Arrow (TV Series) Canary Cry (2016) User Reviews

We Can Never Become Them

[ThomasDrufke · 8/10 · 28 April 2016]

One thing Arrow has always excelled at is handling the aftermath of a major character dying. Whenever the emotions are supposed to be at their highest, the actors come through with great performances, and this episode was no different. While 'Canary Cry' was anywhere near my favorite episode of the season, it was a good ending to Laurel Lance's/Katie Cassidy's run on this show, and I can appreciate that.

No one was stronger in the episode than Paul Blackthorne. Every time Quentin Lance was on screen and shed a tear, I felt it. The man has gone through so much on this show that it breaks my heart to see this guy go through yet another catastrophe. Unfortunately, he dealt with his grief through denial for a good chunk of the episode, getting false hope through a teenager dressing up as the Black Canary in Star City. The premise felt silly at times, but again, it served a purpose to give Quentin and Oliver great emotional moments together. Of course, because of the teen's crusading, the mayor, Ruve Adams, deciding to send out another arrest warrant for the vigilantes. I'm very tired of this particular story line, so I sure hope that it dies down over the next episode or two. I don't condone Diggle's actions against Adams in the episode, but man do I hate her. Just the fact that she's smiling when there's a gun pointed at her head and she's so bloody confident about everything. I can't stand her.

As well as the episode was acted at times, I also think there were some botched aspects as well. I understand why Quentin would think his daughter would be alive because he's not in the right state of mind, but it just seemed weird that the rest of the team even considered the idea. I don't know, it just felt strange. Also, I didn't feel any emotional connection to the flashback scenes. It was interesting that they chose to use Tommy's death as a focus rather than Sara's. I felt like if they were to have a funeral for Sara and Laurel be juxtaposed with each other, it could have given Laurel and Quentin material together, instead of Oliver and Laurel. Laurel and her father didn't get to have a closing moment together, and that could have been the time to do it.

I did however, buy into the fact that Felicity and Diggle were feeling a certain amount of guilt over her death. Even though it seemed like Diggle may have gotten over it by the end of the episode, I can't help but think he still may walk away from the team by the end of the season. Felicity also had a few nice moments with the group, finishing with her plea to Oliver in the limo to kill Darhk. We've seen the scene before, but now we finally know it was about Darhk after all. Wasn't it a little weird to see Barry speeding off though, considering the point we are in Flash right now? The CW with their confusing timelines…

Overall, it was a solid episode with plenty of emotional moments to keep the episode afloat, even if other things were definitely botched. Plus, it's always nice seeing Nyssa pop up again. Heading into the final 4 episodes, I think the show is on the right track, just keep your foot on the gas.

+Highly emotional

+Blackthorne

+Team going through guilt

-Flashbacks

8.0/10

Arrow - S04E19 Canary Cry

[j_forbesy · 9/10 · 28 April 2016]

As someone who really liked the last episode and was a pretty good with the death of the Black Canary, I was really interested to see how they would handle the aftermath of what is probably the biggest death of the series. I like how the episode started with a funeral. I really thought that this was Laurel's, but we soon found out it was Tommy's from the end of season 1. I really liked this scene because we actually never had a funeral for Tommy and it was nice to jump briefly into season 1 again. I then like how they transitioned to the exact point where we left of last episode with Lance and Oliver. I thought this was a fantastic scene seeing Lance have another emotional moment with another death of her daughter. I really love Lance's drive in this episode. He is the sort of character that will stop at nothing when it comes to family and these qualities were really on display this episode,

From the promos most of use really thought that the vision of Black Canary jumping on to the car rooftop was a flashback of Laurel in action but we soon found out that this wasn't the case. At the start I really thought this was when Earth 2 Laurel makes an appearance but we soon found it wasn't the case. I thought this was a really intriguing villain. Even though it had a slight villain of the week vibe to it, it was a good one as it was tightly tied into the overall plot of the season.

I felt like there was a lot of little side conversations and every little actual team conversations for the most part. I thought this was really nice and really added to the character development now that we have had the passing of a main character. I thought all the little 1 on 1 chats really allowed us to see how the characters themselves are handing the situation.

My favourite moment of the episode was when Diggel tries to take the matters into his own hands and attempts to take Darhk's wife. I thought that sequence before Oliver steps in was great because it essentially was one of those 1 on 1 conversations that really displayed the effect Laurel's death is having on the characters. The thing that makes this my favourite moment is when Oliver steps in. We get to see Diggel emotionally broken. This is something you would never think to see coming from someone like Diggel. I thought Oliver had a great "Diggel" moment, similarly to how he did last week. I've always love the chemistry between Oliver and Diggel's characters and over this season especially we have seen them become closer than ever and real brothers.

I really liked the plot flip they had through the press conference. This was had really strong early season vibes of hunting the vigilantes which I really liked for this episode. It was nice to see Oliver and the team not have the support of people, and I hope they in some way can capture a similar vibe for the next season.

An aspect I really liked in this episode were the flashbacks. I like how it was changed up from the usually island flashbacks and got to see flashbacks from the end of season 1. I felt that it was a really nice thing to have and we really got to see the strength of Oliver and Laurel's relationship shown through a multiple of 1 on 1 conversation and ending with the letter from Oliver.

I though Laurel's real funeral was fantastic. It is the first time we get to see these flash forwards in real time and I like how they played them out. I like how it was a big contrast from the first funeral we saw and how we saw Oliver stand and talk and the fake Black Canary watched on. What I liked most of this moment was when Oliver revealed Laurel as the Black Canary. His speech was written and worded fantastically and really painted the picture of what Laurel stood for.

Seeing Grant Gustin cross over was great as always. Even though it was such a small cameo it gave a massive clue in reference to the Flash plot line. In this scene we got to see Barry with his speed. With how the lay out their episodes at CW, I can only assume that this happens after next week's episode rather than before the episode in which Barry lost his speed. This scene itself gave a big clue that Barry is going to have his speed back really soon, which we always knew he was going to get back at some point.

Overall I really liked this episode. We really got to see the effect of a major death on Team Arrow and I like how they were able to show their emotions thought their little conversations and Diggel's break out. I also really liked how we had so many late season 1 throw backs and it was nice to be put back into that time period.

9/10 - See more at thenotsonerdynerd.wordpress.com/

Just as good as all the rest

[Brotha_Rage · 9/10 · 12 January 2020]

I just started watching the Arrow at the recommendation of my son. I'm on this episode and just so happen to take a look at the reviews. I have no idea why all the hate and low reviews. Each season so far has been over 20 episodes and not one of them has been a disappointment. I'm mad at myself for not watching it sooner! I am definitely a fan it definitely tugg at your emotions. So far a great show!

Arrow declines yet again

[moud-63238 · 1/10 · 27 April 2016]

Arrow continues its slump to even more bad writing, namely hypocrisy and irony by the characters, constantly. Also, a supporting character gets too much of the attention by the producers, hampering the quality of the main plot.

Felicity smoak, the character in question, had very little interaction with Laurel, who died last week, but yet, she is the one with much guilt for her death, which makes little sense, other than the obvious reason we've come to know for this past 2 seasons. That reason is that she has become front right and center in the writers/producers stories, despite her character not being well written, indicating some sort of pandering to the super vocal shippers that love her character.

What happened to Arrow?

[Ninjasmay · 1/10 · 30 April 2016]

Arrow has always been one of my favourite shows, but now I'm not so sure anymore. The last couple of episodes have been horrible, including this one.

Normally I'm a huge fan of Arrow's 'emotional' episodes. The aftermath of someone's death used to be very well explored. It would have set the storyline in a different (and interesting) direction. Unfortunately, that didn't happen this time. I got the feeling that this episode was more about self pity. Diggle was blaming himself for Laurel's death and Felicity was doing the exact same thing. Even the flashbacks were about feeling guilty. It was really annoying to watch. The storyline just didn't make any sense. It even confused me when I saw Barry Allen running off like nothing ever happened to his speed.

And to be honest, even the acting wasn't good. Some scenes were really painful to watch. Especially the one where Oliver was shouting at Diggle, because Diggle was attacking the mayor.

I hope this show is going to get better soon. Otherwise I'm going to give up on Arrow, because it is now a waste of my time.

Arrows worst episode to date

[sinatrakennedy · 1/10 · 28 April 2016]

This was too painful to watch. The soapy over emotional scenes are written for experienced actors and yet Arrow continues to put its worst actors in these emotional scenes. The writing and acting in this episode were simply awful, and at times I was wondering if the writers literally have given up on ARROW. I've been a fan of shows on the CW since Smallville, and I'm use to the silly sappy over hyped romances etc... Arrow was awesome in its first season. Now? It's a pale shadow of what once was. The fight choreography looked like it was done by a 9 year old with mental problems. There is a fence climbing scene by a female character that is supposed to be a gymnast and she looks like an idiot even walking! So so bad. Arrows stunts in the alley (so studio propy it's hilarious, even a blanket to cover up space on the alley walls is used) are the worst yet and only serve to give parkour a bad name. Let's hope this was a unique episode, because a few more like this and I'm giving up. I'll stick to CW's FLASH (top 10 best shows on TV, along with GOTHEM). Enough with Felicity, enough with the bad fight choreography, enough with the wooden stoic "emo" scenes and let's get back to introducing NEW VILLAINS, because DARK sucks. Merlin has been reduced to a joke.

I could go on and... It's simply a really bad episode.

Awful show - lame characters

[dimitrisfotths · 1/10 · 28 April 2016]

I didn't expect something better in this episode as the season 4 was a totally lost of time. I didn't even watch the whole episode because was so terrible. The main reason is that this show was nothing to do any more with green arrow but with the Fellicity smoak her feelings and her attitude this awful character was the reason that I drop out the show. Is like in Smalville Clark Kent prefers to stay with Chloe and not with Lois Lane (by the way Chloe was an awesome characters and not so lame and terrible as Felicity). I hope that this stupid show will be cancelled in order to begin in future another one better a show that will be deserve in Green Arrow and its fans.

Another Awful Episode For me the last one

[jasontsoum · 1/10 · 29 April 2016]

That was another awful episode of the worst season I have ever seen in TV shows. The whole season 4 was a peace of crap, a garbage. The main reason is just one: Felicity Smoak this is the most awful,pathetic character I have ever seen and now its the main character in the show, really a character that don't exist in DC Comics main character in a TV DC show? how DC allowed that? and they didn't protect their creation?, the whole show it centers on Felicity her feelings and her relationship break up reunion with Oliver again, again and again which makes the show not only boring but also unwatchable, Felicity Smoak pretends to be a hacker which is always dressed like she is ready for a prom night and don't make me start on computer terminology that it used from Felicity all bricks and nonsense like I will hack the internet I will protect the internet with a firewall, I miss my keyboard Oh my GOOOOOD!!!! just stop her on telling stupid things and remove her from the show if ou still want to save it, Felicity is not only an insult to the Green Arrow and its fans (the real Green Arrow not these garbage) but also on computer guys. I don't know what happened to Arrow the first two seasons was awesome but the last two was the worst and the most boring thing I have ever seen in my life so I will not waste any time on this show that was the last episode I have seen in Arrow this show was a total failure after season2

Memorial(ish)

[highmarksreviews · 1/10 · 11 February 2018]

With the recent passing of a beloved character, one might believe that the writers would step up their game to provide a proper remembrance. Not quite the case with "Canary Cry". The lazy writing is ever present and not only is the death of the mentioned character tarnished by plot points, it's also skimmed over almost entirely.

total garbage

[LittleStorpingInTheSwuff · 1/10 · 29 July 2018]

Yet another garbage episode. The flashbacks are becoming truly annoying, and they make no sense at all. They have nothing to do with the current story, except to keep Cassidy on screen. And since her contract hasn't expired you know she is going to eventually show up again in some capacity or other. Heck, why not just bring her back to life like they did with Sarah. I'm sure the writer can think up some asinine excuse to resurrect Laurel.

By the way, reviewers, it isn't the characters on the show that make it bad. It's the writer.

A Bad Plot With Great Moments

[tadavies-15568 · 5/10 · 21 February 2022]

Ok, the plot here isn't good. Somehow some random girl steals the Black Canary gear and goes on a rampage. This isn't good. But, the highlights are those with Oliver and Laurel in the flashbacks. These were beautiful and gave us some insight between the season 1 and 2 gap, the best one being at the end where Oliver wrote the letter. This combined with the funeral scene going on at the same time left me teary-eyed. While I may not approve of this direction of the show these scenes were beautiful.