A terrific ensemble cast can turn a good show into a great one. That’s what happening with The CW’s Arrow, where a breakthrough cast of young and veteran actors is helping propel the superhero series from cult following to mainstream success.

Anchored by talented eye candy Stephen Amell as the titular lead character and his alter Oliver Queen, Arrow offers something different for those who like their superheroes without all the big budget pyrotechnics. The cast works well together to create a gritty, believable world where it’s not that hard to imagine a rich young playboy who trades in his life of leisure to help those in need.

Also generating buzz for Arrow are Paul Blackthorne as the nefarious Detective Lance and David Ramsay, who plays John Diggle, Queen’s bodyguard and chauffeur. Ramsay is well known to fans of Dexter, where he played a sketchy CI informant.

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What about the women of Arrow?

Arrow also stars some of the hottest women on primetime, including Katie Cassidy (Gossip Girl, Melrose Place) who stars as Laurel Lance, a crusader for social justice with complicated ties to Oliver Queen/Arrow.  Willa Holland also brings established TV chops to the series, having played roles in hits The O.C. and Gossip Girl.

Long before Gossip Girl typed her first blog, Fox’s The O.C. was TV’s go-to for rich, beautiful teens behaving badly. It’s no coincidence, considering both shows were created by the same guy (Josh Schwartz), who is re-teaming with O.C. alumna Rachel Bilson for an NBC romantic comedy called Ghost Angeles.

That burst of good news (thanks Deadline!) inspired Celebuzz to see what the O.C. castmembers were up to these days. Who is ruling – and losing – in Hollywood? Click through for The O.C.: Where Are They Now?

So much for the fairytale reunion of Dan Humphrey and Serena van der Woodsen in the second season premiere of Gossip Girl Monday night!

E! notes that John Patrick Amedori has been cast as artist Aaron Rose, a new love interest for the blonde Upper East Side socialite.

So does that mean there will be less photos floating around of Penn Badgley and Blake Lively getting fresh—either on the Gossip set or otherwise?

There’s another new casting, as well. O.C. actress Willa Holland will join the show in a three-episode arc wherein she’ll portray Agnes, a model who becomes a bad influence on Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen).

Maybe Taylor can employ some Method acting for this plot line, since it seems she’s being poorly-influenced in real life enough as it is.