So yeah, I’m going to be trying my hand at some TV show reviews of all the DC Comics TV Shows of the Arrowverse (Arrow, Flash & Legends of Tomorrow). This isn’t an exact science, I might miss a week of half a season but whatever, here you are…

ARROW

CATCHUP

Arrow this season is dealing with a terrorist organization H.I.V.E., headed by Damien Darhk – the big bad guy for this season. Speedy (Thea Queen) is struggling with bloodlust since her resurrection from Ra’s al Ghul’s Lazarus Pit. Black Canary (Laurel Lance) is now Assistant DA or something like that while kicking ass as Black Canary. Diggle is now sporting a mask & look with a new title Spartan and has been dealing with his brother being a part of H.I.V.E.. Oliver almost got away from being the Arrow with Felicity but had to return to help save the city now Ollie has announced he’s the Green Arrow (’bout time) & running for Mayor. Meanwhile Felicity was kicking ass as both CEO of Palmer Tech & now recovering from almost being killed by Damien Darhk. Felicity is now sporting a new wheelchair and helping Team Arrow as Overwatch (code named by Ollie). Also the former Black Canary (Sarah Lance) was brought back to life via Ra’s al Ghul’s Lazarus Pit then her soul was saved by John Constantine (same character from the former NBC TV show). Yes. You read that correctly, John Constantine was on Arrow. Yes, yes that was good of them to do.

THIS WEEK – Season 4: Episode 13 “Sins of the Father”

This week, 3 major story lines were the focal points. The main story is The Battle for the title of who’s the Demon’s Head (aka title of Ra’s al Ghul) between Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Nyssa & the current Ra’s al Ghul, Malcolm Merlyn aka the Dark Archer. Green Arrow / Oliver is brought into this war as Speedy is dying from her resurrection bloodlust & only Nyssa has a cure (one she got last week from a battle with Katana for the sacred lotus flower / potion?). Nyssa offers the cure but only if her Nanda Parbat husband Al Sah-Him / Oliver (yah they kinda got married in Nanda Parbat) kills current Ra’s al Ghul / Malcolm Merlyn. Of course, chaos ensues as Malcolm doesn’t want to give up the title, not even for his daughters life (well, not at first) and ends with Oliver fighting Malcolm (Ollie fights for his Nanda Parbat wife Nyssa, her Al Sah-Him) for the title of the Demon’s Head / Ra’s al Ghul. Of course, Oliver wins, defeats but doesn’t kill Malcolm and saves Speedy / Thea. In the end Nyssa disbands the League of Assassins & melts the ring of Ra’s al Ghul, the token of the Demon’s Head. Malcolm ain’t happy and storms off to offer Damien Darhk information on Oliver’s son William. Betting odds on the grave now being Oliver’s son have gone up 80% (side-note – this season opener ended with a teaser of someone close to Oliver dying and buried in a grave which the viewers can’t see the gravestone).

Oh right, other story lines this week. Felicity’s Dad returns to her life & spoilers, he’s The Calculator and they just digitally fought last week for the life of the city. Of course, he’s not really wanting to be her Dad again but would prefer to steal all the data from Palmer Tech, Felicity finds his tech toys to do so after giving her father an exclusive behind the scenes tour to bait him. Felicity has a few heartfelt moments with Ollie and her Mom about her father before Ollie pops the question to marry him sooner than later.

Last story line is part of the flashbacks and it had to do with Oliver telling the survivor victim (sorry, forgot her name) that he killed her brother in self defense which in turn has her upset. She then offers some magic stone Oliver got in a dream / vision from Shado to the flashback bad guy Reiter which the bad guys seems to find important. Important enough to set them up on digging in future flashbacks. #Yawn Seriously, I fast-forward most of these scenes, they’re boring as fnck.

MY THOUGHTS

Well, my breakdown kinda has my thoughts. Not a bad episode this week, I liked the Battle for the title of the Demon’s Head even if it was rushed all in 1 episode. TERRIBLE choice of beige jacket for Oliver in the fight on the rooftop with Malcolm. I guess they were looking for another look for Ollie as it wasn’t Green Arrow fighting but it looked “off”. Finding the flashback boring and unrelated to the main plot. Also rushed was the capture of The Calculator but NO WAY should we count that character out. Who else can ruin Ollie & Felicity’s upcoming wedding besides Damien Darhk or Malcolm?

THE FLASH

CATCHUP

Okay. Quick summary. Flash season 2 is dealing singularity events after the season finale. These events have opened up holes to an Earth 2 which many villains and heroes have escaped from. The heroes are Jay Garrick, The Flash of Earth 2, and Harrison Wells’ parallel universe counterpart. The villains are a long list that are all working for the new big baddie, ZOOM, who’s out to steal The Flash (Barry Allen’s) speed force. ZOOM sends the villains to capture The Flash unharmed. ZOOM convinces Harrison Wells to capture The Flash’s Speed Force. Harrison Wells breaks down and tells The Flash about being blackmailed by ZOOM who has Well’s daughter. The Flash decides to help Wells as he would any of his friends rather than put him in the Star Labs prisons.

THIS WEEK – Season 4: Episode 13 “Welcome to Earth-2”

Both The Flash & Vibe (Cisco Ramon) travel to Earth 2 with Harrison Wells to find and save Well’s daughter from ZOOM. Their plan derails as Barry takes over from his parallel universe counterpart and gets caught up in a fight with Killer Frost (alternate Caitlin Snow) and Deathstorm (alternate Ronnie Raymond). Flash ends up fighting them and this causes problems for the team to find ZOOM thinking now he knows The Flash is on his Earth looking for him. It ends up in a big confrontation with our heroes The Flash, Vibe and Harrison Wells vs Killer Frost, Deathstorm & Reverb (the alternate Cisco Ramon). Things don’t end well as The Flash is taken by ZOOM after he kills Deathstorm & Reverb for disobedience to ZOOM’s orders to not hurt The Flash and damage any of The Flash’s Speed Force. Vibe & Wells are left wondering WTF to do next.

Oh and on Earth Prime, Jay Garrick uses the Speed Force formula of Velocity-6 to become his version of Jay Garrick Flash and help Joe defeat the villain Geomancer. More of Jay Garrick history with Velocity-6 is revealed to Caitlin Snow as they will now work to save his life from the effects of the Speed drug. Oh and Isis recovered from almost dying last week without problem (NOT COOL).

MY THOUGHTS

A stronger episode than I thought it would be, loved seeing all the alternate views and Earth 2 style & substance of never letting the 30’s/40’s/50s’ go is a BIG HIT for me. MORE PLEASE. SERIOUSLY. JUST. MORE. Yes, the episode was kinda predictable but so is the show yet I’m still glued watching because all the characters work for me. Wells could have taken the stick outta his ass a bit but I guess that wouldn’t be the alternate Wells then. One thing that I am REALLY getting tired of is that characters always DYING in the Arrowverse shows, specifically villains. This week both Deathstorm & Reverb and I have to say, Reverb / alternate Cisco was COOOL. #Lame

EASTER EGGS

The first batch of Easter Eggs were when the team had jumped into the Multiverse singularity, we as viewers saw: Jonah Hex, another alternate Green Arrow (perhaps future William / Conner or One Armed Oliver Queen with a metal arm), Supergirl (upcoming The Flash & Supergirl crossover pending, see here for more info) and lastly a Legion of Super Heroes ring (YES!). Deadshot working with police officer Isis West was refreshing (so was this version of Isis). Lastly, I’m not claiming to have found this but it’s pretty cool, here’s alternate verse Barry Allen’s phone. Check out the people on speed dial – is that Eddie, Bruce, Hal and Diana? Eddie Thawne, Bruce Wayne (Batman) & Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)? Thanks to Comic Book Resources for this heads up.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

CATCHUP

The show just started but here’s what’s happened since: The team is put together to fight Vandal Savage, the big evil in these DC TV shows universe(s), who destroys and conquers the world in the future. They have to stop it. In a big two part Arrow & Flash crossover, Hawkman & Hawkgirl are brought into the Arrowverse. In this series, they all fight Vandal Savage in their first big fight & SPOILERS – Hawkman dies. Hawkgirl almost dies. Captain Cold tries to save his youth but time won’t let him and that’s about all the development we’ve been given.

THIS WEEK – Season 1: Episode 4 “White Knights”

After a disastrous attempt to break into the Pentagon for information, the team races to find out Vandal Savage is building some big secret weapon in Russia. Atom & Captain Cold show two sides of charm on the head Russian scientist to get access / find out more. This leads the team to a secret laboratory where half the team go in to secure the secret weapon. In doing so, Dr. Stein find that Vandal Savage is trying to build his own Firestorm powers. Of course, the team needs to be in disarray, things go south in the lab and half the team gets captured but Captain Cold escapes with the core of the secret weapon. Although the evil scientist learns that Dr. Stein is more than a suitable replacement for their Firestorm project. The other half of the story are the inner demons of White Canary (Sarah Lance) and Hawkgirl (Kendra) plus Rip Hunter is tracked down by another of the Time Masters and setup for a trap against Chronos, which they barely escape from. Oh and Dr. Stein & Jax / Jackson are dealing with their conflicts this week.

MY THOUGHTS

Overall – Not a bad episode, it did remind me of the time the Justice League went to Russia in this old 1990’s issue. Captain Cold is obviously the writers favorite character while the whole Dr. Stein pissed off all the time is getting tiresome. Didn’t mind the battling for control of themselves between White Canary and Hawkgirl, I just hope this isn’t a forgotten issue and they’re ALL better now. Hope it’s the start of them building upon their friendship through all the stories to come. Lastly, Rip Hunter and his guilt, it’s almost getting to be too much. Can NEVER have enough Heatwave “YOU SAID I COULD USE MY GUN!”

FINAL REVIEW