| "Pilot" | |
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| Arrow episode | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Arrow_poster1.jpg) Promotional poster | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | David Nutter |
| Story by |
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| Teleplay by | |
| Produced by |
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| Featured music |
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| Cinematography by | Glen Winter |
| Editing by | Paul Karasick |
| Production code | 296818 |
| Original air date | October 10, 2012 |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
"Pilot" is the first episode of the television series Arrow, which premiered on The CW on October 10, 2012. It was written by series developers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, and directed by David Nutter. The episode introduces Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), a billionaire playboy, his mother Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson), sister Thea (Willa Holland), new bodyguard John Diggle (David Ramsey), best friend Tommy Merlyn (Colin Donnell), ex-girlfriend Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), and her father Detective Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne). It follows Oliver as he returns to Starling City, after having been shipwrecked for five years, and becomes a bow-wielding, hooded vigilante who sets out to right the wrongs of his father, who died during the shipwreck, and save the city.
Filmed in Vancouver, Canada, the pilot features two timelines on display: Oliver in the present, fighting crime as a vigilante, and Oliver when he is shipwrecked five years earlier. The developers wanted to bring a realistic vision to the character, which translated into a functional costume and no superpowers being featured. The pilot became the highest rated show on The CW in three years. It received generally favorable reviews from critics, who generally cited Amell's performance as a highlight. The episode was nominated for various awards, winning three.