The new superhero TV show Arrow is right on target to be a success! The CW has definitely hit the bullseye! Let me William Tell you how good it is! But I kid, I kid; we have some fun here. Amazing puns aside, the first episode of Arrow was pretty damn good, showing us that this new Green Arrow series might be a real straight shooter. That was the last one, I promise. But seriously, this was good TV. There is always some hesitation when it comes to bringing a serious superhero to the small screen, where the show runners don’t have access to the same kinds of budgets as Hollywood movies. I don’t know why, but there’s just a higher frequency of screw ups when it comes to superheroes on TV compared to superheroes in the movies.

Why this difference exists, who knows? But with a focus on character, a lot of fun twists and the promise of a lot more excitement to come, Arrow is going to make other superhero TV shows green with envy. Yep, I went there.

4/5: Good!

Dark and brooding? Check. Bat Symbol? No check.

The previews for Arrow have looked great, so I’ve had a lot of hope for this series, and the first episode did not let me down. Green Arrow is a character who doesn’t rely on a lot of flashy super powers, so his Batman-esque style of crime fighting is easily portrayed on the small screen. His costume isn’t flashy either, so again, a solid translation – though I’m still very concerned about the choice to wear eye makeup instead of an actual mask. It would do nothing to protect Green Arrow’s identity. The fight choreography and the action scenes are very well done, with an emphasis on parkour-like jumping and running. I like that. With movies like the Jason Bourne trilogy turning parkour style rooftop running into a legitimately exciting event, it makes perfect sense to use it with a superhero. I hope we get to see more of that kind of athleticism.

The rest of the show is bolstered by some great character work. Stephen Amell does a great job as Oliver Queen, all hard abs and good looks. I really got a sense that he was a changed/new man trying to poke his way back into a life that he’d lost for five years. Or maybe he just naturally has that far-away sort of look. Either way, I felt he did a good job, and could carry this show. The rest of the cast was really good, especially Colin Donnell as his best buddy Merlyn (more on him later) and Paul Blackthorne as Detective Lance. They really established themselves well.

The rest of the cast, like love interest Dinah “Laurel” Lance (Katie Cassidy) and younger sister Thea Queen (Willa Holland), do a good enough job establishing their characters, but don’t particularly stand out in the first episode. The rest of the cast, likewise, have weak starts, but a lot of promise, hopefully.

I think the best thing Arrow has going for it so far is potential. Along with establishing Oliver Queen’s new status quo, they also fill the episode with hints, flashbacks and mysteries that are legitimately interesting, and could easily propel the series forward. Likewise, the future of several character relationships intrigues me. So yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to more Arrow, and I thought the pilot was fantastic.

Join me for more after the jump! And there will be SPOILERS for the first episode, as well as possible Green Arrow in general.

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