tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) On Arrow, you can take Oliver out of the Russian mob, but you can’t take the Russian mob out of Oliver By Alasdair Wilkins Feb 9, 2017 2:35 AMhttp://www.avclub.com/tvclub/arrow-you-can-take-oliver-out-russian-mob-you-cant-250011 Quote Even at its best—and Arrow is right now at its best, or damn close to it—this has never been a realistic show. And I don’t just mean in the “hey, the dude with magical rags just used said magical rags to contain a nuclear blast.” After all, that bit is actually logically consistent with what the show has previously established about those rags, and Rory’s halfhearted assurance that he had faith underscored how preposterous the plan was at first glance. It’s more Arrow’s insistence on hanging onto its CW soap opera roots, which means Oliver is still very much dating Susan Williams despite this being a giant honking conflict of interest. (And a deeply dumb idea, given Williams’ previous willingness to violate trust in order to break a story—which is a good thing that good journalists should do, broadly speaking, but not ideal in a would-be girlfriend.) The simple fact this is a superhero show means Arrow exists in a heightened reality, and it’s willing to run with that when it comes to Oliver’s romantic dalliances, or Felicity’s ability to instantly orchestrate a shakedown of some poor Russian, or that it’s still even remotely hard to figure out that Oliver is the Green Arrow, or the fact that nukes going off in this world still don’t seem like nearly as big a deal as they ought to. * * * Indeed, “Bratva” tells what is a fundamentally very simple story: Oliver wants to leave his brutal past behind him, but he would rather go back there than let John and Felicity get dragged into the muck with him. This kind of moral murkiness isn’t uncharted territory for Arrow, but tonight’s episode sets itself apart in a couple ways. The biggest difference with episodes past is that we almost entirely skip Oliver’s requisite angst, with Dinah saying she can’t stand brooding. One of the show’s great achievements has been in how it has slowly built up Oliver’s formidability, a point underscored by how instantly he and Dinah took down Anatoli’s requested targets. This season has enhanced that by depicting a more emotionally balanced Oliver, which provides a good contrast with an unstable Diggle and an uncertain Felicity. John completely blurs the line between justice and vengeance, while Felicity’s guilt about leaving her hacker past behind leads her to target some low-level nobody. It’s all done in pursuit of General Walker—and Arrow does at least have the good taste to not go full 24 and bullshit about torture’s efficacy—but these aren’t the John and Felicity we’ve grown used to. That doesn’t mean Oliver is right to argue their role is to prove Prometheus wrong, to remain pure in a way Oliver cannot. Sure, he’s the show’s protagonist, but that doesn’t mean the characters should actually believe that everything revolve around him, and both characters ought to be free to make their own mistakes. And “Bratva” ultimately pulls out the right takeaway here, with Diggle using Oliver’s belief in him to find the strength necessary not to kill Walker in cold blood. As John says at episode’s end, all three make one another better. Oliver has grown enough to allow John and Felicity their occasional crises, and this is also where Rory’s place on the team has proven so important. I’m still not a fan of the Haven Rock plot point—if nothing else, a show probably shouldn’t do something that momentous if it can’t afford to show more than three seconds of the event on-screen—but Rory’s presence in this episode as Felicity’s conscience is crucial, considering Oliver has more than enough going on with John. If Rory really is leaving the show, even temporarily, that doesn’t portend well for Felicity, who sure seems like she could use some help at the moment to keep on the straight and narrow. ... Dinah reads more like useful plot device than fully-formed character at this point, serving as heavy artillery and newbie wisecracker. If that’s still the case a month from now, we’ve got a problem, but for now her presence is most useful as a catalyst for the more established characters—she got Oliver to skip his brooding, after all. If that’s not a sign of a newer, better Arrow, I don’t know what is. Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Ugh - Tinah is not the first person to call Oliver out! Oliver has been called out by Diggle, Felicity, Quentin, Laurel, etc.... ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Bratva” – To Russia with Love BY ALLISON KEENE FEBRUARY 8, 2017http://collider.com/arrow-recap-bratva/ Quote In some ways, Oliver has come full circle. He’s still impulsive and lives by a code that isn’t always consistent. For example, he refuses to rough up some guys on Anatoly’s orders, but he’s fine killing five gunmen. The difference is that while he’s willing to take on that burden, he’s not willing for his team to do the same. He knows that in trying to help him find Walker, Felicity is doing something shady, and Diggle is making a man a human punching bag in front of his eyes (while also saying he doesn’t care that there are civilians in the church — slow down, Dig!) They’re following his lead, and once he realizes it he confronts them: “I need the two of you to be better than me, because you are.” But while Diggle finds himself at peace by the end of the hour, having not killed Walker outright as he had intended to, Felicity continues to ally herself with the hacktivist group. Last week, Kayti mentioned how great it was to see Felicity embracing this part of her past again, as it’s her own brand of vigilantism. And yet, I don’t fully trust where this info came from or what it means for her to get involved with this group. Is it some kind of trap? Rory was certainly suspicious about it, but since he’s off to mend his ancient rags from radiation poisoning or whatever it was that happened in that scene (the less said about it the better), there’s no one who is going to call Felicity out on it at the moment. * * * — That whole nuke subplot was pretty ridiculous and didn’t make a ton of sense, but the most frustrating thing was that Felicity clearly learned nothing from Haven Rock! She’s going to figure out how to fly a plane in a few minutes and then what, scatter the radiation even farther? I thought Arrow was really going to address lessons learned from Haven Rock, but evidently not (or not yet). Thankfully Rory sacrificed his rags to save them instead, while reminding Felicity that she doesn’t have great judgment around nukes. * * * — I think Dinah is making a good addition to the team, mainly as someone who can and will call Oliver out. * * * — “You, me, Felicity … we make each other better” – Diggle. Y’all better keep an eye on Felicity though! Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Arrow Season 5 Episode 12 Review: Bratva Tyler McCarthy Feb. 8, 2017http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/arrow/262093/arrow-season-5-episode-12-review-bratva Quote All season long, Arrow has been rewarding fans that stuck with its flashback gimmick since day one, but no episode exemplified that better than “Bratva.” However, one wonders if the choice to double down on a storyline that’s not yet complete was the right move for the aging CW series. * * * The reason I mention that the episode may have suffered for this gimmick, other than the fact that it was impressively light on both the action and cool superhero suits, is that it felt a bit too soon. At the moment, all we know about Oliver’s return to Star City is that a mysterious and highly-trained young woman came to show him how important his father’s list of people to kill is. Meanwhile, he was only in the motherland to begin with to kill Constantine Kovar. Fans are right in the middle of this storyline, so it was jarring to see us go back and find Oliver atoning for sins he’ll presumably commit in the next five or six episodes. To see his relationship still strained with the Bratva and his good friend Anatoly still alive, but only mad enough to punch him, kind of takes the mystery out of anything that’s to come with the all-important flashbacks. * * * That’s not to say that there weren’t a few cool moments. For one, I’m loving the new attitude that Felicity is exhibiting these days. Thanks to her new world-changing allies with the hacker group Helix, she’s got a newfound secret agent persona that’s really interesting. She feels that her seemingly limitless talents can be better served doing more missions outside of Star City, and any viewer worth their salt should agree. Now, it’s obvious that the integrity of the character is in danger here, and we can’t actually root for Felicity to become a super badass femme fatale with ambiguous morals, but it’ll be fun while it lasts. Additionally, the flashbacks showed yet another historic Green Arrow moment when Oliver took down the first name on his father’s hit list, Hideo Yamane. * * * Still, with moments of intrigue few and far between, the only thing left to fall back on with the inclusion of “Bratva” is the cliffhanger ending. The episode finally pulled the trigger on giving Oliver Queen a new girlfriend in the form of Susan Williams (sorry Olicity fans, but they clearly had sex). However, she’s a character that’s still shrouded in mystery.... Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
LeighAn February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 12 minutes ago, tv echo said: Ugh - Tinah is not the first person to call Oliver out! Oliver has been called out by Diggle, Felicity, Quentin, Laurel, etc.... ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Bratva” – To Russia with Love BY ALLISON KEENE FEBRUARY 8, 2017http://collider.com/arrow-recap-bratva/ So much resentment of a successful intelligent fictional woman in this review. 4 Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 ARROW: "BRATVA" REVIEW Jesse Scheeden Feb. 8, 2017http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/09/arrow-bratva-review Quote Felicity had her own shady dealings going on while Ollie was reconnecting with Anatoly. While part of me is still wary of this Pandora subplot and the fact that the show has so much going on already, for the most part it’s nice to see Felicity deal with a new challenge that falls a little outside Team Arrow’s umbrella. It was certainly amusing seeing her play the part of a vengeful Russian gangster, complete with two terribly unconvincing bodyguards. At the same time, she’s showing some unsettling warning signs that suggest Diggle might not be the only one struggling to maintain the moral high ground. There was a lot of emphasis this week on Ollie and Diggle’s ongoing battles against their darker selves, yet it may be Felicity who’s truly in danger of crossing a line. It’s a promising new direction for the character that, for once, doesn’t revolve around romantic drama. Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Arrow Season 5 Episode 12 Review: “Bratva” Chris King+ February 8, 2017http://www.tvovermind.com/the-cw/arrow/arrow-season-5-episode-12-review-bratva Quote So what’s so wrong about what Diggle and Felicity are doing? We’ve seen Oliver and countless others bend and break the rules before on this show; why should the two of them be looked at any differently? It’s because of how important they are to Oliver, not only as friends and loved ones but as inspirations. I mentioned in my review of last week’s episode that Oliver’s second chance at life didn’t come from him donning a hood and protecting Star City; no, it came from his relationships from with Diggle and Felicity, two people who didn’t know him before his time on the island but saw something strong and hopeful and heroic in him when he returned, two individuals that not only work with Oliver as crime fighters but have encouraged him to be a better man, to fully live up to his potential. If they falter, then who does Oliver turn to for advice and wisdom? If Diggle and Felicity fall into the darkness, then what hope does Oliver have to be a beacon of light? Is Prometheus actually right about Oliver and his crusade in Star City? Does he only cause pain and death to those around him? Oliver’s worries about John and Felicity are only intensified by the fact that all of this is taking place in Russia, a place that serves as a powerful reminder of the killer he was in the past. It’s here, in this location where Oliver is surrounded by his fellow Bratva members and the crime that they are all a part of, that he needs Diggle and Felicity’s light more than ever, so that he can focus on the person he has become in the past five years instead of remembering the man that he used to be. Oddly enough, though, it’s not John or Felicity’s words that have the greatest impact on Oliver in this week’s Arrow. Instead, it’s his conversation with Dinah that shakes him from his self-doubt, as she tells him what he (and we) have known for years: that Oliver is not defined by how he lived in the past but by who he continues to be in the present. As Dinah explains, Prometheus has Oliver paying so much attention to what’s wrong with him that he’s not able to recognize all the good he does; Oliver has become so consumed with his past failings that he’s letting them drag him down like an anchor. Fortunately, it seems that Dinah’s words in “Bratva” (along with Diggle’s reaffirmation that it’s not just he and Felicity that make Oliver better but that the three of them are at their very best when they’re together as a united team) have helped Oliver break free of his self-hating ways (for the moment at least), because in order to fight against Prometheus and win, he’s going to need to believe not only in himself but in the team around him. * * *Sadly, that team gets a little smaller at the end of this week’s Arrow, as Rory temporarily leaves Star City when his rags lose their magical power after he uses them to absorb the blast from Walker’s nuke. Fittingly, Rory’s final scene is with Felicity, and “Bratva” does a pretty remarkable job of ending their journey together, as the two of them work together to stop another Havenrock incident from happening. Some could argue that Arrow still hasn’t dedicated enough time to Felicity’s grief over what she was forced to do last season, but between the opening hours of Season 5, which saw Felicity confronting the Havenrock issue head-on by talking to Rory, and her actions in tonight’s episode, I feel quite satisfied with how the Arrow writers have handled this storyline, especially after they essentially ignored it at the end of Season 4. Not to mention, Felicity appears to be getting her meatiest story of the season yet with her plans to continue down her dark path of hacking, and with Rory gone from the team, there’s no one there who fully knows what she’s capable of or who can serve as her conscience as she keeps using Pandora. This arc certainly works as a more compelling and potentially more fulfilling way of exploring Felicity’s grief over Billy, as her desire to dive deeper and deeper into the world of hacking provides her with the power and control that she didn’t possess to prevent Billy’s death. However, I can’t see her actions continuing on for too much longer without Oliver discovering what she’s really up to, and when Oliver does find out, I believe he’ll help bring the light back to this new, dark version of Felicity, inspiring and encouraging her just like she’s done for him so many times in the past. It’s just like Diggle says: they bring out the best in each other. * * * Felicity suggests that Oliver could have done something more than just talk with Dinah. “What happens in Russia stays in Russia. Remember?” she says to him, referencing the last time they were in Russia when Oliver slept with Isabel Rochev. Felicity Smoak does not forget, ladies and gentlemen. Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 Rory takes his exit from ‘Arrow’ now that Ragman is no more LINDSAY MACDONALD FEBRUARY 8, 2017http://screenertv.com/television/arrow-susan-discovers-oliver-green-arrow-rory-exits-starling-city/ Quote We’re hoping Rory finds a way to restore those old rags with whatever magic was powering them before, because we’re not sure if we can handle how dark “Arrow” has gotten without Rory’s smile, snark and can-do attitude. He might be a bit of an absurdly-powered hero, but he often provided the lighthearted reprieve the audience needed to stomach all the other stuff. * * * Investigating Oliver’s trip to Russia (and spotting the not-so-coincidental appearance of the Green Arrow there) is either awesome journalism or terrible sneakiness. Maybe both. We’re not entirely sure she didn’t press Oliver about sleeping together in the hopes of getting his shirt off and confirming he’s got a Bratva tattoo. Come on, girl, we all want to get Oliver’s shirt off, but cut a superhero a break. Link to comment
Trisha February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 This is not specifically about Arrow but about how pretty much all broadcast shows airing Wednesday nights have dropped greatly this year, with some additional insight on how networks choose which shows to dedicate more promos to: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/tv-ratings-wednesday-feb-8-2017/ Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Review: ‘Arrow’ Rejoins the ‘Bratva’ With a Timely Trip to Russia Kevin Fitzpatrick | Feb. 8, 2017http://screencrush.com/arrow-bratva-review/ Quote In any case, “Bratva” actually managed to keep the majority of those plates spinning pretty soundly, between Diggle teetering over the edge in their pursuit of General Walker, and Felicity flexing a bit of her own dark tendencies* to continue relying on that Pandora intel, and even intimidate someone into giving her access to their server. On their own, both turns might have seemed a bit extreme, but Oscar Balderrama & Emilio Ortega Aldrich’s script neatly dovetailed both with Oliver’s Prometheus-inspired concerns about his morality infecting others. Even better, was that Diggle would be the one to reframe Oliver’s thinking as the original Arrow trio keeping one another in check, as well a sign of growth from Diggle’s reaction to Andy threatening Lyla. *I suppose the closest analogy for Felicity relying on said hacking shortcuts are some sort of drug, or performance-enhancements? Perhaps we’re leaning into our Dark Willow phase? * * * At this point in Season 5, it seems like Arrow doesn’t have the time to take things too slowly; between Dinah quickly connecting with different members of the team (her reassurance of Oliver was a quick indicator of their chemistry), or the flashbacks champing at the bit to move on from the Kovar story and back to Starling City. There’s still a long road between Oliver busting up a drug deal in his hood, and ending up back on Lian Yu (to say nothing of where Talia’s involvement in all of this is going), and I’d doubt if Dolph Lundgren has too many more episodes left in his contract. * * * Oliver and Dinah talk about not letting their pasts weigh them down. They do remember murdering people last week, right? * * * Yeah, maybe … stop using nukes in your stories, Arrow. It always comes off way more ridiculous than they’re prepared for. Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Arrow 5.12 Review – “Bratva” February 8, 2017 | Posted by Michael Haigishttp://411mania.com/movies/arrow-5-12-review-bratva/ Quote Twenty-three episode seasons are an outmoded content delivery system, because very few stories can fill that space. In that regard, Arrow is no different most network serials: regularly lapped in quality and relevance by streaming, or premium, offerings. The way Arrow sometimes attacks this inherent problem is by – as you read above – indulging in the meaningless, the distracting, the shiny new object. Here today and gone tomorrow. The show is much better, though, when it rolls confidently through arcs – two or three weeks at a time – set before the backdrop of the season’s larger conflict. Tonight’s episode, titled “Bratva” (shockingly, a name that hadn’t been used yet), was a fitting example of this successful storytelling tick. The sixty minutes provided a resolution for Diggle’s General Walker storyline, furthered Felicity’s “Hacktivist” arc, and related the ongoing flashback plot in an immediate, compelling fashion. And like the best Arrow episodes, “Bratva” performed a trick – juggling three plots, and revealing an inordinate number of twists (afraid as ever that we may forget to tune in next week), without showing you the work. The episode’s elements weren’t disparate; it rarely felt like all the different moving parts were clanging against each other, or worse – spinning in entirely different universes. The formula for success, at this point, is clear. In these connective episodes – the down weeks, after the stage is set but before the season can prepare for landing – Arrow must rely on it’s secondary cast if the episodes themselves are going to be anything more than pointless detours. Oliver can, and does, continue to drive the plot of the season overall. But episodes like “Bratva” work because Oliver’s role is more point guard and less shooting guard. His character sets the pace, picks up the assists, and moves the pieces around the board. But in this episode, it’s Diggle, Felicity, even Wild Dog, who do the scoring. * * * This may seem like more of Arrow as a hollow morality play – my least favorite Arrow – but it fits the structure I laid out above. Oliver’s conscious decision to compromise his own ethics, so that his partners don’t do the same, is a logical solution to the time sensitive problem of General Walker. But it’s also a direct rebuke to Prometheus’ main thesis – that Oliver makes everyone around him worse. This is Oliver realizing that he has the power to change that, mainly by operating as a sin-eater for his entire team in all their endeavors. The Past – sorry, THE PAST doesn’t have to be Oliver’s anchor, he realizes, but it does inform who he is in the present. Or, basically, what’s one more misdeed done for the greater good? Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) ‘Arrow’ Recap: Another Havenrock Robert Chan February 9, 2017https://www.yahoo.com/tv/arrow-recap-another-havenrock-150842681.html Quote No matter how many people you add, this show still comes down to the balance of Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity. Oliver is driven to do good by any means necessary and he needs Diggle and Felicity to keep him from becoming as bad as the criminals he hunts. Diggle needs Oliver and Felicity to check the rage that made him kill his brother. Felicity needs Diggle and Oliver to keep from backsliding into the anarchist hacker she once was. Diggle saying, “You, me, Felicity — we make each other better,” is basically the writers pointing out what the show needs to be its best. * * * The best case scenario is that Susan is an active part of the Prometheus plot to destroy Oliver. If not, then she’s either a sleazy tabloid journalist willing to engage in a long con relationship just to get a juicy story, or she’s an investigative journalist so committed to her craft that she’s willing to prostitute herself for it. Both of those options make her seem like a sociopath; at least, if Prometheus is behind it, she’ll have a good reason for her actions. * * * *Has David Ramsay been putting on an absurd amount of muscle? Or did the costume designers just put him into something that makes him look like he should have a WWE championship around his waist? * * **Oliver is unusually open with Dinah. On the one hand, it’s great for him because she gives him straight talk that he needs to hear. On the other hand, didn’t he convince her to join the team by promising to help her deal with the very same problems he’s now struggling with? What is she getting out of this? *Goth Felicity is great, but Russian oligarch Felicity is Next Level. Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Team Arrow heads to Russia to stop a nuke in the latest episode Trent Moore Feb 09, 2017 11:00amhttp://www.blastr.com/2017-2-9/team-arrow-heads-russia-stop-nuke-latest-episode Quote Pulling the team out of Star City and setting them off on an international adventure worked wonders. It uprooted pretty much everyone out of their comfort zone and proved to be one heck of an ambitious stand-alone episode. We got some excellent match-ups among team members and some connective tissue to the Russian flashback saga this season. Arguably the most surprising twist was Felicity going full-on dark, blackmailing a Russian telecom exec into letting them into their system. Emily Bett Rickards really seemed to enjoy finding the darker corners of Felicity's personality. * * * We only met the new Canary, conveniently named Dinah (Juliana Harkavy), last week — and here she seems to be a fully-integrated member of Team Arrow, happy to jump on a plane to Russia and lend a hand. Umm, it really feels like we skipped a few episodes here. She went from tentative about joining the team to gung-ho in less than an episode ... in the meantime, the entire first half of the season was used to set up the other new team members and follow their training. Harkavy is doing a solid job with the character and she could actually prove a good fit, but this episode felt like too much, too soon. So, let's get this straight: Rory's magic rags can absorb the full blast and yield of a nuclear blast (plus all the radiation!), but that apparently proves just enough stress to kill the rag's magic for good? Using that McGuffin to stop the explosion was silly in the first place but it raises the question of what will happen to Rory now? He seemed to be hitting the door (at least temporarily) at the end of this episode. If the writers do use this as a way to reduce his role, it's a bad move. Of all the new team members, Rory is arguably the most likable — and his friendship with Felicity actually feels organic. They better not be writing him off the team to make room for Canary 2.0. * * * For the first time in a long time, Felicity finally has a big story that's not tied to a relationship. She took advantage of that mysterious data cache to get some leverage on the Russian this week and seems keen to continue hacktivist-ing (?) with that information. There's obviously a larger story they're setting up with this and I'm actually interested to see where it goes. So, Oliver's ruthless reporter girlfriend has been playing him this whole time and investigating him on the down-low. Who didn't see that reveal coming? (Yawn.) She has apparently figured out he's the Green Arrow now, so hopefully that will come to a head sooner rather than later. And seriously, is Oliver really this dumb? Please let him be playing an angle here. Because if not, wow. Dumb. Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo 3 Link to comment
Morrigan2575 February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 Quote Of all the new team members, Rory is arguably the most likable — and his friendship with Felicity actually feels organic. They better not be writing him off the team to make room for Canary 2.0. Of course they are 4 Link to comment
tv echo February 9, 2017 Share February 9, 2017 (edited) Flash, Legends of Tomorrow & Arrow Are Going In Opposite Directions Posted on February 9, 2017 by Kelly Kondahttps://weminoredinfilm.com/2017/02/09/the-flash-legends-of-tomorrow-arrow-are-going-in-opposite-directions/ Quote So, if Flash is the show running in place, Legends the one improving with every new episode, where does that leave Arrow? Backsliding, that’s where. ... Plausibility aside, the episode was more structured as a fulcrum point to connect the ongoing Russia-set flashbacks with the present (is “Bratva” Arrow’s new “Mirakuru,” i.e., the word you never want to hear again?), and to bring Oliver, Felicity and Diggle into the same room together for the first time in a long time only to realize that they are all three breaking bad in some way or another. By episode’s end, Oliver’s plea for unity and appeal to the better angels of their nature resonated with Diggle, who made the just choice in not killing evil General man, but not with Felicity, whose newly rejuvenated hacktivist tendencies were only further emboldened. * * *Dinah, the new Black Canary, was also around, speaking of Felicity and Diggle in a heart-to-heart with Oliver as if they were people she actually knew when in fact their introductions must have occurred off screen in-between episodes. * * * Plus, Oliver somehow found the time to have sex with his journalist girlfriend, with the episode going out of its way to point out that their sexual encounter in the mid-season finale had just been a makeout session and nothing more (there had been plenty of confusion about that). So, the oddly long list of shows to run with the “journalist sleeps with the man she’s supposed to be investigating” storyline now officially includes Arrow, with the latest twist being she seems to have connected the dots and figured out the obvious truth that Oliver is the Green Arrow. So, Arrow just lost a cast member, and it should have hurt more than it did. Rory’s departure should have been more meaningful, but it wasn’t, not with Felicity being the only one to bid him adieu in person and striking an almost nonchalant tone in the process, kind of like, “Okay. Whatever. We’ll see ya’ when we see ya’. I’ve got some hacktivist stuff to do anyway.” He went out the same way he came in, defined by a nuclear missile-related accident but performed by a charismatic actor capable of doing more than was being asked of him. It also continued Arrow’s surprisingly casual treatment of nuclear weapons as a threat. Frankly, any storyline that is dependent upon reminding us of the nuclear Armageddon at the end of season four is almost irreparably damaged by the association. This alone does not constitute the backslide I referenced earlier. In fact, it’s not any one storyline that’s causing that; it’s all of them. More specifically, Arrow has at least one too many plates spinning in the air right now, and too little time to give to its sprawling cast. That’s why Thea has been gone for multiple episodes with the thinnest of explanations (although it’s possible she’s up to something secret for Oliver that will pay off soon), and why Evelyn’s betrayal and Rory’s departure failed to register in any kind of meaningful way. This might now free up screen time for others, but it’s not like Rory was getting much to begin with. More egregiously, the team roles still seem surprisingly fluid, with Curtis transitioning into a more Cisco-like lab engineer role one week before being thrown back into the field the next. As such, when we got the Guardians of the Galaxy/Suicide Squad hero shot in “Bratva” of everyone on Team Arrow walking into Russia I literally had no idea why Rory was there. On top of that, the Russia flashbacks seem to only be continuing at this point because they didn’t pay Dolph Lundgren just to show up for a couple of episodes and not get a final fight with Oliver. Edited February 9, 2017 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
MaisyDaisy February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 6 hours ago, tv echo said: Of all the new team members, Rory is arguably the most likable — and his friendship with Felicity actually feels organic. They better not be writing him off the team to make room for Canary 2.0. Um that's Canary 3.0 thank you. Or though some might argue that she is Canary 3.5. 3 Link to comment
Starfish35 February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 10 minutes ago, MaisyDaisy said: Um that's Canary 3.0 thank you. Or though some might argue that she is Canary 3.5. 3.0. :) If we're including Evelyn she was 2.5. Lol. Link to comment
Morrigan2575 February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 1 hour ago, Starfish35 said: 3.0. :) If we're including Evelyn she was 2.5. Lol. Sara Laurel Evelyn Tinah So I'm going with 3.5 Baby Canary counts. 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 (edited) Arrow Review: Felicity Is the Bright Spot in an Episodic Checklist of Plot Points BY CRAIG WACK · FEBRUARY 9, 2017http://oohlo.com/2017/02/09/arrow-review-felicity-is-the-bright-spot-in-an-episodic-checklist-of-plot-points/ Quote After last week’s hunt for a new Black Canary produced mixed results, “Bratva” at times felt like it had all the excitement of a checklist. The bright spot was Felicity, who after Haven Rock, is determined to keep nukes out of the hands of terrorists, seemingly no matter the cost. The Pandora she received does more than stream music, as it appears to have compromising dirt on everyone. She uses the information to get glammed up and intimidate a Russian mobster. At the end, despite Rory’s warnings about the correlation between great power and great responsibility, Felicity isn’t done using the list to help the team and world – if she’s not getting played by her newfound hacktivist buddy. The rest of the episode played out like a writer accomplishing a list of goals in bullet point fashion. * * *-Ditch Rory: The show took care of its “Ragman’s suit is too expensive to CGI every week” problem by having him heroically absorb the blast of the nuclear bomb that Felicity was unable to disarm. His rags have lost their powers and Rory is heading to the sidelines because it’s not stupid. -Establish New Canary: That’s ok about Rory, because the New Canary, Dinah is Oliver’s dream of a sidekick: gritty, tough, a sound tactician and really powerful. * * *-Remember her?: After not seeing her in weeks, Reporter Susan is back to “advise” Ollie, and to try to get into his pants. She successfully seals the latter deal and Ollie nearly spills his secret to her during their pillow talk. Boy, is Ollie going to be mad that his surprise will be ruined because, thanks to her shady private detective, Susan has figured out both Ollie’s Russian gang past, and his secret identity. Edited February 10, 2017 by tv echo 3 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 "Bratva"- Arrow S05E12 Review By Gislef Feb. 9, 2017http://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/bratva--arrow-s05e12-review-1486618184/ Quote Probably the most thrilling development was that Rory's rags lost their power. He used them to contain a nuclear blast and for some reason, that stripped them of their magic. Rory talks like he knows the power is gone for good because of his psychic bond with them. Sadly, this means Joe Dinicol is probably leaving the series for the foreseeable future. Rory says that he's now a liability to the team, but... Curtis isn't? Goodbye, Mr. Dinicol: you will be missed. * * * And Felicity is still involved with the Helix hacker group and Alena (the name of Kacey Rohl's character from last week). Apparently the data cache they gave Felicity has a lot of information on it and is basically Felicity's version of The List. She uses it to blackmail some Russian dude week, and apparently there's a lot more info on it. * * *Overall, "Bratva" was a fairly average episode. I've lost track of all the Bratva stuff by now, so I have no idea if this lines up with what we've already been told. Anatoly is the head of the Bratva now, I think, so presumably Oliver makes good on his promise to kill Gregor. As for Kovar, who knows? So far, Talia has been kind of a waste, too. I assume she has some ulterior motive for putting Oliver on the path of "You have failed this city," but I have no idea what and she really hasn't displayed much personality yet. Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 (edited) Arrow Review: Bratva (Season 5 Episode 12) February 9, 2017 Lissete Lanuza Sáenzhttp://telltaletv.com/2017/02/arrow-review-bratva-season-5-episode-12/ Quote If anything,“Bratva” does a good job of playing with the notion of Oliver Queen, the same man who spent “five years in hell” and has done so many questionable things, somehow being the light, not for himself, not yet, but for those closest to him – Diggle and Felicity. But that’s about all it does right, story-wise. * * *Diggle’s descent into darkness feels rushed, just like his whole jail-then-out storyline has felt rushed. But then again, we’ve been promised a satisfying emotional storyline for Diggle so many times that, at this point, I’ve just about given up on anything but a couple of episodes worth of surface angst. * * * Yes, it’s interesting to see her going all Slytherin, but since this Robot Felicity and we hardly get to see her express actual feelings these days, it’s hard to believe we’re actually going to get the emotional payoff this storyline deserves. * * *The unevenness in the characterization is what makes this episode, and the whole season, frankly, so hard to swallow. Would the Felicity of Season 1-4 have welcomed Diggle back without even a hug? Would she have walked away from Rory in such a cavalier manner? Would Oliver, for that matter, have trusted Dinah 2.0 to be the one to back him up, and then, give him a pep talk? Also, would either of them have behaved like the two strangers who discuss Oliver maybe taking Dinah out and make references to “what happens in Russia stays in Russia” like it’s nothing? * * *At this point, the writers are either going for Felicity being so deep in denial that she can’t see what’s in front of her or they’ve actually forgotten these two people were not just engaged to be married but have risked their lives for each other countless times. Hell, right now, Oliver looks to be more in touch with his emotions than Felicity is, and he’s sleeping with Susan Williams. * * * If they were going to try to sell the “Oliver didn’t sleep with the reporter” crap, then WHY DID THEY FADE TO BLACK that one time? That’s the universal signal for sexy times. * * * Felicity and Dinah 2.0 still haven’t had an actual conversation. If the Iris/Caitlin relationship on The Flash is anything to go by, they won’t anytime soon. * * *Yay, Olicity hug. *rolls eyes* So, that bone should hold us over till what …May? Wait, we also got two OTA scenes. So, until mid-season finale of next year? * * * You slept with a reporter. You were JUST in Russia. She has eyes. Your bratva tattoo isn’t some cryptic thing. Why am I even watching this show if the main character is an idiot? Edited February 10, 2017 by tv echo 9 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 (edited) Arrow 5×12 Review: ‘Bratva’ Feb. 9, 2017 ALYSSA BARBIERIhttp://fangirlish.com/arrow-5x12-review-bratva/ Quote As a whole, “Bratva” was a damn good episode of television. Probably one of the best episodes of this fifth season. It was a thrilling Russian adventure where everybody got to play their part (except Wild Dog who was left behind because they realize what bringing him would’ve done.) It allowed for some amazing character moments, including some really powerful moments between our OTA – Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity. It actually felt like an episode of Arrow, with some new tweaks. Well, at least until those last five minutes where it felt like I’d been given the world only for it to be snatched from my hands. When the Arrow writers flashed to a post-sex scene between Oliver and Susan. When Rory told Felicity that he was leaving town because his rags had malfunctioned after taking the blast that saved them all in Russia. * * *I could write a thesis paper on the importance of Original Team Arrow to the success and credibility of Arrow. This is the dynamic to end all dynamics. There is no dynamic more important than that between Oliver Queen, John Diggle, and Felicity Smoak. Way back in season 1, OTA gave Arrow life when it felt like it was losing its soul. It gave audiences a reason to care. It gave audiences a glimpse at a truly special dynamic that has defined my obsession and love for this show. IT. IS. WHY. I. WATCH. ARROW. Here’s the thing, a dynamic like Original Team Arrow’s isn’t something that a show can easily manufacture. That’s because it runs deeper than manufacturing three characters and their individual bonds with each other and as a family. The real magic rests with Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, and Emily Bett Rickards who have made OTA what it is today. * * * For the first time I finally understand why Oliver is scared of Prometheus. I finally understand what makes him different from the other villains. Prometheus’ grand plan isn’t destroying a city, or destroying Oliver, or destroying the world. Prometheus’ grand plan is to destroy the people that have made Oliver the hero he is today. His grand plan is to make Oliver helplessly watch as those that he loves are driven into darkness. * * * How stupid of me to find one new character – in a sea of new characters – to grow attached to only for him to be snatched from my hands in the (second) most heartbreaking way possible. In a season that I’ve most despised, Rory was the one new character that made Arrow feel like Arrow. The way his story was intertwined with core member Felicity’s, and the way he was incorporated in a way that never felt overbearing was the one thing that I loved about this season. * * * You see, Rory’s backstory is one that is so heartbreaking and one that has really hit home with me. And watching Rory – having lost his family – find a new one in Team Arrow was something really special. It was something that I could believe in. But for whatever reason, the Arrow writers decided that enough was enough of a good thing. Edited February 10, 2017 by tv echo 7 Link to comment
MaisyDaisy February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 39 minutes ago, tv echo said: The rest of the episode played out like a writer accomplishing a list of goals in bullet point fashion. Ouch, but hahahahaha. 7 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 THE MORAL HIGH GROUND: ARROW 5X12 REVIEW (BRATVA) jbuffyangel Feb. 9, 2017http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/157026378963/the-moral-high-ground-arrow-5x12-review-bratva 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 (edited) 'Arrow' Recap: The Team Heads to Russia to Stop a Nuclear Arms Deal February 08, 2017 'Derek Staufferhttp://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/arrow-recap-the-team-heads-to-63187.aspx Quote These dark actions by his two best friends inspires Oliver to, once again, take all the pressure on his own shoulders. This is a well-worn plot for Arrow. Oliver always tries to protect/control Dig and Felicity. When it works though, it works very well. In "Bratva," it works. The trio of Dig, Felicity and Oliver is something that comes just from Arrow. It has no basis in the comics and anytime the show explores their strong bond, the show is firing on all cylinders. The storyline also manages to stay fresh because Dinah (our new Black Canary) is around. When Oliver starts whining about Felicity and Dig flirting with the dark side, Dinah tells him to shut up and stop brooding, he can't take responsibility for everything. This further cements Dinah as the Black Canary Arrow needs. Why Susan Williams Is the Biggest Problem Plaguing 'Arrow' Season 5 February 09, 2017 'Derek Staufferhttp://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/why-susan-williams-is-the-bigg-63195.aspx Quote There are a number of criticisms that Arrow fans can hurl at Susan. Her name is ranks right under Jane Doe in the most generic female names of all time. Even though she is in a relationship with Oliver, there is a shocking lack of any chemistry between the actors. (This critique has nothing to do with her keeping Oliver and Felicity apart and everything to do with the fact that Susan is just as interesting as watching paint dry when she is with Ollie.) These are the big problems. It's not even that Arrow keeps teasing that there is something shady going on with Susan but refusing to give more than scant details. The reason Susan doesn't work is that Arrow has given us no reason for her existence. * * * The big reveal of Susan's most recent spotlight episode, "Bratva," had her discover that Oliver Queen and the Green Arrow are the same person. This would be a shocking and concerning twist ... if Arrow was still in season 2 or 3. At this point in Arrow's history it really isn't that damaging for anyone to find out that Oliver and the Green Arrow are the same person. The Green Arrow used to be a dangerous vigilante that wasn't very popular with the public. Oliver used to be a playboy that no one took seriously. Now neither of those things are true. Oliver is a pretty well liked figure in Star City as the Green Arrow and as the mayor. This is not season 3 when Arrow had a public witch hunt for the Green Arrow lead by Quentin Lance. After Oliver and the Green Arrow saved the city from Damien Darhk, exposing them as the same person is probably going to only make Oliver's popularity soar with the people. There might be some legal issues but when the District Attorney is very likely Vigilante and the people of Star City are honoring the former ADA Laurel for her life as the Black Canary, none of this is going to matter. Arrow has teased Oliver being exposed as Green Arrow so much that it would probably be a relief for the audience and Ollie if the secret finally came out. * * * In fact, the way that Susan is keeping all this information and not reporting on it makes it more likely that she is working with Prometheus or might actually be Prometheus herself. Susan's behavior does not totally match up to a reporter or she would report this news. Susan being the real villain does not make things any better. Arrow loves its twists of having someone close to Oliver each season turn out to be secretly evil. Susan suddenly having ties to Prometheus won't be impactful, it will be expected. There is a chance that an overtly evil Susan might be more fun to watch but that won't make up for the bland version we've been getting for the past 12 episodes. Edited February 10, 2017 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 “Welcome Back Hugs, Kisses, and Warm Feelings”: Arrow 5x12, Olicity Heart-to-Heart Marilyn Porter Feb. 9, 2017http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2017/02/arrow-season-5-episode-12-recap Quote Felicity dresses up, posing as a Bratva wife with Curtis and Rory as her henchmen and waltzes into a fancy restaurant to threaten a businessman. She tells him unless he does what she wants, which will help her locate General Walker, she will release some information on him to the Kremlin that will most assuredly result in the death of his family. She does it so convincingly, so coldly, I don’t know whether to be scared or turned on. If this is Felicity’s “dark arc”, then I’m a big fan. Rory notices, however, and looks concerned at how Felicity might be going too far with all of this. * * *We see Oliver in bed with Susan, making good on that “relationship checklist” he has that says he must sleep with her. She asks him if he’ll ever tell her about his time in Russia, blatantly pumping him for information on a story while she’s in bed with him. He doesn’t open up though, putting her off. No one looks tremendously relaxed in this scene and it’s pretty much like nails on a chalkboard. That’s my totally unbiased opinion. 6 Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 Arrow Recap: Season 5 Episode 12 “Bratva” Amy Woolsey Feb. 9, 2017http://culturess.com/2017/02/09/arrow-recap-season-5-episode-12-bratva/ Quote Ultimately, Prometheus is less daunting for his physicality or skill in combat than his ability to push his opponents toward the edge, to bring out the worst in people. You might not even know you are losing. * * * Of course, that’s beside the point. Felicity has long served as the idealist to Diggle’s pragmatist and Oliver’s loose cannon, and it’s hard to imagine the team functioning without that delicate equilibrium. When she tells Rory about her dealings with Helix, he’s taken aback. He gives her a variation on the standard “with great power comes great responsibility” speech, to which Felicity responds that you sometimes “have to fight fire with fire.” Link to comment
tv echo February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 (edited) Arrow Season 5 Episode 12 – “Bratva” Review 10th February 2017 Kevin Perreau http://www.filmoria.co.uk/arrow-season-5-episode-12-bratva-review/ Quote Having ‘mayoral duties’ in their ‘sister city’, Oliver seems to once again have a perfect motive to go where he wants, when he pleases. Bratva was a rather quiet episode. Without any high-tech resources, Oliver must buddy up with his long lost Bratva boss Anatoly. At first, Oliver refuses to relive his past and work with the Bratva. After new recruit Dinah gives Oliver a pep talk about his past not having to be an anchor, he finally realizes that he doesn’t have to live in regret and shame. * * * Whilst Oliver tried to reconnect with his Russian past, Felicity is slowly transforming into her own vigilante. Without any sort of consolidation with Oliver, she finds the perfect opportunity to help her new ally and relive her hacktivist past. Only time will tell if she is being used, or what will become of her, but seeing Felicity control Mr. Terrific and Ragman for her own cause was thrilling. As Felicity starts to embrace her past, it will be interesting to see how she overcomes challenges with or without Oliver. It was also extremely amusing to see that Felicity learned absolutely nothing from her past Havenrock incident. The ending fight sequence was as average as an Arrow fight sequence can get. Ticking off all the boxes, large abandoned factory, lots of moderately trained henchmen, and a villain who does nothing but watch and inevitably get captured. The nuclear bomb was an excellent touch, but an extremely sad resolution to Rory. After getting virtually no screen time, Rory ends up being the real hero of the episode. With only a few seconds to spare, Felicity tries to find another less populated town to send the nuclear bomb. Luckily for her, Ragman’s ancient and magical rags are there. Realizing that his rags were what saved him last time, he decides to wrap his rags around the bomb. Arguably the most powerful character in the show, and the show decides to send him off. We see Rory’s rags completely destroyed, with an ending sequence of him saying goodbye to Felicity as well. It was as if the writers wanted to add a character with a cool suit, but realized they didn’t know how to write him in the team, so they destroyed his suit instead. Edited February 10, 2017 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
LeighAn February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 I super appreciate that most the reviewers are upset that Rorys gone and resent that he was traded in for replacement canary 17 Link to comment
bijoux February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 26 minutes ago, tv echo said: Arrow Recap: Season 5 Episode 12 “Bratva” Amy Woolsey Feb. 9, 2017http://culturess.com/2017/02/09/arrow-recap-season-5-episode-12-bratva/ I really don't see Dig as any more of a pragmatist than Felicity, nor her more idealistic than him for that matter. 2 Link to comment
AyChihuahua February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 1 hour ago, bijoux said: I really don't see Dig as any more of a pragmatist than Felicity, nor her more idealistic than him for that matter. Agreed. On a separate note, all these professional reviewers pointing out what a total moron Oliver is are giving me life. 12 Link to comment
Starfish35 February 10, 2017 Share February 10, 2017 12 hours ago, Morrigan2575 said: Sara Laurel Evelyn Tinah So I'm going with 3.5 Baby Canary counts. No, I meant, if you're counting Evelyn, she's 2.5, because she comes between Laurel (2.0) and Dinah (3.0). So it's Sara 1.0 Laurel 2.0 Evelyn 2.5 Dinah 3.0 4 Link to comment
tv echo February 11, 2017 Share February 11, 2017 (edited) 512 discussion... Agents of GEEK Podcast Craig Wack & Tatiana Torres Feb. 10, 2017http://agentsofgeekpodcast.com/wordpress/ -- Craig was "not a big fan of this episode" because it was the "worst of set-up/filler episodes that there ever was." He just thought it felt "really flat" and didn't work for him, that it was just an opportunity to have a fight in a "different abandoned warehouse." He also mentioned again that Prometheus is still giving Oliver a break so the team can go to Russia. Tatiana wasn't quite as negative and found it entertaining "enough." But still, she sounded incredulous that the team went to Russsia and found parts of it annoying. -- They both still thought that the Talia flashbacks were ret-conning Oliver's past: "Shado's turning in her grave" and "No, he learned that on the island four years ago" and "Yeah, with Shado and Deathstroke" and "follow your own continuity." -- They liked Quentin's return to the show. Tatiana commented that Rene seemed to be "great at bonding with people" even though he "is the worst at interpersonal skills." Rene bonded with Curtis and now he's bonded with Quentin. -- Tatiana: "Stupid, lying reporter was back. Completely unnecessary." Craig thought that Oliver doing the deed with Susan after he returned from Russia was completely out of the blue, since their make-out session at Christmas and then her "disappearing off the face of the map." Tatiana found it "completely irritating" and noted that even "forgettable D.A. hates her, so she's the worst." Tatiana sounded fed up with Oliver's actions. Craig commented that "Oliver has taken too many blows to the head." -- Craig thought that "part of the problem is that [Oliver]can only remember things in sequential order, and only for about 90 seconds at a time." That's why Oliver only remembers pieces of his flashbacks when needed for the particular episode/season. -- Craig saw this episode as the writers "being given a list of things that they needed to have happen in this episode and then told 'go'." -- Craig thought that the only "bright spot" in this episode was Felicity's undercover "spy work" and new hacktivist storyline. Tatiana was suspicious of the Pandora file: "It was too easy for a hacktivist fan to come out of nowhere." But she also thought it was great that Felicity was like, "No, I'm going to make my difference the way I know how, this is what I can do." Tatiana loves when Felicity is "smart" and "independent" and "does her own shit." Craig noted that Felicity has "taken a bigger leadership role." -- Craig also noted that, in a lot of reviews that he's read, they pointed out that this is the first time in a long while that "Felicity, Oliver and Diggle were all in the same room." Tatiana said that she tweeted about that while watching: "OG Team Arrow was working together, there were no kids around, it was amazing." -- Craig mentioned that the show got rid of one "kid" this week, Rory, but gave him a nice send-off. Tatiana did not care for Rory because she thought he was "useless" and doesn't want to see him again "until we see Thea... Where the f**k is Thea? Where is Willa Holland? Is she still on this show?" Craig: "Willa, if you need help, we're here for you... Blink once for 'yes', blink twice for 'no.' ... We will help you wherever you're being held in Vancouver." -- Craig commented that they can only have "one superpowered person on the team at a time" and that "they've turned New Canary into, like, Ollie's dream sidekick." Tatiana: "New Canary is so useful. She's the opposite of Laurel." Craig: "She's tactically sound. And she's got superpowers. And, um, she's smart and she's tough and gritty and drinks vodka and impresses Russian mobsters. It's like everything, uh, that Oliver could ever dream of her being. Uh, so you got that going for you. So, way to go." -- However, Craig noted: "They've got too many brunettes with perfect bone structure on the show right now." Tatiana: "Yeah, I thought he had taken the reporter to Russia. I was so confused." Craig agreed: "Right. Because they introduce her [Susan], and then they jet off the Russia... Just because New Canary hasn't been around enough, and they haven't made her distinguisable enough... What's the reporter doing - oh wait, that's the New Canary. Okay, alright. That makes sense." -- Craig also noted that Oliver came close to "spilling the beans" about his secret identity to Susan during pillow talk "because that's what Oliver does... There's something about basking in the afterglow that makes Oliver kinda chatty." -- Craig said that he hopes Prometheus returns next week so they can resume that storyline. Tatiana noted that Artemis is still out there. Edited February 11, 2017 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 11, 2017 Share February 11, 2017 (edited) Ugh, stop comparing S4 Oliver's secret-keeping to S5 Felicity's secret-keeping, their relationship isn't the same - I'm really dreading that the whole point of Felicity's arc this season will just be to prove S4 Oliver "right"... Allison Brennan and Lavinia Kent analyze 'Arrow' episode 'Bratva': This one's all about brotherhood February 10, 2017http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2017/02/10/allison-brennan-lavinia-kent-arrow-recap-bratva/ Quote Luckily, Felicity, with a little help from Dinah, figures out how to trace Walker’s phone — only she needs to use a Russian network to actually trace it and it would take too much time to hack. Instead, she decides to use some of the information from Pandora to blackmail the head of the network, using Rory and Curtis as backup “Bratva” agents. It’s a clever and fun scenario, but we begin to sense Felicity slowly moving away from the team and along her own path. Pandora has given her power, and rather than sharing it with the team, she is making all the decisions on her own. AB: Curtis and Rory don’t really look or act like Bratva to me, but they held their own. And Felicity was totally nervous, but she ended up acting very hard-core/femme fatale. We’ve seen hints of this Felicity in the past, and now she’s really shining. I think you are right, Lavinia … we’re going to get an Evil Felicity before the end of the season (or a sort-of-evil Felicity …) And considering that Felicity has been all “no more secrets” and broke up with Oliver because of a secret (that he kept to protect someone), that she’s keeping secrets is a bit hypocritical — yet because of the hacktivist angle, it fits her character. * * * This was one of my favorite scenes — with the quick and easy attack, followed by Oliver talking to Dinah about his past biting him in the butt. And Dinah basically says she’s not much for brooding, that your past is basically living and get over it. (She’s a little more eloquent.) I loved it! I liked her last week, but now I love her. She’s a great addition to the team. It took me about 11 episodes to really accept Rene, so getting a win-win with Dinah out of the gate is huge. I like that she doesn’t have any emotional baggage with Oliver or anyone else on the team — I think it will help Oliver, and others, keep everything in perspective. LK: I have to agree about Dinah. Last week I wasn’t sure — this week I am. She is a completely different character than Laurel’s Black Canary and all the more powerful for that. She is a grown-up. I am sure that we’ll come to know more about her internal struggles in the future, but hers is not a coming-of-age story. She has arrived fully formed — which gives her the ability to talk to Oliver as an equal, to point out that he can’t let Prometheus “pull all the strings.” * * * This was my only “eh” moment of an episode I really liked. I get the rags protected Rory in Havenrock from the nuclear blast … but right there at ground zero? Like, hugging the bomb? I was having a really hard time suspending disbelief in that … yeah, I know, the rags no longer work and Rory is leaving town (another problem for me because I really like him — he’s calm and reasonable and sort of the moral conscience of the team in some ways) but still. This element did not work for me at all. LK: I hope he isn’t gone for long. He is my favorite of the new team. I also had some problems with how handily the robes took care of the bomb — particularly with us being able to see the flash of the blast, but nobody being worried about radiation. I am not quite sure why the writers felt the need to resolve things in that manner, but I will trust that there is a reason that will be revealed later in the season. * * *LK: One part of Oliver’s future that I am not sure of is the progression of his relationship with Susan Williams. I’ve always felt that they were playing each other and that they both knew it. I’ve never felt real heat or chemistry between them, and so it surprised me that they progressed into a truly physical relationship. I don’t believe Oliver is that blind to the fact that Susan might have ulterior motives, but I don’t yet understand what his plan is. * * *AB: I just don’t get Oliver sleeping with the reporter! The flirting, sure. Enemies closer and all that. But sleeping with her? Taking it to the next level? He’s not that stupid! Well, hormones. I had always thought he was playing her … but now, I’m not so sure. And we knew all along that she was bad news … but now? We know she hasn’t changed. It’s another layer of drama. Albeit, good drama! I’m pretty sure she wants the “story” of exposing the identity of the Green Arrow. Edited February 11, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2017 Share February 12, 2017 (edited) I disagree with this reviewer's statement that it was Diggle and Felicity who told Tinah to leave Oliver alone when he gets broody. In 512, Tinah said: "You know, the other guys said that when you get in one of your moods, I should just let you be, but, to be honest, brooding really kinda gets on my nerves." Diggle only returned to the team and met Tinah in 512. He wasn't there during the past week (between 511 and 512). And Felicity doesn't appear to have warmed up to Tinah (yet), so it's doubtful she was telling Tinah all about Oliver during that week. Most likely, Tinah was getting her info on Oliver (and Prometheus) from Curtis, Rene and Rory - the newbies who are intimidated by Oliver and who are most likely to leave him alone when he's broody. Also, as I recall, Diggle and Felicity are not in the habit of leaving Oliver alone when he gets introspective, but confront him about it... Arrow 5x12 Review: "Bratva" (What Happens in Russia...) Just About Write Feb. 12, 2017http://www.itsjustaboutwrite.com/2017/02/arrow-5x12-review-bratva-what-happens.html Quote This belief isn't necessarily helped by the darkness swallowing up Felicity in the episode. As you might remember from last week, Felicity exonerated Diggle, but that came at a price — a piece of her soul, essentially. With Felicity holding onto the massive blackmail device in the thumb drive, she's holding onto massive power. And she knows it. I think what I really loved about "Bratva" as an episode was the fact that Diggle and Felicity's darkness look different. Diggle's darkness is one that is totally unhinged and uninhibited. He returns to instincts of rage and anger. But that's never been Felicity. She's never been the kind of person who would go full-on assassin mode on someone. Felicity is highly intelligent and so her darkness will always be a subtle slide down the hill. In "Bratva," we see that. Felicity uses the thumb drive that Helix gave her in order to blackmail a man into doing what she wants. With Curtis and Rory accompanying her, we — and they — saw the fact that Felicity was willing to cross a few lines and use the information Helix gave her to terrify someone into doing what she wants. The thing is, Felicity tries to justify her actions: they needed information, and she was able to get it. It's not really bad... right? The thing is, Felicity's darkness involves subtle justification and an addiction to power. Let's be honest: recently, Felicity has felt powerless. She was forced to do something by Darhk that resulted in the loss of innocent lives. She just recently lost her boyfriend. She feels like she needs control back in her life — she wants to control SOMETHING and seek to right wrongs in the world. Because if you'll recall, Oliver is all about getting justice for Billy... in his own way and time. But what happens if Felicity doesn't agree? What happens if she takes justice into her own hacking hands? Is it really so wrong to use the knowledge that freed Diggle in order to put away bad guys or blackmail a few people? After all, this is the business of vigilantism — moral ambiguity for the greater good. * * * When Oliver does something for Anatoly to ensure that the Bratva will do something for him in return, our favorite Green Arrow begins to sink into his familiar hole of "woe is me, I thought this part of my life was behind me." Tina (no, I will not call her Dinah, thank you very much show) was warned about this and tells Oliver as much. Diggle and Felicity said that whenever he gets broody, everyone else should just stay out of his way and let him do his thing. But Tina doesn't agree, and I think it's actually really good. As much as I love the OTA, I think that it's easy for Diggle and Felicity to get into old habits and patterns with Oliver. Tina is the important piece of the team because she's new — she can see what the others cannot because she's still on the outside looking in. Instead of placating Oliver with silence, she tells him how annoying she finds the whole moody, broody hero thing. Edited February 12, 2017 by tv echo 3 Link to comment
AyChihuahua February 12, 2017 Share February 12, 2017 (edited) Quote Tina is the important piece of the team because she's new — she can see what the others cannot because she's still on the outside looking in. Because they didn't already have other noobs in the exact same position? Edited February 12, 2017 by AyChihuahua 7 Link to comment
Tazmania February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 9 hours ago, tv echo said: I disagree with this reviewer's statement that it was Diggle and Felicity who told Tinah to leave Oliver alone when he gets broody. In 512, Tinah said: "You know, the other guys said that when you get in one of your moods, I should just let you be, but, to be honest, brooding really kinda gets on my nerves." Diggle only returned to the team and met Tinah in 512. He wasn't there during the past week (between 511 and 512). And Felicity doesn't appear to have warmed up to Tinah (yet), so it's doubtful she was telling Tinah all about Oliver during that week. Most likely, Tinah was getting her info on Oliver (and Prometheus) from Curtis, Rene and Rory - the newbies who are intimidated by Oliver and who are most likely to leave him alone when he's broody. Also, as I recall, Diggle and Felicity are not in the habit of leaving Oliver alone when he gets introspective, but confront him about it... I totally agree with you but I am also willing to bet my ass that you have paid more attention to this dialogue than the writers who wrote this episode. The audience have always been more logical and smarter than the creators and writers of this show ... 6 Link to comment
way2interested February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 1 minute ago, Tazmania said: I totally agree with you but I am also willing to bet my ass that you have paid more attention to this dialogue than the writers who wrote this episode. The audience have always been more logical and smarter than the creators and writers of this show ... ...It was a portion of throwaway dialogue to set up that she hates brooding, so I don't really see too much to get worked up over or to insult the whole episode for. Link to comment
Tazmania February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 2 minutes ago, way2interested said: ...It was a portion of throwaway dialogue to set up that she hates brooding, so I don't really see too much to get worked up over or to insult the whole episode for. If it is good enough for the reviewer to discuss, it is good enough for me to discuss at the forum ... I didn't know that policing other people's comments have become a norm here now ... I think I have every right to be worked up about whatever I want. 3 Link to comment
way2interested February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 Just now, Tazmania said: If it is good enough for the reviewer to discuss, it is good enough for me to discuss at the forum ... I didn't know that policing other people's comments have become a norm here now ... I think I have every right to be worked up about whatever I want. I didn't say you couldn't be worked up about it, just that I don't see a reason. I'm sorry that the dialogue or the misinterpretation of it reinvigorated an anger you have at the writers/the show (no sass). Link to comment
BkWurm1 February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 13 hours ago, tv echo said: I disagree with this reviewer's statement that it was Diggle and Felicity who told Tinah to leave Oliver alone when he gets broody. In 512, Tinah said: "You know, the other guys said that when you get in one of your moods, I should just let you be, but, to be honest, brooding really kinda gets on my nerves." Diggle only returned to the team and met Tinah in 512. He wasn't there during the past week (between 511 and 512). And Felicity doesn't appear to have warmed up to Tinah (yet), so it's doubtful she was telling Tinah all about Oliver during that week. Most likely, Tinah was getting her info on Oliver (and Prometheus) from Curtis, Rene and Rory - the newbies who are intimidated by Oliver and who are most likely to leave him alone when he's broody. Also, as I recall, Diggle and Felicity are not in the habit of leaving Oliver alone when he gets introspective, but confront him about it... Arrow 5x12 Review: "Bratva" (What Happens in Russia...) Just About Write Feb. 12, 2017http://www.itsjustaboutwrite.com/2017/02/arrow-5x12-review-bratva-what-happens.html I agree that the line about being told by "the guys" leaves out Felicity at least and yeah, Diggle not being around is logical. That is exactly what I reasoned as well. Though I can also see someone that really knows Oliver telling other people just to leave him alone because 9 times out of 10, if you don't really know Oliver and you try to "help" you are just going to make things worse, so leave him alone and leave it to the experts. ;) Quote It was also extremely amusing to see that Felicity learned absolutely nothing from her past Havenrock incident. What I don't understand is what she was supposed to have learned from Havenrock. Of course stopping it is the better option but when you can't stop it, killing as few people as possible remains a logical next choice. What is the alternative? Just letting it go off where ever it is and do nothing? How is that better? 11 Link to comment
statsgirl February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 24 minutes ago, BkWurm1 said: Though I can also see someone that really knows Oliver telling other people just to leave him alone because 9 times out of 10, if you don't really know Oliver and you try to "help" you are just going to make things worse, so leave him alone and leave it to the experts. ;) That line from Tinah really bothered me because she just got there so who gives a fig what she thinks? It's Oliver's team and just because he invited her to join them doesn't give her any right to tell the other people how to behave. So it bugs her? Get over it. 7 Link to comment
wonderwall February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 If I Am Going Down That Dark Alley Then I Want These Characters With Me http://www.buddytv.com/slideshows/once-upon-a-time/if-i-am-going-down-that-dark-alley-then-i-want-these-characters-with-me-28887.aspx Quote Felicity Smoak, Arrow I mean, the Arrow himself would be helpful here, considering he seems to work primarily in dark alleys, but Felicity is the brains behind the vigilante. You want her by your side for her spectacular brain and her collection of fancy gadgets. Felicity could probably enter any situation with a complete background on a bad guy at the ready and the scene totally rigged to take him or her down in an instant. And since we all know that Oliver is completely gaga over her, he’d probably be not far behind. 10 Link to comment
wonderwall February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 THE 50 GREATEST TV COUPLES EVER http://www.eonline.com/photos/18925/the-50-greatest-tv-couples-ever/703778 Quote OLIVER AND FELICITY, ARROW Once upon a time, an angry archer fell in love with a dorky IT girl, and things got complicated but we've got high hopes they'll find their way back to each other. The 16 Most Romantic Dates to Ever Happen on TV http://www.buddytv.com/slideshows/arrow/15-most-romantic-dates-to-happen-on-tv-96139.aspx Quote The Plant and Packed Lunch, Arrow To welcome Felicity back to work, Oliver showed up with a potted plant and a homemade sack lunch. In between thwarting criminals and taking punches, the Green Arrow has a soft side. "Who are you?" Felicity asked. The hooded crusader is still full of surprises. Our 18 Favorite Ship Moments, In Honor Of Valentine’s Day http://telltaletv.com/2017/02/favorite-ship-moments-valentines-day/ Quote 1. Olicity’s faux-wedding (Arrow) Let’s be real: neither 2016 or 2017 have been good years for Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak’s romantic relationship on Arrow. They’re particularly bad when compared to 2015, which was arguably their banner year – 2015 gave us the couple’s first time having sex, numerous “OMFG our hearts are exploding” declarations of love, and, of course, their eventual proposal. But then, tragedy struck. First, Felicity was (briefly) paralyzed thanks to Damien Darhk. Then, there was the entire nonsensical “Oliver’s secret son” debacle. In the end, Olicity broke up and haven’t reunited since. To make things even worse, Oliver accidentally killed Felicity’s boyfriend Billy in the midseason finale. So… things are bad, to put it lightly. But Season 4’s fake Olicity wedding – arranged to lure Cupid, who had been targeting high-profile couples, so they could take her down – is our light at the end of a dark, dismal tunnel. The wedding may have been a sham, but there was nothing insincere about Oliver’s vows to the woman he loves. There was nothing forced about what Felicity said to Cupid about her own love for Oliver. And there was definitely nothing fake about Oliver’s face when he saw Olicity walk into the room in that gorgeous gown. 7 Link to comment
wonderwall February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 LMAO Arrow Producers Have An Idea For Katie Cassidy’s Return http://www.greenarrowtv.com/arrow-producers-have-an-idea-for-katie-cassidys-return/ Quote After the return of Katie Cassidy as at least a version of Laurel Lance in the Arrow midseason premiere, and the introduction of a new Black Canary to the series, many have wondered if and even when Cassidy would be returning to The CW show again. During a press Q&A held this morning, we asked Executive Producer Marc Guggenheim if we will be seeing Katie again in any form by the end of Arrow Season 5. “We have an idea for how to see her again, but we haven’t made a deal with her yet,” he revealed. “She’s not a series regular anymore, so we have to make a contract with her and she’s got to be available, and we haven’t had those conversations [yet]. But we do have an idea. We know exactly what we do want to do,” he said. As to what? It doesn’t seem that Katie nor her management have been pitched as of yet, but fans of Katie Cassidy should be heartened to know there are plans… it all just comes down to availability. Link to comment
Velocity23 February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 And then all these media people claimed she was a regular ... I fell vindicated! 10 Link to comment
insomniadreams88 February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 1 minute ago, wonderwall said: LMAO Arrow Producers Have An Idea For Katie Cassidy’s Return http://www.greenarrowtv.com/arrow-producers-have-an-idea-for-katie-cassidys-return/ They have never talked about another actor's return to Arrow - or any show - as much as they have KC's. This is getting ridiculous. I feel like it's more than they talked about her when LL was alive. Is every interview going to feature a Q about her coming back from now on? 6 Link to comment
Velocity23 February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 3 minutes ago, insomniadreams88 said: They have never talked about another actor's return to Arrow - or any show - as much as they have KC's. This is getting ridiculous. I feel like it's more than they talked about her when LL was alive. Is every interview going to feature a Q about her coming back from now on? Well the media proclaimed her a "regular" across DCTV universe on the CW. GATV asking about KC is not surprising. Craig was her nr. 1 fan. Link to comment
wonderwall February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 I think this is appropriate... Here's what MG had to say when people found out LL wasn't gonna be on LoT lol Link to comment
Morrigan2575 February 13, 2017 Share February 13, 2017 So I guess this is the final confirmation? KC didn't get an LoT appearance and Flash is iffy? MGs Arrow answer is pretty much the standard no (for Hollywood). They always seem to go for the scheduling excuse. 5 Link to comment
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