Review: Arrow 2x10 “Blast Radius”

Original air date: January 15, 2014

It was fun to see Oliver running around town fighting crime in his brand new mask.  I have to admit, I think I might miss the black paint.  There was a nice look to it and I don’t care how impractical it was to have to paint that on every time when you're in a hurry to go save the city.  I just enjoyed the way it looked a little different from the classic superhero mask.  I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority on this one.

Anyway,

We open up on a borderline jealous Oliver, who is annoyed that Felicity is still visiting Barry.  He's sleeping because it sounds better than "he's in a coma."

Sidenote: If someone has not written the “While You Were Sleeping”-esque Barry x Felicityx Oliver fanfic yet, I am disappointed in all of y’all.   

Sean Maher makes his entrance by blowing up a building and declaring war on the city and all of its politicians.  He knows his bombs, owns a souvenir shop in Sterling City and is a member of “The Movement”, an anti-government terrorist group.  Ya know, your average Sterling City bad guy. Code Name: Shrapnel. I'm crossing my fingers this is not the last we see of him, because I love me some Sean Maher. 

Review: Arrow 2x09 "Three Ghosts"

Original air date: Dec. 11, 2013

Alright, so here it goes.  As sophisticated a review as I can write while I am internally screaming about everything that happened this episode.  I’m going to take a deep breath and hope that fangirl feels don’t come tumbling out.  No promises.  Winter hiatus is going to be a bitch.  That I do know for sure.

After the cliff hanger from last week we find a dying Oliver and a very surprised and confused Barry.  Being able to think quick on his feet (was that a pun?) Barry uses rat poison to return Oliver to normal.  Well as normal as Oliver can be, he seems to be having a little bit of issues with some hallucinations.

This episode was very much about Oliver dealing with his inner demons, actually more like ghosts.  Three ghosts to be exact.

Three ghosts at Christmas? That’s crazy talk for sure, but just like Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver finds himself visited by three ghosts.  Except instead of asking him to visit past, present and future Christmases they instead have very different messages for Oliver.  Shado asks Oliver to give up his fight before he loses those he cares most about.  Slade accuses Oliver of causing death and destruction in his wake.  Then Tommy (and no I was NOT crying.  I just had a best friend caught in my eye) tells Oliver to get up and fight because that is who he is, he is a hero.

Review: Arrow 2x08 "The Scientist"

Original air date: Dec. 4, 2013

Now, that’s how you introduce a new character.  As I’m sure y’all all know, Arrow gave us a small preview of Barry Allen aka The Flash.  Later he’ll have his own pilot on the CW network but for now this was a great start. 

Barry Allen, the titular 'Scientist' (Grant Gustin), shows up in Sterling City this week.  He’s investigating a break in at Queen Consolidated’s applied sciences division.  The act of a single super strength man, but that could hardly be possible, right?  Well, Blood finally has a super solider and plans to use him to gather supplies to make himself a few more.  He plans on using the same serum that Oliver come across during his island years on the War World II Japanese submarine.

Moira is back from prison, but besides her family no one else is all too happy to have her back.  Isabel doesn't want her at the company.  When Oliver tries to throw her a lavish party, no one shows.  Merlin continues to threaten her, insisting she tell Thea the truth of her parentage.  After everything though, Moira isn't afraid anymore.  She calls upon probably the scariest person she could have, Ra’s Al Ghul.  The only person she’s sure will frighten Merlin into leaving Thea alone.  Ra's Al Ghul isn't too pleased with Merlin after the Undertaking.  That was kind of a no-no on Merlin's part. 

Review: Arrow 2x06 "Keep Your Enemies Closer"

Original air date: Nov. 13, 2013

Group field trip to Russia this week.  Layla Michaels, an agent for A.R.G.U.S. was captured as she was sneaking into a Russian prison.  She was there investigating Deadshot, who if you remember is the assassin who killed Diggle’s brother.  They need the Arrow to orchestrate a rescue plan.  This is when we learn that Layla isn't just an old friend of Diggle’s but actually his ex-wife. 

The group decides to use business as a cover story, but with that means that Isabel Rochev has to tag along.  Her job means everything to her and she’s not going to be left at home when she believes Oliver is meeting with their overseas holdings without her.  Or maybe she thinks that Oliver is having a weekend of fun with his assistant and wants to make sure he gets some work completed.

With the help of Oliver’s Russian mob contacts, Diggle pulls a Prison Break and gets himself locked up in the same prison as Layla.  While inside he’s supposed to make contact with a guard, find Layla, and then the gang picks them both up outside the prison.  Easy peasy right?  Of course, it’s not.  If Diggle wants to escape, he has to trust the man he wants to kill the most, Deadshot.  In the end Diggle, being the honorable man he is, lets Deadshot go.  That’s when he learns that his brother wasn't who he always thought he was.  We learn the name H.I.V.E. and that’s going to be another story that will definitely unfold later.

Review: Arrow 2x05 "League of Assassins"

Original air date: Nov. 5, 2013

If they were to create a spin off show of just Sara Lance as Black Canary, I would be obsessed with it.  I’m not even kidding, it would surpass all my other favorite shows.  Sara has such a huge backstory and I am crossing my fingers like crazy that we get to see more of it (and soon).  Obviously I don’t think she’s gone for good, but well yeah I could watch 6 seasons and movie about her.

Review: Arrow 2x04 "Crucible"

Original Air date: Oct. 30, 2013

Well that had a twist ending I actually didn't see coming.

Oliver wants to stop the crazy amount of guns coming into the city.  We’re talking like really deadly military grade weaponry that are being supplied by some guy calling himself The Mayor.  You see since the quake all these new aspiring crime lords have been coming out of the woodwork.  Oliver hosts a Cash for Guns event to try and clean up the Glades as Oliver Queen.  Which turns bad as the Mayor shows up and demonstrates his personal inventory of hardware.

Review: Arrow 2x03 "Broken Dolls"

Original Air Date: Oct. 23, 2013

If you watched last week (and I hope you did) it'd be hard to forget the cliff hanger the episode ended on.  How will Oliver get out of this one?! He’s surrounded by an entire police force with guns and he can only shoot one arrow at a time!  

Spoiler alert: The newest vigilante in town shows up and saves his ass.  She’s awesome, she’s badass, and she knows how to make a dramatic entrance.  I. Love. Her.

On this week’s episode of Arrow, Officer Lance comes face to face with a man he worked so hard to put in prison once before.  After the loss of his daughter, Sara, the first case that Lance worked on was Barton Mathis aka Dollmaker.  A sadistic murderer who kidnaps women and kills them by making them into life size dolls.  It was a case that took Lance to a very dark place and became his obsession.  

Eager to see the Tam siblings reunited on TV again?

According to The Hollywood Reporter Sean Maher will be joining the cast of The CW's Arrow for the 10th episode.

pic courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter

Maher is set to play the villainous Shrapnel.  Maher joins Summer Glau as the second actor from the Joss Whedon cult hit show Firefly.  Glau has a reoccurring guest spot playing Isabel Rochev, a woman very much interested in Queen Consolidated.

The duo previously played fugitive siblings River and Simon Tam in the short lived Sci-fi western, Firefly.  No word yet if the two will have any scenes together on Arrow, however.


To read more about Maher's part and the history behind Shrapnel be sure to read the full Hollywood Reporter article here.

The newest episode of Arrow airs tonight on the CW.  Don't miss it!

New Clip for Arrow 2x03: Broken Dolls

Arrow just got dark.  I almost feel the need to give a friendly warning to all before you hit the play button on the video below.  Brand new clip from Wednesday's all new episode of Arrow "Broken Dolls". 

In the clip a distressed Hood and Detective Lance try to prevent a murder while Felicity races to trace a phone call that's essential in saving a woman's life.  Don't forget to watch the episode on The CW tomorrow night 8/7c.