Arrow 5X4: Penance

I loved this episode. This was easily the best episode of the season so far, but also the best episode we've had in a good long while. (That isn't meant to take anything away from the previous episodes, I just want to convey how much I liked this one).

So Oliver heads out with Lyla to try to break John out of prison. Felicity is unhappy about this plan. Mostly because, John does not want to be broken out of prison. But, either way, Oliver is going. Felicity tries to get the recruits to stop him when she fails, but he just beats them all up (easily) and rides out of town.

Soon after, Lyla and Oliver manage to get into the prison (well Oliver does, Lyla is outside guiding him via cameras). After some setbacks, he manages to get to John who is pissed and does not want to be broken out. Oliver convinces him that it's the right thing to do and uses some dissolving stuff to break through the floor. Once they get outside, they are surrounded by guards, but no worries, they are pulled onto and aircraft carrier and whisked away. John is home and happy. Grateful that Oliver broke him out.

Meanwhile, at home, we've been trying to cover things in the Green Arrow's absence and it's hasn't been going well. First, we take some evidence we got off of one of Church's guy into the police station, but it was a ruse and actually a bomb. it blows the wall off and Church and his men come and take all the weapons.

Felicity manages to figure out where they are going, and sends the rest of the team (Rory included- he's back now). They aren't doing too badly, actually. But then Curtis gets nailed the back with a knife and we've got to retreat. Evelyn and Rory take him out to the van while Rene keeps Church busy while they do. However, they can't go back for Rene and are forced to leave him there where Church ends up taking him and torturing him. Oliver comes back right around this time, and vows they are going to get Rene back. 

Ugh. This was so much fun. Was this show popular when it was on? I don't remember people talking about it. But I might just not be the right demographic?