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*This review contains some spoilers*
“Arrow” does its best to shake things up for season seven, and it succeeds early on, but then falls back into familiar territory.
This season starts with a unique setup, as Oliver spends the first seven episodes in prison. While he’s locked up, the rest of the team take different paths. By giving the large cast their own story arcs, even though they occasionally overlap, it helps breathe new life into the show. Even after Oliver is released, the twist of making him an official part of the police department is an interesting angle. Another great twist are the flash-forwards. There are some really cool moments seeing what becomes of our heroes, and plenty of mysteries. All these changes create a practically new show. However, as “Arrow” reaches the back half of the season, it mostly feels like the old status quo. On top of that, the flash-forwards begin to sputter out. They’re rejuvenated by an episode that takes place entirely in the future, but instead of wrapping up the story, it limps on the rest of the season.
One weak aspect this season is the villains. For starters, a rehash of Ricardo Diaz is mostly uninspired. And while a second villain makes a sold entrance midway through, the true big bad is an interesting choice. While there are plenty of personal connections to Oliver, the story is just too convoluted for its own good, and the attempts at redemption require overlooking some truly vile deeds. While this worked with Black Siren, it was just too much to ask this time around.
he show adds only a few new major characters, but does a good job of bringing back a few from previous seasons. From Roy Harper to Bronze Tiger, the blasts from the past help bring things full circle as the show passes its 150th episode and gears up for the upcoming eight and final season.
Despite reusing last season’s main bad guy, the first portion of “Arrow” season seven does a great job of shaking things up. However, just as they introduce a brand new villain, the show starts slipping back into a rut.
*** out of *****