Arrow
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
Arrow (2012) is a drama and action series from The CW. Episodes run about 60 minutes. It premiered on October 10, 2012. Viewers rate it 7.4 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 8 seasons.
What Arrow Is About
After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. He returned home to Starling City, welcomed by his devoted mother Moira, beloved sister Thea and former flame Laurel Lance. With the aid of his trusted chauffeur/bodyguard John Diggle, the computer-hacking skills of Felicity Smoak and the occasional, reluctant assistance of former police detective, now beat cop, Quentin Lance, Oliver has been waging a one-man war on crime.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 60 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, spread across 8 seasons and it leans into its drama/action roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Stephen Amell, David Ramsey and Emily Bett Rickards to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Willa Holland, Paul Blackthorne and Katie Cassidy lead the cast.
Key roles include Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen / The Arrow; David Ramsey as John Diggle; Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak; Willa Holland as Thea Queen; Paul Blackthorne as Detective Quentin Lance.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of drama, action and science-fiction have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside The CW’s other originals, a 7.4/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 2012 and carried by The CW with the series still ended, it lands hardest with drama and action viewers.
How Arrow Compares
If Arrow lands for you, the next stops are Breaking Bad, Firefly and The Wire, which share its drama/action lean.
Each of those sits at a different point on the same spectrum, so they make a natural follow-up once you finish the run here.
Where to Stream
Arrow comes from The CW. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
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On the whole Arrow is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Stephen Amell and David Ramsey doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its drama/action roots, It has held up since 2012 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
Arrow is a safe bet for anyone already inside the drama and action lane, the audience score holds around 7.4/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 7.4/10. Watch it if you want drama/action you can settle into.
