Dancing Queen
After a couple of weeks where we have seen, for me, two of the craziest episodes of Legends of Tomorrow, “Dancing Queen” definitely toned it down a little. Yes, we still have magic and yes we have the crazy and as with the first couple of episodes, we still have some highly emotional story.
Squad God Save The Queen
As is generally the case with the CW shows, there are three elements to each story. The main part of the episode concentrates on finding the latest magic monster that the Legends are alerted to.
London 1977 – punk is everywhere and a great setting for this episode. We see the Queen on stage with the band The Smell, Ray gets tattooed, Ray, sorry Rayyyyge, kidnaps one of the Queens Corgi’s, we don’t have a Leprechaun which is very sad, great punk music, shapeshifting, double Ray etc etc.
Oh, more importantly, thanks to a bit of the ol’ shapeshifting, we get the return of the lovely Maisie Richardson-Sellers – complete with English accent.
This episode puts Ray right at the centre of it as he inadvertently saves the band and ultimately bonding with them, in particular their leader, Charlie. For me, it’s about time Ray was put at the centre of an episode and it ends up a cracking story, improving on what came the week before. Seeing him still kind of pining for Nora is great but without big emotion, but seeing him go from the Ray we know to a more rebellious version of himself is quite wonderful. I loved this side of Ray and hope that it’s the beginning of seeing more character building for him. Brandon Routh is great here, yes it sometimes feels like he’s playing Clark Kent in Superman Returns but I always loved that. There’s also seeing Ray (not Ray but Charlie) going after the Legends as they threaten to send Charlie away. Ray building up that relationship with Charlie, who is nothing more than a cheeky rebel herself, is a nice touch and sees him go against orders from his captain. Seeing Ray like this took me by surprise, although I wasn’t exactly taken aback when it was made apparent Charlie had taken on his form.
A good main story, over the top as always but not in the way we’ve seen in the first two episodes, something, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I was glad about.
Fight Fight Friday Night
The second part of the episode takes us back to Nate at the Time Bureau. After telling Sarah that he won’t be joining them on this mission, or any mission for a while, Nate finds himself bored by tasks at the bureau. Seeking some action, when the one nippled wonder Gary, alerts him to an anomaly, Nate convinces Gary to go against protocol and go check it out, forgetting about Taco Monday’s (about as rebellious as it gets at the bureau, Monday’s instead of Tuesdays). Making their way to the time of sabre tooth tigers, one of which they come face to face with, they end by rushing back to the bureau before being eaten alive. Gary believes they’ve rectified the issue from that tune without actually doing anything. However, a gift from Gary to Nate, who are now known as Time Bro’s states otherwise. It’s a plant, solimilar to a Venus Flytrap but, as it awakens, it “runs” off (yea, I can’t believe I’m typing that). Chaos and hilarity. ensues, Ava has no idea what’s gone on, but the problem does get solved. As it appears that Bate will be back on the Waverider, because Charlie is now stuck looking like Amaya thanks to Constantine, Sarah thinks it beat for Nate to stay with the bureau for the time being.
This is the fun part of the episode, funny subplot that gets a laugh. It doesn’t forward the plot of the series any but it does a job of keeping Nate off the Waverider, all for his own emotional well-being of course. As much as I wasn’t keen on Gary when he first appeared I’ve grown to enjoy the fun that the character brings to the show.
Say You Want Me Too
Now, as much as I’ve enjoyed the other parts of this episode, I have to say that this element did more for me than anything else. Constantine has left the Waverider before getting involved in the main issue. Making his way to a Liverpool pub, he is found downing a pint by Zari.
When Zari finds out why he’s there and it transpires that he is being served at the bar by his mum, it creates a massive emotional jolt. We also find out about her death in childbirth and the pain he suffered as he was always told by his father that it was his fault. His father is also at the pub, unaware of who JC is due to the year we are in. John wants to hurt his dad, however as Zari explains he can’t do that, if he does, Constantine would then fail to exist.
He obviously rejoins the team in their quest to take down this magic demon but, as is apparent, he doesn’t send her to hell as per the Fairy Godmother of the last episode, much to his dismay. The team feel that Charlie is not a threat to life as others have been.
There’s a lovely touch at the end of the episode as Zari has a photo from surveillance footage at the pub of JC and his mum. Giving it to him, we see he’s thankful despite his tough exterior. He never knew his mum, obviously never had a photo of them together so this is always going to mean so much.
Tala Ashe and, in particular Matt Ryan share great chemistry through these scenes. Theircharacters both have family issues, both having such loving feelings for their mothers. Thanks to their performance, you believe everything they are trying to convey. It’s safe to say that since Matt Ryan joined the show, the others are having to raise their game as his performances have been top-notch so far. I’ve loved having him in the show.
All in all a cracking episode, improved on the week before. As much as the crazy is there, we are seeing much more serious and emotional matters in each episode. I love that sand long may it continue.
Hope you all enjoyed it yourselves, please leave any comments below or on our social media pages.
Until next time – Never Mind The Bollocks!
Cheers, John
