Television
“Arrow” Introduces A New Era Of Superhero
By LaDale Anderson
Oct 10, 2012 - 9:05:26 PM

HOLLYWOOD—It’s still hard to fathom that “Smallville” is no longer airing new episodes on The CW Network.  It was one of my favorite shows; one where I actually bought various seasons on DVD.  I knew it was just a matter of time before a new superhero would grace the small screen, and that hero is Oliver Queen.  Many may be familiar with the character from the DC Comics, but the new series “Arrow” provides a bit more substance to the hero.

Queen is portrayed by Stephen Amell who has the looks of a playboy billionaire, which he so happens to be.   It's not until he finds himself stranded on a deserted island for nearly five years that he realizes he has a calling; he has the resources to fight crime and corruption in his hometown.  Of course, every superhero has to have a love interest, and Queen falls head over heels for Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy). Cassidy is a terrific actress; she was sensational on the reboot of “ Melrose Place.”  This, however is a far cry from the villainess she portrayed on that show; here she is a lawyer out to fight corruption.

Both Lance and Queen have an interesting history as the two dated; he also had a relationship with Laurel’s sister Sarah (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), who died in a boating accident. She despises Oliver’s guts and makes that crystal clear to him, but he also returns the favor to his flame in a heartbreaking scene in the pilot.  Of course the audience knows he did it to protect her, but he was so cruel about it.  No biggie, Laurel has a shoulder to lean on with Tommy (Colin Donnell), who just happens to be Oliver’s best bud.  Did anyone see that love triangle happening?

Katie Cassidy and Stephen Amell on "Arrow." Jack Rowand/The CW

The series does a great job of presenting the audience with flashbacks of Oliver and that mysterious island he was on.  He is very much traumatized.  He has the instincts of an animal; he’s super alert of his surrounding so much that when his mother attempts to waken him from a nightmare, he nearly kills her.  In a shocking turn of events, Oliver is kidnapped, but manages to find a way to escape his captors.  That grabs the attention of Detective Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) who just happens to be the father of Laurel Lance.

Amell brings a charm to Oliver; he’s cocky, he’s arrogant and has no shame in displaying it to the world. He does however have a soft spot for his little sister.  Of all the people in his family she is the one I feel he would sacrifice his life to protect. Arrow’s first mission after returning to town is to bring down Adam Hunt, a businessman who uses money to get what he wants.  He throws a huge bash to divert attention from himself as he swindles over $40 million from Hunt, who has no idea how the vigilante outsmarted him. 

Perhaps the two final scenes in the first episode are what sealed the deal for me; this is a show I need to keep watching.  The audience discovers that Oliver’s father killed another survivor then committed suicide, leaving Oliver as the sole survivor of the shipwreck.  That was one reveal I did not expect. The shocker of the night came when it was revealed that matriarch Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson) was the mastermind behind Oliver’s kidnapping.

You would think the woman would just be happy that her son that was presumed dead was alive, but no she has to get to the bottom of just what happened to her son on that island.  Looks like mommy is hiding some secrets and I think the audience wants to know just what.  “Arrow” brings something fresh to television; a superhero without boundaries.  There is no moral code he stands behind, except to fight corruption.  With the ever-evolving chemistry between Cassidy and Amell on the screen I can only imagine what other surprises audiences can expect this season. “Arrow” airs Wednesdays at 8pm on the CW.