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The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

Grammaeryn

By Grammaeryn
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Morrigan2575
Morrigan2575

I always find it odd when people blame the writing for LLs failure. I'll give them that for Lauiver because of the whole cheating thing but, let's be honest if SA/KC had the chemistry that SA/EBR had,

lemotomato
lemotomato

Sorry, that argument rings really hollow when the show has had a history of killing off/mistreating other female characters without a peep of protest from those same "concerned" people. Moira Queen, S

ComicFan777
ComicFan777

I know that this is supposed to be Felicity's dark arc, but...Felicity desperately doing whatever she can to save people (damn the consequences down the road) doesn't make me think that she's losing w

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lemotomato

lemotomato

7 minutes ago, Trisha said:

I watched these guys a couple times but had to stop because she says the most delusional things about Laurel. On the plus side, the other two hosts slammed this episode.

Good to know the other two are sane, haha. Where is the clip from? I couldn’t find a source in the thread.

tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!...

Arrow Season 6 Episode 19 Review: “The Dragon” 
Chris King  April 20, 2018
http://www.tvovermind.com/the-cw/arrow/arrow-season-6-episode-19-review-the-dragon

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The only thing worse than a bad episode of television is a boring one. Unfortunately, this week’s Arrow is dreadfully dull from start to finish, as the series dedicates an entire hour to the origin of Season 6’s main villain, Ricardo Diaz, aka The Dragon. Kirk Acevedo does the best he can with the material he’s given....

If this story sounds familiar to you, it’s because Diaz’s origin is pretty standard fare when it comes to villains. They’re not born evil; they’re created by those who are evil to them. This type of unoriginal storytelling is why “The Dragon” is such a flat, predictable, and underwhelming episode of Arrow. In an effort to give Diaz more depth, to turn him into a worthy foe of Oliver’s instead of just a stock villain, the show’s writers attempt to instill more meaning into the motives of Diaz; they want to make him more damaged and complex, so that he becomes something other than the common criminal that he’s been portrayed as throughout most of Season 6.
*  *  *
However, not only is it too late in the season for that type of transformation to happen, but the story Arrow is telling is so uninspired that it actually makes Diaz even less compelling. This villain, who we’ve been told is more threatening than any antagonist Oliver has faced before (Black Siren even compares Diaz to Adrian Chase in this episode, which is just laughable), is essentially a bullied kid who physically grew up but never did emotionally. Diaz is too immature to most past his childhood wounds, as he lets the presence of Jesse continue to haunt him no matter how much money he makes or how much territory he takes over, until he finally kidnaps the now adult Jesse in the episode’s final moments and burns him alive. It’s petty, childish, and tedious, and I don’t feel a single emotion as we watch Diaz’s journey throughout “The Dragon,” not even the anger or sadness I’ve felt at Diggle or the Newbies during the back half of this season. Instead, I’m yawning, waiting for the scene to end so we can get back to Felicity or (God help me) even Curtis, because those characters are vibrant in a way that Diaz never has been and never will be.

... While it’s satisfying to see Felicity and Curtis moving forward with Helix Dynamics, their scenes together are tainted because of how insufferable Curtis has become in recent episodes. In “The Dragon,” he somehow gets Felicity to apologize to him about Rene’s injuries (which, I remind you, never would have happened if Rene did not try to attack Oliver with an ax and simply stood down like Oliver told him to), and he makes a snide remark about struggling to not take satisfaction in the news that Diggle has left Team Arrow. While it’s important to gain insight into how Felicity is responding to Oliver’s decision to head into the field solo again, she should be talking with someone else other than Curtis about these issues. Thea, if she was still around. Or Quentin. Or even Diggle, despite how strained their friendship might be right now. To have Felicity confide in a person who clearly doesn’t respect her or her husband, in someone who has taken zero responsibility for his actions in recent months and laid all the blame at her, Oliver, and Diggle’s feet, undercuts the weight of her concerns and makes her seem like a weaker character than she actually is.

... Arrow manages to mishandle Oliver Queen during his one and only scene in “The Dragon.” In concept, his promise to Felicity, the same one that he previously made to William, that he will always come back, is caring and sweet, but this declaration also comes after Oliver insinuates that Felicity hasn’t and wouldn’t help him in the field as Overwatch. “Because when you’re in the bunker you feel like you can make a difference,” Oliver says to Felicity, a claim that she thankfully rallies against. And even though Oliver follows that statement by telling Felicity that she’s never been helpless anywhere, it doesn’t rectify that his previous comments completely contradict his words to Felicity in “Reversal,” an hour of Arrow that reaffirmed to Oliver just how important it is for him to have Felicity in all parts of his life, as Green Arrow and as Oliver Queen.

... But right now, I don’t have faith in the Arrow writers, who have been sacrificing the authenticity of their characters on a weekly basis in order to satisfy the manufactured plot they’ve cooked up, and it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than some impressive action scenes or witty one-liners for me to begin trusting their choices again.

Edited by tv echo
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Trisha

Trisha

(edited)
14 minutes ago, lemotomato said:

Good to know the other two are sane, haha. Where is the clip from? I couldn’t find a source in the thread.

 

Jason Inman (the bearded guy) used to do the Arrow aftershow for Collider and is pretty decent (despite being so into the comic origins). But the female host made me stop tuning into this one.

I'm not sure if there are other good ones out there but I've watched the Blind Wave ones a couple of times this year and they're usually spot on.

Edited by Trisha
lemotomato

lemotomato

6 minutes ago, Trisha said:

Jason Inman (the bearded guy) used to do the Arrow aftershow for Collider and is pretty decent (despite being so into the comic origins). But the female host made me stop tuning into this one

Thanks for the link and info! I recognized Jason from another review but I couldn’t figure out which one.

scarynikki12

scarynikki12

I think Ashley (I think that's her name) is being sarcastic.  I haven't watched the whole thing but it reads that way to me and a lot of the responses are getting on her for not liking Laurel.  I've seen the other guys show up on other channels and they're very much in favor of movies and shows doing what's best for the show.  They get pumped when the movies and shows figure out a way to bring in comic stuff and make it awesome but they aren't IT MUST BE COMICS OR IT SUCKS!!! type of guys.  By extension I'm assuming she's the same.

statsgirl

statsgirl

This is an episode for @slanderent. "Human Benadryl Ricardo "Dragon" Diaz was front and center in this episode of #Arrow and disappointed us all."

Usually they divide the review into "the good", "the bad" and the Laurel".  (They're not fans of Laurel.) This one they just did a summary "Richard Dragon sucks" and  jump straight into "the Laurel".

"We knew he was trash from the moment he came on the scene.... this episode was all tell and no show. Then they cut back to him, you could see that the punches weren't landing. So not only do  you not want to try, you want to document it on network television."

"Laurel;s redemption was her making faces ... she literally could have stopped him at any time but she didn't want to...her turning her head was supposed to give the impression that she was becoming more humane."

They also weren't impressed by the wannabe Illuminaties, The Quadrant, and their bodyguards who just let Diaz kill one of their member and didn't kill him. in response.

Their sympathies lie with the bully in the orphanage. Why did Diaz wait 30 years to get revenge on a kid who was probably bullied himself?  Let it go and move on. At the end one of the guys just gave up and stepped out because "this is so stupid".

  • Love 14
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Current poll results...

Who Was the Biggest 'Arrow' Hero in 'The Dragon'? 
Friday, April 20, 2018   Laurel Brown
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/who-was-the-biggest-arrow-hero-68451.aspx

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WHO IS THE BIGGEST HERO IN "THE DRAGON"?
Someone else          36%
Laurel                       21%
Felicity and Curtis    29%
Diaz                         14%
Total Votes: 14

Edited by tv echo
Guest

Guest

This was my favorite part of that article:

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"The Dragon" makes a decent case for the Black Siren to have truly heroic qualities while still remaining a villain. For one thing, her loyalty to Diaz is impressive. Even though the Dragon never bothers explaining himself until after the fact, Laurel stands by him throughout the adventure and keeps Diaz alive. 

I appreciate the laugh it gave me.

tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

I really cannot believe that Black Siren considers Diaz too brutal, considering how brutally she has killed all season (however, I agree with the Diaz comments)...

DC TV Watch: 'Black Lightning' Creator Breaks Down That Ominous Final Shot of Season 1
APRIL 21, 2018 8:15am PT by Sydney Bucksbaum
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/black-lightning-finale-explained-salim-akil-interview-dc-tv-watch-1103917

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Arrow

Yet another layer | This week's episode of Arrow served to make viewers care more about Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) and his plans for Star City. But it turns out his grand plans have always been to seize control of the city ... only to offer it up to yet another criminal organization so he could join it. It was quite the letdown to find out that the Dragon wasn't in this for a deeper reason other than wanting to belong with another group of criminals. But his displays of brutality might have been too much for Laurel (Katie Cassidy), so if this what it takes to finally make her turn to the good guys and take down the Dragon, this will all have been worth it. As of now, Arrow needs to pivot from this Dragon/Quadrant storyline and fast. If there is going to be an episode of Arrow almost entirely without the Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), it needs to be for a good reason, and this just wasn't it.

Edited by tv echo
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Arrow Season 6 Episode 19 Review – ‘The Dragon’
APRIL 22, 2018 BY JESSIE ROBERTSON 
https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2018/04/arrow-season-6-episode-19-review-the-dragon/

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I thought there was a lot of upside to this Laurel and what they could possibly do with her, but her as Diaz’ second was pretty weak; her personality is just null in this type of environment and I don’t buy her fighting skills. It feels like our second go-around on the Laurel character is falling flat as well. But, Diaz pulls some interesting things to his character; he’s patient, we know that. He fights this inner turmoil inside himself all the time; he calls the fear and anger “The Dragon” and he controls it; this is also a great spin on the origin of this character in the comics, as he’s Richard Dragon, martial arts master there. He also speaks very, very softly; I love this for his character as it pulls up that old adage that soft-spoken men are more dangerous because they aren’t screaming over everyone’s head to be heard; you have to pull in to hear them and that’s when they get you. This episode firmly pulls in the direction that there may be more life for Diaz than just the season long villain who dies in the finale.

We do get a very small bit where Felicity and Curtis have come back together to work on Helix and it comes out that Felicity is just a wreck not knowing where or what Oliver is doing; it’s good to see them together again as they have a lot of chemistry; and we get just one scene with Oliver reassuring Felicity he’ll always be fine. I mean, the show is named after him. Diaz final scene of killing off Jesse; the boy that tortured him so long feels narratively correct but watching it, it was a bit overcooked (get it?).

Edited by tv echo
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Agents of GEEK Podcast Episode 113
Posted on 04/22/2018 Craig Wack & Tatiana Torres
http://agentsofgeekpodcast.com/wordpress/

-- Arrow 619: Craig thought that this Dragon-centric episode was "needed to explain who this guy was, but I want to punch 'em in the face for, like, taking us to the point where they needed this episode so late in the game." He noted that there are only 4 episodes left in this season, and they're only now doing his origin story. Tatiana: "Okay, still don't care about him, though." She said that, although Diaz didn't have an "ideal childhood," at least Adrian Chase/Prometheus "lost a father and a bunch of other stuff." She added that she kept thinking that maybe at the end of the episode, in addition to taking revenge on a childhood bully, we'd find out that Diaz's father was "some character that really cemented the need for revenge." But that didn't happen. 

-- Craig said that the episode was this "long, drawn-out scenario... learning nothing new of significance" about Diaz, just that he "wanted to be this crime lord in order to burn his bully alive?"

-- Tatiana noted that when Diaz burned the guy, Evil Laurel gave this look like she might "not be on board for this plan," which could "spiral into redemption way too fast." She did not want that. Craig also hoped that there will be no redemption for Evil Laurel.

-- Craig noted that, if they wanted to get rid of KC from the show, they've had "many opportunities to do so" and that "now they're going out of their way to keep her on the show." He thought that "it could go one of two ways... Redemption is still the most plausible opportunity, but I wonder if they're not trying to set up for next year - that Laurel will be the Big Bad." 

-- In "B plot" land, Craig noted that Felicity told Oliver that she didn't want to feel that helpless again and that Oliver gave the "ominous" promise that he will always come back. So Craig is certain that there'll be an episode where Oliver doesn't come back and that'll be the reason that "the band gets back together" (Diggle, NTA) to help Felicity. Craig thought that Oliver's speech "was the only reason that episode existed this week." He added that the episode might also be significant for signaling Evil Laurel's turn toward redemption.

-- Craig said that this episode was frustrating because it was like, "you're getting close to the finish line and you're pulling over for a smoke break... what the hell are you doing?." He compared it to last season when, at around this time, a lot of stuff was happening with Adrian Chase.

-- Craig thought that the Dragon was the wrong choice for this story arc. Craig added: "Imagine if Anatoly was the one doing it... It makes so much more sense." He thought it would also make more sense for Oliver's pushing everyone away as well because he knows how the Bratva works and that the Russian mob would target corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials. Tatiana agreed, saying that it would also make more sense because Anatoly would have a personal grudge against Oliver and, since we're already familiar with Anatoly, we wouldn't need an origin story. Craig said that "Diaz would fit in much better as the Number 1 Goon in this new and improved Bratva." 

Edited by tv echo
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tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Why Ricardo Diaz Does Not Work For ARROW Season Six!
Ali Harris | 4/23/2018 
https://www.comicbookmovie.com/tv/dc/arrow/why-ricardo-diaz-does-not-work-for-arrow-season-six-a159904

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Season six of Arrow has had a major issue with handling its villains and making them interesting. Starting with Cayden James the writers couldn't manage to make him interesting even though they had Michael Emerson who is a great actor. Now, despite having a more hands-on villain like Ricardo Diaz, the writers continue to make the mistake of not having him be interesting. However, that's not the only issue the show has with its villains this season so let's get started.
*  *  *
Let's focus on Ricardo Diaz and why he isn't working well on Arrow. Now, let's try to ignore the lazy writing this season for a moment and focus on the villains of Arrow so far. Adrian Chase, Slade Wilson, Ra's Al Ghul and even Damien Darhk are at this stage better than Ricardo Diaz for the sole fact that they actually worked for the seasons they were in. The reason those villains worked so well though was because they challenged Green Arrow in either a way he hasn't been challenged before or has allowed him to use his previous experience to defeat an enemy. However, after defeating those major villains who posed a massive threat to Oliver and his team, he essentially develops, becomes smarter, stronger and even more paranoid on who to trust. The issue is that the writers seem to ignore that development for season six. Ricardo Diaz on the show is a criminal with martial arts skills but from what we've seen so far, he's a minor at best. So how does he pose a threat to Oliver who has defeated someone like Ra's Al Ghul?

One of my issues with Diaz in this season is that Diaz simply outsmarts Oliver. Now, I'm not saying Oliver should be the most intelligent person alive but I do expect him to be smarter in every season as he is developing and going through issues that allow him to progress. Otherwise everything he's going through becomes obsolete and meaningless. Let's talk about the way that Ricardo Diaz is being written though. Recently we've learnt that Ricardo Diaz had taken over Star City to essentially impress a group called "The Quadrant". The issue with this is that they've only just revealed his true motivations in episode 19... four episodes away from the finale rather than developing and building up the story from the beginning. The writers haven't allowed room for Ricardo Diaz to develop even though it's a season with 23 episodes in it. 
*  *  *
Weirdly enough though Ricardo Diaz from the comics fits the tone and overall mood of Arrow perfectly. His involvement in the New 52 story, Green Arrow: The Outsiders War was what made me love this character. So it was surprising for me when I heard that Diaz will be the season 6 villain because I figured he'd immediately be amazing. It became clear early on though that the writers didn't have a fluent story panned out for this character and that's truly a shame as he is one of the best Green Arrow villains. I don't mind the intentions that Diaz has on the show but what I did dislike was the fact that the writers used a really great villain while barely using him or allowing for Kirk Acevedo to potentially portray the characters really well.

Edited by tv echo
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Obviously, there's a mistake in the headline and should say "6x19"...

The Dragon - Arrow Music Notes 6x18
Austencello   April 24, 2018
https://austencello.tumblr.com/post/173264170604/the-dragon-arrow-music-notes-6x18

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Ricardo Diaz is the first big bad of an Arrow season to have his theme revealed so late into the season.  Deathstroke’s motif was first introduced in 1x05, Malcolm Merlyn’s in 1x09.  In a similar fashion, Ra’s al Ghul’s was first introduced in 3x04.  Both Damien Darhk and Prometheus’ appeared from the first episode of their seasons (4x01 and 5x01 respectively).  In those seasons, it was clear as a character and music-wise that this was the villain to watch out.  Due to the slow introduction and the red herring of Cayden James, Diaz’s evolution was slower: a local drug dealer, then later a partner with Cayden.  Since his role was hidden for so long, his basic theme of a low repeated bass note resembled several other similar themes of crime bosses in Star City such as Tobias Church in Season 5.  Menacing but lacking a clear distinctive melodic or instrumental feature.  However, the rhythmic aspect reflected a methodical planner while the low electronics and bass notes are associated with danger.  Yet, Diaz’s full nature and music themes were not fully introduced until this episode.  (The question is whether it is a little too late to make it memorable.)

Diaz had three recurring musical motifs in this episode outside of the low repetitive note.  These three elements are tied to his anger and rage as opposed to the careful, methodical crime boss.  The first was a six note pattern in the low strings as he is a kid in the orphanage.  This motif is the most frequent especially when dealing with Jesse (the bully that haunted him throughout the years) and the anger that unleashed whether hitting the mirror after the first initial meeting with the Quadrant leader’s son, when he was betrayed and shot by the same man, as he shares about Jesse to Black Siren and then when he lights Jesse on fire.  It also plays when he enters the building of the Quadrant.  This is the planning and rage of Ricardo Diaz, often masked but when let out, twisted and ugly.  Interestingly enough, it also plays as Felicity enters the apartment to see if Oliver is ok after a fight and explosion.  Hinting at the danger Diaz can be since Oliver is going solo.  
*  *  *
The second motif grows up out the lower repeated distorted bass note with a glissando (slide) going down.  This is the anger and planning combined.  This sound often accompanies the first string pattern setting the stage for Diaz and the bully at the beginning, as he meets Jesse at his house and ends the episode as he brings Jesse in front of Laurel, toying with him before killing him. It also plays during the first conversation between Laurel and Diaz in the car after he was betrayed and shot.  The distorted low note mixes with piano as they drive back to exact revenge, both for the son and then later as the prepare to enter the Quadrant building.  Laurel mentions things got a lot more complicated and Diaz responds: “anything you want shouldn’t be simple.” 
*  *  *
The third motif was for the Dragon.  In Diaz’s second car conversation with Laurel, he mentions that he transformed the fear that he received from Jesse and named it: “The Dragon.”  This is accompanied by a motif played by out-of-tune bells, giving it an exotic tone.  As he says that he controls the dragon, brass echoes the motif. This is the most distinctive element of Diaz’s themes, the fear that turned into anger and drove him to reach higher and higher.
*  *  *
One of Felicity’s greatest fears is to lose Oliver.  A lot of this stems from her father walking out but there is also the reality that Oliver almost died several times over the past 6 years.  In fact, she was officially brought into the team as the result of Oliver nearly dying in the back of her car in 1x14 after being shot by his mother.  Being Overwatch means having a greater control helping Oliver and her team not only defeat the enemy but survive.  Having that taken away from her leaves her feeling helpless and worried.  It brings back memories and faced with this greater fear. 

It is no accident that as she deals with these emotions and and then expresses them to Oliver about her concerns and worries in this episode, the theme “Still Human Being (3x02)/Two Things (3x09)” plays from Season 3.  It is a theme that deals with loss and love.  In 3x02, Sara’s death sent everyone into turmoil.  Oliver realized that his path was leading to death like Sara and while Felicity loved him, she was not going to sit around to watch him choose death.  She wanted to choose life and the fullness of it.  The theme returns in 3x09 as Oliver leaves to his duel telling Felicity that he loves her, and again in 3x10 (”Prepare Yourself”) as Felicity and Diggle discuss the possibility that Oliver may not come back, Felicity still holding on to hope and belief.
*  *  *
- For those interested, the above Olicity/Oliver’s death theme is also “The Climb” on the first Flash/Arrow Crossover album.  I’m certainly hoping this theme and the numerous promises Oliver has made is not foreshadowing to being unable to keep that promise.  (Who am I kidding?  This is Arrow)

Edited by tv echo
  • Love 2
Primal Slayer

Primal Slayer

(edited)

 

-Didn't feel like an episode of Arrow

-Want Diaz to stick around for another season, enjoyed his fight scenes, and thought this probably could've been earlier in the season.

-Think Lance has had an effect on Laurel and she can go either way when it comes to redemption

-Surprised by how dark the show went for this episode

-Still don't understand Oliver going solo and getting rid of Felicity

-Loved them using the Dragon for the logo of the episode

-Overall really enjoyed the episode.

-Think this season has been weak overall with Diaz/Siren/Felicity being the best parts of the season.

Edited by Primal Slayer
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

A.V. Club reviewer gave 620 a grade of C+...

Arrow hides one decent story underneath a pile of, well, other stories
Allison Shoemaker  April 27, 2018
https://tv.avclub.com/arrow-hides-one-decent-story-underneath-a-pile-of-well-1825588269

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In hindsight, it seems inevitable that we’d get some sort of Oliver/Anatoly tête-à-tête. David Nykl first appeared on Arrow in 2013; if IMDb is to be believed, this marks his 30th episode. While not all his storylines have worked (and while we could probably have done with losing a Bratva flashback here and there), the show has successfully centered Anatoly as one of the more layered relationships in Oliver’s life. His presence in this season has often felt, to me at least, like it’s more about finding an excuse to keep David Nykl involved than about seeing a place for Anatoly in the story. That’s an understandable impulse: Nykl’s an entertaining presence, and at this point, the majority of the characters with whom Oliver has a long-standing, complicated relationship have moved on. Once, there was baggage everywhere; now, there’s Felicity, Diggle, Quentin. Tack on the person who is Not Laurel or William, if you see fit.

That’s part of what makes Nykl and Stephen Amell’s first lengthy scene together a pleasure to watch: it’s based in history. It’s a history that’s mostly been ignored, save for some shouting here and there, but it’s history, nonetheless. Their relationship has been brotherly, acrimonious, mentor-mentee, father-son, business, personal. It’s worth telling a story about, is what it is.
*  *  *
...That would certainly connect with what’s going on with Laurel and Quentin, a storyline that has, for my money, well past its expiration date. It seems that we’re fast approaching the endlessly teased point at which Not Laurel must become either Good Not Laurel or Bad Not Laurel; perhaps if the road here had been more complicated and less repetitive, these scenes would hit harder. As it stands, there’s little complexity and less suspense, and the ineffectuality is emphasized by the uncomfortable framing of Diaz vs. Quentin. It’s as though one of those relationships is meant to show us who she is, rather than this woman wrestling with her own conflicting impulses and emotions. It’s not as though the original (on Arrow) Laurel Lance was always allowed to be complicated, but at least she was never forced to be either wholly one thing or wholly another.

That said, Katie Cassidy continues to be more engaging as this barbed Laurel than as her Earth-1 predecessor. It’s lucky, because the participants in our other significant storyline don’t have much going on. It’s always nice to see Curtis actually engaged in one of Arrow’s big, last-act battles, but otherwise, this is all cake and weird, one-sided apologies. If the point of this storyline is to make sure that Diggle is aligned, at least somewhat, with Team Not-Arrow, then mission accomplished. Otherwise, there’s frustratingly little to actually engage with, and the B-squad continues to struggle to find a place in the story that’s both palatable and sensible.

Whenever we’re away from Oliver and Anatoly, this episode sinks. Some of that may be my own personal fatigue with the drums this show has been beating for weeks without actually investigating them, but outside of specific references to recent episodes, you could remove a number of scenes from this hour, replace them with scenes from elsewhere in the season, and there’d be no real loss. That’s not the case with the Anatoly storyline, and that’s what makes it such a relief. To call it a breath of fresh air is overstating, but it certainly makes the other subplots look meager and silly by comparison. It’s simple and not particularly surprising, but at least it’s rooted in relationships.

Edited by tv echo
  • Love 4
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

EW reviewer gave 620 a grade of B...

Arrow recap: 'Shifting Allegiances'
CHANCELLOR AGARD April 26, 2018 at 11:14 PM EDT
http://ew.com/recap/arrow-season-6-episode-20/

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“Shifting Allegiances” may be the strongest episode in quite a few weeks because it’s the first one that moves past the squabbling — both the earned and contrived kind — that’s plagued most of this season. The best half of the episode is focused on Oliver’s relationship with Anatoly, which has always been one of the show’s strengths, and the other half is focused on Diggle and New Team Arrow putting their differences aside and working together. Tonight’s episode isn’t perfect, but it has restored my faith that Arrow can pull it together and finish strong.
*  *  *
I really liked the fact that Arrow slowed things down here to focus on this fractured relationship. Oliver and Anatoly were once brothers, but they both made mistakes that broke them. And as was the case when Oliver visited Slade while in prison, you can still see signs of Oliver and Anatoly’s old rapport. For example, Anatoly has no problem pointing out that Oliver’s decision to work alone because he believes Diaz took advantage of the fact that he was distracted by people cared about is stupid. It’s a great, yet understated moment, that’s yet another reminder that Anatoly isn’t a completely antagonistic force.
*  *  *
... You know, I was willing to buy Diaz as a big bad villain, but during the ensuing brawl, Diaz says a version of Bane’s “You merely adopted the dark; I was born in it” line from The Dark Knight Rises (he changes dark to hell), which was just silly and severely undercut whatever menace he had. (I thought Arrow had moved past its Nolan obsession). Although Diaz starts out on top, Oliver quickly gains the upper-hand and locks him in a chokehold. But Diaz has one more trick up his sleeve: He pulls a knife out of his pocket and stabs Oliver — a.k.a he cheats, which breaks whatever faith Anatoly had in him.
*  *  *
Diggle, who apologizes to Rene for everything that happened (half of which was Rene’s fault to begin with, but whatever), briefs New Team Arrow on the Quadrant, which they believe is importing weapons into Star City. However, upon further investigation, they discover that Diaz and the Quadrant are actually using Star City as a way station to export weapons, which is even more dangerous.

... While Rene spends time with Zoey, the other guys head out into the field. And in a surprising development, they actually manage to destroy the entire drug shipment. This might be the first competent thing New Team Arrow has done since they became New Team Arrow. Then again, this should tell Dinah, Curtis, and Rene something since they weren’t able to pull this off alone. If only Supergirl were here to swoop in and explain that the S on her chest means “Stronger Together” as a way of making them all understand that they’re best when they work together. Given how tonight’s episode ends, however, I suspect it won’t be too long before all of Team Arrow is reunited.

Edited by tv echo
tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

ARROW: "SHIFTING ALLEGIANCES" REVIEW
BY JESSE SCHEEDEN   26 APR 2018
http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/04/27/arrow-shifting-allegiances-review?abthid=5ae2997eb10d09530c0007d9

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Arrow has very suddenly turned a corner in the last month, finally living up to its potential again as the feud between Oliver Queen and Ricardo Diaz has come into focus. The show has taken a stripped-down, streamlined approach lately that’s really paid off. The question, though, is whether Arrow will simply fall back into old habits as the other members of team Arrow reenter the picture. Judging from “Shifting Allegiances,” there’s some cause for concern.

I’m not sure I realized just how little I’ve actually missed Wild Dog until he made his return this week. Season 6 is burdened with too many characters on both the hero and villain side of things. It doesn’t help that Rene’s character arc feels so redundant at the moment. He’s basically struggling through the same problems Diggle was at the beginning of the season. It would be one thing if this superhero PTSD subplot were a way of shuffling Rene out the limelight, but there’s little indication that he and his team are going anywhere right now.
*  *  *
The good news is that Diggle’s return helped reinvigorate the non-Ollie portion of the series somewhat. It’s fun to see Diggle in his new role as ARGUS’ rising star. It’s a way of allowing the character to grow and evolve on his own terms rather than simply take over the Green Arrow mantle.
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Generally, the Ollie/Anatoly/Diaz storyline was the highlight this week. I wasn’t necessarily looking forward to an Anatoly-heavy episode. Like Laurel, he’s done the backstabbing Judas routine one too many times. It’s hard to sympathize with a character like that after a certain point. Yet somehow the writers pulled it off anyway. This episode played nicely on Ollie and Anatoly’s long history together. It even allowed Anatoly to find some measure of redemption, proving that he still has honor despite all recent signs to the contrary.
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If “Shifting Allegiances” managed to make Anatoly compelling again, it failed when it came to Laurel. I’ve long since stopped caring about the redemptive arc the writers have been striving for with Laurel. It’s too drawn-out and repetitive at this point. And after devoting an entire episode to Laurel and Diaz stirring up trouble, it’s too much of a sudden shift to see her cast as a conflicted victim struggling to protect her “father” from Diaz’s wrath. I don’t buy it. I want to buy into Quentin’s mission to protect this laurel in a way he couldn’t for his own daughter, but the series has spent too much time painting her as a remorseless, self-serving villain for that to connect.

Edited by tv echo
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Arrow: Disrupting the Operation
By Matt Ross, April 26th, 2018
https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2018/04/26/arrow-disrupting-the-operation

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I was surprised to see Rene back. I had thought his character was written off and would stay “hospitalized” for the remainder of the season. As much as I’ve criticized Dinah, Curtis and Rene, it was refreshing to have Wild Dog back in the fold. I think he brings a different energy when his character is used the right way. I thought the (short-lived) PTSD angle made a bit more sense for Rene then it did for John and his hand—who was really more just in his own head and couldn’t execute in the field because of it. Rene actually sustained quite a bit of damage that might make someone think twice the next time they had to put themselves in a similar position. It just kind of made sense, I think.
*  *  *
Though I wasn’t down with Anatoly making an appearance (yet again), I guess I get it: he and Ollie are forever bound to one another. It’s always so ironic to me when bad guys talk about “honor”—there’s even irony when Ollie talks about it. Don’t get me wrong…I get the idea of these bad dudes still having “honor” in terms of not choosing to participate in certain criminal activities, etc. But Ollie being surprised that Diaz stabbed him in that fight was a bit silly. Diaz is 100% ruthless and will do whatever it takes to be the top dog. To quote the almighty Ric Flair, Diaz is “the dirtiest player in the game.” Why would you ever think he was capable of playing nice or fair? Get your head out of your hood, Oliver. You’re in Diaz’s world now, grandma.

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OLIVER VS. DIAZ, NEW TEAM ARROW PLUS DIGGLE, AND MAYOR QUENTIN IN THE LATEST ARROW
Trent Moore  April 26, 2018
http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/oliver-vs-diaz-new-team-arrow-plus-diggle-and-mayor-quentin-in-the-latest-arrow

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Which begs the question: Is Oliver completely wrong here? Anatoly tells him as much, noting his epiphany (the decision to drop his team and go solo) is pretty dumb at face value. The fact that Oliver’s big solo move this week ended with him bleeding from the side and behind bars is a fair testament that going it alone doesn’t always turn out so well. Anatoly makes plans to potentially bust out Oliver, but that’s before he’s summoned and limps into a room with Diaz and Black Siren. As for Diaz, he finally uses all his immense power within Star City for something useful, and has Oliver formally re-arrested for vigilantism and has the courthouse push his trial up to next episode, err, week.

This show has been trying its hardest to make Diaz into an evil, inhuman force to be reckoned with — but after facing off with everyone from a near-immortal assassin to a magical killer with a lot more juice on paper, it’s still a tough sell to give the Dragon that much menace. Laurel is positively terrified of him, but this is a woman who has stood beside metahuman speedster baddies like Zoom and not really missed a beat. Yes, Diaz is clearly dead inside and capable of anything — but he’s still just a man. That’s not meant as a fault to the job Kirk Acevedo is doing with the character, just a symptom of where you end up after season upon season of oneupmanship. Sure, it’s a nice throwback to have a human villain who is simply ruthless to face off with Oliver, but it still can come off as a bit toothless when someone like Black Siren — who, as Quentin points out, could turn Diaz to goo with a whistle — is so terrified of the guy.

Edited by tv echo
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Arrow, ‘Shifting Allegiances’: The Season’s Endgame Is Finally Taking Shape
BY CRAIG WACK · APRIL 27, 2018
http://oohlo.com/2018/04/27/arrow-shifting-allegiances-the-seasons-endgame-is-finally-taking-shape/

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Sex and the Olicity: With so much going on, someone had to draw the short straw, and it was Felicity who was reduced to watching TV and comforting William when the news breaks about Ollie’s arrest.
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Last impressions: A lack of Felicity notwithstanding, this was a perfectly serviceable episode of Arrow. While this isn’t exactly a complement, the episode was better than the stream of dreck the Arrow writers room has been pumping out lately. Diggle and Team Hoss are on speaking terms again, and it makes you feel like Dinah, Curtis and Rene have futures on the ARGUS payroll. Rene gets the blessing from his daughter to go out and be a vigilante again (she figures the whole thing out herself, she and William should date when they are older). Although it looks bleak for Oliver, Diaz’s rash, brutal behavior has cost him the loyalty of Anatoly and Laurel. I’m not exactly enthused about Ollie’s trial, given the butchering of the justice system The Flash put on display earlier this year. But, at least the show has some momentum, which is good because Arrow is running out of season.

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Entertainment Weekly - Superhero Insider talks Avengers: Infinity War, and CW Superhero shows
April 27, 2018   Kyle Anderson & Natalie Abrams
https://soundcloud.com/ewradio/superhero-insider-talks-avengers-infinity-war-and-cw-superhero-shows

-- Arrow 620: Kyle thought that Oliver's scheme to get captured by Diaz was "overly complicated." Kyle also said that he "kept waiting to be convinced that [Diaz] is the Big Bad." Natalie said that the show's answer is just that Diaz is "crazy." Kyle was also skeptical when Quentin compared Diaz to Damian Darhk. 

-- When Natalie mentioned upcoming

Spoiler

622, when Felicity has a chance to stop Diaz but Oliver isn't comfortable with Felicity being in danger, Kyle said that he liked "Action Felicity." Natalie agreed, saying that she was a "big fan" of Action Felicity.

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Did Suits Overstuff Finale? Did Timeless Duo 'Do It'? Was Grey's Geek Gross? Funeral-Ready Vixens? And More Qs!!
By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Michael Ausiello, Dave Nemetz, Kimberly Roots, Ryan Schwartz, Rebecca Iannucci and Andy Swift / April 27 2018, 10:41 AM PDT
http://tvline.com/2018/04/27/suits-meghan-markle-patrick-j-adams-final-episode-jessica-spinoff-tv-questions-answers/

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22 | It’s entirely possible we have no idea how shoulder-mounted rocket launchers work, but… this Arrow goon left the “cap” on, right?
arrow1.jpg?w=261&h=197

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Another Chris King review that's completely on point (imo)...

Arrow Season 6 Episode 20 Review: “Shifting Allegiances” 
Chris King  April 27, 2018
http://www.tvovermind.com/the-cw/arrow/arrow-season-6-episode-20-review-shifting-allegiances

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“Shifting Allegiances” makes it clear to me that there’s no saving Arrow Season 6. What started off as a promising year that was set to show us Oliver grappling with what it means to be a father, husband, and leader (both in public as the mayor and in secret as the Green Arrow) has devolved into a frustrating mess of out-of-character actions all fueled by a lackluster villain, who has never once proven himself to be a genuine threat and is instead being propped up by characters describing how menacing and monstrous and dangerous he is without Arrow ever actually showing him as that.

... Who the hell are these people that I’m watching, Arrow writers? Because they’re not the characters I’ve grown to love over the past five-plus years. That’s not the Oliver Queen who knows that he’s only his best self in the field and in life when he’s got John Diggle and Felicity Smoak fighting by his side. The John Diggle I know and love would not be able to brush aside the fact that Curtis, Rene, and Dinah hacked into the chip in his arm to take him down but still insist that Oliver has let him down as a leader. Where’s the sense of loyalty that has defined Dig’s character since the beginning?
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Furthermore, Diggle should not be the one apologizing to people who turned their backs on Team Arrow without a single concern for him, Oliver, and Felicity. He can feel bad about how things escalated, to the point where punches were being thrown, arrows were being shot, bullets were being fired, and axes were being swung (Remember the ax, Rene?). However, to have him say that Diggle say he’s sorry without receiving any type of an apology in return is insulting to his character and makes me like the Newbies even less.

And let’s not even get started on Quentin, who has gone from a man Oliver could admire, someone who rose above the worst losses in life but kept on going, to a brainwashed, nonsensical imbecile who is willing to do absolutely anything for a cold-blooded murderer just because she has the face of his daughter. When Quentin finally told Black Siren to leave his house and never return, I cheered. I finally thought we were moving past his idiotic ideas of redeeming her. But Quentin folding that quickly, after she shows how scared she is by Diaz, who is such a big, bad villain that he needs to remind his tailor about the muscles he’s growing and has to cheat and stab Oliver to beat him in a fight (Could be he be any more of a laughable antagonist?), makes me want him to leave Star City and never return.

Plus, not only does this Quentin/Black Siren storyline portray the city’s new mayor as weak and foolish, but it doesn’t even make sense on a character-level for Black Siren, who is a viciously evil villain one week and then a frightened hostage the next. Like so many other characters this season, Black Siren acts how ever the plot tells her to and has transformed from a fun and formidable recurring villain into a dull, lifeless plot device—she’s there when Diaz needs a sidekick or when Quentin needs a solo story but has no real arc of her own.
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-Hi Felicity and William! It was nice to see you two for a single scene, especially one with no dialogue. It’s not like you guys are pivotal characters on the show or anything.

Edited by tv echo
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Arrow Episode Guide: Season 6, Episode 20 - Shifting Allegiances
Starman   April 27, 2018
http://www.mygeekygeekyways.com/2018/04/arrow-episode-guide-season-6-episode-20.html

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Quentin points out the biggest problem with the keystone idea of The Black Siren Redemption Arc - the idea that Black Siren can honestly feel threatened by Diaz. That idea might have washed with Zoom. It might even have worked for Prometheus last year. But there is no way that Black Siren couldn't reasonably wipe the floor with Diaz AND his immediate circle of bodyguards given what we've seen her do to against whole mobs in his service. She was able to overcome a helpless metahuman with a healing factor at point-blank range. She could easily liquefy Diaz' brain in his sleep if she wanted to.

Once again, we see characters learning the wrong lessons and forgetting lessons they learned for the sake of a story. First, with Ollie continuing to believe he is stronger alone.  Next, Quentin forgetting how nothing good ever comes of doing bad things for good reasons.

The idea that Ricardo Diaz is somehow more inhuman than Zoom (the super-fast serial killer who enslaved an entire world, vibrated the hearts out of countless people and stole a superhero's identity just for the fun of it), Prometheus (the man who tortured and killed countless people in the name of avenging his father's death)  and Cayden James (the man who dispassionately plotted to destroy an entire city because of the death of his son) because he killed the man who tortured him every day of his life as a child is the most eye-rollingly stupid thing to come out of Black Siren's mouth yet. And that, to quote Anatoly, is saying something!
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The high point of the episode is David Nykl and Stephen Amell playing off of each other. After five seasons, it is still amazing to watch Nykl go from being sinister to snarky in the span of a sentence.
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One of the Quadrant leaders is identified as a gun lobbyist named Lydia Cassamento. In the DC Comics Universe, The Cassamentos are one of The Five Families making up the Gotham City Italian Mafia. This Five Families are The Bertinellis, The Berettis, The Cassamentos, The Inzerillos and The Galantes.

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Even this usually pro-Laurel writer doesn't think BS's fear of Diaz makes any sense...

Black Siren's Fear of Ricardo Diaz Makes No Sense on 'Arrow' 
Friday, April 27, 2018   Derek Stauffer
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/why-black-sirens-fear-of-ricar-68543.aspx

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Since her proper introduction to the Arrow canon, Black Siren has been an enigma. The Earth-2 Laurel Lance has been a constantly shifting character, never standing by anyone's side but her own. The selfishness and cruelty of Black Siren has made her one of the most interesting characters to watch but fans have always wanted to see a bit of a redemption for her. For many Arrow viewers, Black Siren represents a second chance for the original Laurel Lance, who was cruelly killed at the end of Arrow season 4. In the episode "Shifting Allegiances," Arrow finally introduced a way Black Siren could be redeemed. This would be great news, if it made any sense whatsoever.
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Picking up on the ending tease of the excellent episode "The Dragon," Arrow revealed that Black Siren fears Ricardo Diaz. Although presumably Siren hasn't always been afraid of the Dragon and she wasn't pressured into working with him, now she's become convinced that he can't be trusted. Even by Black Siren's skewed standards, Diaz is a monster and he can't be controlled. None of these conclusions fit with Black Siren's story. 
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In "Shifting Allegiances" Diaz did manage to pressure Siren into blackmailing Quentin. Yet this is the first time that Diaz has demanded anything from Laurel. In every other way Laurel seems to have Diaz wrapped around her finger. Diaz bows to her almost always and he treats her like a queen, a twisted queen in his demented little drug empire but still a queen. Diaz seems to know it's in his best interest to keep Siren happy because she has a scream that can turn his brains to mush. Weirdly, though, Laurel has forgotten that important detail. 

This is why Arrow trying to sell us on Siren being afraid of Diaz has fallen completely flat. To the show's credit, they did have Quentin scream most of this at Laurel in a big argument during "Shifting Allegiances." Quentin can't see how someone as powerful as Black Siren would be afraid of Diaz. Yet Siren (and Arrow) didn't manage to give any real answers to Quentin's questions. Quentin later related the relationship between Siren and Diaz to the one between himself and Damien Darhk. Quetin is wrong, it's not even close. Darhk did have all the power over Quentin, but Diaz has none over Siren. 

Even more ridiculous though is that in the very episode where Siren started to turn on Diaz, "The Dragon," she was complaining about not committing enough murder and violence. Throughout "The Dragon," Black Siren's role was to be the snarky and morbid comic relief, begging Diaz to allow her to go loose. Arrow doesn't get to show Siren as bloodthirsty and have her flinch when Diaz burns a man alive in front of her. Those two don't fit, even if a huge part of Siren's character is being intentionally inflammatory and crass. 
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Right now Black Siren's mistrust and hatred of Diaz is all personal. She's afraid of him doing something to her, even though that shouldn't be at all possible. Yet it would be far more reasonable and interesting if Siren's motivation circled around Quentin. 
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If Arrow is smart that is the angle they'll take with Siren's redemption. It not only makes more sense but it could lead to lasting changes in Siren's character. Protecting Quentin or being forced to act because something horrible happens to Quentin would result in Siren bettering herself on a more permanent basis. It would be the huge type of shocking event that would connect with the audience and Siren. Right now Arrow is doing more of the illogical same with her character. She's just looking out for herself and Arrow has already told enough Black Siren stories with that as the main motivation. 

Edited by tv echo
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Quotes of the Week: Once Upon a Time, NCIS: LA, Arrow, Timeless and More
By Team TVLine / April 29 2018, 7:51 AM PDT
http://tvline.com/gallery/superstore-unpleasant-in-bed-best-tv-quotes/#!8/arrow-failed-this-city-quote-2/

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ARROW
“You… you have failed this city. And I’m gonna take it back.”

Oliver (Stephen Amell) puts dishonorable Diaz on notice

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Another pro-Laurel writer who's also not happy with the BS story (I stopped posting her reviews because she's been so incredibly anti-Oliver this season, it's like she's watching a different show)...

Arrow Season 6 Episode 20 Review: Shifting Allegiances
Delia Harrington    April 26, 2018
http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/arrow-season-6-the-cw/273012/arrow-season-6-episode-20-review-shifting-allegiances

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The Redemption of Evil Laurel continues to be an albatross around this show’s neck. They never should have killed off OG Laurel Lance, but this has been a ham-fisted way that pleases no one. If this new Laurel is to be redeemed and essentially replace the old Laurel, the writers have seriously underestimated their audience.

Worse still, they’re doing a terrible job selling us on her redemption. Sometimes she’s crafty and playing her angles, then she’s a lost soul with daddy issues (and little else for personality), and in another episode she’s a scared woman trapped in a domestic abuse cycle. Her comfort with torture and murder waxes and wanes as the story requires it, showing no real trajectory of growth or redemption. We know almost nothing about her and what little we do know is wildly inconsistent. She’s apparently never held any kind of job and didn’t go to college, but she also crammed a bunch of law school books well enough in one day to get Oliver impeached as mayor. If Laurel is to be redeemed, or indeed have any arc at all, first she needs an actual personality other than “badass” and “looks just like the other Laurel.”

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Agents of GEEK Podcast Episode 115
Posted on 04/29/2018  Craig Wack & Tatiana Torres
http://agentsofgeekpodcast.com/wordpress/

-- Arrow 620: Craig was "not enthused" about this episode but said that it at least moved the story along and so it was a "serviceable" episode. Tatiana was glad that Anatoly "seems to have come to his senses." She thought it was "weird" to have another episode where we don't see Felicity "all that much" and don't see Oliver that much either because it was mostly about other characters.

-- Tatiana was "bothered" by both Rene and Diggle bonding and talking about having kids at home, when Oliver also has a kid at home: "you jerkfaces." She said that she was "so irritated" and "angry" by the "double standard" when it comes to "justifying their actions" versus judging Oliver's actions. She thought that Diggle gave "horrible advice" to Rene.

-- Craig noted that Curtis "got some good hero time" in this episode, when he was jumping over trucks and stuff.

-- Craig thought that NTA "seemed to have a future with ARGUS." Tatiana thought that they were indicating that Rene "might be done" on the show.

-- Craig said that "they swung back and forth on the Laurel redemption arc" and that she "is no longer on Team Diaz." Tatiana said that, although she is not for Laurel's redemption, she liked that this Laurel has a line that she won't cross.  (tv echo: eyeroll)

-- Craig wondered why they couldn't find more time for Felicity in this episode. Tatiana agreed.

-- Craig was "not looking forward to the trial" because "Berlanti & Company don't have a good history" of knowing how trials are conducted.

-- Craig was more than ready to end this season, "get rid of Diaz," and find a better villain for next season. 

-- Warning: If you listen to the entire podcast, Craig and Tatiana also talked about Avengers: Infinity War, including discussion of MAJOR spoilers. 

Edited by tv echo
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FANGIRLISH’S FEELS OF THE WEEK: APRIL 22ND – APRIL 28TH
Posted on April 29, 2018 By Lissete Lanuza Sáenz
http://fangirlish.com/fangirlishs-feels-of-the-week-april-22nd-april-28th/

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WTF Moment of the Week
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Lariel: Mine goes to Arrow, AGAIN. I think we may need to come up with some kind of trophy for them on this. Rene’s observation that “Oliver drove everyone away” made me say “what the HELL?” This whole season they’ve tried to pin all the blame on Oliver, and none of it works. In the meantime, they neglected what honestly could have been a good story – whatever happened to that FBI agent? She was more interesting as a nemesis than Ricardo Diaz.  Only a few episodes left in this season, so I’m just hanging on and am going to hope for better in S7 with the show’s new management.

Edited by tv echo
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