Jessie Robertson reviews the eighteenth episode of Arrow season 6…
Ok, ok, holy sh…(Gary, can we cuss on here?)….okay, f*** it, holy shit, “Fundamentals” is everything. It’s just everything. What this episode does, besides take Oliver down a psycho-guilt trip caused by dangerous hallucinogenics is put things back in perspective. The “b” team leaves earlier this season from reasons of mistrust – now Oliver and Diggle are broken apart , worse than they’ve ever been. Oliver has his family , most of them, remember Thea also departed town. Felicity and William are all that’s left for him. So, what does he do?
He turns inward. As he’s navigating this strange existence Oliver finds himself in, where Adrian Chase is back to haunt him (and my god is he missed this season), nothing works for him. He speaks with Quentin about it in an almost father-son discussion, and at this point, that’s what these two are, which says a lot coming from season 1. Stay the course, Quentin advises, you’ve come too far to go back now. But, when we speak of season 1, it’s fingerprints are all over this episode. The original costume is back, the Queen’s Gambit is back, the Queen family mansion, it’s all there, as well as The Hood. He speaks to the police, in a cold open unrecognizable in the CW-verse, for as unapologetic and stark it is, and The Hood is and the Arrow has never been. There are some amazing shots in this episode; laying flat in the middle of Arrow cave, seeing himself tell himself he has failed this city, it just all feels so right.
In this drug induced dream, he comes to the realization that he needs to go back; everyone has left him; in one of Amell’s greatest single scenes he asks Quentin this very question, unsure of how to answer it; why do they all leave me? Both Amell, Paul Blackthorne (whom I’ve praised consistently) and the tough Emily Bett Rickard do amazing work all episode long. In Oliver’s head, he’s not even sure if Felicity is with him but when they find themselves drugged by Vertigo, she steps up to the plate and is there for her man. Say what you will about a back to basics Arrow but this episode, besides bringing back so many visuals and tropes from the glorious season 1, gives us something I kinda felt like I wanted but didn’t know it yet; a CW show without a team of 8 helming the heroics. Can Oliver legit be a one man army like he was before? It’s untelling; Diaz pretty much controls the police and the government; perhaps with just a bit of Overwatch’s help. But, I’ll be honest; I’m damn willing to see him try.
PS – Congrats to our new Mayor of Star City; Quentin Lance! May your term be much longer than any of your past predecessors!
Jessie Robertson
