Queally ‏@JamesQueallyLAT
#Arrow -- 59 minutes of shrug and then @nealmcdonough saves it by being wonderfully evil.
9:06 PM - 17 Feb 2016

https://twitter.com/JamesQueallyLAT/status/700184530682929152

Edited February 18, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Blastr reviewer is surprisingly blase about Oliver's secret-keeping...

 

The mayoral debate arrives and Oliver's secrets catch up to him in the latest Arrow
Trent Moore  Thu, Feb 18, 2016 12:18am
http://www.blastr.com/2016-2-18/mayoral-debate-arrives-and-olivers-secrets-catch-him-latest-arrow

Oliver’s secret son is not so secret anymore
 

This is the big one. Last week’s big cliffhanger saw the spurned Malcolm Merlyn reveal the existence of Oliver’s son to Damien Darhk, and the Big Bad did not wait long to take advantage of this juicy new leverage. As Thea stumbles onto the truth about William, Oliver comes clean, as she provides some nice encouragement that he’s making the right (albeit hard) decision to keep him a secret.
 

Yeah, that’s not going to last long. The closing scene reveals Darhk already has William, and is keeping him at his home. Interestingly, he introduces the boy as a houseguest, and lets his young daughter make friends with this new potential playmate. They’ve been setting this story up for a while now, and it’s finally coming to a head in a big way next week.

[tv echo]

Collider reviewer gave 414 a rating of only 2 stars (Fair)...

 

‘Arrow’ Recap: “Code of Silence” – Built on a Shaky Foundation
BY DAVE TRUMBORE      9 HOURS AGO
http://collider.com/arrow-recap-code-of-silence-season-4-episode-14/

Normally when Bamford directs an episode, the fight scenes are on point. While there was certainly a lot of fisticuffs in this hour – Team Arrow taking on the Ghosts in an ambush set by Ruvé, the team coming up against the Demolition Team for the first time and getting their asses handed to them, a fun escape sequence through a collapsing building, and the final battle between the teams that gives the hooded heroes the upper hand – they somehow felt more rehearsed than usual. I love when the team shakes things up by changing the venue or switches up partnerships or any number of other ways that freshen up the relentless fight scenes (I’d still really like to see more of an up-close-and-personal and less-rehearsed style at some point), but the oddball characters of Demolition Team weren’t used to their fullest potential, in my opinion.
*  *  *
... Thea’s advice to Ollie is to keep it a secret, thereby keeping his deal with Samantha that will allow him to stay in touch with his son while protecting them from the evils of Damien Darhk at the same time. It’s a shame that Darhk already knows about his son William thanks to Malcolm Merlyn’s betrayal. The only one of import who doesn’t know is Felicity. You know, his fiancée.

Edited February 18, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Den of Geek reviewer gave 414 a rating of 3/5 stars ("Arrow muddles a funny, action-oriented episode with more convoluted secret son drama")...

 

Arrow: Code of Silence Review
Kayti Burt  2/17/2016 at 9:41PM
http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/arrow/253026/arrow-code-of-silence-review

It wouldn't be an episode of Arrow if Oliver didn't make a decision that prompts a face palm from us viewers. Tonight's face palm came in the form of Oliver's inital choice to straight-up lie to Thea when she asks about the million-dollar check Moira wrote to Samantha back in the day. The secret of Oliver's son is obviously going to come out. Confiding in Thea about it is probably the least awkward way it could happen. Instead, Oliver keeps mum, part of his unfair promise to Samantha that he wouldn't tell anyone about William's existence.
 

If there is one overdone trope in superhero stories that needs to die a slow, painful death, it is the idea that to keep the people you love safe, you must keep secrets from the people you love. Sometimes, the logic follows. However, if not done well, it just feels convoluted — a lazy way of creating tension between characters. Oliver's insistence on keeping William a secret from his loved ones falls into the latter category. But, in the immortal words of Donna Smoak: "This is actually very simple: you either respect me enough to tell me the truth, or you don't."
 

In tonight's episode, Arrow bends over backwards trying to convince us that Oliver's secret-keeping makes sense. It even co-opts Thea's character for the effort. And the strain shows. Telling us again and again that Oliver has to do what Samantha says is not working. Yes, William connection to Oliver puts him in danger — this is proven in the episode's final minutes. But Oliver telling his trusted loved ones about William has no effect on that degree of danger. It is just an excuse for Oliver not to live up to the choices of his past. And I don't believe that Thea would let Oliver off the hook so easily. TELL FELICITY. Feel free to lie about it to Samantha after the fact. I have fewer moral qualms with that.