WARNING: Spoliers abound! If you have yet to see any of ARROW yet, get caught up and come on back!
Finally, the long, achingly beautiful, sun-drenched summer has come to an end. With it’s passing comes ARROW Season 2.
The season premier, titled “City of Heroes”, rockets out of the gate, like some archery metaphor that I am far too lazy to cobble. Hitting all the sweet touchstones and trademarks that made the first season so much fun.
The show opens approximately five months after the earthshaking events of the season 1 finale. Oliver Queen has retreated back to the purgatory island Lian Yu to lick his wounds and emotionally heal. Felicity and Diggle drop in to explain to Oliver the 411. Apparently, lots of exposition has happened in the aftermath of The Undertaking. Moms in jail, the family corporation is on the verge of a hostile takeover, and The Glades have become a no man’s land. Bummer, Oliver. The city needs you.
Back in Starling City, we find that everything has gone completely Batman. And it’s awesome. There is a now a gang of vigilantes (four dudes in black hoodies) taking care of things called The Hoods. They have taken Olivers look and message, except they apparently kill all willy nilly with machine guns. They’re pretty ticked at the rich folks for the whole “Undertaking” thing so they murder the Mayor. Yeah, that’s right, The Mayor. Of the whole city. Saying, “you failed the city” as they make him do the machine gun dance. That is how this series rolls!
A couple other key events this episode:
Olivers sister, Thea now runs the club Verdant. I know. She’s too young to drink. But, not too young to run a business. She’s rich. She’s got moxie. Fuck school.
Starling cities only Detective, Detective Quentin Lance, has been demoted down to Starling cities only beat cop. Which only makes his appearance at every crime scene all the more delicious.
Moira Queens gun show.
Lots of two-fisted broadroom adventure as the new CEO super-villian this season Isabel Rochev is introduced. She can not be trusted. Obviously.
Teary emotional resolutions that were brought about through one of the Queens getting kidnapped. Seriously, what would this show do without kidnapping? Everyone take a drink!
We find out that Oliver has rocking rage issues, and is such a pimp he can score even on a deserted island.
Oliver makes that jump to hero (maybe even ‘super’ hero) by vowing not to kill (don’t worry, he’ll still kill). Actually, they sure use the word kill, killing, and killer a whole lot. In fact, if you are paying the Arrow drinking game. Prepare to get loaded.
Best of all, the return of Walter Steele!!!! The stepdad! When a show can get you throughly pumped that the step parent character has returned, they’re probably doing it right.
That’s what’s so great about the show in general. It’s spent the time and leg work to build an internal universe that these characters can live in. Plus, we’re given plenty of clues/callbacks (that have totally payed off…Flash, Black Canary) that give it that fun serialized comic book feel. It’s why when Diggle looks at the camera with one of those, “Oliver, you son of a bitch.” looks you wanna throw your fist up in the air and yell “Yeah!!!!” (In fact, I did do that) Or you can get completely pumped when you see characters like Officer Lance. And what’s China White been up too? You know they’ll show that! This season is gonna be amazing!!!!
NERD co-writer and roommate Mark Espinosa said it best as we were watching, “I wish I could just watch this show forever.”
ARROW is picking up what MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to be dropping. (Sorry, S.H.I.E.L.D, you can still get yer legs)
Oh, yeah…and some chick in a domino mask shows up.
ARROW is awesome.
(Season One of ARROW is on Netflix by the way. So get to it. There is a bit of a mid-season drag, but otherwise top-tier comic book action fun)
Boom.Yummy.
Final Score: 9.5 out of 10
