I don’t have much to say about this episode of Arrow, mostly because I’ve lost the will to write about the show. After giving us a weak narrative all season long, and topping things off with the demise of the Black Canary, there’s not much left for me to be invested in. I find myself completely uninterested in where these characters go next – which means I probably won’t be writing about the show next season.
Monument Point tried to be a sort of Arrow’s greatest hits event in its desire to bring back a number of villains from the show’s past. Sadly, since none of these characters were ever developed or given any shading in their villain of the week plots, their returns fell flat in every way. Even Damien Darhk, who once seemed so ominous with his otherworldly powers, has devolved into a caricature tasked with repeating endless threats and contrived plots.
The Genesis arc tried to pick up the slack, but between Malcolm’s tiresome monologues and Alex’s emotionless death (did we ever learn a single thing about him?), there wasn’t much here that proved to be worthwhile. There’s simply no sense of urgency (we all know Genesis will fail), and the show seems more interested in exploring Felicity’s feelings and tired parental dynamics.
Finally, Arrow seems to care very little about a small American town getting nuked, and if I know this show by now, next week’s hour will probably gloss over this supposedly monumental development by giving Felicity some throwaway line about her “guilt”. If the show doesn’t care, why should I?
Bits & Arrows
– Thea barking made me laugh.
– So Felicity got fired. Oh no….
– The heart to heart between Oliver and Felicity’s’ dad was painful to watch.
– Why is Reiter still on the show? Those flashbacks just keep getting worse and worse.
– The action was terribly staged as Ollie kept shooting at a fallen Reiter. How was this even allowed to air?
– Conversely, the sole bright spot in the entire episode was the fight sequence between Thea and Anarky. Arrow rarely gives us fight scenes in broad daylight, so that was a welcome, exciting change.
Starling Quips
Diggle: Well, Oliver, you’ve been through this with your mother, which is why I can’t quite understand why you’re putting the fate of the world in the hands of another evil parent.
Donna: Are you kidding? I’m always here for you as long as there’s no bees around.
Malcolm: He’s killed 5 of Damien’s men that we know about.
Thea: There’s plenty of ways I can respond to that, but I’m gonna go with good.
Noah: You strike me as someone with experience leading a dual life. Any insights you’d care to share? Oliver: Yeah. It doesn’t work.
Lyla: The president asked me if the fate of the world is resting the hands of an IT girl, a criminal, and two guys in Halloween costumes.
Oliver: They’re not Halloween costumes.
Anarky: Why are you always at the mercy of some guy? You can make your own decisions, Thea. You’re not a pawn. You’re a Queen. Get it?
Conclusion
An embarrassing and anticlimactic hour of Arrow. I’m pretty much done with the show. Two episodes to go and I’m free!
Nad Rating
C-