The Great British Fake Off Explained

Series:Legends of Tomorrow
Season:5
Episode:9
Director:David A. Geddes
Production:T13.21910
Prev:Zari, Not Zari
Next:Ship Broken
Season Article:Legends of Tomorrow (season 5)
Episode List:List of Legends of Tomorrow episodes

"The Great British Fake Off" is the ninth episode of the fifth season and 77th overall of the American science fiction television series Legends of Tomorrow, revolving around the eponymous team of superheroes and their time travelling adventures. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The episode was written by Jackie Canino, and directed by David A, Geddes.

Matt Ryan and Tala Ashe, star as John Constantine and Zari Tarazi, they are joined by principal cast members, Caity Lotz, Jes Macallan, Olivia Swan, Nick Zano, Matt Ryan, Dominic Purcell, Amy Louise Pemberton, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers.[1]

Plot

Charlie reveals she gave the last Loom fragment to the Enchantress, who made it extremely difficult to find. Constantine tries using everyone's energy to summon the fragment, but Sara faints; forcing him and Zari to travel to the United Kingdom in 1918, where they discover Constantine's house used to be a boarding house. They check-in, only to find several Encores have beaten them there. After disguising themselves as Jack the Ripper and Cleopatra, they discover Charlie's second sister, Lachesis, sent the Encores for the same purpose as them. Though their deception is discovered, John Constantine and Zari Tarazi successfully destroy the Encores, recover their Hell weapons, and get the Ring from the housekeeper; who unbeknownst to Zari, was the Enchantress. Meanwhile, Ava Sharpe, Gary Green, and Mick Rory go to Hell to confront Astra Logue and learn why she sent her Encores, only for Astra to discover that Lachesis and Atropos stole her soul coins to get the Loom for themselves, though they offer to give her Charlie's place. Astra accepts to get Constantine's coin back, but secretly joins the Legends to ensure that her fate is changed for the better.

Production

Development and Filming

Development on the episode began on November 6, 2019,[2] and finished on the 21st of the same month.[3]

Writing

The episode was written by Jackie Canino. The scene where Sara kisses Ava was improvised by Caity Lotz.[4] The episode's title is a play on The Great British Bake Off.[5]

Casting

The episode stars Caity Lotz, Tala Ashe, Jes Macallan, Nick Zano, Matt Ryan, Dominic Purcell, Amy Louise Pemberton, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Sara Lance, Zari Tarazi, Nate Haywood, John Constantine, Mick Rory, Gideon (as a voice actor), and Charlie.[6]

This is the first episode since "Hey, World!" not to guest star Shayan Sobhian as Behrad Tarazi. This is due to the characters death in the previous episode.[7] The episode guest stars Adam Tsekhman as Gary Green.

This episode guest stars several historical figures including Timothy Lyle as Jack the Ripper, Abby Ross and Ben Sullivan as Bonnie & Clyde, Chris Gauthier as King Henry VIII, and Peter Ciuffa as Brutus.[8]

Release

Broadcast

"The Great British Fake Off" was set to be aired on March 31, 2020, but was delayed.[9] The episode was ultamitly released on April 28, 2020. It was watched by 0.69 million viewers with a 0.2 share among adults 18–49.[10]

Critical reception

Den of Geek's Jim Dandeneau rated the episode a 4/5 saying it stuck the landing.[11] The A.V. Club's Alison Shoemaker said that the episode met all of its planned goals[12] Laura Hurley of Cinemablend praised the love triangle between John Constantine, Nate Heywood, and Zari Tarazi.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-04-18 . Legends of Tomorrow Traps Constantine & Zari With Multiple Encores . 2023-05-26 . CBR . en . May 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527015905/https://www.cbr.com/legends-of-tomorrow-great-british-fake-off-synopsis/ . live .
  2. Web site: Shimizu . Keto . 2019-11-04 . #LegendsOfTomorrow episode 510 is now in production! Written by our script coordinator @jackiepcanino and directed by @da_geddes . 2023-05-26 . Twitter . en . July 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240730173509/https://twitter.com/ketomizu/status/1192262676463751168 . live .
  3. Web site: Shimizu . Keto . 2019-11-21 . #LegendsOfTomorrow episode 511 is in production! Written by @james_eagan and Mark Bruner, and directed by @awkwardamerican . 2023-05-26 . Twitter . en . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526071000/https://twitter.com/ketomizu/status/1197669241475891200?cxt=HHwWgICoiYz1_J4hAAAA . live .
  4. Web site: Lotz . Caity . 2020-01-22 . So this was not planned....fun when outtakes make it in lol @jesmacallan . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220414103938/https://twitter.com/caitylotz/status/1220112445735346178 . 2022-04-14 . 2023-05-27 . Twitter . en.
  5. Web site: 2019-11-07 . Legends of Tomorrow pays tribute to Bake Off with new episode . 2023-05-27 . Digital Spy . en-GB . May 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527163024/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a29722454/dc-legends-of-tomorrow-season-5-great-british-bake-off/ . live .
  6. Web site: 2020-04-22 . DC's Legends of Tomorrow - "The Great British Fake Off" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528040636/https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/dcs-legends-of-tomorrow-the-great-british-fake-off/ . 2023-05-28 . 2023-05-26 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2020-04-22 . Legends of Tomorrow Kills Off [SPOILER]

    What This Means For Season 5 ]

    . 2023-05-26 . ScreenRant . en.
  8. Web site: 2020-05-05 . Legends of Tomorrow Brings Britain's Most Notorious Serial Killer to Life . 2023-05-26 . CBR . en . July 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240730153100/https://www.cbr.com/legends-tomorrow-jack-the-ripper/ . live .
  9. Web site: Cecchini . Mike . 2020-03-17 . The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow Air Dates Delayed . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526165041/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-flash-and-legends-of-tomorrow-air-dates-delayed/ . 2023-05-26 . 2023-05-26 . Den of Geek . en-US.
  10. Web site: Metcalf. Mitch. Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.28.2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503122723/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-tuesday-cable-originals-network-finals-4-28-2020.html. dead. May 3, 2020. Showbuzz Daily. April 29, 2020.
  11. Web site: Dandeneau . Jim . 2020-04-29 . Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 Episode 10 Review: The Great British Fake Off . 2023-05-26 . Den of Geek . en-US . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526071000/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/legends-of-tomorrow-season-5-episode-10-review-the-great-british-fake-off/ . live .
  12. Web site: 2020-04-29 . The Legends go to hell, almost get serial killed, and set up the end of the season . 2023-05-26 . The A.V. Club . en.
  13. Web site: Hurley . Laura . 2020-04-29 . Why Legends Of Tomorrow's Surprising New Love Triangle Is Actually Pretty Great . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527041915/https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2495310/why-legends-of-tomorrows-surprising-new-love-triangle-is-actually-pretty-great . 2023-05-27 . 2023-05-27 . CINEMABLEND . en.