Glenn Walker is a writer who knows pop culture. He loves, hates, and lives pop culture. He knows too freaking much about pop culture, and here's where he talks about it all: movies, music, comics, television, and the rest... Welcome to Hell.
After some rather unorthodox episodes, it looks as if we might be back in the groove of superhero action again on "Arrow." Coming attractions indicate a trio of terror have escaped from Iron Heights - China White, Cupid, and Lady Cop - and they're coming for our heroes. Not necessarily for revenge, but for profit, they're after Tobias Church's secret stash.
Of course on "Arrow," things are never that easy. First the Prometheus plot is reasserted by the discovery of the villain's mother in Opal City, a step that may lead to learning his true identity. What I don't get is why does Oliver go as the mayor of Star City? Why would the mayor do this himself? Why not the police? Mom refuses to help, maybe she sees how odd the situation is, and/or she's in league with her son.
While I'm digging some of the new tech, like Felicity's data sucker and Green Arrow's Dick Tracy watch, I was disturbed by the violence in this episode. Has Liza Warner really become as evil and bloodthirsty as her two criminal cohorts? As someone who fondly remembers the single Lady Cop comic, this is not cool. And the show that so firmly was anti-violence last episode seems to have forgotten that stance.
Susan Williams meanwhile knows Oliver is Green Arrow. This isn't a Lois Lane thing, as she has undeniable proof. When confronted, Oliver denies it. Thea asks Felicity to frame Susan for plagiarism and discredit her. As expected, it also kinda sours Oliver and Susan's relationship.
Quentin and Green Arrow are no match for the three ladies. As Warner tries to rationalize her move from just rogue cop to sociopathic killer (I'm not buying it either), the police try to apprehend Green Arrow for the murder of Detective Billy Malone. So now Green Arrow is in the same position as the Arrow was, wanted as a cop killer.
I was very impressed with how Oliver confronted the police captain and explained Green Arrow's position. I couldn't feeling proud and thinking that our boy has finally grown up. Then he treats Thea like crap and runs into danger without his team. Sigh. Oliver will never learn, never.
I did like that the captain also suspects that Oliver and Green Arrow are one and the same. I am reminded of a time in the comics that despite the mask and costume, everyone in the city knew Oliver was Green Arrow. It's not rocket science, and his beard was rather unique. Why not try it on TV? It could save Susan's job at the very least.
For my other reviews of the entire "Arrow" series, click here. And if you'd like to discuss this episode, anything else in the Arrowverse, or anything in the Marvel or DC television or cinematic universes, please join the Marvel DC Movies TV group on Facebook.
Pre-season publicity talked about Rutina Wesley of "True Blood" coming to "Arrow." The character she would supposedly be playing would be Liza Warner - Lady Cop.
Lady Cop was one of a number of unique ideas showcased in a DC Comic called First Issue Special. Warlord was launched out of the book, but many of the characters - Starman, Codename: Assassin, Atlas, Manhunter, and Lady Cop - would languish in limbo for decades before being used again. After Liza Warner's first appearance as Lady Cop in 1975, she next appeared a chief of police in All-New Atom in 2006.
And now here in "Arrow." Based on her actions here in the opening, she might want to change her name from Lady Cop to Cop Killer.
Elsewhere, Oliver has announced his intention to run for mayor to Team Arrow, despite my argument against it in my review for "The Candidate," and they're not impressed either. His campaign headquarters will be the same as Sebastian Blood's office, and that's where the other surprise comes in. Oliver has, with the help of Cisco and S.T.A.R. Labs over at "The Flash," built a new Arrowcave in Brother Blood's old lair.
Curtis is still in the dark as to who the Green Arrow is and so he takes a guess - is it Neal Adams in data processing? Is Neal Adams the Green Arrow? Um no, but he is one of the comic book character's best artists. Curtis is coming off more as a cool version of Moss from "The IT Crowd" than Mr. Terrific. And speaking of Mr. T., am I the only one noticing how close Diggle's outfit is to his, without the Fair Play logos, of course?
Felicity and Curtis have also discovered some sort of signal coming from 'the late' Ray Palmer's phone. Now we know he's not dead and just trying to get their attention from sub-atomic size, but they don't. He might also be responsible for the new Arrowcave's power glitches as well.
Speaking of things we already know but they don't, Laurel is studying bad idea theater again, and tells Papa Lance about Sara. And of course, just to show that terrible judgment runs in the Lance blood, Quentin goes to Damien Darhk for help. Seemingly helpful and commiserating, Darhk tells him if it was his daughter, he'd put her down. Of course, later in the episode, he just can't do it.
Lance and Oliver's little meetings are becoming more and more frequent. I keep waiting for old Quentin to throw his hands up in the air and just arrest him. It's really odd that these two have such a contentious relationship when they're on the same dude, while over on "The Flash," archenemies Captain Cold and Flash are almost a bromance. Strange contrast.
When Oliver learns that Quentin has been working with Darhk, it sarks a fire beneath the next meeting between the two. We find exactly how Oliver does look to the elder Lance as a father figure, and how the whole mayoral deal, and possibly the whole change from Arrow to Green Arrow were all about him. Quentin is not a good daddy, perhaps another reason that he is the one in that grave at the end of the season's first episode. Throw in the fact that Oliver showed him the new Arrowcave, and Quentin practically has a target on his back.
This episode also features the return of the real star of "Arrow," Stephen Amell's bare chest as he dies the salmon ladder. Even though I'm straight, I had hoped these aspects would return to the series. I do kind of miss the tattoos however. And I'm waiting for the storyline that both requires, and mentions that he kept, the Bravta tattoo.
In the end, this episode spins on two radically different points. One, that Oliver actually is going to run for mayor, and two, that somehow Lady Cop is the villain of the episode. I didn't really like that last part. Maybe she was misguided, and we did see some interesting tech like the canary cry canceler (I hate the new cry however) and the arrow deflecting gauntlets, but Liza Warner super-villain did not sit well with me.
The stinger at the end shows that Sara has broken free, but that's cool because next week, John Constantine returns to television. I cannot wait!
