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The show that started it all for the DC TVerse is back, with Arrow: The Complete Fifth Season, or for long time fans of the series, it may be better known as How Arrow Got it’s Groove Back. For long time fans of the series, the last two seasons have been a bit of a drag to get through, but now season 5 has found a way to bring the series back to its roots, making the show incredibly enjoyable once more. Gone is the magic or mythical elements that had been so heavily prevalent the last few seasons, and instead the show is back to its gritter beginnings, with Oliver now trying to find a way to balance his life as mayor of Star City while also being the vigilante known as the Arrow. But more than that, the series also takes us back to the island for the last year Oliver was there in the final flashbacks of the series.
Look, the truth is, there’s no way this couldn’t be the best season of the show in a long while, because this season sees legendary 1980’s action star Dolph Lundgren as one of Oliver’s enemies throughout the season. That alone is enough to make this one of the most enjoyable seasons on TV, but more than that, taking the show back to basics really made the show find its heart and soul again. The character dynamics feel fun again, but more than that, the series has a slew of new characters add a new dimension as well. With Oliver starting his own vigilante task force of sorts, the characters really add something new to the series that we hadn’t seen in a while. Oliver isn’t the best leader, so having to be man leading a whole new team of heroes leads not only to natural comedy, but natural conflict as well. This also plays well into the bigger story of the mysterious Prometheus, and those who want to bring down Star City.
Now, Warner Bros. is bringing Arrow: The Complete Fifth Season to DVD and blu-ray, featuring every episode of the show’s fifth season, as well as a few special features along the way. But before we get to that, it should be noted that, much like Flash: The Complete Third Season, Supergirl: The Complete Second Season, and Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season, WB has decided to only put the flagship series’ crossover episodes on the blu-ray sets, instead of the full story from all the shows. It’s a rather frustrating situation, making for a jarring watch through, and forcing fans to buy all the season sets for shows they may not necessarily watch. It just doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense, and really shouldn’t have been handled that way. Here’s hoping future sets contain the full story arcs from crossover events instead of just one part of it.
As far as special features goes, Arrow: The Complete Fifth Season is certainly no slouch. The features are as follows:
Disc One
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- The New Team Arrow (1080p; 9:48) which takes fans into the new team Oliver has put together.
- Deleted Scene (1080p; 1:03)
Disc Two
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- Allied: The Invasion Complex (1080p; 12:44) is an EPK devoted to the cross-cross-crossover this season.
- Deleted Scenes (1080p; 00:55 and 00:30)
Disc Three
- Deleted Scenes (1080p; 1:10 and 3:42)
Disc Four
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- Arrow 2016 Comic-Con Panel (1080i; 27:19) This is always fun. WB loves to provide fans with the Comic-Con panels, and the Arrow panel is, as expected, a lot of fun. It’s great seeing the cast together, and getting info on what’s to come, as well as where the show has come from.
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- Returning to the Roots of Arrow: Prometheus (1080p; 15:18) This feature looks at bringing the show back to its early roots, and trying to find the magic of the series once more.
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- Gag Reel (1080p; 5:23)
- Deleted Scenes (1080p; 1:13, 2:26 and 1:19)
Arrow: The Complete Fifth Season is a breath of fresh area for the now half decade running show. The blu-ray set is a great addition to any fan’s collection, however, they should be aware that they’re missing the full crossover event episodes, which may lead to a jarring watch in the narrative. This is truly the best the series has been since season two, and for fans who may have fallen off the series, now is certainly a great time to pick it back up.
