Blu-ray Review Arrow: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

Arrow: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Review

American television's most brooding superhero suits up for a second exciting if erratic season on the CW's Arrow. While not distinguished by notable dramatic writing or always believable character development, the show features more slam bang action and stunts than just about any other show on television, and those looking to lose themselves in rapid-paced heroes versus villains scenarios could do a lot worse than look here for their adrenalin rush.

Studio: Warner Brothers

Distributed By: N/A

Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish 2.0 DD, French 2.0 DD, Other

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Other

Rating: Not Rated

Run Time: 16 Hr. 54 Min.

Package Includes: Blu-ray, DVD, UltraViolet

thick keep case with leaves in a slipcase

Disc Type: BD50 (dual layer)

Region: ABC

Release Date: 09/16/2014

MSRP: $69.97

The Production Rating: 3/5

After the destruction of the low income area of Starling City known as The Glades and the death of his best friend at the end of season one, playboy billionaire Oliver Queen/The Arrow (Stephen Amell) leaves his home to wallow in his guilt over everything he feels he did wrong the previous year. Encouraged to return by his IT Girl Friday Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) and bodyguard/best friend John Diggle (David Ramsey), Oliver returns home to face an assortment of new and old adversaries as well as deal with his mother (Susanna Thompson) on trial for being complicit in the deaths of 503 people in the destruction of The Glades and his teenaged sister (Willa Holland) now running the club he abandoned when he left the city.In fashioning the episodes for season two, the staff writers continue with their split approach to storytelling: present day events in Starling City counterbalanced by Oliver’s experiences during his five years away from home after surviving the wreck of his father’s yacht. This season, the island events take on an added significance because they directly tie into the season’s Big Bad in Starling City, Oliver’s one-time friend Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett). Before his swath of death and destruction begins, however, Oliver faces a succession of other villains in single episode adventures: the return of The Count (Seth Gabel) as well as visits from China White (Kelly Hu), Bronze Tiger (Michael Jai White), Deadshot (Michael Rowe), the Clock King (Robert Knepper), Shrapnel (Sean Maher), the Huntress (Jessica De Gouw), as well as the surprise return of Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman). John Diggle gets a couple of spotlight episodes this season, both among the very best of the season: “Keep Your Enemies Closer” and “Suicide Squad.” But Oliver finds his hands full dealing with two other adversaries: local alderman Sebastian Blood (Kevin Alejandro) who decides to run for mayor and Isabel Rochev (Summer Glau) who makes a strong bid to take over Oliver’s company waning due to his neglect on more urgent matters. On the other hand, things take an upward turn with the return of Sara Lance (aka The Canary played wonderfully by Caity Lotz) who pairs with Oliver on many of his missions during the season even though her allegiance to the League of Assassins of which she was a part often causes her to regret her decision to defect. The season also offers up two episodes that serve as a backdoor pilot for The Flash introducing us to the charismatic Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) who offers assistance to the team before being injured in a natural disaster.While the writers certainly craft action-filled episodes (beautifully staged and shot by fine directors and executed by a crack stunt team), they run into major problems in writing in any depth for many of their characters. Oliver spends most of the season blaming himself tiresomely for everything that goes wrong, not just for himself, but for every member of his immediate and peripheral family. (The writers have not written Oliver as being particularly bright; his emotions often blind him to the truth staring him straight in the face, and he ignores good advice much more often than he takes it.) The writers fall back on that age-old trope: secrets, secrets, secrets: everyone keeping secrets from loved ones “for their own good” and then recoiling when the person feels ultimate betrayal when the truth inevitably comes out. Several of the women pose particular problems with the writers finding things for them to do so Oliver’s former girl friend Laurel (Katie Cassidy) is quickly made into an alcoholic and pillhead, and 19-year old sister Thea (Willa Holland) alternates between being the most mature person in Oliver’s life to petulant displays of a pre-teen child, and they break up and make up Thea and boy friend Roy (Colton Haynes) enough times to generate disequilibria. The ultimate showdown between Oliver and Slade (aka Deathstroke) covers a story arc of fifteen episodes (beginning with episode 9 which shows us his motivation for wanting to make Oliver suffer), long past the point of endurance. Other subplots naturally occur during those episodes (several of them which turn out to be part of Slade’s ultimate revenge), but the death and destruction are laid on a bit too thickly even for this series. Poor Starling City takes it on the chin once again in the season finale episodes.Here are the twenty-three episodes which make up season two of the show, contained on four Blu-ray discs (also five DVDs also enclosed) in the set:Bonus Recap: Year One1 – City of Heroes2 – Identity3 – Broken Dolls4 – Crucible5 – League of Assassins6 – Keep Your Enemies Closer7 – State V. Queen8 – The Scientist9 – Three Ghosts10 – Blast Radius11 – Blind Spot12 – Tremors13 – Heir to the Demon14 – Time of Death15 – The Promise16 – Suicide Squad17 – Birds of Prey18 – Deathstroke19 – The Man Under the Hood20 – Seeing Red21 – City of Blood22 – Streets of Fire23 - Unthinkable

Video Rating: 4.5/5 3D Rating: NA

The program is presented in its widescreen television aspect ratio of 1.78:1 in 1080p transfers using the AVC codec. Sharpness is generally quite stunning in the episodes except when scenes are slightly softened to blend with the CGI backdrops. Color can be rich and very rewarding with accurate and appealing flesh tones. Contrast is dialed in consistently well, and black levels are superb with outstanding shadow delineation to match carefully with the show's brooding disposition. There is the slightest bit of aliasing seen in some tight line structures, but it’s never a real problem. Each episode has been divided into 8 chapters.

Audio Rating: 5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track represents one of the most sophisticated sound mixes on all of television. Blake Neely's driving music really complements the action-filled episodes which are crammed with split effects which make full use of the entire soundstage. Dialogue is nicely recorded, too, and is occasionally directionalized to great effect. The LFE channel also gets a workout with numerous displays of firepower on the show especially in the climactic destruction of the city in the final few episodes.

Special Features Rating: 3/5

Deleted Scenes (HD): Nineteen deleted scenes are presented across the four discs both attached to the episodes where they were excised and also in a separate special features button on the main menu of each disc.Arrow Comic-Con 2013 Panel (26:10, SD): the show’s executive producers along with stars Stephen Amell, Colton Haynes, Katie Cassidy, Emily Bett Rickards, and David Ramsey disclose details about the upcoming season two as well as answer questions posed from the audience.From Vigilante to Hero (24:12, HD): the producers as well as co-stars Paul Blackthorne (enjoyable hearing his native speaking voice), Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Manu Bennett, and Caity Lotz discuss Oliver’s transformation from scourge to hero going through the usual transitions all such characters do in their evolution from initial abandonment issues through decisions to be a killer or not, and the use of a mask.How Did They Do That? (11:17, HD): visual effects supervisor Mike Kirylo and compositor Andrew Bardesk illustrate their work in several scenes from the season premiere.Wirework: The Impossible Moves of Arrow (9:43, HD): stunt coordinator J.J. Makaro, fight coordinator James Bramford, star Stephen Amell, and Amell’s stunt double Simon Burnett discuss the use of wires in staging some of the spectacular fights this season.Gag Reel (4:44, HD)DVD Copy: season two is also presented on five DVDs enclosed in the case.Ultraviolet: code sheet enclosed in the case.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Arrow is one of the CW’s highest rated shows, and it’s easy to see why with its pairing of attractive performers and quality high speed action sequences which any comic book adaptation would be expected to sustain. The second season looks and sounds great on Blu-ray, and fans are treated to some behind-the-scenes looks at the show and get the season also on DVD included in the price of the set.

Reviewed By: Matt Hough

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[Adam Gregorich]

I discovered season 1 on Blu-ray on Black Friday. I have season two stacked up on my DVR, but haven't watched any yet.