Starling Tribune – Season 5 Edition – Checkmate (A CW Network Arrow Television Show Fan Podcast) #144

The Official Arrow Podcast of the Gonna Geek Network

Episode:            “Checkmate” [Season 5 Episode 16]

Air Date:           Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Director:           Ken Shane

            http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0788048/?ref_=tt_ov_dr

            1x Arrow | 54x Arrow (first Assistant Director)

Writers: Beth Schwartz

            http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2584087/?ref_=ttfc_fc_wr4

21x Arrow | 2x Legends | Co-executive Producer – Arrow

Sarah Tarkoff

            http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3582666/?ref_=ttfc_fc_wr5

4x Arrow | 6x Vixen

Promo: https://www.comicbookmovie.com/tv/dc/arrow/arrow-oliver-seeks-the-truth-in-this-new-extended-promo-for-season-5-a149330   

Weekly Ratings

Episode # / Episode Title / Episode Air / Date  / Rating

Arrow

01 Legacy 5-Oct-16 1.89

02 The Recruits 12-Oct-16 1.94

03 A Matter Of Trust 19-Oct-16 1.79

04 Penance 26-Oct-16 1.87

05 Human Target 2-Nov-16 1.61

06 So It Begins 9-Nov-16 1.95

07 Vigilante 16-Nov-16 1.86

08 Invasion 30-Nov-16 3.55

09 What We Leave Behind 7-Dec-16 1.94

10 Who Are You 25-Jan-17 1.68

11 Second Chances 1-Feb-17 1.91

12 Bratva 8-Feb-17 1.61

13 Spectre Of The Gun 15-Feb-17 1.66

14 The Sin-Eater 22-Feb-17 1.54

15 Fighting Fire with Fire 1-Mar-17 1.60

16 Checkmate 15-Mar-17 1.53

17 Kapot 22-Mar-17

18 Disbanded 29-Mar-17

19 Dangerous Liaisons TBD

20 Underneath TBD

21 Honor Thy Fathers TBD

Legends Of Tomorrow

Episode # / Episode Title / Episode Air / Date  / Rating

01 Out Of Time 13-Oct-2016 3.01

02 Justice Society of America 20-Oct-2016 2.83

03 Shogun 27-Oct-2016 2.71

04 Abominations 3-Nov-2016 1.75

05 Compromised 10-Nov-2016 1.77

06 Outlaw Country 17-Nov-2016 1.85

07 Invasion 1-Dec-2016 3.39

08 The Chicago Way 8-Dec-2016 2.00

09 Raiders Of The Lost Art 24-Jan-2016 1.74

10 The Legion Of Doom 31-Jan-2017 1.78

11 Turncoat 7-Feb-17 1.89

12 Camelot/3000 21-Feb-17 1.64

13 Land Of The Lost 7-Mar-17 1.54

14 Moonshoot 14-Mar-17 1.34

15 Fellowship of the Spear 21-Mar-17

16 Doomworld 28-Mar-17

17 Aruba 4-Apr-17

Supergirl

Episode # / Episode Title / Episode Air / Date  / Rating

01 The Adventures of Supergirl 10-Oct-16 3.06

02 The Last Children of Krypton 17-Oct-16 2.66

03 Welcome to Earth 24-Oct-16 2.65

04 Survivors 31-Oct-16 2.22

05 Crossfire 7-Nov-16 2.47

06 Changing 14-Nov-16 2.35

07 The Darkest Place 21-Nov-16 2.61

08 Medusa 28-Nov-16 3.53

09 Supergirl Lives 23-Jan-17 2.65

10 We Can Be Heroes 30-Jan-17 2.35

11 The Martian Chronicles 6-Feb-17 2.4

12 Luthors 13-Feb-17 2.52

13 Mr. & Mrs. Mxyzptlk 20-Feb-17 2.24

14 Homecoming 27-Feb-17 2.17

15 Exodus 6-Mar-17 2.16

16 Star-Crossed 20-Mar-17 TBD

17 Distant Sun 27-Mar-17 TBD

18 Ace Reporter TBD

THE FLASH

Episode # / Episode Title / Episode Air / Date  / Rating

01 Flashpoint 4-Oct-16 3.17

02 Paradox 11-Oct-16 2.80

03 Magenta 18-Oct-16 2.67

04 The New Rogues 25-Oct-16 2.80

05 Monster 1-Nov-16 2.77

06 Shade 15-Nov-16 3.01

07 Killer Frost 22-Nov-16 2.95

08 Invasion! 29-Nov-16 4.15

09 The Present 6-Dec-16 3.14

10 Borrowing Problems From The Future 24-Jan-17 2.68

11 Dead Or Alive 31-Jan-17 3.06

12 Untouchable 7-Feb-17 2.94

13 Attack on Gorilla City 21-Feb-17 2.78

14 Attack On Central City 28-Feb-17 2.87

15 The Wrath of Savitar 7-Mar-17 2.52

16 Into The Speed Force 14-Mar-17 2.39

17 Duet 21-Mar-17 TBD

18 Abra Kadabra 28-Mar-17 TBD

19 The Once And Future Flash TBD

Part 1: The Plot, Themes and Characters

• What was the overall theme for this episode / What was the link to the ep. name
  • Prometheus has Ollie right where he wants him
    • Kill me, kill Susan
    • Arrest me, Ollie comes home in pieces
    • Don’t do your job,
• Fight scenes & Stunts: Share your thoughts
  • Ollie at Talia’s monastery
    • Takes out students with ease
  • Ollie against Gregor
    • Lots of guns
    • Cool slide on the ice
  • Ollie vs Prometheus
    • Brutal hand-to-hand
• Flashbacks: Share your thoughts
  • Ollie and Anatoly go after Gregor
    • Ollie becomes the Hood; Anatoly – why you playing Robin Hood?
    • Anatoly – you are who you are, you don’t need to name it; what are you doing with your voice? The woman who taught you this will be the source of your pain (nice foreshadowing)
    • After “Bratva,” no tension because we know what happens
• Ollie:  
  • Somehow finds Talia; why he didn’t figure out she was an al Ghul when he realized the door to her monetary said “demon” probably means he’s not thinking clearly
  • Business with Talia was finished 5 years ago; surprised at who she really is; upset she’s helping Prometheus because he killed her father
  • Prometheus says he’s “impotent” because Ollie can’t stop him
  • Throws tantrum in Arrowcave; does the whole “is having people in my life a weakness?” bit
  • Prometheus, after listing who has died because of Ollie, tells him that he is likely one more loss away from being completely broken
  • Like a good Skyrim adventurer, takes an arrow to the knee; shot by Talia
  • Taken prisoner by Prometheus and Talia – “make sure he suffers”
  • Finally realizes having friends is a strength
  • Mentions son
• Diggle
  • Gives Ollie a supportive speech – again – “Caring about people makes you human”
  • Brings Prometheus’s wife to building
• Thea
  • Walkabout
• Felicity
  • Helix has her hack a US drone – quid pro quo
  • Gets Curtis to help her with the hack
  • Ollie tells her that keeping secrets isn’t a good thing to do
  • Goes back to Helix to find Ollie, tells them she’ll do anything
  • Why didn’t she activate Ollie’s tracker in his suit?
• Quentin Lance
  • Support
• Curtis / Mr. Terrific
  • Upset Felicity tricked him to hack drone
  • Uses T-spheres – how does he control them?
• Rene / Wild Dog
  • Threatens Chase, which is a felony
  • How did he survive explosion in building?
• Dinah Drake / Black Canary
  • How did she survive the explosion in building?
  • Why couldn’t she use her cry to escape room?
• Artemis
  • Traitor – where is she?
• Rory / Ragman
  • Walkabout
• D.A. Adrian Chase / Prometheus
  • Adrian Chase is an alias – we called it! Real name – Simon Morrison
  • Mother left – she changed her name too
  • 10 steps ahead – knows what Ollie will do; knows Ollie can’t do anything to stop him
  • Smug and deliciously devious
  • When to Talia 2 years ago; had already done his homework on Ollie
  • Talia helped him because Ollie killed her father (Talia finally reveals she’s Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter)
  • Kills wife (called it when she showed up); “Adrian Chase” blames Green Arrow
  • Stabs Pike because Ollie gave him fileWants to help Ollie learn who he really is
  • What we know:
    • Claybourne’s son; knows about The List; has moves Ollie learned from Talia; learned about Flash & co and multiple universes
• Susan Williams
  • Rescued
• Bratva
  • Ollie killed Gregor
• Who is Vigilante?
  • Known facts: Has own definition of justice; thinks Green Arrow doesn’t go far enough; changes source of ammo every week; has high-tech gear; moves fast; lost fight to Prometheus
  • Michelle’s List O’Suspects: (I’m keeping this active until the mask comes off)
    • Tommy Merlyn
    • Helena Bertinelli
    • Isabel Rochev
    • Mckenna Hall
    • Some guy from the Bratva
    • Some new character
• Lingering Questions / Issues
  • Where does Ollie live?
    • Bertinelli mention – 4 times

ARROW NEWS:

1. CODY RHODES RETURNING TO ARROW AS DEREK SAMPSON (Date: 10 March 2017)
   Cody Runnels, AKA wrestling star Cody Rhodes — who once tussled against Stephen Amell in the ring at WWE SummerSlam when he was wrestling under the name Stardust — is returning to Arrow as the villainous Derek Sampson. Rhodes was introduced as Sampson back in Season 5’s third episode, “A Matter of Trust.” Rhodes will be back in episode 521, which will debut near the end of the season in late April or early May.
   Link:http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/03/10/cody-rhodes-returning-to-arrow-as-derek-sampson
2. Spoiler Room: Scoop on This Is Us, Legends of Tomorrow, Vampire Diaries, more (Date: 10 March 2017)
   Is Talia going to appear in present-day Star City on Arrow? —
   Yes, and soon! “We will see her in the present day,” EP Marc Guggenheim teases. “What she wants from Oliver in the past is very different from what she wants from him in the present.” And yes, Guggenheim did confirm that Oliver has very purposefully never heard her last name. “Oliver couldn’t have heard it, because if he had, when Ra’s talked about his daughter he’d be like, ‘Yeah, the other daughter, I met her back in Russia,’” the EP says. “We were very cognizant not to retcon anything. So yes, she is Talia al Ghul, but Oliver obviously doesn’t know that.”
   Link:http://ew.com/tv/2017/03/10/spoiler-room-this-is-us-legends-tomorrow-vampire-diaries/  
3. Arrow’s Colton Haynes Got Engaged, With Help From Cher (Date: 12 March 2017)
   Former Arrow and Teen Wolf star, Colton Haynes, and Jeff Leatham, who manages the floral designs at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, got engaged. The happy couple have been vacationing in Los Cabos, Mexico, and, Leatham made it extra special by proposing to Haynes on the beach at Las Ventanas al Paraiso. “I SAID YES!!!,” Haynes wrote on Instragram, including an image of the two kissing while celebratory fireworks exploded behind them.Leatham used his celebrity connections to get Cher — the 70-year-old singer, actress, and gay icon — to send a special message to his boyfriend.

GENERAL DC TV NEWS

1. Who Can Save Iris on ‘The Flash’? Candice Patton Has the BEST Answer (Date: 15 March 2017)
   Ever since Barry (Grant Gustin) slipped through time and saw god of speed Savitar slaughtering his true love, Iris (Candice Patton), The Flash has been all about changing the future to save her life. Honestly, it’s starting to look a little bleak…especially since the producers haven’t even clued Patton into what lies ahead for her character! “No, they didn’t tell me,” she confesses with a laugh. “I have no idea and it’s a little alarming. I think I know, but you never really know. I am just in the dark as the audience so it will be really interesting to see if Team Flash can pull it off. I’m hoping they can, because I need a job.”
   

Link:https://www.tvinsider.com/137598/iris-the-flash-candice-patton-interview/  

2. First Look At Captain Cold’s Return To Legends Of Tomorrow Is Kind Of Heartwrenching (Date: 15 March 2017)
   Wentworth Miller’s Leonard Snart has become one of the Arrow-verse’s most unexpectedly popular characters since his initial introduction on The Flash. He’s popped up here and there over the course of the last season in hallucinations or flashbacks, but next week’s episode will see him finally return in earnest. As the latest trailer indicates, it is a suitably tragic moment for his former comrades, because he bemusedly looks ready for a deadly fight.
   Link:http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1635770/first-look-at-captain-colds-return-to-legends-of-tomorrow-is-kind-of-heartwrenching   
3. The Flash: Dozens of New Photos For Duet, the Supergirl Musical Crossover (Date: 15 March 2017)
   Most of the newly-released photos show several sequences and scenes inside the dream world that Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) and Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) are placed in by the Music Meister (fellow Glee alum Darren Criss). The new photos also provide a better look at many of the supporting characters inside the dream, including Iris West (Candice Patton), Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) and Arrow and Legends star Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman).
   Link:http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/03/16/the-flash-duet-supergirl-musical-crossover-photos/  
4. Crossover: Behind-the-Scenes of Kara & Barry’s Tap Dancing Duet! (Date: 15 March 2017)
   The Flash’s Grant Gustin and Supergirl herself, Melissa Benoist will be joined by their fellow former Glee co-star Darren Criss (and many more of your CW superhero favorites!) in an unprecedented musical crossover event – and only ET’s cameras were allowed behind the scenes to capture all the perfectly pitched action.
   Link:http://www.etonline.com/tv/213023_the_flash_supergirl_musical_crossover_duet_set_visit_grant_gustin_melissa_benoist/  

ARROW CAST & CREW NEWS

1. Arrow Star Talks About Talia al Ghul’s Ulterior Motives (Date: 15 March 2017)
   At the top of the article is a video interview of Comicbook.com with Lexa Doig. Link:http://comicbook.com/2017/03/15/arrow-star-talks-about-talia-al-ghuls-ulterior-motives/   
2. Chris INTERVIEW: ARROW’S PROMETHEUS ON HIS VENDETTA AGAINST OLIVER QUEEN (Date: 15 March 2017)
   “Arrow” recently revealed the identity of this season’s major villain, Prometheus, to be none other than Adrian Chase, aka Star City’s district attorney. Throughout the season, Prometheus/Chase’s attacks kept intensifying and becoming more and more personal. In his determination to destroy Oliver, Prometheus went so far as to kidnap Green Arrow’s girlfriend, Susan, determined to make Oliver suffer as much as he has. Ahead of the next stage of Prometheus’ master plan, CBR spoke with actor Josh Segarra about what he feels makes his bad guy tick, and his plans for Oliver Queen and Team Arrow.
   Link:http://www.cbr.com/interview-arrow-prometheus-josh-segarra/  
3. Is Arrow’s Talia Al Ghul Good Or Evil? Here’s What The Actress Says (Date: 14 March 2017)
   Arrow got a whole lot more badass in the flashbacks in Season 5 thanks to the introduction of none other than Talia al Ghul, who is best known as the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul in DC Comics. Arrow’s version of Talia stands on her own, however, and she doesn’t seem beholden to her father in the slightest. Lexa Doig plays Talia in the flashbacks, and she has brought layers of ambiguity to the character that has led many viewers to wonder if Talia is good or evil deep down. Doig recently spoke to CinemaBlend about her role on Arrow.
   Link:http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1635520/is-arrows-talia-al-ghul-good-or-evil-heres-what-the-actress-saysARROW EP WENDY MERICLE ADDRESSES PROMETHEUS’ IDENTITY & MOTIVATIONS (Date: 01 March 2017)
   In the wake of this stunning reveal, executive producer Wendy Mericle spoke to CBR and other reporters about what’s in store for Team Arrow now that Prometheus’ identity is out in the open. She addressed why she and the other showrunners made Chase Prometheus instead of Vigilante, why those chose now to make this reveal, what drives Chase to torture Oliver Queen and more. Why make Chase Prometheus instead of Vigilante? “I think one of the reasons we did that was because everyone would be thinking, “Of course he’s Vigilante!” Adrian Chase is Vigilante in the comic books, as you pointed out, and we thought it would be a really fun sort of twist to do what we’ve always done on the show, which is to take the comic book mythology and turn it on its head and see what kind of story we could mine from a surprise like that. It was also just something different for this season. We wanted to change up how we introduced the big bad and change up when we did it and how we did it. Hopefully, we succeeded in that this year.” She also said that Prometheus is going to mess with Lance as well.
   Link:http://www.cbr.com/arrow-wendy-mericle-promtheus-reveal-adrian-chase-josh-segarra-susan-williams-interview/    

GREEN ARROW COMICS & TOY NEWS

1. Green Arrow #19 –   (Date: 15 March 2017)
   * REUNION – The Return of Roy Harper Finale!
   * Orphaned as an infant and raised on a Navajo reservation, the superhero Arsenal returns to his adopted home to defend it from a violent militia hired by…Queen Industries?! Oliver Queen’s company has been up to no good since his supposed death, but Green Arrow is on the scene to make things right. Unfortunately for Ollie, he’s the last person his former sidekick wants to see.
   * Written by Benjamin Percy | Pencils & Inks by Mirka Andolfo & Eleonora Carlini | Colored by Arif Prianto
   Link:https://www.comixology.com/Green-Arrow-2016-19/digital-comic/469635?ref=bGlzdC92aWV3L2Rlc2t0b3AvZ3JpZExpc3QvbGlzdDE2MDA3  
2. TV Series ArtFX+ Arrow Statue Images From Kotobukiya   (Date: 09 Mar 2016)
   Kotobukiya Japan has released official images for the upcoming 1/10 scale Arrow TV Series Arrow ArtFX+ statue. The statue is based on actor Stephen Amell as he appears currently on the CW super hero drama. You can have the statue posed with just the bow at Oliver Queen’s side or switch out the arms so that Oliver is holding his bow with an arrow in front of him in a more action like pose. A display base will also be included. Look for it to be released in August 2017.
   Link:http://toynewsi.com/news.php?itemid=28485     

FEEDBACK

CWrecap‏ @CWrecap   Adrian Chase and Crowley are twins right now as they are both 10 steps ahead #Supernatural #Arrow

The Starling Tribune‏ @CWrecap Also Savitar #TheFlash

CWrecap‏ @CWrecap @StarlingTribune True Triplets!

David Taylor‏ @DT2ComicsChat  John Diggle. Helmet. That will never not be funny.
The Starling Tribune‏ @DT2ComicsChat It’s a helmet with lights. So we can see his face. Because that makes sense.

David Taylor‏
@DT2ComicsChat @StarlingTribune So much sense, I’d sure want THAT fashion accessory.

Consultant BlackAdam‏ @Starsaber_222 The ascent stage of the LEM had separate fuel tanks. Unless they were damaged, they shouldn’t have any problems making orbit.

The Starling Tribune‏ @Starsaber_222 Yeah. The writers played loose with the science

Consultant BlackAdam‏ @Starsaber_222 @StarlingTribune Over/under on how long @StargatePioneer will spend nitpicking the #rocketScience in this week’s #LegendsofTomorrow? My guess is 10 minutes when you do the episode about it.

The Starling Tribune‏
@Starsaber_222 @StargatePioneer I’m guessing 5 minutes. He’ll want to get right to it

NEXT EPISODE

Promo for Next Week’s: Episode – “Kapiushon” (Date: 15 March 2017)
Article:https://www.comicbookmovie.com/tv/dc/arrow/arrow-season-5-episode-17-promo-kapiushon-oliver-queen-is-promtheus-prisoner-a149656

Episode:   “Kapiushon” [Season 5 Episode 17] Капюшон Kapyushon

Air Date:        Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Summary:      Prometheus goes to extreme lengths to destroy Oliver. In flashbacks, Oliver’s violent tendencies come to a head in a confrontation with Anatoly.

Director:         Kevin Tancharoen

Writers:          Brian Ford Sullivan and Emilio Ortega Aldrich

IMDB:   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5607512/?ref_=ttep_ep17

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This podcast was recorded Thursday March 16th, 2017.

Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoyed the show!

Audio Production by Stargate Pioneer of GonnaGeek.com.