Arrow

"Arrow" is the CW's adaptation of the DC comic book series "Green Arrow". The show is a mix of Batman, Iron Man, Robin Hood, and surprisingly, Hamlet. It stars Stephen Amell as the titular hero, Oliver Queen. Oliver is interesting. He's a sort of Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark. His family is filthy rich, and he was stranded on an island for five years before being rescued and becoming the hooded vigilante know as "The Hood" or "Green Arrow". Before his father died on the shipwreck that stranded the two of them, he told Oliver about a secret organization that has been growing in power in their hometown, the fictional Starling City. Oliver makes it his mission to find and hunt down the members of this group and bring them to justice with his mad arrow-slinging skills. The show alternates between present day crime fighting in Starling City and flashbacks to Oliver's harrowing time spent on the island, which may or not be inhabited...

Amell isn't the best actor, but he has improved over the course of the show. He has a better emotional range in the flashback moments, but some of his other scenes in Starling City feel a bit forced. But he makes up for it by showing occasional believable remorse for Oliver's violent and illegal, but necessary, actions. And by being super buff.

Other characters include Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), Oliver's ex-girlfriend and daughter of the police chief trying to bring the hooded vigilante to justice, unaware of his true identity. Cassidy is simply gorgeous, and as a successful and devoted lawyer, brings some much needed girl-power to the show.

Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), a nerdy IT girl at the Queens' corporation, also strengthens the female empowerment on the show. Oliver often turns to her for help tracking down his targets, but always makes up a ridiculous story to hide his alternate life as the vigilante. I love Felicity's scenes. She's witty and smart, and never falls for Oliver's transparent lies. But she still helps him.

The main antagonist of the show is Malcolm Merlyn, played wonderfully by the amazing John Barrowman of Doctor Who and Torchwood fame. Merlyn is the father of Oliver's best friend Tommy, although Oliver has yet to find out that Merlyn is also the leader of the organization corrupting the city. Barrowman's Merlyn is cool, deceptive, and heartless, much like Oliver seems to others. He's the perfect villain for the show. Ironically, he and Oliver actively seek to bring the other down, but thus far they're unaware who their enemy really is.

While Arrow isn't totally original in premise, it's wholly entertaining. There's always a heart-pounding action sequence involving martial arts and Katniss-esque shooting with a bow, balanced with plenty of character development and witty remarks. Mostly from Felicity. I highly recommend it, if just for entertainment purposes. It's not Emmy winning stuff, but it's certainly great fun.