Oliver wants Diggle to pay his “penance” outside prison walls. Photo/IMDB
One of the latest episodes of Arrow (on October 26), titled “Penance,” treads familiar waters for anyone who has been a fan of the character since the 90’s, and held out hope for a big-screen adaptation. The possibility was very remote at the time, given how far Batman & Robin made superheroes and comic books fall in esteem (particularly for DC), but Arrow writers have long memories. And as long as the show has been on (which was noted here previously) the timing was finally right.
At the start, Team Arrow functions below expectations and wedges are driven between Ollie and Wild Dog as well as Felicity and Ragman. As a result, Oliver goes in alone when he resolves to spring Diggle from prison. One problem…well, two actually: Dig doesn’t want to leave, wishing to remain behind bars to repay his debt to society (hence the episode title), and Team Arrow comes together long enough to stand in Ollie’s way, questioning his judgment.
To make matters worse, Tobias Church has involved himself yet again and he is taking prisoners of his own.
“Penance” is similar to a cinematic treatment written by David S. Goyer (writer of the Blade films and co-writer of Nolan’s Batman trilogy, among many, many other comic-based films) a decade ago called Escape From Super Max. Bearing echoes to Suicide Squad, multiple drafts were written for a script but the project stayed stuck in development, never getting the green light.
Goyer remarked later that the whole idea was ahead of its time and featured a lot of villain cameos. No Joker or Harley Quinn show up in the week’s outing; not even Amanda Waller or Captain Boomerang resurface but Deadshot makes his first appearance in years on the show.
The separation between film and TV being what it is, that is likely a one-off, regardless of the mixed reception for Suicide Squad.
That is to be expected. What is unexpected is the show bringing back David Ramsey so soon but it is in as big — if somewhat maudlin — a way as possible.
