In what was, arguably, the best ARROW ever, head honchos Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle got together and created a story that was worthy of any comic book spectacular…they pulled together characters from the past, present and other worlds to bond into the thing that most people want…a supportive network.
That elusive touchstone which occurs only so often in life, sometimes at family holidays, other times at a convention of strangers who seem like friends, or at somewhere in between, there is little else among the human spirit that is as satisfying as the feeling of acceptance by others, despite one’s failures and flaws.
ARROW brought that feeling (along with many late lamented characters) onto the canvas and gave each other (and us) the feeling that everything would be OK, even in the most trying of circumstances if we have the help of a supportive network.
That long has been the hallmark of graphic novels, and now, the hallmark of the Berlantiverse.
The world that was created in the hallucination was perfection, and TPTB should consider an ARROW flashpoint that restores those characters to the canvas. The effect of their mutual appearances elevated the 100th episode to one of the better nights in modern television. It was a new era in “must-see TV.”
In addition to the always-fabulous sound and choreography was a story with a character-rich payoff and an expensive-effect-but-worth-it big bad.
The epic 4-night/4-series crossover event ends tonight on LEGENDS OF TOMORROW as the bad guy aliens, the Dominators, escalate their nefarious plans for Earth. Supergirl (Melissa Benoist), The Flash (Grant Gustin) and Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) and their respective teams join the Legends to save Earth while illustrating that humans are capable of bonding and working for a mutual goal of what is best for all, despite their differences…something that graphic novels have championed for decades.
To quote Felicity, “best team-up ever!”
Another era in which groups from disparate backgrounds come together to fight a common enemy, World War II, is on the forefront of tonight’s episode of LEGENDS OF TOMORROW. Footage comes to light revealing that the Dominators were here at least one other time…the 1940s..in a war film that was shot by none other than the U.S. Signal Corps.
And as I sit here, chuckling at the cleverness of the writers on their delicious inside joke, understand this…
When the U.S. entered WWII, the U.S. Army Signal Corps’s motion picture division covered the war and was headed by none other than Jack L. Warner, one of the four Warner Bros. Yes, the same Warner Bros. whose studio produces SUPERGIRL, THE FLASH, ARROW and LEGENDS OF TOMORROW and is half-owner of The CW. (The Signal Corps has among its ranks a storied group ranging from Stan Lee and Frank Capra to Julius Rosenberg.) Thanks to writers Phil Klemmer, Marc Guggenheim and Greg Berlanti and director Gregory Smith for the best laugh I have had all week.
LEGENDS OF TOMORROW stars Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Arthur Darvill (reportedly returning soon), Caity Lotz, Franz Drameh, Matt Letscher, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Amy Pemberton, Nick Zano, and the master of dry humor, Dominic Purcell. Carlos Valdes and Danielle Panabaker return from THE FLASH as does Amell, David Ramsey, Thea Holland and Emily Bett Rickards from ARROW. Christina Brucato guest stars as Lily Stein, the daughter that Martin acquired in a time aberration in 1987.
LEGENDS OF TOMORROW airs tonight in the U.S. on The CW at 8pm and on CTV Two in Canada.