Arrow (TV Series) Seeing Red (2014) User Reviews

And now the stage is set...

[cousbrojs · 10/10 · 24 April 2014]

A few key episodes ago, I said that those are the best episodes Arrow has given us so far. And now, I realized how wrong I was. 'Seeing Red' would have been a filler episode if it wasn't executed right, thankfully, it was executed to perfection. Everybody played key roles in this episode and the actors had a great source material to work with. I'm going to stop there, because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone.

*Dialogue: Excellent *Pacing: Excellent *Action: Good (It was a heavy drama episode) *Drama: Perfect *Story: Excellent

This episode has certainly set the stage for Ollie and Slade's season finale battle (you'll know what I mean in the final few minutes of this episode) and I can tell you, it's not gonna end well! I will say this: this is the best episode, until at least the season finale!

Episode rating: 10/10

Probably one of the best episodes to date

[thurima · 10/10 · 24 April 2014]

At first, I thought this episode was mainly going to be centered around finding and stopping Roy with some flashbacks to the island but I was completely wrong. This episode left more to the mind than I thought possible and was executed to perfection and is one of the most intense episodes I've seen.

The flashbacks were unexpected as were several parts of the episode but none were completely answered leaving the viewer to ponder until the next episode. This drives the character development even further. The episode seemed not to be too fast or too slow paced but just right to leave you wanting more.

There are some major turning points and plot twists which are enough to evoke a feeling of despair but also curiosity and now the climactic end to the season is ready to be unleashed and the stage is set for the final battle between Oliver and Slade which will prove to be more intense than the finale of the previous season.

One of the best episodes of television!!

[jbrowning-w · 10/10 · 27 April 2014]

Watching the episode 'Deathstroke' makes you wonder if the show will get any better. I can safely say it can. Seeing red is dramatic and chilling towards the end. The plot itself was expected to be a plot to finish up Roy's story for the season, it's not. This episode literally changed everything. Roy is being kept sedated and can not be helped besides the venom to keep him unconscious. Oliver has a child who is completely unknown to Oliver. I assume it's the child he should have had with Shado. As the episode wasn't big enough, Slade starts his attack on Oliver and we say goodbye to a character I personally have both liked and disliked but was still sad to see go. This is surely the best episode so far and all it does is bring us into the final episodes so my question is: IF THIS EPISODE IS SO GOOD, THEN HOW AWESOME IS THE FINALE GOING TO BE????

Proof of what Arrow can do when it sets its mind to it

[dylans1122 · 10/10 · 23 March 2018]

I watched this initially as it aired in 2014. At first, I was unfazed by most of the episode. It seemed to not be accomplishing much, aside from Moira's withdrawl. But as it progressed, the other storylines kicked into gear. We see Sara in a moment of self-acceptance that she's too far gone, unlike Oliver. Roy's 'Tremor' storyline is thankfully on hold.

Watching this again, in 2018, I see how amazingly well-executed this episode was. It easily could have hit season 4's low if it hadn't been so fine tuned. The episode peaks with Moira and Oliver reconciling, and her admitting she knows he is The Arrow. Her speech sets us on the horizon looking forward to a bright future. When everything is all well, the unexpected twist kicks down the door and slaps us in the face.

Slade abducted Oliver, Thea and Moira. This scenes' juxtaposition to Ivo's ultimatum with Sara and Shado is beautifully shown. Amazing acting on all fronts. Manu Bennett is truly ominous as Slade, proving to us again that he is in control and will keep his promise. He runs Moira through with a sword in front of Oliver and Thea and retreats, leaving them to mourn their deceased mother. It's a heart wrenching scene with some of Amell and Holland's (Thea) best acting. The star of it all is Susanna Thompson. The flashbacks reveal how manipulative she was of her son's life. That last shot of her at the staircase invokes an idea of diabolical meddling and a seat of power. She's still missed on the show, 4 years on. This blow to Oliver seemingly breaks him, but it also sets him on a collision course with Slade in the finale, which is worthy of its own review.

Overall, 'Seeing Red' is one of the best episodes of the season, and even of the series. The different themes, the emotions, the character development; all of it so well executed. The dialogue wasn't blocky or unnecessary.

I hope everyone else agrees with my opinion

One of the best endings... but not much else

[b-adams44 · 8/10 · 4 July 2014]

This episode was a mixed bag for the show. While the final seven minutes made for some of the best, most tense television I've seen, the rest of the episode's mediocrity is only partly made up for by the ending.

Roy's story was, by this point, nothing short of a bore. While Colton Haynes played the role fantastically, there was very little from the story that was interesting.

Caity Lotz played an abysmal story well. After being convinced by Laurel in 2.17 that she is a hero, and not wanting to be a killer any more, the second Roy spirals out of control: 'Yeah let's kill him'. While I don't disagree with this mentality, it felt ridiculous that Sara said it. Then her whine at the end followed by her leaving town? Irritating.

The flashbacks felt placed solely for the purposes of Moira's death, though the introduction of a child for Oliver will play out eventually. Again, while Amell and Thompson played those scenes well, there was some poor dialogue there.

Luckily, the ending managed to save this episode from being totally terrible. Shocking, emotional. Susanna Thompson was incredible. It was a great way for Moira to go out, and narratively logical (Slade's quest for revenge upon Oliver, as well as mirroring Shado's death).

The directing and editing in the ending was also spectacular. The staging of the choice scene similarly to Shado's death (blonde on Oliver's left, brunette on his right) was fantastic, as was the zoom out shot of Moira in the flashback transforming to Moira lying dead in the present.

A mediocre episode (that would otherwise have been given a 5/10 from me) gets a 7/10.

Red Herring

[SpideyVerse23 · 9/10 · 19 January 2023]

I went into this episode expecting one thing, but something else happens which is emotional and heartbreaking.

The flashbacks focused on Oliver and Moira before the Queens Gambit happened, and showed how far Moira has always been willing to go for her children's happiness.

In the present day, Roy escapes from the base and goes on a rampage in the city which presents a conflict between Oliver and Sara on whether they should kill him or not.

Meanwhile, Moira is trying to mend things with Thea with no luck so she decides to drop out of the mayoral race to focus on Thea. This plot led to a beautiful and well acted scene between Oliver and Moira which was wonderful to see.

The ending is a true curveball and very heartbreaking, which sets the stage for Oliver and Slade to fight it out. It has incredible acting from Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Manu Bennett and Stephen Amell.

Poor Oliver

[amsmall27 · 9/10 · 30 October 2020]

First losing his dad, then his mom and now Sara.. Oliver can't seem to catch a break ) :

Been 9 years, still one of the best episodes

[sqy-33671 · 10/10 · 24 August 2023]

The variety and complexity of the character of Moira is presented to perfection--a calculating women full of secrets, an ambitious candidate trying to right her wrong about the Glades, and also a loving parent who takes care of his children through her whole life.

The flashback scenes always match fluently in the Arrow, while in this episode, the story of Moira standing by Oliver years ago echoes exquisitely to the main story--she died protecting her children.

"You possess true courage", even Slade was impressed and then took back his gun for seconds.

"I know...Except I could not be more proud", probably most touching encouragement Oliver heard since his crusade.

The murder of Moira no doubt pave the way for a more intense finale between Oliver and Slade. Similarly, the fact that Oliver never give up on Roy also foreshadows his important role in finale. Where does Sara go? Is Thea going to find out about Merlin? Since Sebastian will become the mayor, how and when will Oliver find out he's the one behind the skull? Oliver started the episode by the rule of not killing, will he forgive Slade, his mother's killer, in the end? All that add to more suspense.