Arrow When did the show "grow the beard?"

[godisawesome]

Sorry for confusing anyone who doesn't do TV Tropes, but I think it's a good question. It not "what's your favorite episode," or "what's the worst episode" but when did you think the show hit its stride and became the Arrow we all love?

PS. "Growing the beard" refers to Riker's beard on Star Trek TNG, at which point most people think the show found its heart and soul and became TNG instead of "that new Start Trek show."

Since I've now got Netflix ! I've started watching the first season again. While Year's End was a nice mid-season finale, I thought the game-changer was "The Odyssey."

It's the first episode where Felicity and Slade assume their more regular positions in the cast, where the show first embraced its breakneck pace by having Oliver recruit Felicity, and it made the island flashbacks interesting again. It also had the best fight in the series to that point, with Slade vs Wintergreen, which showed they knew how to make an atmospheric, comic book style fight with personal stakes to make the eventual victory that much sweeter.

It was the perfect balance of episodic adventure with Season Arc fun. And it was the first one that made me decide I had to keep watching the show. Followed up by Dead to Rights a few weeks later, and this became a worthy TV successor to the Dark Knight Trilogy.

 

[jaymes_e06]

Good thread idea. I was hooked from the get go but this season and the introduction of Black Canary really sold the world to me.

 

[godisawesome]

It was hilarious when my sister sent me an excited text about "Razor A Gool" being mentioned, and I teased her about Black Canary and she sent me "Wait what black canary is SARAH!!!!!"

What makes it really sweet is that's my sister's name too!

Season Two came out swinging for the fences, and I'd say if they didn't hit a home run, we're at least looking at several RBIs.

 

[Artistsean]

I think sometime around season 1, near the end. When things started to really ramp up. I was watching them months after the fact and had DVRd all of them (heard nothing about it) and started think "Oh my gosh! This is awesome. " It became more action comic book stuff and less CW drama and love triangles.
Looking back now Arrow is even better than those episodes. Cool stuff from the comics and cool ideas. I love how he came back from the island and for a year he was still on the island in survival mode. Now he is becoming more accustomed to life outside the prison cell sort of. And slowly building into a superhero and not just a vigilante. Just one down side is Laural this season.

 

[godisawesome]

I think Dead to Rights was the first time Oliver came off as just a straight up superhero, having to go head to head with multiple badguys to save his friends father, and even revealing his identity to help.

Odyssey was the first one to make me go "DAMN!" though.

 

[PaulRom]

Damaged was when the show started to find proper footing. Year's End and Dead to Rights were what definitely made me think, "Wow, this is a great show."

 

[Ultra Nolanite]

They should change it to "Dump the Crusher"

Wesley not Beverly.

 

[Human Torch]

I don't recall the name of the episode,but the one when Ollie unmasked Sara.That was pretty much when I said there's no looking back.The show is firing on all thrusters.

 

[mkilban2]

Personally for me where I knew I would enjoy the show was when Manu Bennett showed up. I wasn't expecting it and I really like him. I've always been super intrigued because of the Island stuff and mystery around it, I enjoyed that stuff much more than the present dy stuff initially, but now I'm hooked on both sides.

Idk exactly when I think the show as a whole hit its "this will be great now moment" but season 2 has been pretty much flawless, outside of the stupid stupid stupid Merlin coming back and now Thea is his kid storyline they're going to shoehorn into the season. I have zero interest in seeing tht pan out.

 

[DorneyDave]

stupid stupid Merlin coming back and now Thea is his kid storyline they're going to shoehorn into the season. I have zero interest in seeing tht pan out.

I was little iffy on that to, but when it finally plays out with Ra's Al Ghul being involved it makes sense he's "been brought back"

I'll never really like the Thea part though, it's the only plot device I've disliked so far.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Season 1, Episode 1.

I was hooked from that point on. My excitement over the show only grows every week. Its probably the show I look forward to most(granted i don't watch much TV) second only to Justified.

I loved S1 and thought it was fantastic, but this season has been just kicking ass through and through.

 

[godisawesome]

I thought the pilot was okay, but I knew the show had ambition and better direction when they had Robert Queen kill himself on the boat. It was understated, dark, and hickory played out.

 

[DrCosmic]

I don't think it has yet. If this is as good as the show gets, I'd say when Ollie and Black Canary teamed up to save Laurel, that's when I realized this show has everything I could possibly want.