Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Arrow is a tense action-adventure series that's loosely based on a DC Comics story about a castaway survivor who returns to his hometown to make up for his past sins by taking revenge on the criminals who plague his city. His weapon of choice is a bow and arrow (hence his moniker), but he's also adept with other weapons and in hand-to-hand combat, so there's a lot of fighting/violence in the show. Viewers will also see teen drug use (mostly implied by handling or buying the stuff), drinking, and suggestions of sex. That said, it's notable that the romantic relationship at the heart of the show is one that was damaged by the main character's long-ago act of cheating, and his desire to make up for his mistake helps fuel his vigilantism. Though his actions are in defense of innocent victims, and he chooses his marks carefully, the concept of taking justice into your own hands is an iffy one -- and one of many topics that parents can discuss with teens after watching.
Sexual
Content
Content implies that sex is imminent or has recently occurred, but there's no simulation of the act. Women lounge in lingerie, there's some hot-and-heavy kissing, and language mentions "screwing" and women being "hot."
Violence
Fighting and death by gunfire, beatings, electrocution, strangulation, suicide, and spine snapping are fair game in this action-packed show. A fair amount of blood, and some scenes of kidnapping and torture. Both "good" and "bad" guys use violence as a means to push their agenda.
Language
Intermittent use of words including "damn," "suck," "hell," and "ass."
Social
Behavior
On one hand, the hero takes revenge on the worst of the worst: people who lie, cheat, and steal their way to power and wealth, often at the expense of the little guy. He's motivated by a quest to right family wrongs that were confessed to him by his father, and his actions make life better for the criminals' victims. On the other, the hero acts outside the legal system and without concrete proof of others' wrongdoing, and he kills in revenge. Many characters are motivated by greed and secrecy, even within families. Prior to the shipwreck, Oliver cheated on his girlfriend with her sister, but in retrospect, he regrets the impropriety and seeks to make amends for it.
Consumerism
Not applicable
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Most social and dining events have alcoholic drinks, and a main character is known to do drugs, which she has used for coping with the tragedies in her life.
