Jessie Robertson reviews the fifth episode of Arrow season 4…
John Constantine, It’s been a Dog’s Age, mate…
Bloodlust; it’s real – Sara is back; she’s only speaking in tongues and has murder in her eyes but she is back. The introduction of Bloodlust is an interesting concept and that, coupled with the mysticism surrounding this episode and obviously moving forward, leads me to the fact that I thought last year was our mystical season, and while people did come back from (near)death and straight up dead death, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to touch what’s to come. If there’s one asset gained back by the re-addition of Caty Loitz (Sara), or at least her stunt double, she’s a physical girl! Her fight scene with Thea in the apartment was brutal, all the way until the finish. The stunt works for Sara should be mentioned; her huge leaps into different scenes also look cool and have an old school kind of monster feel. The pace of Arrow this season has been phenomenal; unfortunately, the two major returns (Sara and now, next week, Ray) are both just setup for a different show and it makes me wonder what would this show be like if it was focusing on characters who were sticking around? Even better, I’d imagine.
Trenchcoat: Check. Snappy One-Liners: Check. Cigarettes: Well, Almost: Pre-season 4 Arrow, it was announced that Matt Ryan would be reprising his short-lived role as John Constantine, after his own series was canceled by NBC last season, and it seems the response was pretty fevered. I think I perceived, as did many others, that maybe on the CW Constantine would be able to spread his wings more and not be so stifled. After watching last night’s episode, I don’t think he was any more creatively freed by being on this network but they did use him in an interesting way, one in which makes me believe we haven’t seen the last of the “Hellblazer.” What can you say about his performance – he knows the character and has already been in key with it since last year. While just saying the character Constantine would be interacting with the Green Arrow universe may seem a bit of a comic mis-match, for the show it worked perfectly and was able to let this show, once again, synergize different assets to their benefit: canceled DC character applauded by fans and mourned once canceled has the exact qualifications to fully restored other said character right in time for her debut on our new show starting at the beginning of the year. It was a perfect fit, both for the DC/Vertigo comics fan boys and the CW ladies who may have agreed with Thea and found Constantine a “different kind of yummy.” Eww, I feel like Oliver now and wish I hadn’t of written that.
– And Constantine was on the Island? Eh Wot? This is the interesting, un-seen way the writers got extra mileage out of a character that may or may not be back (my money’s on yes). The island’s Mystical! It even had an Indiana Jones-type relic room underneath its surface! Does plausibility get in the way of Oliver having to come back to his new boss two weeks in a row with an escaped prisoner? Let’s hope John’s right cross is as good as he boasts. My first thought was there was a second Lazarus Pit on the island, but I was proven wrong. I still think Dahrk has access to one, somehow. We’ll see. Sidenote; They found the “Orb of Horus”; not sure where that fits into the pantheon of DC Comics relics , although a certain Hawk-family has been known to use the Claws of Horus. Hmmm, stretching?
8.5/10- This was just a pure fun episode. Matt Ryan re-upped his stock in the role of Constantine, and there were one-liners everywhere! No major advancement of the plot though, which is a very refreshing change of pace from typical Arrow season.
Other Notes:
– Curtis is right: Nicholas Sparks can write emotion.
– Thea’s surprise at a PA system in the Arrow HQ; Oliver states “another decision he may come to regret.”
– Hold on, Arrow HQ also got a Team Table to sit at and make decisions? Whoa, we’re really coming a long way.
– “You sticking around for a cupcake?” Dahrks’ snappy quips are deliciously evil. Damn it, now I want a cupcake.
– Andy Diggle was a bad man; feel badly John found out in a such a minor manner. I’m sure there’s more to come.
– Can we theory craft already?????? I felt like the wedge being driven between Oliver and Laurel during the first part of the episode, concluding with everyone else in his life telling him to keep Laurel close, and their strong re-establishing of their relationship at the end, will spell the end of Felicity come season end. How?? Why?? Can this show possibly not have its heartbeat? I don’t really know but if they go for it, that would be very ballsy. Stay tuned.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=ajiqDmBADMc
Originally published November 5, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
