Needs Another TRAINING DAY

Article first published as TRAINING DAY Review on Seat42F.

Continuing the spate of television series adapted from films, CBS premieres TRAINING DAY tonight. Set fifteen years after the film of the same name, but still in that universe, obvious because they name drop one of the main players from the movie, the plot is very similar. A straight-laced rookie is sent undercover to expose the corruption of a veteran cop as they work the very dangerous, drug-laden streets of Los Angeles.

This time around, Bill Paxton (Edge of Tomorrow, Big Love) is the grizzled veteran, Detective Frank Rourke, who has no problem blowing up gang houses and shooting the perps with foam bullets. He is a bit more moral than Denzel Washington’s version, who had a different name, as Frank is shown to have a code that he lives by, and that includes protecting some innocents. But other than that, he is still the rule-flaunter who dates a whorehouse madam (Julie Benz, Defiance, Dexter) and doesn’t give a crap about his fellow officers.

The newbie is also similar to his counterpart, played by Ethan Hawke on the big screen, the entry point for the audience into this world. Kyle Craig (Justin Cornwall) is a noble man who wants to succeed within the existing system. This TRAINING DAY gives him added plot by having him determined to avenge his father, Frank’s former partner, and he also has a loving woman waiting for him at home, Alyse (Lex Scott Davis). But yeah, from the same mold as Hawke’s role.

I’m a bit confused about why this is a sequel to the movie. Despite the race switch, the relationship and story for the two leads is so similar to that of the film that it’s eerie. Deputy Chief Lockhart (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Without a Trace) even comments that she doesn’t want Frank to be the next officer like Washington’s Alonzo, so the characters acknowledge the parallel, but that feels forced, not organic. I can’t help but feel the series would be better served to make these the same two lead roles, rather than setting it in an established world they’re not likely to make much use of.

Of course, since this is a broadcast television cop show, there are more than just two officers on the team. We’ve got Rebecca Lee (Katrina Law, Arrow), whom Frank rescued when she was a child, and Tommy Campbell (Drew Van Acker, Pretty Little Liars), a former pro-surfer, to round out the squad. They’re present probably because that’s the more typical format, and CBS doesn’t like to break format. Which is why TRAINING DAY won’t be anything special, this show clearly being a case-of-the-week procedural, with only a little bit of serial story tossed in.

Honestly, aside from the ugly lighting, TRAINING DAY doesn’t feel all that much different from a slew of other shows. I know I say this a lot in crime show pilot reviews, but that’s because so many of the non-cable fare is so similar. Adding an already-recognizable title doesn’t change that, and actually makes me less interested than a more original project.

I didn’t enjoy the TRAINING DAY movie, either, for the record. But at least it had an engaging story, something we hadn’t seen as much before, and with some gripping performances. Paxton seems to be phoning it in, having fun, but not making use of his range the way he has in other projects. Cornwall is serviceable in the role, but not stand-out. The ideas and complexity of the story are watered down, the best parts removed to make way for the repetitive structure.

With trite dialogue, gratuitous action, and unnecessary redeemable qualities for Frank, who would be far more interesting without them, though admittedly the series would have a more limited believable run, mixed with a predictable, too-familiar formula, this is not a series that is must-see.

TRAINING DAY premieres tonight at 10/9c on CBS.

The "Restoration" of Team ARROW

Article originally published as ARROW Review "Restoration" on Seat42F.

Arrow -- "Restoration" Pictured: Steven Amell as Oliver Queen -- Photo: Diyah Pera /The CW

Team ARROW is in need of a “Restoration,” and they get one in this week’s installment on the CW. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) tries to bring Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) back together. A new villain might just help her along, though also exposes her secret to yet another person. Meanwhile, Thea’s (Willa Holland) quest for help and Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) mission to bring her sister back to life don’t go as either of them expected.

Team Arrow expands rapidly over the years. While it starts as just three people, several others are let in on the secrets as time goes on. It’s gotten to the point where it seems like just about anyone can find the lair and figure out who is on the team.

Take Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum). Just introduced as an employee of Felicity’s, he already gets into the headquarters and learns that Felicity is connected to Star City’s costumed vigilante. Now, Curtis’ discovery is due to mistakes that Felicity makes, so he can’t really be blamed. But it still seems like everyone important finds out sooner or later, usually sooner. I suppose this means Curtis will be sticking around, at least for a little while, which in his case is welcome news.

I like the separate life “Restoration” shows us for Felicity. As ARROW has gone on, her character has gotten more and more development. Seeing her as a CEO with her own activities apart from the others is gratifying. I was beginning to wonder how she balances everything, but with a base just downstairs from her job, a busy boyfriend, and being more than capable of herself, any lingering doubts are laid to rest as we see her in action this week. Though, it might get harder, depending on where the new command center will be.

Felicity even manages to survive an encounter with the metahuman villain Double Down (JR Bourne, Teen Wolf)! Now, it’s only by accident that she makes it out alive, but still, her life has become colorful, indeed!

Oliver and Diggle have a rather tame time by comparison. It does feel a little too easy, the way they come back together when Oliver almost literally takes a bullet for Diggle, but it’s needed. The tension between them has gone on long enough, and ARROW needs to move on. “Restoration” gets a little hokey in doing so; connecting Diggle’s query, Mina Fayad (Carmen Moore, Blackstone), to Oliver’s foe, Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough), seems way too convenient. But at least “Restoration” dispels with the drama and gets the show back to where it needs to be.

One thing ARROW is doing better and better these days is balancing characters. In the Laurel / Thea plot, the two travel to Nanda Parbat in order to seek a cure for Thea’s bloodlust and bring Sara (Caity Lotz) back to life. In Nanda Parbat, the two girls have their own very personal motivations, which somewhat clash with Ra’s (John Barrowman) and Nyssa (Katrina Law). Yet, all four intermingle their through lines nicely, combining events where they need be, but still making all feel authentic to who they are. It’s a delicate dance that is handled more deftly than some of ARROW’s other interweaving threads, such as Diggle and Oliver’s part of “Restoration.”

Ra’s brings Sara back to life not for Sara nor Laurel’s sake, but for Thea’s. He genuinely is trying to be a good dad and help her. Giving her prey to kill doesn’t work, so maybe bringing a friend back will. I don’t admire Ra’s method of assistance, but one has to admit that he is definitely devoted to his daughter and past the point of just using her.

Now that Sara’s back, all sorts of possibilities are on the table for the former Black Canary. Obviously, Thea’s bloodlust is just a taste of what Sara will go through. But we know Sara is destined for the mid-season spin-off, so her recovery time is finite. I’m not sure where ARROW will take her over the next couple of months, but I’m anxious to see and happy to have her back.

ARROW isn’t a perfect show, and some parts of “Restoration” don’t quite make sense (not to mention the nearly useless flashbacks). Yet, overall it’s fun to watch, and it does a good job keeping the audience engaged. The longer it goes on, the smarter the writing seems to get, and I greatly appreciate that.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

"My Name Is Oliver Queen," Not ARROW

Article originally written for Seat42F.

The CW’s ARROW tells us who its lead character is in the season finale, “My Name is Oliver Queen.” Still trying to trick Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable), Oliver’s cover is blown early in the hour, resulting in a scramble to stop Ra’s from releasing a deadly virus that could wipe out Starling City. Will Oliver’s friends, last seen being poisoned themselves by Ra’s, be able to help?

Oliver (Stephen Amell) has a rough go of things. In order to trick Ra’s, he must fully insulate himself into the League of Assassins, cutting himself off from those he cares about. Doing so requires making tough decisions and seemingly betraying people he would never betray. But not for one second did I believe, nor should any fan, that Oliver would allow Ra’s to murder all of Team Arrow, as appears to happen in last week’s “cliffhanger.”

Instead, Malcolm (John Barrowman) inoculates those captured, and The Flash (Grant Gustin) stops by to help them escape, with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) inadvertently blowing his cover, something that could have ramifications later. Even though this is Oliver’s plan, this isn’t enough to assuage any hurt feelings, as he finds out when he returns to Palmer Technologies with Nyssa (Katrina Law) in tow and is greeted by stony silence, especially from Diggle (David Ramsey).

I understand why Diggle doesn’t approve of Oliver’s methods in “My Name is Oliver Queen.” When they first meet, Oliver does the wrong thing sometimes. Diggle sees Oliver’s latest actions as a backslide. Even with Oliver sparing lives, he crosses the line when he kidnaps Diggle’s wife. For Diggle, the ends do not always justify the means, and he thinks Oliver should have found another way. There’s no telling if another option would work, but that’s how Diggle feels.

Even by the end of “My Name is Oliver Queen,” after the virus has been stopped with minimal casualties, Diggle doesn’t forgive Oliver. The fact that Oliver leaves town might allow Diggle to continue on Team Arrow, hopefully finally adopting a secret identity, but their bond is broken. Is there anything Oliver can ever do to help Diggle understand what Oliver has done, or at least that Oliver regrets any pain caused? I just don’t know, and that seems a ripe question for season four.

Yes, Oliver will be back next season. As satisfying as it is to see him drive off with Felicity into the sunset, that’s series finale stuff, not the way ARROW will send off its titular character. The Arrow might be a blown cover that can’t be used any more, at least not for a bit, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be resurrected at some point, nor that Oliver can escape his mission, even if the voiceover indicates the mission is complete. It’s a bold choice to leave Oliver in this position, as it is really neat that the Arrow identity has been gone from the show for so long. However, this is just a part of the journey, not the conclusion.

The season also ends with Malcolm assuming the mantle of Ra’s. I assume this is something he demands in order to help Oliver, and Oliver did need his help. Still, I can’t help but wonder if this will end up being a huge mistake. Will Malcolm play nice with Team Arrow because Thea is a part of the group now? Or will his new position go to his head and make him more dangerous than ever? How will Nyssa try to take him down? This is an interesting development with many possibilities.

The last twist is that Ray (Brandon Routh) and Palmer Technologies blow up. He may be dead, at least temporarily. True, Ray is heading to the spin-off next January, but so is Sara, who is killed earlier this season. The fact of the matter is, though, Ray will return, so the stakes here are pretty low.

Surprisingly, “My Name is Oliver Queen” has quite a few moments that make me question the quality of the writing, something I don’t typically find with ARROW. I often complain about the flashbacks, the ones this week equally as useless as in other recent installments, but that isn’t the only problem here. The Flash leaves with a flimsy excuse. Oliver decides not to give Thea (Willa Holland) any gruff about becoming a costumed hero. Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) helps Oliver without complaint, something he has not shown a willingness to do lately, and the dialogue between he and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) when she confronts him about his drinking seems trite and cliché. Felicity learns to fly The Atom suit in moments.

Now, I’m not saying that the season finale is a bad episode; it is super exciting, and there is no denying how cool it is to see Felicity swoop in and catch Oliver, who then appears totally uninjured a short time later. I’m just saying that usually the writers don’t have so many plot holes or things that just don’t make sense. I feel much of this happens because they must wrap up a season in a single hour and want to end it happily and with a feeling of finality. These things aren’t enough to ruin the show, nor even the episode, but they do knock it down a few pegs from its usual perch.

ARROW has been renewed and will return for a fourth run next fall on the CW.

This Is ARROW

Article originally posted as ARROW Review Season 3 Episode 22 This Is Your Sword on Seat42F.

With only an hour left in this crazy, crazy season of Arrow on the CW, Al Sah-Him (Stephen Amell) has only two tasks left before he can become Ra’s al Ghul. But Malcolm (John Barrowman) suddenly claims that Al Sah-Him is still Oliver, executing an elaborate ruse. With everything Al Sah-Him has done, from kidnapping Lyla to almost killing Nyssa (Katrina Law) and Diggle (David Ramsey), it doesn’t seem likely Malcolm is telling the truth. Plus, Malcolm is a known liar. Should Team Arrow take a chance and trust him in “This Is Your Sword?”

It turns out, Oliver is still in control of his actions. I’d say that is unrealistic, given how far Oliver has gone, and I definitely question the scene in which Oliver maybe thinks he slaughters Diggle, but Oliver is known to go to extremes. If he believes a cause is important enough, he will sacrifice far more than most, totally committing to a mission. Because of this personality trait, I can see how Oliver may have been playing a game the entire time.

It’s not a game anymore in “This Is Your Sword,” though. Malcolm leads Team Arrow in an assault to stop Ra’s (Matt Nable) from unleashing a deadly virus on Starling City. The battle is an awesome sequence, with Laurel (Katie Cassidy) getting a great dig into Malcolm, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) wrongly believing she has killed with an iPad, and The Atom (Brandon Routh) spectacularly saving the day. In the end, though, Tatsu (Rila Fukushima), who joins Team Arrow in the assault, executes Maseo (Karl Yune), releasing him from The League to be at peace with their daughter, and everyone else is captured.

In Nanda Parbat (which, despite the plane ride, must be one county over given how often travel to and from it happens), Oliver begs the others to believe him, but even Diggle is having none of it. Diggle is blinded by anger as to what Oliver has done, thinking he has gone too far in keeping his cover, and thus has crossed the line into unforgiveable territory. It’s a real shame to see the best friends at such odds. I wish Oliver had been able to let Diggle into the plan earlier, rather than team with Malcolm. But Oliver knows Diggle would try to stop some of the things he’s doing, while Malcolm does not. So even if Oliver succeeds, will he have a home to go back to?

To Oliver, it probably doesn’t matter if he loses everyone or not by “This Is Your Sword.” That’s not to say he doesn’t care, and I don’t for a single second believe that Oliver let Ra’s kill all his friends with the virus. But Oliver clearly has made peace with the necessities of what he is doing. If losing his cherished relationships is the price he must pay in order to save tens or hundreds of thousands of lives, he’s prepared to do so. He truly is the hero of ARROW.

Does that mean Diggle and the others are not heroes, since they aren’t willing to go as far as Oliver? That’s a tough question to answer. On one hand, how far can a hero go to pretend to be on the dark side without losing the essence of good? Do the ends justify the means? On the other, Oliver is still saving lives that he may not be able to, playing by Team Arrow’s rules. I think this chasm can be bridged next season, but there’s a long way to go until Oliver can be back in anyone’s good graces.

Malcolm is definitely not a hero. He agrees to help Oliver because Thea (Willa Holland) is in Starling and could be one of the dead. But captured by Ra’s, Malcolm wastes no time in selling Oliver out. Ra’s may or may not believe Malcolm, but the last step of Oliver’s plan will certainly be that much harder to carry out after this betrayal.

Ray is a hero, giving of himself for a woman who doesn’t love him. He even gifts Felicity the company, though she doesn’t realize it yet. I’m glad Ray is continuing in the spin-off, since his time on ARROW seems nearly over.

Thankfully, Thea is far away from all of this. She tracks down Roy (Colton Haynes), now living as “Jason,” and reconnects with him, emotionally and sexually. When she wakes in the morning, though, Roy is gone and his suit is still there, giving Thea is blessing to take on the Arsenal mantle. He doesn’t want to hold Thea back and doesn’t see a way to return. I don’t agree with Roy’s decision, but it makes sense for his arc for his departure to be real in “This Is Your Sword,” as regrettable as that may be for the show, and at least Thea gets to see him one last time.

There are flashbacks again, even more unnecessary than ever. Viewers can glean from the present events that Maseo and Tatsu lose their son to the virus. We don’t need to see Oliver and Maseo fail to find a cure. These become more and more unnecessary with every passing year. I hope they are ditched entirely in the very near future.

ARROW’s season finale, airing next Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on the CW, is sure to be tense and satisfying. Don’t miss it.

ARROW Continues to Wow the "Public"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

The CW’s ARROW took an already crazy season and made it insane in last night’s episode, “Public Enemy.” When Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable) fails to get Oliver (Stephen Amell) to take the offered mantle, he decides to reveal to Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) that Oliver is The Arrow. Quentin, who is still reeling from learning of his daughter, Sara’s, death, shares the secret on television and turns the whole city against our hero. What will Oliver do?

The third year of ARROW has been the best of the series thus far, constantly letting its story make huge leaps, rarely in an expected direction. By freeing the writers to do whatever they want with the characters, or so it seems, the show has cast off any type of formula or traditional structure and made it feel like a real world with real stakes. In reality, there are always more players than the handful a TV show can follow, and motivations are not easily quashed. ARROW embraces this and is better for it.

A prime example of this is Quentin Lance. The poor man has suffered so much, losing a daughter, finding out she’s actually alive, and then losing her all over again. Add to that, his surviving child, Laurel (Katie Cassidy), is doing the same thing that got Sara killed and she lied to her dad about it, and he’s reached a breaking point. He’s truly a good man, as we’ve seen in the past, and he’s smart, admitting he always suspected Oliver of being The Arrow. Yet, in his current emotional situation, he wants to punish someone. Oliver is the unfortunate target of that punishment, and Quentin is so devoted to carrying it out he will burn any bridge on his way to do so.

Oliver has a hero complex, as we know, and the further along his path he goes, the less selfish he becomes. In early episodes of ARROW, Oliver is willing to kill others and protect himself. Now, he’s concerned about his family and friends and his mission, much more so than he is about himself. Only the most noble of people would turn themselves into the police, especially when it’s debatable if Oliver deserves to be jailed. His long-standing guilt likely contributes to this decision, too, though most will see what he is doing as heroic.

But Oliver isn’t the only one in this vein. Roy (Colton Haynes) believes he deserves to be in jail, and so he tries to convince the police that he is the real Arrow. It’s unknown at this time if Quentin will buy this Spartacus-esque play. However, Roy dressed in the suit and stopping the police van is a development that makes total sense for the character, even as it makes the plot of “Public Enemy” more chaotic.

I don’t trust Nyssa (Katrina Law). She presumably helps Team Arrow, and does assist Laurel in escaping her dad, but she’s the one who sends Oliver into Ra’s trap. It could be that she doesn’t know that’s what she’s doing; ARROW doesn’t show us one way or the other if she’s complicit in her father’s plans. Until we see her do something against Ra’s, though, more than we’ve seen this far, I don’t think Oliver should be listening to her.

There’s a great subplot where Ray (Brandon Routh) is shot by Ra’s and lies in a hospital bed. Bureaucratic rules prevent the doctors from doing anything for him, so Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) sneaks Ray’s tech in and saves his life. Yet, as Donna (Charlotte Ross) points out to her daughter, Felicity is in love with Oliver, not Ray.

“Public Enemy” neatly brings this love triangle to a close in the way it needs to. Ray is a great recurring guest star, but he’s heading to the new spin-off next year, and Felicity belongs with Oliver, no matter how long it takes the couple to get started. Donna isn’t strictly necessary for this story, but she has a way of speeding things along, and she’s so enjoyable, who can complain about her presence?

As stated above, “Public Enemy” is a terrific installment that once more expands ARROW’s story in major ways. It is exciting, fast-paced, and full of surprises. It serves the characters in an authentic way, and continues the serial story appropriately. Now, if only ARROW would drop the boring Oliver flashbacks that persist in most episodes.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

"The Offer" ARROW Maybe Can't Refuse

Article originally written for Seat42F.

The CW’s ARROW (Stephen Amell) has a big decision to make when considering “The Offer” he receives last week, the subject of the most recent episode. Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable) wants Oliver, a.k.a. The Arrow, to take over the League of Assassins as the next Ra’s. Will Oliver give up his current mission for this new one? Will Ra’s let it be a choice?

Oliver is feeling pretty down through much of “The Offer.” Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) is with Ray (Brandon Routh) now, though she reminds Oliver it is his choice she and he aren’t together, and Captain Lance (Paul Blackthorne) turns on the hooded archer because of the secret Oliver keeps concerning Lance’s daughter. Oliver can’t come clean to Quentin that the decision to reveal the truth rests with Laurel (Katie Cassidy), Quentin’s surviving daughter, because it would unmask The Arrow’s identity and throw someone Oliver cares about under the bus. So Oliver doesn’t feel like things are going very well for him.

But why is he The Arrow? That’s the question posed this week, and the one Oliver isn’t sure of at first. The rest of his team find their motivation when they believe Oliver to be dead. Now, it’s his turn. Is he looking for gratitude? Is he just doing what’s right? In the end, he saves the city because he is honoring his own deceased father and because he wants to promote justice. That’s enough for him, leading him to turn down Ra’s offer because, even though Ra’s says Oliver could change the moral code of the group if he wants to, how would you stop a whole league of assassins from killing?

The thing is, though, while Ra’s presents the title as a choice and tries to bribe Oliver by setting Diggle (David Ramsey) and Malcolm (John Barrowman) free with “no strings attached,” these are ploys. Ra’s thinks Oliver will come to the decision to accept on his own, and when Oliver does not, Ra’s begins to try another tactic, discrediting The Arrow’s good name. Ra’s is a sneaky bastard, and any thinking that Oliver might actually be taking over for a misunderstand man is erased. Ra’s is as ruthless as everyone believes he is, and while Oliver could be a different Ra’s, this one will not change.

Ra’s is the only one disappointed by Oliver’s refusal. Felicity and Diggle certainly don’t support Oliver going down a path that could lead him back into bad habits. Nyssa (Katrina Law) wants the job herself, though Ra’s seemingly either casts her out or challenges her to take it. Nyssa then helps Team Arrow and offers training to Laurel, which is her either trying to fit into a new group, or fishing for information she can use to be Ra’s. Either way, since Oliver doesn’t want the position and Nyssa does, it seems an easy solution could be found, if only Ra’s himself weren’t so stubbornly set on Oliver.

Besides all of the morality issues, “The Offer” is full of father / daughter drama. Ra’s and Nyssa, of course, have a falling out. Either that, or this whole thing is a ploy Ra’s designed to force Nyssa to step up. Quentin will not forgive Laurel nor listen to her reasons for keeping him in the dark about Sara’s death. And Malcolm actually urges Thea (Willa Holland) to kill him, something she resists, proving he has not ruined her.

Thea’s struggle is the most played upon this week. She could very easily slip over to the dark side, but every time she has a chance to, she resists, showing great strength of character. On the other hand, Malcolm overhears much of what is said in the apartment, so he knows the depth of his daughter’s hatred towards him. This makes for good pathos, and will likely drive Malcolm forward in his next plot, even as Thea seeks to close a chapter and return to a normal-ish life. With Roy (Colton Haynes), happily.

“The Offer” is a relatively slow hour, but ARROW continues to not disappoint. Besides a lame, thankfully brief, flashback sequence, there is little to complain about in this installment. “The Offer” asks some big questions, and gives a number of characters chances to really shine in acting. This isn’t an A-list cast, but the material is clearly tailored well to them, and they’re killing it, in the best of ways. ARROW has found freedom in its storytelling structure this year that it doesn’t have as much the first two seasons, and the only thing I’m certain of for the rest of the year is that the show will be good, as the plot has gotten rather unpredictable.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.