Year: 2012
Season: 1
Broadcasting Station: The CW
Official Synopsis: After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. [...] As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow - a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. [...]
For more information you may visit its Official Page or its TV.com Page.
STEPH SAID
Rating:
Review:
I didn’t know what to expect from this series. I’m a fan of Smallville and its Green Arrow, but I had heard that Arrow was not going to follow into Smallville’s footsteps. I’m not entirely sure that it doesn’t.
Arrow was an amazing introductory season, most of the time. This season is full of intrigue, drama, intensity and thrills. It focused on giving a more mature, dark and realistic feel to the superhero and his troubles. Most episodes of this season follow the same pattern: Oliver tries to stop a bad guy while the background story is developed in accordance to what’s happening in the present. The background story –what happened to, and while, Oliver was stranded on an island for five years and what got him there and out– is as interesting as what’s happening in Oliver’s present, sometimes even more.
The characters were another plus for this series, most of them. They were interesting, intriguing and with something to hide. The actors portraying them were even better. Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne, Emily Bett Rickards and David Ramsey are amongst the bests, but it was John Barrowman, as Mr. Merlyn, who impressed me the most. Also, Seth Gable's small appearances were scene stealers.
However, not everything was good in Arrow land; and, what was its stronghold proved to be its downfall at one time. About halfway through the season, the episodes began to get really boring, monotonous and dull. Nothing interesting happened. I mean, they were OK, but, when you watch a TV series that has thrills to the max, where every episode is more intriguing that the previous one and where every episode ends in a mind-boggling cliff-hanger, having a relaxed episode where not much happens is not a good thing. Nevertheless, the dullness lasted for only a couple of episodes. Afterwards, Arrow came back hard, better than it was before.
This TV series is so thrilling that you can't just watch one episode per week. Fortunately, the first season already ended and you can watch the episodes back to back. Unfortunately, you won't be able to do that with the seasons to come. So, get ready for days full of tension and torture while you wait for the next episode to air.
