S01.E01: Pilot

[BkWurm1]

Just bit the bullet and bought season 1 of Arrow.  I'd intended to buy the DVD's but hello 2014, I broke down and got the digital version instead.  Instant gratification.  Yeah, me like.

 

I've breezed through the first three episodes already and I found my rewatch interesting so far.  My initial impressions remain mostly the same though I am enjoying Oliver more this time around.  I think I'm just better at reading him this time around. Also am just plain loving Paul Blackthorn.  He was pretty harsh the first time around but now with my season two love to soften him, I'm loving every scene he is in.

 

Actually, I'm loving most every one on the show.  I actually liked Tommy from his first appearance.  Even with Detective Lance asking if he'd roofied anyone lately- I never took that at face  value.  Lance just doesn't look grossed out enough for that to be anything  more than a dig at a hardcore party boy.  It just didn't play like he'd actually done that.  I mean, why would he have to? 

 

Laurel is still a mess of a character.  Her introduction with Oliver was not pleasant to watch and then her apology seemed weird and out of place.  You can't hate him that much and then quick do an about face and be taken seriously.  I remembered that there was something at the end that made me a little bit excited about her character and was really surprised to realize it was the Tommy/Laurel scene when her cute friend came to her work to see her. 

 

Through the whole episode Laurel had been this serious, hard, disapproving, brittle, angry (rightly so) character and then suddenly she's looking cute in her red coat, smiling and relaxed and walking and flirting with Tommy.  Her whole demeanor changes when he brings up that they'd been together.  She calls it a lapse and he teases about it being a lot of lapses in his place and at her place and at....she smiles and laughs and Tommy talks about becoming a one woman man and Laurel looks light and young and I realize now, this is the exact moment I started shipping Tommy and Laurel. 

 

Very

First

Episode

 

They were so cute together.  It was the only time Laurel was happy and in that moment when Tommy says her whole name, I could believe that this person could become BC.  I saw more confidence and heart in that one scene than I remember seeing anytime since. 

 

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised at my reaction to her and Tommy.  I mean, really, my other option was the sister cheater???  I wasn't super fond of Laurel even then but I wanted to save her from that.  Sure, Oliver might have gone through a lot and yeah, he said he missed Laurel the most but dude, right from that start it was clear that that was such a terrible, awful notion.  Toxic on a hell no level.  And some things never change. 

[statsgirl]

Answering in the relationships thread.

Edited July 5, 2014 by statsgirl

[Primal Slayer]

I rewatched this episode and it's funny that the villain, Adam Hunt (who I wouldnt mind seeing again) had $40 million dollars...when Star City needs atleast $70 million to keep function. How times have changed.

They really shouldn't have had the constant back and forth between Oliver and Laurel. She hates him, he is puppy dog eyes over her, she apologizes, he puts the playboy facade on telling her to stay away. They should've started to mend their differences after she apologized and start building up that relationship again instead of putting so many obstacles between them. 

[JamieLynn832002]

2 minutes ago, Primal Slayer said:

I rewatched this episode and it's funny that the villain, Adam Hunt (who I wouldnt mind seeing again) 

 

Spoiler

Didn't Malcolm/Dark Archer kill Hunt later in the season?

[Primal Slayer]

1 minute ago, JamieLynn832002 said:

 

  Hide contents

Didn't Malcolm/Dark Archer kill Hunt later in the season?

Looking it up...apparently.

[Featherhat]

On 3/20/2018 at 2:25 AM, Primal Slayer said:

They really shouldn't have had the constant back and forth between Oliver and Laurel. She hates him, he is puppy dog eyes over her, she apologizes, he puts the playboy facade on telling her to stay away. They should've started to mend their differences after she apologized and start building up that relationship again instead of putting so many obstacles between them. 

That might have helped, although not with the IMHO major problem of anti chemistry that happened whether they were antagonistic or supposed to be getting on well. But the flip flipping did them no favours, especially as it seems a lot of her antagonism is related to Oliver pushing her away, not the pain of seeing him alive but having "confirmation" that Sara is "dead". Oliver seems to be grieving get more in that scene, though he isn't actually flashing to the right "death".

I rewatched the pilot in the last few days and it holds up well as a pilot, telling a lot of story and introducing a lot of characters. I'd forgotten about the awkward voiceovers o f exposition, I loved Oliver jumping out of moving cars to get away from Dig.

 Like that you can see how visibly uncomfortable SA plays O?over and the change when he puts on the fake playboy charade and none of his friends question it very much, despite what they think is 1800 plus days of no human contact. The sex remark by Tommy will never not be funny. Because biggest inaccuracy in the story. Oliver couldn't stop running in to beautiful women.

Tommy always had an incling, I knew that but I'd forgotten how seriously he side eyed Oliver in the first scene with Lance, and the roofie remark, glad that didn't actually go there.

Looking at the S7 finale, wow had the show changed beyond recognition, but I've mostly followed it through it all and will for the COIE miniseries.

[tv echo]

Starting from the beginning, here's my transcription of certain scenes from the pilot...

101 (Pilot) – Oliver Queen’s voiceover intro:
Oliver (voiceover): “The name of the island they found me on is Lian-Yu. It's Mandarin for ‘Purgatory.’ I've been stranded’ here for five years. I've dreamt of my rescue every cold black night since then. For five years, I have had only one thought, one goal – survive - survive and one day return home. The island held many dangers. To live, I had to make myself more than what I was, to forge myself into a weapon. I am returning, not the boy who was shipwrecked, but the man who will bring justice to those who have poisoned my city. My name is Oliver Queen.”
    
101 (Pilot) - Laurel Lance finds out that Oliver is alive, while she’s at City Necessary Resources Initiative (CNRI):
Male News Announcer (on TV): "... details as the castaway story you've all heard about, as the son of a very wealthy billionaire will soon become a legendary story. Jessica now has complete details and the complete castaway story."
Female News Announcer (on TV): "The Queen's Gambit was last heard from more than five years ago. Mr. Queen has reportedly confirmed that he is the only survivor of the accident that took the lives of seven people, including local resident Sara Lance, survived by her sister Laurel -"
(Laurel uses remote control to turn off TV. Everyone watching the television at CNRI looks at Laurel, and she walks away.)

101 (Pilot) - Oliver and Laurel see each other for the first time after five years:
Oliver: "Hello, Laurel... You went to law school. Said you would."
Laurel: "Yeah. Everyone's proud."
Oliver: "Adam Hunt's a heavy hitter. You sure you want to get in the ring with him?"
Laurel: "Five years and you want to talk about Adam Hunt?"
Oliver: "No, not really."
Laurel: "Why are you here, Ollie?"
Oliver: "To apologize. It was my fault. I want to ask you not to blame her."
Laurel: "For what? Falling under your spell? How could I possibly blame her for doing the same things that I did?"
Oliver; "I never meant -"
Laurel: "She was my sister! I couldn't be angry because she was dead. I couldn't grieve because I was so angry. That's what happens when your sister dies while screwing your boyfriend. We buried an empty coffin, 'cause her body was at the bottom of the ocean, where you left her. It should've been you."
Oliver: "I know that it's too late to say this, but I'm sorry."
Laurel: "Yeah, I'm sorry, too. I'd hoped that you'd rot in hell for a whole lot longer than five years."
(She walks away and runs into Tommy, who was waiting down the sidewalk.)
Laurel: "How'd you think that was gonna go, Tommy?"
Tommy: "About like that."

101 (Pilot) – Oliver meets John Diggle, who’s been hired by Oliver’s mother, Moira Queen, to be his bodyguard:
Moira: “Oliver. I want to introduce you to someone. John Diggle. He'll be accompanying you from now on.”
Oliver: “I don't need a babysitter.”
Walter Steele: “Darling, Oliver's a grown man. If he doesn't feel he needs armed protection –“
Moira: “Yes, I understand, but this is something I need.”
(Cut to Diggle driving a car, with Oliver sitting in the backseat.)
Oliver: “So. What do I call you?”
Diggle: “Diggle's good. Dig, if you want.”
Oliver: “You're ex-military?”
Diggle: “Yes, sir. 105th Airborne out of Kandahar. Retired. Been in the private sector a little more than four years now. I don't want there to be any confusion, Mr. Queen. My ability to keep you from harm will outweigh your comfort. Do we have an agreement? Sir? Sir?” 
(Diggle looks in the back seat and Oliver is no longer there.)

101 (Pilot) – Oliver bumps into Laurel at his “welcome home” party:
Oliver: "Oh! Oh. You're here."
Laurel: "Tommy. He made the point that we have too many years between us to leave things the way we left them. Is there someplace quieter that we could go?"
Oliver: "Yeah."
(They walk to the upper observatory floor.)
Laurel: "I'm sorry about saying that you should have been the one who died. That was wrong."
Oliver: "If I could trade places with her, I would."
Laurel: "About Sara... there's something that I've been afraid to ask, but I need to know."
Oliver: "Okay."
Laurel: "When she died...did she suffer?"
(Cut to flashback scene on The Queen's Gambit, when Oliver and Sara are making out in the cabin, when the storm hits and Sara gets swept out a broken hole in the hull.)
Oliver: "No. Sara!"
(Cut back to present day.)
Oliver: "No."
Laurel: "I think about her every day."
Oliver: "Me, too."
Laurel: "I guess we still have one thing in common then. I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but... if you need someone to talk to about what happened to you, I'm here."
(Oliver's cell phone vibrates. He checks his phone, which shows message: "10.00PM - Account balance $0.")
Laurel: "Something wrong?"
Oliver: "I asked somebody to do something. They didn't do it. Laurel, you always saw the best in me. Right now, that's what you're doing, looking at me, and you're wondering if that island changed me somehow, if it made me a better person. It didn't. Stay away from me. Otherwise I am just gonna hurt you again, but this time it will be worse. Gotta roll. (Walks away from her) I got five years of debauchery to catch up on."
Laurel (hurt, she walks towards him angered): "You know what, Oliver? You are wrong. That island did change you. At least now you are honest." (Leaves)

101 (Pilot) – In flashback to five years ago, Robert Queen kills himself in order to improve his son’s chances of survival in the lifeboat after The Queen’s Gambit sinks:
Robert Queen: "There's not enough for all of us."
Oliver Queen: "Save your strength."
Robert: "You can survive this. Make it home, make it better. Right my wrongs. But you gotta live through this first. You hear me, Ollie? You hear me, son?"
Oliver: "Just rest, Dad."
Robert: "No." (Kisses Oliver on forehead, pulls out gun and shoots third guy in lifeboat.)
Oliver: "Dad?!"
Robert: "Survive." (Shoots himself in the head)
Oliver: "No!!"

101 (Pilot) - Laurel and Tommy talk about "us":
Tommy: "You left the party pretty quick last night, even after I made sure the bar was stocked with pinot noir."
Laurel: "It really wasn't my scene."
Tommy: “Thought maybe you and Oliver went mano-a-mano again. Saw you two head out.”
Laurel: “There’s nothing between Oliver and I. Not anymore.”
Tommy: “And here I thought the only thing between you and Oliver was us.”
Laurel: “I wouldn’t characterize us as an ‘us,’ Tommy.”
Tommy: “Then what would you call it?”
Laurel: “A lapse.”
Tommy: "That's quite a few lapses. Your place, my place, my place again…”
Laurel: “Come on, Merlyn. We both know you’re not a one-girl type of guy.”
Tommy: "Depends on the girl."
Laurel: “I have to go back to work.”
Tommy: “Dinah Laurel Lance always trying to save the world.”
Laurel: “Hey. If I don't try and save it, who will?”
Oliver (voiceover): “She says the island changed me. She has no idea how much. There are many more names on the list, those who rule my city through intimidation and fear. Every last one of them will wish I had died on that island.”

101 (Pilot) - DELETED SCENE: Moira fires Diggle, but Oliver excuses him:
Moira: "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"
Diggle: "Mrs. Queen, I absolutely do not know what happened and I apologize. If you wish to fire me -"
Moira: "I do. And you are fired."
Oliver (approaching): "Don't I get a say?"
Moira: "Oliver, please."
Oliver: "It wasn't his fault. (To Diggle) It wasn't your fault. (Back to Moira) A couple of ex-bouncers had a beef with me and they came up behind us in a stairwell. Dig didn't have a chance. But I tossed 'em a few thousand and it's settled. So, I vote we give him another shot."
Moira: "No. This is not a game. This is your life."
Oliver: "Which I value very much. Besides, I think Dig and I have an understanding. Don't we?"
Diggle: "Yes. Sir."
(Oliver looks at Moira and then holds out his hand to Diggle, who shakes it.)
Oliver: "See you tomorrow." 
(Diggle leaves.)
Moira: "Oliver."
Oliver: "Yeah?"
Moira: "What was that about?"
Oliver: "Nothing.
Moira: "Nothing. I feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I - I wish there were a handbook for the parent of a shipwreck survivor, but I'm guessing that there isn't."
Oliver: "You're doing fine."
Moira: "Am I?"
Oliver: "Yeah. You're doing fine and I love you."
Moira: "I love you. I'd like Walter to have you down to the company tomorrow."
Oliver: "Great. I'm going to go in and get some rest, though. It's been a long couple of days."
Moira: "Or course." (Caresses his cheek)

Edited August 27, 2020 by tv echo

[BkWurm1]

15 hours ago, tv echo said:

101 (Pilot) - Laurel Lance finds out that Oliver is alive, while she’s at City Necessary Resources Initiative (CNRI):
Male News Announcer (on TV): "... details as the castaway story you've all heard about, as the son of a very wealthy billionaire will soon become a legendary story. Jessica now has complete details and the complete castaway story."
Female News Announcer (on TV): "The Queen's Gambit was last heard from more than five years ago. Mr. Queen has reportedly confirmed that he is the only survivor of the accident that took the lives of seven people, including local resident Sara Lance, survived by her sister Laurel -"
(Laurel uses remote control to turn off TV. Everyone watching the television at CNRI looks at Laurel, and she walks away.)

Didn't Laurel then yell at everybody to get back to work? Or am I misremembering? 

[catrox14]

1 hour ago, BkWurm1 said:

Didn't Laurel then yell at everybody to get back to work? Or am I misremembering? 

Yes, she did.

[tv echo]

Script pages for Oliver's first meeting with Diggle in 101...

Link to Jan. 11, 2012 "2ND NETWORK DRAFT" of full script of the pilot...
http://www.screenplaysandscripts.com/tv_script_files/A/Arrow_1x01_-_Pilot.pdf

Edited February 5, 2020 by tv echo

[Featherhat]

11 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

Didn't Laurel then yell at everybody to get back to work? Or am I misremembering? 

It's that kind of scene that put a lot of people off Laurel in the pilot, together with the Oliver mess. She had an absolute right to not want to watch it and especially not to want to deal with an alive Oliver and be in turmoil but it would have been more effective if she'd just fled the building.

[tv echo]

101 (Pilot) - DELETED SCENE: Moira fires Diggle, but Oliver excuses him:
Moira: "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"
Diggle: "Mrs. Queen, I absolutely do not know what happened and I apologize. If you wish to fire me -"
Moira: "I do. And you are fired."
Oliver (approaching): "Don't I get a say?"
Moira: "Oliver, please."
Oliver: "It wasn't his fault. (To Diggle) It wasn't your fault. (Back to Moira) A couple of ex-bouncers had a beef with me and they came up behind us in a stairwell. Dig didn't have a chance. But I tossed 'em a few thousand and it's settled. So, I vote we give him another shot."
Moira: "No. This is not a game. This is your life."
Oliver: "Which I value very much. Besides, I think Dig and I have an understanding. Don't we?"
Diggle: "Yes. Sir."
(Oliver looks at Moira and then holds out his hand to Diggle, who shakes it.)
Oliver: "See you tomorrow." 
(Diggle leaves.)
Moira: "Oliver."
Oliver: "Yeah?"
Moira: "What was that about?"
Oliver: "Nothing.
Moira: "Nothing. I feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I - I wish there were a handbook for the parent of a shipwreck survivor, but I'm guessing that there isn't."
Oliver: "You're doing fine."
Moira: "Am I?"
Oliver: "Yeah. You're doing fine and I love you."
Moira: "I love you. I'd like Walter to have you down to the company tomorrow."
Oliver: "Great. I'm going to go in and get some rest, though. It's been a long couple of days."
Moira: "Or course." (Caresses his cheek)

Edited February 10, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

101 (Pilot) - DELETED SCENE: Moira fires Diggle, but Oliver excuses him:

(Hermandat)

Edited April 20, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

I've added a transcription of this scene to the above transcriptions for this episode...

(Katie Cassidy Daily)

Edited April 29, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

jbuffyangel is doing an Arrow rewatch, starting with the pilot (1x01) - here are a few of her comments...

Edited July 30, 2020 by tv echo