Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: CW's 'Arrow' brings Green Arrow back to Batman-esque roots

Stephen Amell has good presence as TV's Green Arrow

By Alan Sepinwall Tuesday, Oct 9, 2012 4:30 PM

Stephen Amell in "Arrow."

Credit: CW

Green Arrow began his superheroic life as a blatant copy of his corporate sibling Batman. Batman was a millionaire playboy who fought crime with the help of specialized weapons; Green Arrow (aka Oliver Queen) did the same with a bow and arrow. Batman had a teenage sidekick who wasn't a blood relation; Green Arrow adopted a teen sidekick named Speedy. Batman had the Batmobile; Green Arrow had the Arrowcar. Batcave; Arrowcave.

As a result, Green Arrow was always a third-rate member (at best) of DC Comics' stable. Who needs the imitation when you already have the real thing? No one paid much attention to him until the late '60s, when writer Denny O'Neill took away Queen's fortune and reimagined Green Arrow as an angry, vocal champion of liberal political causes. In a classic series of stories, Green Arrow and his frequent partner Green Lantern (representing the establishment point of view) went traveling together in search of the "real" America, and encountered issues of racism, corruption, pollution and — in a famous issue in which Speedy develops a heroin problem — drug addiction.

As a result of the O'Neill stories, and the work of other writers that followed (most memorably an adult-oriented '80s series written by Mike Grell in which Queen ditches both his trick arrows and the usual superhero reluctance to kill), Green Arrow never ascended to the upper echelon of superheroes, but he had a distinct personality and role in the DC universe. You don't use Green Arrow because Batman isn't available; you use him because of his own unique attributes.

"Arrow," the new Green Arrow TV series that premieres tomorrow night at 8 on the CW, is a competently-made superhero drama with an appealing lead performance from Stephen Amell. But it's also in many ways a return to the character's roots, as an attempt to do a TV spin-off of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies without having the rights to use Batman himself.

In this version, Oliver Queen is a spoiled rich kid whose life, personality and abs are transformed when he's stranded on a remote tropical island after a yachting accident. During these years in exile, he picks up a wide variety of skills: not just archery, but a variety of martial arts disciplines, foreign languages, computer hacking, and more. (It's implied that he was not alone for all this time.) He returns home still playing the role of drunken party boy, but it's all a cover as he sets up his own underground lair and begins targeting the men who corrupted his city and did his late father wrong.

There are some hints of the character's political leanings from the comics in the choice of the series' first bad guy, a crooked businessman who swindled honest working folk out of their pensions. Mostly, though, Green Arrow(*) just seems out for revenge for his father, yet another bit cribbed from the Batman mythos.

(*) The character's not referred to by that name at any point in the pilot, though that's also in keeping with his history; the Grell series also never used the name in dialogue, as part of an attempt to divorce the character from traditional superhero trappings.

Amell has a strong physical presence, whether in the action scenes (or the obligatory workout montage where you see how he maintains his ripped torso) or simply watching the people he knew in his previous life. He's surrounded by some interesting performers, including Susanna Thompson as Queen's mother, David Ramsey as the bodyguard Queen has to keep evading so he can get in costume, and Paul Blackthorne as a local cop. Less impressive is CW regular Katie Cassidy as Queen's former girlfriend Laurel.

The action scenes move nicely, thanks to both Amell and ace pilot director David Nutter. The creative team — including Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, who were less successful in transplanting Green Lantern to the world of live action with the Ryan Reynolds movie — approach the show and character with a very serious tone. There may be little Easter eggs (if not outright clues to where the story is going) for the fanboys and girls (both Laurel and Queen's best friend Tommy have full names evoking characters from the comics), but there's no winking at them. What little humor there is comes not from self-consciousness, but from Green Arrow playing a role as Oliver Queen.

It's all well-done for what it's trying to be. Perhaps in time it'll find its own distinct take on Green Arrow, even if it's not exactly what O'Neill, Grell and other writers did with him on the page. As a fanboy myself, I saw enough in the "Arrow" pilot to not mind coming back at a later date to see what the show's become, but not necessarily enough to be in a rush to do it.

Alan Sepinwall may be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Fall TV Preview 2012, Arrow, Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, Paul Blackthorne, Greg Berlanti

gadgetguy03

"In this version, Oliver Queen is a spoiled rich kid whose life, personality and abs are transformed when he's stranded on a remote tropical island after a yachting accident."

So Boone Carlyle mixed with a bit of Desmond Hume... I wonder if the Man in Black is his adversary!
October 9, 2012 at 4:52PM EST Reply to Comment
John

While I don't doubt Alan's objectivity, it isn't a good look to have an ad for 'Arrow' that takes up all free space on the screen on the same page as a review for 'Arrow'. Some may think it's a 'review' (wink wink).
October 9, 2012 at 5:00PM EST Reply to Comment
- WagonWheel Advertising isn't perfect but there is literally no other way for a website like hitfix.com to make money.
  
  I assume you think Alan should be paid for his work. That means advertising or everyone needs to make a note when they read his reviews and send him a check for $10 on their hundredth visit.
  
  Until then we all get to enjoy the free ride.
  October 9, 2012 at 5:28PM EST
- John I have no problem with advertising whatsoever, as I freely acknowledge that is ostensibly the business model of the entire internet. I was simply pointing out that a review for a show on the same page as an enormous ad for the same show could be looked at as conflict of interest.
  October 9, 2012 at 5:44PM EST
- Lisa But the same can be said about an entertainment magazine having an ad for a show in the same issue as a positive review. Yes, some people will whine "conflict of interest" but those people are idiots and we should ignore them
  October 9, 2012 at 7:51PM EST
- neverthehero you click on any of their stories and the damn ad comes up. It's not exclusive to this story.
  October 9, 2012 at 8:29PM EST
- John Just pointing out an unfortunate coincidence...
  October 9, 2012 at 9:17PM EST
- SoCal Tv Networks advertising where tv viewers are, what a concept!
  October 10, 2012 at 4:31AM EST
DonBoy

Isn't it tomorrow (Wednesday), not tonight?
October 9, 2012 at 5:17PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Yes. Review was originally going to run tomorrow, and that line didn't get changed when it moved.
  October 9, 2012 at 5:22PM EST
Steve

The review says if premieres tonight, but it's actually tomorrow (Wednesday).
October 9, 2012 at 5:19PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall See above.
  October 9, 2012 at 5:23PM EST
Jay

Was this review written in some kind of "Community"-style alternate reality, where your old Star-Ledger email still valid? Feels like the time warp is about to swallow us all
October 9, 2012 at 5:28PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Force of habit.
  
  So. Many. Errors. Sigh...
  October 9, 2012 at 5:53PM EST
Dezbot

I saw this at Comic-Con and thought it was okay enough to be interested in checking out the series itself. Is the TV premiere the same that was shown at the Con, or have they tweaked anything? Need to know if I can skip it or if I should record and FF to the parts that are new (if any). Thanks, Alan!

Also, they've released info on who's going to be playing what character from the comics in upcoming eps. Is that considered spoilery? I don't want to mention what I read just in case.
October 9, 2012 at 6:27PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Dezbot - Critics were told to review off of the original pilot, which was also what was shown at Comic-Con, so assuming you remember things from watching them back in July, you should be good!
  
  -Daniel
  October 9, 2012 at 7:13PM EST
- Dezbot Thanks, Daniel. I recall pretty much all the major plot points and characters (especially the things that annoyed me, like who Speedy might wind up being...guhhh). Will check in on this next week!
  October 10, 2012 at 11:39AM EST
Ted

"In a classic series of stories, Green Arrow and his frequent partner Green Lantern (representing the establishment point of view) went traveling together in search of the "real" America, and encountered issues of racism, corruption, pollution and — in a famous issue in which Speedy develops a heroin problem — drug addiction."

That sounds awe-inspiringly horrible on the level of MST3K at its best, almost makes me curious enough to try to track it down for a laugh.
October 9, 2012 at 8:59PM EST Reply to Comment
- It's only widely considered one of the best and most influential comics runs ever.
  October 10, 2012 at 12:03AM EST
johnstewart

sounds like Zorro
October 10, 2012 at 12:29PM EST Reply to Comment
eddie willers

O'Neill's "Arrow" would have sunk like a stone if not for Neal Adam's pencils.
October 10, 2012 at 1:36PM EST Reply to Comment
Mojo CoCo

Did I miss the implication that he wasnt alone, or is that just based on the ridiculous number of things to have learned on a deserted island?
October 11, 2012 at 2:20AM EST Reply to Comment
J Briseno

I enjoyed the pilot but was shocked at how many differences were from the comic. I knew there would be a lot but I thought the origin story would be more similar. This articles lists a few of the big differences

http://electronichearth.com/25-issues-every-comics-fan-should-have-with-arrow/
October 11, 2012 at 11:46AM EST Reply to Comment
Tre Dub

This show sucked!! It's a direct ripoff of Batman Begins. He gives a similar speech to the one Bruce Wayne gives about "becoming more than a person in his enemies eyes". His first fight in the Green Arrow costume was the exact same fight as when Batman makes his first appearance.
October 11, 2012 at 12:11PM EST Reply to Comment
OG569

Dissapointed. Characters too stereotypical. The girl (ex girlfriend in this case) starts out as a bit of an adversary, only to eventually become a friend until eventually it turns romantic. So. Played. Out.
October 11, 2012 at 5:30PM EST Reply to Comment
Pod

At this point it feels a bit too much like 'Batman Begins on TV', but it's well-done enough that I feel like giving it a chance.
October 12, 2012 at 8:38AM EST Reply to Comment
Ing Rahamposse

Not that bad, but he needs the mask. Even "The Cape" was smart enough to eventually give the dude a mask. This could really be an opportunity to bring in some JLU DC characters in a more realistic way if the suits get out of the way.
October 24, 2012 at 10:11PM EST Reply to Comment

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gadgetguy03 "In this version, Oliver Queen is a spoiled rich kid whose life, personality and abs are transformed when he's stranded on a remote tropical island after a yachting accident."So Boone Carlyle mixed with a bit of Desmond Hume... I wonder if the Man in Black is his adversary!

John While I don't doubt Alan's objectivity, it isn't a good look to have an ad for 'Arrow' that takes up all free space on the screen on the same page as a review for 'Arrow'. Some may think it's a 'review' (wink wink).

John I have no problem with advertising whatsoever, as I freely acknowledge that is ostensibly the business model of the entire internet. I was simply pointing out that a review for a show on the same page as an enormous ad for the same show could be looked at as conflict of interest.

Lisa But the same can be said about an entertainment magazine having an ad for a show in the same issue as a positive review. Yes, some people will whine "conflict of interest" but those people are idiots and we should ignore them

neverthehero you click on any of their stories and the damn ad comes up. It's not exclusive to this story.

John Just pointing out an unfortunate coincidence...

SoCal Tv Networks advertising where tv viewers are, what a concept!

DonBoy Isn't it tomorrow (Wednesday), not tonight?

sepinwall Yes. Review was originally going to run tomorrow, and that line didn't get changed when it moved.

Steve The review says if premieres tonight, but it's actually tomorrow (Wednesday).

sepinwall See above.

Jay Was this review written in some kind of "Community"-style alternate reality, where your old Star-Ledger email still valid? Feels like the time warp is about to swallow us all

sepinwall Force of habit. So. Many. Errors. Sigh...

dan Dezbot - Critics were told to review off of the original pilot, which was also what was shown at Comic-Con, so assuming you remember things from watching them back in July, you should be good!-Daniel

Dezbot Thanks, Daniel. I recall pretty much all the major plot points and characters (especially the things that annoyed me, like who Speedy might wind up being...guhhh). Will check in on this next week!

It's only widely considered one of the best and most influential comics runs ever.

johnstewart sounds like Zorro

eddie willers O'Neill's "Arrow" would have sunk like a stone if not for Neal Adam's pencils.

Mojo CoCo Did I miss the implication that he wasnt alone, or is that just based on the ridiculous number of things to have learned on a deserted island?

J Briseno I enjoyed the pilot but was shocked at how many differences were from the comic. I knew there would be a lot but I thought the origin story would be more similar. This articles lists a few of the big differenceshttp://electronichearth.com/25-issues-every-comics-fan-should-have-with-arrow/

Tre Dub This show sucked!! It's a direct ripoff of Batman Begins. He gives a similar speech to the one Bruce Wayne gives about "becoming more than a person in his enemies eyes". His first fight in the Green Arrow costume was the exact same fight as when Batman makes his first appearance.

OG569 Dissapointed. Characters too stereotypical. The girl (ex girlfriend in this case) starts out as a bit of an adversary, only to eventually become a friend until eventually it turns romantic. So. Played. Out.

Pod At this point it feels a bit too much like 'Batman Begins on TV', but it's well-done enough that I feel like giving it a chance.

Ing Rahamposse Not that bad, but he needs the mask. Even "The Cape" was smart enough to eventually give the dude a mask. This could really be an opportunity to bring in some JLU DC characters in a more realistic way if the suits get out of the way.

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gadgetguy03

"In this version, Oliver Queen is a spoiled rich kid whose life, personality and abs are transformed when he's stranded on a remote tropical island after a yachting accident."

So Boone Carlyle mixed with a bit of Desmond Hume... I wonder if the Man in Black is his adversary!

John

While I don't doubt Alan's objectivity, it isn't a good look to have an ad for 'Arrow' that takes up all free space on the screen on the same page as a review for 'Arrow'. Some may think it's a 'review' (wink wink).

DonBoy

Isn't it tomorrow (Wednesday), not tonight?

Steve

The review says if premieres tonight, but it's actually tomorrow (Wednesday).

Jay

Was this review written in some kind of "Community"-style alternate reality, where your old Star-Ledger email still valid? Feels like the time warp is about to swallow us all

sepinwall Force of habit.

So. Many. Errors. Sigh...

dan Dezbot - Critics were told to review off of the original pilot, which was also what was shown at Comic-Con, so assuming you remember things from watching them back in July, you should be good!

-Daniel

johnstewart

sounds like Zorro

eddie willers

O'Neill's "Arrow" would have sunk like a stone if not for Neal Adam's pencils.

Mojo CoCo

Did I miss the implication that he wasnt alone, or is that just based on the ridiculous number of things to have learned on a deserted island?

Tre Dub

This show sucked!! It's a direct ripoff of Batman Begins. He gives a similar speech to the one Bruce Wayne gives about "becoming more than a person in his enemies eyes". His first fight in the Green Arrow costume was the exact same fight as when Batman makes his first appearance.

OG569

Dissapointed. Characters too stereotypical. The girl (ex girlfriend in this case) starts out as a bit of an adversary, only to eventually become a friend until eventually it turns romantic. So. Played. Out.

Pod

At this point it feels a bit too much like 'Batman Begins on TV', but it's well-done enough that I feel like giving it a chance.

Ing Rahamposse

Not that bad, but he needs the mask. Even "The Cape" was smart enough to eventually give the dude a mask. This could really be an opportunity to bring in some JLU DC characters in a more realistic way if the suits get out of the way.

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