Series: Arrow

Title: Arrow

Network: CW

Starring: Stephen Amell (pictured above), Katie Cassidy, Willa Holland, and more

Brief Description: Oliver Queen (Amell), rich and bratty playboy, gets stranded on an island and must "become someone, something, else," in order to survive. Once he returns to the mainland he uses his new found Kung-fu to wreak havoc among the cities criminal class.

My Rating: 2/5

I think the above poster perfectly describes this show. It's a bunch a man-candy and not much else. I'll be honest and admit that the main reason I've been watching every week is to catch that one scene where Amell is shirtless and working out. No, really. Every week there is at least one scene where he's shirtless and working out. And not just running on the treadmill or lifting weights. It's using a dumbbell bar and brackets to climb to a ceiling, or hanging by his feet and doing crazy swinging crunches. Dude's an animal.

And boy is it appreciated!

Other than the impeccable bod, there's just not much going for this show. I pretty much hate all the female characters. The main "love interest", Katie Cassidy is a mega-bitch so, naturally, all the male characters are in love with her. Thea, the younger sister of Oliver, bounces between royal-pain-in-the-ass addict/partier/bitch and sweet/wise/loving/fun lil' sis. The mother is also a nightmare. Sometimes you think she's a victim, sometimes a villain. Sometimes you want to feel sorry for her. Maybe she got embroiled in this mess, maybe she started it all, maybe she just wants out. It's hard to tell and because of that you can't really hate her or feel sympathy for her. She just exists in this nebula of question marks.

The guys, on the other hand, are much more interesting and likable. Amell, besides being deliciously hot, flips between his personas (playboy and tortured-do-gooder) with surprising ease and authenticity. You feel sorry him in his home life and root for him in his pursuit of justice. I actually kind of love it when he has to put on his public persona. He does it with a touch of irony and humor, almost winking at the camera saying, "Can you believe they buy this!? I know I shouldn't, but I enjoy playing with them."

Then there's Colin Salmon, who is so suave and sophisticated.

He's kind of a dream boat. As an interesting side note, he was considered for the role of James Bond in the 2004 reboot. I can totally see him as a Bond, just not the current, gritty, Bond. Anywho. Salmon lends sophistication and seriousness to the show, balancing out the craziness contained by all the ladies. I think he and David Ramsey (the family  bodyguard and Oliver's/Arrow's living/breathing conscience) are the heart of this, somewhat lacking, series.

Finally, we have Colin Donnell.

I'm pretty sure he was meant to be the jester of the series. I really like this character. He has so much heart, and wants to change so badly and make himself a better man. How many characters do you see these days that start a series actually wanting to grow!? I'm always interested to see where his character goes with each new episode. Yes, he's funny and adds a nice comedic break (otherwise the show would truly be unwatchable), but he's really the only character that keeps me coming back. Maybe he's the heart of the show?

Am I being overly critical of the female leads? Am I just biased towards the hotness? I dunno. But, that's my take on the show. Thoughts?