TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Arrow Season 06 Episode 03: Next Of Kin

With last weeks ending, there were a LOT of questions about how Team Arrow would be with Diggle at the helm, especially with us know his condition in regards to nerve damage. And despite a few hangups, “Next of Kin” was a solid answer to those questions, with a few twists to make things interesting.

I really appreciated how the writing team addressed many of the problems that occur with Diggle now being Green Arrow full time. Sure, he’s donned the suit in Season 01, but that was to prove a point, it wasn’t meant to stick. Here, it had to, and there were problems. Mainly…Diggle’s not an archer, and though he put an arrow in someone’s knee (classic), it was still a problem. Also, though he led the team as Spartan at times, he always had someone helping him in regards to commands. Laurel, Thea, in Felicity at times. But here? He was a little more on his own.

I’m not sure I bought the “freezing” of him in the field, but it was a nice visual, and it was a nice touch that he had to work through this problem as well as his nerve problem to get to be the leader the team deserved. Which also added to Renee asking Oliver to come back because he didn’t have faith in Diggle as a leader just yet.

It would’ve been really easy for Oliver to come back, but instead, he doubled down on Diggle (the irony), and did his best to prove why he could be a better leader than he ever was. I loved the recalling of Season 01 with the Royal Flush Gang as a key point for Oliver’s transformation into a hero. And it was Diggle who put him on that path, now it was Oliver’s turn to return the favor.

Which led us to Oliver’s continued effort to be a father for William. As I noted in the Flash review, it’s the simple dilemma’s that provide the most depth. William was struggling with math, and Oliver wasn’t able to help him with that…so…he had Felicity do it. Which was brilliant, and helped William in the process. Yes, it appears Olicity really is alive and well, and some will hate it, but at least they’re going about it the right way in terms of building it up.

True to recent form, Oliver had mayoral issues as well. And they were good. Mainly, aside from our new FBI agent not falling for the Diggle swap (arrows…), Oliver appeared to not be supporting the SCPD because of his support of the Green Arrow, which lead to another anti-vigilante bill being drawn up. But in a twist, he decided to put the fate of the bill (and possibly the team) in the hands of the people. I look forward to seeing what they say.

As for our villains, they were ok. Onyx is a comic character, and she was a member of the League of Assassins. I wish she had that tie-in here, as it would’ve been another villain “from Oliver’s past” coming back to haunt him. But alas, it was not. At least some of the fights were good though.

“Next of Kin” pushed the “New Arrow” storyline into fun directions. And with Diggle now VERY NOT WELL…it’s going to be interesting to see how things play out.