Arrow Review: Underneath (Season 5 Episode 20)
See, Arrow, this is what you had to do. This is what we needed. How did it take you 20 episodes to get here?
And I’m not even talking about Olicity, I’m talking about turning on the TV to watch a show in its fifth season and feeling like I recognize the characters I’m watching. I’m talking about common sense. I’m talking about continuity.
Arrow Season 5 Episode 20, “Underneath,” attempts to explain why Oliver and Felicity went from staring longingly at each other to two awkward teammates with mixed results, but in the present, it does a great job at moving their relationship to a new point of gasp, dare I say it, understanding and trust?
Plus, it takes the time to point out how much of a hypocrite Oliver can be. Oh, and Felicity gets to say “I told you so” and “I was right,” which, let’s be honest, are things she should have tattooed on her forehead at this point.
Yes, he’s a hypocrite too. Yes, he’s willing to look the other way when it comes to Oliver and not when it comes to his wife. Yes, he should be apologizing.
Yes, yes, yes.
Not that everything is right with the episode, of course not. The gap from the end of Season 4 to the beginning of Season 5 was almost insurmountable, and though the show gamely tries, the flashbacks don’t really explain why Felicity would go from “I’m not ready yet” to dating Billy Malone or how Oliver would go from “I’m not going anywhere” to Susan Williams.
But – at this point, I almost have to wonder: would any answer have satisfied us? Was there really any way to put the genie back in the bottle? Could the crappy writing have been explained away with anything other than actual magic or some Barry Allen shenanigans?
I’m pretty sure the answer is no, and if the show, at least, gets back to doing what it does best, puts the pod-people away and gives us a few more scenes like the OTA stunt in the ventilation shaft, then at least this show will be worth watching again.
Not loving – not yet, there’s still a gap between what we know of these characters and what the show is giving us. For example, why did Felicity need to apologize for choosing herself? Why does everything need to be an equivalence?
Why can’t two characters find their way back to each other without the female character bowing down her head and meeting the male – not in the middle, but a few steps in his side?
And yes – this us still much better than what we’ve seen all season. Oliver did take responsibility, and it is important for Felicity and Oliver to actually communicate, to have this conversation if they were ever going to move forward, not even romantically, but as two people who care about each other and who have to work together every day.
But the main problem with this episode is that this Felicity and this Oliver are now, in a way, strangers to us. We’re not used to them anymore, so we look at them with a certain reticence.
Can we trust that they’re really here to stay? Should we?
I don’t know. I want to trust, but the more the show gives me good stuff, the less I feel ready to commit.
Being emotionally detached is, after all, easier. You don’t get hurt that way.
So, forgive me if I’m not ready to forgive you, Arrow. Or, don’t forgive me. I don’t care either way.
Just give me good television, and like Oliver and Felicity, at some point – I’ll get there. Somehow.
Other things to note:
- For a minute or two there it was almost like this show cared about dealing with Felicity Smoak’s injury. Only lasted a minute or two, though.
- “Are you still Felicity Smoak?” “Yes” “Your math is always right.”
- Same as Oliver’s aim.
- I bet Emily Bett Rickards can kill the salmon ladder.
- I would have admitted to being a tap dancing flamingo in way less than a week, Oliver. In less than a day. In less than an hour.
- Dyla making up was great and exactly what I wanted, but I gotta say I’m not liking the Dinah/Diggle vibes I’m getting of off you, Arrow.
- I’m just warning you, if you ever go that way, I don’t even care about the rest. I’m out. BYE FELICIA.
- There’s always Youtube for the scenes I want to watch.
- It was good to see Oliver struggling. He always seems to do the physical stuff so easily.
- Question – is the word hypocrite a new one that you guys learned this week? Have you been reading some of my old reviews? Inquiring minds want to know.
What did you think of this episode of Arrow? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Reviewer Rating:
User Rating:
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
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
2 comments
While Lissete Lanuza Sáenz’s comments on tonight’s show is close to, if not, spot on – I have a few problems with it (or moreso, the writing). I’m thinking that John and Lyla staying in a one-room “Slum-like” apartment is poor writing. Here it is, he’s best friends with a billionaire, working in a multi-million dollar bunker, yet… lives where? Now, I understand that he might not be getting paid what Oliver is, but his wife is over a top government organization that doesn’t pay her enough for better living conditions or even security for her daughter (sorry I mean Son; still, no bodyguards whatsoever). Questions still remain about who’s running Queen Cooperation. And, though John might be in hiding there’s still no way to create a secret entry into a reasonable place of dwelling? Continuity isn’t the only problem with the show.
Queen Consolidated was purchased by Ray Palmer. The Queen family still owned 45% of the stock in the company before the merger; they were only broke because Isabel Rochev deliberately ran the company into the ground. Once the purchase was complete and the company became profitable again as Palmer Technologies, Oliver was basically wealthy again.
It’s dubious but it works.
Comments are closed.