tarotx March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 You can do female angst without it being the dominating trait. The problem Arrow has is we aren't really seeing these women outside their negative relationship with Oliver. Felicity especially has that going on. Donna nor Curtis have been used to bring a levity to Felicity. Only in episode 4.6 which was much better recieved. Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) Randy Dankievitch's negative review of 416 (I disagree with his interpretation of Felicity's reason for leaving Oliver - she has always known who Oliver is, remember her "whether you're in a suit or under a hood, you're the man that I believe in" speech? I also disagree with his interpretation of Felicity's leaving the team as weakness)... Arrow, Ep. 4.16: “Broken Hearts” never finds its rhythmRandy Dankievitch March 24, 2016http://www.popoptiq.com/arrow-ep-4-16-broken-hearts-never-finds-its-rhythm/ The only real rewarding/watchable parts of this episode are the final five minutes: everything preceding it is classic dramatic over-machination, whether its the ridiculous decision by Quentin to testify in Damien’s court case (“conflict of interest”, anyone?) or Oliver’s asinine suggestion that him and Felicity “pretend” to hold the wedding Felicity literally just called off. Sure, those are great ideas: as much as Oliver’s hope and Quentin’s nobility are designed to drive this show, the obvious wrongheadedness of their decisions weighs heavy on the realities of their individual situations: and until Arrow gets far away from the silliness of Cupid and her celebrity-couple stalking, there’s no room for the episode’s central conflict to breathe. When it is given some time to develop, Felicity and Oliver’s climatic conversation offers a rare spin on characters reinforcing their ideals. Felicity’s decision to leave Oliver is borne out of him lying to her about having a child (or at least, not telling her about it): but what that really speaks to is her inability to reconcile Oliver’s presence as her partner with his job as a hero. He may have to keep a secret every now and then, and Felicity just can’t handle it: and because of that, she’s “already gone” when it comes to their relationship. If only for a moment, Arrow gives compelling reason and voice to Felicity’s deepest anxieties about having a superhero as her partner: and then she leaves Team Arrow, her inability to reconcile Oliver’s identities forcing her to quit the team she’s been a part of since before they were even remotely close to being lovers.* * *She’s not taking a time to recover and reassess or anything: no, she hands back the ring and leaves Team Arrow, a turn of story we can all see isn’t going to stick from a mile away. Forget the miracle cure for her paralyzation (she doesn’t realize she can feel anything in her legs until after she’s stood up? Does she get the power to walk back just so the show can repeatedly show her walking away from Oliver?); the most ridiculous thing Felicity’s done this season is leave Team Arrow, all her self-sufficient strength and wit falling to the wayside as she meekly admits how she can’t “handle it” anymore, and can no longer be part of the team around Oliver that helps keep him alive on a weekly basis (her excuse? “You can handle it”, she says). Edited March 25, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) As expected, Forbes reviewer Erik Kain hated 416 - he thinks Felicity came off as "kind of stupid" and "has no chemistry with Oliver", he's also back to his "Olicity must die" rant (honestly, don't even bother to read it unless you want your blood pressure to rise).. 'The Flash' Is So Much Better Than 'Arrow' It's Not Even Funny AnymoreErik Kain MAR 25, 2016 @ 07:00 AMhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2016/03/25/the-flash-is-so-much-better-than-arrow-its-not-even-funny-anymore/#474108b51dc3 On the other end of the spectrum, here's Emertainment Monthly's usual lovefest... ‘Arrow’ Review: “Broken Hearts”March 25, 2016 Nora Dominick ‘17/http://emertainmentmonthly.com/2016/03/25/arrow-review-broken-hearts/ Edited March 25, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) TV Review: Arrow (4×16) “Broken Hearts”By Evan Griffin on March 25, 201http://theyoungfolks.com/review/tv-review-arrow-4x16-broken-hearts/75542 It’s nice to see Emily Bett Rickards portray Felicity in a situation where she’s more sure about her decision more than any she’s made in a long time, and the character comes across as stern and downcast as opposed to the blubbering mess we’d seen from her before. Of course, this makes sense, because she sees Oliver more clearly than she’d ever seen him before, declaring by the end of the episode that he’ll always be the Oliver Queen that was stuck on Lian Yu. Of course, she said this implying that he believes that he can’t trust anyone and must force himself to work alone, but in the same statement suggests that he may just be destined to be alone forever. Edited March 25, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
Angel12d March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) Eh. I kind of agree with people not understanding Felicity leaving the team. I'd be more receptive to it if she had just said that she was hurting too much and she needed some space for a few weeks rather than it feeling so final. I know it's not final but Felicity definitely left for good at the end there. It just jars with her wanting to help the team during the summer because it gave her life purpose and now...this. I don't know. I can understand that Oliver needs to really lose her to force some changes but I really don't like it, especially as it feels like Curtis is just gonna replace her. Edited March 25, 2016 by Angel12d 3 Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) 'Arrow' S04E16: What worked in 'Broken Hearts'Laura Hurley March 25, 2016 9:51 AM MSThttp://www.examiner.com/article/arrow-s04e16-what-worked-broken-hearts Arrow remembered that Laurel is a lawyer, which was definitely a positive for the episode. Arrow also happened to portray Laurel as a terrible lawyer who needed members of her vigilante squad to come up with witnesses for her, but at least she dusted off that law degree for “Broken Hearts.”* * *Thea was undoubtedly the most fun element of “Broken Hearts.” Her fighting style is unique to her role as Speedy and is fit to her itty bitty size in the best way. Her obsession with celebrity gossip websites and the portmanteaus of famous couples was worth a laugh every time it came up, and she seemed like she was auditioning for bridesmaid duty when she went to help Felicity change out of her wedding finery. Thea felt like a 21-year old young woman and a vigilante, and her being on Team Arrow continues to be one of the best changes to the show for Season 4.* * *... Luckily and somewhat surprisingly, Arrow shot their breakup to the forefront of the A plot to give the characters the chance to react realistically to the major change in their status quo as a unit. The character development in “Broken Hearts” was so good that even the bad things that happened were actually pretty great. Everybody made sense for the first time since the baby mama drama kicked off. Huzzah for everybody making sense!* * *Felicity had to leave Team Arrow for her own sake. The poor woman was progressively failing at treading water throughout the whole episode; by she end, she had to get the heck out of there to catch her breath before she drowned. Emily Bett Rickards portrayed a Felicity who was utterly spent by the emotional overload of what the Cupid case brought out in herself as well as in Oliver. If she stayed, Oliver would have kept trying to get her back, and she would have had to keep saying no because that’s what she has to say for her own well-being at this point. She can’t save him if she’s struggling to stay afloat herself, and she’s not obligated to enable him. Their lives became so entwined over Season 4 that one of them was realistically going to need to take a break from the team, and Felicity is the one with the outside means to help the city without resorting to vigilantism.* * *Felicity also needed to leave for Oliver’s sake. He made enough declarations of “always” in this episode to make it clear that he was not going to be letting them go if she was still on his radar, and their relationship is not what Oliver needs to work on. Oliver needs to work on himself, and losing Felicity might be major enough a shock to the system to throw him for a much-needed loop. Oliver is a good man with a good heart, but he’s a work-in-progress, and he needed a swift kick in the pants to keep on progressing instead of reverting.* * *Emily Bett Rickards manages to edge out Stephen Amell for the MVP thanks to the scene after the ceremony when Oliver is practically glowing with hope and Felicity is trying not to make him think that she’s changed her mind about their relationship but also trying not to break his heart in the hallway of a hotel with a legion of paparazzi around. The chemistry that always sizzles to the surface whenever Stephen Amell turns on the Gaze Of All-Consuming Love was definitely in play, but Rickards brought Felicity’s exhaustion and compassion without setting up a cheap “Gotcha!” for when Felicity dropped her bombshell and gave back the ring again. Edited March 25, 2016 by tv echo 7 Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 TV Recap: ‘Arrow: Broken Hearts’Posted about 20 hours ago by Nicholas Graffhttp://sciencefiction.com/2016/03/24/tv-recap-arrow-broken-hearts/ BOW-STRING THEORIES: * Coffin theories, little new information, but as though Darhk did not already have motive to kill Captain Lance, now that he is the star witness for the prosecution in the case against Darhk, there is even more reason for him to be the one that ends up in the coffin. * Felicity will be back, though I wonder how long before she is officially back on Team Arrow. As for her and Oliver’s relationship, Diggle’s words made me somewhat optimistic, but they are driving pretty hard at the idea that it is really and truly over. Maybe they are making way for Oliver to reunite with his original love interest, Laurel? (I can hear the fanboys groaning about this prospect now) * * * Not the best episode to come back with, as I personally think Cupid is a weak villain, and her whole schtick is kind of meh. Still, I like the idea of Darhk brooding in prison, getting more and more angry as he plots his escape, and I really want to see how Team Arrow is going to operate without Felicity there to help.... Link to comment
looptab March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 Aside from spoilers, the argument doesn't even stand. Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) Inverse reviewer thought 416 was "excellent" (incidentally, I don't think that "Arrow turned into a soap opera with superheroes" - Arrow has always been a soap opera with superheroes from the S1 pilot on, if you consider the show's drama a 'soap opera')... Cupid Makes 'Arrow' Worthy of Love AgainEric Francisco March 24, 2016https://www.inverse.com/article/13275-cupid-makes-arrow-worthy-of-love-again Remember that Arrow is a superhero show on the CW and not a gripping indie drama. This show is doomed to happy endings, so you can bet Arrow’s central paramours Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Oliver (Stephen Amell), who are in a rough spot after the rescue of Oliver’s son, will probably get back together. Such is the nature of fan-pleasing primetime network shows.* * *“Olicity” has been, in a word, terrible. Any show that does the will-they-won’t-they romantic tug-o-war inevitably fumbles — remember Ross and Rachel the first time in Friends? — and it’s because fan expectations always dwarfs writers’ wills. The electric chemistry between Rickards and Amell in Season 1 was too good to ignore, so it’s no one’s fault that Arrow turned into a soap opera with superheroes. Of course, Arrow can be overly-plotted, and sometimes stupid. Felicity is the team’s tech wizard and Oliver is leader and expert survivalist, but so many times and especially this season they’ve been as dumb as Facebook comments. Here’s Oliver’s logic: “I have an illegitimate son and I’m about to be married. I should totally hide this from my fiancee who would face virtually no more consequence if she knew because she’s already entangled in my vigilante crusade. Great idea! Also I’ll run for mayor.” [Takes off shirt, does a Ninja Warrior workout.] Felicity isn’t any better. She’s a person who lectured her own mother about necessary secrets to protect the ones you love, but when Oliver revealed his son she just ups and leaves. Literally ups and leaves, just seconds after her paralysis was cured. This show, man. But “Broken Hearts” is something else. Crazy absurd and probably inaccurate courtroom dramas aside (Daredevil is about lawyers and even that doesn’t get lawyers right), it’s a pretty tight episode of Arrow. It’s got flaws — like the action remains lazily choreographed — but this week was Arrow at its most engaging in recent memory. Though its core themes centered on irreparable relationships and being unable to have what you want, Arrow could actually win us back by giving us what we need: some damn good television. Edited March 25, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
AyChihuahua March 25, 2016 Share March 25, 2016 (edited) Here’s Oliver’s logic: “I have an illegitimate son and I’m about to be married. I should totally hide this from my fiancee who would face virtually no more consequence if she knew because she’s already entangled in my vigilante crusade. Great idea! Also I’ll run for mayor.” [Takes off shirt, does a Ninja Warrior workout.] Felicity isn’t any better. She’s a person who lectured her own mother about necessary secrets to protect the ones you love, but when Oliver revealed his son she just ups and leaves. Literally ups and leaves, just seconds after her paralysis was cured. This show, man. In two paragraphs he completely undermines his own argument. He says, clearly, as anyone with a functioning brain would say, that keeping the kid a secret from Felicity was NOT NECESSARY. Then he gives Felicity shit for telling her mother that necessary secrets might be okay. Yes, DUMBASS, NECESSARY secrets! Edited March 25, 2016 by AyChihuahua 5 Link to comment
Ann Mack March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 Great article in my opinion. I hope the writers and EPs read this. I mean Marc acknowledged reading that open-letter. If he could make it through that he could surely make it through a logically written piece with no rambling IMO! The Misogyny is Strong With This One: The Case of Felicity SmoakBy J. ⋅ Posted on March 27th, 2016 at 6:35pm http://moviepilot.com/posts/3840763 6 Link to comment
tv echo March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 L.A. Times' so-so review of 416... Shot through the heart, and you're to blame: 'Arrow's' 'Broken Hearts' is kinda lameJames Queally MARCH 25, 2016, 1:48 PMhttp://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-arrow-broken-hearts-recap-20160323-story.html I'm still sitting here every Wednesday, waiting for you to spark up some of that old magic. Remember all the fun we had with Deathstroke? And Malcolm Merlyn the year before that? I even forgave you for that whole Ra's al Ghul nightmare ... but ... I mean ... don't you feel it? Like we're not as great as we used to be? Arrow came back from its midseason (or three-quarters season?) hiatus with "Broken Hearts" on Wednesday night, and like most of Season 4, it didn't do much wrong, but it didn't do anything to excite me, either. The episode served as a refresher course on the two main plot shake-ups we faced last month — Damien Darhk is in prison, Ollicity is no more — and it's completely serviceable in that regard. But that's also the problem. We're entering the season's home stretch, and I've got no excitement, no urgency, no sense of the stakes. "Serviceable" is the most positive word I can find to describe "Broken Hearts." Even stranger, an episode dedicated to the relationship at the center of "Arrow" actually seemed to drag during the Ollicity scenes and only flourish when we focused on ... Laurel? Forgive me, Father, perhaps I know not what I do, but on March 24, 2016, I am prepared to say Laurel Lance was the best part of an "Arrow" episode. I know the Hellmouth is about to open beneath me, so tell my kids I love them, but the Darhk courtroom stuff was the saving grace of "Broken Hearts." Laurel has always been better served in the courtroom than leaping across Star City's rooftops, simply because it gives the character a space where she's the master of all she surveys. She's outclassed whenever she dons the Canary suit, probably the least convincing and most irritating combatant among the "Team Arrow" clan. But in the courtroom, she's in a class all her own. She has a standalone function there. A power, if you will, that no one else does. Oliver isn't going to kill Darhk, so the only person who can conceivably deal with him on a permanent basis is Laurel. She can convict him, put him under the jail and melt down the key. Or so we hope.* * *Outside the courtroom, well ... they're not fooling anyone with this Oliver-Felicity schism storyline. The scenes are well acted, and using Cupid to force the couple into feigned nuptials was a clever little touch but, well ... no one really believes they're breaking up, right? Aside from the fact that we've literally seen the future where they're riding in a limousine together at that grave site, the series has given me no reason to believe these two can actually stay away from one another. Again, there's nothing wrong with how the writing team has set up this separation. Felicity and Oliver's split over the existence of William is completely believable. It's a complicated wedge, and they both have points on each side of the argument. But it's simply hard to invest in a storyline where I feel like I already know the outcome.* * *I'm holding on "Arrow." In the words of the great philosopher Smoak: I don't want to let you go. Link to comment
tv echo March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 Another one of Laura Hurley's Devil's Advocate articles (you can almost hear the sarcasm)... Devil’s Advocate #7: Why The Oliver/Felicity Breakup Has Paved The Way For An Oliver/Laurel ReunionLaura Hurley Mar 27, 2016 5:18 pmhttp://laurawritesabout.tumblr.com/post/141798619986/devils-advocate-7-why-the-oliverfelicity In fact, we have Felicity to thank for furthering Ollie and Dinah’s love story. The mutual respect and understanding between Ollie and Dinah from before the island was enough for them to keep those fires a-burning over the years, but Ollie’s philandering did need some addressing. Considering that Dinah needed to use Season 3 to finally skyrocket toward her rightful place as co-lead Black Canary, Ollie needed somebody else as a vessel to guide him toward being a worthy partner. Felicity served that purpose and helped Ollie turn into a man more worthy of Dinah, and their breakup proved that she is not ultimately the woman for him. As a woman, it was Felicity’s job to stand by her man no matter what; a Big Love would never have left him or expected more of him than his misdeeds. It’s not like she deserved to know that Ollie was secretly planning on turning her into a stepmom anyway. Geez, Felicity. Given that Felicity is likely to die soon so that she can appear as a ghost and/or hallucination to Ollie in the limo, the time is now to really give her character her due credit for helping Ollie become worthy of Dinah. For her contributions, Felicity will undoubtedly have a special place in Ollie’s heart as one of his best bros ever. Hopefully, they’ll have time for a friendly farewell fist bump before she dies.* * *Also, comic canon cannot be denied. Arrow has on more than one occasion delved into comic canon for the sake of its plots; Ollie and Dinah were on more than one occasion not completely unhealthy – or dare I say “radioactive?” – in the comics. Surely, that particular era of comic canon will be brought to the small screen. Ollie and Dinah will be stronger than ever after Ollie’s relationship with Felicity. All in all, I’d say that they’re so strong that a score of illegitimate love children could emerge from the woodwork without damaging their love story. They’re that epic. Finally, the stars are aligning for the star-crossed lovers of early Season 1 and everybody will finally understand that everything that happens in the beginning of a series is set in stone to dictate the character developments in the rest of the series. I mean, Ollie kept that picture of Laurel. It’s not like it came to represent his life in civilization like some sort of totem connecting him to his home or anything. 3 Link to comment
Morrigan2575 March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 I read through two paragraphs wondering why Laura Hurley kept referring to Laurel as Dinah but, then I got it. LOL 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 (edited) Jessica Breaux' review of 416 (thought the episode was "ok") - for once, I disagree with Jessica - Arrow is about Oliver changing, from pre-island Ollie to dark Oliver, and now toward a more balanced Oliver; most people you date wouldn't have gone through such extreme character evolutions... Arrow “Broken Hearts” Review (Season 4, Episode 16)Jessica Breaux March 25, 2016http://www.tvequals.com/2016/03/25/arrow-broken-hearts-review-season-4-episode-16/ The primary purpose of this week’s Arrow was to deal with Oliver and Felicity’s relationship, and oh man was it awkward. When we last saw Olicity, Felicity found out that Oliver had lied to her about his son, so she left him. I felt then that Felicity did the right thing walking away from Oliver. I still feel that way, but my reasons for it have changed a little bit. Let’s start with Oliver. He seems to be allergic to telling the truth. Even when he has no legitimate reason to lie, he still refuses to be honest with the people he claims to love. His reason for lying to them is always a variation on the theme of him trying to protect them, but I’ve said before, that’s not a legitimate enough reason to never tell them the truth. It’s like his default is to lie to people and then, when they inevitably find out the truth, he gives them the puppy eyes and begs for their forgiveness. He promises never to lie to them again. He gets forgiven. Then another situation comes up where he feels he’s got to lie to protect them. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. That’s pretty much been the story of his relationship with Felicity. It’s not that Oliver doesn’t love her. I absolutely believe that he loves her. The problem is that Oliver doesn’t seem to understand that loving someone doesn’t give you the right to make decisions for them. And that’s pretty much what Oliver’s refusal to be honest with people means. By refusing to give people all the information so they can make an informed decision for themselves, Oliver is effectively making all kinds of decisions for other people that he has no right to make. That was the basis of Felicity's anger when she found out about William. It might sound like I’m blaming Oliver for the implosion of his relationship with Felicity, and to a certain degree, I am. It doesn’t make sense for Oliver to expect Felicity to marry him when he can’t seem to tell her the truth or respect her enough to make decisions for herself. That being said, Oliver isn’t solely to blame. One of the first things I learned when I entered the dating scene back in the dark ages, is that people are who they are. There may be some growth and maturing that occurs over time, but for the most part, what you see is what you get. You should never hook up with someone with the idea that you’ll be able to change them because you’re just setting yourself up for failure. When Oliver met Felicity, he was damaged goods. I mean, the first words he spoke to her were a lie. Granted, he was attempting to maintain his secret identity at the time, so I kind of don’t really count that one. Due to the nature of what he was doing, it was absolutely necessary for him to keep the circle of people who knew about his extracurricular activities to a minimum. Not just for their protection, but for his own. But after he brought Felicity into the fold, there was no reason for him to keep lying to her. About anything. She’s proven over and over again that she’s capable of taking care of herself, and she’s saved Oliver’s life more times than I can count. Basically, Oliver’s justification that he’s trying to protect her is weak at best. That being said, Oliver is the same guy now as he was when Felicity met him. He may not kill people as often anymore, but he hasn’t fundamentally changed since the day Felicity met him. He’s still closed off emotionally. He still lies. So Felicity leaving him at this point because he’s a Liar McLiarson is kind of weak. Maybe this is supposed to show that she’s finally realized that she can’t change him. But why would she go into a relationship trying to change the other person anyway? That’s not how love works. You don’t get a chance to keep the parts you like and ditch the rest. It’s all or nothing. So yeah, if Felicity can’t accept the fact that Oliver’s default setting is to lie, then she shouldn’t marry him. Because like I said, either you’re in or you’re out. There is no in between. Edited March 28, 2016 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 Arrow Season 4: 14 WTF Moments From ‘Broken Hearts’Andrew Pollard 26 Mar 2016http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-season-4-14-wtf-moments-from-broken-hearts.php Remember how Laurel Lance has years of extensive legal training? Most of us just about do, but you’d be easily forgiven for forgetting about those years of Law School for Arrow rarely uses Laurel in any sort of legal capacity these days.* * *Granted, this is Laurel Lance, a character who this otherwise-excellent show often leaves stranded or who is handled horrendously, so I guess it’s almost expected that parts of her characters are dropped or mishandled on a regular basis. Still, it was still a surprise to see her make use of her law qualifications once more.* * *Considering how smart the collective minds of Team Arrow are, it just like a flat out ridiculous WTF moment to see them put Felicity on speakerphone here.With Diggle having just been schooled by Damien Darhk’s legal representative, Digg, Laurel, Oliver, Thea, and Quentin Lance all take a little moment to have a natter on a stairwell. Sure, they have a little look around first, but it felt forehead-slappingly stupid for them to put Felicity on speakerphone when she gives them a call to discuss their next plan of attack. 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 (edited) ThreeIfBySpace reviewer gave 416 a score of 8 out of 10 (episode "had its fair share of fun, intense, and memorable moments, but it almost could have been two completely separate episodes")... Arrow 416 Review: “Broken Hearts” Declares War on Love (and Darhk)By: Alisha Bjorklund March 25, 2016http://www.threeifbyspace.net/2016/03/arrow-416-review-broken-hearts-declares-war-love-darhk/ As usual, Emily Bett Rickards and Stephen Amell gave incredible performances. The emotions between them were strong and compelling, as were the moving speeches they both gave. Oliver took his fake wedding ceremony as an opportunity to try convincing Felicity to give him a second chance, and Felicity took a dangerous situation with Cupid as an opportunity to mend a brokenhearted psychopath. In both cases, the characters truly meant what they said. But it wasn’t enough to make everything better. I’m very happy that this episode didn’t end with Felicity and Oliver getting back together; that would have been an insult to these characters and to the fans. What these two people have been through makes it difficult for me to take a side, and that’s good. Arrow wants us to have sympathy for both of them and to understand that they both have valid reasons for their actions.* * *The only downside to that, though, is that this episode ended with that is probably the third or so time Felicity said she’s leaving Team Arrow. At this point her words have lost all credibility, despite Rickards’ great acting. The audience knows that Felicity isn’t really going anywhere, and that downplays what is supposed to be a very dramatic and angst-ridden scene. Edited March 28, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 28, 2016 Share March 28, 2016 TV Fanatic round table discussion of 416... Arrow Round Table: Court is in Session!Carissa Pavlica at March 28, 2016 1:00 pmhttp://www.tvfanatic.com/2016/03/arrow-round-table-court-is-in-session/ What did you think of Oliver's uncertainty of Felicity remaining on Team Arrow?Meg: Working with an ex is doable, but after watching them work together, it's clear that it may not work in the situation. It was SUPER awkward. For everyone.Jim: Totally agreed Meg, I was cringing the whole time. Working with an ex can be done if it was a mutually agreed split. But, when one person is still totally in love and doesn't want to be apart, it just gets weird.Kelly: Felicity is probably the most important part of the team outside of Oliver (and that could really be debated). So, it's slightly confusing that Oliver would think she wouldn't want to stay on the team. They wouldn't have found Cupid without Felicity, and I think her being off the team will last for about 10 seconds. Someone is going to be on the verge of being killed, and they will need Felicity.Caralynn: His uncertainty made perfect sense because like Meg said, it was incredibly awkward. Felicity kept making really pointed comments, and Oliver kept making moony eyes at her. It was weird for everybody else to see and probably distractingly uncomfortable for both Felicity and Oliver.That said, Felicity needs to be a part of the team. Her leaving the team isn't going to work and will probably end up causing a big problem, potentially costing innocents their lives because, let's face it: nobody is as fast as Felicity with the tracking and tech wizardry.* * *Talk about the plan to use a faux wedding to lure in Cupid. A good tactic? A bad tactic? Why?Meg: It was good in theory, but we saw how hard it was for Oliver and Felicity to separate their emotions from this because they came so close to doing it for real. It just sucks all around. Breaking up is hard. Running into your ex at the grocery store and making small talk is hard. Staging a fake wedding in the venue, wearing the dress with your ex is downright heartbreaking. So good idea for catching Cupid, horrible idea for their emotions.Jim: I was really, really, really hoping it would help Felicity realize that relationships are work and that one can't survive without forgiveness and growth. Oliver is trying so hard to be a better man, but he will stumble sometimes and pulling out her support won't help either of them.Kelly: It was a good tactic. I don't know why they had to say their own vows. That made about zero sense. It seemed more like a plan for Ollie to tell Felicity how he felt than to get Cupid to appear.Caralynn: Good tactic for luring out Cupid, for sure. It was also a good tactic for Oliver to take Diggle's advice and make his stance on his relationship with Felicity known to her. I don't know about anybody else, but Felicity looked pretty convinced to me, especially when she made that speech to Cupid. The fact that she gave that speech and the content of the speech were both lovely. The fact that it appeared to work on Cupid was a little absurd. "Oh, she's defeated by the power of love! How grand!" Silly.* * *Any other thoughts on the episode?Meg: I love Felicity, and I love Oliver but clearly this isn't working out for their characters. There is just so much tension. It makes me miss the old days when taking down the bad guys was the main objective of the show.Jim: I really wish they had gotten a lawyer to look over the courtroom dialog. I'm not a lawyer and even I saw some obvious errors. I hope the trial doesn't turn into Law & Order: Star City Edition.Kelly: I'm officially done with any and all flashbacks. They just interrupt the real plot and every other episode Ollie's life is in danger. News flash, we know Ollie will never die in the flashbacks! At this point, I don't even know what is really going on in the flashbacks nor care. It's obviously not going to happen this season but here's hoping next season will have no flashbacks.Caralynn: What Jim said. The way the trial was written was distractingly terrible, that was my number one critique of this episode. Hell, I even preferred Oliver's Indiana Jones island flashbacks to the trial scenes, which is REALLY saying something. Also, on the Olicity front, they are having Felicity be SO stern about their breakup, so clear on its finality, which is sad but makes me want to high five her for sticking to her guns and not allowing emotion to persuade her from what she has to do.On the other hand, they're going so hard with the "This breakup is REAL and it's PERMANENT!!" bit that the only thing I'm sure of is that it is certainly NOT real and permanent. They'll be back together by the finale and if not then, early next season. Oliver's love for Felicity was made abundantly clear in this episode alone, there's no way in hell he's moving on.Felicity's arc for the the rest of the season is just going to be her forgiving Oliver when he proves himself in a grand way. This show has become incredibly predictable and melodramatic, which is unfortunate. Link to comment
tv echo March 29, 2016 Share March 29, 2016 (edited) I don't believe this article was posted previously... Of Internalized Misogyny, Felicity Smoak, and the Importance of "Real" Fictional Female CharactersJustAboutWrite (Jenn) March 28, 2016http://www.itsjustaboutwrite.com/2016/03/of-internalized-misogyny-felicity-smoak.html Edited March 29, 2016 by tv echo 3 Link to comment
tv echo March 30, 2016 Share March 30, 2016 'Arrow' S04E16: What didn't work in 'Broken Hearts'Laura Hurley March 30, 2016 7:01 AM MSThttp://www.examiner.com/article/arrow-s04e16-what-didn-t-work-broken-hearts ... Felicity was completely lacking in even an indirect hearsay point-of-view in the breakup, and Oliver circling the wagons around himself even somewhat unintentionally was not flattering on him. Nobody on Team Arrow noting that the fake wedding was an incredibly awkward plan for Felicity isolated her in a way that was hard to watch and made it difficult to blame her for her barbs. Oliver’s forthright statement of "We need to get married" worked thanks to Stephen Amell’s delivery that made it clear that Oliver knew Felicity wouldn’t like it, but neither Digg nor Thea seemed to realize that forcing Felicity to put on her wedding gown and fake marry Oliver was terribly insensitive. They didn’t have to declare themselves Team Felicity and oppose the plan, but somebody acknowledging her position would have been nice. Felicity’s wedding dress was not properly fitted. Emily Bett Rickards looked lovely, but the bodice didn’t match her frame. The hair and makeup were on point, so it was a shame that the dress wasn’t tailored better. The poor fit might have been excusable if Oliver had thought to give his lady love a layer of Kevlar protection as well. Felicity’s just lucky that Cupid decided to shoot Oliver. She had nothing more than a few layers of fabric and her conviction to protect her. Way to look out for the non-field member of the team that you’re trying to woo, Oliver.* * *The action wasn’t anything special. Oliver lost another fight, which is unfortunately the norm nowadays. He didn’t exactly have a 100% success rate in fights prior to Season 4, but all the extra masks in the field surpassing him makes him look only barely competent, and Oliver’s falls looked less heavy back when he wore his sleeker Arrow suit. If Oliver is going to continue losing fights on a regular basis, he deserves a suit that doesn’t make him look like a concussed football player hitting the turf every time he’s bested by a baddie du jour.* * *Finally, the timing of the episode was off. The scene of Felicity packing away spry as can be indicated that some time had passed since the end of the previous episode, but Felicity had to break the news of the breakup to the rest of Team Arrow. The news of the broken engagement was then somehow big enough that Cupid knew to cross them off of her list of targets. “Broken Hearts” sabotaged its own timing because there evidently just had to be the scene of Team Arrow learning the current state of Olicity. Otherwise, the sequence of events could have made plenty of sense. Link to comment
tv echo March 30, 2016 Share March 30, 2016 (edited) This is interesting - Cammien Ray interviewed a 51-year-old male martial arts instructor who loves Arrow and Olicity (I've quoted portions but recommend reading the entire interview)... The toughest Olicity fan: 10 questions with Barron ShepherdMarch 29, 2016http://smoakandarrow.tumblr.com/post/141914588119/the-toughest-olicity-fan-10-questions-with-barron (larger print) or http://cammienray.tumblr.com/post/141913899078/the-toughest-olicity-fan-10-questions-with-barron (original source) The story of how I began watching the TV show Arrow is a bit more recent: On Nov. 5th last year, I was run over by a semi-truck. The wheels ran completely over the top of me, missing my head by inches. My legs became tangled in the last set of tires and I was dragged for 30 feet before the truck stopped. During my recovery at home I watched the first 3 seasons of Arrow on DVD. Then, in the weeks after the accident, when I was working out again, I continued to watch Arrow (season 4). I was inspired by Oliver Queen, and Stephen as well. I had a titanium plate put in my foot and was told my prognosis was 6 months plus physical therapy before I could do normal stuff, but 7 weeks after the accident I was back to work and returned to my Judo training.* * *I liked the show from the start. It was about a normal guy who overcame a very harsh and tragic event. Who doesn’t like those types of stories? I think we all would like to think that we possess the inner strength to overcome any hardship put before us and come out stronger and find love. Arrow resonates with that. At the end of the day Oliver is a man who overcame insurmountable odds to return home to the ones he loved. He is a man who overcomes himself his fears, his fragility his own personal darkness. He fights for the ones like Felicity Smoak, who he cares about.* * *3. Felicity Smoak joined Arrow early on, and quickly became one of the highlights of the show. What do you think attracts viewers (and Oliver) to her so much?I think there is such a chemistry there it was very, very obvious from the start that Felicity and Oliver were very smitten with each other. Both Emily and Stephen pull off these moment very well and they are believable. The acting is so solid that you actually believe that these two are infatuated with one another.* * *4. In a comment to Stephen Amell, you mentioned: “A hero is nothing without his lady to help guide him and be by his side.” How has being in a relationship (or in love) changed Oliver Queen or made him stronger so far?I think no one could put it better than Oliver himself: Felicity has been his light. She has made him feel that he is worthy of love. Here is a man who feels because of what he has had to do that he is beyond redemption. The Olicity thing is a progression in which through Felicity, Oliver is learning to love to trust and to live. He learns his actions have consequences. Just like he had to learn to go beyond just the idea of being a vigilante and a one man army. Felicity was the one who made him see first that he could be a hero, that he could be something more. Oliver realizes his flaws and Felicity grounds him, but at the same time shows him the way.* * *6. The story of Arrow/the Green Arrow is a sort of redemption story of a man becoming a hero. What do you think about the way the show balances action and romance?While I think it is a great show, if it was purely an all-action series it would run its course relatively quickly, I think, and would be just another action show. For me as a viewer, when you become personally invested in these characters - and by that I mean getting to know their characters, who they are, where they come from - it really makes you root for them you want them to come out on top. But to do this you have to have a personal story line. A great story with great action, romance, drama: it makes for an awesome experience with passionate fans.* * *10. The progression of Olicity’s story from meeting to now being badass partners who take down villains together has been fantastic, but what more would you like to see from them? Are there any particular storylines or milestones you’d like them to take on next?I am like most people I think, when I say I want to see them happy and not let anything come between them. We are all invested in these two characters, and currently a lot of fans are upset about the break up and the wedding being called off. We are watching two people who are both in love and are hurting and having difficulty navigating certain waters, but look at ALL these two characters have been through and have overcome. Oliver and Felicity save each other… from themselves. Oliver aspires to be the man that Felicity deserves and she aspires to be the woman he needs. Edited March 30, 2016 by tv echo 4 Link to comment
NumberCruncher March 30, 2016 Share March 30, 2016 Hee. That guy has been funny over on Facebook. He's been posting Olicity memes all over the place. I can't decide if he's being serious or if he's mocking all the negativity. Either way, it's making me LOL. Link to comment
SonofaBiscuit March 30, 2016 Share March 30, 2016 That's the same guy from wonderwall's post here. 3 Link to comment
looptab March 30, 2016 Share March 30, 2016 I've read often that Cupid knew that they had called off the wedding, but I don't think that's what happened. They realized Cupid was keeping tracks of celebrity weddings, Thea notices an article about Oliver/Felicity and points out that she won't target them--since they are not getting married. 5 Link to comment
tv echo March 30, 2016 Share March 30, 2016 'Arrow' S04E16: What needs to happen next after 'Broken Hearts'Laura Hurley March 30, 2016 9:48 AM MSThttp://www.examiner.com/article/arrow-s04e16-what-needs-to-happen-next-after-broken-hearts Nobody needs to blame or shame Felicity for leaving. Team Arrow might be left with a sadsack of a Green Arrow for a time, but after Felicity was denied a point-of-view in two episodes that were pivotal to her character’s place on the show, she deserves to not have her choice condemned by her former comrades. In fact, the team aside from Oliver needs to remain friendly with Felicity. Arrow established that the members of Team Arrow are pals; given that Oliver basically got Diggle in the divorce in Season 3, Felicity deserves to have more than just Curtis and her mom as emotional support. She broke up with Oliver, not everybody. She shouldn’t be punished for doing what is best for her for once. All of that said, Felicity does need to rejoin the team in the near future. Team Arrow really came together once Felicity joined Oliver and Diggle in the lair, and the dynamic will likely feel off without her. Besides, Felicity has always been the one member of the team who is utterly irreplaceable. Even the titular archer isn’t 100% necessary in all the field missions. Team Arrow has never had a backup Felicity, and they’ll need her back in order to function.* * *Oliver needs a new suit as the Green Arrow. The sleevelessness hasn’t gotten any less silly with time, and the crazy villainess complimenting him on the look should be a clue to him that maybe he could use a change. The suit makes Stephen Amell look much heavier and clumsier when he takes hits, and it’s difficult not to wonder after his first showdown with Cupid if the top doesn’t restrict his movements somehow. He doesn’t fight like he could in Seasons 1 – 3, and his bumbles in the field look all the worse without the sleek Arrow suit. He moves like a football player, not an archer.* * *Oliver and Felicity do need to get back together. Love them, like them, or hate them, Olicity as a couple have been pivotal to showing Oliver’s development. One of the first things that audiences learned about Oliver was that he was marooned on a hellish island after taking his girlfriend’s sister on a sex cruise, and his dalliances with women in the past and present have been pretty gross. Oliver has been monogamous and faithful to Felicity since the end of Season 2, and monogamy looks good on him as a man. Arrow is the story of a hero’s journey, and Felicity has been intrinsically tied to the hero’s upswing. They need to get back together. Oliver and Felicity need to not get back together for a while yet. The show has already established via flashforward that both Oliver and Felicity survive whatever incident claims the life of the person in the grave, but the focus should be on the fallout of that death rather than on romance. Can they test the integrity of a few flat surfaces in an impassioned need for release in the Apartment Formerly Known As The Loft o’ Love to tune of their special theme? They sure can, but they broke up for real reasons. If those reasons are to be honored and if the melodrama is to be worth it, there needs to be more to the reunion than grief.* * *A Lance needs to die. The six month deadline for the big death is fast approaching, so any major foreshadowing of doom needs to not be a tease at this point.... Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) If Curtis were to replace Felicity on the team permanently, and if the show were to head toward an O/L reunion, then I'd stop watching Arrow (why is it so hard for people to accept Felicity as more than just a quirky one-liner character?!)... You won’t BEE-lieve how fun tonight’s Arrow isBecause it’s *never* too early for bee punsBy Alasdair Wilkins Mar 30, 2016 9:40 PMhttp://www.avclub.com/tvclub/you-wont-bee-lieve-how-fun-tonights-arrow-234589 My goodness, that was a fun episode of Arrow. On some level, what we get tonight follows logically from a point I made when assessing Felicity Smoak in the review of last week’s misfiring “Broken Hearts.” Felicity first got over with the audience as an endearingly awkward one-liner machine, and it’s been the attempts to reconfigure her first as the fandom-demanded love interest and then as the show’s romantic co-lead that have seen diminishing returns. So then, tonight’s “Beacon Of Hope” just up and gets itself the closest thing the show has to the Felicity Smoak of the first and second season, as a cold-ridden Curtis Holt stumbles his way into the Arrow Cave and becomes what the team actually dubs “a taller, more dude-like version of Felicity.” And that’s exactly what he is! And damn it, as obvious, even shameless a gambit as this is, it totally works, because Echo Kellum is every bit as winning in the role as Emily Bett Rickards has been. Honestly, the presence of any new team member is likely to give the show a jolt of energy, as we’ve seen earlier this season from the temporary additions of Vixen and John Constantine. But letting Curtis Holt do his best Felicity impersonation is both novel and nostalgic, and the result is an episode that’s considerably more fun than the typical Arrow episode.* * *This is also a hell of a good Laurel episode, though I’ll go ahead and say right now the tones she and Oliver adopt when discussing his breakup with Felicity sure sound just tender enough that the show is starting to tease an eventual reconciliation for the comics-mandated couple. In the meantime, though, Laurel is in her best possible role as all-purpose sidekick, offering Oliver just the right mix of reassuring advice and brutal honesty about how he screwed things up. (And, as we’ve discussed in previous reviews, you can certainly still argue whether the show actually committed to depicting him screwing things up, for fear of making its hero look like too much of an ass. But that appears to be the show’s take going forward, and Laurel explains the argument well.) She also has a terrific little interaction with Curtis when she uses her Canary Cry to save Oliver, dismissing Curtis’ geeking out with a simple, “Yeah, we get it, it’s badass.” Katie Cassidy has taken enough criticism for her work—at least some of it deserved!—that I still think it’s only fair to single out individual lines that aren’t just good, but great, and that’s one of them. I’m not sure Arrow still has any real idea how to sustain Laurel’s character over the course of an entire episode-long storyline, but she works like gangbusters in these targeted spots. ... We’re probably at the point where Felicity and Oliver’s breakup is never going to work well on its own terms, and I’m not sure there’s anything the show can really do to unring that particular bell—even getting them back together wouldn’t undo how contrived and frustrating the split was. But if you can get past that, Arrow appears to have some renewed sense of Felicity, as she spends this episode redefining what her life’s purpose ought to be.... Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) Comparisons to The Flash made... Arrow recap: 'Beacon of Hope'BY JONATHON DORNBUSH Posted March 30 2016http://www.ew.com/recap/arrow-season-4-episode-17 Maybe it was the use of a villain that originally appeared in Central City with a penchant for puns. Or maybe it was the surprising number of pop culture references from the entire crew. Or maybe it was even Curtis Holt’s smooth transition into a Cisco Ramon-esque team member. Whatever it was in the waters of Star City, Arrow’s latest episode, “Beacon of Hope” had more than a few traces of its companion series The Flash, which made for an at-times jarring and other times delightful blend of the two shows. And a little Die Hard thrown in for good measure didn’t hurt either.* * *Luckily, with some modification of Laurel’s Canary collar, they’re able to log into the frequencies of the bee drone and disable it along with its many offspring. (A solution not unlike one employed on this week’s The Flash, when the returning Pied Piper used his skills with soundwaves to fight a time wraith. For those who don’t watch…it’s a bit of a long story.)* * *Curtis returns home, and though he promises his husband he’s done with a life of attempting to fight bad guys, he’s already taking a few steps toward becoming a regular member of the team. Not only does he promise that type of life isn’t for him, he lies about what he was up to, saying he tried to help the police and not the city’s famous costumed hero. Throw in his reaction to hearing there’s still some soup for him — “Terrific” — and the rise of Mister Terrific looks to be well on its way. Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Two Examiner critics' reviews of 417... 'Arrow' 4x17 'Beacon of Hope' Review: Return of the bees (4/5 stars)Allison Nichols March 30, 2016 8:18 PM MSThttp://www.examiner.com/review/arrow-4x17-beacon-of-hope-review-return-of-the-bees It feels like forever since we’ve had an hour that was so light and fun. The last time this probably happened in Star City was when Barry Allen was in town. Curtis freaking out over the Arrow cave was a breath of fresh air. Then, we had the fun reminder that Oliver missed 5 years of pop culture, which we haven’t really showcased in awhile. You can't really go wrong with a Harry Potter reference. Oh, and there were bee puns. Felicity's "bee-yatch" definitely takes the cake for best pun.* * *Of course, it’s still annoying that we don’t see anyone checking in on Felicity. Yes, we are able to figure out that Thea and Laurel have been talking to Felicity, but we didn’t get to see it. Just because she’s the one who ended the relationship doesn’t mean that Felicity is completely a-okay. She could probably use someone to talk to.* * *It was a lot of fun watching Thea, Felicity, and Donna try to figure out a way to stop Brie and the bees. Donna being there just made it even more amazing to watch. They were the highlight of the Palmer Tech scenes because Brie Larvan just didn't really bring the excitement as the villain of the week. It was super coincidental that she just happened to need the spinal tech, and the fact that she just stood around for most of the hour wasn't all that threatening. She had a couple of good lines and that was it.* * *Darhk and Malcolm’s storylines really weren’t all that entertaining. They weren’t as bad as the never-ending pain that the flashback scenes are, but they were boring. Andy Diggle’s return earned a groan. He has never been entertaining, so let’s just leave him alone and pretend like he’s not there. 'Arrow' recap: Bee-ing hopefulMeredith Jacobs March 30, 2016 9:38 PM MSThttp://www.examiner.com/article/arrow-recap-bee-ing-hopeful At the end of the last episode, Felicity decided to leave the team because she couldn't be there and not be with Oliver, and she remains adamant that she is not coming back, even as Thea tries to talk her into doing so. However, there's no Team Arrow without Felicity, and the more she says she's not coming back, the more obvious it is that she is. But will the upcoming death be what brings her back, or is that too obvious? Is part of the reason for her reaction in the limo, for her anger and for her so decisively wanting Oliver to kill whoever's responsible because she's not part of the team when the death occurs? Even when she does return to the team (because, again, it's a matter of when, not if), that doesn't mean she can't continue her work at Palmer Tech, continue to make it a beacon of hope, to help people and make a difference that way as well. Why can't she do both? Maybe that's part of her journey for the rest of the season (and going into the next as well)....* * *As for Felicity, she's not talking about it. In fact, Donna's at Palmer Tech trying to reach out to her daughter after the breakup, but Felicity refuses to talk about him as her mother tries to get her to do throughout the episode. "You don't open up to me," Donna says to her at one point. "I have to force your feelings out of you sometimes." This and the fact that she keeps the photo she has of her and Oliver in her office face-down speak volumes about how she's feeling – but the fact that she still has a photo of her and Oliver in her office has to mean something, right? 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 'Arrow' Brings Back Emily Kinney's Bug-Eyed Bandit in Buzz-Worthy Filler Episode"Beacon of Hope" shows maybe 'Arrow' isn't that far gone after all.Eric Francisco March 31, 2016https://www.inverse.com/article/13573-arrow-brings-back-emily-kinney-s-bug-eyed-bandit-in-buzz-worthy-filler-episode This week’s episode of Arrow, “Beacon of Hope,” crawled with activity: Curtis Holt Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum) finally learned Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is the Green Arrow, guest star Emily Kinney (Hey, The Walking Dead fans, it’s Beth!) reprised her role as the the Bug-Eyed Bandit/ Brie Larvan from The Flash, making “Beacon of Hope” a brisk, fun hour of superhero TV where nothing particularly significant happened. It didn’t break any new ground, but it was certainly a lot more than Arrow has been most of this season.* * *It’s been a while since Arrow had a hunky/sexy training montage. With all the recent expansions to Team Arrow, there have been a lot of missed opportunities for some shirtless salmon-ladder goodness. It’s also been awhile since Arrow has been genuinely funny — it seems like the CW-verse’s sense of humor is trapped in Central City with The Flash. So Oliver’s hysterical attempt to prove his pop culture awareness was a welcome diversion from his usual broody no-fun-face. “There were movies?” he asks about Harry Potter. If only he had time to binge-watch.* * *... Curtis (destined to become Mister Terrific, maybe next season?) replaces Felicity, at first briefly to rescue her, but we might see more of him behind the keyboard if Felicity’s leave of absence from Team Arrow becomes permanent. That is, if Oliver doesn’t scare him away. Curtis has yet to understand the gravity of the Green Arrow’s crusade, and Oliver doesn’t go easy on him. Kellum and Amell share one of one of the most tense, cruel, and compelling scenes in recent show history. If only the rest of the episode was as rich as that scene. While “Beacon of Hope” is not necessarily bad — in fact it’s better than most recent episodes — it flies along almost too fast for any beat to properly land.... Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Who knew that Oliver and Laurel had a "long-smoldering romance"?... 'Arrow’ Recap: “Beacon of Hope” – A Campy Turn Delivers Unintentional LaughsBY DAVE TRUMBORE 10 HOURS AGOhttp://collider.com/arrow-recap-beacon-of-hope/ If you’re all caught up on The CW’s Arrow, then you have seen quite the episode in “Beacon of Hope!” For a show that’s decidedly darker than its sister series The Flash–even though they’re both drawn from the pages of DC Comics–Arrow has lately fallen into a quagmire of repetitive plot beats and increasingly desperate and depressed states of mind for our heroes. The writers seemed to have taken those criticisms to heart for tonight’s episode, which traded in the “dark and gritty realism” for “campy, comic book craziness.” A worthy effort, though its execution left something to be desired. First of all, we get a trio of villains in various levels of intensity in this episode. Damien Darhk gets a side plot that brings back a previously seen villain and reveals another one hidden in plain sight by episode’s end. But the main antagonist (Ant-Agonist?) in this episode is one that previously appeared on The Flash mini-crossover special, “All Star Team Up”: Brie Larvan, a.k.a. The Bug-Eyed Bandit, as played by Emily Kinney. It’s with this villain, and Kinney’s performance, that this hour’s many problems begin.* * *... Unfortunately, Larvan’s clunky, forced dialogue and Kinney’s physically awkward performance elicited some unintentional laughter during the episode. There’s a difficult line to be found between campy acting and bad acting, and this hour leaned way to the wrong side of that divide, and not just by Kinney. Everyone on this show is turned up to 11 at different times; that’s to be expected. But when there isn’t anyone left here on Earth to react to the crazy things going on–Curtis finding out Team Arrow’s HQ and identities, the Smoaks and Thea running away from a swarm of robotic bees, or Oliver, Black Canary, and Spartan battling a humanoid super-suit composed entirely of said robotic bees–all sense of dramatic tension washes away. So we’re left to sit back and enjoy the insanity that is artificial insects replicating within Oliver Queen’s body after a bodysuit bee sting or Felicity defeating said robo-suit with a shorted out lamp after a high-tech anti-robo-bee arrow failed to do the trick. And enjoy it I did! This show has been so dark and dour lately that I was hoping for a shakeup to the status quo, however bonkers that might look like. “Beacon of Hope” was definitely bonkers. (And I won’t use that title again since no less than three characters shoehorn it into their dialogue throughout the episode.) ...* * *... . It actually opened the door just a bit into Oliver and Laurel possibly rekindling a long-smoldering romance, something that was flirted with over the course of this episode. We’ll have to keep an eye on this one!* * *... What was curious was that Oliver and Taiana’s plan to prevent the murder of twelve innocent people was to … commit the murder of numerous guards. I guess it’s just a workplace hazard when you become a mercenary for a magical maniac. Welcome back to the darkness, Arrow! Link to comment
Chaser March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 They are keeping an eye on that "long-smoldering romance." hehehe 6 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 This reviewer called 417 a "palate cleanser" before the impending doom... Arrow "Beacons of Hope" Review: Humor BeeBy Noel Kirkpatrick 9 hours agohttp://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/arrow-season-4-episode-17-beacons-of-hope-review-145911433961/ So, that was a weird episode of Arrow. Not weird in a trippy, "Hey, I didn't know David Lynch was interested in writing and directing episodes of CW television shows" way (though he totally should be). Or even in the sense that there were bizarre dream sequences or an odd structure to the episode. No, "Beacons of Hope" was odd because it was silly and fun, and I'm not sure I can think of the last time an episode of Arrow was silly and fun. In truth, "Beacons of Hope" was sort of what I expected this season to lean into a bit more based on the premiere, and 16 episodes later, it really, finally, did. I expected Darhk, with his "hocus and pocus" and his fondness for being an actual comic book villain—look no further than his disappointment that he didn't get to deliver his speech to a(n a)live audience in this episode—to bring a very different energy to the show and its proceedings. And while Arrow has been a bit more fun (at least compared to the doldrums of last season), it pretty quickly got caught up in being itself again, not unlike how Oliver went back to being his old self upon the return from Ivy Town.* * *All of that stuff was fine. It felt like the show was checking off the to-do list to keep the larger emotional arcs moving, but that's good! If there's one thing Arrow had done pretty well this season, it's handling those emotional arcs in ways that have been relatively clear (the Samantha and William stuff aside, but that was DOA anyway; nothing to be done to save that). So having Laurel and Thea each talk to one half of the broken-up couple to try and make them see the errors of their respective ways—Oliver for beating himself (and the team and Curtis) up because he refused to really deal with the break-up and Felicity for walking away from being able to help others by being on Team Arrow—was, like I said, a good way to keep those threads going, even if they did feel like rehashes of normal Oliver emotional issues, and, hey, didn't Ray want Palmer Tech to do exactly what Felicity thinks it should do now? Pretty sure he did, and that plot went nowhere.* * *Now, of course, this was probably just a calm before the impending doom of someone ending up in a coffin, but it was a welcomed calm. I needed this palate cleanser before things started getting really serious again, what with Darhk on the outs with H.I.V.E., Malcolm apparently on the ins with them, and Andy apparently being a double agent. Things are about to go down, but at least now I'm little more ready for them. Link to comment
Sakura12 March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 So by smoldering they mean showing or feeling barely suppressed anger and hatred? 2 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 How Arrow Just Set Up A Team Arrow Replacement For Whoever Is In The GraveBY LAURA HURLEY 10 HOURS AGOhttp://www.cinemablend.com/television/How-Arrow-Just-Set-Up-Team-Arrow-Replacement-Whoever-Grave-128067.html Season 4 of Arrow has had a lot going on. Now that the result of pre-island Oliver pollinating an ill-advised flower has been dealt with and the falling action of the Olicity breakup has bee-n completed, the show is back on track and sweet as honey as it heads toward that gravely serious flashforward from the season premiere. Somebody on Team Arrow will soon run out of the sweet nectar of life and buzz off to that great honeycomb in the sky. Luckily, "Beacon of Hope” was positively swarming with hints about who could take the place of whoever loses their stinger too soon and ends up in the grave. Now that I’ve exhausted my supply of bee puns, I’ll get into why none other than Curtis Holt is likely to soon become much more involved with Team Arrow.* * *Curtis has spent most of his time on screen showing off his intellect, but Arrow has gone out of the way to establish that Curtis is actually quite the athlete when he’s not inventing biostimulants to cure paralysis. “Beacon of Hope” was the first episode that really demonstrated Curtis in action in a physical, rather than mental, capacity. Sure, he was mostly running around the bunker and leaping over debris to escape one of Brie Larvan's bees, but the athleticism was very much present. Given that Curtis dropped a “terrific” in the very same episode that highlighted his abilities as both an engineer and an athlete, we can safely say that he’s well on his way to becoming Mr. Terrific in live-action. As Mr. Terrific, Curtis would have the abilities to somewhat replace the Team Arrow member who is neither Oliver nor Felicity. He wouldn’t have the sheer bulk of Spartan, the speed of Speedy, or the buckles of Black Canary, but he’d bring enough of a unique skillset to fill the talent gap well enough for the good guys to beat the bad guys. His reluctance to join the crusade after the events of “Beacon of Hope” almost certainly means that Curtis would be more an auxiliary member of the team than a full-fledged contributor, but this latest episode proved pretty conclusively that Curtis has solid instincts to help fight crime. 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Vulture review of 417... Arrow Recap: Plan BeeBy Jenny Raftery March 31, 2016 9:18 a.m.http://www.vulture.com/2016/03/arrow-recap-season-4-episode-17.html Last week’s “Broken Hearts” allowed for great character development, but overall it was an understandably gloomy affair. “Beacon of Hope” is less concerned with relationship dynamics, and, thanks to a fun villain-of-the-week and prime Curtis screen time, the episode zaps a little needed energy into the series as it gears up towards its season finale.* * *... Brie’s black-and-gold outfit is even bee-inspired, as are her puns (e.g., “beeee-havior”). She definitely gives off a campy Flash villain vibe, but it makes for a nice change of pace from the usual Star City gloom and doom. (Speaking of fun villains, where’s that Anarky fellow?)* * *... Mama Smoak is visiting to get the dirt on the B-R-E-A-C-K U-P, while Thea is there to ask Felicity about offering missing-in-action campaign dude Alex a job. (Oh, Alex, you live on only in a series of unseen texts. On a related note, I’d like to think that Ted Grant is out there, occasionally posting to Laurel’s Facebook page.)* * *The bee is wreaking havoc on Oliver’s insides, but it’s doing wonders for his outside, as Oliver lays shirtless on the bunker table. Team Arrow huddles over him trying to figure out how to stop the bee. (Laurel, for some reason, seems to be holding up a phone over his chest. I thought for a moment she might be taking pictures of Oliver as he twisted on the table, and I’m like, same.). The team learns the bee is multiplying inside Oliver. To deactivate them, Curtis uses Laurel’s Canary Cry to disrupt their frequency. It works, and Laurel smiles. That smile sealed it for me: Laurel’s in the grave. In this episode, she saves Oliver. She also has two heartfelt scenes with Oliver about his pain and not giving up on hope. These two characters haven’t had a friendship, let alone a meaningful connection or conversation in forever, and now they are all of a sudden tying up emotional ends? Plus, to make these conversations seem like a natural occurrence, the writers literally had to separate Oliver from Felicity and Thea with an army of bees. She’s a goner, folks.* * *My Girl. Die Hard. Harry Potter. Panic Room. I prefer when Arrow makes less and more subtle pop culture references, like Felicity’s Godfather III-inspired line. (That said, “Die Hard with bees”? Tee-hee.) 5 Link to comment
Angel12d March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Plus, to make these conversations seem like a natural occurrence, the writers literally had to separate Oliver from Felicity and Thea with an army of bees. Literally most of my issue with scenes with Laurel. They actually have to remove people to give her some relevance. They did it in 409 when they put Diggle, Thea and Felicity in the gas chamber so she could help save the day. There are other ways to write her importance and yet they haven't done it. I often come away thinking her lines could be said by someone else tbh. 18 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) I wanted to quote the entire article, but couldn't - so I just recommend going to the link... 'Arrow': 4 Reasons Why the Oliver and Felicity Break-Up Is Really DumbWednesday, March 30, 2016 Derek Staufferhttp://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/arrow-4-reasons-why-the-oliver-59426.aspx The biggest couple in Star City is no more. Oliver and Felicity physically survived their encounter with Cupid but their relationship did not. In the aftermath of Felicity discovering Oliver's lies (and holding a fake wedding) the couple called off their engagement permanently. It is a sad turn of events for Olicity fans. It is also an incredibly stupid move for all fans of CW's Arrow.* * *... Some fans might think that Oliver and Felicity's break-up opens the door back up for a Laurel and Oliver romance but this isn't going to happen. Furthermore, it shouldn't happen under any circumstances. Oliver and Laurel work well together as friends and exes. They don't fit as a romantic couple. Green Arrow and Black Canary are a great couple in the comics. Their TV counterparts don't have anywhere near that same level of chemistry.* * *Arrow has really given Felicity only one other love interest besides Oliver but it didn't work. Ray wasn't right for her and honestly Ray's not right for anyone because he is THE WORST. The point is that Arrow can't make another couple work as well as Olicity. There is some special with the pairing of those two and it can't be replicated.* * *This is where the Olicity break-up enters the scene and why it is so massively disappointing. It isn't natural or organic. Arrow hamfisted the baby mama drama into season 4 for the sole purpose of breaking up Oliver and Felicity. The show didn't want them get married so soon so they came up with this convoluted and complicated way for them to break-up. No one likes the storyline, no one believes it and no one thinks anything lasting will come of the break-up. By the end of this season or somewhere in season 5, Oliver and Felicity will be back together again and this break-up will just be a bad memory. It's Reductive NOT Productive Felicity Isn't Going Anywhere Other Love Interests Don't Work No One Thinks It Will Last Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo 7 Link to comment
Ann Mack March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Well it is "Collider" talking about the smouldering romance between Oliver and Laurel so color me not surprised at all. These are the same guys who were also talking "ghost Felicity" for the grave. They really want her off the show or dead so they can have their comic book hook-up of Green Arrow and Black Canary. The reviewer has to be living in a world of delusion if he has seen any form of love between those 2. Link to comment
bijoux March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Hee at Laurel taking photos of shirtless Oliver. 3 Link to comment
looptab March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) We think Laurel doesn't have a Cupid-like shrine of Oliver somewhere, but we don't know that for sure.. :D Edited March 31, 2016 by looptab 7 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Robert Dougherty gave 417 a score of 7 out of 10... Arrow S4: E17 -- 'Beacon of Hope'By Robert Dougherty March 31, 2016 08:42AM EDThttp://www.themovienetwork.com/review/arrow-s4-e17-beacon-hope Beacon of Hope is a phrase that doesn't often seem to fit in the Arrow universe, especially in these last several weeks. Even though most of us know things will turn out all right by the season finale anyway, it is very hard to keep hope that they will do it the right way, and hard to ignore what it will reflect if they don't. But after the low point of last week, and with a certain grave finally about to be filled next week, Arrow figures it might as well throw us hope lovers at least one bone this week. They also give gifts to those who love bee puns, Curtis, Donna, Felicity and Thea together, and Oliver seeing some kind of overdue reason.* * *The one who caught him up to that extent is no longer Overwatch, but she isn't alone. However, it has very much seemed like it these last few episodes, given that absolutely no one has had Felicity's back or been seen sharing any real comfort and support for her in any of this. And with everyone else giving Oliver all the advice, comfort, excuses for his lie and assurances Felicity will 'come around' its no wonder the most sexist parts of the Arrow fandom have found it easier to bash Felicity for the break up instead.* * * Between Emily Bett Rickards, Charlotte Ross and Willa Holland holding down the fort on one end, and Echo Kellum getting to join the team on the other, Beacon of Hope is really Arrow's first beacon of anything resembling comedy in 2016. Since this could be the last real chance to have one until Season Five, it very well may be a better late than never scenario. Of course, putting things off until the very last minute is not a trend Arrow needs to embrace right now.* * *The bleeding also stops for Felicity at the moment, even if they went too far in bringing her down and leaving her vulnerable first. Like with Oliver, the writers won't let Felicity confront the real personal issues brought out by this mess yet, despite having quite a few of them to delve into if they truly had an interest. But like with Oliver, they temporarily let Felicity remember she has a loftier purpose for her life and reasons to go on fulfilling it, even if not with Team Arrow. Yet like with Oliver, it stands to be a temporary victory considering what's ahead for her. It could be worse and has been worse until now, as this week at least has her take down a bee man, be around people other than Oliver who aren't taking Oliver's side, and spend rare time with Thea. As noted earlier, it would be much easier to embrace actual Felicity/Thea bonding if not for Thea approving lying to Felicity weeks ago, but perhaps the show wants to forget that out of character mistake as much as we do -- although we don't have the show's selective memory. If there had been far more of Felicity and Thea being the sisters they will eventually become before this mess, maybe that would have helped too. 3 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) Another positive review for 417... 'Arrow' Recap: 'We're In a Die Hard Movie With Bees'Robert Chan March 30, 2016https://www.yahoo.com/tv/arrow-recap-bug-eyed-bandit-brie-larvan-andy-032343045.html Villains on The Flash tend to be there for a reason — they’re usually too outlandish to work on the darker Arrow. But tonight, Brie Larvan (Emily Kinney) — aka The Bug-Eyed Bandit — made it work, focusing on a down-to-earth rationale (wanting to walk) that kept up the momentum of this week’s episode while we wait for the inevitable return of H.I.V.E.* * *“I could have sworn it was Neal Adams in data processing!” Curtis dropped this fun little reference to the iconic artist/writer responsible for the Green Arrow’s character-defining run in the ‘70s. Plus, his advocacy for creator rights led to Superman creators Siegel and Shuster getting pensions in their old age after famously selling the character for $130 back in the '30s. Now that’s a real hero.* * *So many bee puns. How could Larvan not have called herself Bee-yonce? She’s the Queen B, for crying out loud!* * *Other Line of the Night: “I have to force your feelings out of you sometimes, like a… like a pistachio!” Fun fact: If you’re forcing pistachios, Donna, you’re doing pistachios wrong. Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) Kayti Burt gave 417 a score of 3.5 out of 5 stars... Arrow: Beacon of Hope ReviewKayti Burt 3/30/2016 at 10:12PMhttp://www.denofgeek.us/tv/arrow/254166/arrow-beacon-of-hope-review Welcome to the Arrow episode that has never met a bee pun it found superfluous. "Beacon of Hope" (or should I say "Bee-con of Hope"?) was actually a lot of fun, proving that Arrow can be just as light-hearted and energetic as its superhero counterpart The Flash. (Which has itself gotten darker in its second season.) Sure, the episode was a little too excited about having its characters say "beacon of hope" as many times as possible. (I suspect a drinking game...) And, yes, Brie Larvan is no less campy or more relatable of a villain than when we met her on The Flash. But that didn't stop "Beacon of Hope" from being an enjoyable hour of superhero television.* * *In so many ways, this episode belonged to Felicity — not because the other characters didn't get to do anything or have arcs of their own, but because it took place within her world and, ultimately, the tone was defined by her character. This episode was bright, funny, and full of pop culture references (so many pop culture references) because Felicity is bright, funny, and full of pop culture references. The action took place within the walls of Palmer Tech because that is Felicity's world — now more than ever. It pitted Curtis, a supporting character partially defined by his relationship to Felicity, against Brie, a character first presented on The Flash as a villainous counterpoint to Ms. Smoak. This (say it with me, everyone) beacon of light that Felicity has always brought to the show is cast over the rest of the action and the characters. (Except for the flashbacks. Because not even the megawatt power of Felicity's goodness can reach the dark, cold abyss that is the flashback storyline where all stories go to meet their terrible, uninteresting, forgettable ends.) But where was I? Oh, yes: This episode was imbued with joy, even in its darkest moments. And, sure, Arrow would not be Arrow if every episode was this light and funny, but Star City really needs an episode like this one every once in a while.* * *Arrow once utilized Queen Consolidated — both as a setting and a symbol — to suggest that there might be more ways than just vigilanting to make a difference in this world. (Especially when you're part of the one percent.) With Felicity's commitment to "make Palmer Tech the beacon of hope," it's nice to see the show potentially returning to that way of thinking — not only because it is a real-world way to affect change, but because the inclusion of Palmer Tech lends Arrow a cohesion of setting it has been sorely missing since seasons 1 and 2. Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) I don't think that Donna's strength is being a victim (btw, in a separate article, Carissa says that the voice giving time of death in the promo was Laurel's)... Arrow Season 4 Episode 17 Review: Beacon of HopeCarissa Pavlica at March 30, 2016 10:22 pm. Updated at March 31, 2016 5:37 amhttp://www.tvfanatic.com/2016/03/arrow-season-4-episode-17-review-beacon-of-hope/ That was the best hour of Arrow in ages! It's because Arrow Season 4 Episode 17 was generally more focused on the female perspective, and the women were written to their strengths across the board.* * *Donna was playing the victim, Brie the bad girl with a purpose, and Laurel, Felicity and Thea were all written as heroes and compassionate friends, with Laurel offering a shoulder to her former lover and Felicity and Thea finally bonding through the breakup in a way they never did when Felicity was a part of Team Arrow.* * *While Oliver still annoyed me (Oliver and I are oil and water), and the flashbacks had no bearing on anything, there was so much joy in this hour, it's one I'd watch again. And soon.* * *Oliver was hurting a lot over Felicity, and was taking it out on everyone. Laurel finally stepped in as his friend and former lover. She knows him and lent a shoulder to cry on, but she also held him accountable for what he did to Felicity.* * *I really don't like when the show gloms onto a phrase, and each additional time someone said "beacon of hope," I cringed. The only time it really felt right was when Felicity used it in relation to remaining off of Team Arrow, utilizing Palmer Tech to change the world. Everything she said was pure Felicity. She was a part of the Team for a specific purpose, one she can carry out with her company. What will eventually carry her name. Why shouldn't she do that?* * *If we're to understand the trailer for Arrow Season 4 Episode 18 (shown below, and do we ever understand the promos??), someone will die at 11:59 (am, pm? no idea) putting an end to an era. I'd go with Diggle. Andy shows up, the only era I know is Original Team Arrow. Laurel wasn't a part of it, Felicity isn't going anywhere. Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 BuddyTV review of 417... 'Arrow' Recap: The Bug-Eyed Bandit Makes For a Honey of an EpisodeDerek Stauffer March 30, 2016http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/arrow-recap-felicity-fights-fo-59430.aspx ... After all the Oliver and Felicity angst, "Beacon of Hope" is kind of necessary.* * *This hostage situation by robot bees traps Felicity, Donna and Thea inside and away from Team Arrow. This trio of ladies is a team-up I never knew I needed to this moment and it is the definition of perfect. Think the first Die Hard but with less Alan Rickman and with three very attractive funny and bad-ass ladies instead of Bruce Willis.* * *As the day is saved, Felicity decompresses with Thea. Thea, as the voice of the audience, tries to convince Felicity to come back to Team Arrow. Felicity says that she isn't interested in doing that anymore though. She just wants to help people and she can do that just as well, if not better, as the CEO of Palmer Tech. Felicity reaffirms her decision to quit Team Arrow and starts a new venture as a philanthropist. Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) Everyone loved 417, even the usually super snarky WeMinoredInFilm... ARROW’S “BEACON OF HOPE” (S4:E17): INSERT BEE PUN HEREPosted on March 31, 2016 by Kelly Kondahttp://weminoredinfilm.com/2016/03/31/arrows-beacon-of-hope-s4e17-insert-bee-pun-here/ “Beacon of Hope” was undoubtedly Arrow‘s silliest episode ever. Everybody was speaking in freakin’ bee puns. The villain, Brie Larvin (Emily Kinney, reprising her role from The Flash‘s “All Star Team-Up“), was lifted straight out of latter-era Smallville. I lost count of the number of times someone forced “beacon of hope” into conversation. Curtis and suspended-Captain Lance ran away from a bee in the Arrowcave. Let me say that again: A major action sequence in this episode involved the two people left behind in the Arrowcave running away from a bee, director Michael Schultz showing us the pursuit from the mechanical bee’s point of view.* * *After all of that silliness, the episode then had the gall to direct us to an online PSA about what we can do in the fight against paralysis. That’s like a raunchy comedian closing out a set with, “But, no, seriously, we need to have an honest conversation about women’s rights.” And yet “Beacon of Hope” was probably my favorite Arrow episode in quite a while.* * *Yes, this was the silliest, campiest, most Silver Age-y Arrow episode of all time. However, this was also an episode which was fully aware of its own absurdity. We’re in Die Hard with bees, Felicity ruefully told Thea. Suspended-Captain Lance can’t believe his life now involves fighting a swarm of mechanical bees. New Arrow team member Curtis voluntarily made an intentionally bad bee pun and was repeatedly pinching himself over the increasingly bizarre reality of the case unfolding in front of him.* * *I have railed against this show many times for departing from its original mission statement and morphing into something completely unrecognizable. However, a huge part of the problem was tone. Even as Arrow’s storylines became progressively more comic book-y the show persisted in taking everything so seriously, which actually made the transition even harder to take. For example, I needed to know the show realized how silly it was to have everyone talking about “mirakuru.” Here in season 4, Arrow‘s “Beacon of Hope” flat out tells us multiple times, “We get it. This is our world now, and it’s super silly. But let’s have some fun with it.”* * *Sure, Felicity is the one who went crazy in suburbia without crime fighting in her life, and she’s repeatedly stated in the past just how much she enjoys being a part of Team Arrow. But Felicity is also the one who was freakin’ paralyzed, nearly dying in the process. That’s bound to inspire some re-assessment of priorities. When all is said and done, she’ll probably end up back on Team Arrow eventually, just like the last time she quit the team. Until then, why not give her a chance to pursue her own version of Oliver’s mission. It might be a refreshing change of pace to see someone in the Arrowverse helping the world through their civilian guise instead of their superhero life.* * *As for the rest of the team, they might not actually need Felicity anymore. Curtis, for however much longer he’s around, is a suitable replacement, both in skillset and temperament. Plus, Laurel proved herself capable of being the team member to calm Oliver down when he goes all growly, which used to be Felicity’s job. Granted, Laurel did so in such a way that it’s likely to reignite the shipper wars. Many arguments will be had over what to make of the way she put her hand on Oliver’s cheek at one point. However, this is not the first time this season Laurel has acted as Oliver’s advice-giver, and it’s a limited role which suits her.* * *6. Nitpicks: So, um, did Malcolm just recede back into the shadows after breaking up with Damien Darhk in prison on HIVE’s behalf? There were clearly no other ways in or out of that room. I’m assuming he was just standing there quietly in the dark waiting for the guard to come back and retrieve Damien. Maybe at one point Damien would even say something like, “I know you’re still there, Malcolm. I can hear you breathing.” Then Malcolm would mumble to himself, “This type of shit never happened when I was still Ra’s al Ghul. Stupid Oliver. Stupid Nyssa.” Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 Blastr reviewer thought that 417 was a "stellar entry"... Curtis is awesome as the Bug-Eyed Bandit returns in the latest ArrowTrent Moore Thu, Mar 31, 2016 9:58amhttp://www.blastr.com/2016-3-31/curtis-awesome-bug-eyed-bandit-returns-latest-arrow As far as motivation is concerned, it works well. It gives Larvan a reason to go after Felicity (because at this point, she doesn’t even know Felicity helped Team Flash take her down), and allows Felicity a chance to shine while separated from Oliver (while also digging into her role at Palmer Tech). Kinney is, as always, a ton of fun in the role. She’s deliciously crazy and weird, and she’s easily one of the most bizarre (but fun) villains in the canon. This episode also makes it clear Felicity is apparently done with Team Arrow. There aren’t any hard feelings, per se, but she’s wanting to help the city through Palmer Tech. It’ll be interesting to see where this story goes, and if Felicity really is done with the superhero nightlife. As CEO of Palmer Tech, that’s more than enough motivation to keep her in the ensemble mix, so they could conceivably spin her character off the team and still retain her as a player in the overall narrative. It’d be tricky, but it could work.* * *With Palmer Tech under attack, Curtis uses his technical know-how to track down the Green Arrow ‚ stumbling right into the Arrow Cave and learning the secret identities of Oliver, Laurel and...that other guy (Diggle, heehee). With the team in desperate need of an ace hacker, Curtis embraces the excitement and manages to do a pretty good job of helping save the day. He brings the same kind of levity Felicity’s character served, but in a fresh way. If they were testing him out as a potential Overwatch replacement, this audition seemed to go really, really well.* * *Seriously, guys — are Oliver and Felicity done for real? This is certainly a plot point that will be a contentious one for fans, but if they actually do choose to keep them apart, it really does feel like an earned story. Oliver has been lying to Felicity for years (even with the best of intentions), and those choices finally caught up with him. But, as we saw in “Beacon of Hope,” Oliver has grown enough thanks to his relationship with Felicity that he might (ironically) be able to find happiness without her. Heck, who knows, they might actually circle back to Laurel? Hey, it’d be more true to the comic canon than Olicity. Personally, I’m torn — and certainly don’t envy the writers tasked with making these decisions.* * *Phew, who knows? Somebody is apparently being pronounced dead in next week’s episode, so there’s a chance we might finally get some answers. But, the usual suspects remain: Capt. Lance and Felicity’s mom (who was around again this week, which could be set-up work) feel like contenders — but it could be anyone, from Laurel to Diggle. Crazy theory: Maybe that flash-forward where Oliver talked to Felicity was a hallucination, and it’s been her all along? Anything is possible, here, folks. Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 (edited) Gasp! - A negative review of 417 (scored it Average)... Arrow 4.17 Review – ‘Beacon of Hope’March 30, 2016 | Posted by Anthony Falcohttp://411mania.com/movies/arrow-4-17-review-beacon-of-hope/ The biggest problem with ‘Beacon of Hope’ is that it just does not feel like Arrow. With all the pop culture references and its goofy tone, it comes across more as a Flash spinoff episode: and with a villain ripped directly from that show, this may seem fine. However, even with some entertaining moments, its ultra quick pace and reliance on style over substance results in ‘Beacon of Hope’ being rather underwhelming.* * *This leads directly into the main plot of the night: Oliver needs to get over Felicity – or at least start healing – and bee girl takes over Palmer Tech. Now, with the former, it is odd that Laurel talks with Oliver about him moving on: especially since they were former lovers. This is something that is usually reserved for Diggle. Either way, it is a heavy-handed scene that only pushes forward the storyline.* * *So instead of helping her board, Felicity decides to escape with her mother and Thea through a vent, which leads to probably the goofiest chase I have ever seen: in fact, when they run away from the ‘bee camera’ it looks like something ripped from a Monty Python movie. It is in no way tense and just further adds to the odd tonal issues: am I supposed to laugh or feel scared for the three women? ... Now, while Holt’s antics get to be a bit much – so much so that when Oliver yells at him, I cheered – it is actually quite funny in doses. When he jumps on the computer without permission, I genuinely laughed. And even with how annoying he gets in this episode, I am glad they are using him more because he is a pretty cool character.* * *... Now, the gang is gearing up for one more raid when Curtis cracks yet another joke: this leads to the aforementioned scolding by Oliver. Now, I know what this is supposed to do – show Oliver still hurting from the loss of Felicity – but I am actually happy he told Holt to be quiet: the writers went too far with his character at times. So after Queen is told to apologize by Laurel, they all head out with the help of Curtis: apparently, all they have to do is upload a virus the next time the bees evolve – which Quentin points out is like Independence Day.* * *Yes, this is a comic book show, but 'Beacon of Hope' is too cartoony for my liking. Though I use Schumacher’s name too much when it comes to Gotham reviews, tonight’s Arrow matches the tonal problems that plague Fox’s show. Worst of all, while there are parts I do like, they are marred by a lack of substance. The villain is weak, the story is slapped together and the episode feels rushed. Let’s hope that next week is better: I am hesitant to be excited because the writers are falling back on ‘creating conflict out of nowhere.’ However, it has the potential to be intriguing. Edited March 31, 2016 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 31, 2016 Share March 31, 2016 IGN's mixed review of 417... ARROW: "BEACON OF HOPE" REVIEWBY JESSE SCHEDEEN 30 MAR 2016http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/03/31/arrow-beacon-of-hope-review Arrow’s fourth season has been an improvement over the third in several ways, but the biggest reason is the added emphasis on humor. Just because Star City is a hellhole doesn’t mean these characters can’t crack a smile now and then. However, the humor has slowly drained out of the picture in recent episodes as Ollie’s life has gone down the tubes yet again. “Beacon of Hope” was a welcome reminder that, even in the midst of Ollie and Felicity’s awkward split, the show knows how to have fun. Maybe a little too much fun at times.* * *Larvin herself was easily the weak link in the conflict. Kinney wasn’t given the chance to do much with the character beyond gloat in front of a camera and make really, really stupid bee puns. And apparently the puns were infectious, because pretty much every character threw out at least one before the end. Only one scene where Larvin revealed the reason she desired Felicity’s neural implant so badly gave this villain any sense of depth or complexity. It felt like the writers missed a good opportunity to build a more personal rivalry between Larvin and Felicity. The fact that Felicity was responsible for her incarceration was only briefly acknowledged by either character. Maybe next time. But if the return of the Bug-Eyed Bandit herself was largely a disappointment, the general wackiness of the situation and the character banter were enough to make up for it. This episode had a very campy, B-movie horror vibe to it. Again, that’s something that’s pretty much par for the course with Flash, but a little more unusual for Team Arrow to contend with... ... But above all, seeing Curtis take his place as the newest member of Team Arrow made this episode worth watching. It was great to see Echo Kellum given a meatier role for once, especially one that didn’t involve a subplot divorced from the rest of the conflict. Curtis’ bubbly personality and fanboy reaction to working alongside the Green Arrow made him a very entertaining character. It doesn’t appear that Felicity will be immediately returning to her job as team Arrow’s tech support, so it could be that we’ll be seeing a lot more of Curtis in the Bunker going forward. He’s earned his spot.* * *Curtis’ storyline ended on an especially strong note, one that went against the grain of the generally more lighthearted tone this week. Ollie wrestled a lot with the idea that he can’t seem to juggle his vigilante career and personal life without letting one or the other fall by the wayside. Ultimately, Ollie’s problem is that he never seems to learn that honesty is the key to achieving that balance. There was a certain foreboding quality to that last scene between Curtis and his husband, as it’s clear Curtis is already beginning to walk down that same path. Will his relationship suffer as Ollie’s has? While the emphasis on humor and silliness was a welcome change of pace, there were times when this episode seemed a little too goofy or soap opera-y for its own good. The writing was at its worst whenever characters like Laurel or Thea tried to deliver pep talks to Ollie and Felicity and counsel them through their breakup blues. It all seemed very awkward and out of place. Ollie had an especially painful line when he said something to the effect of “Why can I save this city but not my relationship?”. Ugh. Maybe you deserve to be alone if you’re going to spout nonsense like that, Ollie. 1 Link to comment
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