Diggle Rescues 'Arrow,' 'The Flash' Hits Reset, 'Pretty Little Liars' Names 'A'

Arrow | Fool me once. Shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me. Fool me three times, and it is time to take a major step back. In “Suicidal Tendencies,” newlyweds Diggle and Lyla spent their honeymoon with the Suicide Squad on a covert op to save a government official they believed was being held hostage.

As it turns out, he was the big bad mastermind behind it all. This would have been a shocking twist had this not been the outcome in every other operation Diggle has been sent on. It has reached predictable proportions now.

Why can’t Diggle ever be sent off for a righteous save? He risks it all for someone who’s not worth it, and there’s no legitimate rescue payoff. On the bright side, Diggle’s complicated relationship with Deadshot developed some more, giving rise to one of the more dynamic rapports on the show. It’s not cut and dry; there’s a lot of texture to it, and seeing them mix it up reminds the ability of the “Arrow” writing team to delve into the deeper terrain of what makes a hero and a villain.

In Starling City, Ray learns about Oliver’s dual identity and Felicity’s involvement. To say it didn’t go over well would be an understatement. Ray confronted Oliver, ready to take him to task, and in a rather lame outcome to their face-off, Ray’s super suit was brought down by one lousy arrow from Oliver. To say this was another stretch goes without saying. Eventually, realizing that Oliver is one of the “good guys,” Ray forgives Felicity for holding out on him.

This was yet another highlight in the episode. Ray’s speech about wanting a true partner and valuing Felicity as an equal was the words few women on TV hear from their romantic counterparts. Palmer offers a different spin on the typical, troubled superhero bit. He’s a cheerful genius with a good sense of humor and great sophistication. He’s as viable a superhero as he is a suitor.

Side Notes: What purpose does Roy serve besides being tossed around like a rag doll during every Team Arrow mission? Deadshot’s backstory offered a welcome reprieve from Oliver’s tiresome flashbacks. Lastly, it’s great that Lyla gave up her job to be home with baby Sara. The sad thing is that the episode made it seem like having one living parent would be enough for Sara. She needs both of her parents to be safe. That means Diggle too.

[Image by Freeform]

Pretty Little Liars | Let’s get the big news out of the way first…Charles is A. Now that you realize that spoils absolutely nothing, we can move on to the next news item: Who is Charles? He is the never before mentioned, long-lost older brother of Alison and Jason’s possible twin. However, crafty screen cappers might’ve dispelled the latter theory when stills revealed that the actors playing the younger DiLaurentis weren’t identical. Therefore he might just be Jason’s younger/older brother.

To be blunt, the reveal was a letdown. After waiting for half a decade, viewers learned they could never truly play along in the “A” guessing game. This character was pulled out of thin air, and no concrete clues would’ve alluded to A’s identity or existence. Spencer’s confident declaration that Charles was A made the reveal all the more frustrating.

As if it was an obvious conclusion and everyone knew who she was talking about. The reveal that the one and only Mona Vanderwaal is alive made the episode positively worthwhile! Yay! “Pretty Little Liars” hasn’t been the same without her, and knowing she’ll be around to continue to raise a little cane made everything A-okay.

The Flash | Last week’s episode “Out of Time” was completely undone, rendering it practically obsolete except for Barry gaining a few personal insights. This is the crucial rub for introducing time travel into the mix. After “Out of Time” sent social media into a hyperactive frenzy with numerous developments, the expected fallout to consume its follow-up was a bit of a downer.

The best news from the reset is that Cisco is once again among the living, and some big reveals about Dr. Wells await revelation for another day. One thing that didn’t add up was Dr. Wells’ explanation as to why Iris’ feelings for Barry had changed in the new timeline. It wasn’t the threat of impending doom that had led her to pronounce.

Eddie confronting her with what he witnessed at the bowling alley did the trick, so the catalyst for her confession should still exist in the new timeline. All in all, time travel could prove a tricky story well to turn back to in the future. Once visited, it can be a too easily relied upon plot device to shock the audience without delivering game-changing results. 

Side Notes: The Cisco storyline with his brother was excellent. Why was Joe marginalized in the new timeline? Why can’t The Flash take away Mr. Cold’s weapons? This is the most ludicrous credulity leap of the series. Not to mention, Mr. Cold and his cohort are by far the worst villains of the season, beyond cartoonish and campy.

What “The Flash” has excelled so thoroughly is balancing some of the more outlandish elements of comic books with real-world believability. None of that resonates with the villainous Hot and Cold duo.

[Featured Image by The CW]