Arrow: Pilot

Arrow, one of The CW Network’s new shows this season, aired its pilot on Wednesday night and as I promised, I joined the rest of you with popcorn and high hopes that Starling City would become my new favourite mid-week hangout. And also, as some of you know, to find cause to forgive The CW for the whole Brady thing.  But I digress .

Without further ado, let us on with the review!

Show Stealer
“Nobody can know my secret.” Except for all my fans at home who are welcome to watch Shirtless-Sweaty-Smouldery-Me pump my abs, murder tennis balls and brush my teeth ANYTIME. Now that we’ve cleared that up, the warehouse scenes where  Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) escaped the zip-cuffs, embarked on a ridiculously riveting roof chase, and ended in the brutal neck-snapping of the Lone Surviving Kidnapper was one my absolute favourite scenes of the entire pilot because WOW! Major kudos to Stephen Amell, the actors who played The Kidnappers, the stunt and fight crews and coordinators and whoever the genius was that picked the music for it. It really raised the bar for what Arrow was going to put out there for me. The fact that everyone who was in my house at the time (5 of them) started filtering into the living room and sitting down to watch the rest of the pilot with me because of this scene, sealed it without a doubt: Show. Stolen

 More Applause
The Rescue.  On the Isle of Purgatory, Barefoot Bearded Oliver in tattered clothes and the soon-to-be famous green hood crashes and catapults through the jungle, leaps boulders, scales a rocky ridge and explodes the signal fire with a flaming arrow, alerting the fishing boat nearby to investigate. There are strange marking on some of the rocks and the familiar mask of an arch-villain impaled on the beach and Oliver narrating his plan to avenge his city. Now THAT’S an introduction! *shovels popcorn, sip siiips the wine*

The Little Black Book of Villains. Nothing says vigilante-superhero-type than keeping a Little Black Book of Villains in your pocket.

Towels and Tats. Go ahead; take a moment to reflect back on that scene. I’ll wait….

 “Put an APB out on… Robin Hood?” Ah, Detective Lance (Paul Blackthorne). It’s never good for you when the cop who’s after you and your secret alter-ego is also the father of your ex-girlfriend, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and her sister Sarah whom you cheated on Laurel with and let drown at sea. But it’s FANTASTIC for the rest of us.

Tommy and Oliver. Colin Donnell and Stephen Amell made me genuinely believe these two were once the very best of friends. That’s why it’s going to be devastating when the betrayals begin; can’t wait.

“There are other ways to find out what my son knows.” The twist that Moira, Oliver’s mother (Susanna Thompson), is the one who had him abducted – to find out what his father may have told him before he died – is absolutely delicious. *giddily shovels SO MUCH popcorn*

Team Laurel Lance FTW. Seriously, I’m having buttons made. LOVED her.

Raisa. Pleeease let us keep her. Oliver needs her.

 “Went away? You died! SO HAPPY that Thea Queen (Willa Holland) is not just going to be Oliver’s little sister in the shadows popping in and out of the storyline when we need a family extra. She’s passionate, strong, and gutsy. She loves her brother fiercely but is just as fierce to stand up to him. I am really looking forward to watching their dynamic unfold.

“I didn’t build our city, I failed it and I wasn’t the only one.” Not only does Robert Queen  lay a huge burden on his son, Oliver’s shoulders by confessing all his sins while they were trapped at sea,  but then he murders the man with them and shoots himself all in front of Oliver! I FREAKED at this scene. So did my stomach. Bravo you, Ballsy Writers.

Every Single Fight Scene. Seriously, they are wicked. See “Show Stealer” above and WATCH THE SHOW.

Directed by David Nutter. Amongst his many, many awesome credits: X-Files, Dark Angel, Roswell, Supernatural, Smallville, Game of Thrones and Arrow’s pilot!

 Missed the Mark
1 Hour. A 2 hour premiere would’ve have been AWESOME but we only got a 1 hour premiere….yep, that’s all I got

Brewing on the Brain…
What were those markings on the rocks in The Rescue scene on the island when Oliver lights the signal fire?
Where did Oliver get the bow?
How did Oliver get all of those scars and fractures? Bring on the island flashbacks!
Do Oliver’s tattoos have any significance?
Is Tommy Merlyn’s name in The Little Black Book of Villains?
Who did Robert Queen murder on the life raft?
How will Moira test Oliver next?

Quotes of the Night
Walter: “I didn’t realize you took Russian at college, Oliver.”
Oliver: “I didn’t realize you wanted to sleep with my mother, Walter.”
….
Oliver: “What’s Twilight?”
Tommy: “You’re so better off not knowing.”

Conclusion
A fan of heroes I most definitely am; especially those who’ve had it thrust upon them and by all appearances should be anything but the hero. Like Oliver Queen. No way should this guy have been given the task of hero. But he was and now he is and Arrow is off to a very promising start with it. I’m not packing the china yet, but I’m definitely willing to consider making Starling City my second home – Mystic Falls become my primary residence, of course. And if the momentum of the pilot keeps up into the season, I have high hopes The CW and I can finally put the Brady Thing behind us.

Arrow airs Wednesday nights on The CW at 8/7 c and on CTV Two at 8 pm.

Image courtesy of The CW