I see reviews panning the later episodes as losing their spark or becoming boring. I haven't finished season 2 and this wearing a little thin. It's pure adolescent formulaic fun and that's not always a bad thing, but I can see how viewers get tired of the unlikely coincidences that are essential to plot movement. If the unlikely thing does not happen, everything else falls apart. Saved by the coincidence!
The basic setup is interesting: spoiled rich boy marooned on an island suffers greatly but learns martial arts and archery. Rescued after 5 years of toil, he returns to his home city to fight corruption and vice as a hooded vigilante, The Arrow. The episodes are spiced with flashbacks to the island life that made him the new person. Both flashbacks and contemporary scenes are filled with a formula of Action -> Resolution -> Revelation -> Soul searching truisms with promises like, "Trust me, I will not let that happen! -> More Action -> Repeat.
Every character has secrets to be revealed only at the most critical time. Villains materialize out of each character's past. No one is completely honest with everyone else and viewers may be the only ones privy to most of the truth.... until there's a plot twist.
I'm not saying it's not fun to watch. I'm not asking anyone to give it more or less credit than a typical super hero show. Just understand what it is. It's eye candy for heroes fans. All the characters are terrific to look at. All of them display traits of unbelievable fortitude and also human frailty. Usually right on cue to keep things moving. Don't expect more depth than adolescent versions of truth, justice, and the American way (to quote an early super hero).
A final note: the sound engineer has set it so in order to clearly hear all the dialog (which can be quite good and usually important to understanding where things are going) you need to crank up the volume. But the following action sequences are so loud you feel the noise. Be prepared for an immersion experience.
The basic setup is interesting: spoiled rich boy marooned on an island suffers greatly but learns martial arts and archery. Rescued after 5 years of toil, he returns to his home city to fight corruption and vice as a hooded vigilante, The Arrow. The episodes are spiced with flashbacks to the island life that made him the new person. Both flashbacks and contemporary scenes are filled with a formula of Action -> Resolution -> Revelation -> Soul searching truisms with promises like, "Trust me, I will not let that happen! -> More Action -> Repeat.
Every character has secrets to be revealed only at the most critical time. Villains materialize out of each character's past. No one is completely honest with everyone else and viewers may be the only ones privy to most of the truth.... until there's a plot twist.
I'm not saying it's not fun to watch. I'm not asking anyone to give it more or less credit than a typical super hero show. Just understand what it is. It's eye candy for heroes fans. All the characters are terrific to look at. All of them display traits of unbelievable fortitude and also human frailty. Usually right on cue to keep things moving. Don't expect more depth than adolescent versions of truth, justice, and the American way (to quote an early super hero).
A final note: the sound engineer has set it so in order to clearly hear all the dialog (which can be quite good and usually important to understanding where things are going) you need to crank up the volume. But the following action sequences are so loud you feel the noise. Be prepared for an immersion experience.