Arrow binge-watch

I've finally taken the plunge and started watching the CW's Arrow. The show is currently in it's second season on broadcast TV and has been renewed for a 3rd. It's based on the DC Comics "Green Arrow" property.

I'm only about half-way through the first season, and I'm enjoying it so far. I'd followed the news about the show as it came out, so I knew a lot about the show already going in. I knew, it being a CW show, that it would be full of interpersonal drama with some subtle and not-so-subtle comic-book elements thrown in. I was watching one episode and realized how soap-opera-like the show is, the dialogue and even the camera work. It's like two different shows: the soap opera, and the superhero show. Which I guess is exactly what it's supposed to be. My wife came in during the episode after my realization of that, and said "This is a soap opera. You're a woman now!"

The fun comic-book-based elements make up for the teen drama parts that are sometimes oh-so-sappy. The action scenes are well-choreographed and filmed well for a CW show. As there are no super-powers involved (other than trick arrows), there's no need for bad TV special effects like on Smallville.

I particularly enjoy the flashbacks to Oliver Queen's 5 years stranded on an island. The use of those adds a depth to the story telling... if only the actor playing him didn't stare off in the instant just before a flashback occurred. That's when you can see the directing in the acting.

I plan on finishing up the first season soon, and if the second season is on Netflix or Hulu, watching that as well, if it hooks me enough.

Farscape Season 1 - overall review

Over on the ScaperChronicles podcast, I participated in their Farscape Season 1 wrap-up episode (which has yet to come down the feed). Throughout the first season in each episode of the podcast, the crew has been rating each episode of Farscape.

My ratings were initially very high for most of the episodes I discussed on the podcast. With the wrap-up, I wanted to go back and rework my ratings - rate all the episodes, since I didn't get to discuss them all, and lower my high ratings to reflect that I rarely like to give a 10/10 score. My feeling there is that there's always room for improvement, even if what I've just seen seems perfect.

So here is a list of each episode and my rating. Even the ...mediocre episodes, including 1 that most people have called the worst episode of the series, I rated with a 5 or a 6 as none of them, I thought, were just plain unwatchable. Even the episodes I didn't rate highly had some redeeming value at some point and were, therefor, at least worth a middle of the road 5-rating.

Ep #	Ep Title	Rating
1	Premiere	8
2	Exodus from Genesis	6
3	Back and Back and Back to the Future	6
4	Throne for a Loss	8
5	PK Tech Girl	9
6	Thank God It's Friday, Again	6
7	I, E.T	8
8	That Old Black Magic	8
9	DNA Mad Scientist	9
10	They've Got a Secret	8
11	Till the Blood Runs Clear	8
12	The Flax	7.5
13	Rhapsody in Blue	5
14	Jeremiah Crichton	5
15	Durka Returns	7
16	A Human Reaction	8
17	Through the Looking Glass	8
18	A Bug's Life	7.5
19	Nerve	8.5
20	The Hidden Memory	8.5
21	Bone to Be Wild	5
22	Family Ties	9

If you've never seen Farscape, and you consider even remotely a fan of science fiction, go watch it now. If you're a fan of a great writing and continuity, go watch now.