TV SHOW REVIEW - Arrow: Season 3
By The Masked Medic
Wow. I have to say, it’s been a while since I’ve written a TV show review, and it’s been even longer since I’ve watched anything from the CW. I remember when I started university, all the shows I was watching at the time were on the CW, and it makes sense because their target audience was literally people in their late teens. On top of that, they were the only channel that was producing DC Comics TV shows at the time. So nostalgia baited, it was time to jump back in!
‘Arrow’ Season 3 begins in the aftermath of the previous season. Oliver loses his company because no one really trusts his judgment in running it, and in steps Ray Palmer, a genius scientist, who not only steals Oliver’s company but also steals his girl. What!?! The Arrow Team also seems to be getting into a new rhythm, and then Sara turns up, and everyone is overjoyed. But when she is mysteriously killed, the team scramble to find her killer. With the villainous Malcolm Merlyn turning up, it seems that a likely suspect has been identified. But all is not as it seems, because as the mystery of Sara’s murder begins to unravel, a new enemy emerges from the shadows. We are talking about the League of Assassins led by the indomitable Ra’s Al Ghul. Similar to several Batman comic book storylines, Ra’s sees something in Oliver, and when the two of them become embroiled in combat, Ra’s feels like he has found his successor. Despite his persistence, Ra’s finds that Oliver is reluctant to take him up on his offer. But he finds a way to persuade him. At the same time, the different members of Team Arrow are going through their own challenges. Laurel is dealing with the loss of her sister, Diggle is dealing with the change in his relationship, and Thea is finding it difficult to deal with her identity. Can Oliver and his team come together to deal with this new threat? Or will dissent separate them forever?
Let’s talk cast. The main cast remains the same. Stephen Amell returns as Oliver Queen/The Arrow. Amell has slowly been crafting his art through the seasons, and although Oliver remains his gruff self for the majority of this season, we see him slightly return to a coldness not seen since the first one. Team Arrow, including David Ramsey and Emily Bett Rickards, return as John Diggle and Felicity Smoak, respectively. In terms of character development for the two of them, there was some, but it felt that they were sidelined to a certain extent. One of the main subplots for the season involved Willa Holland as Thea Queen and John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn. Now I’ve always thought that Holland’s performance has been one of the better ones in the show, and seeing Malcom return was also really good. We have to mention our newcomers this season. Brandon Routh, who famously once played Superman, stars as Ray Palmer, and he brings this sort of naivety and charm to the role that I thought was perfect. Matt Nable is the villainous Ra’s Al Ghul. Errr, I’m not sure what to say about this casting. Ra’s, to my understanding, was Middle Eastern in ethnicity, and Nable is the most Australian-sounding man I’ve ever heard, ahah. For the standout performance this season, I have to give it to Katie Cassidy, who plays Laurel Lance. Laurel’s journey from grieving sister to certified badass by the end of the season was fun to watch!
Oh man, what to say about Season 3. It took me over 6 months to actually find a way to watch this season. I felt that the first two seasons of Arrow were so good, and the storyline was gripping. It felt like this season was a step down. Now, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all terrible. I liked the flashback scenes, since they put Oliver in a new environment, even if that environment wasn’t as exciting as Lian Yu or even the ship. I will say that this season upped the ante on introducing more DC characters, like Wildcat, Katana and of course, Atom. It felt far more like a superhero drama than it had before. But the main storyline was weak. I know that previously it has been said that Green Arrow is a sort of alternative Batman, and the first season of Arrow was definitely pushing that, but having Ra’s as the main bad guy, who’s looking for someone to take over his mantle? Surely they could’ve found more Green Arrow villains rather than pursue one in a different character’s gallery of rogues? Idk, it just felt lacklustre!
Naturally, the CW didn’t have the biggest budget in the world, but I think that the graphics and filmography were considerably improved this season. They obviously had to spend money on some of those scenes with the Atom suit, but even the choreography seemed slightly better this season. The music has always been apt for the kind of show that Arrow is, so there’s not much to say there. Overall, this season was not great, not terrible, but disappointing given how good Season 2 was!
Rating:
Story: ★★½
Acting: ★★★
Filmography: ★★★
Integral vs Filler Episodes: ★★★
Enjoyability: ★★★