Arrow: The Bruce Wayne we never liked

I stumbled across the tv show Arrow on Hulu this past weekend – and of course quickly watched every episode I could get access to. I will admit, most of my experience was with the Green Arrow is the super left hero of the Justice League comics, I never really read much of his own series. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read of this character so I was happy to watch someone else’s interpretation of what I saw (sadly, this same reasoning got me to watch the Twilight movies as well), and I am not thrilled to report, I’m not super excited about this series – still worth watching, and I think you should too! Just don’t expect something amazing.

For those not terribly familiar with Green Arrow, imagine Bruce Wayne, but blonde with a terribly awesome goatee, and kind of a Robin Hood outfit and mentality going on.  In this series, Oliver Queen is a real playboy who faces a tragedy where he is shipwrecked on an island for 5 years and presumed dead by all. He returns, and seeks vengeance against those who are ruining Starling City.  (I’m probably not doing this justice – you can read the wiki here)

First off, and you will notice this very quickly, EVERY episode there is a montage of a shirtless sweaty Ollie Queen working out in his super secret, my family owns this building but it’s shut down, but still has power and enough equipment to make STEEL ARROWS in all by myself sort of place. I get the message – he is honing his body into a weapon, but it could use a little less ‘Magic Mike’ flavor to it is all I’m suggesting here.

I’m sorry two of my reviews in a row say this, but again, there aren’t believable women in this show yet. Every one is flawed, usually in need of saving in some way or another, and oddly, most are tall, leggy and the same flavor of brunette that I’m having trouble telling some of them apart. Not that the characters don’t have merit, but that they need something to define them more than their boobs and their flaws.

Those two criticisms aside, I’m still going to watch. There have also been cameos from characters that you may know if you’re familiar with the DC universe – Deadshot for example came into episode 3. (I’m being picky here too, but how did DEADSHOT fail to shoot a man, standing still, holding a bow and no arrow?) It’s amusing to watch a grown man – even a terribly rich one – try to live with his family and still play the ‘I’m a playboy jackhole, no one pay attention to me!’ game.  Bruce Wayne can do that buddy, because when he goes home, Alfred knows his secret. Ollie here… eh. He’s more Bruce Wayne, and less Batman. Which isn’t the way that pendulum should swing.