It is interesting, I absolutely loved last season of Arrow. The first season was great, but it did have several missteps. However, this season was very clunky. Now, I still enjoyed it, but there was a definite lack of focus that made the past two seasons so much better.
The Demon’s Head
Before I get into my problems with the season, I’ll shed some light on what I enjoyed. First of all, the acting is top notch. All the actors were given much more to do this season, which resulted in elevated performances. The standout for me is Stephen Amell. I remember when I first saw Arrow, I did not like his acting. As the seasons progressed, so did his acting ability. This season, however, proves that he is truly an actor to be reckoned with. He displays a considerable amount of range through his performance, and I am excited to see what he brings to the table in the next season. Along with some strong acting, the season took the characters to several different and exciting directions. Not all of these directions paid off in the end, but I believe they will make an impact on the following seasons. A character that I want to mention is Ra’s Al Ghul himself. Matt Nable does a fantastic job bringing the character to life. He handles the physicality of the role very well, but is also able to convey a sense of wisdom and discomfort through his portrayal. I do believe this is the best incarnation of Ra’s Al Ghul thus far. Another major plus to the season is the choreography, it (almost) never failed to impress. I really appreciate the hard work all of the cast put into the show, but while there are all these aspects that shined, there are quite a few that hurt the show.
My Name Is Oliver Queen
My biggest problem with this season is that it was inconsistent. Several plot lines were forgotten, and characters were short changed. Now, I will admit, there are a handful of episodes that are truly fantastic. There are not too many episodes that I found mediocre, but more than past seasons. What really frustrates me the most is the fact that this season had glimpses of greatness. For example, the midseason finale delivered one of Arrow’s finest episodes. Not only that, but it had an amazing cliffhanger. The show veered into a very different direction, but was unable to maintain it when the season continued in January. This is precisely what I mean by calling this season inconsistent. It had so many chances for greatness, but in an instant the show missed it’s opportunity. Another waste is the character of Ray Palmer. He was a decent character, but the show did not know how to use him. He will be joining another CW show in the fall, so I have hopes that with his exit from the show, it will be a bit more consistent next season. Something else that was not consistent was the use of the flashbacks. Usually, the show does a good job of connecting the past to the present. This season had an interesting set up for the flashbacks, but the show obviously did not know what to do with it. I did not enjoy the flashbacks, but I am hopeful that the writers utilize it better next season. Finally, I need to talk about the finale. I did not like it very much. Just like the rest of the season, it had some great aspects. However, these aspects were squandered in the final 15 minutes of the finale. I will no spoil it, but I was hoping for more of a tragedy. What I loved about the first season of the show is that the season ended on a tragic note. Since then, the show has been unable to capture the essence of that finale. Now, even though it sounds like I disliked the finale, I didn’t. I was just disappointed. However, I do like where the characters leave off. It gives the show an opportunity to really change in it’s fourth season. And change is something that would improve the show.
Closing Remarks
I am sad to have to complain about so much from this show. I have watched it since day one, but something has changed this season. Perhaps the CW was too focused on The Flash, and allowed Arrow to suffer a bit. Whatever the reason, I hope the show learns from it’s mistakes. This is still a good show, but this season did not quite hit it’s mark.