For the most part, I like my movies and TV shows to stay out of politically-themed stories. Now, this doesn't mean there can't be entertainment made specifically to tackle political topics. But Arrow isn't that. I've always considered Arrow to be great escapist entertainment. I can escape the daily chaos that is our current world and enjoy an hour or so of a comic-book show. I have to be clear here: I certainly can appreciate what this episode was trying to do and the conversations that it sparks, but there's a particular way to go about those conversations. I don't think this episode effectively tackled the topic of gun control.
It would be one thing if the writers wanted to give Mayor Oliver Queen something to do in his day-time job rather than at night, but there was nothing about this episode that felt natural. I mean really, why have we not seen Prometheus since the mid-season finale? 4 straight episodes without a season's central antagonist? The episode's message actually had the opposite impact on me. I felt like a message was being shoved down my throat unexpectedly.
As far as the rest of the episode goes, I really enjoyed finally seeing Rene's backstory before he became Wild Dog. It turns out he had a wife and a daughter before all of this vigilante nonsense. Rick Gonzalez has been a bright spot this season and he showed once again why he will be a welcomed regular on this show for quite some time. To me, the idea that Rene had a particular stance on gun control because his wife was murdered felt way more earned than forcing this issue into the present day plot. I would liked even more focus on Wild Dog.
There wasn't a ton else going on tonight. Dinah signed a lease for an apartment (random), Felicity told more lies involving her hacking, Thea made her not-so memorable return, and Vigilante made a pointless cameo. Overall, it wasn't executed as well as it could have been and I think found itself too obsessed with a political message that wasn't earned. I'm all good for an underlying message in TV and movies, but not one that forces conversation into a show that was never meant to be a show that covered those sorts of issues.
+Rene backstory
-Political message shoved in our face
-Where has Prometheus been?
6.3/10
It would be one thing if the writers wanted to give Mayor Oliver Queen something to do in his day-time job rather than at night, but there was nothing about this episode that felt natural. I mean really, why have we not seen Prometheus since the mid-season finale? 4 straight episodes without a season's central antagonist? The episode's message actually had the opposite impact on me. I felt like a message was being shoved down my throat unexpectedly.
As far as the rest of the episode goes, I really enjoyed finally seeing Rene's backstory before he became Wild Dog. It turns out he had a wife and a daughter before all of this vigilante nonsense. Rick Gonzalez has been a bright spot this season and he showed once again why he will be a welcomed regular on this show for quite some time. To me, the idea that Rene had a particular stance on gun control because his wife was murdered felt way more earned than forcing this issue into the present day plot. I would liked even more focus on Wild Dog.
There wasn't a ton else going on tonight. Dinah signed a lease for an apartment (random), Felicity told more lies involving her hacking, Thea made her not-so memorable return, and Vigilante made a pointless cameo. Overall, it wasn't executed as well as it could have been and I think found itself too obsessed with a political message that wasn't earned. I'm all good for an underlying message in TV and movies, but not one that forces conversation into a show that was never meant to be a show that covered those sorts of issues.
+Rene backstory
-Political message shoved in our face
-Where has Prometheus been?
6.3/10