Introduction:
For months now I’ve heard about the turn-around adventure of The CWs Arrow. From typical, polarizing CW teen-garbage to state-of –the-art adult Drama starring one of DC’s most cool B-Listers, Arrow seems to now be universally loved.
I watched a clip of Barry Allen’s accident and instantly knew that the show had somewhere along the line changed its attitude of being too good for the rest of the DC Universe and all it’s attempts, successful or otherwise, to be brought to the screen. From the beginning I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the show would abandon its policy, which stated (to paraphrase) “This is a universe without super-powers.”
Let’s face it we loved the Superhero-less Universe of The Nolan Trilogy because it was GOOD. It was well written and executed by some of Hollywood’s finest. Not everyone can achieve that. Marc Guggenheim, Greg Berlanti, and Andrew Kreisberg do not a Nolan make. Just ask Green Lantern. (A film I will defend in debates, by the way.) My point being, generally speaking, we WANT superheroes in our superhero stories.
Part I.
All that in mind, I decided to give “Arrow” another go. I start writing this editorial as I re-watch the Pilot, one of two episodes I’ve previously watched. I considered skipping ahead, but to do justice for the fans of the show, I decided to see it all. Already, I am reminded of many of its horrendous flaws. Absolutely textbook Point A-to-Point B writing and some downright terrible performances. But I will continue this journey. Because I believe in Oliver Queen. I also believe in the opinions of the masses. I’ve heard the show got better. I’ll be my own judge…
Part II
At this point, I have watched episodes 1-4 and here’s a collection of thoughts on what I’ve seen so far…
-Diggle and Ollie are awesome…the Lances and Tommy Merlyn…not so much.
-By the end of the second episode though, I realize I quit watching the show minutes too early. I truly begin to see the Oliver Queen of the comics; his use of humor to mask his inner turmoil and to diffuse emotionally complicated moments.
-However the conniving Moira Queen and Tommy Merlyn are still too much of a rip-off of Lionel Luthor and Lex from Smallville. If not a rip-off, it still annoys me. This show and its producers spoke so much about how this show was going to be better and different than what we had seen before. Yet it’s relentless “borrowing” from Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Smallville was blatant and offensive to me.
-The narration is just terrible. It needs to go. Narration is at best a supplementary addition that can help elevate a story to higher emotional levels, and at worse the sloppiest of story-telling. So far, I have only seen the latter.
-Remarkably, I’m seeing Ollie as the social crusader he is supposed to be. Al though the show takes it in a possibly, unnecessarily updated fashion.
-Random thought; how cool would it be if John Diggle had been John Stewart?
Part III
A confession that I realized this has all been Part I of my analysis of “Arrow.” It’s become clear that I have a lot to say about this show. But before I finish I want to answer one personal question; Why would I do this? Why bother? Here’s the answer…
I’ve been watching and more-or-less enjoying “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D”
It’s a monumentally flawed show. But, I’ve been enjoying it. Then I realized it was a bit hypocritical of me to have written off “Arrow” long ago, and then turned around and given “S.H.I.E.L.D” every chance to disappoint and then earn some appreciation. There is that and then there is Jeff Lemire’s run on the “Green Arrow” comics.
I am, and always will be a Green Arrow fanatic. DC’s first run of Green Arrow in their New 52 was appallingly bad. Easily, it was one of the worst comics on the shelf for months. Then Lemire took over and I saw that anything…ANYTHING could be turned around.