"Arrow" currently has a rating of 8.2 on IMDB. Which is significantly high in my opinion... a rating it hasn't quite earned yet! This rating puts "Arrow" above shows like "The Tudors", "Hell on Wheels" or "The Vampire Diaries" (which before your freak out actually has great writing!). How bout I keep it simple and strictly talk geek lol. Both "Lost" and "Stargate SG-1" have a rating of 8.3... Is "Arrow" really on the same level? How bout "Doctor Who" and "Life on Mars" which are rated at 8.4? If "The Cape" was only rated at 5.3 what exactly makes "Arrow" worthy of a 8? Now don't get me wrong lol I follow the show religiously and I'm probably one of it's biggest fans here but does this really make sense? I want to see the show catch up with the likes of "Fringe", "Luther" and "Misfits" (8.5)... Hell I would love to see it on par with "BSG" and "The Walking Dead" (8.8) or even break into the 9s with "Firefly" and "Game of Thrones" but The CW is gonna have to fix some stuff first!
We love to fan cast on this site and I'm pretty sure that given the opportunity most of us would recast a couple if not everyone on the show. Characters like Dinah (who I would have preferred as a talk show host or news anchor like the opposite of Godfrey in Young Justice... just saying), her father or even Merlin Jr. end up being more annoying than anything when on screen. Even though the casting is mainly acceptable, there's no denying that a couple B list actors would be very refreshing to our show in comparison to the C and D list actors the CW is forcing on us! To be fair the latest additions to the cast have been great and if there's consistency then we should be getting a lot more awesome episodes like "Dead to Rights" which I have to admit is my favorite so far!
B) Claims to have Nolan's realism but does it really?
In episode 5, Oliver Queen is arrested and suspected to be the hooded vigilante. He is clearly caught on camera not to mention he probably left his DNA on all the arrows the police department have collected and still he walks away? With only one person showing suspicion? Where is the paparazzi / overzealous reporters? How can he show up numurous times to Dinah someone who he's had a extended and intimate relationship with and she still can't recognise him? Because his face is covered by a shadow? His own mother can't recognise her son in a Halloween costume? I mean let's agree that Arrow is no where near as believable as Nolan's trilogy!
C) He's not learning from his mistakes...
One of the things I find the most annoying about this interpretation of Ollie is that he just doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes! I've never known Green Arrow to be this dumb! Let me give you an example... In the third episode Arrow goes up against Deadshot several times and yet never thinks it a good Idea to wear a bulletproof vest? He has a date with firefly and dresses normally? We can't be surprised when he catches on fire can we!
D) His current adventures aren't half as fun to watch as his flashbacks...
This in my opinion is a serious problem. When we care more about what happened to him on the "Island" than what's happening now in Starling city people ought to be concerned! What happens when we don't have any more of the time gap to fill?
That being said here are 3 Simple Ways to Radically Improve "Arrow"
1. Give Oliver Queen some common sense!
I'd like to think that if Mr. Queen gave his son a book full of names of people to bring justice to, Ollie would start by creating a bio for each and attempt to find some patterns or hierarchy! Would the Green Arrow we're such a fan of just read n scratch names out of a book or would he have a organised setup like any proper investigator?
If he's so keen on sticking to his Island outfit wouldn't you think that he could afford to have it reproduced and upgraded? Like mentioned earlier he could easily afford some custom bulletproof vests to wear underneat or how about a fireproof coting? I saw this on a reno show where they sprayed a liquid on the wood that made it near impossible to light on fire. I mean what's the point of him being rich? Felicity upgrading the computers was great but I really hope that having her on the team will have some more of these obvious issues addressed!
2. Make the show more believable!
Give us a reason his DNA can't be traced on all the arrows he leaves behind. I mean I know they don't want this green Arrow to be like the one in the comics but I actually think some things like giving him a mask or making him put on a fake moustache and goatee whenever on a mission, one that he could take off afterwards would actually make him significantly harder to recognise. Maybe even contacts that change color when he wants them to. If it had built in tech that would be awesome! That's kinda out there but the truth is it would be a hell of a lot more believable that the people closest to him don't recognise him if he did! I mean he takes the time to put on makeup so how much more a stretch to have him put on some fake accessories instead? Now it's been brought to my attention that such things would impede Oliver's abilities as an archer but my point is simply this... there has to be a better explanation for his identity to remain a secret because his hood simply would never cut it in real life!
Sorry didn't have the patience to look for a blonde example
3. If you're not going to give us super powers at least give us advanced technology and anomalies!
We don't want another "Smallville" I get it but I'm not asking for that. Let me give you an example of what I am asking for... Count Vertigo has made his appearance a couple episode ago. When the episode ended he was in rough shape... I want them to bring him back fully recovered and now immune to the effects of the drug. Why not have him rehabilitated by a genius scientist like Hugo Strange or Lex Luther? They don't have to make appearances themselves but have which ever one suits best be referred to whenever Oliver investigates Vertigo's return. Also it would be really interesting if Oliver somehow found out about the JSA and how they were the first to challenge the Undertaking. We could have him track down Rex Tyler the original Hourman and get addicted to the Miraclo drug even though it's killing him the more he uses it! It would be incredible if it's side effects were similar to the drug in the movie "Limitless".
So do you agree? Sound off below...