One of the beauties of Netflix is that you can take a show like “Arrow” and watch 2 seasons in a week and a half. That is unless you have a life, then it might take two weeks. Being in Mexico at the moment, everything I watch has Spanish subtitles, which is a great way to learn a language by the way. I had avoided watching “Arrow” for many reasons. One was that I didn’t want to get hooked on another TV show, and another was that in the DC world Green Arrow was always one of my top three heroes, along with Martian Manhunter and Hawkman.

So, let’s start with the obvious, is the Green Arrow’s story too long and complicated for today’s attention short world? I’m sorry, but that’s up there with Radio Shack shortening their name to Shack! [Management Note – As Mr. Edmond may or may not have heard, RadioShack has declared bankruptcy, which may precipitate them changing their name to “closed.”]  Maybe Wonder Woman should just be called Woman!!!! A minor thing to be sure, but irritating just the same. And it took a full season to come up with the name, over the Vigilante. I see a trend here, i.e. the Blur etc.

Oliver Queen is well played. All of the actors and actresses are of a high caliber and well chosen for their specific roles. The writing is excellent, the story shifting back and forth constantly between the present and flashbacks to the island, ship, and Hong Kong. They build Queen’s genesis into the Arrow brick-by-brick, very adeptly. However, for the most part, I find the individual characters rather boring. Even the bad guys/gals barely engage me. This is all old school comic staple, typical schlock.

Speaking of the Baddies, everyone of them sooner or later ends up helping the good guys! Deadshot, Brass Tiger, Malcolm Merlyn, Ivo, Slade, Huntress. Isn’t there one really evil, irredeemable character?  Of course, all the “good” ones are bad sooner or later, even Oliver Queen had to learn not to kill everyone and at the end of season his sister goes off to learn how to be a Baddie!

Oh, for crying out loud! We get it, it is all gray area nowadays, and you are just showing us the dismal state of the world today. Thanks, we hadn’t noticed!

Because of this dystopian attitude, everybody is always whining that no one is whom they seem to be and lying. Ergo, someone is always saying, “I’m Sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry” or in Spanish “Lo Siento.” Great, now I know what to say in MEXICO if I screw up! You could cut the angst in this show with a butter knife. I’m sorry that I have given this show the major part of two weeks. Yeah, yeah I hear you out there, yelling at me and telling me I’m missing the point… Sadly, I’m not.

Which brings me to what kept me watching… and simply, her name is Felicity Smoak. Her character is so engaging, so well delineated, and the only hint of humor from the whole cast. Whenever she is on the screen, I am totally engaged, waiting to hear what she will say next. Smoak has layers upon layers of depth. The shows with Barry Allen in them were my favorite episodes. The banter between he and Felicity were priceless. Hell, give her her own show! I will watch that. But as for me, I won’t be watching anymore of the “Arrow,” and will try to remember my old pal in the green hood as he was.

Emily Bett Rickards, I look forward to more from you on the “Flash,” until then “Lo siento Señorita Smoak!”