Arrow: 10 Best Episodes So Far
2. The Odyssey (Season 1, Episode 14)
Written By: Andrew Kreisberg & Marc Guggenheim
Directed By: John Behring
The first half of Season 1 had a lot of promise. It was ramping up the season-long mystery of the Undertaking while Oliver continued to find his footing as a vigilante. That said, it was often bogged down by familiar criminal-of-the-week scenarios. That all changed with The Odyssey.
Whereas the flashback scenes sometimes felt forced and unnecessary, The Odyssey embraced them and set nearly the entire episode on the island, five years earlier. Chronicling Oliver and Slade’s failed attempt to sneak aboard a supply plane, the episode managed to show the bond forged between the two characters. Not only did their pairing provide a healthy amount of action and entertainment, particularly the Slade vs Wintergreen fight, it would set the stage for a much larger emotional payoff in Season 2.
The episode also offered some memorable present day implications as Felicity proved her worth to Team Arrow. Additionally, her juxtaposition with the ultra-serious Diggle made for a lot of fun that would lead to a much larger role going forward.
This was the first really strong episode of the series. It made people take notice of a show they wanted to dismiss simply because of its network and source material, and was a sign of the quality to come down the road.