Oliver’s increasingly desperate search for the city’s stolen money hits a snag; Laurel. At the same time, Quentin races to cover up his role in her survival and Curtis and Rene ask Dinah just how far she’s prepared to go in her quest for vengeance.

Two of the stupidest things this show has ever done happen this episode. And one of the best. Buckle up.

The stupidest first, because oh boy. I know this is something I’ve talked about a lot but this week old school Team Arrow crossed the line from ‘assholeish’ to ‘cretinous’. An early plot beat sees them pick up evidence that their former colleagues have Laurel. Instead of calling ahead, or calling either of the two of them not consumed with vengeance, or THINKING, they kick the door in. In fact:

– They kick the door in

– Search their ‘friends’’ hideout for Laurel

– Snark at them

– When it becomes clear she isn’t there, they teargas the room and run out. In full view. Not especially fast.

Oh it should also be pointed out that Felicity, who not so many seasons ago was paralysed in the line of duty, does all this in no manner of armour.

AT.

ALL.

The stupid may burn but it also continues. Because when the team find Laurel, her offer is clear: get her out of the city alive and they can have the money. So, in the space of about 60 seconds, Oliver throws out the wishes of his colleagues, decides he has no choice to go with the serial liar whose face is one of his few weaknesses and preps his team for war. With his other team.

Worse still, the closing fight takes place in a forest at night and is so badly lit that when one character is badly injured you genuinely have no idea how or why. Worse, you don’t care.

Arrow has a serious problem, and it’s the show’s main characters. Oliver, when he’s written as the mayor, is a cautious, reticent and idealistic guy who is trying to do the right thing. That’s great. When he’s written as Green Arrow? Asshole moron. Worse still, Felicity, who should be the heart of this show, is increasingly as bad. For no reason I can see, besides a misplaced need for badly realised, badly executed conflict.

Make no mistake, this is a terrible episode but it does have a single redeeming feature: Oliver loses. That’s satisfying not just because at this point you desperately want him to but because it leads to a callback, with him using his early seasons line about ‘failing this city’ on himself. It’s a great moment that Amell absolutely lands. It deserved to be in an infinitely better episode.

Verdict: This is a dreadful hour of television that shows beyond a doubt Arrow is currently the weakest of the CW superhero shows by a very long way. It ends promisingly but with yet more episodes with the two sides of Team Arrow at each other’s throats, that’s not enough. 2/10

Alasdair Stuart