tv echo

I am just so completely disgusted by both Oliver and Thea that I find it hard to focus on or enjoy any other aspect of this episode. Ugh! The Queen siblings should just marry each other in an incestuous wedding and stay away from everyone else. Then they should get themselves sterilized to keep their stupid, selfish genes from reproducing into another generation. Sorry to be so harsh but as Thea kept talking and encouraging Oliver to continue lying to Felicity, I just kept seeing MG's face superimposed over WH's face - and got angrier and angrier. And when Oliver thanked Thea - I wanted to slap that self-satisfied expression off his face! I haven't disliked Oliver this much since Season 1 (before Diggle and Felicity made him more appealing).

ITA with those negative reviews of 414 with respect to the stupid BMD. I completely agree with the A.V. Club reviewer's criticisms. I really hope the EPs are taking notice. I especially like the poll at the end of Laura Hurley's CinemaBlend article. Apparently most voters so far want William either killed or shipped off to Fiji!

Here's the Zap2It interview with CR (warning: a little spoilery about 414, but I've quoted some non-spoilery parts)... ‘Arrow’s’ Charlotte Ross: Nobody knows who’s in the grave and everyone is scared BY CHRIS E. HAYNER AT 12:02 PM ON FEB 17, 2016 http://zap2it.com/2016/02/arrow-charlotte-ross-olicity-engagement-party-who-is-in-grave/

They do risk losing some viewers that way, though. If the EPs are trying to match S2 for shock value, I wonder if they'll go overboard trying to convince us that one character is going to die and then do a last minute switch and kill off another character? I'm still on the Quentin death train. I briefly considered Laurel, but I think the EPs will stick with Laurel and also Malcolm (for whatever reason) until the bitter end. Just 'no' to Diggle - or Donna for that matter.

Gotham - Episode 2.12 - Mr. Freeze - Promos + Full Press Release *Updated* Posted by Nirat Anop at Tuesday, February 16, 2016 http://www.spoilertv.com/2016/02/gotham-episode-212-promo-new-footage.html Gotham - Episode 2.13 - A Dead Man Feels No Cold - Press Release Posted by SpoilerTV at Wednesday, February 17, 2016 http://www.spoilertv.com/2016/02/gotham-episode-213-dead-man-feels-no.html

Sleepy Hollow - Episode 3.14 - Into the Wild - Press Release Posted by SpoilerTV at Wednesday, February 17, 2016 http://www.spoilertv.com/2016/02/sleepy-hollow-episode-314-into-wild.html

Per SA (at Dallas ComicCon), there's a scene at the end of 415 that's like 3-1/2 to 4 minutes long and that, except for cuts away for certain montage-type things, the camera never cuts off Oliver. I've been thinking about what this montage could be... and I thought of the Godfather-type montage where old Michael thinks back on all the women he's loved and lost. SA also said that Olicity fans wouldn't be happy with the end of 415 and he apologized for it. Now I'm thinking that the montage will try to make viewers think the O/F breakup is permanent. Alternatively, the montage could be Oliver thinking back on all the people he's loved and lost, and then all the people he now loves and wants to protect. (P.S. I posted the 414 sneak peek video and the Seat42F interview with CR in the Spoilers thread before coming to read this thread, so I didn't know they had been posted here already.)

The Zap2It interview has not been posted yet, but here's Tiffany Vogt's interview with CR (warning: it's a little spoilery for 414, but I've quoted some non-spoilery parts)... EXCLUSIVE : ARROW Season 4 Scoop: Interview With Charlotte Ross BY TIFFANY VOGT ON FEBRUARY 17, 2016 http://www.seat42f.com/arrow-season-4-scoop-interview-with-charlotte-ross.html

Hayner writes for Zap2it so keep an eye out for this article tomorrow... https://twitter.com/ChrisHayner/status/699684204947243008

Arrow's 411 episode ("A.W.O.L.") scored Live+7 ratings of 1.7, which is a 7-Day % Increase of 55%... Broadcast Live +7 ratings: ‘Lucifer’ premiere shows solid growth in week 19 POSTED 12:25 PM, FEBRUARY 16, 2016, BY RICK PORTER http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/02/16/broadcast-live-7-ratings-week-19-jan-25-31-2016/

Apparently ER also trains... https://twitter.com/elysiarotaru/status/699315905012994048

Some highlights from DR's panel at Dallas ComicCon (video posted above)... -- Per DR, Diggle doesn't like the supernatural stuff because Diggle is a very "nuts-and-bolts kind of guy". However, DR loves it. -- Per DR, Diggle would let Oliver & Felicity babysit Baby Sara (Felicity for sure, but okay with Oliver after some joking about last season's kidnapping of Lyla). -- DR said that, next episode, their Baby Sara moved to Toronto so now they have a different Baby Sara, "as if no one's going to notice". [Oh no... the original Baby Sara is so cute!] -- DR has been a martial artist for 22 years(!) in an art called JKD. [According to Google, there's a martial art called Jeet Kune Do that was created by Bruce Lee.] -- In response to fan asking about how he's bulked up, DR said that he just continues to do the same kind of workout that's been around for the past 60 years (as opposed to SA who does some new stuff). He said that it's just consistency and repetition. -- DR said that, between him, SA and JB, JB is "clearly the idiot of the bunch". -- Right now, DR's favorite superhero is Diggle (joking). He also said (wistfully): "He should've got a power ring." -- DR "just found out" who's in the grave and said: "All I can tell you... it's going to be very, very sad." -- In response to fan saying he liked Diggle being a mentor to Oliver and trying to get him to see sense when he comes up with his crazy ideas, DR said: "You can only tell Oliver the same thing so many times... and he not take your advice. I mean, how many times?" He said that they've recently been talking about working that same beat, how they've hit that same beat too many times, and how Diggle facilitates that piece of Oliver. He said that they have to start investigating other parts of that relationship, which will come out in the remaining part of the season. Diggle is who Oliver wants to be 5-6 years down the road. But they've hit those beats of the mentor-type relationship too many times and that relationship has to evolve, so they're still working on it. -- Per DR, when the cast found out that someone's going to die at the end of the season, they grieved all of the deaths on the show because you have to say goodbye to a cast member. -- DR: "Any time someone's happy on Arrow, just give it a week." -- DR said that every time he goes to Flash, it's happy and everyone's happier because the material isn't as dark as on Arrow. -- If Diggle had a superpower, DR would want him to have Professor Xavier's superpower. Then he could make Oliver do what he wanted him to do. -- DR said that he thinks that Diggle would kill Malcolm now, but that he would rather see Darhk brought to justice and put in ARGUS prison. -- Per DR, Diggle's helmet is going to change and we'll see the improvement "soon". -- In response to fan asking who he thinks Felicity wants Oliver to kill (in the limo scene), DR: "It could be a lot of people.. Malcolm Merlyn and Damian Darhk are at the top of the list... I can't tell you, I can't tell you, I can't tell you... I want to tell you so bad." He just loves to give out spoilers, so it's hard for him to keep silent. -- In response to fan asking who his doppelganger would be on Earth 2, DR said: "Green Lantern." -- After moderator said that they already know that the Flash is going to cross over to Supergirl, DR said that he was trying to hold that news back because he didn't know the news was already out. -- DR said that they get letters, saying 'don't', and "they've written us and called us and said, 'please' ... I mean, we just found out who died, for example, and they're like, 'do not let this out'. They showed us pages and we had to read it - and they're just like, 'god' and 'please'." -- In response to fan asking who would be the best fight on Team Arrow, DR said: "Felicity versus Oliver." As for who would win, DR said: "Felicity... That would be the best fight. I would love to see that fight. I mean, like, Oliver turned evil and he acted like, 'kill Felicity' or something, and Felicity'll like, 'no, Oliver, 'you're really good', and he's like 'no, I'm not', and she'd have to use her brain to overcome his brawn, and she'd totally beat him... Then he'd wake up and be like, 'oh no, I almost killed you', and she'd be like, 'no, I almost killed you'... That would be cool.'" -- In response to fan asking if they thought of their old "what's in the box" joke when they found out who's in the grave, DR said that the "what's in the box" joke never gets old, but they didn't want to joke about who's in the grave because "it's sad, man... it's not a happy thing." -- DR's favorite season was S2 but he also said that this season is turning out to be as good as S2. -- DR then went into Manu Bennett's method acting story (video clip of this part of panel was previously posted in the thread above). -- DR doesn't know what he would do if he didn't act. -- DR said that his favorite Delicity scene was in past season when Diggle told Felicity that she's irreplaceable. -- DR thinks (but doesn't know) that their tv version of Suicide Squad is on hold until they see what happens with the movie. -- DR doesn't see Andy Diggle joining the Green Arrow team, but Things are going to ramp up toward the end of the season, which is why he said that he thought this season would rival S2. -- In response to fan asking why he wanted to be an actor, DR said that he just enjoys make-believe.

Dallas Comic Con Fan Days: John Barrowman Q&A Published on Feb 16, 2016, by Skaldic Media John Barrowman on the Future of Malcolm Merlyn + Toy Fair Reveals Published on Feb 16, 2016, by DC Entertainment

Full DR panel at Dallas ComicCon on Feb. 14, 2016 (he "just found out" who's in the grave)... Dallas Comic Con Fan Days: David Ramsey Q&A Published on Feb 16, 2016, by Skaldic Media

EXCLUSIVE: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Casts Natalia Cordova-Buckley As Slingshot Jamie Lovett- 02/16/2016 http://comicbook.com/2016/02/16/exclusive-marvels-agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-cast-natalia-cordova-buc/

Here's all I've got for 418 so far... S4, Episode 18: Eleven-Fifty-Nine -- Production code: 418. Director: Rob Hardy. Shoot Dates: Feb. 12 - 23, 2016. Airdate: Mar. 30, 2016?. (MG tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- Per MG, 418 began shooting on Feb. 12, 2016. (MG tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- MG's Billy Joel song pick for 418 is "Famous Last Words." (MG tumblr post, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- PB posted pic of Quentin wearing a wig (flashback?) on Feb. 12. (PB tweet, page 316 of Social Media thread) -- Arrow was filming at Vancouver Community College on East Broadway on Feb. 17-18 (with "Queen for Mayor 2016" pic). (YVRShoots tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread)

SUMMARY OF 414 SPOILERS: S4, Episode 14: Code of Silence -- Production code: 414. Director: James Bamford. Writers: WM and Oscar Balderrama. Airdate: Feb. 17, 2016. (MG tweet, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- 414 synopsis: "SECRETS AND LIES — Oliver (Stephen Amell) and team uncover HIVE’s plan to take out Team Arrow once and for all. With HIVE’s next attack imminent, Lance (Paul Blackthorne) wonders if Donna (guest star Charlotte Ross) is safer without him in her life. Meanwhile, with the wedding fast approaching, Oliver begins to feel guilty that he hasn’t told Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) about his son. James Bamford directed the episode written by Wendy Mericle & Oscar Balderrama (#414). Original airdate 2/17/16." (SpoilerTV article, page 30 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 promotional pics posted. (TVLine article, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See pic of Donna at Oliver & Felicity's engagement party posted. (CR instagram post, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 behind-the-scenes pics posted. (Canadagraphs article, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- Pic of Oliver Queen for Mayor/Live Mayoral Debate posted. (JBam tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 producer's preview posted. (414 producer's preview video, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 "Code of Silence" trailer posted. (414 trailer video, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 "Code of Silence" extended trailer posted. (414 extended trailer video, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 Canadian promos posted. (414 Canadian promo vidoes, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 Asian promo posted. (414 Asian promo video, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- See 414 sneak peek scene posted. (SpoilerTV article, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- In response to fan asking for one word descriptions of the next couple of upcoming episodes (after 412), SA: "Duel. Fallout. Ring." (SA facebook Q&A post, page 856 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- Donna Smoak will appear in 414. (CR tweet, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- Donna will be busy planning an engagement party for Oliver & Felicity in 414. (Seat42F article, page 31 of Spoilers thread, and page 129 of Starling City Times thread) -- Per JBam, there's a scene in O&F's loft. CR may also be in this episode. (JBam instagram, page 780 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and 414 promotional pics, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- JBam: "Just broke for lunch and we are about to shoot the largest scene in the episode....and it doesn't even involve action." (JBam tweet on 12/15/15, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- Per JBam, he was "etting up an intensely emotional scene between" two unnamed characters. (JBam instagram post, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- In response to fan asking whether there will be some sexy scenes (as well as emotional scenes) in 414, JBam replied: "Get your Kleenex ready." (JBam tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- In response to fan asking whether we'll need kleenex for his biggest non-action sequence in 414, JBam replied: "Yup." (JBam tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- In response to fan asking at what point of 414 will we need the kleenex, JBam replied: "A few. And maybe not for the reasons you think." (JBam tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- Curtis Holt (EK) will appear in 414, and EK filmed scene that he described as "life-changing." (EK tweet, page 782 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- EK and Enid-Raye Adams (plays Laura Hoffman, Ivy Town neighbor in 401) will appear in 414. (ERA tweet, page 283 of Social Media thread) -- Per JBam, this episode has "2 very amazing actors from 2 different very amazing fandoms joining us=EPIC". JBam: "HINT: SCI-FI and COMIC franchises outside the CW/DC Universe are their origin.....too wide open for ya! That's really too bad. Guess again." (JBam tweets, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- Rachel Luttrell will guest star in 414 as Rosie, part of a demolition team that is set against Oliver and his team. (GateWorld article, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- Per JBam, the woman demolitioner will be "wielding a modified, high pressured nailgun designed specifically for speed, and delivery of pain in close quarters." (JBam tweet, page 876 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- Per MG, we'll find out in 414 whether or not Darhk knows that Quentin is playing for Oliver's side. (MG tweet, page 31 of Spoilers thread) -- Quentin has a scene with Oliver in this episode. (PB Facebook post, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- Per PB, 414 will have an action sequence involving Quentin and Laurel. PB: "That's the best action sequence I've experienced on #Arrow @JamesBamford Putting myself & @MzKatieCassidy thru our paces! #TopDirector." (PB tweet, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- Arrow filmed scenes at the Vogue Theater, 918 Granville St., in Vancouver, showing emergency evacuation of the theater and showing limo driving away northbound to Smithe. (Arrow Notification Letter, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- SA was filming inside a theater for 414. (SA's facebook video, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- The theatre was used as the location for the Star City Mayoral Debate. (Pic of theatre marquee in BethEveson tweet, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- The mayoral debate is between Oliver and a woman named Ruve Adams, who's reported to be DD's wife. (Pic of debate poster in YVRShoots tweet, and YVRShoots article, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- Pics of Felicity, including ones of her in a wheelchair, in the theater posted. (YVRShoots article, page 28 of Spoilers thread) -- On whether Felicity will continue to struggle with being in a wheelchair: “We will definitely feel the weight of it” in episodes to come, WM told Matt Mitovich. “There’s a big decision she and Oliver are going to make at the end of [Episode 413, airing Feb. 10], and it will inform a journey in 414 and 415 that she goes on with respect to how she’s going to handle being in a relationship, from the point of view of somebody who’s in a wheelchair. It’s a very small thing, but it is powerful and it is very emotional.” (TVLine article, page 31 of Spoilers thread) Either 414 or 415 -- SA: "Obviously, at some point this year, the chickens are going to come home to roost for Oliver, and Felicity will likely find out I have, like, a 10-year-old kid. (sighs) Oliver... (shakes head in exasperation) ... and I'm sure - but I will tell you, if that happens, I promise, they will handle it like adults." (SA at Dallas ComicCon on 2/13/16, page 317 of Social Media thread) -- Conklin (RR) will appear in 414 or 415 in scene(s) directed by JBam. (RR tweet, page 811 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

No, I think he was saying that the planned flashbacks will end after 5 years, so there's a lot of that flashback story that they have to cram into the remaining year-and-a-half. Then, I assume, the show will continue past 5 years but just without the island flashbacks.

It always amazes me when show producers think that they can duplicate cast chemistry. Yes, they can do chemistry screen tests with actors, which helps. But sometimes, it's just something that happens and that can't be manufactured. A few examples: The X-Files with DD and GA (nothing I saw with the junior team matched them, just like when they brought in Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish), The Walking Dead with the core characters (Fear the Walking Dead was a major fail in terms of casting), Firefly (never to be duplicated), and of course, Arrow with SA's Oliver and EBR's Felicity.

Some highlights from watching SA's panel at Dallas ComicCon (video posted by Velocity23 on page 318 of this thread... -- Per SA, -- Per SA, we won't see who's in the grave until "the end of the season." -- In response to complaints about Oliver not killing Malcolm, SA: "Good decisions make for bad television... Bad decisions, good television." -- Per SA, -- In -- SA said that he feels like the show was "built to be five years long" but he doesn't think it'll end after season 5. However, they built in a "five-year story." Also, they still have so much to get done in the flashbacks because the flashbacks were built to be only five years. -- In response to fan question, SA doesn't think there are any plans to bring Artemis on the show any time soon. -- In response to fan question, SA said that he does his training with his trainer, Thomas, but that one of the things he's become more proficient at, as they've moved through the seasons, is the skill at fighting on television - "the skill of fighting televised martial arts". He thinks that fighting for the camera is a specific type of skill. -- In response to fan question, SA said that for awhile he wondered why he was always getting cast as villains or hookers. On Arrow, he enjoys playing someone heroic and who tries to do the right thing, even when making a bad decision, but some of his favorite moments for Oliver are when we see a flaw or the elements of Oliver that aren't heroic because it humanizes the character. Per SA, there are a few elements of the character - as they move through the show and they push the envelope, you can't push the envelope too far and you can't move too far away that you get away from the elements that people enjoy; at the same time, that's the character. -- Regarding complaints about Oliver not being truthful with Felicity, SA said that he found it "fascinating, if not a lot of fun... obviously, it's something that's going to come back and bite him in the ass." -- In response to fan question, SA said that he can shoot a bow and arrow, and he is good. -- In response to fan question about how he got the role of Oliver Queen, SA said that the HBO show he was on previously was cancelled in late Dec. and at the time he was working as a guest star on Private Practice. His cousin Robbie told him about the Arrow auditions for Oliver because he could only picture Stephen doing the role and that pissed him off. The only "unnerving" thing about the audition process was how "seamless" it was for him. He was the first one to audition and shortly after, the director of the pilot told him that he was going to cast as Oliver. But then he still had to go test for the network and test for the studio and the head of CBS. So it was scary because he kept waiting for the shoe to drop. -- In response to fan question about Oliver's upcoming breakup with Felicity, SA said: "You were fishing for spoilers earlier... talking about things like they had happened, trying to get me to slip up. You won't catch me, Sabrina. (Audience laughs) ... [Fan asks if there is anything he can say to give them hope] ... -- In response to fan question, SA said that he can't say who's in the grave. -- In response to fan question, SA that "one of the really nice things is, having shot so much content with [Emily], he never gets bored with it" and their scenes are always "super interesting" because they're never what they appear to be on the page when they first read the script. As for a funny anecdote, SA that they "have this running joke right now where, right before a take, I'll take my hand and go 'ehhhh-ehhh-eh' [makes noise and slaps back of hand against moderator's arm a few times]... like that, which makes no sense at all until you work 14 hours a day with someone and then it becomes incredibly fun. So just know, before any intimate moment, I have, like, draped my hands across her face like a spider. " -- In response to fan question, SA said that Oliver's line about "I was going to go with Oracle but that's already taken" was in the script (not ad libbed) and that, at the time, he had no idea what it meant. Then the Internet exploded, and he thought it was cool. -- SA said that there's a scene at the end of 415 that's -- In response to fan question about whether he would save Thea or Felicity if both are about to die and he can save only one, SA said that he'd find a third option. -- In response to fan question about SA and EBR doing a promised video for winning MTV Ship of the Year, SA said: "Emily and I have not been working together that much recently." (Audience noticeably reacts) -- In response to fan asking why the writers want him to be shirtless so much, SA said: "When you're older, you'll understand." He also said that if it didn't take so much time making up his scars and tattoos, he'd be shirtless all the time. More seriously, he said that they're a "road map" of where Oliver's been, so it's an important part of his character. -- In response to fan question, SA's favorite scene in S3 was when he lost to Ra's. He then praised the Arrow crew. -- In response to fan asking who and when they'll add a new member of Team Arrow, SA said: -- There's a whole sequence with StarDust crashing the panel, presenting SA with his WWE Slammy Award, and throwing a glass of water in SA's face. -- Then Robbie Amell appeared and joined the panel.

Maybe the reason that the CW promo people advertise Flash/LoT so much on Arrow's twitter page, but don't do Arrow the same favor on the Flash/LoT twitter pages is because Arrow fans are the most active on social media? Maybe Arrow's twitter page gets a lot more views than the other shows' twitter pages? I dunno, I'm just guessing. KC at Jenny Packham's fall 2016 show (at New York Fashion Week): http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jenny-packhams-fall-2016-presentation-865282 Here's the link to Gail Simone's BC tweet and replies (posted on page 318 of this thread): https://twitter.com/GailSimone/status/699092266904739840

TV Fanatic's round table discussion of 413 (fyi, they all think that it's Donna in the grave)... Arrow Round Table: Oliver's Biggest Mistake Carissa Pavlica at February 15, 2016 11:00 am. http://www.tvfanatic.com/2016/02/arrow-round-table-olivers-biggest-mistake/

Check out the Olicity-related reply tweets to this recent DC Comics poll... https://twitter.com/DCComics/status/698929978713333760

Valentine's Day: Stars From Scandal, Grey's, The Flash, Thrones and More Name Their Favorite TV Couples By Team TVLine / February 14 2016, 6:33 AM PST http://tvline.com/gallery/favorite-tv-couples-sam-diane-coach-tami-photos/#!11/i-love-lucy-ricky-best-tv-couples/

According to these tweets, EK in a periscope vid (no longer viewable) indicated that he knows who's in the grave and can't say and that he has no clue what episode it'll be in: https://twitter.com/EchoK/status/698708028938268672 At this weekend's Dallas ComicCon, SA said that he didn't know yet who's in the grave. Hmm...