Season seven is progressing very well thus far and while no episode has been spot-on perfect, "Due Process" might come close enough. The plot moved around very naturally, juggling witty banter between Curtis (Echo Kellum), Anatoly (David Nykl) and a few members of former Team Arrow. Yes, the writing was particularly sharp this week, with the dialogue meshing very well with each character's motivations. Laurel (Katie Cassidy) had a very prominent and effective arc, highlighting the fact that she can indeed be a good person, but alas not a professional lawyer or a guardian angel. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) seemed to be placed a little more front and centre, something that didn't hurt the episode's quality in the slightest. If anything, it elevated it truth be told. The flash-forwards fell into place with her current status, in a moral limbo contemplating murder and the sacrifice of others. Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) and his merry team of Longbow Hunters weren't exactly the strongest this time (no Hunter getting any mileage story wise), but at least Diaz had a few good moments to himself thanks to Acevedo's occasional bursts of rage. Oliver (Stephen Amell) had a smaller, but intriguing Slabside tale to tell, one that involved the murder of a guard. While I wish that would be have been explored more, the prison's rogue's gallery returned with Vinnie Jones, Michael Jai White and Cody Runnels as Brick, Turner and Sampson to provide more menace and the ending with Oliver's slammer pal Stanley (Brendan Fletcher) hint at darker times to come in jail. As mentioned, the flash forwards progressed nicely, and continue to pile on mystery after mystery. "Due Process" was, if anything, an eventful chapter and worked all the better for balancing flash forwards, character drama and action. The stories connected surprisingly well, with none really overshadowing the other.
