[Warning: Spoilers ahead]
Director: Alice Troughton
Writers: Grainne Godfree and Matthew Maala
Starring: Victor Garber, Amy Pemberton, Arthur Darvill, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Franz Drameh, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Nick Zano, Matt Letscher and Dominic Purcell
Summary
As the title of this episode so clearly states, the team must deal with a turncoat. As Nat would say, “History Lesson.” A Turncoat is one who leaves one party or group for another. During the revolution, turncoats were literal because…You know what, look it up. You should already know this. Anyway, Rip is a bad guy and he kills General Washington. The team jumps to the day before because they know exactly where Washington will be and, as Sara predicts, it is a trap. Rip drops an EMP frying Ray as the Atom, Jax and Martin can not bond because their stabilizer is fried. Sara gets shot and dies (yes, not a joke). Amaya and Nate have some alone time at the most inopportune time while Mick saves the day (again).
Positives
Dominic Purcell needs several awards. First: Best opening read of a show ever. Seriously, I was cackling it was so funny. Bravo. Second: Best supporting actor. He is clearly not the lead, but he has taken “wacky best pal” and turned it on its head. He steals every scene and he plays Mick Rory with such earnestness that his over the top characterization of “bad guy” is genius. Finally: Show saver. When things drag, he can always be counted on to make things go again.
Arthur Darvill needs some love this week as well. The evil Rip Hunter character that he is playing is really convincing. When he was playing spineless Phil, he was spot on. Now, as all around evil prick turncoat (see what I did there), he is even better. He is hard to hate because he is the Captain, but he is hard to like because he was willing to, and did, kill Sara Lance.
Negatives
Holiday episodes almost always suck. This is no exception. I am a huge fan of this show and I root for it. I want more people to love it, but seriously, this one was not up to standards. I don’t care if Nate and Amaya get it on. I don’t care about that at all. Do you? No? I didn’t think so. The “tension” from last season with Ray and Kendra was a bit contrived as well, but at least they were stuck out of time for years, living as a married couple. This is, well, meh. It is hard for me to say this because Maise Sellers-Richardson has been bright spot this season. I like her very much and hope she stays around.
It could be that I am a Grinch. I do not like the holiday episodes when they come out during the holidays so it is totally likely that I am really rubbed the wrong way when there is a Christmas episode in February.
Verdict
Mick Rory (Dominic Purcell), you are a show saver. If it were not for you and your quips of awesome, this rating would be much lower. Thank you for saving the show. Thank you for bro hugging General Washington. Thank you for making kissy faces at a rat. Bravo.
Easter Eggs
Sara Lance has always been a bit of a Buffy. In this episode, she completes the full Buffy as she dies for a second time only to be brought back…again. I hope she sings about it like Buffy did. There is that musical episode of The Flash coming up. Fingers crossed.
Dammit Jefferson, I’m a physicist not a doctor. HA! Well done Dr. Stein.
What other Easter Eggs did you see? Comment below.
