Every Thursday I’ll put up a post to discuss a latest TV Show, Movie, Book, Band, etc…
Discussion Thursday
TV Show: Arrow
Title: Arrow
Channel: CW
Time: Wednesday 8pm
Premise: 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. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he’s become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. 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. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel’s father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver’s own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.
I admit I came into this a little later into the season – having recorded most for the season. The moment I started watching I went through like 4 episodes and was little upset I had to go to bed for work the next day! The show grips you, and you want to know what will happen next. I admit it needs some shoring up on character development – the sister and the ‘ex-girlfriend’ go from bitchy to caring back to bitchy in two seconds. The supporting characters are well casted and you enjoy watching them as much as the main character.
Stephen Arnell is amazing in the role he really brings depth to the character and watching him transform from shallow useless playboy to vigilante is really good. And the fact he does his own stunts – damn that’s all there is to say about some of those scenes. PS if you would like you can follow him on Twitter – his comments while filming are worth the read.
Katie Cassidy she will always be my favorite Ruby. And she does good in this role. I think the character needs some focus she seems to be all over the map at times for no reason.
David Ramsey as the bodyguard turned sidekick. I actually like him a lot. The actor is one of those you’ve seen him but not sure where. He holds his own, and his character is one of the few that as more focus on what he is supposed to be doing.
Paul Blackthorne will always be Dresden I don’t care what he does. It’s Dresden. He brings experience to the cast and it shows.
Though I have to ask John Barrowman – Really? I have a hard time seeing him as a sinister mastermind that wants to rule the universe. Just not working for me.
So the questions I’m tossing out to everyone reading the blog. Do you watch the show? Love it? Like it? What the fuck were they thinking? For those who know the comic series – does it follow true? Or typical hollywood rewrote everything?
You can reply variety of ways to this post! Through your facebook, twitter, and/or wordpress account. If you don’t have any of those – just type in your email and your good. Make sure to click – notification for response so you know when someone responded/replied to your comments.
So come on – lets discuss!
Stephen Arnell. It always nice to me when the actor does his/her own stunts because it means you don’t get the back of the head or long distance shots of the scene so the “audience is fooled.” Also, the guy is just impressive.
Paul Blackthorne. Every time I see him I think the same thing. Dresden.
What had caught my attention on the fact he did his own stunts was the push/pull up on the bars. And I was like wait that’s him… damn.
Sad is the way Sylum works all I kept thinking was Dresden got bored and stared working as a cop!
I was going to mention the whole “Dresden cop thing” but I was afraid you would lob another bunny at me. And I currently have enough of those (one even has a fancy starbucks mug).
Would that be the Jensen bunny? I’ll be nice and not lob another bunny at this time…
I got a few to work on myself just watching which one will plant themselves in front of me first.
Yep, the Jensen bunny has the spiffy mug. He thinks he’s special since the next big bang I’m writing involves him.
I enjoy the show, I think Stephen Amell iis good as Oliver. I enjoy how he portrays the conflict of his two roles. I kind of get the back and forth of the sister and ex-girlfriend. I imagine there is relif that is he alive but anger over feeling abandonded (in sister’s case) and betrayed (in girlfriend’s case). Tommy annoys me so i hope they are going to do something with him. I am two episodes behind and plan to catchup this weekend but over all I enjoy it.
Yeah the back and forth on the sister and the ex – makes sense in some ways and others as the characters grow and the actors get comfortable I think we’ll see the characters solidfy more. The only thing that does get me is the… dude stuck on island for 5 years no one has thought oh you know post traumatic stress or the idea he may need therapy? It’s like they expect him to talk to them and be like he was… but no thought on what he went through.
I agree, the whole come in and take over business, be normal is annoying. The mother is like grow up, I don’t understand you, you are not the same! No, duh! I was on an island for 5 years (we think alone) and had to watch all who were on the ship with me die. I have some things I need to work on here.
I have to say that this show is really good at drawing you in and it did so with me. I will admit to being quite a few episodes behind but I can’t wait to get caught up again and then see where they continue to go.
It does draw you in. I’m still curious to know if they are following well on the comics or has it taken it’s left turn yet 😀
I just finished catching up via my alternate methods for it. 😉 I think the story telling could use a bit of work in regards to the back story. It’s coming out too slowly for me.
I like the way they are telling it through the flashbacks, maybe a bit more information would be good. Since there’s still this big gab between whiny selfish kid to bad ass vigilante.
I think I’m having the same issue with the flashbacks. They’re moving slower than the present day story.
It’s very nicely representative of the comics. Now, I’m a big Marvel geek so no so much with the DC Comics but from what I can tell it’s pretty close and it has comic fans supporting it so there’s hope in there somewhere.
Taking away from ‘The Green Arrow’ which is a lot too much like ‘Green Goblin’, ‘Green Lantern’ and a host of other assorted ‘Green Thingies’, has made it a bit more macho and 21st Century.
I love that there’s makeup over his eyes instead of the mask.
With luck and good scripting the cast will settle into their roles as more of this progresses. We hope!
I do love the dramatic photography, and Diggles makes me laugh. He’s such a stoic.
This series has a lot going for it, so much so that it’ll be in Sylum before you know it. Actually I think it was being plotted out within the first 15 minutes of seeing the show.
It’s great to see Ruby again from SPN – the original Ruby that is. Nice to see her do something else, and as for Dresden… Well he was bored. Didn’t realise that actor was six foot four though!!
Okay enough rambling before I get onto the subject of idiot bad guys who annoy me.
Here’s to seeing more of this! It’s going to fun!
I’ve been watching it since the beginning and have been thoroughly enjoying it ever since. I love the Green Arrow (loved Justin Hartley playing him in Smallville and now Stephen Arnell playing him in Arrow).
I have to say I was completely amazed with him doing the whole salamander ladder. I’m an episode behind and definitely plan to catch up this weekend.
I am also looking forward the soon-to-be addition of Roy Harper, it should definitely make things interesting.
Yes the salamander ladder whens them every time 😀 I admit I’ve replayed that scene a few times.
I also was one who started and could not stop watching until I had to go to sleep. I an episode or two behind but I like where the story is heading.
I particularly like the play between Diggle and Oliver. Diggle working kind of as a reminder of Oliver’s humanity helps to balance out all of the darker moments in the storyline.
Its nice to see Dresden and Ruby again in new roles. I am still getting used to them being related now but it works.
I am looking forward to the actors getting more comfortable and I really hope the sister grows more because I think she has some great moments and I cannot wait to see more.
The sister has some great moments, but at times you want to smack her. They all seem to expect him to just be okay and talk with them like he wasn’t stuck on an island for 5 years.
Diggle is a great character and I do like how he is the balance and conscience in some levels to Oliver
I love this show. When I started seeing previews for it I started hounding EVERYONE around me to watch it, and now they all thank me… Which in some cases is surprising since some of them think they’re film critics. I think the casting director should get a raise.
I’m actually quite fond of Colin Donnell, who plays Tommy Merlyn. And I stared at Susanna Thompson for the first 30 minutes before I realized I’d seen her on NCIS.
Even the small part characters are just so good. Can we say Felicity Smoke. Winner. But it is hard for me to look at John Barrowman, my dashing Captain Jack Harkness, and see nefarious… Even if I’m glad to see him.
Arrow might not follow the comic books to the letter, but I give it two thumbs up. And if I had the power I would make it mandatory watching every Wednesday night in my clan.
Mal
I started watching it and I really liked it. I’m a few eps behind, so I can’t wait to catch up. I love Diggle; he’s so serious. I was hoping that Oliver would bring him in to help him out. I’ve never read the comics, but it isn’t that hard to follow. It’s great to have a good show to watch before my beloved Supernatural.
Not my favorite new show, but it’s up there pretty close. Love the idea and the action scenes are…very nice. 🙂 Though I love John Barrowman to death, I have to admit I’m not – quite – seeing him as the Bad Guy in this. On the other hand, we haven’t really seen that much of him yet, so…maybe.
As for the comics, it’s been litterally decades since I’ve read anything with Green Arrow so my comic!canon lore creaks like the doors to the Winchester’s Impala. Though I have noticed the facial scruff is giving just a hint of the comic book goatee that I remember from back when.
Yeah Barrowman isn’t working for me as a badguy (and I admit he’s not my favorite actor at all) he just doesn’t scream evil mastermind.
The Stunts are amazing and very pretty *grins*
Curious to see how it develops as it moves forward
The actor that plays Walter has the best voice of anyone in the series. Trivia: the actor that plays Walter also had a role on Dr. Who.