This Week in DCTV 1/18/2020
Welcome to This Week in DCTV, where the Twisted Cape examines, breaks down, and gives a quick review of all the original shows that DC has released this week. This will run weekly and start on Sunday and end on Saturday, so we catch everything on the CW, Fox, and the DC Universe streaming service. We’ll also include an average on the week to help determine whether the week was a success. Keep in mind there will be spoilers on a regular basis so read on at your own risk. NOTE: We will not be covering Epix’s Pennyworth at this time.
Weekly Score (4 Out of 5) – Well, there goes the most ambitious TV crossover of all-time. And yes, we're here on that New Year, New Me bullshit. New site, y'all! Back on track, this week was short on shows, but high on quality. Really enjoyed this week and I hope we get more strong weeks moving forward. Twist of the Week belongs to the Legends episode of Crisis for Beebo!
The CW
Arrow - 4/5 – “Crisis On Infinite Earths: Part 4” Stuck in the Vanishing Point, the Paragons search for a way to escape. SPOILERS –The episode leans heavily on the Paragons as leads as well as a big part of the source material. Having Oliver take on a new form to pull the team together is a bold move. Ollie as The Spectre is not my favorite move, only because they didn’t have a great showcase of The Spectre’s abilities. Going back to the dawn of time would have been more exciting if it didn’t just look like a quarry. I wish set design had been more creative when designing the look there. Because it was the Arrow episode, I loved that they went back to pivotal moments in crossover history featuring Ollie. Ollie’s final death was heartwrenching, but he spent his final hero moments with 2 of his biggest hero friends, Sara and Barry, which was sweet. But his sacrifice allowed the multiverse to be reborn.
Legends of Tomorrow – 4.5/5 – “Crisis On Infinite Earths: Part 5” Worlds lived, worlds died and nothing will ever be the same. SPOILERS – This was a damn Legends episode, if there ever was one. The rebirth of the multiverse is a wonderful thing and only the Paragons remember things the way they used to be. Earth Prime is now shared by Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Superman, the Legends, and Black Lightning. The world is very different now and things get started by taking down a giant Beebo, and they all realize that something is off. Restoring memories to select heroes as the episode goes on makes it more impactful, especially Team Arrow learning about Ollie’s final death. We get a look at the Hall of Justice in it’s early form, and I loved that it includes a tribute to Green Arrow, so even though he’s gone he won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Despite the heaviness in the episode, it remains just as silly as you’d expect a Legends episode to be. The only reason it wasn’t a perfect score for me was the lingering questions for the status quo that aren’t addressed, but it gives all fans a reason to continue to tune in to see how the new world develops.
DC Universe
Harley Quinn – 4/5 – “L.O.D.R.S.V.P.” Harley gets an invite to the Legion of Doom’s prospective members party, but Ivy discovers that it’s Lex Luthor (GIANCARLO ESPOSITO) they’re really after. SPOILERS – This episode was more dramadey than anything else. The rift between Ivy and Harley started by Lex Luthor. These two clearly mean so much to each other, but they are both stubborn. I loved King Shark in this episode, especially his interactions with fish and Aquaman. I loved the line about there being a diver in the tank at the Legion of Doom base. The B story was amusing as well, focusing on Sy and Dr. Psycho, especially releasing Sy’s half octopus sister. I also loved the cliffhanger with Joker at the end. I’m curious to see how this drives the season forward. Outside of the Queen of Fables episode and the Jim Gordon episode, this may be one of the strongest episodes so far.