"No suit, no codenames. Them's the rules."

I stopped caring about Arrow a long time ago. The only reason I’m watching again is because of Katie Cassidy. She was unjustly killed off in the show’s fourth season (after being treated horribly for what seemed like an eternity) and now she’s back as a regular in the form of Black Siren. The rest of this show however? Disastrous.

Much like a number of broadcast shows these days (cable shows take more risks), there are no stakes with regards to the cliffhanger follow-up. Season five ended with our entire cast in peril, and instead of starting fresh and killing off a bunch of dead weight, the show puts Thea in a coma (which she will likely wake up from once Thea Holland is less busy) and kills off Samantha (a C-list character nobody cares about). Why should we remain invested in a show that can’t even respect its own sense of urgency?

On the bright side, Oliver’s journey is somewhat promising this season now that he has to juggle fatherhood. His scenes with William aren’t the best (it always feels like the kid is saying “Batman” instead of “bad man”) but I’m somewhat optimistic especially after that final conversation with Slade. However, the less said about the premiere’s supposed “cliffhanger”, the better. Ollie’s secret is now out, and we all know this won’t have actual ramifications since it’s happened before. I know Arrow isn’t supposed to be realistic, but how are we supposed to take the citizens of Star City seriously when they keep believing that Ollie isn’t the Green Arrow?

But Black Siren? Oh boy. You can tell Cassidy is having a ball in the role, and every one of her scenes is overflowing with devilish glee and menace. I’m also tremendously glad that she’s not just a sideshow; there’s a genuine mystery concerning who saved her from Lian Yu, and why she needs Terrific’s prototype. If the show can keep Siren (and Slade) at the forefront, then there might be hope for a rejuvenated year.

Bits & Arrows

– Love the opening shot with Arrow flying through the air and landing on the ship.

– I’m sorry but Mr. Terrific’s costume is absolutely ridiculous. How was this even approved? Cringe.

– Raisa is back! Remember her from season one? She used to work in the Queen household, and now she’s raising William.

– Siren got so many badasss moments in the premiere, two of which were her strutting away from an explosion (first at the police station and then in the Arrow cave). Katie should trademark that strut.

– I don’t get why the show panned away from both Siren/Canary fight scenes. Were the actresses not game for the fight? Cassidy always is, and I always get the feeling that Harkavy is tough (from all her training videos), but this was ALL stunt doubles and very brief. It’s especially bizarre seeing as how the fight was hyped a great deal on social media. How anticlimactic.

– So let me get this straight, Siren’s scream can topple buildings and knock out The Flash, but barely nudges Dinah back? Sometimes the idiocy on this show makes me want to blow my brains out.

– Coolest action moment: Ollie jumping off the bridge and saving Rene at the last second.

– How awkward is it to see Dinah holding a gun in Canary costume?

– At least Quentin is getting some fresh material where his daughters are concerned. Now he doesn’t have to mourn one of their “deaths”, just the fact that he shot his daughter’s doppelgänger (which really shouldn’t be that big of a deal but he keeps foolishly saying he doesn’t believe in parallel universes).

– Intriguing one-take shot although oddly placed: Dinah walking through the graduation ceremony as Ollie makes his speech.

– How did Laurel survive the gunshot on Lian Yu?

– Why is Diggle’s aim so compromised from the island? What was so traumatic?

– Amazingly subtle touch: Siren ordering Faust to put an explosive on her old Black Canary costume. Talk about a meta moment. I bet Cassidy loved playing that.

– Siren and Canary calling each other bitches felt very misogynistic. Maybe it’s the Weinstein effect.

Quips & Canaries

Felicity: Unless our Laurel is mysteriously back from the dead– something I wouldn’t put past either of the Lance sisters.

Laurel: (to Dinah) The bad news is is that you won’t be able to scream anymore, but the good news is that you’ll be too dead to care.

Laurel: (to Diggle) What’s wrong? Did you lose your nerve along with your aim?

Thug: Do you want me to kill him?

Laurel: Well I’m not paying you to keep him alive.

Oliver: What’s happening with the graduation?

Quentin: Uh, went off without a problem unless you count some food poisoning from the city caterer.

Conclusion

Arrow became terrible a long time ago, but Katie Cassidy is keeping this ship afloat.

Nad Rating

B

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