Here’s our review…
ThisArrowreview contains spoilers.
How many people can Oliver Queen lose before there is no more Oliver Queen?
Not in terms of scope or scale, necessarily.
But it did at least make a run at do some very different things than weve become used to.
It didnt always work, but I have to give it credit.
I guess Id better get right into this one.
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Meanwhile…On an Island…
Yep, were starting here this week.
I mean, really, how could we not?
Except…it wasnt.
It was more clever than that.
Right away, though, this weeks format is a tricky proposition.
It means no costumes, for starters.
Much ofArrowseason three has been a bit of a throwback to season one.
Except, you know, better…because season one wasnt great.
For example, I think some of the Ollie returns to Starling stuff was too convenient.
The near encounter with Felicity was particularly irksome.
Ysee…I have a problem with what I call prequel-itis.
The most egregious example is, of course, those three movies that Mr. Lucas made.
Its incredibly annoying, and The Return steps in it a couple of times.
But not too badly.
In fact, most of The Return is pretty slick.
Consistency, I suppose, is a good thing.
But the convenience of it all took me out of things a little.
The best stuff this week came, not from season one, but from season two.
Holy moley, does this show miss Manu Bennett, or what?
On paper, having Ras al Ghul as this seasons big bad is a great thing.
Warner Bros. will make aDeathstrokemovie in the next few years, or hes going to show up intheSuicide Squadmovie.
That was a fun phone call.
Your satphone is going to stop working after this call.
I love Merlyn far too much for him to ever really call him a villain, yknow?
Oh, and special love for Willa Holland this week.
Her final confrontation with Merlyn wasplentybadass.
Shes lost, Slade said in the previous scene.
Maybe she is, but Oliver and Malcolms loss is the audiences gain.
DC Universe Watchtower
We finally get to meet John Diggles brother…Andy Diggle!
I feel like its common knowledge at this point, but just in case.
Andy Diggle is the name of a really excellent comic book writer.
This is not by accident.
He wroteGreen Arrow: Year One, a book that had considerable influence on the tone of this show.
Totally worth a read if you digArrow, by the way.
Marc Singer shows up as Matt Shrieve.
Shrieve is the leader of the Creature Commandos.
They didnt need it.
The Return stood quite well on its own.
But if Ididmiss anything, well…you know what to do.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
