Arrow - S6E6 - Promises Kept

Previously on Arrow, “Deathstroke Returns”

The second half of the two-part Slade-focused storyline was just as lackluster as the first, with some good performances and moments sprinkled into an episode that did nothing to invest us in the core relationship between Slade and his son.

The Good

The Arrow casting department have obviously been re-watching JJ Abrams’ better TV shows, with Fringe’s delightfully gruff Kirk Acevedo now joining Person of Interest’s Michael Emerson in the season 6 rogue’s gallery.

It’s always good when the show remembers that Diggle has a wife, and Lyla brought just the right balance of compassion and disappointment to convince Diggle to come clean to his team. Her presence also helps to alleviate my suspicion that the show is trying to hook up Diggle and Dinah. For once I think that I’m the one being heteronormative in my assumption that a man and a woman with a close relationship on a TV show must be about to hook up. On the subject of hooking up, was I the only one who got the impression that Lyla and Diggle are into Green Arrow role play?

Team Arrow handled Diggle’s confession of his impairment surprisingly well. I had been concerned that they would react angrily so that the writers could draw out the drama, but the reveal was handled with maturity, with Rene forgiving Diggle straight away and Curtis immediately starting to brainstorm how he can help.

The Bad

I feel like a broken record here, but in what world was it a good idea to replace the pretty universally reviled Oliver-focused flashbacks with mundane flashbacks of characters we care even less about? And if we must, could we at least bring Shado back for more than just the role of Slade’s angsty ghost?

Who could have predicted that Diggle’s dealer would turn out to be a baddie – that’s right, literally every single person watching. Like last season’s Helix reveal, the consequences of Diggle’s addiction were so predictable that it removed any interest in the story.

Quote of the Week

Felicity: “Slade got his happy ending?”
Oliver: *makes a face*
Felicity: “Not like that.”