Ep 1. Inmate 4587
- TV-NR
- October 15, 2018
- 42 min
-
8.9 (3,654)
In the first episode of Arrow's seventh season, titled "Inmate 4587," we find Oliver Queen (aka the Green Arrow) locked up in a supermax prison for his vigilante activities. He's been there for five months, and seems to have given up on being a hero altogether, donning a gray jumpsuit instead of his iconic green outfit.
The episode opens with a group of guards entering Oliver's cell to take him to meet with FBI agent Samanda Watson. It's clear from the outset that Watson has a vendetta against Oliver, and she's determined to keep him behind bars for good. She tells him that a new vigilante has appeared in Star City, and she's convinced that Oliver is somehow involved.
While Oliver is dealing with his own legal troubles, we get a glimpse of what's been going on in Star City since his arrest. Felicity and William are living in witness protection, but Felicity is still working to take down Diaz, the criminal mastermind who was the main antagonist of season six. Dinah is now the captain of the SCPD, and Curtis has started his own tech company.
We also meet a new character named Stanley, who is a fellow inmate in Oliver's prison. Stanley quickly becomes somewhat of a thorn in Oliver's side, pestering him with questions about his vigilante activities and insisting that they're kindred spirits.
As the episode progresses, we see Oliver struggling with his imprisonment. He's not used to being helpless, and he's struggling to maintain his identity as the Green Arrow in a place where he's powerless to help anyone. Meanwhile, we're introduced to a number of other characters who will likely play important roles in the upcoming season, including an enigmatic inmate named Brick and a new member of the SCPD named Officer Pollard.
The episode's climax sees Oliver coming face-to-face with the new vigilante who is wreaking havoc on Star City. Without giving too much away, it's safe to say that the encounter doesn't go well for Oliver, and it's clear that he's not as invincible as he once thought.
Overall, "Inmate 4587" is a strong start to Arrow's seventh season. While it's certainly jarring to see Oliver in a place where he's powerless, it's a refreshing change of pace from the usual formula of the show. The introduction of new characters and storylines is also promising, and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the course of the season.