Arrow Season 7 Premiere: 6 Ups & 2 Downs From ‘Inmate 4587’

2. The Tone

When Arrow exploded onto The CW back in 2012, it was grim and violent, highlighting the dangers of the crime-ridden Star City. However, within two years, the tone became rather diluted as the show lost its own sense of identity and, by the time that Season 4 finished airing, it had become a comical and colourful imitation of what it once was.

Though its tone (and standard) has fluctuated quite a lot since then, the Season 7 premiere bore a lot of similarities to the show's darker days. From Oliver's prison fights with some of the foes that he was responsible for putting behind bars, to the claustrophobic camera angles used during these harrowing scenes: all of this (and more) ensured that the episode gave us a close look at the harsh realities that he was now facing in the SuperMax.

The episode was violent, with some vicious scenes intentionally designed to make the viewers uncomfortable. On that note, the prison environment certainly suits a dark concept like Arrow and, quite frankly, the longer it sticks around, the better.

If it continues to steer clear from outlandish plots and too many quirky upbeat characters, Arrow Season 7 could potentially end up being the darkest season yet. Let's hope it accomplishes that.