Arrow 2.14 "Time of Death" Review: Timing Is Everything

    This week’s episode of Arrow, “Time of Death,” was written by the team of Wendy Mericle and Beth Schwarz and directed by Nick Copus. All three are familiar names who once again delivered a solid, action-packed and emotion filled episode that has a clear thematic thread running through its core.

    This week’s episode is all about time and timing, including the villain of the week, William Tockman (Robert Knepper who we last saw in Cult), who the media nickname the Clock King. There are any number of time-related maxims that resonate with this episode: “timing is everything,” “time to let go,” “the time has come,” and “the times, they are a’changing.” Tockman tells his thieves in the opening scene that “timing is everything,” and when they disregard his timing, he tells them that patience is a strength. The episode opens in the lair with a show of timing and skill as Oliver (Stephen Amell), Diggle (David Ramsey), and Sara (Caity Lotz) spar with Bo staffs. Could these three people be any fitter? And a big shout out to Lotz who is not a stick figure, but a healthily toned and muscled athlete. I adore that the show doesn’t just put her in the asset-enhancing bustier – which she looks amazing in – but also lets us see her muscles – so we can compare her six pack with Amell’s and Ramsey’s.

    Meanwhile, times are really changing in the lair, and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) struggles with where her place now is within it. She feels like she might be being pushed out by Sara, who can apparently do everything. Sara can analyze blood and fight beside the guys. I really like how they are introducing Sara into the mix. When Felicity tries to join into the conversation comparing scars, Sara calls her “cute.” Ordinarily this might seem totally condescending, but Lotz’s delivery manages to avoid that – though clearly Felicity isn’t happy about it. Sara is concerned that Felicity accept her and tries to help her fighting technique. When she recommends technique, it’s because it’s appropriate for smaller fighters, “like them.” She doesn’t dismiss Felicity’s ability to fight.

    Diggle is quick to see Felicity’s feelings – as usual much more quickly than Oliver. Even the scenes are blocked so that Diggle moves to stand with Felicity when she is “threatened” by Sara’s new role. I also loved the scene in which Diggle tells Felicity that she “is irreplaceable.” In the end, while Sara identifies what’s different with the blood, they have to work together for Felicity to help make sense of Sara’s findings. Sara doesn’t hesitate to follow up on Felicity finding Tockman’s location at the bank – Sara doesn’t need to know how she did it, she simply trusts Felicity to have done her job. Felicity also helps Sara in the fighting department by taking a bullet for her and saving her from Tockman.

    There are lots of nice little touches between Sara and Felicity. It was perfect to have Sara stitch up Felicity’s wound. I loved when Sara comments on the leather jacket Felicity is wearing – a sign that she is doing “field” work. Sara exchanges a glance with Felicity on the jacket as a tacit acknowledgement of what it means. It’s a nice contrast to the scene in which Oliver asks Felicity what she’s wearing when she’s in workout clothes. He doesn’t understand her sudden interest in training, but he also doesn’t feel she needs to be more in the team than the computer/information wizard that she is – she has her own spot in the team.

    Diggle has clearly pulled Oliver aside after the bank to explain to him that Felicity put herself in danger to prove her worth to the team. Oliver’s conversation with Felicity once again underscores the chemistry between Amell and Rickards. It’s just impossible not to like these two characters. Felicity admits she’s having a hard time sharing the spotlight because she’s used to being his “girl” – but not like that! I did really like that Felicity, even under the influence of good drugs, isn’t jealous of Sara as a love interest but as a rival for her place within the team. Oliver assures her that no one can ever take her place – she’ll always be his girl. Felicity really does seem very ok with the romantic relationship between Sara and Oliver. So what does that mean for her own feelings for him? Has Felicity moved on – at least for now? Is the time just not right for them?

    Timing is also an important element in the teamwork. We get another terrific action sequence as Black Canary goes after the Clock King and Arrow tries to stop the bus/train collision set in motion by the Clock King. I loved the shot of Arrow between the bus and train – the last few shots in the sequence could have come out of the comic – nicely played show! The final scene in the bank also shows each member of the team doing what they need to. I loved Arrow sliding down the staircase and taking down the one bad guy with a trick arrow. We get another great fight scene, but please, please stop feeling like you need to speed up the action to make it more impressive of exciting! This fight team – I’m looking at you James Bamford! – is the best in the business. What they do is impressive in real time.

    Meanwhile, Diggle goes to save the city by shutting off the gas leak, leaving Felicity and Sara to work together to bring down the Clock King himself. Sara relies on Felicity’s expertise because she does respect her and I loved the two of them working together. More please! My one quibble? Please get Felicity shoes appropriate for field work. The Clock King’s final words in the episode are tempus fuget – and Felicity translates “time flies” as she turns his virus against him and blows up his cell phone. Sara is quick to give Felicity credit for the win.

    Oliver is still willing to give Laurel (Katie Cassidy) time to get over the shock of Sara’s return at the beginning of the episode. Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) takes the opportunity at the cocktail party Oliver throws for Sara to apologize to Oliver for being so hard on him, saying he needed time too. It’s a terrific scene between Blackthorne and Amell. It’s also ironic that Quentin should declare that Oliver isn’t a killer – as we know, he tries not to be... now – times change.

    Sara worries about the timing in revealing that she and Oliver are in a relationship. It doesn’t seem that there is ever going to be a good time to reveal it to Laurel, however. In fact, timing in relationships does not fare well in the episode. Quentin misreads Dinah’s (Alex Kingston) feelings for him, thinking they have a chance to get back together. Unfortunately, while time has stood still for him, Dinah has moved on with her life and is in a relationship and not planning to move back to Starling City. The family dinner at Laurel’s is cringe-inducingly awkward. This scene was also beautifully acted by Lotz and Amell. Sara says that everyone deserves to be happy and looks at Oliver. Amell delivers the barest of reactions but his eyes tell the tale, and Laurel loses it. Cassidy had a bit of a thankless task as that family member everyone hates to invite to family functions as she loses it and lashes out at everyone at the table.

    I loved the scene between Amell and Cassidy when he goes after Laurel. The time has finally come to tell Laurel the brutal truth to her face. Amell and Cassidy both knock this out of the park. It’s a side of Amell’s acting that we rarely get to see as Oliver is usually so tightly in control. Oliver takes responsibility for messing up Sara and Laurel’s relationship by cheating on Laurel with Sara and taking Sara on the boat. Yet, we’ve seen in flashbacks that there was tension between the sisters before Sara left. He calls her on her drinking, drugs, losing her job and blaming everyone but herself.

     Oliver reveals the depth of his own concern about his family to her – Amell is outstanding here. It is finally losing the support of Oliver that drives home to Laurel that she has finally lost everything – and it’s her fault. I was so relieved to finally see her make up with Sara and show up at a support meeting with Quentin. The scene between Sara and Laurel in which she finally admits that she’s been using Sara’s death as an excuse was wonderfully acted by both Lotz and Cassidy, and was terrifically shot showing them move from opposite ends of the bar into each others’ arms. I hope we will quickly see Laurel regain the strength she appeared to have when we were first introduced to her in season one – otherwise, I, like Oliver, am done with this character.

    Two big reveals come out of the episode. One is played out in time between the flashbacks and now. We see Sin (Bex Taylor-Klaus) forget that she isn’t supposed to know Sara and spontaneously hug her at the cocktail party. In the flashbacks, we see Slade (Manu Bennett), Sara, and Oliver trying to get to the freighter when a plane crashes on the Island. While Oliver goes for medical supplies, Sara stays with the pilot (Russell Porter), who makes her promise to look after his daughter – who is revealed to be Sin! It isn’t clear what the pilot was up to or where he was going, so it will be interesting to see how Sin’s family ties into the Island mythology. Taylor-Klaus and Lotz have a nice scene together as Sara declares Sin is like her little sister. It should be interesting to see what the dynamic is going to be between Sin and Laurel and how Sara explains her relationship to Sin. It wouldn’t appear that Oliver is in the know about this either. I also wonder if Sara will begin training Sin again. Will Oliver introduce Roy and Sara as Black Canary? Will Sin also join team Arrow?

    The episode ends with Oliver rushing home to answer Thea’s 911 call. He and Moira (Susanna Thompson) assume it is Thea’s attempt to force them to talk because she’s sensed the tension between them. Oliver’s timing in arriving is perfect to coincide with Moira’s visitor – Slade Wilson! This of course leaves us to wonder if Thea even made the call. Slade is clearly ready to throw the gauntlet down and challenge Oliver to his face now. I love watching Bennett and Amell face off - they are just electric on screen together and my hand hurt from that handshake! The time has come...

    What did you think of the episode? Do you like the new dynamic of team Arrow? Do you think Laurel is finally on her way back up? What do you think Slade was doing with Moira? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!