Arrow - S6E9 - Irreconcilable Differences

Previously on Arrow, “Crisis on Earth-X, Parts 3 and 4”

After having so rudely interrupted the WestAllen wedding for a non-consensual double wedding during the crossover last week, Olicity continued to be the kind of couple you really wouldn’t want to be friends with this episode. In addition to throwing a lavish reception that would have made for a great wedding of their own, if they weren’t the kind of people to interrupt their friends’ wedding vows to make everything about them (yes, I’m still bitter), upon the discovery that someone on the team was testifying to the feds, rather than trying to use their words, the Original Team Arrow almost immediately decided that the best course of action was to spy on their friends.

The Good

Given how much Lance despised Oliver at the start of the show, it was touching to see him gifting Oliver his watch. For a show that so frequently repeats its character beats, it’s always nice to see a reminder of how far the characters have come together, and seeing Lance stepping into a parental role in the absence of his children and Oliver’s parents really showcased the positive growth that they have gone through together.

Call me spiteful, but it was enjoyable to see a drunken Curtis being almost as bad of a wedding guest as Olicity. Almost. On a more serious note, it was also satisfying that he finally got to express some sadness at his divorce.

After a lackluster start, the new additions to the team have really grown into enjoyable characters in their own right. At this point in the show, watching them hanging out together and complaining about Oliver like he’s their shitty boss is more fun that watching Original Team Arrow moping about.

The Bad

Whoever was in charge of music during the Olicity wedding is clearly lacking in a) taste, and b) subtlety. The music that swelled as Oliver gazed at Felicity entering the room was so cheesy that I visibly cringed.

The revelation that someone on the team had agreed to testify would have worked better if it had been more drawn out and given us an episode or two of speculation before the somewhat underwhelming reveal that it was Rene. I had also hoped that the mole would be someone unexpected, like Ragman or even Roy. This would have given more heft to the B team’s anger at not being trusted.

No villainous team up will ever really compare to the Legion of Doom, but they could have at least put some effort in. Of the six, there are two who are acceptable based on their history with the heroes (Black Siren and Anatoly), two who I will give a pass based purely on the fact that they are portrayed by charismatic actors (Cayden James and the Dragon), one who somehow becomes less and less interesting the more we get to know him (Vince), and one guy who is such a non entity that I got half way through writing this paragraph before I realized that there were six members of Team Baddie, not five.

Quotes of the Week

Dinah: “Well the idea of spending the rest of your life with one person seems pretty unrealistic, and uh, also pretty boring… That’s probably why I’ve had so many busted engagements.”
Curtis and Rene: “Say what?!”

Black Siren – “Hello Thea, congratulations on not being comatose.”

Rene – “I still don’t understand why the brown guys gotta be the janitors, though.”