TV Rundown: January 25 - 30 | It's Ray to the Rescue on 'Arrow', A Parent is in Jeopardy on 'TVD' & Frary Make Amends on 'Reign'

Arrow | Making his most gallant move yet, the charming and demure Ray Palmer leaped into action to protect Felicity when assailants stormed a meeting of Starling City’s finest. It was a major Raylicity moment, though his heroism didn’t seem to get a proper notice from a preoccupied Felicity who is understandably still caught up in thoughts of a presumed dead Oliver.

Speaking of Oliver, he was slowly recovering from his unbelievably mortal wounds. Once again the choppy insertion of flashbacks proved the hour’s most annoying nuisance. Will they ever stop?

The other storyline struggling to make an impact is Laurel’s transformation into The Black Canary. Without any substantial training she’s been heading into the shadows of the night to get her butt kicked at a degree that would realistically end in her death. She’s apparently observing the problematic fight method known as trial and error.

The only way her finding success would be mildly plausible is if her trainer Ted Grant were still around helping her. It’s clear the series has been struggling to find a direction for Laurel. She’s been a defense attorney for the underprivileged, a hardnosed prosecutor and now she’s a vigilante. This latest version of her isn’t working either. She needs to wake up; her sister was a trained assassin for hire, not a saint.

[Image by The CW]

The Vampire Diaries | Just when you think TVD couldn’t get any more depressing it takes another giant stab at the heart as Caroline’s mom's condition appears to be incurable. The point of this storyline is mystifying. If Sheriff Forbes dies, none of the characters will have any surviving parents. There is no silver lining to this storyline whatsoever. It is dark and unnecessary.

Elena has lost her entire family and now Caroline is next in line. The whole thing is distasteful. Please let there be a last minute save for one of the only characters who truly deserves it.

Poor Bonnie didn’t even get a shout out and she’s the reason a lot of her friends are still kicking. The good news is that the promo for this week’s episode indicated rescue efforts to save her would resume. It is also worth mentioning that Kai cannot meet his end soon enough. He is by far the most obnoxious and juvenile villain of the series’ entire run. 

Reign | “Banished” proved to be a very eventful hour as the surprising culprit in the murder of Catherine’s twins was revealed, Francis issued a warning to Mary and Bash learned some unknown truths surrounding the women in his life. Catherine’s delusions and her shocking vengeance concluded her mental illness/ghost storyline.

Why these visions suddenly manifested themselves and how she was able to cure herself of an apparent bout of mental illness were some of the lingering incredulities that gnawed at a not-so-great storyline. The good is now that it’s over, Catherine can return to her former ruthless, cunning and fierce self.

Francis fighting back at his interloping cousin Conde was an appropriate and welcomed turn of events. His necessary conversation with Mary was incredibly well argued and marked a reconciliation of sorts between the pair. The resolution that was made in its wake was a mature realization on Mary’s part. The only bad news in its outcome is that Lola and Conde appeared ready to make a go of things, putting a Lola/Narcisse pairing in jeopardy.

The latter’s flirtation has been a naughty delight this season. Some closing questions left by the episode’s end were: What will become of Greer following her ousting from court? Will she return to Castleroy and how will she make it back to court? Given that Leith was able to surmount the impossible and find a way back, it seems likely she will too.

[Featured Image by The CW]