Poll: Arrow - The Best Show on TV Today

[Kaymish]

Arrow pisses me off because its on at the same time as harry which is also a good show i like to watch but the worse thing is there is nothing on the rest of the week well except for revenge and Vegas but this is about arrow damn it its a great show and it has to be on at the same time as another great show why oh why do i have to chose when there is nothing but cooking competition shows on the other timeslots

 

[Subscriptism]

I like it. It knows exactly what it is and that it does well. It's intentionally camp and over the top but fantastically entertaining nonetheless.

 

[Actual]

"I have just murdered 20 of your bodyguards who are just trying to earn a living. A couple of them are still bleeding to death in pain over there. You, who gleefully killed countless innocents, I will give a second chance to. You can redeem yourself even though I'm pretty sure you're just going to keep killing people and probably try and kill me too, putting people I care about at risk."

This happened almost every episode of the 5 I watched and it pissed me off too much to continue watching. Also the writing is weak, the acting is awkward and unconvincing and there's numerous laughable moments and plot holes.

A favourite is where he fires an arrow into the wall of a crime lords office, this arrow has a giant plastic device attached to it, which if memory serves has a blinking LED on it. He uses this to wirelessly hack into the guy's computer which is apparently a thing that can be done but only if you're close enough (snrk). The best thing is the criminal never spots this and asks incredulously; how did he hack my system!?

Loonyy makes a lot of points I agree with and as he says, it had potential, that's why I stuck with it as long as I did.

Spoiler

I started watching it a while ago, and it's not unwatchable, but it is pretty pulpy crap. The action's enjoyable enough, but the conspiracies are stupid, the characters are mostly annoying, and the philosophies are pretty unpalatable.

-Oliver: Can't do emotion, whenever he narrates (Like the start of the episodes) it's grating.
-Digg's entire character arc is obvious from the get go.
-Oliver is a hypocrite regarding his sister, but she's also incredibly annoying, her depression/addiction thing is insulting to anyone who's got firsthand knowledge of either of those things, and the whole "Oliver is out of touch with his family" thing goes way too long, and too stupid.
-Oliver is obviously the Hood. To everyone.
-Considering how often they spell it out, the main story isn't that complicated.
-Laurel's annoying, and the romance plots are goddamn irritating, fucking sexual tension, drama, love triangling "Will they won't they" forced conflict crap.
-Compulsory Detective with a grudge (Who happens to hate Oliver and The Hood).
-Psuedo Martial philosophy "Guns are weapons of emotion, a bow is the weapon of an expert" or something. *vomits*. Because using the bow makes you superior? Better hope the guy who fights with a blunt paper clip doesn't come along. You'll get nailed.
-Constantly running in to beat up enemies with his wooden bow, rather than shooting them. Looks so very silly.
-Never gets hit by sprays of full auto gunfire from multiple guys (Yet when the plot demands, he'll be shot by a novice marksman with a pistol, when he was able to see them and they were unarmed (They had to get out the gun, and then shoot him. Oh god it was stupid).
-Bullshit about "Good/Evil" with the purple chick, and the nature of revenge and justice, which just makes Oliver completely incomprehensible and entirely hypocritical.
-Oliver happily murders or badly wounds henchman (Arrows are fucking dangerous), but always gives their bosses a chance.
-Slade seems to think teaching Ollie to only fight hand to hand is a good idea, and dismisses guns, gives Oliver a gun and tells him to shoot him, and demonstrates that he can take it off him. Good thing guns don't work at a distance, eh?

I know I've listed a bunch of negatives, but it's an ok show. It's just a really flawed one. It could have been excellent, but instead it's just average. The island bits are fun, Digg is awesome, Slade is cool, the action scenes are fun, the Robin Hood style vigilante stuff's fun, but it's not exactly Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones. It's more in the league of Big Bang Theory or CSI.

 

[Daft Time]

It's hardly the best show on television, but I love it. It's very good when it's good, and when it's bad it's great. Seriously, this shows failings are just funny - somehow, it adds to the atmosphere. It simultaneously takes itself very seriously and not seriously at all. I can't explain it, it's just great television.

Best show on TV at the moment is Orphan Black by the way, if you haven't watched it do so!

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

I watched the first 2 episodes. It is poorly acted and the writing is mediocre. There are dozens of more worthwhile shows out there; I can't see why anyone would waste their time on this one, but ehh to each their own I guess.

 

[Bestival]

Saw the first 3 episodes and decided it was bad. Poorly acted across the board, bad pacing, every episode felt like it took too long.
So far from the best for me, closer to being one of the worst that I've tried in recent history.
Not as bad as Defiance though.

 

[Olas]

So either I really want to see it, or I have no interest? No middleground?

I actually saw the first 2 episodes when they debuted, then sorta forgot about it. Though since everyone here seems to like it so much I might pick it back up.

 

[hazabaza1]

But it isn't Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones.
But I'll give it a look, couldn't hurt I guess.

And Hannibal, if you haven't.

I shall keep an eye open.

Also having watched 2 episodes of Arrow it's not the best show on TV. Not even fucking close. It's a decent time waster so far, but it's absolutely retarded and takes itself way too seriously. Gonna stick with my BB and GoT.

 

[Henkie36]

It's good, not great. Like you said, it's basically Batman, and I mean it is literally Batman Begins fleshed out into a serie. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, I mean, if you're going to rip off something, might as well rip off something good. But when you put yourself into a position where you necessarily have to be compared to Christopher Nolan's Batman movies, you better be up for the job. And that is where Arrow fails. I do like how it goes more into the consequences of leading a superhero double life then Batman did, but all that stuff is just details.

Spoiler

I will say that I thought it was kind of predictable. Aside from the last two episodes of the season which really are something else, you knew from the first episode onwards that, say, Oliver and Laurel were going to get back together, and when Tommy got inbetween, he esentially painted a target on his forehead.

All in all, a good show, but not the best show out there.

 

[Kinokohatake]

Christ this show is awful. Acting is bad, effects in no way special, and what they've done with the characters and lack of any super powers is ridiculous. DC can't do live action to save their lives. There hasn't been a well made live action DC film/show since Batman Returns.

 

[Longstreet]

It's good, i enjoy watching it, but it aint the best.
Until the OP i didn't even know it was based off an comic though,never been that much into those.

A well, i guess this sunday (or maybe the next) will be the season finale, and i do hope there will be more seasons, not unlike flash forward which was cut way too short.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Steady on, it's not The Walking Dead (I'm yet to watch Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad or Hannibal, so feel free to disagree with me here).

I did see one episode... I think it must have been the second or third, but it wasn't great. The acting was terrible, and the script didn't help.

 

[SteveOPlaysUK]

I LOVE "Arrow". I think it's a great show and I'm not going to insult it by saying "if you switch your brain off". Stephen Amell is getting used to the character still. The original season of ANY show is a teething experience and I think "Arrow" has done exceptionally well, with very few filler episodes or at least very good ones. Remember, Ollie was stuck on an island in life and death situations every day, he is emotionally scarred and could never be Smallville's carefree GA. The character himself is just learning to be GA as well and that's also going to take time to get right.

Overall, I think "Arrow" has put in a strong first season and I personally cannot wait for the second.

Also, at least there's some action and parkour unlike "The Boring Dead" and it's things... and stuff.

 

[Tombsite]

Had potential. Never really did anything with it so I stopped at episode 10 or 12 (really can't remember). Hated Laurel for being a completely worthless character.

 

[SteveOPlaysUK]

Without ruining anything, the finale shows that they aren't sticking to comic book canon therefore Laurel may not turn out to be who we expect her to become, but I agree, she needs to be more than she is as a character now. She turns up for 5-10 minutes, gives puppy-dog eyes and then does nothing of use. She's early seasons Lana Lang!

 

[Iron Gix]

really love the show,can only get better

 

[aba1]

I started watching it a while ago, and it's not unwatchable, but it is pretty pulpy crap. The action's enjoyable enough, but the conspiracies are stupid, the characters are mostly annoying, and the philosophies are pretty unpalatable.

-Oliver: Can't do emotion, whenever he narrates (Like the start of the episodes) it's grating.
-Digg's entire character arc is obvious from the get go.
-Oliver is a hypocrite regarding his sister, but she's also incredibly annoying, her depression/addiction thing is insulting to anyone who's got firsthand knowledge of either of those things, and the whole "Oliver is out of touch with his family" thing goes way too long, and too stupid.
-Oliver is obviously the Hood. To everyone.
-Considering how often they spell it out, the main story isn't that complicated.
-Laurel's annoying, and the romance plots are goddamn irritating, fucking sexual tension, drama, love triangling "Will they won't they" forced conflict crap.
-Compulsory Detective with a grudge (Who happens to hate Oliver and The Hood).
-Psuedo Martial philosophy "Guns are weapons of emotion, a bow is the weapon of an expert" or something. *vomits*. Because using the bow makes you superior? Better hope the guy who fights with a blunt paper clip doesn't come along. You'll get nailed.
-Constantly running in to beat up enemies with his wooden bow, rather than shooting them. Looks so very silly.
-Never gets hit by sprays of full auto gunfire from multiple guys (Yet when the plot demands, he'll be shot by a novice marksman with a pistol, when he was able to see them and they were unarmed (They had to get out the gun, and then shoot him. Oh god it was stupid).
-Bullshit about "Good/Evil" with the purple chick, and the nature of revenge and justice, which just makes Oliver completely incomprehensible and entirely hypocritical.
-Oliver happily murders or badly wounds henchman (Arrows are fucking dangerous), but always gives their bosses a chance.
-Slade seems to think teaching Ollie to only fight hand to hand is a good idea, and dismisses guns, gives Oliver a gun and tells him to shoot him, and demonstrates that he can take it off him. Good thing guns don't work at a distance, eh?

I know I've listed a bunch of negatives, but it's an ok show. It's just a really flawed one. It could have been excellent, but instead it's just average. The island bits are fun, Digg is awesome, Slade is cool, the action scenes are fun, the Robin Hood style vigilante stuff's fun, but it's not exactly Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones. It's more in the league of Big Bang Theory or CSI.

Ya you hit a lot of the beats I was getting at all this so true and had me facepalming a few times. Did you ever notice how often Oliver is smirking when he is supposed to be sad or serious.