2019-2020 Arrowverse Roundup - Week 12
This week is the first look at each show in a post Crisis world. Things will never be the same, and the shows wasted no time in proving that.
Below is a breakdown of all of the Arrowverse stuff that aired this week. It is part review, part speculation, part analysis, and part rambling. It is organized in the order they aired throughout the week, so feel free to scroll down to whatever ones you watch. If you want to get caught up, you can use my Arrowverse Viewing Order guide to help you navigate!
You can read this season's previous breakdowns here.
Batwoman - Episode 1.10 - How Queer Everything Is Today!
The episode was a good story about how people come out, and what they face when doing so. It was a little on the nose at times though. Subtly went bye-bye almost immediately. Instead of handling it with a scalpel, they used a sledge hammer to get their point across.
Kate seemed to have a harder time dealing with her alter ego's identity than she did the entire world ending. She has been through more than anybody knows, yet living a lie is what sits wrong with her. It seems to be getting to Sophie too, who got to say "my husband left me" so many times in the episode, you could have made it a drinking game.
The end showed the real Beth come back from abroad, while Alice is still out there. Crisis is allowing them to have their cake and eat it too. Alice can be irredeemable, yet Kate can have her sister back at the same time.
Of course, it could be Mouse in disguise, messing with both Kate and Alice .The face swap thing was brought up a lot by Mary who was trying to free Jacob from prison. Crisis is the ability for a clean slate. It was an opportunity to make any changes that they see fit, quite immediately. The only thing that seems to have changed in Batwoman is the addition of the "real" Beth. So it is going to be something of importance regardless of how they use it.
Overall, the episode was relatively straightforward and somewhat low key for immediately following up what just happened. But it will be interesting to see how the new twist is handled.
***
Supergirl - Episode 5.10 - The Bottle Episode
Supergirl might be the show that changed the most due to Crisis On Infinite Earths. It is in a whole new world, dealing with things like Lex Luthor being a philanthropist, and in charge of the DEO. They are now on the same Earth as the rest of the CW heroes, which could bring some interesting combinations in the future.
This episode dealt with the direct fallout of that. Alex, Kara, Lena, and Lex remember the old world, everybody else doesn't know any differently. So they have to adjust accordingly.
Using several Brainiacs in order to make Brainiac Prime live up to his full potential was clever, and offered many fun acting opportunities for Jesse Rath. He is on a different path, and wants to help Lex, which can only lead to disaster.
However, it is a gift that we even still have Jon Cryer's Lex on screen. He was initially only allowed 3 episodes last year. Then he was a key player in Crisis. Now he is back on Supergirl. I don't know how long our good fortune will last, but let's enjoy it while we have the best live action Lex Luthor to ever grace a screen (yeah I said it).
Unlike Batwoman, you could feel the effects of Crisis throughout the entire episode. Every character was different from it in some ways. Like Batwoman, however, there was a tease at the end that could have huge ramifications.
Jeremy Jordan played Winn Schott, before leaving the show 2 seasons ago. The tease of him being back from the future, is great. Now we can get a glimpse of what the future is like in this post-Crisis world. The great thing about comic book properties is that you never know who will show up and under what capacity. It makes surprises all the better.
This episode was stronger than Batwoman in many ways, but also had a lot more going on. Juggling all that can be dangerous in losing the narrative, but so far, it has been handled pretty well.
This episode dealt with the direct fallout of that. Alex, Kara, Lena, and Lex remember the old world, everybody else doesn't know any differently. So they have to adjust accordingly.
Using several Brainiacs in order to make Brainiac Prime live up to his full potential was clever, and offered many fun acting opportunities for Jesse Rath. He is on a different path, and wants to help Lex, which can only lead to disaster.
However, it is a gift that we even still have Jon Cryer's Lex on screen. He was initially only allowed 3 episodes last year. Then he was a key player in Crisis. Now he is back on Supergirl. I don't know how long our good fortune will last, but let's enjoy it while we have the best live action Lex Luthor to ever grace a screen (yeah I said it).
Unlike Batwoman, you could feel the effects of Crisis throughout the entire episode. Every character was different from it in some ways. Like Batwoman, however, there was a tease at the end that could have huge ramifications.
Jeremy Jordan played Winn Schott, before leaving the show 2 seasons ago. The tease of him being back from the future, is great. Now we can get a glimpse of what the future is like in this post-Crisis world. The great thing about comic book properties is that you never know who will show up and under what capacity. It makes surprises all the better.
This episode was stronger than Batwoman in many ways, but also had a lot more going on. Juggling all that can be dangerous in losing the narrative, but so far, it has been handled pretty well.
***
Black Lightning - Episode 3.10 - The Book Of Markovia: Chapter One: Blessings and Curses Reborn
With Black Lightning now firmly in the Arrowverse, things can get back to business. A lot of things seemed to be the same, but there were comments and things that were vague about their past history that could make things very different. Jen and Jefferson remember the old past, but everyone else knows the new Earth Prime past.
The resistance is still fighting the ASA, and all of the key players are still involved in that. The TC kid that Gambi befriended is still the same, as is Gambi himself. So is Lynn's drug addiction, which has reached critical mass.
It is a jarring 180 turn for the character. I was hoping it would be fixed by Crisis but Lynn is still hopelessly strung out on Green Light. It has caused more damage to the Pierce family unit than anything else. I liked that Lynn was a smart important doctor that could hold her own importance amongst a family full of super powered people. But to reduce her to a drug problem is unfortunate. Hopefully that can be remedied quick, but not forgotten and discarded when they move on.
Tobias and Khalil haven't been seen yet, but that is sure to come soon. There is no telling how different Earth Prime is for the Pierce's but it probably won't be as severe as Supergirl's changes. This show has always done its own thing, and will continue to do so.
It seems that Anissa and Jefferson are still working things out, but some of Anissa's comments make it seem like she has a bit of a different past than we know. So perhaps that is where the change comes in.
The most interesting part of the episode though, is Jen taking a stand against Odell. She even tried to kill him, which Odell saw coming. But now that she is an enemy, the ASA will amp up their power to go after the Pierces.
It was nice to get back to business as usual, and hopefully Crisis was able to secure the future of Black Lightning for years to come. When the show is good, its one of the best superhero stories on TV.
The resistance is still fighting the ASA, and all of the key players are still involved in that. The TC kid that Gambi befriended is still the same, as is Gambi himself. So is Lynn's drug addiction, which has reached critical mass.
It is a jarring 180 turn for the character. I was hoping it would be fixed by Crisis but Lynn is still hopelessly strung out on Green Light. It has caused more damage to the Pierce family unit than anything else. I liked that Lynn was a smart important doctor that could hold her own importance amongst a family full of super powered people. But to reduce her to a drug problem is unfortunate. Hopefully that can be remedied quick, but not forgotten and discarded when they move on.
Tobias and Khalil haven't been seen yet, but that is sure to come soon. There is no telling how different Earth Prime is for the Pierce's but it probably won't be as severe as Supergirl's changes. This show has always done its own thing, and will continue to do so.
It seems that Anissa and Jefferson are still working things out, but some of Anissa's comments make it seem like she has a bit of a different past than we know. So perhaps that is where the change comes in.
The most interesting part of the episode though, is Jen taking a stand against Odell. She even tried to kill him, which Odell saw coming. But now that she is an enemy, the ASA will amp up their power to go after the Pierces.
It was nice to get back to business as usual, and hopefully Crisis was able to secure the future of Black Lightning for years to come. When the show is good, its one of the best superhero stories on TV.
***
Arrow - Episode 8.09 - Green Arrow & The Canaries
While Arrow is set to end after 8 years and an entire birth of a universe, the penultimate episode was used to look toward the future. A backdoor pilot called Green Arrow & The Canaries was the subject of the episode, and could launch a whole other series.
But once that is out of the way, the episode really soars. The motivations and mysteries are strong. They have a strong foundation on which to work. The show is able to recognize the past, but not be beholden by it. If this gets picked up for a series, then it will be able to expound on the mysteries it presented. Having been already invested in most of these characters, those mysteries are even more intriguing.
Mia has to grapple with having two lives in her head, and she seemed to have come to a decision in the end. But things are going to get more complicated now that JJ remembers his past too. There are a lot of things to mine from the episode character wise, and that could all be explored further given the opportunity.
But if it doesn't get picked up, it feels like a waste of an episode. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that we won't ever get resolution for. It will just sit out there in this weird bubble, having no closure. The only positive that comes from it if this is all we get is that it looks like Oliver's sacrificed worked, at least for 20 years. The new future seemed a lot better than the old one.
All 3 characters offer a unique dynamic, and it keeps Oliver's legacy alive better than any of the other shows. But it is not a guarantee we will see more. Hopefully there will be though, because this back door pilot showed a lot of potential.
***
Legends Of Tomorrow - Episode 5.02 - Meet The Legends
The most ridiculous superhero show ever is back with a vengeance! Legends of Tomorrow got the "documentary" treatment, and using that premise was able to have some of the most fun the show has had. If you are familiar with the show, that is saying a lot.
With as gimmicky as the premise was, it still got down to business. It was still able to set up the stakes and the plot of what the rest of the season will be. Constantine did a lot of that heavy lifting, which is good. They know how to use him properly, so they paired him with Gary to do all the gimmicky stuff.
Zari being erased and replaced with her brother was the big heartbreak of last season, and it was the number 1 thing that interested me going into this season. They touched on it briefly, and made it a big part of Nate's story. But I found myself not really caring about much else in the episode, and wanted to get back to Nate solving this mystery.
That isn't a slight on Behrad, who is a good character. His only flaw is that he is not Zari. But his party ways, and flirting with Sara (there was definitely a jealous Ava thing going on) is a fun way to take the character. I am sure fans will come to love him, and if that is the case, hopefully there is a way to get both Zari and Behrad to exist at once. But if its a new Zari without the old memories, that will be something of a cop out, and not as satisfying.
The other part that was satisfying was Sara grieving Ollie's death. It is a big ripple felt in all of the shows, and they handled it in the most Legends way possible. It was funny and awkward, and handled with levity, but still found the emotional punch that it required.
The Time Bureau being shut down is a positive. The show works better when everybody is together. Having them be so separate was a mistake that they were able to do the best they could with.
The episode set up what is sure to be an entertaining season with the Legends going full Legends. They're off to a good start so far.
With as gimmicky as the premise was, it still got down to business. It was still able to set up the stakes and the plot of what the rest of the season will be. Constantine did a lot of that heavy lifting, which is good. They know how to use him properly, so they paired him with Gary to do all the gimmicky stuff.
Zari being erased and replaced with her brother was the big heartbreak of last season, and it was the number 1 thing that interested me going into this season. They touched on it briefly, and made it a big part of Nate's story. But I found myself not really caring about much else in the episode, and wanted to get back to Nate solving this mystery.
That isn't a slight on Behrad, who is a good character. His only flaw is that he is not Zari. But his party ways, and flirting with Sara (there was definitely a jealous Ava thing going on) is a fun way to take the character. I am sure fans will come to love him, and if that is the case, hopefully there is a way to get both Zari and Behrad to exist at once. But if its a new Zari without the old memories, that will be something of a cop out, and not as satisfying.
The other part that was satisfying was Sara grieving Ollie's death. It is a big ripple felt in all of the shows, and they handled it in the most Legends way possible. It was funny and awkward, and handled with levity, but still found the emotional punch that it required.
The Time Bureau being shut down is a positive. The show works better when everybody is together. Having them be so separate was a mistake that they were able to do the best they could with.
The episode set up what is sure to be an entertaining season with the Legends going full Legends. They're off to a good start so far.
***
My favorite episode this week was Supergirl. The soft reset did the show wonders, offering all sorts of hitherto unknown possibilities.
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