Arrow Season 7 Review

Now that all the CW Arrowverse shows have wrapped up for the season it's about time we start reviewing them don't you think!

It's only fitting that we start with the one that started it all Arrow! Arrow just finished its seventh season and was definitely one for the ages. So let's dive right into their 7th annual season of Arrow. Be warned there are spoilers ahead!

Arrow season 7 started out extremely strong continuing where you left off from season 6 with Oliver Queen now in prison having to deal with past foes he's faced in the form of a fellow inmate. It was really nice that this was a 7 episode story arc as usually with arrowverse cliffhangers they like to wrap it up real quick in a nice little bow without leaving any long effects. But this season was different we got to experience Oliver at a very low point in his life. This brings a new dynamic to the show that we have never seen before and had some of the best episodes that arrow ever delivered!

After Elseworlds, the annual Arrowverse crossover event is where I started to see a difference in the show. There became a lot of filler with no official story arc. This wasn't necessarily bad as we got a lot of cool stories like The suicide squad, the birds of prey and some origins for black siren. But the downside of this is that the back half somewhat became boring and uneventful. We were also introduced to Emiko Queen Oliver Queen's half-sister which would end up being the main villain of the season.

Emiko Queen could have been a really interesting villain. In the past whenever Arrow would have a villain that connected to Oliver's past they were generally good. This is exactly what Emiko could have been. our villain could have literally rewritten the entire show. If she would have warned her father about the sabotaged Gambit all of Oliver's problems could have been solved. This could have been a storyline that would have had a great dynamic between her and Oliver. unfortunately, they never play around with this. They introduce her as the villain so late in the game that she never gets a proper chance to be a villain.

Our characters this season were surprisingly well written. Oliver got a new and unique story, Felicity Smoak didn't seem as annoying and finally returned to some of her former quirkiness, John actually had a real story arc for once with the return of Lila and a.r.g.u.s and Dinah and Rene became enjoyable characters. Wth that being said,I did I think that black siren story arch was pretty rushed. They did such a good job with her last season but hear it just felt very forced.

Now we can't do an Arrow season 7 review without talking about the elephant in the room... The Flash forwards! I would definitely have to say that the flash forwards is the weakest points of the season. We're introduced to a future version of Star City is in ruin.. blaming vigilantes for everything wrong with the city. Vigilantes are being hunted down and Killed. We are introduced to Mia Queen and grown-up William the children of Oliver Queen, along with Renee's daughter Zoe as the New Black Canary, older versions of Renee Dinah and Roy and Felicity. Throughout the season they have to save Star City even when they don't want them to.

The future flashes are weird... it's like I want the like it I really do but they come across so boring and unnecessary. The characters in the future I want to see more of like Roy Harper never get enough screen time. Mia Queen lead of the future flashes played by Katherine Grace McNamara is such an uninteresting character. They never do anything for me to care about Mia's character or motivations.

Another big problem with the future flashes Is.. it takes away suspense from the present day story. ( Let me give an example) let's say Dinah Renee and Felicity gets kidnapped by a flock of ninjas. Their lives are in danger and are all about to die. But as an audience why should we care.. we know all three of these characters are going to survive because they exist future. It leaves the show somewhat lackluster! I appreciate what they were trying to do here do something new and unique but it just kind of lands flat!

So overall I thought Arrow season 7 was fine. It had some good it has some bad it was just a mediocre season. I don't think there was an episode I didn't like out of the bunch compared to seasons 3, 4 and 6 but it wasn't nearly as good as seasons 1, 2 & 5. There were definitely some missed opportunities like the ninth circle, The Longbow Hunters and the lack of Roy Harper. with that in mind, I would have to give season 7 a B-. Tell us what you thought of Arrow season 7... Was it right on point or did it fail your expectations?

- Daren McClimans