Admittedly, the team does express boredom over the lack of impending peril, but it is nice to see things calm and happy, if only for a short while.
Sure enough, the dark forces that Constantine had alluded to rear their malevolent heads, at Woodstock, no less.
Yeah, the setting gives the cast a chance to play dress up and rub shoulders with some prominent musical legends, but the backdrop actually works really well given the entity that they have to confront...a unicorn.
It isn't the most complex or menacing villain the team has faced, but the show puts it to good use, contrasting the usual bright, happy, colorful imagery associated with the beast and the more macabre aspects of its behavior, namely goring people and eating their hearts.
Given the environment, it should come as no surprise that a large portion of the team ends up high as a kite (courtesy of a mystical ability of the unicorn). Having the team trip balls is something that the show has done before, but it works well here. It fits the setting perfectly and the gags are good for a laugh. The conversation between Nate and Mick when they both think that they're talking to other people probably ranks as the best of the bunch, but the others are not without their own charm and entertainment factors.
The show does try to provide some character advancement with mixed results. The sub-plot with Nate and his dad didn't resonate as well as the writers might have hoped. It came and went too quickly. It does seem like Nate and Mick are bonding a bit, with the pair attempting to embark on a crime spree together. Nate steering them to his parents' house was a bit predictable, as he's not the type, but the fact that Mick invited him along speaks volumes.
Ray's pining over Nora is understandable, but there wasn't much in the way of progression. Zari does make a direct comparison of Darhk's daughter to their adversary, but beyond that, the main standout is Ray making out with a tree (it makes sense in context...sort of.)
As far as character moments go, the MVP's are Sara and Ava. Their relationship is still adorable and it's good to see them grow together. There is even talk of the two moving in together. While Constantine's arrival does somewhat hinder things, the two actually manage to work out their doubts and issues by having an honest discussion about what's going on and how they want things to play out. Not only is it a great scene, but it subverts the usual Arrowverse trope of creating forced, overdrawn, drama.
Constantine himself is still a welcome addition. I did enjoy the little nod to his own series when he talks about how the darkness is rising. Beyond that, he's still nailing the role. On the one hand, John is a loner by nature, but his appearances in prior episodes suggested he actually liked galavanting about with the team. He gets on well enough with them, though he does make a distinction between friends and roommates. Even Sara seems a bit perplexed as to why John is acting the way he is, probably going to act as fodder for the season as it progresses.
All in all, this episode didn't break any new ground, but it did its job of picking up where the last season left off and setting things up for what's to come. It gives viewers just what they would come to expect from the show at this point. It did get a little too meta at points (Ray's comments about ratings seemed a little forced to me) but it is very aware of what it is and just has fun with the concept.
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