tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) Arrow Season 5 Episode 17 Review: “Kapiushon” Chris King+ March 22, 2017http://www.tvovermind.com/the-cw/arrow/arrow-season-5-episode-17-review-kapiushon Quote ... No, this is an installment that forces Oliver to confront the darkness that he’s tried to keep at bay for so many years, the darkness that he’s tried to extinguish with the light and hope he receives from people like Felicity, Diggle, and Thea, and it’s an episode about the internal destruction of Star City’s hero, as he’s forced to admit that his crusade to fight crime when he returned home was never as noble as he tried to make it out to be. * * * While I’ve already seen some fans complain about this reveal, calling the secret “underwhelming,” I want to point out how important this admission from Oliver is. For the past five years on Arrow, we’ve been watching his journey to be a better hero, and more importantly a better person, unfold, but something has always been holding him back. No matter how far Oliver pushes the darkness inside himself away, it always returns to corrupt him, and it causes him to revert back to his more violent, lone-wolf ways. By admitting his desire and enjoyment of killing, though, Oliver has finally purged himself of his original sin, the lie that he constantly told himself and others to make his killing seem more acceptable and less blood-thirsty. For the first time in Arrow‘s run, Oliver isn’t trying to separate the man from the monster anymore; he’s accepting that it was and will always be a part of himself, and that for a good portion of his life, he let that monstrous side of him take control under the guise of something more heroic. Now that Oliver has finally addressed this secret and spoken it openly aloud to himself, he can finally become the man that he’s always wanted and hoped to be. We’ve seen so many starts and stops when it comes to Oliver’s evolution, his journey from the darkness toward the light. It’s a story that Arrow loves telling and re-telling, but with this revelation, the show proves that there’s a final destination in sight, a true, noble hero that Oliver can transform into now that he’s confessed this lie, this false truth that he’s been trying to make himself and those around him believe for the past five years. Will Oliver revert back to the darkest version of himself, though, before he’s able to fully embrace the light? Judging from that final scene of tonight’s episode, in which he tells Dig, Felicity, and Curtis that he doesn’t want to do this anymore and that he’s shutting Team Arrow down, I’d say the answer to that is yes, and I expect that we’ll have to endure more than a couple episodes of “Dark Oliver.” But as the saying goes, it’s always darkest before the dawn, and now that Oliver Queen has confronted his darkest secret and allowed himself to feel the pain and guilt of it, he can truly become the hero that his city needs. And hopefully, he realizes that he can admit this secret to his two greatest strengths and sources of light, Diggle and Felicity. They’ve seen him at his worst before and have never left his side, and if Oliver is finally ready to expel the monster that has been living inside him for years, he’ll need the two people who love and inspire him the most to do it. * * * Stephen Amell absolutely kills it in this episode, delivering one of his best performances of the season (I’d rank it up there with his work in “Invasion!” and “Who Are You?”). I especially love the guttural, almost primal screams he delivers when Chase threatens the ones that he loves, and of course, the loudest and angriest one comes when Chase threatens Felicity’s life. “I swear to God if you hurt her!” Oliver yells, and Amell absolutely nails the delivery. Kudos to him for his work in this episode. Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo 4 Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) "Kapiushon" – Arrow S05E17 Review By Gislef Mar. 23, 2017http://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/kapiushon-arrow-s05e17-review-1490247249/ Quote ... All of this is to show that Oliver really really likes killing, and Anatoly is there like a Russian-accented Jiminy Cricket to point it out several times. * * *I'm still not entirely following the reasoning behind Adrian's crusade. Like Oliver points out, Adrian's a hypocrite and seems painfully unaware that he's what he keeps saying that Oliver is: a guy who just likes killing and uses his quest as an excuse to indulge his killing enjoyment. It's even more confusing because until this season, Oliver had seemingly left his killing days behind him back in season two until this season, when he breaks crooks' necks and shoots down helicopters. Even tonight, it's not like Oliver is looking for an excuse to indulge his bloodlust and kill Evelyn. He doesn't let her kill him, but he's content to disarm her and shove her back. If Oliver is telling the truth and he likes killing, it's kind of weird. So has he been restraining his killing instincts for three years, or what? * * * So it's a bit odd to go through all of this, and have Oliver confess that he likes killing. And then Adrian lets Oliver go, which seems designed mostly to drag the season out for another six episodes. What does Adrian expect Oliver to do? And if Oliver was such a killer, would confessing it somehow... cause him to give up being Green Arrow? Resign as mayor? What? It seems like if Oliver was really what Adrian keeps saying he is--a ruthless killer sort of guy--he wouldn't disband Team Arrow and he'd be abusing the heck out of his position as mayor. Granted, Adrian is a nutjob. But nobody else on the show seems to notice the contradiction or point it out, either. Josh Segarra does an excellent job of portraying Adrian as a nutcase. But it feels kind of... hollow. Adrian seems pretty disinterested in avenging his father, and more interested in being some kind of TV comic-booky bad guy. He doesn't seem to really care about his father. Or his mother. Or his now-deceased wife. Adrian is just big on gloating and demanding. * * * In other words, Adrian seems to be tormenting Oliver just to highlight Oliver's inadequacies and his Crisis of the Season. Rather than as a fleshed-out nemesis. Maybe that's why it seems that Adrian is following a TV show season guide. I can see Adrian as a villain to hang a season on. But as a fully-developed character? So far, not so much. Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) Review: ‘Arrow’ Lowers Oliver’s ‘Kapiushon’ for the Series’ Darkest Episode Yet Kevin Fitzpatrick | March 22, 2017http://screencrush.com/arrow-kapiushon-review/ Quote Boy, did Arrow Season 1 write itself into a corner. I can’t say for certain if killing was always something producers intended Oliver to grow out of (and eventually circle back to), but it wasn’t anything Batman Begins steered them toward, and it’s harder still to imagine a Flash Season 1 where Barry struggled with killing his enemies. Oliver’s murderous tendencies have always been a dark cloud over this series, making the central “confession” of tonight’s “Kapiushon” all the weirder. I mean … are they really asking us to re-contextualize the whole of Arrow into Oliver as a serial killer who enjoys wanton murder, but … took a break for a few seasons? Is Arrow just Dexter in a green hood? * * **I appreciate that Evelyn’s betrayal wasn’t dropped altogether, but there’s still a bit of formlessness to Prometheus’ actual plan here. Talia was nowhere in sight to clear things up, and it seemed a bit uncharacteristic of Chase to actually spare Evelyn, to say nothing of whatever purpose is served letting Oliver go. * * * Yep, completely forgot how Taiana and her brother died. * * * Kovar apparently has face blindness, that he didn’t recognize Oliver Queen until the hood was off. Dude’s not even wearing grease paint yet! Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) The Huge Change Arrow Just Made To Oliver's Backstory BY LAURA HURLEY Mar. 22, 2017http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1638920/the-huge-change-arrow-just-made-to-olivers-backstory Quote Season 5 of Arrow has primarily been about bringing Oliver Queen's journey full circle now that his five years of flashbacks are almost up, and the flashbacks have mostly been filling in a lot of blanks. We've seen Oliver becoming a part of the Bratva, learning Russian, and gaining many of those skills he had as the Hood back in Season 1. In "Kapiushon," he finally even got that Bratva chest tattoo we've been looking at on his chest for the past five seasons. "Kapiushon" did more than just fill in blanks, however; it also made a huge change to Oliver's backstory by revealing that his real reason for killing all the time was that he liked it, not to honor his father. * * * There's really no ambiguity. Oliver was much too far gone to possibly pull off a lie, and there's no way Oliver had his wits about him enough to fool Prometheus. The truth is out: back in Season 1, he was picking names off of his dad's list because he enjoyed the hunt and the kill, not because he was a staunch believer in justice. He killed because it was the more satisfying option for cleaning the streets of Starling City, not because he thought it was what his father wanted. The revelation marks a huge change to the backstory that Arrow has been building off of for the past five years, and it makes it hard to predict what the show will deliver next. All of this said, Oliver isn't a monster for the reality that he likes killing. Obviously, he's not the most emotionally balanced guy ever to wield a bow and arrow. Still, he's gone to great lengths over the years to avoid killing. Sure, he made exceptions, but prior to the beginning of Season 5 when he was back on the killing bandwagon, he fought his instincts to take lives. As far as I'm concerned, he deserves more credit for his struggles to not kill in Seasons 2-4 than he did before the reveal. It does paint his Season 5 killings in a pretty terrible light that doesn't 100% make sense to me as the show is supposed to be bringing him full circle, but I don't believe his character is ruined for it. We can only wait and see what happens next. Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 ARROW: "KAPIUSHON" REVIEW Jesse Scheeden Mar. 22, 2017http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/03/23/arrow-kapiushon-review Quote The Flash and Arrow are very different shows, but I don’t think the differences have ever been quite as extreme as they were this week. 24 hours after The Flash delivered a lighthearted romp through a musical wonderland, Arrow took a harrowing journey into the black depths of Oliver Queen’s tortured soul. But though these two episodes were polar opposites in terms of tone, both stand as high points for their respective seasons. * * * Above all, “Kapiushon” succeeded on the strength of Stephen Amell and Josh Segarra’s performances. Segarra has been on fire all season long, but especially these past two weeks as the mask has been cast aside and the true face of Adrian Chase has been revealed. Throughout this hour, it was a treat to watch Segarra become more unhinged and more frustrated with Ollie’s inability to grasp the fundamental truth about himself. Chase was terrifying, yet sad at the same time. There’s something tragic about a man so consumed by vengeance and the need to prove a point that he’s willing to murder his own wife to keep moving. Chase wasn’t necessarily wrong about Ollie’s secret, but that hardly gives him the moral high ground. * * * As for Amell, rarely have we seen him give such an emotionally raw performance. Much like Chase himself, Ollie became more and more unhinged as the stress of his ordeal set in and Chase kept turning the screws. By the time Chase “killed” Evelyn and wrung the secret out of Oliver, our hero truly seemed like a broken man. The closest comparison would be the aftermath of Moira’s death in Season 2 (not coincidentally, another high point for both Amell and the series in general). * * * The interplay between past and present is never subtle on this show, and it was pretty obvious from the beginning what “secret” the episode was building towards. Regardless, the scenes of Ollie waging a bloody guerilla war against Kovar’s forces did gel very nicely with Chase’s psychological torture in the present. There was nothing heroic about Ollie’s actions in this episode. He murdered with impunity, resorted to torture at the drop of a hat and managed to cause the death of Taiana’s mother even as he was trying to avenge Taiana’s death. This is not a psychologically healthy person, much less a hero. And while Ollie may find some shred of redemption as the Russian flashbacks reach their climax and he returns to the island once more, it’s pretty clear that he set himself down a very dark path long before going home. Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) Arrow 5.17 Review – ‘Kapiushon’ March 22, 2017 | Michael Haigishttp://411mania.com/movies/arrow-5-17-review-kapiushon/ Quote Throughout these moments, the violent signposts along Oliver’s past descent into brutality, Oliver explains his method of justification. As he was trained, Oliver uses his costume – his hood – to sever his identities. Oliver Queen is a loyal, benevolent personality. The Hood is a monster, driven by rage and barbarism. Anatoly makes the obvious calculation – this arrangement won’t last forever, and isolating the monster under a clock of justification only gives that rage and violence space to grow, unhindered and unchecked. In the present, it becomes clear that Chase is driving at this fallacy. He needs Oliver to admit that he enjoys killing, and that the impulse is no more ethical because Oliver’s victims have victims of their own. This, of course, is the true fallacy – the audience knows, and the show itself seems to know, that good deeds can outweigh bad – that Oliver’s effect is still vastly more positive than negative. The show succeeds in freshening this tired moral trial, by not flinching at Oliver’s brutality. Similar superheroes insulate themselves from the question by adopting a code – Batman famously stops short of permanent solutions, which means that the same villains continually plague him (and tally more and more innocent bodies) over and over, escaped from one prison or another. Oliver’s methods leave his villains in the past, but spread toxicity in the present. He absorbs sin, wearing it like the numerous scars and tattoos that represent his physical history on the show. * * * Prometheus – Chase – is the logical conclusion of this tendency. Chase is not just a vengeful remnant from Oliver’s vigilante past, he is a personification of Oliver’s fragmented persona. Prometheus is what the monster under the hood looks like, fully grown. A man capable of murdering his own wife, spree killing innocents, and torturing his enemies. Why? Because he likes it. Because he can. The episode ends with a senseless plot development, as Chase releases Oliver from captivity.... * * *Oliver will be pieced together once more, by the same friends he finished last week’s episode by calling “his strength.” Undoubtedly, he will need to be convinced of the plain truth – that intent does count for something; that a villains life is worth less than innocence. If Oliver should learn anything from Prometheus’ harsh teaching, its that The Green Arrow’s true heroism is derived not just from the lives saved, but from the compromises made, from the sins eaten. The monster isn’t a part of Oliver; the monster is Oliver. But the monster has true aim. The monster is the only way Oliver will defeat Prometheus. Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 Arrow Season 5 Episode 17 Review: Kapiushon Tyler McCarthy Mar. 23, 2017http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/arrow/263147/arrow-season-5-episode-17-review-kapiushon Quote Armed with the increased star power of action star Dolph Lundgren, episode 17 titled “Kapiushon” decided to change up the format and focus heavily on the final chapter of Oliver Queen’s five years away before the show began and make the B-plot his capture that topped off last week’s episode. For once, I have to admit that the show accomplished two things that it constantly boasts it can do, but never delivers. The first was actually making me believe that Oliver has a reason to be the dark and brooding figure that we all met in 2012. The second was delivering an episode that made Arrow worthy of its title as the darkest installment in the ever-growing DC TV universe. * * *The implication of this is that, in 2012 when Oliver dressed up as a symbol and hero to do his vigilante work, it was all a lie. This means that Diggle, Felicity, Thea, Laurel and everyone that’s ever had the misfortune to cross paths with the hero, all did so on the basis of a lie. The Green Arrow was temporarily unmasked as a killer that was going to go on a killing spree whether it was guided by his father’s list or not. As far as I’m concerned, this was one of the best storylines on the show ever. * * * The real success of “Kapiushon” is being the only episode to believably play with Oliver’s internal struggle of whether or not he’s a killer. How did it do this? Simple, it leaned into the fact that the character has killed a ton of people, and used to do it without real hesitation. Frankly, his sanctimonious “there’s always another way” policy is only about three and a half years old. He apparently wracked up a large body count before becoming all zen about life and it’s important to show that. It puts the world of this show in a more realistic place. I admit realism isn’t always fun in a superhero show (Nolan’s Batman is the exception, not the rule), but it’s necessary to establish stakes. Link to comment
ladylaw99 March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 Thanks @Tv echo, it could never be said enough :) 14 Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 'Arrow' Recap: Oliver Embraces His Inner Monster to Take Down Kovar Derek Stauffer March 22, 2017http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/arrow-recap-oliver-embraces-hi-63874.aspx Quote Eventually, it comes down to just Oliver and Kovar in a battle to the death. The fight scene that ensues is tremendously brutal. Oliver is wild, scrappy and completely unhinged. Arrow does a great job of pulling off the fact that Oliver is nowhere near as polished as he in present day but still a terror. Oliver's spider-monkey-esque qualities make for a fantastic contrast with the lumbering and aggressive Kovar. It's basically Rocky IV with a lot more blood, no happy ending and even more unfortunate hair. * * * As mentioned, the present-day storyline is just Oliver being stuck in Adrian Chase's prison. The thing that saves the whole sequence from being complete sadism are the performances by Stephen Amell and Josh Segarra. Segarra remains as a creepy (and still oddly charismatic as he has been of late) but Amell truly knocks it out of the park. This is Oliver at his most broken and it's heart-breaking. It gets even worse as Chase doesn't show the slightest bit of sympathy for Ollie. Chase keeps asking Oliver to tell him "his secret." This secret will set Oliver free figuratively and literally according to Chase, but Oliver is clueless. * * * This is the final straw for Oliver. In a powerful scene Chase screams at Oliver to confess and then Oliver drops his "secret." Oliver didn't kill because he had to, he killed because he wanted to and he liked it. This proves everything that Chase has been saying all long and it completely restructures our view of "Season 1 Oliver" without damaging the character. Chase has gotten what he wanted. The confession breaks Oliver and he is emotionally destroyed. To add insult to injury, it is revealed that Evelyn never died. It was all just a ploy. She is still on Prometheus' side. Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) ‘Arrow’ Recap: ‘You Kill Because You Like It’ Robert Chan March 23, 2017https://www.yahoo.com/tv/arrow-recap-you-kill-because-you-like-it-120146455.html Quote Tonight’s episode ends with Oliver announcing, “I’m shutting everything down.” Of course, since this isn’t the series finale, clearly he doesn’t. But Prometheus has him in his grasp and is making him suffer. It’s possible that not even Slade Wilson has gotten into Oliver’s head as completely as Adrian Chase, and there are serious repercussions coming as a result. * * * This is a question that has run through the entire show. It’s a question they addressed last season with Oliver vowing not to kill. It’s a question that gets raised again almost immediately because he then proceeds to kill. Why does he do it? It’s not just because it’s necessary; he’s got a boxing glove arrow and a parachute arrow — making a tranquilizer arrow is not beyond the bounds of his technology. Adrian and Anatoly both believe that Oliver kills is because he likes it. Is that true? If so, it would be a pretty serious shift of the character’s portrayal for the last five years. From the beginning, we’ve seen him kill only regretfully and when he has no other choice. If that hasn’t been the case, then he’s less Robin Hood and more Dexter — a serial killer who just happens to have found a suitable outlet for his blood lust. The problem is Anatoly is a gangster (and therefore not that trustworthy), and Adrian doesn’t care about truth; he just knows its Oliver’s biggest fear and that hammering that fear will break Oliver down. But even if they’re wrong, the question remains: Why? Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 (edited) Breaking Oliver Queen is the best thing ‘Arrow’ could do for him CHRIS E. HAYNER MARCH 22, 2017http://screenertv.com/television/arrow-kapiushon-prometheus-breaks-oliver-queen/ Quote "The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming." These are the words uttered by Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in "The Dark Knight," the second installment in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. It's ironic that this line perfectly described the build to the climax of the fifth season of "Arrow," which often draws a lot of comparisons from fans to the Caped Crusader. Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), much like Bruce Wayne, proclaims to be first and foremost a man who wants to save his city -- his home. Somewhere along the way though, his mission got a bit scrambled. Or did it? At the conclusion of the March 22 episode, "Kapiushon," Oliver admitted to both his adversary Prometheus (Josh Segarra) and himself that when he resorts to killing, it's because he likes it. * * * Oliver has, for seasons, been a very flawed and downright irresponsible hero. His fights all become incredibly personal (How could they not?) and he often gets reckless. Having to own up to that and admit to himself that it's what he thrives on is either going to make him a better savior for Star City or completely destroy him. We don't doubt that Oliver can be a hero most would aspire to be. With a team like his -- and friends like Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Diggle (David Ramsey) -- practically anything should be possible. Is that what he wants, though? The man who admitted to Prometheus that he likes the killing and misery he doles out -- this is not somebody aspiring to be more. That's a man trapped in what he actually is, which is nothing to be proud of. * * * Can he be redeemed or will he even want to be? That's the next chapter of the story that will surely be written by the time Season 5 comes to a close. Just remember what Harvey Dent taught us. Edited March 23, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 Confession: Arrow 5x17 Review (Kapiushon) jbuffyangel Mar. 23, 2017http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/158734981153/confession-arrow-5x17-review-kapiushon Quote Episodes like “Kapiushon” are the reason I love Arrow. Taunt, dramatic and emotional storytelling that is driving towards some larger truth. We kid about Oliver’s manpain sometimes. Sometimes out of frustration for the things he does. Sometimes for Arrow’s laser focus on the central character, occasionally at cost of a supporting character’s story. But Oliver Queen is the center of this story for a reason. * * *So is this the truth? Have we been watching and rooting for a sociopathic serial killer for the last five years? * * *OF COURSE THIS IS NOT THE TRUTH. But the best lies sound like the truth. Oliver’s secret isn’t that he likes killing. Oliver’s secret is he believes he likes killing. Those are two very different things, my friends. Trauma fucks you up in dark and awful ways. It messes with your head. Pain has a way of turning into self hatred. A loathing that runs deep in your marrow. Somewhere along the line you convince yourself that you deserved the pain. You deserved it because you are bad. You deserved it because you are the monster. The pain just revealed the truth. * * *The schism is slowing growing smaller. Oliver can no longer separate Oliver Queen and The Arrow. He can no longer see the difference between the man and the mask. This is exactly where we need him to go. No more separation. The two selves must become one. Oliver can only do that after he faces the darkest parts of himself and no longer hides from it. He’ll never really see the truth of who he is, until faces what he fears most… and lets it go. There is no forgiveness until Oliver forgives himself. 7 Link to comment
BkWurm1 March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 Quote The implication of this is that, in 2012 when Oliver dressed up as a symbol and hero to do his vigilante work, it was all a lie. This means that Diggle, Felicity, Thea, Laurel and everyone that’s ever had the misfortune to cross paths with the hero, all did so on the basis of a lie. The Green Arrow was temporarily unmasked as a killer that was going to go on a killing spree whether it was guided by his father’s list or not Except Oliver didn't dress up to be a hero. He's not the one that saw the hero he could be. He never sold a lie and neither Diggle nor Felicity were blind to his issues with killing. And if not his father's list then he might have gone to war against mobsters or other of their ilk but never was he going through go on a random spree. Most of the reviews seem to pull in the nuance but ever one that mentions Dexter makes me want to rage in frustration. 15 Link to comment
tv echo March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 Sydney Bucksbaum writes for The Hollywood Reporter, Nerdist, Mashable and Bustle... 3 Link to comment
AveMaria30 March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 Not sure if this is the right place but I noticed Arrow/Oliver Queen is on this list at number 25 https://www.buzzfeed.com/tahliapritchard/yeah-ross-geller-sucks?utm_term=.uwdgEJ0PD&sub=4486197_10728763 1 Link to comment
ohjoy March 23, 2017 Share March 23, 2017 7 hours ago, tv echo said: Confession: Arrow 5x17 Review (Kapiushon) jbuffyangel Mar. 23, 2017http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/158734981153/confession-arrow-5x17-review-kapiushon Quote Oliver’s secret isn’t that he likes killing. Oliver’s secret is he believes he likes killing. DING DING DING!!! I don't always agree with jbuffyangel, but that explanation is what I needed to reconcile that "revelation" with the rest of the series. The episode was extremely well done, but I couldn't quite get into the OMG-factor because that confession didn't ring true. Now it does. 7 hours ago, tv echo said: Quote — Where’s our subplot of Felicity wandering around Star City, bumping into things because she can’t find her glasses? HAH!!! 7 Link to comment
tv echo March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 (edited) Torture, retirement and a Russian coup in the latest episode of Arrow Trent Moore Mar 23, 2017 http://www.blastr.com/2017-3-22/dc-arrow-kapiushon-episode-recap Quote They've taken the story down a slippery path, but a fascinating one. Much of Oliver's character growth and trajectory has been about trying to escape his old ways and become a more inspiring hero. But all that was stripped away here. Juxtaposing that with Oliver's early days sporting the hood, and his declarations about using the costume for the monster so he can remain a man, were a bit heavy-handed but still a nice touch. As it all unravels in the present, it's interesting to see the germ of that idea in Russia. But Oliver is seeing himself as a serial killer now, even if he is a well-intentioned one. There's potential to do some great things with this, story-wise. * * * Prometheus is being set up as this unkillable warrior, to the point that Oliver doesn't even really try to get the drop on him during this whole ordeal. But, again, how is he so great? Team Arrow has beaten the League of Assassins and magical monsters. How is this one dude so darn formidable? Is Talia that much better of a teacher than her late father? After betraying the team a while back with a surprise twist, Evelyn Sharp pretty much dropped completely off the board for a good while. She returned here, working with Prometheus, and she even pulls a Saw on Oliver to make him think Chase has killed her. But her motivations still don't make a lot of sense. She thinks Oliver is a monster, so she teams up with an even worse one? The death fake-out was a clever touch, but it's still hard to fathom why, exactly, she'd throw in with Prometheus. Edited March 24, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 (edited) Arrow 5×17 Review: ‘Kapiushon’ ALYSSA BARBIERI Mar. 23, 2017http://fangirlish.com/arrow-5x17-review-kapiushon/ Quote It feels damn good to say it, for the first time in a long time – Arrow was good. * * *As far as I’m concerned, Arrow’s fifth season really started with this episode. This was the episode that changed everything. This was the episode that laid the groundwork for what’s to come. This was the episode that brought a newfound sense of optimism to a season that has felt hopelessly lost. There were small moments that the writers used as small easter eggs to pay homage to fans, including Felicity’s glasses, Oliver’s son, recreating the three arrows to Count Vertigo’s chest that saved Felicity. There was no magic. There was no useless character focus. There was a singular focus that this episode used as its driving force that made it as effective as it was. * * *“Kapiushon” was all about examining the man that Oliver Queen was in the past and in the present. In the present, Adrian Chase/Prometheus made it his mission to torture a secret that even Oliver didn’t know out of him. A secret that was Oliver didn’t kill because he had to. He killed because he wanted to. In the past, we saw Oliver become the monster that we found him as in Arrow’s pilot. We saw that he went out of his way to make people suffer, to kill even when it wasn’t necessary. And more than that, he enjoyed it. But right there lies the true impressive nature of the episode. As we wind down Oliver’s five-year journey on the “island” and watch him come full-circle as a hero in the present, we’re going to get to watch Oliver come to that realization of just how different he is now versus his past self. When he comes to the realization, he’s going to become the hero he’s aspired to be. * * * I feel like Oliver will be able to defeat Prometheus by relying on his strength – a strength that Prometheus doesn’t have: his friends, his loved ones, his family. * * *Oliver’s greatest fear – next to losing those that he loves – has been that he really is as terrible a person, that monster that people have told him that he is. He’s also afraid that his mere presence in other people’s lives ruins their lives or gets them killed. And you don’t think Prometheus knew that? Of course he knew that. * * * He does. And he proved it. He was able to manipulate Oliver’s fears into creating this false reality where he managed to convince Oliver that he’s the same killer he once was. * * * Something that I noticed when Adrian was addressing Oliver – and all of the terrible things he’s done – was that he was speaking in the past tense. “You didn’t kill.” Once again it’s one of Prometheus’ mind games – using Oliver’s past against him and attempting to convince Oliver that his past is his present. Only it isn’t. * * * That’s the thing that Prometheus doesn’t understand. I feel like he’s so focused on breaking Oliver that he’s underestimating Diggle and Felicity. We saw as much when he Prometheus tricked Oliver into killing Felicity’s boyfriend. He’d hoped it would drive a wedge between them. But it didn’t. Prometheus underestimated Oliver and Felicity’s relationship. * * *2. We’ve only really gotten to see Josh Segarra as Prometheus, and he’s already the best villain we’ve seen. He’s so incredibly powerful, terrifying, and electrifying in his portrayal. He has made Prometheus a viable threat while also managing to both appeal to and terrify the hell out of the audience. Edited March 24, 2017 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 (edited) Arrow Review: Oliver Uncovers His ‘Dark Passenger’ BY CRAIG WACK · MARCH 23, 2017http://oohlo.com/2017/03/23/arrow-review-oliver-uncovers-his-dark-passenger/ Quote In a facet of Oliver’s personality never before expressed, since we’ve witnessed almost ten years of his life in one way or another, he tells Anatoli that he dons the hood so he can separate the man from the monstrous things his has to do. It reminded me of the “Dark Passenger” concept from Dexter. * * * It’s a bold choice to reframe the series’ main character this way. Even in his more freewheeling, early days of the vigilante life, Oliver’s actions were always justified. Yes he killed a lot of people in Season 1, but all were connected to the conspiracy to commit genocide on Starling City’s poor, in order to get a cheaper deal on land. The weight of this confession didn’t land with the gravity the show’s writers wanted, because it didn’t feel earned (and as a whole the episode suffered for it because everything was a buildup to that moment). Since Felicity demanded he find a better way, Oliver has by and large done that. Also, for all the brooding and bonehead decisions made over the past five seasons, we’ve never really seen Oliver fight against killing as a compulsion like we did with Thea, when she was in her post-resurrection bloodlust phase. Oliver has either chosen to kill or not kill; he’s always been in control. The viewer is left with more thoughts of “where did this come from all of a sudden” than a visceral reaction to Oliver’s confession one way or the other. * * * The series has painted itself into an fascinating corner. There are some interesting avenues that could be explored, involving guilt and PTSD, that the show could investigate through Oliver. However, with just a handful of episodes left and Chase still sewing chaos unchecked, there doesn’t seem to be much time in the season remaining for Ollie to plumb the depths of his soul. It would seem a waste of good storytelling if Oliver goes back to business as usual in an episode or two. Edited March 24, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 (edited) Arrow’s “Kapiushon” Forces Oliver to See Himself for Who He Really Is Posted on March 23, 2017 by Kelly Kondahttps://weminoredinfilm.com/2017/03/23/arrows-kapiushon-forces-oliver-to-see-himself-for-who-he-really-is/ Quote ... The thing to watch going forward will be how the rest of the team reacts to Oliver’s characteristically go-it-alone decision to unilaterally shut everything down, to not only stop being the Green Arrow but also dictate that everyone else also has to stop doing what they’re doing. * * *In retrospect, the fact that his Russian adventure has all been in service of avenging that one girl he kind of knew on the island for a while works even better now. It used to seem like a poor foundation for a season-long storyline because, let’s be honest, Oliver was never really all that close with the girl before she died. Is his sense of honor so powerful that he would pursue her oppressors to the death? Or is it just that he needed an excuse, any excuse, to kill, and then carried that over into the season 1 version we remember doggedly killing people off of his father’s enemy’s list? Killing, “Kapiushon” argues, has never been the means to whatever end Oliver is working toward at any given moment. Instead, killing is something he enjoys. He’s a serial killer. * * *Yeah, but what about all the endless “I kill because I have to”/”I’ll no longer kill because Tommy wouldn’t want me to”/”Totally killing again and loving it”/”I promise not to kill again. I just want to stay home and make sweet, sweet love with Felicity”/”Killing’s back on the menu, folks” back-and-forth over the past 5 years? That suggests he has a conscience. He’s not a sociopath. Never said he was, but Adrian’s argument was essentially Oliver has always been a hypocrite. There is something broken inside of him which can’t be fixed, and being the Green Arrow simply enables the on-going deterioration of his being and drags down everyone around him. Fine. Whatever. Please tell me some female character had to die to bring about all of this mansuffering. Actually, kind of yes and no. “Kapiushon” fridges a character (Adrian appears to snap Evelyn’s neck in front of Oliver), but then brings her right back (they were only pretending, and Evelyn still super hates Oliver for…reasons). So, was this a good episode? Yes. One of the better in recent memory, that is if you go in for Arrow’s signature self-serious manpain and brooding. Edited March 24, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
wonderwall March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 I really hate it when people reduce torture to simple manpain... 7 Link to comment
kismet March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 Well especially when the Flarrowverse has owned the market on customizing different styles and levels of manpain. Torture is not mainpan, it is in a whole different category and class of behavior. 5 Link to comment
tv echo March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 Arrow Season 5 Episode 17 – “Kapiushon” Review 24th March 2017 Kevin Perreau http://www.filmoria.co.uk/arrow-season-5-episode-17-kapiushon-review/#respond Quote Even though it featured them together a lot less than the flashbacks, Kapiushon fell deeply into Stephen Amell and Josh Segarra’s performance. The entire moment of the episode can be summed up in that one confession scene, in which both actors were superb. It is very possible that Oliver has been lying to himself for a while now, to kill because he thinks its right, to avenge his father, to deliver justice. Yet when he admits he likes killing to Adrian, there was a moment of disbelief that Amell pulled flawlessly. Something that was never really tackled so heavily until this week, Oliver has had a real problem. There isn’t a killers anonymous that he really could unburden, but the fact that he himself didn’t realize there was an issue and probably lied to himself for years gives not only this episode, but the entire season so much more weight. Watching both Stephen and Josh in such an emotionally raw episode, as they both get defeated and unhinged was a real treat. * * * In what could have been a finale, in terms of the season and the flashbacks, left audiences wanting much more. Kovar was revived by Malcolm Merlyn, and in Oliver’s return to the team, he announces his retirement. Oliver did not fulfill a dying wish in the past and will never be happy with himself in the present. As Oliver becomes a Bratva captain, it will be interesting to see if he goes back to Star City immediately, or he stays in Russia, still unknowing of Kovar and Malcolm’s agenda. The shift of hero to man and back to hero will be the greater narrative. Oliver must realize that he is not that man he thinks he was, but will forever be a part of him. What makes him different to Prometheus is his quest for justice. No longer fueled by vengeance or pleasure, he must rise to the top to be the hero of Star City. 1 Link to comment
tv echo March 24, 2017 Share March 24, 2017 (edited) Arrow Review: Kapiushon (Season 5 Episode 17) March 23, 2017 Lissete Lanuza Sáenzhttp://www.telltaletv.com/2017/03/arrow-review-kapiushon-season-5-episode-17/ Quote Arrow Season 5 Episode 17 “Kapiushon” takes Oliver down to the basics of who he is – or more importantly, who he believes he is, confronts him with his past and essentially, reboots the Green Arrow once again, and it does so in such an effective manner that I might almost be willing to believe they meant to do this the whole time. Except, no one – not even a show notorious for slow starts, throws away sixteen episodes in a season just to set up the last quarter of it. So no, I’m not buying that this was the plan all along, Arrow. Nice try, though. I’m sure you fooled some people. * * * I am, however, willing to give credit where credit is due – this is a good episode. It could have been a great one with a little less flashbacks and some more Prometheus, who has suddenly turned out to be the best thing in a lackluster season. The bad guy. That’s my highlight of the year. Can you see the problem with this? * * * But – and for all that Prommy is ten steps ahead of Oliver, there’s one thing he’s severely underestimated, a thing that I sense, will come up big in the next few episodes, as we gear up for the season finale. Oliver’s friends. * * * They are his strength, he said, but after Prommy broke him, even Oliver lost sight of that. He lost sight of everything but the “truth” Prommy got out of him. And, most importantly, so has Prommy. He’s so focused on Oliver that he’s probably never considered that Oliver’s team – and John Diggle and Felicity Smoak, in particular, are just as capable of taking him down, albeit with different methods. The Green Arrow never was, could never be, a story about just Oliver Queen. It was always about the people who made him human, the people whose lives he touched for the better, and even if he’s lost sight of that now, those people are still there, ready to fight for him. * * *One good episode doesn’t cure all wounds. One good episode is a Band-Aid. If you want us to trust your good intentions, you have to give us more than that. * * * I would like to say I was surprised by the Evelyn thing, but it’s not like Arrow knows or cares about writing good, nuanced female characters so no, not surprised at all. * * * Are we sure the same people who gave us this episode gave us the previous 16? Edited March 24, 2017 by tv echo 4 Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2017 Share March 25, 2017 (edited) Agents of GEEK Podcast Episode 66 Posted on 03/24/2017 Craig Wack & Tatiana Torres http://agentsofgeekpodcast.com/wordpress/ -- Tatiana: "This was by far one of the darkest episodes of Arrow... and yet it was somehow less depressing than the season of The Flash. How does that work? ... Adrian Chase is scary as f**k, you guys. He is clearly unhinged... And he has Felicity's glasses. This dude is scarier than Damien Darhk... Slade Wilson is the only one who I might say is more scary because he was, like, skewering mothers, you know... Yet again, not as depressing as The Flash." -- Craig described Oliver's confession as being that "he kills people, not for justice, but because he enjoys it." Tatiana thought that Oliver's confession was that he kills people both for justice and because he enjoys it. Craig thought that it was the "worst part of the ret-conning that they've been doing" this season and that "it felt out of the blue and not earned." Tatiana disagreed and felt that it was "partially earned," but agreed that it was "out of the blue." She said that Oliver had "buried it so deep" within himself that he didn't even see it in himself. Craig disagreed because he thought it ran "counter to human nature and human psychology" - in other words, "if something feels good, you want more of it" - therefore, we would have "seen this along the way" if Oliver really enjoyed killing. For example, if while Oliver & Felicity were living in "suburban bliss," the neighbors might've mentioned a missing cat. Tatiana disagreed and said it only came out when Oliver was being tortured at a time he had lost everything and didn't have any other "distractions." Craig disagreed and said that, if Oliver enjoyed killing, the temptation to kill would still be too great to resist and would "bubble up" from time to time, even during his no-killing phase. -- Tatiana said that she had never seen SA in his portrayal of Oliver look as "emotionally, mentally and physically f**king just at zero as when he walked back into the lair... it was painful to watch." She also noted that SA looked a little "beefier" and "less cut" than he used to, even though he works out all the time. She also thought that Felicity should've given Oliver a hug when he returned to the lair. -- Tatiana said that she's enjoying the flashbacks this season more than any other season, even Season 1, mostly because of the "rapport" between SA as Oliver and "the guy who plays Anatoly." Craig said that anything would be better than last season's flashbacks. Edited March 25, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2017 Share March 25, 2017 (edited) Allison Brennan and Lavinia Kent analyze 'Arrow' season 5, episode 17, 'Kapiushon': A dark, dark Oliver By: Allison Brennan and Lavinia Kent | March 24, 2017 4:32 pmhttp://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2017/03/24/allison-brennan-lavinia-kent-arrow-recap-season-5-episode-17-kapiushon/ Quote LK: I had a hard time deciding where to start this week. The present day and the flashbacks blend in such a way that it’s almost hard to know where to begin. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that. The flashbacks were definitely necessary, more than necessary, but I wasn’t sure they were quite enough to make up the main “meat” of the episode, so I was left a little wanting. I did think it was a great episode, but definitely felt that it was mostly setup for what is to come. Allison? * * *AB: My son and I agree: This is one of our favorite episodes of the season, maybe even one of the top five episodes in the series. Both Luke and I have always loved episodes that focused largely on the flashbacks, and this episode was one of those … I would say more than 80% of the episode was set in Russia five years ago. * * *LK: I am always intrigued when we get to see how dark Oliver used to be — in a metaphorical way, seeing him being the man who is so ready to torture and kill. They definitely were highlighting that this episode. He seemed even darker than when season one began. AB: Yes, in a way … but both my son and I were wondering about his time back on the island after Russia. We don’t know how long he was left there before rescue — maybe there was a bit of soul-searching and atonement? I don’t know … I’m definitely curious! * * *AB: This is the “all is lost” moment — perfectly placed. I think Oliver IS done. He is not the man he was when he left in the Queen’s Gambit, he’s not the man he was when he left Russia, he’s not the man he was when he started this season. He has been broken. I don’t want him wallowing in self-pity — I really don’t. But they can’t just turn this around in one episode, because then it won’t have the deep emotional impact it needs to have. Edited March 25, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 25, 2017 Share March 25, 2017 (edited) Arrow Recap: Oliver Reveals His Deepest And Darkest Secret In This Week’s Episode “Kapiushon” MARCH 24, 2017 VERENA COTEhttp://www.4ye.co.uk/2017/03/arrow-recap-oliver-reveals-his-deepest-and-darkest-secret-in-this-weeks-episode-kapiushon/ Quote Oliver’s desire to kill, his wish to cross names off his father’s list in the first season becomes so much clearer as it is revealed that he does not so out of obligation, but out of passion. It makes it easier to understand the Oliver we met in season one. However, it is cruel of Adrian to assume the man who killed his father once upon a time is the same man Oliver is now. Oliver’s changed immensely throughout the last five seasons, and one crucial element of that is his team. John and Felicity, both in their own very unique ways have made Oliver a better person. He has given them the opportunity to help their city, but in return they have given him the chance to redeem himself. They guide him and they make him want to be better, which is evident in his reluctance to admit that he liked killing people when he started this crusade. The Oliver we got to know and learn to love in season one, I firmly believe, is a far cry from the man we see in 2017. Edited March 25, 2017 by tv echo Link to comment
jb0495 March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 http://tvline.com/2017/03/27/arrow-season-6-katie-cassidy-series-regular-black-siren/ UGH, Can't she just move on?? 1 Link to comment
Trini March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 Sounds like it's the show/runners not being able to move on to me. This makes me wonder what the deal is going to be for new!Black Canary/Dinah next season. 2 Link to comment
ohjoy March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 Ah, I see. I was in denial before, but I can't pretend any longer. Arrow is going to be my next Smallville, isn't it -- where I have to check completely out of the show to save my sanity and can't come back until I know for absolutely sure that it's the end? (Okay, I admit that's a little melodramatic. But seriously, my dvr queue is full of shows I that employ characters I actually want to see. I don't have time for this crap -- digitally or emotionally.) 15 Link to comment
Delphi March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 (edited) For the love of God, what the fuck!? Can't they just make a spinoff called Canaries and Friends and give me back my damn show. Seriously Marc, go write fan fiction or something if you have such a burning need to have a Laurel Lance everywhere. Edited March 27, 2017 by Delphi 22 Link to comment
Chaser March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 LOLOLOL to be fair, I'm 99.9% sure MG and CO and CREW want nothing to do with her. 10 Link to comment
NumberCruncher March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 LOL-forever. I think had Marc & Co. not been such hack storytellers then ratings wouldn't have tanked so much in S5 and they wouldn't be in this situation. I'm kind of enjoying the schadenfreude though. They deserve every last bit of meddling that the network has shelled out, IMO. 1 Link to comment
Sunshine March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 6 minutes ago, NumberCruncher said: LOL-forever. I think had Marc & Co. not been such hack storytellers then ratings wouldn't have tanked so much in S5 and they wouldn't be in this situation. I'm kind of enjoying the schadenfreude though. They deserve every last bit of meddling that the network has shelled out, IMO. But do the viewers? 3 Link to comment
NumberCruncher March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 5 minutes ago, Sunshine said: But do the viewers? There are people still watching? (I kid...sort of). 2 Link to comment
Primal Slayer March 27, 2017 Share March 27, 2017 2 hours ago, Chaser said: LOLOLOL to be fair, I'm 99.9% sure MG and CO and CREW want nothing to do with her. Katie would have to have THE GREATEST team on earth! in history of acting! to be hated by everyone on a show and be brought back continually reupped to a regular. 2 Link to comment
Trini March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 4 minutes ago, Primal Slayer said: Katie would have to have THE GREATEST team on earth! in history of acting! to be hated by everyone on a show and be brought back continually reupped to a regular. And to think, they're wasting their time on the fifth-rated show on the fifth-rated network! 3 Link to comment
Primal Slayer March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 Just now, Trini said: And to think, they're wasting their time on the fifth-rated show on the fifth-rated network! Right?! Somehow TheCW ONLY interferes with Arrow? Forces them to fake everything. It isn't even their number 1 show anymore. 5 minutes ago, Chaser said: Well if you believe the Paps that spoiled her return it wasn't so much the Team who got her this gig.... If they never wanted to see her face again then why ever bring her back? I'm not saying every single person bts wants her back but enough want her back to make it happen. It's been proven time and again, just like her PR friendships. Link to comment
Artsda March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 4 hours ago, jb0495 said: http://tvline.com/2017/03/27/arrow-season-6-katie-cassidy-series-regular-black-siren/ UGH, Can't she just move on?? Nooooooo! Ugh. There goes being able to watch an episode without the FF button. Link to comment
Bort March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 Oh people, you need to keep the civility. Dial it back or some warnings are getting handed out... Link to comment
EmilyBettFan March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 I will just zone out when she's on. Hopefully Dinah kills off BS. Because really do we need two screechers on this show. One is too much already. 3 Link to comment
Delphi March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 Yeah, clearly one will have to go. They seriously cannot have two women running around in black leather screaming at everything. 1 Link to comment
Primal Slayer March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 11 minutes ago, Delphi said: Yeah, clearly one will have to go. They seriously cannot have two women running around in black leather screaming at everything. If they dont title an episode Scream Queens, I will be disappointed. 7 Link to comment
kismet March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 3 hours ago, NumberCruncher said: LOL-forever. I think had Marc & Co. not been such hack storytellers then ratings wouldn't have tanked so much in S5 and they wouldn't be in this situation. I'm kind of enjoying the schadenfreude though. They deserve every last bit of meddling that the network has shelled out, IMO. Agree with you... Also agree with @Sunshine, I don't think the viewers deserve it. I also seriously wonder why the network came up with this solution. It seems like meddling in the worst degree. Like instead of using suncreen over a sunburn, you decide suntan oil will somehow protect the skin before an all day beach day. 1 Link to comment
Primal Slayer March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 But why not just get rid of MG and bring in someone new? That'd be the easiest thing to do. 2 Link to comment
kismet March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 In all honesty though, series regular doesn't mean much on Arrow. Look at how many series regulars barely get screen time and a story arc. It's not the worst news I've heard about Arrow. I'll just wait and see what their actual plan is. If they put her on a team of villains for TA to defeat, it might actually be fun to watch her get defeated week after week. I'm just definitely not here for any redemption arc. 3 Link to comment
Primal Slayer March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 3 minutes ago, kismet said: In all honesty though, series regular doesn't mean much on Arrow. Look at how many series regulars barely get screen time and a story arc. It's not the worst news I've heard about Arrow. I'll just wait and see what their actual plan is. If they put her on a team of villains for TA to defeat, it might actually be fun to watch her get defeated week after week. I'm just definitely not here for any redemption arc. That is true. They like to waste money. 1 Link to comment
Delphi March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 How are we sure that its network meddling? If it's not thread safe could someone message me with some deets? Link to comment
looptab March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 5 hours ago, Delphi said: How are we sure that its network meddling? If it's not thread safe could someone message me with some deets? I second this, haha. Link to comment
MaisyDaisy March 28, 2017 Share March 28, 2017 9 minutes ago, looptab said: I second this, haha. Me three. Link to comment
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