Arrow: Ten Reasons Why Season 2 Will Be Even Better Than The First

The second season of Arrow, which premieres October 9, is getting closer and closer, and we couldn’t be more excited. It seems the world of the show is expanding in such a way that one could only hope that it’d tie into the movie universe, even if such things haven’t been said about connections like that yet.

But more than that, when you look at Arrow Season 1, the show, like Oliver’s role as the vigilante, got better and better every week. The first season of any show can be a learning experience for the people involved, and many things that didn’t immediately pop (like, Thea always going back to the drug thing, an extreme seriousness, or that narration) seemed to be resolved by the time the second half of Season 1 came along. Obviously, the people that make Arrow want to give us a good show as much as we want to see one.

So, we’re going on a limb here — or rather, I, GATV webmaster Craig Byrne, is going on a limb here — to illustrate ten reasons why Season 2 should be even better than Year One. Spoilers will be discussed, and this list will be in no particular order. And, yes, I purposely didn’t include romance/shippery stuff, since I’m more of a comic geek viewer who just sits back and watches how things develop.

1. Oliver’s support team. When we first saw Arrow, Oliver Queen was on a one-man crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law. Wait, that’s the narration for Knight Rider, but it fits here too. Admit it – the show became better when Diggle came in as part of his support team, and it got even better when Felicity came on. Oliver needs people to interact with, and it’s a bonus when it means we get to see him smile. I admit, I’m curious how or if characters like Quentin, Laurel, Roy, or Thea will enter this “team,” but that journey is a big part of the fun.

(And, again, how cool is it that Roy Harper is now a regular part of the show, and that they didn’t take 6 seasons to introduce him?)

2. Black Canary. Did you SEE that sizzle reel? Caity Lotz as the Black Canary looks awesome! Even if she isn’t going to be the “ultimate” Black Canary, that also brings up another point: Laurel. I’ve been fairly vocal that in many ways, the Laurel character hasn’t worked for me, but I also admit that whenever Laurel gets the chance to kick some @$$, she is awesome. I’m hoping we get to see more of that, and more of that direction. As I’ve also pointed out, I like Katie Cassidy, so hopefully I can like the character she plays as much, too, with time. Getting her to her Black Canary destiny would help.

3. More DC Connections. There’s that big one that I will get to last, but I just love that it’s already Season 2 and we’re already hearing about Amanda Waller, the Suicide Squad, and folks with ties to Ra’s al Ghul. I do have that hope for a big shared universe, but even if it doesn’t happen, Arrow will have a universe of its own, and it should be awesome.

4. Moira. There hasn’t been a lot of talk about what will happen with Moira in Season 2, though it’s fair to assume she’ll have a big trial. Susanna Thompson is one of Arrow’s underrated “rocks” – you don’t read a lot about her online, yet, every single time she gives the show such great performances and layers as Moira Queen. I think there will be a lot more to her Season 2 journey than we can even imagine.

5. Slade and Shado. I’m excited to see what happens with these characters on the island, and to find out whose legs we saw on a phone call later last season. But more than that, I still feel we’re going to see one or both in present day at some point. That should be VERY interesting, if it does indeed happen.

6. The action and stunts. The Arrow stunt team did a great job in Season 1, consistently providing movie-quality sequences on television. But, just from reading the Twitter posts from these guys, I can tell they’re a competitive bunch, and they’re going to try to outdo their work from Season 1. Since Season 1’s action gets an “A” grade from me, I’m interested in seeing how they can get better than that, though I’m sure they will.

7. Guest Stars. Dylan Bruce. Summer Glau. And that’s just the first episode. I have a feeling the Arrow guest star roster will continue to surprise with fan favorites. Last year we got Captain Jack, River Song, Helo, and one of our Fringe favorites. What could Season 2 bring? Will we see John Barrowman or Alex Kingston again? And how long before Andrew Kreisberg manages to bring us a Doctor?

8. Hero, not vigilante. Arrow is about Oliver Queen’s evolution, and moving from the “Hood” to the heroic Green Arrow. That evolution will likely be a good part of Season 2, and ideally, one that involves a mask… unless, of course, Oliver Queen reveals himself to the world and therefore doesn’t need one.

9. Arrow has one of TV’s most consistent writing staffs. I don’t think there is a bad egg in the bunch, and especially with the experiences of Season 1 behind them, seeing what works, I think they’re going to continue to be consistently strong. From the interaction I’ve seen in interviews and on Twitter, these people also seem to love the DC Universe, which means they know what toys they have the privilege to play with. Plus, with people like Andrew Kreisberg, Marc Guggenheim, Greg Berlanti, and Geoff Johns in the rotation, you know you’re going to have comic book stuff regardless… but the bonus is, all of those people also know how to make good, relatable TV for the folks who might not be able to immediately tell you what happened in The Longbow Hunters issue 3.

9B. Bonus shoutout: The directors and the crew that give Arrow its “look.” These people also work tirelessly to make the show look good. You’ve seen the clips. It looks awesome, doesn’t it? So glad, too, to see names like Glen Winter, Guy Bee, and David Nutter on the Season 2 roster.

10. Barry Allen/The Flash. It is likely that Arrow will get to do something that Smallville was unable to do in their 10 years: We might get a spin-off. Assuming the casting is good, I might finally have The Flash back on my TV on a regular basis for the first time since I was 13 years old… and that, my friends, is cool. David Nutter will direct episode #2.20, featuring The Flash. That, too, is cool. The Flash could open up the Arrow world to sci-fi in ways that Arrow itself can’t, and that’s fine, and great. I admit, I’m just as excited for Episode #2.8 – the one that introduces Barry Allen – as I am for the season premiere. In other words, I am really freaking excited.

What are you looking forward to in Season 2? Leave some comments below or visit our Arrow forum!

Arrow Season 2 begins October 9 on The CW. Follow @GreenArrowTV on Twitter!