Arrow Arrow Season 3, Episode 4 "The Magician" General Discussion

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

I loled so hard at Roy's flip.

If that was the intention, then bravo!

If not,.....well....

 

[Loki882]

I think that the intention was for it too look cool and badass. Just like Anakin and Obi Wan twirling their lightsabers around like they were both in a marching band in ROTS was meant to look cool/badass. Yeah it didn't really work there either.

 

[H.U.S.T.L.E.]

I can't really put my finger on what it was with this episode, but out of the ones we've seen this season it felt like the weakest so far. I think part of it was the lack of Felicity - she's one of the few characters that seems to lighten the tone of this show and prevent it from being too "grimdark angsty" (if that makes any sense).

I also felt like there was a ton of over-acting in this particular episode, save for Katrina Law's performance. Everyone else seemed very flat while Nyssa was the only one whose emotional response I actually believed.

Which is odd, since up to this point I felt like everyone was settling into their characters quite nicely. Things just felt off in this one, for whatever reason. I really like this show and I very rarely have negative or even ambivalent feelings on it, so this was a weird one for me.

 

[kane9321]

The good: Everything

the bad:....shoving laurel down our face...she's still the weakpoint of the show
she's still pointless and useless

 

[Mikelus]

The action was good as usual but I agree with J, the flashback's need to get some direction as at the moment they are just random and repetitive with Ollie having the same arguments with Waller and his handler.

As for the Ra's reveal, I loved the establishing shot of Nanda Parbat and the whole tone of the scene, but the actor didn't display much presence and his voice lacked the sophisticated authority that Ra's should have IMO.

I agree the Hong Kong stuff has been weak so far, not that interesting and Arrow's Waller is just not good, she's not likeable at all. Thank goodness the movies will probably have a better version of the character.

Yeah, Matt Nable doesn't have the physical presence Ra's should have, we'll see if his acting can compensate somehow, but I don't think fans are going to consider this Ra's as good as Malcolm or Slade. Is hard to believe they couldn't cast someone better, but that's Berlanti and company for you, they're hit or miss as producers.

I'm wondering how long they're going to drag out Thea's secret and Oliver to come clean, is just dumb how he keeps lying despite telling her "no more secrets". He should've told her this episode and be done with it, just another wasted opportunity by the writers that seem happy to watch "Arrow: Lies of our lives".

 

[fire117]

The good: Everything

the bad:....shoving laurel down our face...she's still the weakpoint of the show
she's still pointless and useless

Agreed. Laurel is still the weakpoint of the show.

 

[Broseph44]

that's lazy

Not according to the cups

Ummmm how is this lazy? I guess all the dunkin donuts cups or Starbucks cups throughout the U.S. are all completely different? come on guys it can be just like any other big chain. With identical looking products like McDonald's or Burger King etc. not "lazy" at all in the slightest.

 

[Seb]

And identical trees outside?

I liked this episode a lot, but it's telling that I liked it predominantly because of the two guests (or is Barrowman a full on regular now?). Katrina Law is awesome, and I'm loving Nyssa. I'm also glad that Laurel is toughening up and that Cassidy can pull of the look physically. I'd have been happier with fewer Laurel scenes, but it's better that they give us her development so that we can believe it when she actually suits up.

Ra's was meh for me, and I'm hoping he killed Sara so that Nyssa can turn on him and continue to be a guest on the show.

I agree with a lot of posters that Ollie protecting Malcom was weird. Sure, I buy that he didn't kill Sara, and I buy that Ollie buys it, but how does not killing one person make up for actually killing a bunch of others? It's the same logic that pisses me off whenever a hero slaughters his way through all the minions, but then spares the Big Bad to show that he's learning compassion. Not killing an important character does not morally absolve you for having killed a bunch of nameless ones.

 

[fire117]

Ummmm how is this lazy? I guess all the dunkin donuts cups or Starbucks cups throughout the U.S. are all completely different? come on guys it can be just like any other big chain. With identical looking products like McDonald's or Burger King etc. not "lazy" at all in the slightest.

Agreed.

 

[Tv's Phil]

I'm always hesitant to get super nitpicky with a show I love, but something about this one didn't grab me like the others.
On the plus side, we're seeing the seeds of what will be the bigger threat of the season which is great. It should calm the more impatient viewers down.
But I kinda felt that getting back into the grieving, which I understand is probably realistic, came off as spinning their wheels.
It was we saw team Arrow grieve, then Corto Maltese which was fun, then Nyssa had to deal.
Again, understandable, I just didn't need characters to explain how much Sara meant to them multiple times.
Without Felicity or Ray, we don't get a lot of "life."
But Barrowman, even as a villain, has this charisma about him.

Still, for me, the most mundane episodes of Arrow or Flash are still entertaining.

 

[Loki882]

Yeah, the .000001% of the audience that would be obsessively looking at the out of focus shrubbery in the background instead of concentrating on the actual important stuff might just catch that complete irrelevant and meaningless detail.

 

[Seb]

Honestly, I didn't even notice that it was the same coffee shop set. I only noticed the trees because of the two frame captures. It's not an issue to me, just amusing.

 

[JC00]

Ummmm how is this lazy? I guess all the dunkin donuts cups or Starbucks cups throughout the U.S. are all completely different? come on guys it can be just like any other big chain. With identical looking products like McDonald's or Burger King etc. not "lazy" at all in the slightest.

Ya I completely agree. This could have been the Starbucks of the DC/CW Universe.

But the only thing I don't get is why they didn't just own it. They had to go and name the one in Star City "Grind and Jolt". I mean I don't get how you can decide to have the set design department put up a sign and change the look a tiny bit but then skimp out on two coffee cups.

It's like they were concerned that people would complain about reusing the exact same set. Yet the problem is it is kind of worse than if they just went with the "it's a national chain of cafes so of course there would be one in each city" line of thinking.

Like posted above there is practically a Dunkin Donuts in every city in some states, in some of those cities there are multiple Dunkin Donuts.

 

[JC00]

I wasn't buying into the Thea killed Sara theory but after last night I kind of am now.

 

[fire117]

I wasn't buying into the Thea killed Sara theory but after last night I kind of am now.

I still don't buy that theory. Most likely Ras is the one who killed Sara.

 

[Boy Scout]

Agree with this.Cant believe Oliver has started a war for such a stupid reason.

I can. The writers did the same thing last season with Slade. The execution of the war will be amazing, but the explanation for how and why it came to pass will (if this episode is of any indication) be piss poor. It better not become a habit.

Honestly, I didn't even notice that it was the same coffee shop set. I only noticed the trees because of the two frame captures. It's not an issue to me, just amusing.

I didn't notice it either.

 

[Arrowshieldfan]

I still doubt that the war is going to happen because Oliver protecting Meryln it too early of course Ra's is saying that but something much worse will be the motive and it won't be personal

 

[Boy Scout]

And whoever brought up Diggle going into the field without wearing a disguise: I've disliked that about the show since the very beginning. It's lazy writing and it makes the characters look stupid.

I love this show, I swear.

 

[Ultra Nolanite]

Haha, this and Malcolm smoke bomb were the best parts of this episode.

I have a weakness for ninja smoke bombs.

Malcolm is the best.

 

[Human Torch]

And whoever brought up Diggle going into the field without wearing a disguise: I've disliked that about the show since the very beginning. It's lazy writing and it makes the characters look stupid.

I love this show, I swear.

Agreed.I've complained about this from the beginning.

 

[p4poetic]

I agree the Hong Kong stuff has been weak so far, not that interesting and Arrow's Waller is just not good, she's not likeable at all. Thank goodness the movies will probably have a better version of the character.

Yeah, Matt Nable doesn't have the physical presence Ra's should have, we'll see if his acting can compensate somehow, but I don't think fans are going to consider this Ra's as good as Malcolm or Slade. Is hard to believe they couldn't cast someone better, but that's Berlanti and company for you, they're hit or miss as producers.

I'm wondering how long they're going to drag out Thea's secret and Oliver to come clean, is just dumb how he keeps lying despite telling her "no more secrets". He should've told her this episode and be done with it, just another wasted opportunity by the writers that seem happy to watch "Arrow: Lies of our lives".

I'm pretty sure she's not supposed to be lol.

The Hong Kong flashbacks have been much shorter than the flashbacks from the first two seasons, so this sounds like premature judgement.

 

[Glassjaw]

Count me in as one of those who laughed straight away at the Roy flip. It's the thought that counts I guess!

 

[Mike Murdock]

Haha, this and Malcolm smoke bomb were the best parts of this episode.

I have a weakness for ninja smoke bombs.

Malcolm is the best.

His Arabic name sells it for me. Is that the first time it was revealed?

 

[Human Torch]

I wish I found the Roy-flip the prosperous humor many of you did.

 

[Broseph44]

I wish I found the Roy-flip the prosperous humor many of you did.

Yeah I didn't find it funny or silly at all.