Burned (Arrow)
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The first season of the American action television series ''
Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'' premiered on
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
on October 10, 2012, at 8:00 pm (ET) and concluded on May 15, 2013, with a total of 23 episodes, after the network ordered a full season on October 22, 2012. The series is based on the
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
character
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
, a costumed crime-fighter created by
Mort Weisinger Mortimer Weisinger (; April 25, 1915 – May 7, 1978) was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' ''Superman'' during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books. He also co-created such features a ...
and
George Papp George Edward Papp (January 20, 1916 – August 8, 1989) was an American comics artist best known as one of the principal artists on the long-running Superboy feature for DC Comics. Papp also co-created the Green Arrow character with Mort Weising ...
, and is set in the
Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. ...
, sharing continuity with other Arrowverse television series. The showrunners for this season were
Greg Berlanti Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', '' Brothers & Sisters'', ''Everwood'', '' Political Animals'', ...
,
Marc Guggenheim Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012– 2020), and ''Lege ...
and
Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'', ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', ''Supergirl ...
.
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...
stars as
Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
, with principal cast members
Katie Cassidy Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy (formerly Rodgers) (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films '' When a Stranger Calls'' ...
as Laurel Lance,
Colin Donnell Colin Donnell (born October 9, 1982) is an American actor and singer best known for his performances as Billy Crocker in ''Anything Goes'', Tommy Merlyn in The CW television series ''Arrow'', Scotty Lockhart on the Showtime drama '' The Affair'' ...
as
Tommy Merlyn Thomas Merlyn is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics related to Green Arrow. Created by Judd Winick and Freddie E. Williams II, he is the son of Arthur King / Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer. Colin Donnell po ...
,
David Ramsey David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor, director, and martial artist, best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series '' Arrow'', '' The Flash'', ''Supergirl'', and '' Batwoman'' as John Diggle / Spartan, portrayin ...
as
John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early l ...
,
Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama ''The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series ''Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow''. ...
as
Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series protag ...
,
Susanna Thompson Susanna Thompson (born January 27, 1958) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films ''Little Giants'' (1994), ''Ghosts of Mississippi'' (1996), ''Random Hearts'' (1999) and ''Dragonfly (2002 film), Dragonfly'' (2002). On televisio ...
as
Moira Queen Quakemaster Moira Queen Moira Queen is the mother of Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. She and her husband Robert were killed by lions during an African safari. Moira Queen in other media Moira Queen was portrayed by Susanna Thompson in The CW's ...
, and
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England. His breakthro ...
as
Quentin Lance '' Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...
. The series follows billionaire playboy
Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
(
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...
), who claimed to have spent five years shipwrecked on
Lian Yu Lian Yu (; born 1886) was a diplomat, politician, judicial officer and lawyer in the Republic of China. He was an important politician during the Reformed Government of the Republic of China and Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing). H ...
, a mysterious island in the North China Sea, before returning home to
Starling City Star City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, best known as the traditional home of the superheroes known by, or affiliated with, the shared alias of Green Arrow. Beyond that, it is also known to other characters ...
(later renamed "Star City") to fight crime and corruption as a secret vigilante whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow. In the first season, Oliver returns to Starling City and is reunited with his mother, Moira (
Susanna Thompson Susanna Thompson (born January 27, 1958) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films ''Little Giants'' (1994), ''Ghosts of Mississippi'' (1996), ''Random Hearts'' (1999) and ''Dragonfly (2002 film), Dragonfly'' (2002). On televisio ...
), his sister, Thea (
Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama ''The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series ''Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow''. ...
), and his friend,
Tommy Merlyn Thomas Merlyn is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics related to Green Arrow. Created by Judd Winick and Freddie E. Williams II, he is the son of Arthur King / Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer. Colin Donnell po ...
(
Colin Donnell Colin Donnell (born October 9, 1982) is an American actor and singer best known for his performances as Billy Crocker in ''Anything Goes'', Tommy Merlyn in The CW television series ''Arrow'', Scotty Lockhart on the Showtime drama '' The Affair'' ...
). Oliver rekindles his relationships, while spending his nights hunting down and sometimes killing criminals as a hooded vigilante, known as The Hood. He uncovers
Malcolm Merlyn Merlyn (Arthur King), otherwise known as the Dark Archer, is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a deadly bow-wielding assassin and contract killer and the archnemesis of Green Arrow, though writers have developed ...
's (John Barrowman) conspiracy to destroy "The Glades", a poorer section of the city that has become overridden with crime.
John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early l ...
(
David Ramsey David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor, director, and martial artist, best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series '' Arrow'', '' The Flash'', ''Supergirl'', and '' Batwoman'' as John Diggle / Spartan, portrayin ...
) and Felicity Smoak (Arrowverse), Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) assist Oliver in his crusade. Oliver also reconnects with ex-girlfriend, Laurel Lance (
Katie Cassidy Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy (formerly Rodgers) (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films '' When a Stranger Calls'' ...
), who is still angry over his role in her sister, Sara Lance, Sara's, presumed death, while her father, Detective
Quentin Lance '' Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...
(
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England. His breakthro ...
), suspects Oliver being the vigilante. The season features flashbacks to Oliver's first year on the island, and how it changed him, while trying to stop a mercenary force targeting the Chinese economy. After being saved by The Hood, Roy Harper (Arrowverse), Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) attempts to find him so he will train him so he can help others. Production on the pilot began in March 2012 in Vancouver, British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada. Filming for the rest of the season began on July 18, 2012 and ended on April 18, 2013. The season was generally well received by critics, and averaged 3.68million viewers each week. Amell's portrayal of Oliver Queen / Arrow drew comparison to Katniss Everdeen from ''The Hunger Games (film series), The Hunger Games'', while the season itself was found to be still looking for its own identity. The season would go on to win multiple awards, including twenty-one nominations in various categories. The season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 17, 2013. The series was renewed for a Arrow (season 2), second season on February 11, 2013.


Episodes


Cast and characters


Main

*
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...
as Oliver Queen (Arrowverse), Oliver Queen / The Hood *
Katie Cassidy Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy (formerly Rodgers) (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films '' When a Stranger Calls'' ...
as Laurel Lance (Arrowverse Earth-1), Laurel Lance *
Colin Donnell Colin Donnell (born October 9, 1982) is an American actor and singer best known for his performances as Billy Crocker in ''Anything Goes'', Tommy Merlyn in The CW television series ''Arrow'', Scotty Lockhart on the Showtime drama '' The Affair'' ...
as
Tommy Merlyn Thomas Merlyn is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics related to Green Arrow. Created by Judd Winick and Freddie E. Williams II, he is the son of Arthur King / Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer. Colin Donnell po ...
*
David Ramsey David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor, director, and martial artist, best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series '' Arrow'', '' The Flash'', ''Supergirl'', and '' Batwoman'' as John Diggle / Spartan, portrayin ...
as
John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early l ...
*
Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama ''The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series ''Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow''. ...
as
Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series protag ...
*
Susanna Thompson Susanna Thompson (born January 27, 1958) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films ''Little Giants'' (1994), ''Ghosts of Mississippi'' (1996), ''Random Hearts'' (1999) and ''Dragonfly (2002 film), Dragonfly'' (2002). On televisio ...
as
Moira Queen Quakemaster Moira Queen Moira Queen is the mother of Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. She and her husband Robert were killed by lions during an African safari. Moira Queen in other media Moira Queen was portrayed by Susanna Thompson in The CW's ...
*
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England. His breakthro ...
as
Quentin Lance '' Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...


Recurring

* Jamey Sheridan as Robert Queen (Arrowverse), Robert Queen * Kelly Hu as China White (Arrowverse), Chien Na Wei / China White * Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak (Arrowverse), Felicity SmoakIn addition to an uncredited role in "Year's End", Rickards also co-starred in two episodes. * John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn (Arrowverse), Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer * Jessica De Gouw as Helena Bertinelli (Arrowverse), Helena Bertinelli / Huntress * Colin Salmon as Walter Steele (Arrowverse), Walter Steele * Annie Ilonzeh as Joanna De La Vega * Roger Cross as Lucas Hilton * Byron Mann as Yao Fei (Arrowverse), Yao Fei * Janina Gavankar as McKenna Hall * Manu Bennett as Slade Wilson (Arrowverse), Slade Wilson * Christie Laing as Carly DiggleLaing co-starred in two episodes before she was promoted to recurring in the ninth episode. * Colton Haynes as Roy Harper (Arrowverse), Roy Harper * Alex Kingston as Dinah Lance (Arrowverse), Dinah Lance * Jeffrey Nordling as Frank Bertinelli * Sebastian Dunn as Edward Fyers (Arrowverse), Edward Fyers * Celina Jade as Shado (Arrowverse), Shado * Chin Han (actor, born 1969), Chin Han as Frank Chen * Adrian Holmes as Frank Pike (Arrowverse), Frank Pike * Jarod Joseph as Alan Durand


Guest

* Kathleen Gati as Raisa (Arrowverse), Raisa * Michael Rowe as Floyd Lawton (Arrowverse), Floyd Lawton / DeadshotAlso credited as a co-star in two episodes. * Kyle Schmid as Kyle Reston, Kyle Reston / Ace * Tahmoh Penikett as Nick Salvati * Brian Markinson as Adam Hunt (Arrowverse), Adam Hunt * Jacqueline MacInnes Wood as Sara Lance * Emma Bell as Emily Nocenti * Andrew Dunbar as Garfield Lynns (Arrowverse), Garfield Lynns / Firefly * Ben Browder as Ted Gaynor (Arrowverse), Ted Gaynor / Blackhawk * Seth Gabel as The Count (Arrowverse), Cecil Adams / The Count * Chelah Horsdal as Kate Spencer (Arrowverse), Kate Spencer * Currie Graham as Derek Reston (Arrowverse), Derek Reston / King * Sarah-Jane Redmond as Mrs. Reston / Queen * David Anders as Cyrus Vanch * John Cassini as Russo * James Callis as Winnick Norton, Winnick Norton / Dodger * Danny Nucci as Raynes * Ona Grauer as Vivian * Audrey Marie Anderson as Lyla Michaels (Arrowverse), Lyla Michaels * J. August Richards as Mr. Blank (Arrowverse), Mr. Blank / Onomatopoeia


Production

On January 12, 2012,
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
was preparing a new series centered around the character
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
, developed by
Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'', ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', ''Supergirl ...
,
Greg Berlanti Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', '' Brothers & Sisters'', ''Everwood'', '' Political Animals'', ...
and
Marc Guggenheim Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012– 2020), and ''Lege ...
. A week later, the series, now known as ''Arrow'', was ordered to television pilot, pilot, which was directed by David Nutter, who also directed Pilot (Smallville), the pilot for ''Smallville'', a series following Clark Kent (Smallville), Clark Kent on his journey to become Superman. At the end of the month,
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...
was cast in the titular role of Oliver Queen. When developing the series, producer Marc Guggenheim expressed that the creative team wanted to "chart [their] own course, [their] own destiny", and avoid any direct connections to ''Smallville'', which featured its own Green Arrow/Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley), opting to cast a new actor in the role of Oliver Queen. Unlike with ''Smallville'', the series does not initially feature super-powered heroes and villains. Instead, the creative still took inspiration from ''Smallville'', as one of the main themes of ''Arrow'' was to "look at the humanity" of Oliver Queen, as ''Smallville'' had done with Clark Kent. The decision not to include superpowers was, in part, based on the executives' desire to take a realistic look at the characters in this universe. The series was given a full season pick up on October 22, 2012. The series develops relationship triangles: some love triangles, others designed to catch characters in "philosophical debates". Kreisberg provides one such example: "Every week, Oliver will be facing a bad guy, but the truth is, his real nemesis is Detective Lance, who's trying to bring him into justice.[...] His daughter is going to be caught in the middle, because she loves and respects her father, and she's always believed in what he believed, but at the same time, she's going to see this dark urban legend out there that's actually doing a lot of good; the kind of good that she wants to be doing in her role as a legal aid attorney." Learning from previous experiences working in television, the producers worked early on identifying the major story arcs for the series, specifically the first season, including "mapping out" how to accomplish them. Taking inspiration from Christopher Nolan's Batman (2005 film series), ''Batman'' film series, the creative team decided to "put it all out there" and "not hold back" from episode to episode. The team strives to include various DC Comics characters and aspects of the DC universe. Guggenheim cited Big Belly Burger, a restaurant franchise introduced in the Superman comics, which appears in ''Arrows third episode and onward. Kreisberg said, "There are so many characters in the DC Universe who haven't gotten their due in TV and film. We're so excited to reach into [the DC comics] roster and take some of these lesser-known characters that are beloved by fans, and do our spin on the characters."


Casting

On January 31, 2012
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...
became the first actor to be cast, having previously appeared on other CW dramas such as ''The Vampire Diaries'' and ''90210 (TV series), 90210''. Fan reaction to Amell's casting was mixed, with many fans wanting Justin Hartley to reprise his role from Smallville (television series), Smallville. Amell was one of the first actors to audition for the role of Oliver Queen, and Kreisberg felt that he "hit the target from the outset" and "everyone else just paled in comparison". ''Arrow''s pilot script was the first Amell auditioned for during Television pilot#Pilot season, pilot season, having received multiple scripts at the start of the year. Producer Marc Guggenheim expressed that the creative team wanted to "chart [their] own course, [their] own destiny", and avoid any direct connections to ''Smallville'', which featured its own Green Arrow/Oliver Queen who was portrayed by Hartley. Instead, they opted to cast a new actor in the titular role. Amell, who was already in shape from ''Rent-a-Goalie'', did physical fitness training at Tempest Freerunning Academy out of Reseda, California. He received archery training as well, which included watching a video on how archery has been displayed inaccurately or poorly in television and film before learning the basics of shooting a bow. For Amell, the appeal of portraying Queen was that he saw multiple roles tied to the same character: "There's Queen the casual playboy; Queen the wounded hero; Queen the brooding Hamlet; Queen the lover; Queen the man of action, and so on." A week later,
David Ramsey David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor, director, and martial artist, best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series '' Arrow'', '' The Flash'', ''Supergirl'', and '' Batwoman'' as John Diggle / Spartan, portrayin ...
was cast as the original character
John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early l ...
, named after the ''Green Arrow: Year One'' writer Andy Diggle. Ramsey enjoyed the fact that he did not have to worry about matching the comic books. It allowed him to "just kind of take [his character], and run with it". On February 14, 2012
Susanna Thompson Susanna Thompson (born January 27, 1958) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films ''Little Giants'' (1994), ''Ghosts of Mississippi'' (1996), ''Random Hearts'' (1999) and ''Dragonfly (2002 film), Dragonfly'' (2002). On televisio ...
was cast as
Moira Queen Quakemaster Moira Queen Moira Queen is the mother of Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. She and her husband Robert were killed by lions during an African safari. Moira Queen in other media Moira Queen was portrayed by Susanna Thompson in The CW's ...
. The following day,
Katie Cassidy Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy (formerly Rodgers) (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films '' When a Stranger Calls'' ...
and
Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama ''The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series ''Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow''. ...
were announced to play Laurel Lance and
Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series protag ...
, respectively. Laurel Lance is an attorney and Oliver's ex-girlfriend, named after Dinah Lance, Dinah Laurel Lance, who "''may or may not end up being the Black Canary with time''". Cassidy said she was drawn to the show by Berlanti, Nutter, Kreisberg, and Guggenheim, whom she called smart, creative, and edgy. Hollands' character is described as "Oliver's celebutante younger sister who's testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior". She is partially based on the character Mia Dearden, sharing her middle name, using Mia as an alias in Season 3 and taking the codename "Speedy (comics), Speedy" in the season 3 finale. Subsequently. Brian Markinson was cast as guest-star villain ''Adam Hunt'', described as "''Hunt is a corrupt businessman who is ripping off some people – behavior that has gotten the attention of Dinah Laurel Lance and her CNRI firm''". On February 21, 2012 Colin Donnell was cast as Tommy Merlyn, named after Green Arrow's archenemy Merlyn (DC Comics), Merlyn. He is described as "''Oliver's best friend, a playboy “trustafarian” who assumes the good times will roll again now that Oliver has returned, only to learn Oliver is a changed man''". On March 2, 2012,
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England. His breakthro ...
and Jamey Sheridan were cast as
Quentin Lance '' Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...
and Robert Queen (Arrowverse), Robert Queen, the fathers of Laurel and Oliver respectively, with Blackthorne being the last regular cast member to be cast. Jacqueline MacInnes Wood was cast as Sara Lance, Laurel's sister, for the pilot. However, when the character returned in the second season, Wood was replaced by Caity Lotz. In August, it was announced that John Barrowman would be joining the series in an unspecified recurring role. In the same month Emily Bett Rickards was cast in the role of Felicity Smoak (Arrowverse), Felicity Smoak initially as a one-off guest star, but confirmed as a series regular in January 2013.


Design

The realistic approach to the series included the costume design for Oliver's vigilante persona, created by Colleen Atwood. According to Amell, it was important for the suit to be functional, and the best way that he knew for that was if he could put the costume on by himself: "If I can put it on by myself, I think that people will buy it. And that was our idea. That's our world. My boots are actually Nike Frees, which is kind of cool. It's leather and it's tight and it's aggressive, but I can move in it. People will like it." David Nutter, the director of the pilot episode, said that "We're creating a real, believable world in which Oliver Queen can do incredible things. Colleen Atwood's great work on the Arrow costume reflects that effort."


Filming

Production on the pilot began in March 2012 in Vancouver, British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada. The series features two distinct timelines, which requires more specific planning in the filming schedule. Filming for the island flashbacks takes place in Vancouver's Whytecliff Park area, near beachfront homes. The production team is tasked with keeping the buildings out of camera frame. Additionally, producer Marc Guggenheim finds the process arduous: "Stephen [Amell] has to wear a wig, and his look has to be changed... there's a lot. It's actually incredibly ambitious to do these flashbacks every week, every single episode. Because like Andrew [Kreisberg] said, it's almost like it's its own show." Hatley Park National Historic Site, Hatley Castle, located in Royal Roads University was used for exterior shots for the Queen family mansion. Hatley Castle had previously been used as the Luthor ancestral home in ''Smallville''. Vancouver's Terminal City Ironworks Complex doubles as the exterior for Queen Industrial, Inc, in which Oliver sets up his hideout and later his club Verdant. It has also been used on several other occasions, such as the warehouse in which Oliver and Tommy are kidnapped in the pilot episode, or the base of operations for the Chinese Triad in episode 108 "Vendetta". Filming for the rest of the season commenced on July 18, 2012 and finalized on April 18, 2013.


Music

To compose the score for ''Arrow'', executive producer Greg Berlanti invited Blake Neely, with whom he had first worked with on ''Everwood'', Neely created a score that combined electronic and orchestral cues, varying between action themes and romantic ones. Berlanti told Neely the series would be dark, and the music should be as well. After reading the pilot script, Neely went away to start composing on his own. According to Neely, "Of course, Oliver has his main theme but also sub-themes for the many layers of his character. He and Laurel have a love theme. Mom had a theme for the Undertaking. The bad guys all have themes, which makes it sad for me when one of them dies. So I try not to become attached to bad guy themes. Diggle has a theme. Even the Island itself has a theme." The soundtrack was released on September 17, 2013. It was composed by Blake Neely.


Release


Broadcast

The season began airing in the United States on
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
on October 10, 2012, and completed its 23-episode run on May 5, 2013.


Home media

''Arrow: Season 1'' was released as a 5-disc DVD set and as a 9-disc Blu-ray and DVD combo pack set on September 17, 2013 in the United States and September 23, 2013 in the United Kingdom. The DVD and Blu-ray box sets contain additional features, including making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, gag reel, and highlights from the Paley Fest 2012.


Reception


Critical response

The first season received favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 73 out of 100, based on reviews from 25 critics, making it the highest rated CW show in five years. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes calculated an approval rating of 85%, based on 36 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "The CW nails the target with ''Arrow'', a comic book-inspired series that benefits from cinematic action sequences, strong plotting, and intriguing characters." Mary McNamara of the ''Los Angeles Times'' called the series an interesting setup with a quality look, describing Amell as "a poster boy (no doubt literally) for the Katniss Everdeen set." Brian Lowry at ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' described the series as a "handsome but stiff surrogate for Batman that could benefit from sharper execution." In reviewing the final episode of the first season, Alasdair Wilkins of ''The A.V. Club'' gave the season as a whole a rating of B+, noting that the show "hasn't quite figured everything out yet, but it's had some standout episodes."


Ratings

''Arrow''s premiere episode drew 4.14million viewers, making it The CW's most-watched telecast of any show on any night in three years, and The CW's most-watched series premiere since ''The Vampire Diaries'' in 2009. In its second episode, ''Arrow'' became the only new network drama in the 2012–13 season to hold its ratings in both adults 18–34 and adults 18–49 from its premiere to its second week. The first season finished as the 130th ranked show, with an average viewership of 3.68million. In Australia, the premiere received 1.32million viewers, making it the third most-watched broadcast on the network that night. The UK broadcast was the highest-rated telecast of the week on Sky 1, with 1.85million viewers. In Canada, the first episode got 1.32million viewers, making it the fourth most-watched airing of the night and the twenty-third of the week.


Accolades

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Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
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Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...
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Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
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Greg Berlanti Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', '' Brothers & Sisters'', ''Everwood'', '' Political Animals'', ...
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Marc Guggenheim Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012– 2020), and ''Lege ...
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Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'', ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', ''Supergirl ...
, Melissa Kellner Berman, Drew Greenberg, Jennifer Lence, Wendy Mericle, Carl Ogawa , , , - , Best Production Design Dramatic Series , data-sort-value="Hudolin, Richard" , Richard Hudolin ("Pilot (Arrow), Pilot") , , , - , rowspan="2" , Best Stunt Coordination Dramatic Series , data-sort-value="Makaro, J. J." , J. J. Makaro ("Pilot (Arrow), Pilot") , , , - , data-sort-value="Makaro, J. J." , J. J. Makaro ("Vertigo (Arrow), Vertigo") , , , - , Best Visual Effects Dramatic Series , Jean-Luc Dinsdale, Pauline Burns, Andrew Orloff, Dave Gauthier ("Burned (Arrow), Burned") , , , - , rowspan="2" , 2013 NewNowNext Awards, NewNowNext Awards , Best New Indulgence , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , Cause You're Hot , data-sort-value="Amell, Stephen" , Stephen Amell , , , - , 39th People's Choice Awards, People's Choice Awards , Favorite New TV Drama , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , 39th Saturn Awards, Saturn Awards , Saturn Award for Best Youth-Oriented Television Series, Best Youth-Oriented Series on Television , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , rowspan="5" , 2013 Teen Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards , Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout TV Show, Choice Breakout TV Show , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , Choice Breakout TV Star , data-sort-value="Amell, Stephen" , Stephen Amell , , , - , Teen Choice Award for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor, Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor , data-sort-value="Amell, Stephen" , Stephen Amell , , , - , Teen Choice Award for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress, Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress , data-sort-value="Cassidy, Katie" ,
Katie Cassidy Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy (formerly Rodgers) (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films '' When a Stranger Calls'' ...
, , , - , Teen Choice Award for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show, Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , UBCP/ACTRA Awards , Best Newcomer , data-sort-value="Rickards, Emily Bett" , Emily Bett Rickards , ,


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Arrowverse Arrow (TV series) seasons 2012 American television seasons 2013 American television seasons Television series set in 2007 Television series set in 2008