Arrow Season Four Premiere Non-Spoiler Review: Say Good-Bye to the Old Arrow

10/05/2015 05:00 pm EDT

The season 4 premiere of Arrow hits the ground running and does not let up. Looks like business as usual in Starling -- I mean Star City.

A few months have passed since Oliver and his friends defeated The League of Assassins, but things are still largely as they were. The Arrow is "dead" so Diggle, The Black Canary, and Speedy are now the city's defenders, who find themselves in over their heads against a new enemy. Ollie and Felicity are happily living a normal life, until Laurel and Thea beg for their return, over Diggle's strenuous objections. But in order to defeat his latest enemy, Ollie will have to learn to be a new kind of hero.

It was tough to pick the stand out performances this week, after four years the actors do not so much play these characters as they embody them. But a definite shout-out goes to leading man Stephen Amell. After three years of either being dark and brooding, or a careless playboy in some earlier flashbacks, Amell brings us a whole new Oliver Queen. The transition is smooth, believable, and subtle yet undeniable.

Willa Holland as Thea is fantastic, and looks fabulous in the old Arsenal costume to boot. John Ramsey's Diggle is wonderful as always. And without naming names (spoilers) look for two reoccurring guest stars to return, both of them reminding you with their performances exactly why they keep getting invited back to Arrow.

The top honors this week go to Arrow newcomer Neal McDonough as Damian Darhk. Both in ability and personality, Darhk is like no villain we have ever seen before. McDonough is clearly having a ball playing this role, and his real life joy infuses the character with a glorious charisma. If this is what we can expect from him, this will certainly be an interesting season.

The city has a new name and a new villain. It could certainly use a new hero. Or at least an old hero, with a new look and method. Say good-bye to the old Arrow. Things are different now, and nothing will ever be the same again. And maybe that is exactly what needed to happen.

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