Arrow 7x15 "Training Day" Episode Review
Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.
Ricardo Diaz is officially dead, and the mystery on who killed him is intriguing. The rest of the episode though was struggling to make itself work. The center issue was Team Arrow trying to work under the SCPD’s rules, which wouldn’t be a bad thing if this wasn’t a superhero show.
The show is mostly spinning their wheels, and as a result, this is also officially the worst episode of the season. A lot of pieces are moving, but it also gives Team Arrow essentially their base, operations, and costumes back without too much effort. What boggled my mind is how Team Arrow pretty much told the police they sucked, and we needed to break the rules.
Oliver’s scene where he went rogue was trending the same storyline, which Diggle even pointed out, and that’s saying something. Their old methods aren’t working, and it’s time Oliver Queen figured that out… his episodes are numbered now.
Bronze Tiger and Laurel Lance scenes worked well. This subplot wasn’t given much room to breathe, but whenever we zipped back to that prison cell, I was ready for more. Laurel’s character is getting better and her redemption arc is getting put to the test with Emiko Queen’s incoming betrayal.
Speaking of the future, Mia and William took the entire episode getting the tape recorder. While I did like the dynamic between the siblings, their story was also spinning wheels until they get their all flashforward episode next week. Oliver naming Mia after his mother is probably the best thing ever. I’m really happy he decided to do that… Connor Hawke is Bronze Tiger’s son, and that pretty much means he’s going to die.
Rene and Dinah are making good parallels for the flash forward. Watching Team Arrow try to make the city a better place is really depressing because we know they’re going to fail horribly, and Felicity’s incredible security system, the Archer Program, is getting created in the present day.
Overall, I did not like this episode. Season 8 is the end. I can’t wait to see how Oliver Queen exits.