ARROW Has Some Great "Tendencies"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Any television episode that features a wedding is bound to have something dramatic interrupt the proceedings, and ARROW’s most recent installment, “Suicidal Tendencies,” is no different. Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) barely say their I-dos (again) before two emergencies force them and their friends into action. Will their love story have a satisfying ending?

Thankfully, Oliver (Stephen Amell) seems to want Diggle to be happy, sending him on his honeymoon instead of allowing him to deal with the threat in Starling City. Ra’s and his followers continue to impersonate The Arrow, ruining Oliver’s good name, in the hopes that Oliver will abandon that persona and become the next Ra’s. It doesn’t work because, while the city turns against The Arrow, Oliver remains committed to clearing his name and stopping the imposters.

Oliver’s foe in “Suicidal Tendencies” is Ray, a.k.a. The Atom (Brandon Routh). While Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) and his cops are no match for the superhero, a fellow crusader might be. Except, Ray is too new, unequipped to really deal with The Arrow. So it’s more a battle of the minds, with Oliver trying to convince Ray that he’s innocent of the murders. Eventually, this works out, but not before fans get a showdown between the pair, which The Arrow easily wins. Hopefully, this new alliance will survive the death of Mayor Castle (Christina Cox), which will surely be pinned on Arrow.

On a more personal front, both Ray and Oliver feel betrayed by Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) when they learn the other’s secret. This is understandable for Oliver because he gives up a chance at romantic bliss with Felicity in order to save the city, and she is now in the arms of someone else doing the same. But Ray is still naïve, not knowing the price of the life he’s chosen, and Oliver is sure they won’t work out. Ray has to decide if Felicity is leading him on, a complicated effort when she’s still keeping a past flame’s secret. Yet “Suicidal Tendencies” ends with them reuniting. I doubt they can make it work long-term, but while I root for Oliver and Felicity to wind up together, it’s nice she has this relationship for now.

Speaking of love, despite Oliver’s intentions, Diggle and Lyla don’t get to fly off on vacation. They are intercepted by A.R.G.U.S. and sent on a mission with a couple of members of The Suicide Squad, Cupid (Amy Gumenick) and Deadshot (Michael Rowe). While the team tries to take down corrupt Senator Cray (Steven Culp, Desperate Housewives, Bosch), the newlyweds wonder if they have any shot at domesticity while they engage in such dangerous professions.

Deadshot says they do not, and we see why he believes this in a series of flashbacks to his character coming home from war. This is far more compelling than the usual Oliver flashbacks, the story of a man whose child doesn’t recognize him and whose wife is afraid of his PTSD. It’s heart-breaking, and certainly gives a lot of depth to the recurring player. By the time Deadshot sacrifices himself (I really hope he’s not actually dead, and he probably isn’t) to stop Cray, which isn’t completely effective, even Diggle, whose own brother was murdered by Deadshot, can’t help but respect the man.

But that doesn’t mean Deadshot is right about the couple. Lyla gives up A.R.G.U.S. because they let Cray get away with his lie in the aftermath, so both parents aren’t going to continue to be in constant danger. Even if something happens to Diggle, their baby will still have a parent at home. And something won’t necessarily happen to Diggle. Lyla rejects his offer to quit Team Arrow, citing the good they are doing for the city, but that doesn’t mean Oliver won’t do everything he can to make sure Daddy Diggle goes home in one piece every night.

“Suicidal Tendencies” is mostly a great episode because of the character development and questions it raises. ARROW has been on a roll this year, and by finally making the flashback element interesting again, this installment raises the bar even more. Overall, I really liked it.

Which is not to say that it’s without problems. There are some very obvious issues as ARROW allows tropes and flubs to slip in. From Cray revealing his entire plan to our heroes, to Deadshot not flinching when Diggle slaps his injured arm, to Ray having to fill in last minute as minister, there are some sloppy parts of the hour. ARROW isn’t usually this obvious in its flaws, but considering the bigger picture, they are not enough to tear down the episode.

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

Grey's returns with a big gap

The events of the latest Grey's Anatomy season premiere, "Going Going Gone," pick up months after the plane crash. This does a couple of things. One, it allows them to jump ahead in the story without having to be bogged down in months of suffering. Two, it lets the writers dole out one character at a time, keeping fans guessing about the fates of some of their favorites until late in the hour. But rest assured, next week will return the action to last spring for at least one episode, so some of the missing pieces will be filled in.

Last year, many of the doctors were considering leaving Seattle Grace Mercy Death West. As they became attendings, they looked for other hospitals around the country from which to ply their trade. In "Going Going Gone," Cristina (Sandra Oh) is miserable in Minnesota, but she's the only one who transferred. And her inability to get on a plane after the trauma she suffered prevents visits back to Seattle. She isn't fitting in too well at her new digs, clashing with the doctors on staff (William Daniels, Boy Meets World, and Steven Culp, Desperate Housewives), so it's likely only a matter of time before she comes back.

The fact that Cristina's home hospital seemingly hasn't hired a new cardiac god yet should smooth the process. Is Owen (Kevin McKidd) reluctant to bring in a replacement because he misses Cristina and Teddy (Kim Raver, who left the series)? Or has he just not found the right person? Either way, this opens the door for Cristina's return, and that would be most welcome, as dividing the action between cities will grow awkward real quick.

Alex (Justin Chambers) has been trying to leave, but finds himself unable to do so, feeling guilty for not getting on the plane that crashed, and not wanting to abandon his friends. It's not a sign that he's stuck so much. He just feels a responsibility because he's a good guy. And no one really wants to see Alex leave, either, so when he decides to stay at the end of "Going Going Gone," it's a relief to viewers and the characters alike.

Tragedy affects different people in different ways. Last spring, the doctors consider moving on because of the bad things that have happened to them at Seattle Grace. But having one more event occur makes them remember just how much they care about each other. How can they look out for one another when they are spread across the country? They simply have to stay.

April (Sarah Drew) does something far more drastic than transfer: she goes back to work on a farm. Owen isn't going to let that be his protege's fate, so he goes and gets her. Is there a little bit or romance brewing between the pair? How might that affect Cristina's decision to come back, or the chemistry between them once she does? I learned to like April, but there is trouble here.

Others have suffered even worse fates. Derek (Patrick Dempsey) can't fully use his hand (haven't we seen this story before, back in season two-ish?), and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) is left with an amputated leg. This makes things difficult for their loved ones, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Callie (Sara Ramirez). But it also means there are lingering wounds that cannot heal just yet.

Derek and Callie have the added pain of watching Mark (Eric Dane) die. A fan favorite, Grey's regrettably decided that Mark should pass away, and "Going Going Gone" does it slowly and fittingly, with video tributes to him from throughout his life. Other characters may be killed off more quickly, but Mark gets perhaps the most touching, drawn out ending. I just wish we could take it back and keep him around, even if he is finally with Lexie (Chyler Leigh) in the afterlife.

Who I really feel sorry for, though, is Callie's daughter. Her father is dead, her second mother just lies angrily in bed, and Callie has to deal with grief and a young child. It's not fair to the kid. How can she avoid being scarred by everything that is going on around her?

Things aren't all mired down in hopelessness. There is a bit of lightness in "Going Going Gone," too. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) is happy to get a visit from Ben (Jason George, why is he not a series regular yet?), but romantic playtime with him has turned her from The Nazi into Booty-Call Bailey. It's funny that the character who began so grumpy and judgmental about sex in the workplace is now getting it on more often than anyone! I don't see the nickname standing, though, even with the warmer, fuzzier Bailey. Look for her to lay the smack down on the newbies (which include Gaius Charles, Friday Night Lights, Camilla Luddington, True Blood, Californication, and Tina Majorino, Veronica Mars, Napoleon Dynamite) soon.

Despite all of the dark drama going on, it's nice that the new interns are introduced in this episode, and we even get to see one do their first surgery. It provides a circle of life theme, that things move on, and new faces will soon fill the holes left by old ones. Having Meredith be the mean boss is also cool, a kind of "student has become the master" moment.

An interesting, sad, hopeful start for the new season. Watch new episodes of Grey's Anatomy Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing