Arrow Review: Who Are You? (Season 5 Episode 10)

On Arrow Season 5 Episode 10, “Who Are You?” Laurel Lance is back. Except, of course, it’s not Laurel Lance. It’s Black Siren.

Who could have possibly seen that coming?

You know, outside of everyone and their mother.

I don’t ask that much of shows, I don’t. I just want them to entertain me and make some modicum of sense. That’s all.

Which is why I’ve always been willing to suspend disbelief over the fact that not everyone in Star City knows Oliver Queen is the Green Arrow, over the fact that Laurel used to get into that leather costume in 0.2 seconds (plus, makeup!) and over Curtis’ hair situation and how long it takes to go from one look to the other, as well as many other frankly ridiculous things that routinely happen.

That’s the way of superhero shows, after all.

But, in return, this show used to give me compelling characters and shocking twists.

Now they give me Black Siren posing as Laurel Lance, Oliver what-is-common-sense-I’ve-never-heard-of-that Queen and Felicity let’s-throw-a-party-for-my-resurrected-friend-while-the-body-of-my-boyfriend-that-my-ex-mistakenly-killed-is-not-even-cold Smoak.

I can’t blame you if you can’t even process that sentence. I had a hard time writing it. And people say there’s less drama in Arrow these days.

All in all, though, this was the best Arrow has been this season. Oliver’s willingness to believe Laurel was very much in character, as was Felicity’s ruse to get “Laurel’s” DNA.

Imagine that. Arrow characters behaving like the people we know and used to love.

What works in this episode, however, is not a surprise. It’s the same thing that’s always worked, the thing the show seemed to have lost sight of in their quest to appease the comic book fans or become more “edgy.”

Olicity works.

Felicity Smoak being the smartest person in the room works.

An Oliver Queen who is more heart than action works.

Diggle getting some focus and a story-line all on his own works.

Who would have thought? You know, except for most of their fan-base.

Is this really a shift back to what Arrow could be, toward the promise of a superhero show with compelling characters? I wish I could say I trust the answer is yes, but I’ve been burned too many times.

For now, though, there’s a sense of optimism in the air that I couldn’t have predicted when this show went on hiatus. Maybe these people can find a way back …maybe they have seen the light.

Maybe Arrow can go back to being Arrow.

But, and here’s the thing, if this is truly a return to what made the show a success in the first place, why did we need to take this detour? And how do I know that the show will stay on the right path?

We don’t. We have to take this on faith.

It just so happens that I’m running very low on that.

Last chance, Arrow. Absolutely last chance. Don’t let me down.

Other things to note:

• Rory, when all the other newbies are just a memory, can you please stay? I like you.
• Emily Bett Rickards killed it this episode. KILLED IT. I’ve seen people give props to Stephen Amell for his acting, but I don’t know that enough people recognize the range that EBR has. She can legit do anything, and do it convincingly.
• How did Prometheus know to tell Black Siren everything she needed about Laurel’s life? Because it seemed like she knew MORE than Prometheus could find out by doing a Google search.
• YES, THEA, WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE COMES BACK TO LIFE, YOU GET ON A FREAKING PLANE.
• Even Wild Idiot wasn’t as annoying this episode.
• How come the BS cry didn’t affect Oliver and Felicity but Barry almost died? Oh, wait. Suspend disbelief. Gotcha.
• It’s a little jarring how suddenly everyone cares about Malone.
• Black Siren’s costume is the best the costume department has done dressing up a female superhero, and I’m talking all DCTV shows here.
• Also, the SHADE. Black Siren can really throw some shade.
• But she, sadly, wasn’t all she could be, and that’s on the writing. She was a bad-ass on The Flash, and for plot sake, Arrow made her anything but. Not surprising, but still, disappointing.
• As much as the narrative made it logical, the whole pitting women against each other deal is overdone. DCTV has proven, time and time again, that they have no idea how to write two women who are not related in anything other than an antagonistic relationship.
• Unless you count Caitlin and Iris never speaking to each other on The Flash as a step forward.
• Which I don’t.
• Katie Cassidy can do a mean villain, pun intended.
• Oh, there’s a new BC. Am I supposed to cheer?
• Where’s reporter chick? Is Oliver still sleeping with her or am I supposed to believe the fiction that he never did?

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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