tv echo

The CW EVP Thom Sherman Adds More Oversight, Gaye Hirsch Named Head Of Scripted, Cyle Zezo Upped In Alternative by Nellie Andreeva • January 30, 2017 12:01pm http://deadline.com/2017/01/the-cw-thom-sherman-gaye-hirsch-head-of-scripted-cyle-zezo-alternative-1201897541/

Finally - an interview with Joe Dinicol (this is an audio podcast)... We Have a Hulk: Episode 46 - Joe Dinicol Interview Jan. 30, 2017 https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/wehaveahulk/episodes/2017-01-29T23_00_00-08_00 -- At around the 20:50 mark, they started discussing the latest episodes of LoT, Arrow, Supergirl and Flash. -- At around the 32:50 mark, they started their interview with Joe Dinicol. He watched Arrow when it first started but stopped when he lost cable for many years, but came back to it when he became part of the show. -- When asked whether the Ragman suit is comfortable, JD said it depended on the time of year: "The suit is mostly, uh, comfortable depending on the temperature. So it is a little oppressive... The mask is a little on the tight side. Um, and the rags and the coat and the hood are quite heavy, but that all sorta adds to the physicality of the character, which does a lot of work for me." He also said that it helped that it's mostly night shoots. Also, shooting in Vancouver where it rains a lot, he was told that he was the one who "wins" in the winter, and they were right. They then talked about the Ragman special effects. -- When asked if we'll see more of Rory's abilities (like in the comics), JD: "Yeah, well, I think - what's kinda cool about the show - what's cool for me anyways - is we're kinda - because that is, let's say, a pretty out there concept, right? ... And because Arrow is of the - I guess, of the four shows - the most grounded in reality, we're sorta finding out what of that stuff works in this world and what doesn't. Um, the other thing that's sorta cool... Rory is sorta discovering these powers as he goes. You know, the rags were put on him in a - at a great inflection point when his parents were - you know, when everyone he knew was wiped off the face of the earth. So no one was really around to let him know the ins and outs of these powers. Uh, you will definitely see him -- When asked about Evelyn's betrayal, JD said that they were all bummed because the three of them (him, Madison and Rick) all came in at the same time and the team became kind of a family. However, he said that someone had to be the bad guy and Evelyn would be the most surprising one. He talked about how he spent a lot of time with the three of them, Curtis and Emily, early on. -- JD joked about how he really doesn't have to train and that when you have SA, RG and DR there, "no one is asking [him] to take his shirt off," but he's totally fine with that. Also, JD praised his stunt double. Since Ragman's abilities are not hand-to-hand combat, he doesn't have to train in the same way. He mentioned that everyone's really supportive of each other. -- JD said that the EPs have done a great job of "carving out niches" for the different characters, so that "no two characters are doing the same thing or going through the same thing," and "making sure that every character is specific and their own sorta entity." Because of that, he didn't feel that anyone felt threatened that they would be eliminated because someone else was doing the same role. -- On the team in 5B, JD:

SUMMARY OF 511 SPOILERS: S5, Episode 11: Second Chances -- Production code: 511. Shoot Dates: November 2-14, 2016. Director: Mark Bunting. Writers: Speed Weed & Sarah Tarkoff. Airdate: February 1, 2017. (MG tweet, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- 511 episode synopsis: "TALIA AL GHUL TAKES OLIVER UNDER HER WING — In his quest to take down Kovar, Oliver (Stephen Amell) gets help from a surprising source – Talia al Ghul (guest star Lexa Doig). However, when she reveals what she wants from him in exchange, Oliver isn’t sure he can accept her help. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) attempts to hack the NSA to help free Diggle (David Ramsey) but when her online efforts are flagged, she faces off against an unknown adversary. Meanwhile, Curtis (Echo Kellum) tells the team about a female vigilante, Tina Boland (guest star Juliana Harkavay), he uncovered online who has been wreaking havoc all over the country. Mark Bunting directed the episode written by Speed Weed & Sarah Tarkoff (#511). Original airdate 2/1/2017." (Jan. 13, 2017 SpoilerTV article, page 51 of Spoilers thread) -- 511 promo and extended promo posted. (511 promo video, 511 extended promo video and Spoiler TV article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- 511 sneak peek video posted, featuring Talia al Ghul and flashback Oliver. (Feb. 1, 2017 CBR article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- 511 promo pics posted. (TVLine and SpoilerTV articles, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- In Jan. 26, 2017 podcast interview, MG said: “Next week’s episode of Arrow features the - I will say, the fastest crossover with Flash we’ve ever had." MG also tweeted pic of The Flash zooming past CCPD Captain Singh, who's on the phone at the police precinct, with comment: "Next week's Arrow features the fastest crossover with Flash we've ever done. #dontblink." (Superhero Insider podcast in Jan. 26, 2017 Entertainment Weekly article and Jan. 26, 2017 MG tweet, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- Tina Boland, played by Juliana Harkavy in a recurring role, will debut in 511. Tina is a detective formerly of Central City. She is brash yet tactful, tough, speaks her mind, and is not the easiest person to impress. She also has a problem with vigilantes like Green Arrow and his new team of recruits: Wild Dog, Artemis, Curtis Holt, and Ragman. (Nov. 1, 2016 Variety article, page 47 of Spoilers thread) -- When asked about the appearance of Tina using Canary Cry tech at the end of 510, MG responded: "Well, you know, I guess I can say - I have to rewatch the episode - I don't know if I saw any tech... dun, dun, dun." When asked if we're dealing with a metahuman, MG: "That's all I'm going to say. That's all I'm going to say... But, uh, I will say... I will say, you know, we've had Sara Lance, we've had the - you know, Laurel Lance, we've done, you know... there're two Canaries already. Um, you know... last year, when, you know, Greg said, 'I really want, uh, one of the new recruits to be a New Black Canary,' um, we went back to the writers' room, um, and said, 'okay, but how - you know, how do we make that character or that Canary different from the two we've already seen on the show?' Um, so, I keep avoiding using the 'm' word, but I'm clearly [unintelligible words-heaping strong tea?]." (Superhero Insider podcast in Jan. 26, 2017 Entertainment Weekly article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- WM: "[Tina] is a total badass, basically. I love her character. She's a former cop who has gone off the deep end because of tragic events that really sort of set her on this dark path. What I like most about her is she's a fully-fledged fighter. She is Oliver's equal in many respects. She's a grown-up, and she's just basically a total baller. I think she's going to be kind of a fun, cool addition to the show. The actress we've cast is fantastic." (Jan. 25, 2017 Mashable article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- Per WM, Tina is a cop who “knows how to handle herself with a gun.” WM: "She very much a badass, she’s a very accomplished fighter... She’s very much an equal of Oliver’s, and I think we’ve never seen anyone quite like that -- Laurel had an evolution in training, as did Speedy, when Thea was donning the hood -- but she’s going to be a different type of colleague for Oliver, which we’re all very excited about.” (Jan. 25, 2017 ETonline article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- WM: "[Tina's] going to factor into the back half of the season. She comes into the story in a really interesting way. She’s like Oliver, has lost somebody and is hellbent for revenge. She is an amazing fighter. She has a lot of skills, and she’s very much a peer of Oliver, so they have an instant connection since they’ve both been through a version of hell. It’s ultimately him that’s going to show her a different way to do this - a different way to get revenge than just killing people." (Jan. 25, 2017 CBR article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- WM: "[Tina] has a lot of emotional connection with Oliver, in that she’s been through her own sort of hell, her own sort of ‘island.’ She’s got a very tragic backstory.” As such, and coupled with her hand-to-hand combat skills, WM touted the new arrival as “a peer of Oliver’s,” in that “we’ve never really had anybody on the team who is as formidable as he is and really views herself as an equal.” Because of that, WM teased, “there are going to be some new interest dynamics!” (Jan. 26, 2017 TVLine article, page 1317 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- Per WM, Tina will form a connection with Oliver, seeing as “she has been through her own hell, her own sort of ‘island.'” (Jan. 4, 2017 TVLine article, page 50 of Spoilers thread) -- When asked if Tina will eventually, formally assuming the mantle of Black Canary, WM said that it's “definitely a possibility” that Laurel Lance’s successor will be in place by season’s end, adding: “Look, it’s hard to do a show about Green Arrow without having a Black Canary.” (Jan. 26, 2017 TVLine article, page 1317 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On whether Tina was created for the show or a character from the comics that has been repurposed, WM: "We’re going to reveal her to be somebody very much connected to the comics." (Jan. 25, 2017 CBR article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- WM: "We are so excited about Juliana. She is amazing." Per WM, Juliana Harkavy “brings a very different energy, a different vibe to the show." (Jan. 26, 2017 TVLine article, page 1317 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- SA: "Tina is a character that the team tracks down, who is operating in another city. And, uh, that happens once we're back from our break, sort of, 510, 511 time. And, um, I think she could be a really - I think she could be a really cool character. Um, you know, and as for Talia, Talia is, um - we learn about her before we meet her. And she is, um, I think, our gateway to really accelerating the flashback storyline and buttoning up that list I spoke of." (Nov. 3, 2016 Seat42F video of SA interview, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Felicity's new arc being the sum of all the hardships she’s experienced over the years, especially Havenrock, which MG says is “is a big component” they’ll be addressing again in 511. MG: "It’s the sum of a bunch of stuff, and Billy was sort of the final straw. It’s also the sum of the fact that Felicity’s been living in this darker world for the last four-plus years now and one of the things we’re exploring is how much what Oliver and Diggle and Roy and Laurel have been doing as vigilantes affected her and affected her way of thinking about things." (Jan. 8, 2017 Collider and JustJaredJr articles, page 51 of Spoilers thread) -- On whether Felicty's unknown online adversary in 511 is someone new or someone we've met before, WM: "I can tell you it's new and that we're very excited about it. In keeping with what we were just talking about with Felicity and Oliver, we really wanted Felicity to go down her own path this year. Even though it is a new organization and it's a completely new set of characters, we are going to come to find out later in the year that she unwittingly had a part in their inception. We're excited about that." (Jan. 25, 2017 Mashable article, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- Brian Ford Sullivan tweeted: "Malone's death uncorks what Felicity bottled up (re: Havenrock). Events in 510-512 force her to re-examine her life (or lack of) as of late." (Dec. 12, 2016 briforsul tweet, page 50 of Spoilers thread) -- SA: "I've got a great John Wick-inspired scene coming up on the show, like in, uh - I want to say episode 11, 12...ish, with me and... Talia." (Wizard World New Orleans, Jan. 8, 2017: NolaNerdCouple audio of SA/DR panel, page 520 of Social Media thread) -- On Nov. 1, 2016, MG tweeted pic of "Hub City Prime Development Potential" billboard sign, which included "511" in lower right corner, with comment: "Headed out of town." (MG tweet, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 2, 2016, MG tweeted: "Arrow Ep. 511 begins production today." (MG tweet, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 4, 2016, SA tweeted: "103 Episodes of #Arrow & I've never been kicked in the nuts doing a stunt sequence. Just got kicked in the nuts. Twice. Back to back takes." (SA tweet, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 4, 2016, papp tweeted: "#Arrow will be filming at Smile Diner in #Vancouver Tuesday, November 8. Interiors during day, foot chase in alley at night." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 4, 2016, JBam tweeted: "@JulianaHarkavy Very.....very.....excellent day my friend. You should be proud." Juliana Harkavy tweeted: "Best day at the office ever ????." (JBam and JHarkovy tweets, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 7, 2016, JBam posted pic of himself with Juliana Harkavy, who's wearing a black leather jacket, both standing in an alleyway, with comment: "Welcoming @julianaharkavy into the #Arrow fold......this girl is one badass!" (JBam instagram post, page 1209 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On Nov. 8, 2016, fan tweeted that Arrow was filming at Smile Diner, along with pic of Arrow filming notice. (ThemysciraBound tweet, page 1244 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On Nov. 8, 2016 (per twitter), Tina was filming Belly Burger scenes with rest of the cast, minus EBR. Meaning, she knows Team Arrow behind the masks, and they're chilling. (Lidach post, page 1209 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On Nov. 8, 2016, papp tweeted: "Reminder: #Arrow films inside & behind Smile Diner in #Vancouver today. #yvrshoots." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 1209 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On Nov. 8, 2016, per fan tweets, the diner scenes being shot included Oliver, Curtis, Rene and Tina, and maybe Diggle, but no Felicity. (newdividev and lemon_buzz tweets, page 1209 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On Nov. 8, 2016, fan posted filming shot of SA with EK and RG sitting in a burgers diner. (StephenArmy tweet, page 48 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 8, 2016, Canadagraphs watched Arrow shooting some 511 scenes: "On this day, they shot a scene in the Smile Diner (a location thats been used by many shows (& 1 iconic Kokanee commercial when they kill off the Kokanee Ranger) over the years. On this day, it was transformed into a Big Belly Burger. As far as I know, this is the first time on any of the shows that there has been an actual on location place for a Big Belly Burger. On this particular day, it was a BBB in Hub City. At a table we found Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez and Echo Kellum as Curtis Holt chatting while a waitress from BBB brought them their orders. Notably absent was Joe Dinicol, and of course Madison McLaughlin, who hasnt filmed in several weeks now (is she M.I.A or is she D.O.A?) ... When I returned they had moved to an alley that leads into the alley behind the restaraunt they were at. In the alley was the 'Green Arrow' (never saw him standing or from the front, so unsure if it was Stephen or his new stunt double.) and 2 actresses both dressed the same. One was Juliana Harkavy, the newest addition to the Arrowverse as 'Tina', and the other, her stunt double. Just like the Green Arrow I saw, I never saw either of them from the front, so unsure which was which. Shortly after they all moved into a small parking lot off the alley that was impssobile to get any view of and they shot scenes were GA tries to convince Tina that there is a better way to do things. This is essentially the START of her being brought into Team Arrow I think." (Dec. 7, 2016 Canadagraphs blog, page 50 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 13, 2016, Juliana Harkavy posted an old video of Rick Gonzalez practicing a knife fight at T3 Athletics. (JH facebook link in tv echo post, page 1216 of Spoiler Discussion thread) -- On Nov. 16, 2016, Mark Bunting tweeted: "Ep 511 is wrapped! Thanks to all the cast and crew! And to @mguggenheim @MericlesHappen @RealSpeedWeed @sarahtarkoff for a fantastic script!" He also tweeted pic of 511 clapboard dated "11/14/16." (mrkbunting tweet, page 50 of Spoilers thread) -- On Nov. 16, 2016, Speed Weed tweeted: "@mrkbunting dailies look awesome, can't wait to see the cut!" (RealSpeedWeed tweet, page 50 of Spoilers thread) -- On Jan. 26, 2017, MG tweeted 511 promo video with comment: "Team Arrow Recruits a New Black Canary in Second Chances Promo." (MG tweet, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- On Feb. 1, 2017, Brian Ford Sullivan tweeted: "Can't wait for you guys to see tonight's episode of #Arrow! Not only will you formally meet the very awesome @JulianaHarkavy... (1/2)" and "If you're a lifelong comics reader like me, you'll walk away with the biggest smile on your face. (2/2)." (briforsul tweets, page 52 of Spoilers thread) REDDIT 511 SPOILERS -- Reddit poster's 511 dialogue: "Felicity: No one's gonna be good enough for you. Because you keep comparing them to Laurel, which is an impossible standard you might want to consider loosening. Oliver: We just need to keep looking." (Jan. 31, 2017 YonkouProductions' reddit post of 511 dialogue, page 52 of Spoilers thread) -- Reddit poster's 511 end scene dialogue: "Man: Mr. Mayor. Excuse me, But there's someone here to see you. Her name is Tina Boland. Oh. Yeah. Send her in, please. Mayor Queen. It's impressive. Maybe you should have led with that. I got to admit...I didn't think I'd see you again. Yeah. Neither did I. I guess I thought I would feel different. With Sonus gone, I thought I would feel liberated.I wish it worked that way. Heh. How do you do it? How do you keep living with so much pain? I'm still working on that myself, But I can tell you it helps to not be alone.That's why you're here, right? That's why I'm here. Back on that roof, you asked what Vince would have wanted. We were more than just partners. We were lovers. I hated Sonus for killing Vince... But I hated myself more for not being able to stop him. Rene, the guy in the hockey mask, told the other guy that was with us - Curtis That this team is all about finding second chances. You said maybe we don't get second chances. Well, maybe I was wrong. Maybe you're my second chance. That's a lot to put on my shoulders. Well, Tina, there's something that tells me you can handle it. So about that name. Tina Boland was my official cover for undercover work. It was to protect my family. My real name is Dinah, Dinah Drake. Dinah? Does that name mean something to you? I had a friend named Dinah. She's the reason I sought you out. What do you think she'd think about all this? I think she'd be proud of both of us." (Jan. 31, 2017 YonkouProductions' reddit post of 511 dialogue, page 52 of Spoilers thread)

From that ScreenRant article: The first argument makes no sense. Felicity has been with Oliver through almost 5 years of crime-fighting. I think she knows "the trials and dangers of fighting the evils of Star City in her alleys and on her rooftops." She may not have been with him physically all the time, but she's certainly monitoring him throughout and providing necessary backup. She's also been out in the field with him. The second argument also makes no sense. Over almost 5 seasons, Felicity is the one who has been shown to "balance" out Oliver, to watch his back "in the midst of battle" and to make Oliver "more human, and a better man." Oliver & Felicity have saved each others' lives on multiple occasions. Felicity is the one who has been shown to pull Oliver back "from the abyss." So is the show just going to start all over again, with Tina doing everything that Felicity has already done? Is that what the EPs meant by S5 being "back to basics" and a "reboot"? That entire ScreenRant article's arguments really just boiled down to one thing - Because Comics.

How the CW Mastered the Superhero Rom-Com By Abraham Riesman January 30, 2017 http://www.vulture.com/2017/01/supergirl-cw-superhero-romantic-comedy.html?mid=twitter-share-vulture

‘Arrow’ Mid-Season Premiere Review: “Who Are You? Nora Dominick January 30, 2017 http://emertainmentmonthly.com/index.php/arrow-review-who-are-you/

Found it! It was in a 505 Bratva flashback scene that we first hear Anatoly call Oliver "Kapot" (scene starts at 2:25 mark, "Kapot" appears as part of subtitle at 3:40 mark)... Oliver: "I have no family. I have no home. I have no name. (Then in Russian) I am Bratva.” Anatoly (speaking Russian, with English subtitles appearing on screen): "We are Bratva. Welcome, Kapot.”

I don't remember this, but apparently Oliver was given the nickname "Kapot" by Bratva upon initiation... http://arrow.wikia.com/wiki/Anatoly_Knyazev And here's one fan's explanation...

Also, last December, Brian Ford Sullivan tweeted: "In the middle of writing an emotionally exhausting, forebodingly dark, joyously unorthodox episode of #Arrow. Loving every minute of it." So I guess he was referring to 517.

“Who Are You?”: Three Elements of a Great Arrow Episode Amy Woolsey Jan. 28, 2017 http://culturess.com/2017/01/27/three-elements-great-arrow-episode/ A good villain Team bonding Thematic resonance

Katrina Law's new show debuts this Thursday... In this interview, KL reveals a lot of info about her character and her relationships with the other characters on Training Day (I only quoted an Arrow mention)... We Chat with Training Day’s Katrina Law BY JENNA BUSCH ON JANUARY 30, 2017 http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/features/807151-we-chat-with-training-days-katrina-law

This pic reminded me of an amazing movie I once saw, called Two Brothers (watch trailer), about two twin tiger cubs who are separated. One is sold to a circus and turned into a killer, while the other becomes the pampered pet of a governor's son. They grow up and circumstances reunite them in an arena to fight each other. The movie packed more emotion than this entire season of Arrow so far...

Winter TV Preview 2017: 25 Scoops in 25 Days BREANNE L. HELDMAN UPDATED JANUARY 28, 2017 http://ew.com/tv/winter-tv-25-scoops/supergirl http://ew.com/tv/winter-tv-25-scoops/the-flash

Thanks - it was just the culmination of my frustration over the past six months. I'm thankful that this is a place where I can vent those frustrations without being cyberbullied. I don't know if I want the hassle of dealing with trolls on other sites because I have too much stress in real life. I also feel like it won't make any difference and it won't change anything. That's how little faith I have in the Arrow EPs right now. I just wanted to vent. (Please feel free to copy and use any or all of it, if you wish.)

CW President Mark Pedowitz participated in this Q&A session... 28 TV Chiefs Reveal Their Most-Wanted Stars [Deleted] Lesley Goldberg Jan. 27, 2017 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/28-tv-chiefs-reveal-wanted-stars-how-trump-will-influence-shows-968616/item/talent-who-isnt-tv-but-should-be-is-tv-exec-survey-2017-968666

You might get a kick out of reading this article, which was apparently written before the writer watched 510 (in case you're wondering, this same writer was anti-Felicity/anti-Olicity in an April 30, 2013 TV Guide article) - you can put this in the category of "Are We Watching the Same Show?"... Arrow: Everything to Know About Laurel's Return by Sadie Gennis | Jan 25, 2017 10:55 AM EST http://www.tvguide.com/news/arrow-laurel-lance-black-siren/?ftag=TVG_Twitter

I'm always interested in seeing which scenes from just-aired episodes they pick, in order to get people to watch these shows on The CW App...

12 Monkeys: Christopher Lloyd joins season 3 NATALIE ABRAMS OCTOBER 19, 2016 AT 5:08PM EST http://ew.com/article/2016/10/19/12-monkeys-christopher-lloyd/ 12 Monkeys adds Battlestar Galactica's James Callis in season 3 NATALIE ABRAMS DECEMBER 7, 2016 AT 11:59PM EST http://ew.com/article/2016/12/07/12-monkeys-james-callis-season-3/ 12 Monkeys first look: The gang reunites for trippy '80s adventure! NATALIE ABRAMS JANUARY 28, 2017 AT 1:00PM EST http://ew.com/tv/2017/01/28/12-monkeys-80s-episode/

Watching this season of Arrow is sometimes like watching a slow-moving train wreck.The show seems determined to make the same mistakes that have been made by some other shows, notably Sleepy Hollow, The Walking Dead and (almost) Castle. Instead, the Arrow EPs should learn the following lessons from those other shows: 1. Don't Ignore Chemistry In Favor of Original Source Canon. Sleepy Hollow hit chemistry gold in its casting of Tom Mison's Ichabod and Nicole Beharie's Abbie, and that non-canon pairing was magic. Then the show turned its focus to the canon pairing of Ichabod and Katrina (Ichabod's love interest in the source material, the literary short story titled "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"). You can't manufacture real onscreen chemistry, whether it is romantic chemistry or cast chemistry. Arrow accidentally stumbled onto chemistry gold with the intro of EBR's Felicity in S1 and with the casting of Oliver, Diggle and Felicity as the OTA. 2. Don't Introduce Too Many New Characters While Sidelining Old Characters. The Walking Dead took a big stumble this season, with its demo ratings dropping from 8.4 for the premiere to 5.1 for its midseason finale - still great numbers compared to other shows, but a significant drop over 8 episodes. One of the oft-cited reasons for this drop is that the show introduced a ton of new characters (many of whom we don't care about), while killing, sidelining and/or splitting up the old characters (many of whom we do care about). Arrow has done the same thing. 3. Don't Show Misery Porn When Real Life Sucks. Another oft-cited reason for The Walking Dead's ratings drop in the first half of this season was the unrelenting misery porn that aired week after week. While Arrow has always been dark, this season hasn't given us much to smile about. Remember the great ratings for the S4 premiere when we were floating on spoilers about a lighter season and Oliver & Felicity happily together as a couple? Then we got lying Oliver, the stupid BMD and the badly executed death of Laurel. There's a reason so many bright, happy Hollywood musicals showed up on the big screen during the 1930's Depression Era. Entertainment is often escapism from real life. 4. Even If the Show Is Named For/Built Around the Male Lead, Don't Undervalue the Female Lead. With Stana Katic's planned departure from Castle last year, that show initially planned to continue on without her by killing off Beckett - the show is called Castle after all, not Castle and Beckett. Cue the backlash from fans who had invested 8 years in that couple's relationship on the show. The show was cancelled instead, ending with a happy future scene of Castle and Beckett with their children. Similarly, on Sleepy Hollow, if you followed book canon, the show's only indispensable character is Ichabod Crane. However, fans had invested in Ichabod's relationship with Abbie and viewed them as equal co-stars. That show nevertheless killed off Abbie last season and continued on with Ichabod and a new female lead character this season. However, that Fox show's ratings this season have hovered around 0.6 (compared to 0.8 last season). Yes, Arrow is called Arrow and is Oliver's story. But how many fans have stuck with this show for almost 5 seasons because of Felicity (the de facto female lead since S2) and/or her relationship with Oliver? By Season 5, we've invested in this show (or aspects of this show) and it's a bit late to be rebooting all the characters and their relationships. Although characters and relationships should evolve, they should not be reset back to almost zero. 5. Don't Assume Viewers Will Watch the Entire Season. The Arrow EPs have said that they plan the entire season's story arc and then plant story mileposts in episodes along the way. It's like they plan the show for binge-watching, so they think we'll be happy once we finish out the entire season and see the whole picture. As Sleepy Hollow and other shows have proven, don't assume that viewers will stick through an entire season before deciding whether or not to drop a show. And don't assume you can get back lost viewers once those viewers are gone. I doubt even The Walking Dead will get back many of its lost viewers, no matter what happens during the rest of this season.

Even though this article is about Riverdale, it reveals some b-t-s stuff regarding the involvement of Greg Berlanti and Mark Pedowitz and also discusses how much the show has departed from comics canon... “Hot Archie” Isn’t an Oxymoron — He’s the Future of the CW Alison Herman Jan. 26, 2017 https://theringer.com/hot-archie-isnt-an-oxymoron-he-s-the-future-of-the-cw-83c4b256348d#.aggfupnd7

Arrow's Premiere Just Continued A Recent Trend In The CW's Ratings Laura Hurley Jan. 27, 2017 http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1617560/arrows-premiere-just-continued-a-recent-trend-in-the-cws-ratings#.WIqGErQ7kwc.twitter

One of you (I'm sorry, I forget who) really pays close attention to the Arrowverse sets, so this interview with Tyler Harron, Supergirl/Flash production designer, is for you... How Set Design Shapes CW's Supergirl Kayti Burt Jan. 27, 2017 http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/supergirl/261802/how-set-design-shapes-cws-supergirl

Despite the shared universe, I think that they're going to avoid any mention of Sara (or any reminder of her existence) for the rest of this season on Arrow because: 1. It would just highlight the stupidity of Laurel's dying words being "Please don't let me be the last Canary." 2. It would invite comparisons between Sara and the New Black Canary.

The Flash has shown that the E2 counterparts are not supposed to be the same as the E1 characters, but as usual, there's no consistency in the Arrowverse. I believe the lesson of this episode is that circumstances influence who we become, but we can choose how they influence us ("poison or nectar")... Oliver: "Someone once told me that a circumstance could make something poison or nectar. What they meant was that we get to choose what we are, we get to choose who we are, so tell me... Who are you?" Assuming all else was the same, both Laurels originally planned to marry Oliver Queen. However, Oliver's death on The Queen's Gambit led to both Laurels making a choice. E1 Laurel chose to stay in Starling City, near her alcoholic father, and help the less fortunate by becoming a CNRI lawyer (she chose to turn circumstance into nectar). E2 Laurel chose to move to Central City for a fresh start, away from her alcoholic father, and then when the Star Labs explosion occurred, chose to use her new metahuman power for evil (she chose to turn circumstance into poison). That indicates a fundamental difference in their characters at the start. Oliver's point was that E2 Laurel could choose again. But once again, she chose evil - she chose to try to kill Felicity - which was consistent with her character. I assume that Oliver will try to get her to choose again in the future, but for good. But unless something changes fundamentally (or is ret-conned), there's no reason to suppose that her choices would change fundamentally. Also, I'm sure if they do write a Black Siren redemption story in the future, they'll probably add a lot of other different circumstances to show us it's wasn't poor Black Siren's fault that she became a villain in the first place.