Spoilers may freeze hell over this week.
We got Supergirl facing Mon-El’s mother’s wrath with Distant Sun. The Flash tries to pull a fast trick with Abra Kadabra. The team in Arrow can be considered Disbanded.
Supergirl gets an episode directed by Kevin Smith, and boy you can tell they went for epic. What worked and what failed? Mostly, it’s worth watching. Some of the fights are a bit on the cringy side. I didn’t expect Queen Rhea to go for melee. That being said, she still delivered a convincing performance as a threat, and the show’s new villainess.
Yes, it’s open season on Kara being hunted as someone has put an international bounty on her head. Surprisingly enough, only Mon El suspects his parents. Really? We got J’onn and Alex who have been part of the Deo for a long time and should’ve really put both Daxamite majesties at the top of the suspect list. Literally we get two bounty hunters. One going for the fire-lasers-at-people-in-the-park and another, a little more interesting, managing to mind-control Mon-El at a distance. I guess Boba Fett was not available. Still, it was amusing to see Mon El and Kara apologizing to each other.
Once we find out it was the Daxamites, it’s obvious something else is up. King Lar Gand doesn’t know- wait, that’s his name? Seriously you want to go with that? It sounds like you’re saying “garland” instead. Now I’m trying really hard not to call him King Judy. Anyhow he’s dead, part of the origin story for Supergirl’s new mother-nemesis Queen Rhea and her kryptonite sais (really, why make them sais… Kevin Smith, I blame thee). Very Mon-El focused story this week.
For the sake of continuity, they could’ve done a quick conversation scene in which Kara explained to the team why she was back together with Mon-El. Guess there wasn’t time. And I know I’ve skipped over the relationship drama with Maggie and Alex so more to come on the Highs and Lows.
The Flash almost gave us a throwaway episode. Almost. The new villain in town, Abra Kadabra was actually intriguing. They had him hold the secret of Savitar over the entire STAR Labs team’s heads for no reason. In the end, the secret leaves with him. I did like Jesse L. Martin’s depiction of a father willing to do anything to save his daughter, which was the best believable acting I’ve seen from anybody in the cast for a while.
Gypsy (why are using that name?) and Cisco are still doing their song and dance, but hopefully Cisco can tone down the whole braggin’ act? It’s getting tiresome. Gypsy however is in vengeance mode (actually, when is she not?) and doesn’t really seem to care. Or believably care. It doesn’t seem like she should. The anti-climatic ending was Abra Kadabra being taken by Gypsy without ever revealing Savitar’s name or if he was just pulling a trick.
The last scene however was extremely well done, with Cisco and Julien putting on great performances as Caitlin seems to take her last breath. We didn’t a cold-based origin story for Caitlin’s other persona, her powers just started manifesting. The thing is I’ve been so tired of the show holding back Caitlin Snow that I’m willing to put up with any excuse. That being said, Caitlin literally directing her own operation was badass. And of all the silly ways we could have gotten Killer Frost unleashed, this wasn’t half bad. She does make quite an entrance.
I chose a picture of one of the Helix scenes, because everything else on Disbanded was a letdown. I had very high hopes for Arrow this week, but I’m not sure what direction I was expecting the show to go. Initially, things do fall into a surreal territory as Olivier walks away from vigilantism. I don’t think it was a surprise to anybody to learn it doesn’t last. I just don’t get exactly what was the point here.
Olivier decides to disband the team, which of course just results in them doing it on their own, and invite the Bratva to Star City in exchange for killing Chase. Eventually Diggle convinces him to trust the team again and then Olivier un-invites the Bratva… So basically the whole thing is giant undo. No, the Bratva doesn’t leave quietly. Anatoly does decide to go back to Russia, but leave behind some his men to make life hard for undecisive american.
I wish I could say potential wasted, but to be honest I’m not sure how it could have been done better. Their only win was to obtain a Cord Industries scrambler to un-scramble Adrian Chase’s face when the took off the Prometheus mask, finally ending his run as the D.A. Guess it’s a win, it’s just not really much of an episode to consider.
Highs/Lows/NothingUpMySleeve:
- Another Mon-El centered episode, and I feel that there was both an opportunity gained and wasted as the story turns into a villain origin plot. On the plus side, we get Teri Hatcher as the new threat in town, the powerful Queen Rhea. On the contrary, we’re still using entire episodes to give Mon-El more importance and the focus has been on him a little too long. I want Kara back on the spotlight soon.
- President Marsdin, played by Linda Carter, is an alien in disguise. We get to see her a little more clearly now, but we’ve yet to see any inclinations towards an evil conspiracy or… a good one?
- I love Maggie’s and Alex’s relationship, but I wish the drama was not played up on every episode. Sometimes they should just get along without unnecessary tension. That being said, this week’s storyline with Maggie’s ex did feel a lot more down to Earth. That clashed a bit with Kara fighting a Daxamite Queen, but I guess life doesn’t stop just because there’s a Daxamite plot to kill a Kryptonian.
- Did Abra Kadabra ever knew who Savitar was, or was it all a trick? Something tells me we’re still not done with him. However, just having him in the episode to tease about a secret that we never get to find out makes for a very frustrated ending.
- Jesse L. Martin outshines the cast again with a very heartfelt portrayal of a father willing to risk it all for his daughter.
- KILLER FROST! FINALLY! Ok, we didn’t get an appropriate cold-based origin for Killer Frost coming back, but if we must be honest she’s been under the surface all this time without an explanation. How exactly did Caitlin Snow get her powers? I know the answer is Flashpoint and Dr. Alchemy, but I still hoped for something else than shrapnel. That entrance was just… cool.
- Caitlin Snow proved herself a badass as she directs her own surgery.
- And now, Arrow… I hate to end this on a low but what the effing heck was the plot?
- Oliver gives up being a crime fighter. He gets talked by Diggle and just like that, he’s onboard again.
- Oliver decides to call the Bratva to kill Chase, then calls them off making them hate him even more. Actually, how many times has Oliver used the Bratva for his own designs? How many times he’s undid the deal after getting what he need? I was with Anatoly on that last scene. Oliver has betrayed them one too many times.
- Arrow has gone to the dark and come back way too many times and this time it was just… Nothing. Yes, John Diggle can be intense but I wasn’t even sure if Oliver was convinced or not. Does Arrow have any real surprises left in its quiver to give us a half a decent finale this season?
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 