Arrow – Episode 4 – “An Innocent Man”
Reviewed By Vidar – The Norse God of Silence, Stealth & Revenge
First, let’s be clear, Arrow – Episode 4 – “An Innocent Man” was all about Laurel Lance’s breasts.
Sure, there were nice plot twists and a few pretty cool story points revealed, but the real through-line in “An Innocent Man” was Laurel’s enhanced bust.
This is by no means a criticism – it’s just two more reasons why Vidar loves this show.
That said – let’s get into it.
There was a lot packed into this 44 minute episode.
Here’s what we, the audience, learned and what some of characters learned:
- Oliver/”Arrow” reluctantly learned how to kill living things in the cave with that Japanese-Chinese (well, Asian) Mystery-Other-Arrow-Guy on the island. In order to survive, he had to kill a bird in a cage and eat it. For five years he perfected his ability to kill without remorse and now, he can kill real live humans that are pleading for their lives.
- Walter Steele learned not to trust Moira (duh!). And, it’s pretty certain, Moira doesn’t trust Walter Steele. Moira, apparently, took $2.6 million from Queen Industries (she said to fund a French start-up) to put the remains of Husband #1’s (Robert Queen) crashed yacht into a locked warehouse. Why? That’s a mystery that better have a really cool reveal or Vidar will be pissed.
- Moira’s lie to Walter was uncovered by the hot, quirky IT Girl (who, it seems, would be more comfortable as a character on “The New Girl”). ‘Quirky’ isn’t really in the DNA of the people of Starling City – but she is hot just the same – so, writers, please continue to expand her role and shorten her skirts.
- Diggs is going to be Oliver/”Arrow”‘s ‘Robin’ (even though he said he wasn’t going to be a sidekick – whatever). That’s good – because at the end of “An Innocent Man,” Oliver/”Arrow” is arrested for being the mysterious vigilante in the hood. I’m sure Diggs will don the Arrow costume to through them off the trail and convince Detective Lance that Oliver isn’t the guy. (Though we know, deep down, Detective Lance is positive Oliver is the guy – but, as always, his hands will be tied – in the legal sense.)
- And, finally, we learned that Moira knows about Robert Queen’s “list” because some nameless well-dressed dude (played by the actor John Barrowman) in the back of a limo tells Moira that “Arrow” has been methodically knocking off people on that list. Who this dude is, we don’t know? Another cool mystery.
So, as a whole, it was a good episode.
The actual main plot of Oliver/”Arrow” and Laurel Lance’s quest to help get “An Innocent Man” off on a murder charge before he is executed (and the arrest of the real killer – and dude on Robert Queen’s list – Jason Brodeur) was pretty secondary to all of the other cool shit that was going on that will be revealed in future weeks.
Though, in Vidar’s mind, nearly all of the plot points were completely upstaged by Laurel Lance’s tight tops – and, yet, Vidar is not saying to stop doing that.
All in all, the next 18 weeks should be pretty exciting.
EPISODE 5 SET-UP:
- Oliver/”Arrow” is under arrest for many things including murder.
- Diggs (aka John Diggle) is on board and will start working with Oliver/”Arrow” to clean up the city (and, hopefully, find his own brother’s murderer) as soon as he goes through HR orientation.
- Moira Queen is reconstructing the yacht, piece by piece, that sank and resulted in her husband’s (Robert Queen) “death.” Not sure why that cost $2.6 million but – good for her.
- Walter Steele doesn’t trust anyone now (and nobody trusts him either) but seems amused by the hot, quirky IT Girl (Felicity Smoak). I’m sure she’ll dig up plenty more dirt for him while delivering the results via a voice that is Goldie Hawn circa 1970.
- And Detective Lance will keep getting frustrated and always be one step behind.
- Thea and Tommy pretty much took the week off.
Can’t wait for Episode 5!
Vidar – The Norse God of Silence, Stealth & Revenge
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 1 – “Pilot”
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 2 – “Honor Thy Father”
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 3 – “Lone Gunman”
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 4 – “An Innocent Man”
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 5 – “Damaged”
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 6 – “Legacies”
- Arrow – Season 1 – Episode 7 – “Muse of Fire”
Finally something interesting on the CW. I applaud the producers for their bold move to put women characters in a flattering light.
I couldn’t disagree more, Vidar.
Good lord the amount of exposition on the show!
The voiceover forced to fill in for the terrible, terrible writing and story telling on this show.
So weird to see a new show THIS cliched- what a massive waste of money.
The dialogue of the best friend, the girlfriend and the girlfriend’s dad… OUCH!
The dialogue clanks loudly like a large wrench being dropped onto concrete from a great height.
A hot guy doing stunts is no substitute for the total lack of chemistry between the actors and clown-like dialogue which makes me wince. Jaw droppingly bad.
Laurel’s assets were not a distraction at all. More like where have you been all my life?
I think this episode was a pure set up for Oliver not killing anymore, or at least him using less lethal force. If you look at the kill count, it was not as high as past episodes. He’s learning that he had to survive on the island and did things he would not have done, but Starling City is not the island.
The first three episodes made this series gritty, and made Oliver the anti-hero, but this episode is the start of him being the hero.
I may be presumptuous, but in choosing the path between dark knight, and white knight, they are now moving towards emerald knight.
Diggs will pose as Arrow while Ollie is being detained. Classic comic book move.
I like it too and they shouldn’t change a thing. Hey Vidar, weren’t you saying 2 weeks ago that the old Arrow dude on the island was Oliver’s dad? I would say you were wrong on that one.
Not a bad episode at all! I’m really starting to like the IT girl, and although one of the guys I work with at DISH told that she’s only a special guest on the show, I think she deserves a permanent spot. I thought there was something different about Laurel, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I even went as far as to watch the previous episodes from the special folder I organized just for Arrow on my Hopper. I still couldn’t figure out what was different, but I guess my eyes weren’t looking in the right spots!