Television Review: Arrow & Flash (Mid-Season)

I’m so impressed with myself there are a couple of series I’m actually up-to-date with! This has never happened before – I’m always playing catch-up.

I’ve also never been caught with a mid-season break before. I expected both Arrow and Flash to come back straight after Christmas. Now it’s near the end of Feb, I’m guessing I’m going to have to wait a little longer.

I had so much fun writing my mini film-reviews the other week, I figured why not do the same here: mid-season recaps! This also translates into reminding myself what happened…

Here’s what I’ve thought so far:

Arrow

This season is definitely taking a different approach with the teams completely split. Oliver in prison is still the Oliver we know and love – determined to protect those he loves. Turning a blind-eye only works for so long and he can’t resist getting involved to stop the criminals from turning on the more innocent prisoners.

Felicity is a new person in this season. She’s driven by fear and revenge and it makes her angry and decisive. While it’s fun to see a stronger Felicity emerge, her innocence and optimism is what has made her such a loveable character so far. I’m liking it…but hope it doesn’t go too far.

Flash-backs have turned into flash- forwards – without any of the original team. It gives no clue how these events come about and I’m not sure yet: we always want our heroes to win and a future without them makes me wonder where this season is going. First the focus on the other characters, and now this…

Enjoyable so far but I have some concerns over where they are going to take the storyline. I’m hoping now Oliver is out of prison, normality will help the plot start to move forward.

Flash

This is also doing something different: landing Barry and Iris with a grown-up daughter and letting them muddle through being parents. I’m liking it; it makes the characters grow in new ways, in situations they wouldn’t be presented with for years. It makes them confront the dynamics of the team, which is ultimately strengthening it and giving the characters a chance to develop.

The final episode left me uncertain though; is this going to be a typical good-guy-is-actually-bad type scenario? I hope not because this has been done before, and is starting to feel predictable. I hope not – I like where the characterisations are going so far this season and don’t want a reset on those developments.

After events a few seasons ago, it’s fun to see the team back on form and working together; for me, that’s a big draw of the show.

A time-travel episode through previous seasons has, however, really left me with the urge to go from the start again. I’d forgotten how young Barry looks in season 1!

I have high hopes for the second half of this season and hope that they aren’t in vain – and it doesn’t go where I think it will.

Have you been watching either of these? What do you think so far?

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