Season 3: You Have Failed This Rewatch!

As I've mentioned on social media, I've started an Arrowverse rewatch. It's been nearly a decade since I watched some of these episodes, so in many ways it almost feels like I'm experiencing them for the first time again.

One thing that has stood out to me is just how much the entire Arrowverse owes to the success of Arrow. Before there was a sprawling universe of interconnected heroes, crossovers, and spin-offs, there was one grounded vigilante series that had to prove this concept could work on television. The reason the Arrowverse grew into such a massive franchise and lasted for nearly a decade is because Arrow gave it such a strong foundation.

And this rewatch has definitely given me some thoughts.

I'll be talking about The Flash in a separate post since I'm watching both series at the same time. For now, let's start with Arrow.

As the beginning of the Arrowverse, Arrow Seasons 1 and 2 were incredibly strong. The writing was excellent, the character development was compelling, and the villains were memorable. As a Doctor Who fan, I especially enjoyed the casting of John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn. And I'm not exaggerating when I say I think Slade Wilson is one of the greatest live-action comic book villains ever put on screen. The introduction of Barry Allen was another major highlight and did a great job setting up The Flash.

Then we come to Season 3.

I remember how fresh and exciting The Flash Season 1 felt, and for years I wondered if that was why so many people looked back on Arrow Season 3 less fondly. But revisiting it with fresh eyes, I think Season 3 genuinely has some issues that hold it back.

My biggest issue is Malcolm Merlyn. As much as I loved the character in Season 1, the way he's used in Season 3 just doesn't make sense to me. Team Arrow ends up in a conflict with the League of Assassins, and it's entirely Malcolm's fault. The conflict doesn't initially have anything to do with Oliver, his team, or Starling City. Every opportunity Team Arrow has to hand Malcolm over to the League, they refuse. Instead, they continue protecting him, trusting him, and involving themselves in a conflict that never should have been theirs. Considering Malcolm is responsible for countless deaths and repeatedly betrays everyone around him, their decisions become harder and harder to justify. Most of the season's major conflicts could have been avoided if they had simply exercised better judgment.

Another recurring trope in the Arrowverse that has never really worked for me is the idea that heroes hide their identities from the women in their lives "to protect them." This comes up repeatedly throughout both Arrow and The Flash. In fact, there's a point in The Flash Season 1 where Iris is the only main character who still doesn't know Barry is the Flash. Arrow mirrors this by having Oliver keep his identity from his mother, Thea, and Laurel for a long time.

The problem is that these characters are constantly in danger anyway. At some point, it seems like it would actually be safer for them to know the truth so they understand what's happening and know who to call when trouble finds them.

Laurel's storyline highlights this problem perfectly. Oliver refuses to train her because he thinks being a vigilante is "too dangerous" and worries about what it would do to her father if she got hurt. But Laurel's life is already in danger every other episode. Starling City is basically the Gotham of the Arrowverse. Learning how to defend herself would make her safer, not more vulnerable.

So Laurel turns to another former vigilante for training. While I appreciate seeing her determination, the pace of her improvement feels inconsistent. Early in the season she can't stop a single street thug armed with two knives and is told she needs much more training. Yet later in that very same episode she's suddenly holding her own against two members of the League of Assassins. That jump in ability just didn't feel earned.

I was also disappointed with how Roy Harper's story ended. Even though he'd been part of the series since Season 1, he had only recently stepped into his role as Arsenal. I really enjoyed his partnership with Oliver. Roy brought a younger, more impulsive energy to Team Arrow that balanced Oliver's more serious personality. Unfortunately, that partnership was short-lived. Roy pretends to be the Arrow to clear Oliver's name with the police, fakes his death, and leaves the city. I later found out that Colton Haynes chose to leave the show, so I understand the writers had to work with what they had. Even so, I wish we'd gotten another season or two of Arsenal alongside Green Arrow.

One final thing that bothered me this season was John Diggle. Overall, I love the evolution of his character, but as he spends more time in the field he rarely makes any meaningful effort to conceal his identity. He wears a ski mask in one episode and then seemingly abandons the idea altogether. Considering he's Oliver Queen's bodyguard, you would think someone would eventually notice that Oliver's bodyguard is constantly fighting alongside the Arrow. With Diggle getting married and becoming a father this season, I would've expected him to be even more careful about protecting his identity and his family's safety.

Despite my frustrations with Season 3, I'm still really enjoying this rewatch overall.

Revisiting these shows has reminded me why the Arrowverse became such a phenomenon in the first place, even when it stumbled.

That's my Arrow Season 3 rant. Next up will be The Flash Season 1, and I have a feeling that post is going to be a lot more positive.

Thanks for reading!