I have to ask, why the slump? The second season was such a carefully plotted arc that fired on every cylinder, but this is Arrow's third weak episode in a row and I find myself so very disappointed in one of my favourite shows.




Interestingly enough, the Cupid standalone story started off with potential. I liked the continuity in the teaser showing the birth of the villainess back when the Mirakuru soldiers were running amok and causing havoc. Sadly, this whole storyline soon went off the rails thanks to insipid plotting and a distinct lack of urgency. Instead of focusing on Sarah's murder or giving Ra's Al Ghul some much-deserved screen time, we were forced to endure some pretty terrible acting (thank you, Amy Gumenick) and horrendous dialogue. Even more disheartening is the fact that Cupid is now with Waller and the Suicide Squad. That means we'll be seeing her again soon, and I am undeniably dreading that development. 



The chemistry between Emily and Ray could have salvaged the episode, but the moment in which she defended him at dinner with her big speech simply did not feel earned. The touching music in the background was far too heavy-handed, and the entire scene had me rolling my eyes in the process. On the bright side, Ray is up to something and he seems to be building himself a suit. I guess his comic-book legacy will be coming into play after all. Let's hope the show doesn't mess it up.




To make matters worse, Thea got a new love interest for some inexplicable reason. I can't believe Verdant needing a DJ even qualified as a subplot; did the writers take the episode off? And do we really need to see Thea struggle between her love for Roy and the exciting new thing that is her club's new DJ? Kill me now because I can't handle another love triangle. 


Flashback-wise, we discovered that Ollie couldn't do laundry (thrilling stuff here), and Tatsu was kind of a badass as she slaughtered an entire army in ten seconds. So basically, it was filler material. I can't say I was surprised.