It's difficult to name many shows that maintain the consistent episode quality that Arrow does across their first season. Indeed, the fifteenth episode of this première series, Dodger, does a fantastic job of refining the show's formula into something new and innovative, and of course upping the ante as we move towards the season finale. If ever there was a great time for newcomers to latch onto Arrow, it was most certainly starting with this week's instalment.
Primarily, Dodger focused on the emergence of the sinister 'Dodger' onto the scene, an elusive jewel thief who seemed to have dark alterior motives. Fans will no doubt be hoping that the Hood picks up his quest to outdo those on his fateful list next time around, yet this was nevertheless a neat deviation into different territory for the second consecutive week in a row. This central narrative was fairly compelling on the whole, especially as it provided the first full chance for Emily Bett Richards to come into her own in her upcoming regular role (for Season Two) as tech ally Felicity Smoak. Her character was barely recognisable in the late stages of the episode at the charity gala sans hairbow and spectacles- not that the male fans among us likely complained- but the actress' trademark humour gelled well in spite of this being a programme that often enters rather dark territory.
There were a few interesting sub-plots to boot, too. First and foremost, Laurel and Thea were seen dealing with the case of speedy criminal Roy Harper. DC mega-fans will undoubtedly recognise Harper as the future sidekick of the Green Arrow, known as the Red Arrow and destined in The New 52 lore to join the Justice League Of America. Already, diehard DC fans have known that Laurel 'Dinah' Lance is destined too to become the mysterious Black Canary, yet the writers are the creators of Smallville, so we have to be prepared for them to play the long game on these matters. Heck, it was thanks to the team behind Arrow that the Man Of Steel took ten seasons to take flight on his own show!
The other sub-plot of significance was perhaps the episode's weak link. Moira's underlying exchanges with wealthy business partners about to tackle Malcolm Merlyn and his deadly organisation were no doubt intrinsic to the season arc, and indeed next week's episode Dead To Rights, but they didn't quite fit with the themes of theft and romance brewing at the forefront of this instalment. However, Arrow: Dodger is nonetheless another impressive episode to add to the series' growing roster of highlights, yet another refinement for a show that keeps on developing, leaving me eager to see what the final seven episodes of this season hold for us...
4.5/5
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