Oct 3 2012 10:35 AM ET
'Arrow' not a Democrat, star says
by
James Hibberd
The CWs
Arrow is not only the networks best new show, its also one of the the best freshman fall shows on any network. Is it a CW bite-sized hoodie-wearing version of
Batman Begins? A bit. But if youre going to be inspired by a superhero origin movie, thats a great place to start. Below are six things to know about The Green Arrows return to TV next week:
1.
Hes just called Arrow: Though
Arrow is based on
The Green Arrow comic books, showrunners Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg have shortened the characters name, reportedly to sound less comic-book-ish.
2.
Hes not a liberal. The DC Comics version of Arrow is famously considered a very left-wing character. Kreisberg
told critics last July that some of that sensibility will remain, noting there are some echoes of the One Percenters and Occupy Wall Street within the show. But star Stephen Amell later told EW that the liberal tag was overblown by the media. I think its a mistake to say Oliver Queen is a liberal superhero targeting the wealthy, Amell says. Hes targeting people who abuse their powers. Now is that mostly going to be the wealthy? Sure. Is Arrow a Democrat? Absolutely not. Is he a Republican? No, hes not that either. Hes an idealist. And hes going after a certain type of person, not a certain class of people.
3.
The island flashbacks will continue through the entire series. Flashbacks showing how a callow young rich kid became a lethal crime fighter will be a major part of the show. The Arrow is the only character I can think of who can sustain a 5-year origin story because of the island, Guggenheim says. The last episode of the series will be Arrow seeing the [rescue] boat in the pilot. Now
thats proving you know your story a producer that will actually tell you whats in the series finale before the first episode airs!
4.
Arrow plays rough. Hes not like Superman or Batman with some firm (and, lets face it, impractical) moral code against killing psychopathic criminals. Arrow isnt out to hurt anybody, but if hes forced to defend himself, hes not going to aim for your legs. Every heros actions are influenced by his origin story, Guggenheim says. For Bruce Wayne [Batman], seeing his parents murdered with gun violence left him with this code that death is not necessary. For Oliver, his experience happened on this island. Its a very violent and dark place where other men lost their lives and their souls. Hes a moral man and a good man and he believes in justice but the tools he uses to weed out justice are heavily honed by the crucible of his time on the island
Arrow has a popcorn feel about it, but were trying to be real about the story were telling.
5.
Two major new characters will be introduced in future episodes: Arrow will eventually meet a
mysterious fellow millionaire played by Torchwoods John Barrowman, and encounter one DC Comics ferocious females The Huntress,
a mob boss vengeful daughter, played by Aussie TV actress Jessica De Gouw.
6.
Keep an eye on Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy): In the comics, Arrows former flame eventually morphs into his crime-fighting partner Black Canary (guess the name Robin was taken). Producers havent confirmed this will likewise happen in the show, but we say its a safe bet. Everyone wants to know when Laurel turns into the Black Canary, Cassidy says. And will there be fishnets.