Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Arrow Season 3 Premiere Review

"Got a Hot Date?"





The Hype

Arrow has been a great series from the word go but it never stops improving, The Flash which I had low expectations for ended up being fantastic, and all the news and casting i'v heard over the last few months seem very promising. Out of all the shows i'll be reviewing this year Arrow has always been the most exiting. As Arrow moves on to bigger and better things, I have no doubt in my mind season three will be nothing short of amazing.




The Review

We open the season with a superb action scene, featuring some new moves and some new weapons. Roy  Harper is already in full swing as Arsenal, and everything seems to be going smoothly for team Arrow. The vigilante task force has been disbanded, The Arrow finally gets some recognition for his heroics and crime in the city is on a significant decline. This really is a feel good episode, which gives me the overwhelming feeling something, terrible is going to happen very soon.



The villain this week is Count Vertigo...again, although it is a different actor and alter ego. It's painfully obvious that this incarnation of vertigo is meant to be a discount Scarecrow, as he uses his drug to show his victims their greatest fear. I guess the show runners are getting tired of the criticisms that there's too many Batman connections. Count Vertigo did the bare minimum and villain can and took up the run time between other plots, he is certainly the most forgettable part of the episode.




The two season long "will they, wont they" of Oliver and Felicity seems to finally be answered with they will. Steven Amell's acting is constantly improving and he almost there, but he still had his stiff moments. The new character of Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) fits in very well in the series and brings even more tension to the table.  We also get a blink-and-you'll-miss-it easter egg teasing the DC character Wild Cat.



[SPOILER ALERT!] [SPOILER ALERT!] [SPOILER ALERT!] [SPOILER ALERT!]

The ending episode ends with the death of Sarah Lance AKA the Black Canary, it was slightly unexpected but it wasn't too shocking as we haven't seen her for a while and she just shows up at the end of the episode (to die). If I had to put money on it, I would bet that the on the other end of those arrows is none other than Ra's al Ghul. Usually the death of a character would be a huge thing for me, i think i stood up and screamed when Oliver's Mother was killed, but i was surprisingly relieved to see her bite the bullet.. er uh.. arrow, iv never liked Sara, shes a stale character (and actress) and was always the weakest character to me, and to be completely honest i could never stand looking at that chin!.

[END SPOILER!]




At first I was worried Arrow had made too many drastic changes, but I was quickly reminded why its one of my all time favorite shows. I am putty in the hands of these characters and their struggles. I experience so many emotions over the course of an episode, and that's what makes a truly great series.




The Verdict

Arrow is strong as ever in the season 3 premiere


8.3/10