Arrow “Blood Debts” Review By Kevin Morrison
Is Olicity Dead?
Arrow returns from its winter hiatus to give is the conclusion to last year’s cliffhanger. Felicity had been shot and dying and it was unclear whether she was going to make it. Because of this, I am issuing SPOILER ALERT for my review, as the answer to that is essential to talking about this episode. So, SPOILERS! Come back when you watch this episode or continue reading if you don’t care.
Okay? Everyone got that? Good.
With his now fiancée in the hospital, Oliver is hell-bent on tracking down Damien Darhk and bringing justice to those who cause her injuries. Meanwhile, Diggle is trying to figure out what happened to his brother Andy and why he is brainwashed to be on Darhk’s side-and not dead like he previously thought he was.
In all honesty, Arrow has become my least anticipated show to watch every week as it no longer grabs me as much as The Flash or Supergirl (and its miles below Daredevil). This may be because it’s the show that has been on the longest and thus I see the repetitiveness of it rather than the other shows which are all relatively new. I don’t know whether or not my problems with the show lie with the show’s quality or with the competition, but I would advise the showrunners to take a look at what else is out there now and maybe try something a bit different-like actually killing off an important main character.
No, Felicity is not dead which actually disappointed me quite a bit. Had the show taken a risk like that, it would have helped gain its momentum back and add an emotional level to the series that we have not really dealt with yet. But instead, the show decides to play it safe and continue hitting all the beats we have seen before, making it so that it seems that Oliver and Team Arrow are learning the same lessons over and over…and over again. The gravestone at the end of the season seems more like a gimmick than anything else. Darhk doesn’t seem all that different from the other villains of the past and the threat doesn’t feel like anything that Team Arrow can overthrow-in fact, if they don’t it makes them seem incompetent.
Instead of Felicity being dead, she is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, thus making her like Batman’s Oracle. I don’t know if that was what the writers wanted, but it does feel like it. They are trying to make this Arrow the Batman of the television group and I’m not sure that is a smart idea. I’d like to see the show incorporate more of the elements of the Oliver Queen from Justice League Unlimited, classic and cocky instead of dark and brooding. As of now, the show seems to have found its plateau and is staying there.
Arrow has become a bit stale, though that is far from bad. I just hope the showrunners can find something fresh to add to Arrow. Maybe it’s because they have their focus on 3 other show right now, I don’t know but for now Arrow needs more attention than they are giving it.
Grade: C+
