Another week and another visit to Starling City (as several flashbacks to the island). This time, the guy in the notebook is one James Holden. A bit of a twist this week and something I wasn’t expecting; a mystery assassin gets there and pops a cap in this guys bottom before our hero can offload his quiver. Well, let me tell you this does not sit well. You and I may shrug our shoulders in a ‘what the hey’ kind of fashion but not so The Arrow; who’s steely resolve and unsurpassed powers of deduction make him believe that this guy is even more dangerous that the guy he was trying to kill, never mind that Arrow was also trying to kill him – anyway, the hunt is on.
This episode was pretty good on the whole. A bit more parkour featured, which I find always welcome, in getting the bullet out of a wall to tract down the perp. And Queen also goes to visit the Russian mob, where we find out that he is fluent in Russian and is referred to as a Captain. Captain of what we are still in the dark about – but very exciting nonetheless.
I have, up until now, found this Show to be taking itself a bit seriously. I’m enjoying it (and for those of you who have read my other reviews; still not as much as the Missis) but thought a little more humour injected would take the edge off a little and make the whole affair a bit more… accessible, for want of a better word. So I was pleased to see some light hearted banter between Queen and the IT girl working for his Father’s company. I hope she features more in the coming Season as she exuded a warmth that I have not sensed from the other female roles in Arrow so far. Could she be the Morgan Freeman to Arrow’s Batman? Let hope so (but maybe with a little more sexual tension). … Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale bleeeur yuk! Anyway, she can fix my laptop anytime.
In the closing scene, Queen’s personal bodyguard (Diggle ), who is shot earlier on in the episode gets the Doctor treatment from Arrow, and Arrow actually appears to reveal his identity. So far, this is the only person in Starling City to know who Arrow actually is. Could this be Alfred to Arrow’s Batman? Apologies, I am being facetious, but the similarities are quite striking; a point I think I will have to explore in further depth over the rest of the Season span.
All in all, a good episode then, and I feel the ball is starting to role. We are seeing more too of the island and I was interested to see that what appears to be a militia presence is also there, whereas I initially thought that there we just beasts and Robin Hood wannabes. Bring on the next one.
Mark Brassington 