Arrow "Canaries" Review

Black Canary fights regular Canary while Thea gets upset and bangs a DJ in an all new Arrow. (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: Oliver (Stephen Amell) is thrown by the changes within Team Arrow. He’s used to calling the shots but sees that the team has evolved in his absence and tensions quickly escalate in the lair. Oliver is furious that Laurel (Katie Cassidy) has been going out as the Black Canary and tells her to stop risking her life, but when Vertigo (guest star Peter Stormare) hits the streets again, Laurel goes against Oliver’s wishes and tracks down Vertigo who hits her with a full dose of the drug.

High Points

• Laurel's arc is becoming one of the strongest parts of the show. Every week she is improving as a crime fighter both mentally and physically. 
• Thea finally learns Ollie's secret and doesn't get mad he lied, but instead thanks him.
• Thea also realizes Malcolm manipulation of her. (Except not that she murdered Sara.)
• Amanda Waller is doing Amanda Waller things in Hong Kong. The day Batman finally water boards her with gasoline will become a national holiday.
• Canary on Canary was awesome. Laurel's fears being tied to her sister's death and her addict past were perfect for further insight on her motivations as a vigilante. ("Stop trying to be like Sara and be yourself").
• Frustrations in the Arrow cave are beginning to boil over and like usual Daddy Diggle comes to the rescue.
• Gotta give props to Katie Cassidy. She looks strong. She put work in the gym and it has paid off.
• Post sex fights are the best fights.
• The Black Canary fucking beats down Vertigo.
• Captain Lance finally gets told the truth about his daughter's death. It was sad but he deserved to know.
• The League Of Assassins is down a DJ.
• Ollie was back in Starling City at some point during his five years away.

Does DJ Khaled work for the League of Assassins?

Low Points

• Vertigo's fear drug is used to good effect, but I just can't get over how much of a scarecrow clone he is.
• Why did they basically show us the Canary vs. Canary fight twice? Usually you add something more the second time around, but all we got was Ollie firing an arrow leading to the end of the fight. Just thought it was weird.
• Thea's melodrama got a little tiresome.
• Roy or DJ Douchebag? If you chose the DJ, then get the hell out of here. Bad choice Thea. 
• I liked the post sex fight, but wished Roy beat DJ Douchebag instead of Merlyn.
• Two episodes in a row without Ray Palmer. Where the hell is Ray?

Verdict: Laurel has come a long way from the start of Arrow. For much of the show she had been seen as extremely unlikable. So it's great to finally see her come into her own during the second half of season 3. Re-introducing Scarecrow-ripoff Vertigo into the mix tonight led to further insight into Laurel's character. She is afraid of not being as good as her sister. She is afraid that she is a former addict. This episode is all about her overcoming those fears so that she can become her own Canary. A Black Canary! Excited to see her become more and more integrated into Team Arrow. It is surprising though that Laurel's journey to vigilantism has been the most compelling storyline this season and personally I think it is because that once again the League of Assassins looked weak. All season we have seen the League's members get killed with ease and now tonight their pussy DJ took the HYDRA way out. Besides Ra's fight against Ollie, the League has not shown to be a capable antagonist. Flash has plenty of recurring villains and an overarching battle with the Reverse Flash that has kept it's audience extremely interested in. This season of Arrow doesn't seem to have that. Last year we had an epic season-long battle with Deathstroke, this season has one fight with Ra's. Step it up League of Assassins. All in all though the Canary on Canary fights were fun so "Canaries" gets a 7.5 out of 10.

You's a dead man DJ

Thanks for reading! Are you excited to return to the island? Does Count Vertigo suck? Let us know in the comments or on twitter @Caped_Informers. and @cstrand73. Be sure to check back regularly for more show/movie reviews and breaking news/stories regarding the comic book universe. Arrow returns same time next week with "The Return" as Ollie returns to the island and Deathstroke returns to the show! It's can't miss TV.

Arrow "Corto Maltese" Review/Thoughts

Oliver, Roy, and Diggle go on "vacation" in this week's Arrow. (MILD SPOILERS!)

Synopsis: Oliver decides it's time for Thea to come back to Starling City, so he packs for Corto Maltese, where Felicity has traced Thea's whereabouts. Lyla asks Diggle to go with Oliver because one of her field operatives, Mark Shaw, has gone dark in Corto Maltese and she'd like him to look into it. Feeling responsible for Thea's departure, Roy joins Oliver and Diggle on their journey.

High Points

• DC references galore! - Ted Grant (Wildcat), Corto Maltese, Mark Shaw (Manhunter), Thea using Mia as an alias, and even a Lazarus pit reference
• Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional (Wise words of Papa Merlyn)
• Brandon Routh's charm lightens up the show
• Everybody Loves Felicity (or rather needs her help)
• Thea Training flashbacks
• Black Canary Begins! (Wildcat trains the Canary)
• Emotional scene between Ollie and Thea
• Hotel-made arrows
• Thea beats Papa and heads home
• Ollie and Roy broin' out
• Nyssa!

Just look at the flowers, Roy

Low Points

• Double cross was a bit obvious
• The Shaw storyline in general was predictable
• The hunt for Sara's killer takes a backseat

Verdict: Arrow took a break from hunting for Sara's killer so that Ollie and the gang could take a trip to Corto Maltese in an attempt to convince his adrift sister to come home. It sure was amazing to see how much Thea has transformed since last season's finale when she left with Papa Merlyn. She is officially a badass and now with her returning to Starling her story is the most interesting it has ever been. Elsewhere there was an ARGUS mission assigned to Diggle while in Corto. And while I love Diggle, this Manhunter storyline was predictable part. Although I do love when Roy, Ollie, and Diggle all team up together. Meanwhile back in Starling, Laurel had one of her best character arcs. Katie Cassidy and Laurel have received the bulk of criticism aimed at the show over the first two seasons, but her arc is finally in the place where fans want it to be. She has the fire for crime fighting now and with the addition of Ted Grant, I suspect the Black Canary will be stalking the streets again soon. Go Laurel! Lastly Brandon Routh continues to bring charm and lightness to every episode he is in. Felicity and his Ray Palmer have great interplay. Overall I give this episode a 8.0 out of 10. May have not been a very Ollie focused episode, but former underachieving supporting characters like Thea and Laurel are starting to shine. Also how could I forget to mention that Ra's Al Ghul is coming to Starling next week. Caption Cold on The Flash on Tuesday. The Demon's Head on Arrow on Wednesday. #DCHeaven.

Thanks for reading. What did you think of Thea's transformation? What did you think of Arrow's third episode? Sound off in the comments. Make sure to check out our reviews every week and follow our live action tweeting of every episode @Caped_Informers and @cstrand73. 

Who's the Best Daddy?: Tyrese has become a surrogate dad to Judith on The Walking Dead, while Daddy Diggle has recently been blessed with a little bundle of joy of his own named Sara. Even Flash has two father figures in Henry Allen (though he is in prison) and Joe West. My question to you is "Who is the best Daddy on comics TV?" Personally I'm not sure who the best daddy is except that it ain't Rick Grimes. Tell us what you think in the comments.

Arrow "The Calm" Season 3 Premiere Thoughts/Review!

Thats right my fellow arrow heads, the highly anticipated CW show is back which means....THE ARROW REVIEW HAS RETURNED! Now with out further adue let us begin!

Episode Description: With crime in Starling City at an all-time low thanks to The Arrow and his team, Oliver thinks he can finally balance being both the Arrow and Oliver Queen and asks Felicity out on a date. However, when a new villain emerges, who has claimed the name Vertigo from the recently deceased Count, Oliver is caught off-guard and someone close to him is hurt. Oliver and a newly suited up Roy take on the Count. Meanwhile, Diggle becomes a father, Quentin is promoted to Captain, Laurel joins Team Arrow and Felicity gets a part-time job at a tech store to make ends meet. Also, Oliver fights to regain his company, Queen Consolidated, but comes up against a very worthy opponent - the charming Ray Palmer

High Points

• Straight action right from the start
• Finally some Roy action
• Team Arrow
• Detective Lance thanking the Arrow for saving the city
• The new and improved Vertigo 
• The proposition of "Star City" by Mr. Ray Palmer/the competition between him and Ollie
• Captain Lance's promotion, we all love the Captain
• Roy's fighting style
• Rooftop fight scene between Ollie, Vertigo, and Black Canary
• Return of Black Canary 
• Diggle becomes a Father realizing Ollie did the right thing by sending him away from the action to focus on family
• Introduction to the new characters
• Barry Allen cameo
• The Ending!!!!

Low Points

• Flash backs to Hong Kong seemed bland (confusing at times)
• Vertigo's toxin reminded me too much of Scarecrow
• The Laurel scenes were boring
• Random Thea texts through out the episode but no actual scenes of her
• Very strange introduction to Vertigo and how he came about. No real back story

Verdict

It seems like forever since the last time we've done a review but it feels great to be back! As far as the episode goes it did not disappoint. These Flash Tuesdays and Arrow Wednesdays are going to be extremely fun and enjoyable for both seasons. Arrow started right off with a bang including all the members of Team Arrow including a fully suited up Roy Harper. The fighting was fantastic, the team work was fantastic, just everything you would expect from a season opener. The flash back scenes however were the lowest part of the episode in my opinion. Although they introduced us to new characters and a new part of Ollie's story, they seemed very bland. The ending left me jaw dropped and provoked much excitement and anticipation for next week's episode. 

Overall I give the season 3 premiere of Arrow a solid 8.0 out of 10

Be sure to follow us on twitter @Caped_Informers and follow me @O_doyleRULES11

Arrow Wednesday Nights @8 on the CW

Season 3 Trailer For 'Arrow'

Yesterday at SDCC, CW's Arrow released the first look of it's third season. First looks at Roy as Arsenal, Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer, and scariest off all a pissed off John Diggle.

Identity seems to be the main theme this of this clip. Can Ollie be both the Arrow and lead a normal life? October cannot come soon enough.

In other Arrow news, Batgirl may be coming to Starling. Well maybe just Barbara Gordon, but a guy can dream can't he? This rumor comes in hot by way of a DC tweet claiming that some episodes this year will have flashbacks specifically focused on Felicity's origin story. Most Arrow viewers should know that Ollie's right hand woman is a graduate of MIT and that is where these flashbacks are to take place. Barbara Gordon also went to MIT. Coincidence? I think not. Because this rumor got really interesting when DC added that one of the episodes will be titled Oracle, Barbara Gordon's codename after she was confined to a wheelchair. So will we see Babs? Maybe its no guarantee. The guys who write Arrow are huge comic fans and love references. The episode title Oracle could just be a nod to how Felicity plays a similar role to Ollie like Babs did to Bats. 

Source: ComicBookMovie

Arrow "Man Under the Hood" Thoughts/Review!!

This Wednesday is a very important one. Why? Because Arrow has returned!!!! Not even going to explain anymore, I want to get right into it. Remember spoilers will be present so get caught up or suffer being spoiled. With out further adue let us begin....

Key Plot Lines

• Arrow and the gang blow up a Queen Consolidated science department to cut Slade off
• Moria Queen finds a way to possibly save the Queen fortune
• Slade heads to STAR Labs to obtain the machine that will help him create his army
• He is confronted by scientists named Cisco and Caitlin (We will see those two again somewhere else)
• Slade gets his machine but not after being shot by some sort of sonic wave blaster
• Slade and Ollie have a mini one on one fight where Slade drops the line "Don't forget who taught you how to fight kid"
• Thea still blames Ollie and Moria for the whole Malcom Merlyn affair 
• We discover there is a cure for the Mirakuru
• Ollie kills Ivo on the island
• Laurel gets conformation and starts to suspect that Sara is Black Canary, but knows 100% Ollie is Arrow
• Officer Lance after getting the shit beat out of him tells Laurel not to tell him who the Arrow is but to just appreciate what he does for the city
• Slade fires his army building device up. Ollie tracks this to discover the location
• Ollie finds that not Slade but.........ROY has been hooked up to the machine and is using his miracuru blood
• Isabelle Roschev continues to be a pain in the ass by telling Ollie her and his old man were in love (Its the CW people) then she is shot by Diggle while Ollie retrieves Roy and what we later find out is the cure
• Slade uses his own blood to create his army.
• We learn Ollie chose to kill Slade and not cure him.

What I Liked

• Non stop action 
• Non stop jaw dropping moments
• fight scenes were on point as usual
• Flash Easter Eggs (Vibe? Caitlin, Iris, Barry, that whole STAR labs scene)
• The respect Officer Lance has for the Arrow
• The entire Arrow gang getting their hands dirty
• Deathstroke suit in full action
• Slade's army
• How about the whole 43 minute episode!

What I Disliked

• Thea has to get off this whole Daddy issue thing (seriously Ollie did nothing wrong)
• Still no real fight between Arrow and Deathstroke
• Laurel pushing to hard to reveal Ollie's secret (but she backs off)
• Officer Lance still can't catch a break

What to expect in the FINAL 4 EPISODES!!

Well people the final four episodes are here which means 4 straight weeks of Arrow! But here is what I think will be happening in these next few weeks. Slade's army is ready, Isabelle is back from the dead, shit is going to go down hard in Starling City. It will take all of Ollie's strength and skill to bring him down. I do not think they will cure Slade successfully, he is too big of a character and is already signed on for season 3 (spoilers). Also, look to see more of the two scientists from Star Labs Cisco and Caitlin. They will be the ones to construct the cure. Does this mean we could see Barry again even though the CW told us no? Can we trust that to be true? Adding on here, from the preview of next week, we see that Roy is alive and back at it. I want to see Arsenal, I want to see a suit on Roy make this happen. Finally, what will the out come be of Thea Queen? We know some one will be dying but will it be her? Is anyone safe? Is it next Wednesday yet? So much to come!

All in all I give this episode a solid 8.5 out of 10

Arrow returns next week! Wednesdays 8/7 on CW