It often seems that Arrow struggles out of the blocks when it comes back from the mid-season break. Episode 9 is typically great, usually even the best of the season, but then it has to take a month or two off and loses all of that momentum. It was certainly the case in Season 3, though that wasn't helped by Oliver being 'dead', and it's proving to be the case again in Season 4. A.W.O.L., much like last week's Blood Debts, is still a solid episode, but Arrow still isn't fully back on track in 2016. The signs are that it's getting there though. As promised there was a break from Damien Darhk this week, as we instead had the yearly episode that focuses on Lyla, Diggle, and Amanda Waller (though this time there was no Suicide Squad along for the ride). A.R.G.U.S. are back, and there's a new villainous organisation in town by the name of Shadowspire, which, funnily enough, Andy Diggle used to be involved with. However, the real strength of the episode isn't Lyla and Diggle, but Felicity. Confined to a wheelchair and facing up to paralysis, she struggles to come to terms with things, helped (or not) by the reappearance of Goth Felicity to make some snarky remarks. Emily Bett Rickards has long been one of the best things about the show, but she's really the MVP here. Oliver and the rest of Team Arrow take something of a backseat, and while there wasn't as much going on concerned with the main plot, there was still plenty of action, as well as mystery to ponder over for the next week.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
