Arrow

Today I thought I would tell you about a show I've been watching called Arrow. This show is into its 5th season so you may well have seen it. If so, I'd love to hear what you thought. I've only watched the first season so I have no idea whether the show will continue to hold my interest, but for now, I'm heading into Season Two.

The premise of the show is this: richy rich playboy Oliver Queen comes home to Starling City after being missing for five years following the sinking of his father's boat. All hands were lost, including his father and his girlfriend's sister who he was sleeping with on the sly. Before dying, his father tells him he has to right his wrongs. Oliver doesn't know what this means at first but then he finds a notebook with a list of names, people who his father did business with. When he arrives home, he discovers that a lot of the names don't belong to very nice people. Enter Arrow...

What I like about this show: Besides the obvious (I pretty much like all justice seeking comic book heroes), I liked the way Oliver's character develops. You know right away that he has been through hell on the island, and that it has changed him. But he can't share how, and at first tries to pretend he's the same old carefree rich boy. He has to figure out how to be the new version of himself as well as how to become Arrow. I also loved Diggle, the bodyguard he ditches too many times and then recruits to his cause and I especially loved the flashbacks to the island where we learn how it changed him. Where did he get these mad skills? What did he have to do to survive? I find this back story especially compelling and I like the way it's being doled out. Finally, there's Mrs. Queen, Oliver's mother, who is more layered than some of the other female characters, and the detective, played by Paul Blackthorn (who was once Harry Dresden on the Dresden Files - in case you wanted to know...), whose task it is to find and bring down the vigilante known as the hood.

What I don't like: every single woman seems to almost always be exceedingly well-dressed and made up. Lots of high heels, too much shiny red/hot pink lipstick. I like Felicity, but her character needs some deepening and less lipstick. I found Thea (Oliver's sister), to be a bit annoying at times, especially the way she was able to waltz into clubs and drink and drug even though she's still in high school, and Laurel, the girl he cheated on, her character also bothers me for some reason, besides the too much makeup thing.

Bonus: there's something about the show that's inspiring my writing,which makes it even more fun to watch.

Have you seen Arrow? Have a favorite comic book hero?