Arrow must suffer the fate every hero must face eventually: squaring off against an evil version of himself. And over Christmas, no less.
The episode is essentially Ollie dealing with his insane double, which the CW is keeping secret for now and we’re assuming will be a massive cliffhanger when the season picks up again for sweeps.
In the meantime, Ollie gets yet another guilt trip: Apparently while he was away his evil mother and his bratty sister stopped celebrating Christmas, which is a bit much even for this show. So Ollie has to hunt down his evil doppelganger while also keeping his family. You know, the usual.
The show has been a bit off the last few episodes, especially since the family drama has sat less and less easily with the action scenes and Geoff Johns wrote an episode, showing up the entire writing staff of the show with a great episode.
That said, 2013 has promise. As we’ve mentioned previously, Manu Bennett will be playing Deathstroke, and Colton Haynes will be playing Thea’s love interest…
Roy Harper. That’s… a bit out of left field.
We’ll start the fun tonight at 8pm EST.
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When I saw a headline that said “Teen Wolf Vet Joins Arrow”, I really wanted it to be Michael J. Fox.
Or Jason Bateman.
Or both.
Hey, we might finally see more of Sensei!
This whole “Arrow might have killed a dude” thing would have more weight if he weren’t, uh, killing dudes.
He is an easy guy to frame.
Yeah, you need a hoodie and a hunting bow and… uh… that’s it.
Somber background music alert. Somber background music alert!!!
All right, more flashbacks!
I am slightly concerned that his shirt is collared up to the neck. Pretty strange.
That is a bit weird.
Sensei has a very clean knife.
“Why aren’t there any decorations?” Because your family is cold and horrible and suck.
POLITICAL HUMOR!
Does that even qualify?
It’s the closest the CW gets.
Oh no, Felicity, not you too. Not the exposition speak.
Holy crap they said Green Arrow. What a shock!
It did take them what, eight episodes?
Is she at the Moon base from Airplane 2?
So what I’m taking away from this is that rich people are rude at dinner.
Wow, competant police work. Bravo.
I have to admit, I like that Quentin is not all Inspector Javert here. Most shows, he’d think it was Arrow until the 45 minute mark.
So yeah, can’ see a damn thing because the Sandy Relief program is playing on CW by me…
I’m getting a real Norman Osborn vibe off of Tommy’s evil father. Could he be the Dark Archer?
He’s pretty much the only nominee. Unless it’s Eddie Fyers.
I missed Paul Blackthorne; it’s nice to see him back.
Everybody on this show has the worst choice of ringtones.
“I can break laws the police can’t.”
Good argument to sway a police officer.
Applied Sciences. Getting a Batman vibe here…
I hope so.
Maybe Arrow is after you for your ugly-ass facial hair.
WAIT, JOHN DAHL DIRECTED THIS?!
Nice Bieber haircut there
If they give Roy Harper a Beeb, I’m going to fire arrows at my TV.
Awwww, ditching Christmas became the family tradition.
This is getting kinda Hallmarky. Ick.
If he and Thean go caroling, I am turning this off.
I won’t. But I will vomit.
Beaten senseless, held captive, perfect hair. Classic British.
Lot of gel on the island.
Yeah, I wouldn’t try this sale on the guy who was starving and got fed by Ryu, guy.
DING DING DING WE HAVE AN ARCHER.
So, how much you want to bet the Commish is on the take?
“You’re off this case that you never should have been on anyway, Sergeant!”
But where will he turn now?
I would pay money for him to call in another vigilante.
That would be a twist.
Hey I’m a long time listener first time caller.
I appreciate that the off brand bat phone there is an iphone.
Welcome!
Am I the only one that got the Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams reference?
I only got it after you pointed it out. I am a bad nerd.
Is Ollie ever going to build this nightclub?
As soon the tommy character needs a few scenes.
Felicity Smoak uses the Surface!
Windows 8 has spent a shit-ton on product placement.
So Felicity is the corporate IT lady and the company forensic scientist?
How dumb does Ollie think Felicity is? Seriously.
Maybe he thinks Felicity is as dumb as Bruce Wayne thought Lucius Fox was in the Nolan movies.
Just in case he has never heard of the Zodiac?
why can’t the police take the same steps she just did?
Because they don’t have an Internet connection?
“It’s different when I benefit from his violence and mayhem!”
Or Tommy
Tommy is NOT smooth.
Too bad Laurel cannot hear the mood music.
Quentin has a point here, Laurel. You are a bastard magnet.
It’s great that the ninja up against his equal just WALKS IN THE FRONT DOOR.
That was a slow burning fireball.
I’m surprised that the bomb didn’t turn out to be a distraction because Jeremy Irons is secretly stealing gold with dump trucks at the same time.
Ugh, Christmas jazz. Why did it have to be Christmas jazz?
From no decorations to that?
They ARE obscenely rich.
Christmas jazz shows that you’re cool, but mildly spiritual as well. Besides, his step dad has the requisite smooth jazz soul patch.
There is nothing whiter than Christmas jazz.
I have to admit, I like this “Walter and Ollie both working the same case” thing.
Tommy appears to have no idea how to move on and drop something.
“Hey, did I mention that I’m sorry?”
Welp, nice knowing you Walter. You’re toast.
“I promise you I will tell you everything”. You sir, are correct.
Chances that the other archer does him in?
Either he’s the bad guy archer, which is unlikely, or his ticket is punched end-of-episode.
Pretty much. I’m new to the GA world, what’s if Metropolis and Gotham are NY, what is Starling City?
Seattle-ish? It’s shot in Canada.
“I’ve been wanting to move forward with him, but the writing staff won’t let me.”
Ollie probably gets really sick of people talking about their relationships at him. It’s like he’s Starling City’s emotional dumpster.
SHUT! UP! THEA!
Yeah, big christmas party, no reason to lock the door…
She’s… ugh.
Am I the only one sick of Thea’s petulant teen act? Really, do TV writers not know how to write realistic teens? Not all teens are annoying assholes.
No, we all hate her here. She’s awful.
I kind of feel for the actress. She has been written as terrible the entire run so far.
Willa Holland is apparently quite a nice person and a good actress. I hope she gets a house out of this gig.
Willa Holland is her name? I thought it was a reincarnation of A.J. Langer from “My So-Called Life”.
I wanna see Chevy Chase and his t-shirt cannon vs. OG GA and Deadshot.
“Chevy Chase, for abruptly quitting Community, you face justice!”
No, I think the show will improve if it gets brought back without him.
Possibly, but he did quit in about the most dickish way possible.
Now every time I see Deathstroke I can’t help but think of Spartacus.
At some point, you just know Manu Bennett’s going to drop trou. “I SURPRISE YOU WITH MY SWORD!”
They just have one shot of “Starling City”, I think.
Deathstroke, sorry. I get him and Deadshot confused.
Police chief seems a bit panicky.
Well, when you’re standing next to the guy who’s going to replace your useless ass…
The “Starling City” shot is like the “Stately Wayne Manor!” shot.
It’s actually the X-Mansion from the first two X-Men movies. Seriously!
Even now, in the middle of tons of police, he still won’t even wear a mask?
Guyliner protects his identity!
Its Bane!
OW. OW. OW.
New FPS from Activision, “Medieval Combat 2:Arrow in Dat Ass”
“Little bastard stabbed me in the ass!”
I used to be a copycat vigilante, but then I took an arrow to the knee…
Have to admit, loved the archery shootout. One of the show’s better action scenes.
That was very cool
Hope they don’t have his DNA on file from the bloody arrows he tore out of his back.
Eh, these guys suck. By the time they’re competent, Ollie will probably be mayor.
So how’s Ollie going to play off this beating?
Yes! Ollie gets to lay down the guilt trip for once!
Christ, that is about a lame a cover story I have ever heard.
Well, what else does Diggle have? Laurel beating him up?
The truck then pulled over and kicked him in the stomach a bunch of times.
And stabbed him in the back
They do action very well. Family drama. Not so much.
Well, we have our Merlyn.
Hopefully he has a better cover for his knee being shredded.
Just watched the episode.. Anyone else getting a Ra’s Al Guhl and League of Assassins /Shadows vibe from Merlyn and the “Organization”?
Captain Jack!? Oh wait…Welp, there goes Walter…
Apparently he is not dead, though.
I really wanted him to say “That’s not true, I’ll find it hilarious.”
He’s having his own Luke at the end of ESB moment!
Are you saying Merlyn is Ollie’s father too?
The way this show rolls, that’s a possibility.
Wow, that was a CHEESY CGI closing shot.
X Wing flyby?! Oh…no. =(
Overall, the show closes out the year on a strong note. Lots of good action, zippier pacing, John Dahl directing… Now, get John Dahl and Geoff Johns as the creative heads, and we got a stew going.
I agree. It’s nice to see a show where they have a season long story arc planned out. I have no idea where the story is ultimately going and I find that entertaining.
Missed last nights episode….
Most characters on the show have a future behind the arrow, so next season will be interesting for sure…