Doux Top Twenty! Number 16: Arrow

Arrow is number 16 in Doux Reviews’ top twenty hitting shows.

Arrow ran from 2012 to 2020 and spawned a Berlanti-verse of spinoffs with lots of crossovers (that I still haven't finished updating). Doux Reviews was fortunate to have Samantha M. Quinn on board to review the first five seasons, and Shari willing to take over for the final three (with a little help from Mallena in the transition).

Arrow: Fadeout

“I’m gonna miss this place.”

This review was difficult to write for many reasons. Chief among them, I, like the characters (and I suspect the cast and crew), are saying goodbye to someone we’ve grown to care deeply about. But while no episode could possibly hit all the grace notes I hoped for nor answer all the post Crisis questions still whirling in my head, damn if they didn’t try.

Arrow: Green Arrow & the Canaries

“The city’s safe.”
“It doesn’t stay that way.”

From the moment Felicity and Company gave their “you are the next generation of Star City’s heroes” speech in last year's finale I assumed that all the flash forwards were an extended test case for a spin-off. So my initial reaction upon hearing about this back-door pilot was “Why?”

Now I know.

Arrow: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Four

Sarah: “Oliver?”
Oliver: “Yes and no. It’s complicated.”

During Arrow’s season premiere we were introduced to the concept of Paragons, a higher order of hero. This left most of us with the assumption that Oliver either was or would soon become one. When Crisis began, we discovered that he was destined to become something else.

Arrow: Purgatory

"Every mission has an end."

If the title is more than just the translation for Lian Yu, then this episode should represent the purification of our heroes in preparation for their journey to heaven. Unfortunately, with Crisis now on their doorstep, they may need to travel through hell in order to get there.

Arrow: Reset

“I remember it differently.”

Live. Die. Repeat. Arrow-style.

Arrow: Prochnost

“Living is not for the week.”

Arrow has multiple over-arching themes. What makes a hero? What do we owe our family? How do you define strength? This episode explores all of them.

Arrow: Present Tense

“Tell me something good about the future, please.”

Arrow has a tendency to sacrifice character development in service of plot. If anything, this episode had the opposite issue. With so many highly charged emotional dilemmas for most of Team Arrow, both present and future, to deal with, the impending Crisis seemed like a distant memory and the Deathstrokes storyline felt like an afterthought.

Arrow: Leap of Faith

"I need to know my family is safe."

Wow. That was unexpected.

Arrow: Welcome to Hong Kong

“We honor the dead by fighting for the living.”

Oliver wakes up at the scene of one of his biggest failures. And after seeing Earth-2 destroyed before his eyes, he’s determined not to let it happen again. The question is whether doing The Monitor’s bidding is the best way to accomplish his mission.

Arrow: Starling City

“Oliver, what the hell are you doing on my Earth?”

If this season has to serve as Arrow’s swan song then this episode is a love letter to its longtime fans. Taking the events of season one and turning them on their head both to propel the Monitor’s mission to stop the Crisis and to look back on how far Oliver has come.

Arrow: You Have Saved This City

“I thought I had more time.”

The Powers that Be had the impossible task of wrapping up two season-long arcs and setting up a third. They came damn close to pulling it off.

Arrow: Living Proof

“Need some help?”

It’s an interesting choice to have your main protagonist spend the season’s penultimate episode undergoing an existential crisis.  For me, and I suspect many other long-time fans, they hit it out of the park.  And just for the record, last week, when I mentioned that Oliver’s predicament reminded me of Tommy I did not see that coming...

Arrow: Confessions

“You all are very, very good liars.”

Two security guards are bludgeoned to death with only Team Arrow at the scene of the crime. And once again Oliver finds himself on the wrong side of an SCPD interrogation table.

Arrow: Spartan

“I guess bad news wins this round.”

For once we have an episode where Daddy Issues abound and none of it involves Oliver.

Arrow: Lost Canary

“Redemption isn’t a destination. It’s a journey.”

Oliver Queen plays second fiddle while the Canaries past, present, and future sing. Welcome to "Birds of Prey" part deux.

Arrow: Inheritance

“Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s what family does, isn’t it?”

Emiko’s true colors shine through the facade of partner, friend, and sister. Why do I get the feeling Oliver will be left to pay the price?

Arrow: Star City 2040

“Show them what heroes look like.”

You have questions?  We have answers.  Welcome to 2040. 

Arrow: Training Day

“We have to be something else... something better.”

The episode where Oliver learns, once again, he’s not always right, Dinah figures out who she is, Emiko shows her true colors, and William and Mia go on a treasure hunt.

Arrow: Brothers and Sisters

“There’s two of you now?”

Wow! Everything about this became so unbelievably clear. Two sets of siblings attempt to forge connections after years spent apart. I get the answers to most of my niggling questions. And, we get an extra special guest star. **Squee**