tv echo

Here are the clips picked by the network to get people to watch last week's episodes on The CW App...

Robbie & Stephen Amell’s Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Code 8’ Ramps Up With XYZ Films Deal – Berlin by Patrick Hipes February 9, 2017 1:31pm http://deadline.com/2017/02/code-8-movie-robbie-amell-stephen-amell-xyz-films-1201907119/

I recently read a 512 review (which I'm not posting in this forum) in which the male reviewer said that Arrow's cast was too large and that next season's cast should be trimmed down to Oliver, Diggle and Tinah (and maybe Curtis). Gee, I wonder if he reads the GA Rebirth comics.

It depends on who replaced MG as showrunner. I once had hopes for Brian Ford Sullivan, but he lost me with his tweet about 511: "If you're a lifelong comics reader like me, you'll walk away with the biggest smile on your face." However, I think that I'd rather have MG as a showrunner than JBamford - someone who I kinda feared at the time was headed for promotion based on SA's comments last summer... -- SA: "I've talked with Greg Berlanti a lot and he said that some of his favorite shows, you know, had a - not a renaissance necessarily, but really hit their stride in season 4, season 5, season 6. And it's typically because someone has breathed new life into the show. And I really believe that that person is James [Bamford]. He's directing our first two episodes and he gets it. He gets the show. The action is mean. We are shooting some awesome sh*t right now - like just some real oners that have to be mean, and they are real mean, like bare knuckle action, and I think that's what we do well." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: ComicsOnline video of press roundtable interviews with SA, DR and PB, page 40 of Spoilers thread, and RealistikkVideos video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 41 of Spoilers thread) -- SA: “Bam – we call him Bam Bam – gets it and gets the theme of the show, and it feels like it’s a street-level crime-fighting show and it’s about saving Star City and cleaning it up, um, which is what the show is ... I think the best version of the show is when we focus on that. And that feels like what we're doing this year.” (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Video of Entertainment Weekly interview with Arrow cast in EW article linked in EW tweet, page 453 of Social Media thread) Also, it's clear from SA's comments that he - and presumably the EPs - really believed that the way to "fix" the show was to focus on action/stunts and Oliver saving the city. In doing so, they lost the heart and soul of the show by underestimating the importance of key supporting characters in making Oliver an appealing superhero. Sorry, Stephen, but you are not enough to carry the show.

Since I'm not a fan of Ben Affleck, any number of snarky comments come to mind - but I'll refrain... ‘The Batman’ Finds New Director in Matt Reeves Justin Kroll FEBRUARY 10, 2017 | 06:22PM PT http://variety.com/2017/film/news/the-batman-new-director-matt-reeves-ben-affleck-1201977575/

Ugh, stop comparing S4 Oliver's secret-keeping to S5 Felicity's secret-keeping, their relationship isn't the same - I'm really dreading that the whole point of Felicity's arc this season will just be to prove S4 Oliver "right"... Allison Brennan and Lavinia Kent analyze 'Arrow' episode 'Bratva': This one's all about brotherhood February 10, 2017 http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2017/02/10/allison-brennan-lavinia-kent-arrow-recap-bratva/

I agree with you. But remember when we used to discuss the fear that the show would pivot back to Laurel and that all the character development Oliver had through his relationship with Felicity would just be used to make him ready for an adult relationship with Laurel? Well, I have that same fear again - but this time with Tinah.

This is a great list - but the problem is, S5 has been all about pretending these memorable Olicity milestones never happened... Arrow: 37 Moments That Remind Us Why Olicity is Endgame Alyssa Barbieri Feb. 11, 2017 http://fangirlish.com/arrow-36-moments-remind-us-olicity-endgame/

512 discussion... Agents of GEEK Podcast Craig Wack & Tatiana Torres Feb. 10, 2017 http://agentsofgeekpodcast.com/wordpress/ -- Craig was "not a big fan of this episode" because it was the "worst of set-up/filler episodes that there ever was." He just thought it felt "really flat" and didn't work for him, that it was just an opportunity to have a fight in a "different abandoned warehouse." He also mentioned again that Prometheus is still giving Oliver a break so the team can go to Russia. Tatiana wasn't quite as negative and found it entertaining "enough." But still, she sounded incredulous that the team went to Russsia and found parts of it annoying. -- They both still thought that the Talia flashbacks were ret-conning Oliver's past: "Shado's turning in her grave" and "No, he learned that on the island four years ago" and "Yeah, with Shado and Deathstroke" and "follow your own continuity." -- They liked Quentin's return to the show. Tatiana commented that Rene seemed to be "great at bonding with people" even though he "is the worst at interpersonal skills." Rene bonded with Curtis and now he's bonded with Quentin. -- Tatiana: "Stupid, lying reporter was back. Completely unnecessary." Craig thought that Oliver doing the deed with Susan after he returned from Russia was completely out of the blue, since their make-out session at Christmas and then her "disappearing off the face of the map." Tatiana found it "completely irritating" and noted that even "forgettable D.A. hates her, so she's the worst." Tatiana sounded fed up with Oliver's actions. Craig commented that "Oliver has taken too many blows to the head." -- Craig thought that "part of the problem is that [Oliver]can only remember things in sequential order, and only for about 90 seconds at a time." That's why Oliver only remembers pieces of his flashbacks when needed for the particular episode/season. -- Craig saw this episode as the writers "being given a list of things that they needed to have happen in this episode and then told 'go'." -- Craig thought that the only "bright spot" in this episode was Felicity's undercover "spy work" and new hacktivist storyline. Tatiana was suspicious of the Pandora file: "It was too easy for a hacktivist fan to come out of nowhere." But she also thought it was great that Felicity was like, "No, I'm going to make my difference the way I know how, this is what I can do." Tatiana loves when Felicity is "smart" and "independent" and "does her own shit." Craig noted that Felicity has "taken a bigger leadership role." -- Craig also noted that, in a lot of reviews that he's read, they pointed out that this is the first time in a long while that "Felicity, Oliver and Diggle were all in the same room." Tatiana said that she tweeted about that while watching: "OG Team Arrow was working together, there were no kids around, it was amazing." -- Craig mentioned that the show got rid of one "kid" this week, Rory, but gave him a nice send-off. Tatiana did not care for Rory because she thought he was "useless" and doesn't want to see him again "until we see Thea... Where the f**k is Thea? Where is Willa Holland? Is she still on this show?" Craig: "Willa, if you need help, we're here for you... Blink once for 'yes', blink twice for 'no.' ... We will help you wherever you're being held in Vancouver." -- Craig commented that they can only have "one superpowered person on the team at a time" and that "they've turned New Canary into, like, Ollie's dream sidekick." Tatiana: "New Canary is so useful. She's the opposite of Laurel." Craig: "She's tactically sound. And she's got superpowers. And, um, she's smart and she's tough and gritty and drinks vodka and impresses Russian mobsters. It's like everything, uh, that Oliver could ever dream of her being. Uh, so you got that going for you. So, way to go." -- However, Craig noted: "They've got too many brunettes with perfect bone structure on the show right now." Tatiana: "Yeah, I thought he had taken the reporter to Russia. I was so confused." Craig agreed: "Right. Because they introduce her [Susan], and then they jet off the Russia... Just because New Canary hasn't been around enough, and they haven't made her distinguisable enough... What's the reporter doing - oh wait, that's the New Canary. Okay, alright. That makes sense." -- Craig also noted that Oliver came close to "spilling the beans" about his secret identity to Susan during pillow talk "because that's what Oliver does... There's something about basking in the afterglow that makes Oliver kinda chatty." -- Craig said that he hopes Prometheus returns next week so they can resume that storyline. Tatiana noted that Artemis is still out there.

Spoiler Room: Scoop on The Flash, Once Upon a Time, Supergirl, and more NATALIE ABRAMS FEBRUARY 10, 2017 AT 2:00PM EST http://ew.com/tv/2017/02/10/spoiler-room-flash-once-upon-time-arrow/?xid=entertainment-weekly_socialflow_twitter

DC Comics brand is vital to Time Warner’s success in TV and film By Trey Williams Published: Feb 10, 2017 7:12 a.m. ET http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dc-comics-brand-is-vital-to-time-warners-success-in-tv-and-film-2017-02-09

I loved Firefly, but I think that much of its success was its cast - it's that old cast chemistry magic component that can't be manufactured or duplicated. The original cast members have all moved on and it's unlikely that they'd all return for a reboot. And how likely is it that any reboot would be able to come up with a new cast that's just as magical? ... Fox Will Move Forward With Firefly Reboot - On One Condition Charlie Ridgely- 02/08/2017 http://comicbook.com/2017/02/09/fox-will-move-forward-with-firefly-reboot-on-one-condition/

This is a cute twitter exchange between Ashley Johnson and Joe Dinicol...

Arrow Season 5 Episode 12 – “Bratva” Review 10th February 2017 Kevin Perreau http://www.filmoria.co.uk/arrow-season-5-episode-12-bratva-review/

For Supergirl, Flash and Arrow...

Arrow Recap: Season 5 Episode 12 “Bratva” Amy Woolsey Feb. 9, 2017 http://culturess.com/2017/02/09/arrow-recap-season-5-episode-12-bratva/

I can't see anything spoilery in these pics...

“Welcome Back Hugs, Kisses, and Warm Feelings”: Arrow 5x12, Olicity Heart-to-Heart Marilyn Porter Feb. 9, 2017 http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2017/02/arrow-season-5-episode-12-recap

'Arrow' Recap: The Team Heads to Russia to Stop a Nuclear Arms Deal February 08, 2017 'Derek Stauffer http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/arrow-recap-the-team-heads-to-63187.aspx Why Susan Williams Is the Biggest Problem Plaguing 'Arrow' Season 5 February 09, 2017 'Derek Stauffer http://www.buddytv.com/articles/arrow/why-susan-williams-is-the-bigg-63195.aspx

THE MORAL HIGH GROUND: ARROW 5X12 REVIEW (BRATVA) jbuffyangel Feb. 9, 2017 http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/157026378963/the-moral-high-ground-arrow-5x12-review-bratva

Arrow 5×12 Review: ‘Bratva’ Feb. 9, 2017 ALYSSA BARBIERI http://fangirlish.com/arrow-5x12-review-bratva/

Oh, that's so funny! And don't forget Arrow's newest newbie...

Arrow Review: Bratva (Season 5 Episode 12) February 9, 2017 Lissete Lanuza Sáenz http://telltaletv.com/2017/02/arrow-review-bratva-season-5-episode-12/

"Bratva"- Arrow S05E12 Review By Gislef Feb. 9, 2017 http://www.tv.com/shows/arrow/community/post/bratva--arrow-s05e12-review-1486618184/