I watch The Flash and I love it. The show has been doing some cross marketing with Arrow and I've been suckered in - I am a marketer's dream. The perfect target audience.
I originally saw The Green Arrow in The Flash, and since I'm all caught up on The Flash, I decided to check out Arrow independently of The Flash.
It's a very different show than The Flash. That's a not so good, good thing. It just depends on what you are looking for.
Here are the main differences:
First, it's a much darker show. This anti-hero kills people, is moody, lashes out at the people around him, and is jacked. I mean really, really jacked. It's impressive.
The humor is for a large part absent from it. Only as the show gets significantly into the first season do we get some of the humor we are accustomed to in The Flash. It mostly comes through one of the main characters Felicity Smoke. She brings a much needed levity and cohesion to the show.
Second, the action sequences are much different. There is no magic, no particle accelerator to make monsters and heroes. The action is live action and it's excellent. The stuntmen and women do a fabulous job. As a woman, I am just as caught up in the action sequences as any man. They are thrilling, fabulous, well-choreographed, and the film work is excellent. What I mean by that is the sequences are shot in a manner in which the viewer can see what is going on. There is not an over-abundance of shaky-cam. The sequences look real and believable. I like it.
The actors in this show are fabulous. I like each of them. I think the casting was brilliantly managed. I am enthralled with Stephen Amell's brooding, damaged, loving portrayal of The Hood. He is by far the best casting and is just as believable as The Hood as he is as a playboy billionaire. Felicity Smoke is wonderfully developed by Emily Bett Rickards. She is beautiful, strong, quirky, and an every woman. Who would not get caught up in watching their boss do pull-ups in the office? I'd have to program my Apple Watch to remind me to get back to work about every 3 minutes. A silent buzz of "stop drooling".
The secondary cast is great too. I love Paul Blackthorne as the troubled dad/cop. John Barrowman is wonderfully sinister as Malcom. The wonderful Colin Donnell had me hoping and praying for him to get the girl as Tommy even though that goes against what the anti-hero The Hood wanted.
Some of the weak links are Katie Cassidy who plays Laurel Lance. I like her, I just don't ever get the feeling she's the "one" for Oliver. I love David Ramsey as John Diggle, but I don't think the writers are doing his character justice. It just seems to be missing something. I don't think it's the actor's fault, I think it is more of a writing issue.
So the good thing is whichever show you started watching, The Flash or Arrow, it's kind of cool the two aren't copycats of each other just with a different cast. If you like gritty, Arrow may be your bag. If you like playful, decent to good special effects, magical monsters, and good banter, then The Flash might be more your style. Ultimately, both are good television shows.
The only draw back is if you truly prefer your comic book shows gritty or glamour, then you may or may not like the opposite choice.
Me, personally, I started with The Flash. It took me a bit to gain my footing in the darker Arrow, but once I did, it's like Cupid shot me with an arrow in my heart ... a green arrow. I love the show and am already well into season 2. I'll give you an update as to how that season holds up once I'm finished.
On a side note, I love how many episodes are in a season for The Flash and Arrow. It amazes me there is such a commitment by the network and that the seasons truly don't feel too long. Well done, CW, well done.
Until next time!
** If you would like to read my other blogs, please find them at:
http://www.madelinefresco.com
http://www.ihatemyback.com.
**** Madeline Fresco is a novelist who lives in San Diego. She is the author of CROSSED THE LINE, available for Kindle at Amazon.com, for Nook at Barnes & Noble, and as an ePub at other eBook retailers. You can also listen to her novel as a free, serialized audiobook at http://www.madelinefresco.com. Her second book THE CHOICE, is available on Kindle at Amazon. Her third book ANGUISH, is available for Kindle at Amazon.com
I originally saw The Green Arrow in The Flash, and since I'm all caught up on The Flash, I decided to check out Arrow independently of The Flash.
It's a very different show than The Flash. That's a not so good, good thing. It just depends on what you are looking for.
Here are the main differences:
First, it's a much darker show. This anti-hero kills people, is moody, lashes out at the people around him, and is jacked. I mean really, really jacked. It's impressive.
The humor is for a large part absent from it. Only as the show gets significantly into the first season do we get some of the humor we are accustomed to in The Flash. It mostly comes through one of the main characters Felicity Smoke. She brings a much needed levity and cohesion to the show.
Second, the action sequences are much different. There is no magic, no particle accelerator to make monsters and heroes. The action is live action and it's excellent. The stuntmen and women do a fabulous job. As a woman, I am just as caught up in the action sequences as any man. They are thrilling, fabulous, well-choreographed, and the film work is excellent. What I mean by that is the sequences are shot in a manner in which the viewer can see what is going on. There is not an over-abundance of shaky-cam. The sequences look real and believable. I like it.
The actors in this show are fabulous. I like each of them. I think the casting was brilliantly managed. I am enthralled with Stephen Amell's brooding, damaged, loving portrayal of The Hood. He is by far the best casting and is just as believable as The Hood as he is as a playboy billionaire. Felicity Smoke is wonderfully developed by Emily Bett Rickards. She is beautiful, strong, quirky, and an every woman. Who would not get caught up in watching their boss do pull-ups in the office? I'd have to program my Apple Watch to remind me to get back to work about every 3 minutes. A silent buzz of "stop drooling".
The secondary cast is great too. I love Paul Blackthorne as the troubled dad/cop. John Barrowman is wonderfully sinister as Malcom. The wonderful Colin Donnell had me hoping and praying for him to get the girl as Tommy even though that goes against what the anti-hero The Hood wanted.
Some of the weak links are Katie Cassidy who plays Laurel Lance. I like her, I just don't ever get the feeling she's the "one" for Oliver. I love David Ramsey as John Diggle, but I don't think the writers are doing his character justice. It just seems to be missing something. I don't think it's the actor's fault, I think it is more of a writing issue.
So the good thing is whichever show you started watching, The Flash or Arrow, it's kind of cool the two aren't copycats of each other just with a different cast. If you like gritty, Arrow may be your bag. If you like playful, decent to good special effects, magical monsters, and good banter, then The Flash might be more your style. Ultimately, both are good television shows.
The only draw back is if you truly prefer your comic book shows gritty or glamour, then you may or may not like the opposite choice.
Me, personally, I started with The Flash. It took me a bit to gain my footing in the darker Arrow, but once I did, it's like Cupid shot me with an arrow in my heart ... a green arrow. I love the show and am already well into season 2. I'll give you an update as to how that season holds up once I'm finished.
On a side note, I love how many episodes are in a season for The Flash and Arrow. It amazes me there is such a commitment by the network and that the seasons truly don't feel too long. Well done, CW, well done.
Until next time!
** If you would like to read my other blogs, please find them at:
http://www.madelinefresco.com
http://www.ihatemyback.com.
**** Madeline Fresco is a novelist who lives in San Diego. She is the author of CROSSED THE LINE, available for Kindle at Amazon.com, for Nook at Barnes & Noble, and as an ePub at other eBook retailers. You can also listen to her novel as a free, serialized audiobook at http://www.madelinefresco.com. Her second book THE CHOICE, is available on Kindle at Amazon. Her third book ANGUISH, is available for Kindle at Amazon.com