>>81541819>Why?Direction.
Season 1 we have Oliver's readjustment to life, his tension between friends and family over how different he is, while his quest is the Undertaking and a specific list. The flashback villain is clearly just a mercenary team, but was actually intimidating and felt tense, even if you knew Ollie was going to survive. Supporting characters do their jobs and help the story along.
Season 2 was Starling rebuilding and struggling post-Undertaking as some masked nutjob has been kidnapping and experimenting on people, ultimately platforming into the Slade arc. In the flashbacks, the scientist is actually intimidating and interesting before Slade takes command as the villain for the rest of the season, in past and present. The LoA is introduced and uses previous villain Malcolm to sell its legitimacy, and even the mooks they send are actually formidable. Slade's personal threat is paid in full in front of Oliver, to Oliver, with the death of a major character who had been a major character the entire season. Even if the backstory fates of Slade, Sara and Oliver were secured, the present was still up in the air, and Ollie had a code he was trying to stick to. They focused on the job and double-life still as well. Supporting characters are actually supportive in the story.
Season 3 stumbles, as its main arc was focused around wrapping up more things involving Malcolm who by that point, while entertaining, was exacerbating the quality. The LoA is a very thin association, because by halfway through most of the ire is directed at Malcolm, not the League. Then when the League DOES have to shine, the episode focuses are very badly positioned due to the Olicity arc overpowering much of the focus. Flashbacks China feels unnecessary and only exists as McGuffin buildup for the final episode. Oliver doesn't really have a social life anymore, but some supporting cast are kinda acknowledged and grow, Laurel and Thea especially.
