Eclectic Pop

Arrow | Malcolm Merlyn came to the rescue, saving the latest episode from disaster. The suave John Barrowman’s magnetic performance as Merlyn has brought the jolt of energy the series desperately needs. Under Merlyn’s influence Thea has drastically improved within the span of two episodes and her portrayer Willa Holland has found her groove as Oliver’s toughened up sister by another mister. The only downside to all this, is that Oliver continues to pale in comparison. 

A storyline that is definitely not working is Team Arrow’s revenge for Sara arc. She killed countless people whose families probably want their own share of retribution. It’s time to stop the cycle. It bears repeating, she lived by the arrow and she died by the arrow. Move it along. PS – enough with the flashbacks!

The Blacklist | Liz isn’t the only one having trouble with the suggestion that Red might have a daughter that’s not her. The key to the Liz/Red dynamic has been that she is the only person that is special to him, who he is willing to protect at any cost. If there is another person he is willing to do that for, regardless if they are his daughter or not, that kind of throws a wrench in things.

It was nice to hear Liz express her begrudging pleasure at the value of her position with Red. Despite being the show’s protagonist she is still a bit of a mystery and learning her big secret should help shed more light on her.

The Bold and the Beautiful | The Ridge/Caroline/Rick/Katie quadrangle has taken flight and the results have been awkward to put it mildly. Ridge is Rick’s half-brother/ex-stepfather and Katie (Ridge’s fiancée) is Rick’s aunt/soon-to-be-sister-in-law so the relationships in this romantic quandary are…complicatedly tangled to say the least. As Katie watches idly by with her red string “engagement ring”, her passive reaction has lead her into door mat territory again.

Ever since Caroline began working as Ridge’s creative surrogate the looming romantic fallout was inevitable. Coming off the worst in all of this is Ridge, who appears to be destroying his brother’s marriage just to get the position as Forrester Creations' CEO. Knowingly hurting Katie for a career ambition seems out of character. The good news out of the storyline is Rick has had a larger presence and a more distinct storyline.

Reign | Returning to the airwaves in regal fashion, “Reign” did not miss a beat catching the waves of last season’s momentum. As the plague threatened everyone in the realm, Mary outmaneuvered a devious Catherine, Kenna and Bash lost a loved one, Greer worried over her lost love Leith’s next move and Francis made a decision about his new baby.

Mary going into full fledged Queen-mode provided the series with a defining moment for its heroine. She’s not who she once was, she’s stronger and kudos to Adelaide Kane’s subtle flinch when Mary imposed her lethal verdict. It was a stellar nuance.

The Blacklist | Red and company made their return to television in a satisfying season premiere that proved to be a rather eventful affair. There was a stellar Red-centric opening sequence, a fantastic performance by guest star Krysten Ritter, a shocking revelation (Red has a living ex-wife) and the much awaited return of Harold.

Here’s hoping Red’s ominous reference to Harold’s health doesn’t turn out be anything serious. Elsewhere, Liz opted for a sleek bob and looked to move on with her life post-Tom. Despite the bad way things ended between them, it would be unfortunate for Tom to really be dead. It feels like the series had just scraped the surface of their convoluted marriage.

Tyrant | A shocking close to the first season, the finale was a game changer that left viewers on the precipice of a grim outcome. Ashraf Barhom’s sensational performance as the despotic Jamal was sensational as was Morian Atias’ turn as Leila, her closing monologue providing a chilling allocation of revenge. As the hour transpired with riveting repercussions, it made a phenomenal case for a second chapter. “Tyrant” has been a must-see, one of the year’s best new dramas and a stunning accomplishment for FX. 

Great Escape: Fargo: Lorne Malvo managed to escape police custody without even breaking a sweat. He simply employed the tactic of assuming another person’s identity and it worked. In a glorious scene of cat-and-mouse psychology, Billy Bob Thornton reminded viewers of his gift for the transformative and wowed in the process.