Sunday, December 31, 2017

The Shannara Chronicles 2x10 "Blood" - Great character work helps bring the finale of season two to a strong finish

With the final episode of Shannara, the last hour of season two takes time to again re-examine all the themes of season two that made it such a strong television series. It's completely appropriate in many ways the finale is titled "Blood", as it actually holds its worth in many ways, helping the season come to a cohesive conclusion.

In many ways, "Blood" is not necessarily the strongest single episode of the show (I still give that to this season's "Graymark") but it succeeds in the ways a finale is supposed to work. I don't think that it was a coincidence that the Warlock Lord's form being a mirror of Allanon was anything but a happy accident (having not read the books, you can correct me). The final showdown, though fairly low-key and relegated to alternating from Wil and Mareth to Cogline and Jax in relatively small settings worked much better as those scenes helped to complete many of the arcs brought up through the season.

For Wil and Mareth, facing down the Warlock Lord in the guise of a father figure/mentor felt much like a final test for the two of them. For Wil, much of the emotional resonance in the confrontation was built up from the season as it explored much more of his father's legacy and failure to make a sacrifice in a similar situation. The show executed an interesting idea in telling us about a final sacrifice Wil would have to make, but doesn't spell it out to anyone until the needed moment when it's clear magic can't fix everything. It's not entirely out of left field but it does make sense in the text of the show and through Wil's characterization. Mareth on the other hand, has to take on all her self-doubt as she realizes she's the last of the Druids with the death of her father. Add to that, she is also the heir to Arborlon, and has been granted the Elfstones from Wil as he leaves her a little too soon.

Jax somewhat breaks the pattern here in "Blood" as much of his transformation is reliant less on any legacy he carries like the other characters, and more contingent on his personal development from a lone wolf back to a leader of men. It's fairly underused as we see shots of him leading the former Crimson in the defense of Leigh, only to have the Warlock Lord basically walk in from the back to poison Heaven's Well, and the Warlock Lord doesn't really have much in the way of armies of demons to speak of.

It's also an interesting decision backed by a strong performance (despite the hamminess of it, occasionally) of Cogline, who quickly (re)assumes the mantle of the Druid guide following Allanon's demise. There's not much spoken to Cogline's leaving of the order despite being of fairly great importance in events like crafting the Sword of Shannara or assuming the care of a young Eretria. Cogline initially seemed like a fairly unimportant role in the overall events but has comfortably assumed Allanon's role. It will be interesting to see how a possible third season will put him to use. Especially because he is the only strong signifier of the show's post-apocalyptic setting we don't see very often (yes, even despite the fact Leigh is built on a concrete, hydroelectric dam) with his mix of science and magic contraptions.

While Wil and Mareth are set on a path that is one more of righteousness and purpose (as typical in standard hero's journeys), Eretria is set on a path that has her question her place in the world. She spends most of the hour possessed by the Warlock Lord's wraith because of her ties to the darker, demonic aspects of the show. Eretria spends much of the season allied with the protagonists, but she also recognizes that she must try to forge a path away from her fate than to simply accept it. It gives her character some interesting nuance in a show of characters who seem to have their destinies and fates written for them in some shape or form.

Finally, and unfortunately, Lyria proves to be a completely underused actor in the season. I'll be curious if a returning season three would feature her in any capacity. Lyria's arc was mostly the standard runaway princess, with an attempt to become a court player, ultimately ending it unfortunate plot device, as possessed-Eretria and the Warlock Lord take here away to get access to Heaven's Well, and simply discard her. Even after Wil and Mareth find her and set her on a path to warn them of Eretria's betrayal, it's not her who helps in the final moments to help stymie any attempt at sabotaging the floodgates or anything. Jax is the one who mentions Eretria and Cogline is the one who reacts; the well is poisoned regardless and it spreads out into the wider world meaning that Wil's prophesized sacrifice must take place. At the end of it, Lyria just stares dumbfounded as the waters are cleansed with Shannara blood, and she's crowned Queen of Leigh in the aftermath. Maybe she'll forge a more interesting story, but there was barely one to begin with in season two.

I'm not in the business of knowing if there will be a season three, but with the subdued ending and conclusion for every significant character this season, it will be fascinating to see where a potential season three would go in the wake of such a strong finish to the show's characters. I do hope there will be one, as it has won me over unlike the first season which had many stumbles on the way. I'm a sucker for fantasy-adventure shows, of which there is a dearth of, so hopefully the show returns. The unfortunate fact is that the show began to double-run its episodes near the halfway mark, so that seems like a poor sign. But hopefully I'm wrong.

Miscellaneous thoughts:
  • Absolutely loved the intentional Ghostbusters homage with Jax and Cogline
  • Again, the show is at its best when it is post-apocalyptic, so hopefully more aspects of that part of the setting make a return
  • It will be interesting to see if the show will try to manufacture a return for Manu Bennett or if it will keep him dead and have Mareth carry on. It would arguably be a stronger decision to, as that was mostly the whole point of season two, though it means Manu Bennett is out of work here and on Arrow for the moment

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The Shannara Chronicles 2x09 "Wilderun" - The penultimate episode has its characters looking toward the future, even as danger looms over them

 
As The Shannara Chronicles nears the finale for its second season, a good amount of time in "Wilderun" is spent as the characters look inward and forward, optimistically in a future they hope to forge, if they survive. Although the fight with the Warlock Lord is far from over for the heroes, they hope that in the wake of a victory, they can put the pieces together to continue on in a better world.  Well, everyone except for Bandon. Once again, there's some fantastic character work that's laced with the right amount of the themes Shannara relies on time and time again.
 
For Bandon, it is a bit of a tragedy that he basically meets his end impaled on the Warlock Lord's blade. He was always very much that young man that the show introduced us to in the barn, tied up by his parents for being cursed with magic. Not content to be humiliated or to feel powerless again, the training from Allanon eventually led him to seek out the Warlock Lord and to learn from him and eventually become more powerful. It's a relatively simple answer to his question on his search for power the show provides - if you serve a master, you're still a slave because true power can never be shared. So in his haste and reasoning, if he could bring back to the Warlock Lord, he could put that genie back in the bottle. Bandon died as free as he could be, by his standards.

Lyria - or at least the show - finally exhibits some self-awareness as she tells Cogline she should be doing more than sitting and hiding and acting as nothing more than a plot device. It's relatively short lived and Lyria goes back to not doing much afterward. She shares a scene or two with Eretria and gets to do something by basically proposing to Eretria and pining for a more hopeful future together. By the end she's divorced from the one thing that she needs to keep Leigh, Heaven's Well, and the Four Lands safe, so it'll be curious what lengths she'll go to in order to help save the day, if Cogline is willing to label her as much a hero as Wil, Allanon, Mareth, or Eretria.

Eretria takes on most of the burden of the episode as she finds it harder to accept her fate or destiny. Whereas Wil is almost entirely single-minded in purpose after his visit to the Ellcrys, or Mareth who will be assuming two mantles (and with Allanon making his peace), Eretria's connection to the darkness finally bears fruits in "Wilderun". Although I still find it somewhat poorly executed on the way there, by this episode, Eretria does finally experience the effects of her heritage as the Warlock Lord and his wraiths battle to take control of her. It's almost entirely expected given Cogline's warnings, though for Eretria, she refuses to simply accept her fate to exclude herself from the fight and wishes to battle for some semblance of self-determination. She's probably the most burdened of all the heroes on Shannara as she herself muses on what might happen if her connection to the darkness and evil could ever consume her like Bandon. It's an interesting thought experiment and hopefully there will be further exploration into the other path, as it seems the final showdown is mostly contingent on Eretria acting both as a beacon for the Warlock Lord as well as the proverbial fifth column in our heroes' plans.

Wil is mostly at peace though the visions from the sword are brought up again and makes me wonder if that will be something he'll refuse to accept in spite of the need for some finality. Allanon on the other hand seems to be completely at peace and has realized that Mareth might be more important legacy to leave behind than his duties as a druid, while Mareth herself struggles to reconcile her duties to continue the druidic order and being the last true heir to Arborlon.

With the finale to follow, it will interesting to see what hopes and dreams our heroes have will bear fruit, and which will be dashed and discarded away.

Miscellaneous thoughts:
  • There are some definite influences from other hero's journey stories to be found in Shannara. It's interesting to see Allanon come to terms with his duty and his own personal development, something very (prequel) un-Jedi about it. The master/apprentice relationship for Bandon and the Warlock Lord are Sith-like as well but with a somewhat Harkonnen-esque twist to it too.
  • Not much to say about Jax, Slanter, and the Crimson remnants, though I can imagine the plan was to put the Crimson to task to fight the Warlock Lord being the intended end result. Just surprised they didn't parade Riga's head on a pike is all.
  • Finally with the return to Wilderun and mostly with Cogline's appearances does the show feel more in the post-apocalyptic fantasy than simple fantasy. The combination of information-age science and fantasy magic seems to be only present when Cogline is around this season, and I find the show stronger for it by remembering that even if it isn't very often.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

The Shannara Chronicles 2x08 "Amberle" - A focused episode asks their characters to face the truth in order to move forward


In what feels like another mostly transitional episode, more groundwork is established as characters focus mostly on themselves as they steel themselves for the finale. "Amberle" is centred much on Wil himself as the past finally catches up with him. In order for him - and for the show - to move forward, he has to finally accept his fate that he is a Shannara, and that the world needs him to stop the Warlock Lord. Central to the Shannara/Druid relationship is also Allanon and Mareth, who also contemplate their situations while the evil parallel found both in Bandon and Eretria follow suit. One of Shannara's strengths is its worldbuilding and strong character work. It's a show and setting that relies strongly on its sense of time and place, and of heritage and legacy. It's all around in the setting as the ruined post-apocalyptic world (which goes sorely unused, in my opinion) reminds us of a world left behind, or even in how events shape entire peoples rather strongly, and it's always fantastic when Shannara knows exactly how to hit those beats.

The titular episode brings back Amberle in what is her most significant appearance since all of season one. It's a bit of a shame that Poppy Drayton is underused in service of the plot of the show, as this episode finally shows her range as she's asked to play the familiar Amberle that Wil loved, and the incarnation of the Ellcrys in her image. Ultimately, it is in her reappearance that helps guide Wil back on his path. He's been rather reactive this season, as his journey was mostly dictated by the whims of those with more ambition than him. As he notes as he speaks to a figment of Shea, Storlock and his dreams of being a simple healer were all he wanted before the heritage of the Shannara was thrust upon him. He's been towed around by Bandon in attempts to help Flick, and he has mostly been reticent about his destiny despite Allanon's guidance. It's only until "Amberle" when he's asked to finally accept his fate, as well as let go of Amberle is he able to move forward. Having the Sword of Shannara become mended is as about as unsubtle as it gets, but it helps link together Bandon's shattering of the sword earlier back in "Crimson" to Wil's acceptance as a hero.

Allanon and Mareth also spend their time together musing on the role of the druids as we learn Allanon's time is slowly coming to an end and Mareth will have to assume his place in very little time. It's fantastic work that mixes well with world building as we learn why Allanon and druids seem to have to appear in a time of peril, and then have to disappear just as soon as the danger is over. It's with the guilt of Bandon that ultimately leads Allanon to his demise. There's a bit of the hint of the Jedi of Star Wars to the Druids in Shannara, seeing as they seem to follow similar tenants of a subset of people who are devoted simply to the safety of the world at large and must forego personal attachments. Of course, it's not as simple as we watch the father-daughter discussion unfold over Eventine's sister - Allanon's one love and Mareth's mother - and how she is the one thing that brings these two people together. It's also through the familial bond that causes Allanon to re-evaluate his life, even as he continues the burden that a druid must carry, ending in a powerful confession at the end of the episode as the Crimson send them to their deaths.

On the other side, Bandon faces similar hurdles as he establishes a connection with the newly revived Warlock Lord. Asking for him to revive Catania is an interesting request and despite his best intentions, it quickly turns into a lesson by the Warlock Lord instead to ask Bandon to kill what he loves (but also doesn't love him back). Catania was pretty much the last link to any humanity that Bandon had left since his mission. There's almost a glimmer of hope when you think he'll turn on the Warlock Lord for turning a newly-revived Catania into something of a thrall for his amusement. It's interesting that after his advances are rebuffed that Bandon doesn't do much to beg for his new master to return Catania to the woman he remembers, implying he's ready to leave behind his humanity.

Having Eretria's heritage come into play seems a little odd at this moment in the season, but it was bound to come to a head sooner or later since Cogline finally revealed what she was. There's little reason given to why a wraith or whatever kind of dark spirit murders all the Crimson soldiers as they descend on Eretria and the remainder of the Chosen, but it quickly turns wrong when Eretria tries to control the malevolent force. It's clear she's been possessed by the time Wil reunites with her, though for what remains uncertain. It would be odd if the show wanted to play towards similar beats as it did previously for Bandon's downfall, though much of it lines up as we're watching as a character attempts to wrestle with the darker elements of magic and come out from it changed for the worse. 

And seemingly for the worse, it's a shame that Lyria is absent for this hour where the characters are forced to face the truth or their pasts. In a way, her mother had done so earlier an episode ago before her demise, but there's again little work on that front, especially for someone who seemingly has an important role to play in the events ahead. Even Slanter and Jax get a word in edgewise about the episode's focus. Riga of course, ends up having to face off with the Warlock Lord and losing his head over it despite his immunity to magic. It seems that for now the Crimson have come to an end, but hopefully rather than acting as a minor threat prior to the Warlock Lord's arrival, they persist as a force and perspective in the world of Shannara. Otherwise it would be a shame to see them disappear as the plot demands it, because despite their usual over-the-top villainy, they added some extra depth to the world.

Miscellaneous thoughts:
  • Really surprised to see Tamlin's head guard got more to do of significance. Considering he would probably be most at fault for letting the Crimson (much less anyone else) slip through into the palace. How does he still have a job?
  • I thought the show had established that Cogline was also a druid, though it seems that Allanon doesn't know much about it, or that he doesn't seem to care about it at all.
  • In an interesting twist, it seems like Wil and Mareth's trip to Shady Vale in the past and meeting Shea were in fact real, as Shea reveals to Wil his reason for not making the ultimate sacrifice to kill the Warlock Lord was so he could see his wife and son again.
  • On that above point though, I do wonder what the show is trying to say, if plunging the sword into the Warlock Lord is all you need to do, why did Shea decide to not do it?

Saturday, December 23, 2017

The Shannara Chronicles 2x07 "Warlock" - a transitional episode where everyone is in the search for parental guidance


It can be argued that there is a lot that happens in "Warlock", but most of it is just interstitial things that serve to move the overall season forward. Sure, there is the part where Bandon finally revives the Warlock Lord, but that's mostly left to leave a vague cliffhanger at the end more than anything, and the scene only helps to transition the season into its final act by having the main villain finally appear. It will be from there where the show will have to deliver, having spent most of the time building him up. "Warlock" is not a bad episode by any stretch, but much of it is character work that is laid down in this hour will hopefully be a good foundation as the season reaches its big climax.

One the huge issues I had with season two of Shannara was the Leigh story, and it continues to somewhat falter. There was some of the usual attempt at Thrones-esque court intrigue, but many of the characters involved in the court are rather boring. Queen Tamlin is not as powerful as a schemer as the show would like you to think and completely pales in comparison to Game of Thrones' Cersei Lannister or even Reign's Catherine di Medici. She eventually meets her end by this episode, after Riga and the Crimson show up and ruin her daughter's wedding; if anything it seems rather a weak turn for Leigh in general, if not her rule, if the Crimson can simply walk into a kingdom with little effort. I can't quite seem to parse what the show ultimately wanted to do with Queen Tamlin, as the constant back and forth between shrewd queen and someone who had no choice in her matter made her characterization felt inconsistent at times. Whereas sometime it seemed she held all the power in her court, it only needed a single sentence to turn her afraid of the consequences of her past actions. I suppose she was always in over her head, though the show failed at times to show those quieter moments. At least her final scenes gave her back some sense of agency as she robbed Riga of the opportunity to properly execute her in front of her subjects.

Leigh also acts as a mirror of season one's Arborlon in a sense. The Warlock Lord is hoping to come to Leigh to corrupt Heaven's Well, an interesting parallel to the evils the Ellcrys holds back in Arborlon. Running from that comparison, it stands to reason that Princess Lyria is supposed to act almost as plot device as Amberle did. The unfortunate fact is that Lyria - up until now - still only works as a plot device. One of my main concerns was that Lyria had lacked much agency throughout the season and it seems to continue through "Warlock" and likely will remain so (though I hope otherwise). Whereas Amberle was still ultimately integral as a plot device at the end of the first season, the show explored her character and gave her agency, so that her final sacrifice in the season one finale felt earned. In the case of Lyria, she feels less like a person - and now with her large stone necklace - and rather more of a prop that has to be carted around until some final confrontation dictates her use (or as Cogline would prefer, that she avoid it altogether). It remains a bit frustrating that Lyria simply exists to be a confused bystander to events that involve her.

It creates an interesting contrast seeing as Mareth, another new character introduced in season two, has so much more agency in her storyline in her search for Allanon and ultimately taking on his role in the future. I didn't particularly like the execution of Mareth entering Allanon's dream state, only to ultimately end up being a short trip in which Allanon was never in any danger of dying anyway, and the real reason was for him to speak to his former mentor just so he could be corrected on the matter of Bandon vs. Mareth. But the fact that she takes action to move forward even when surrounded by other powerful figures feels already leagues ahead from what Princess Lyria is subjected to.

Again, the idea of legacy and heritage is at the forefront with Mareth and Allanon as the two come closer as the show seems to signal that Allanon's time is at an end and that she will have to take up his mantle. At the same time, with Ander's untimely death, it also puts her in a position of being the next ruler of Arborlon, which actually feels like an interesting development, as the show seems intent on shedding away the older generation and paving the way for the new. Although it might be hard to imagine the show trading Allanon for Mareth, the show has proved it has the right stuff to see it forward, if it comes to that.

Miscellaneous thoughts:
  • I found it a rather bold move for Ander to basically be killed off in little to no fanfare, and then discarded like that. I guess they really were trying hard to mimic as much of the Red Wedding as they could.
  • Not much movement really with Wil or Eretria, as this is the first time I'm even mentioning them, but the fact that Allanon and Mareth basically held most of the episode together is an interesting one at that.
  • I feel like I should be surprised the Warlock Lord looks like evil-Allanon, but to be fair, Bandon used his blood that he took from the cut he made with the Warlock Lord's sword, so it stands to reason the blood caused him to return in the guise of Allanon.

Arrow 6x08 "Irreconcilable Differences" - sometimes it's all about the journey, but Arrow could use a new takeoff point


As Arrow rounds into the midseason finale and also out of the events of "Crisis on Earth-X", there is a specific urge for the show to return to some kind of status quo. Granted, after six years, the status quo on a series is bound to shift a few times but remain fundamentally familiar in some way for new and continued viewers. There are some interesting decisions made over the course of "Irreconcilable Differences" but most of the motions in play feel more like they've been made more out of style than substance.

It is rather odd to re-engage again with law enforcement trying to link Oliver and the Hood/Arrow/Green Arrow's identity again, but with this attempt being more successful than the few attempts that Quentin Lance has dropped a few times over the years. Samanda Watson as a concept is an interesting one by having the show try to actually tell a story where someone is actually trying in earnest (until they tell us otherwise) that they truly wish to make Oliver Queen pay for his numerous crimes of violence and vigilantism. It's just that much of the work is left to background machinations, and it's not until this episode where some of her veiled threats takes hold with something tangible

There's something to be said about another act of repetition that reinforces certain themes or actions, but it feels like at a fundamental basis, the simple repetition of "Oliver Queen pushes people away" has had a varied history over the course of the show. Many times it's made to justify some more drastic changes in storytelling. As one could argue with season six, the act of Oliver pushing people away can be attributed to the mounting pressure of his day job as mayor and the greater scrutiny that is being the Green Arrow. But sometimes, it feels as if the move was made simply to strengthen the imagery of a team falling apart as another assembles with purpose.

Having Wild Dog be the weak link of the group is an interesting one at that, because it does imply everyone has been doing their homework on and off the pages of the script. It's a powerful reaction as the group recoils from the fact that one of Oliver's more loyal acolytes would be the reason for his downfall, though for attentive viewers it is the most understandable and logical avenue the show could take. Luckily, the show doesn't linger on the mystery suspect (who Oliver believed it was one of the three of Curtis, Dinah, and Renee) and spends time on the fallout of the who and why of it, along with the newer members of Team Arrow astonished and overreacting about the secret surveillance conducted by Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle. It is telling that the original three did not bat an eye as they spied on the newer recruits. In another interesting act of repetition, Team Arrow's bunker itself is also under secret surveillance by Cayden James (why no one bothered to sweep for bugs is beyond me though, after learning they also stole Curtis' tech) and manipulating the team to his full advantage.

The theme of distrust continues further into the episode as Black Siren abducts Lance, simply to use him as a bargaining tool for Team Arrow to abscond with an item from under ARGUS care. As the two not-father-daughter duo continue to talk, they begin to seemingly imprint on each other in the quieter moments. Despite the animosity, the two begin to share some kind of bond over their dead counterparts, as if the two of them could somehow carry on some kind of daddy-daughter relationship no matter how homicidal it becomes. It gives a bit to depth to Black Siren as it makes it appear as though she isn't a simple henchman or malevolent force when she spares Quentin despite orders to kill him from Cayden James. Or we could just be watching a triple or quadruple cross unfolding.

Either way, distrust or not (which is a well Arrow goes to time and time again), what will be interesting in the months ahead will be to see what actually happens from the split of the newbies and the original Team Arrow. It's safe to say that Dinah, Curtis and Rene have added a lot to the strength of the show and it would be a shame if they actually left the show. There's almost no doubt in my mind by season's end the team comes back together while they whittle down Cayden James' team of villains by means of divide and conquer. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for them, right? It's just, how will the show arrive at that destination? I hope some of the focus of the show will remain on the newbies as they forge their way in a new world divorced from Oliver Queen, even if for a while; they deserve their time to shine, fail, and learn. Hopefully not too much of the focus is kept on Oliver, Felicity and Diggle, as it feels like the show would simply mine and hit the same beats from previous seasons.

Although nothing about "Irreconcilable Differences" particularly excites me during its hour, the storytelling potential that can spawn from it is more exciting in of itself. Although sometimes we have to accept Oliver Queen as a distrusting man at his core and will push people away as an instinct and we must accept this fact, sometimes what he does will spawn some interesting storytelling from it. If not in execution, then at least in theory, I suppose. I liken it to having to deal with something like airline travel to reach your vacation destination. It's a complete headache and something you hate in the moment, but once it has passed, there's hopefully something hopeful, exciting, or fulfilling on the other end of it.

Miscellaneous thoughts:
  • Despite being neutral about "Olicity", I do have to say the hijacking of Barry and Iris' wedding was kind of rude if anything. At least the reception scenes in the start of this episode were a little more bearable and had some great character work otherwise.
  • That being said, hopefully the show doesn't fall into the same traps in seasons 3 and 4 with Oliver and Felicity despite them being married now.
  • I think it's a little depressing that the episode that lacks Samanda Watson's presence is the strongest one yet as the team actually has to deal with the consequences of her investigation instead of having her appear for a scene or two and everyone brushing her off.
  • Dinah and Vincent (Vigilante) is almost the same as Oliver and Felicity to me, as in they don't really register much and aren't too offensive but other than manipulating Dinah and working with Cayden as a baseline, I don't really see much chemistry between the two of them to pull much off.

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Arrow 6x07 "Thanksgiving" and its search for meaning and substance falls short


A large part of "Thanksgiving" exists solely to wipe the show's slate temporarily clean to prepare for the 4-part DCTV crossover next week, but the episode also manages to attempt more in the process. As it temporarily takes Diggle out of play as the Green Arrow and ushers Oliver Queen back in, it also has the desire to look inward as it draws certain characters together. Some may call it filler, but a lot of it feels like setup for events that will unfold later in the season. It's hard to forecast exactly what will happen over the course of season six, and the setup feels unnecessarily vague at the moment to really piece much together, other than drawing at familiar threads. It makes me wonder how much will be new and how much will be treading similar ground. Much like the episode's namesake, "Thanksgiving", like other Thanksgiving stories, try to find the meaning in something, or perhaps send someone on a journey of self-discovery. But also like the content of the episode, "Thanksgiving" is very much not really about the holiday but simple window dressing, so its attempts to plumb for deeper meaning fail to impress.

As for John Diggle's turn as Green Arrow, it is - at least according to the show - temporarily on hold as his nerve damage problem was exacerbated by his steroid use. If Curtis could cure spinal paralysis, it shouldn't be too difficult for some kind of solution, as the episode posits. It isn't quite so easy as Oliver is temporarily made Green Arrow again just in time for the crossover and to solve the crisis of the week, even if it means lying to his son about it for now on top of having been charged by the FBI with crimes for being the Hood/Arrow/Green Arrow over the years. The confrontations through the episode between Oliver and Diggle are just moments of excellent drama as years of experience between the two men boil up over Diggle's hospitalization.

At last, many of the things left unsaid between the two men since the shifting on the costume come to a head in a moment of frustration and anger. It might feel a little rushed, but as soon as the two cleared their heads and came to apologize, it's there we learned more about why Diggle chose to become the Green Arrow. We learn that Diggle had his own experience in last year's crossover and that his own desire to be the Green Arrow was what had motivated him to accept the job despite the risk at the start of the season. The motivation is sold well through both Amell and Ramsey, but it feels like a bit of a misstep or missed opportunity that's relegated to a line or two of dialogue saved by the performances.

The episode also tries to cover a lot of other bases and hits about the same kind of beats over the course of the hour, feeling like the setup should carry a ton of weight, only to be met with a rather shallow realization that feels like the start of something else in another episode that means to be explored in greater depth. Some of these are really only given a scene or two, like Dinah and Quentin, who muse in the mayor's offices about what it means if they don't take lives for the greater good. Or Felicity and Curtis, who get caught up in the minutiae of how to run their startup only to realize it works fine for the most part even when they act independently (other than maybe using angel investor money to bail your boyfriend out of jail on charges of vigilantism). Again, these feel like side stories or main stories that could conceivably fill an episode or give more thematic depth. Unfortunately, the nature of their small acknowledgements in "Thanksgiving" made them feel more like necessary tending to when maybe ultimately they could have stayed in the background.

It's really only with Cayden James' involvement where the episode has any substance to it, and even then it peters out in the end in its dramatic reveal. As he works to build a bomb with a massive detonation radius, it eventually culminates with the encounter in the concert arena as he makes a vague threat about destroying our heroes for a perceived slight or crime because of Team Arrow. It's maybe left unintentionally a little vague if Cayden James is speaking to Oliver directly or not (given that technically, it was established people like Helix knew his identity), especially given the timing of Oliver taking over for Diggle. It's not weird on its own but it is when paired up with the team's realization that their skirmish in the arena led to the anti-vigilante referendum to turn against them. It very likely does, though the show makes a poor job of communicating it, though viewers will have to remember that Helix knows of the team's bunker from their attack earlier this season. But for now, the Cayden James vendetta against Team Arrow feels somewhat vague.

Last but not least, the FBI investigation into Oliver Queen reached a bit of a tipping point that quite literally, had no real substance behind it. If there is anything to Agent Watson's investigation other than the fact she could get a warrant. It's a little weird to not to have anything real behind her motivations as of yet. The lack of detail makes it feel as if the show wants to head into the territory of manipulation via Cayden James or another unknown actor, but the show is not willing to show its cards just yet. On its own, and possibly in moderation, Samanda Watson might be somewhat interesting (again, if we hadn't had another Oliver's-secret-identity-is-Green-Arrow-but-wait plot) but given she's appeared in a third of the season even in glimpses, and we as viewers have been not shown anything that could give us a sense of direction, it's no surprise her appearance might cause frustration for some. Hopefully for most of what "Thanksgiving" touched upon will have something substantive to follow it in the weeks to come.

  • Glad to see the Helix attack on the bunker paid off as Cayden James now has a T-Sphere to use when he wants.
  • Thea is finally awake! It's more of a last minute thing, but I'm glad Willa Holland has something to do now, hopefully.
  • Although some of us are glad about Oliver's return as Green Arrow (temporarily, says the show), it was a delight to have Diggle take on the role in a more semi-permanent position. It's something The Flash has lacked despite having Wally as Kid Flash especially and underutilizing him even when Barry is supposed to be out of commission. It almost speaks leagues as to which show is more comfortable with their ensemble at times.
  • Not specific to this episode, but the great 4-episode crossover happens next, and hopefully it finally promises to be completely all interconnected unlike last year's, which had enjoyable moments but squeezed the events mostly over two episodes, with Arrow happening to celebrate their 100th episode and having to work into a crossover somehow.