As predicted, the Arrow showrunners weren't going to title an episode 'The Devil's Greatest Trick' without having some sort of huge reveal. Unfortunately, that big reveal turned out to be what many expected, an underwhelming, convoluted, derivative, and confusing big bad reveal of Ricardo Diaz.
Sure, it's most certainly designed in a way this show has never done (you know attempting to present a big bad in Cayden James, only to reveal another human behind the canvas pulling the strings. It's not something that this show has done yet and it's an intriguing thing to do, but it only really works if the season had already grasped my attention. I have been desperately asking for Arrow to do something to pull me in after the awful mid-season finale. Yet, it has done nothing to further my interest. The one saving grace has to be that Kirk Acevedo showed a little promise in the one scene he had to shine, and it's not like he can be any worse than what we saw out of Michael Emerson.
At least the show did something to improve James as a character, in adding flashbacks showing his tragic relationship with his son. Only, it's far too little too late. You can't have 7 episodes of him holding a bomb to the city claiming he's doing it for revenge for his son, without having any sort of context. Even Damien Darhk at his worst showed greater depth and creativity when it comes to his performance.
Oh and then we have this whole Team Arrow vs Team wannabe Arrow. As if it couldn't get any more annoying and frustratingly derivative, it looks like we are getting the face off between the two next week. Is anybody asking for that? Oh and where the heck is Quentin taking Black Siren/Laurel? That was a beyond creepy thing to see Quentin do. What the hell happened to his character? If this is the way they're going to write him then why not just give him the death we thought that character would get way back in season 3?
In every possible way, this is the worst season Arrow has ever had, with no real hope in sight. Can it be saved? I highly doubt it, but I never would have thought this season could fall so far from where last year left off.
5.7/10
Sure, it's most certainly designed in a way this show has never done (you know attempting to present a big bad in Cayden James, only to reveal another human behind the canvas pulling the strings. It's not something that this show has done yet and it's an intriguing thing to do, but it only really works if the season had already grasped my attention. I have been desperately asking for Arrow to do something to pull me in after the awful mid-season finale. Yet, it has done nothing to further my interest. The one saving grace has to be that Kirk Acevedo showed a little promise in the one scene he had to shine, and it's not like he can be any worse than what we saw out of Michael Emerson.
At least the show did something to improve James as a character, in adding flashbacks showing his tragic relationship with his son. Only, it's far too little too late. You can't have 7 episodes of him holding a bomb to the city claiming he's doing it for revenge for his son, without having any sort of context. Even Damien Darhk at his worst showed greater depth and creativity when it comes to his performance.
Oh and then we have this whole Team Arrow vs Team wannabe Arrow. As if it couldn't get any more annoying and frustratingly derivative, it looks like we are getting the face off between the two next week. Is anybody asking for that? Oh and where the heck is Quentin taking Black Siren/Laurel? That was a beyond creepy thing to see Quentin do. What the hell happened to his character? If this is the way they're going to write him then why not just give him the death we thought that character would get way back in season 3?
In every possible way, this is the worst season Arrow has ever had, with no real hope in sight. Can it be saved? I highly doubt it, but I never would have thought this season could fall so far from where last year left off.
5.7/10