Jessie Robertson reviews the twenty-second episode of Arrow season 4…
Yay, Curtis is back!
Last week with the reveal of what Genesis is (Darhks’ own personal Noah’s Ark) I literally felt my dinner in my mouth. It was appalling. When this episode started, I said to myself “Please let this just be a crapton of mindless action this week,” and for the most part….I was satisfied. After Felicity got an urgent text from Thea, everyone finally realized, “Hey she’s not really on vacation!” and went to look for her. Oliver and Diggle infiltrate the underground bunker and are just as creeped out as everyone else. What’s with the gray smocks? It’s like Darhk said “If we’re all surviving, I’m changing fashion to be one piece and cement-colored!” Hideous. But, from there, it’s pretty much action. I particularly loved the running across the front lawns scene, with Oliver’s jumping arrow shots. But, when Arrow needs a pick-me-up, most of the time they can go to the action. Uncle Lonnie was still running amok and taking it a step too far, oh sorry, Merlyn drugged his daughter like everyone else down there so she tried to kill Oliver; pretty normal stuff. Machin became the target because he had Ruve and her daughter held hostage and threatened both of their lives; after a quick fight, he settled on that promise with Ruve but John (father himself) rescued the little girl. Ruve won’t be missed, let’s just say that. She was plain, boring, forgettable.
When our heroes escape this ridiculous plot, they find themselves staring at a crater that looks like a freakin planet fell into. Looks like Merlyn got his wish of destroying the Glades after all. But, I didn’t mind any of that so much and I’m glad that part of the season is over. Now, onto something that was good last week that took a turn to Cringe-Town this week.
So, last week when Father and Daughter Smoak reunited to try and avert nuclear disaster, the best they could hope for was to blow up a town with thousands of people, instead of millions. Still a win. Everyone seems to have moved on. I don’t know if I stressed enough how crazy it was that Arrow blew up a nuke in the mythology of this world, but it’s PRETTY FREAKIN CRAZY. Anyways, they’re back on the attack this week because Kutler’s stall tactic wouldn’t last long; in fact, Dahrk hired Brother Eye , Felicity’s ex to hack their hack and he did for a moment, but rightfully it all blew up in his face (literally.) Now, with Curtis joining them, the super hacker team can get back to work.
“Errrrrr-rrrrr-rrrrrrr-rrrrr-rrrr!” (That was screeching brakes)
Donna Smoak arrives and who gives two bits about trying to make sure the baddest of all super villains doesn’t get his hands on nukes, we have family matters to discuss! And laundry to fold! and gossip about your parents to spread! Ugh. Double-Ugh. Even Felicity and Curtis (while entertaining) can’t spin this shit into something halfway plausible. I get that Felicity is a major anchor of this show but this was the wrong place, wrong time- ever heard the expression!!!! Somehow, of course, they shut Genesis down and everything’s hunky dory but my god, was this some terrible CW shlock.
Yeah, I’m giving you the Stink Eye right back!
On the flashback island segment, Taina is losing it a little bit; overwhelmed with the power of the idol, she knocks Oliver around like a tetherball. Reiter shows up again and it’s on for battle of the supreme power with unpowered Oliver in the middle.
6.5/10- Even an episode full of Arrow fight scenes can’t recover from that terrible idea of having a family dispute in the middle of a nuclear crisis
Other Notes:
– All that being said, Felicity snagging that beer away from Curtis was comic timing at it’s best
– “Why is being pregnant the only major news a woman can have?” Right on sister
– Taina mentioned wanting to get home to deal with Kovar- that would be DC Comics character Red Star, a burning Soviet who is once-villain turned hero-turned Teen Titan.
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Originally published May 22, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
