Arrow Review: Canary Cry (Season 4 Episode 19)

Hey, Arrow. Laurel Lance deserved better.

I’ve seen the hashtag around; I’ve read the opinion pieces. And though before I would have agreed in a general fashion that yes, the character did deserve writers who wanted to do her justice, I never felt the sting of disappointment quite like I do now, after watching “Canary Cry”

Laurel Lance did deserve better. She deserved better than a dying confession of love that felt hollow and false. She deserved better than an episode that was supposed to honor her and instead painted her like a hypocrite who can sleep with a man, cry over another next day, and then, a week later, smooch the first one and proclaim to be excited about the future.

She deserved much, much better. And so did we.

I’ll freely accept that Laurel has never been one of my personal favorites. I didn’t hate her, but I had problems relating with her. I’m going to miss her, but mostly in abstract way, in the same manner that I lament the lack of female representation in comic book movies. I’m going to miss what she could have been instead of what she was.

But, maybe, she’s better off. We’re better off. We can forget the messy characterization, the nonsensical dying confession and try to remember the Laurel Lance who tried to save the world. It doesn’t matter that she failed. It only matters that she kept on trying.

It just would have been easier to remember her this way in a more coherent episode.

Laurel aside, this was still a big mess. The Oliver and Felicity, Oliver and Diggle and Diggle and Felicity scenes worked on the strength of the actors’ performances, but the progression of this episode towards the scenes we’d already seen before in flash-forwards was nonsensical at best. Why is Oliver snapping at Barry? Why is Felicity so mad in that limo? If you’re going to play the flash-forward game, you have to connect the dots better than this, Arrow. You really have to.

But, I guess you just wanted to move on from Laurel. In a way, that’s understandable. Her character never worked. So now, I can only hope that this show can remember what it does best and focus on it, instead of ruining the rest of the characters.

You’re walking a tight rope, Arrow. To end this season on a high note, Laurel’s death should mean something. We need to focus on Quentin’s pain. Damien Darhk needs to pay.

Sara needs to return, because the fact that she isn’t there for her sister’s death is a travesty. The show should stop playing with characterization and let people grow in a consistent and believable manner.

But more importantly, we need to continue on the path of hope that has been set for our Green Arrow.

What did you think of this episode of Arrow? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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Lissete Lanuza Sáenz

Lawyer. Writer. Columnist. Geek. Falls in madly in love with fictional characters. Hates the color yellow, misogyny, and people who are late. Can always be found with a book. Watches an absurd amount of TV every week, often, while eating coffee ice cream. She has no regrets. You can check out her blog here: Absurday. Lissete is a senior writer for Tell-Tale TV. Follow @lizziethat