Spoiler Discussion Thread

[AyChihuahua]

"Form a connection."

OMG I'm cry-laughing.

[ladylaw99]

I will try not to jump to conclusions but my first reaction is reuse, recycle, I'm bored - I was hoping for a better intro for Tina.  

[AyChihuahua]

1 minute ago, ladylaw99 said:

I will try not to jump to conclusions but my first reaction is reuse, recycle, I'm bored - I was hoping for a better intro for Tina.  

It's totes new. She's both Sara 2.0 without the gross backstory AND BC 3.5-ish. I mean the numbers alone...

I guess that's another piece of evidence that Oliver and NuBC are going to bang.

This show, man.

[bijoux]

My only deal with this is - who hasn't had their own island by this point? For real, make your characters different.

[insomniadreams88]

Question: Have the EPs ever used "her own sort of island" to describe anything they've put Felicity through? 

Also, so very convenient that Tina's coming in with her own "island" story so she can "form a connection" with Oliver. Can men and women just be friends? I'd love to see that happen with Oliver and Tina. Surprise the audience and don't get them together. Come on, show. (Remember when Susan talked about Oliver needing a "friend"? I know she didn't mean it, but it would be nice to see him actually get a new one in Tina.) 

I did like that that preview mentioned some stuff coming up for Diggle. It actually sounds like they might not forget that the people who framed him are out there. I'm assuming that's who Colonel Walker is. I never caught the guy's name.

[Angel12d]

Well, Tina kind of has to form a connection with the main character. They all have connections with Oliver otherwise what's the point? But snore. The idea that a character has to have their own island or hell is so boring and predictable. Yawn.

[CooperTV]

27 minutes ago, Trisha said:

while SCPD Detective Tina Boland will form a connection with Oliver, seeing as "she has been through her own hell, her own sort of island."

Can they give us a threesome between Tina, Oliver and Susan then? I'd prefer OTA threesome but I'll take what I can get at this point, I guess...

[ladylaw99]

I can always count on this board to give me a chuckle.

[GirlvsTV]

Do you think they really have not considered how gross it would look to have their main character, the hero, bang THREE versions of the same character? I mean, I'd totally believe the current sh*thead version of Oliver on the show now would do it - he 'owes' it to himself to see what's out there after all *insert eyeroll here*

Ugh, I don't think I've experienced going from loving a character to hating them this much before. 

[Chaser]

Every newbie has 'formed a connection' with Oliver. I'm not sure that's evidence they are going to get romantic. I kind of think them stretching out Oliver and Reporter as long as they are lessens the changes of Oliver and Tina quite a lot.

[AyChihuahua]

There are still 11 episodes left this season after the reporter seemingly leaves in 512. Plenty of time to do 1000 things, especially with this show. Including reuniting O/F if they want to.

I don't disagree that this is in no way dispositive evidence. But it's an interesting and fairly unnecessary choice of words.

17 minutes ago, CooperTV said:

Can they give us a threesome between Tina, Oliver and Susan then? I'd prefer OTA threesome but I'll take what I can get at this point, I guess...

I cannot get on the OTA threesome bus. Digg and Felicity are far too brother/sister for me for that. There's already enough incest-adjacent creepiness in the Flarrowverse.

[Belinea]

"SCPD Detective Tina Boland will form a connection with Oliver"  That is understandable because if she isn't related to him or underage, he has to welcome her to the BC club with his penis. How else will she form the connection?

At this point, I don't really care anymore. I am going to check the episodes out at the end of the season (if at all) because the show basically annoys me more than it should. Thea once again has no storyline but thankfully we can see another BC. 

Also maybe this is me being weird but I still hate the name Tina. Is it supposed to sound like Dinah. Is is a soft T? And was she always a SC officer? I hope she has awesome chemistry with all the cast because the actress probably won't have the easiest time convincing the audience. (Pure Speculation)

[EmilyBettFan]

Hopefully the only connection is crime fighting. Ugh so tired of these writers/marketing people explaining the show this way.

[Velocity23]

I am sorry but that isn't how Arrow does their SL. If they were gonna do another LI they would have done it in February sweeps. And Tina would have only made sense in February sweeps if reporter would have been an one nights hook up. And i dont think Susans storyline will be finished by 5x12. But it will go all the way to 5x15. Or even beyond that. 

Edited January 4, 2017 by Velocity23

[Angel12d]

I actually don't think Oliver and Tina are going to get romantic...this season. I think they'll form a bond and maybe test a little flirty flirt towards the end of the season once he's finished with Susan but probably won't go there until s6. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It would've been nice if Tina had formed a connection with Felicity but it seems females aren't allowed to interact on this show. Sigh. Ah well.

3 minutes ago, Belinea said:

Also maybe this is me being weird but I still hate the name Tina. Is it supposed to sound like Dinah. Is is a soft T? 

I really do think she's called Tina because it sounds like Dinah. It's totally something these writers would do. LOL.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Angel12d

[Carrie Ann]

1 minute ago, Velocity23 said:

I am sorry but that isn't how Arrow does their SL. If they were gonna do another LI they would have done it in February sweeps. And Tina would have only made sense in February sweeps if reporter would have been an one nights hook up. And i dont think Susans storyline will be finished by 5x12.

I'm still unconvinced either way, but this assumes that their plans for Tina (in general) are limited to this season, and I don't think they are? Or we at least have no reason to believe that right now.

[Trisha]

5 minutes ago, Chaser said:

Every newbie has 'formed a connection' with Oliver. I'm not sure that's evidence they are going to get romantic. I kind of think them stretching out Oliver and Reporter as long as they are lessens the changes of Oliver and Tina quite a lot.

I'm also pretty skeptical that she'll be a LI (at least this season) since the timing is really tight (he still has to go "all in" with Susan, and she starts off hating vigilantes). But I'm not ruling anything out with this show at this point. Also, I think if she had a "connection" with WD as some have speculated, that's what they would have teased. A growing connection with Oliver instead leaves some doors open for next season (with maybe some UST at the end of this one). And positioning her like this in the press before we even meet her might be an attempt to soften the audience up for it.

I'd love if she wasn't romantically connected with anyone and just a kickass female character in her own right, but this show, man. 

[Starfish35]

Quote

I really do think she's called Tina because it sounds like Dinah. It's totally something these writers would do. LOL.

But Tina is said "Tee-nah", not "Tye-nah".  

Edited January 4, 2017 by Starfish35

[ladylaw99]

I personally don't care if he gets involved with Tina.  I am sick of his love life already and we still have the second half of the season. I wanted so much more for Tina.   Why does she have to have a island.  Why couldn't she be a badass detective to replace Malone, team up with Felicity and take down Promethesus?

[Midnight Lullaby]

I think they can easily wrap Oliver-reporter up in one episode. They have no problem rushing through plot so if whatever she is doing comes out in 512 it can be the same episode where she leaves.

I still think if they are setting up Oliver and Tina to hook up it will be something they will fully develop next season and hint at it/start this one. Anyway this season all the new characters were introduced as connected to Oliver (I don't know if it was done because they wanted to stress it's Oliver's show or for what reason) but it's repetitive and I think they are limiting themselves with this approach.

[Angel12d]

4 minutes ago, Starfish35 said:

But Tina is said "Tee-nah", not "Tye-nah".  

They pronounce Dinah like 'Tee-nah' on this show, don't they? I'm trying to remember all the times they've said about Dinah Laurel Lance trying to save the world. LOL.

[Starfish35]

1 minute ago, Angel12d said:

They pronounce Dinah like 'Tee-nah' on this show, don't they? I'm trying to remember all the times they've said about Dinah Laurel Lance trying to save the world. LOL.

No, they say it as "Dye-nah".

[AyChihuahua]

1 minute ago, Angel12d said:

They pronounce Dinah like 'Tee-nah' on this show, don't they? I'm trying to remember all the times they've said about Dinah Laurel Lance trying to save the world. LOL.

I can't rewatch for various reasons but I have a very good memory and I'm 99% sure they pronounced it with long I.

[Angel12d]

2 minutes ago, Starfish35 said:

No, they say it as "Dye-nah".

Really? I've totally mind-blanked on this! Haha.

[way2interested]

Since that "form a connection" line is from TvLine and not in quotes from WM, I wonder how that even came up in conversation. It could have been, "So, does Oliver bond or form a connection with Tina, the new character?" "Yes, we're really excited about their scenes together, blah blah blah"

or "So, does Oliver bond or form a connection with Tina, the new character?" "...Well, she has been through her own hell, her own sort of ‘island,' so one would expect her and Oliver to connect over those kind of views blah blah blah."

or "So...Tina?" "Yep, she and Oliver really connect since she has been through her own hell, her own sort of ‘island.'"

or "So...Tina?" "Tina and Oliver conflict with each other as they meet, she has been through her own hell, her own sort of ‘island,' so Oliver has to convince her to the way he operates and how he's changed from who he's been and how he's part of a team blah blah blah" "So....a connection between them?" "...Sure?"

It's weird to me that after MG had to come out on Twitter just to comment on the leaked sides that hinted at Tina/Oliver to say that they write fake sides (whatever he technically means regardless, he was trying to divert anger/attention to it), but then they would go to TvLine and promote a "connection" between them. If TvLine just did them themselves it would kind of explain it to me, even though I would guess that WM would have had to have given that inclination in their talk if they felt the need to write in in.

[ComicFan777]

As much as I hate it - With the direction of show gravitating towards more comic-booky elements and integrating more masks this season, I think introducing Tina as Sara 2.0/maybe nuBC makes a new slow burn GA/BC romance a very possible direction they could take in S6.  Oliver is written much more Ollie-like this season.  Even Felicity going dark this season can be seen as integrating comics into the show a little bit - Felicity in the Green Arrow comics was very much in the grey - she worked with criminals before having a brief team up with Green Arrow.  The direction they've been taking this season towards being more like comics just makes me lean toward it being more likely - of course, I've lost faith in the writers, so...

[Belinea]

11 minutes ago, way2interested said:

It's weird to me that after MG had to come out on Twitter just to comment on the leaked sides that hinted at Tina/Oliver to say that they write fake sides (whatever he technically means regardless, he was trying to divert anger/attention to it), but then they would go to TvLine and promote a "connection" between them. If TvLine just did them themselves it would kind of explain it to me, even though I would guess that WM would have had to have given that inclination in their talk if they felt the need to write in in.

I figure that the sides mainly showcased all the aspects that the character would need to bring including the LI aspect. Since MG wants people to watch and not spoil nor give him only backlash for a yet-to-be introduced character, he came out and said that they write fake sides. Which they might be but the intent behind the sides still remains accurate. Maybe I also remember it wrong but he didn't say that those sides were fake just that they do write fake ones from time to time. 

However, I feel as though BC 3.0 will be relevant going forward. She will have the connection with Oliver. Not the team nor any other character worth mentioning. Diggle will do his own thing and Felicity will be left to deal with her stuff. Oliver will need to make that character relevant for the audience. 

Isn't a panel on the weekend? Maybe SA will give more answers that people can interpret in a positive or negative manner. 

At this point, I hope that the new DCTV show is one that features BC because I really cannot deal with that many versions of one character. How hard can it be to get one character right before you admit that maybe it is time to stop? After 3? After 5? Then again, this is DC and going by their movie universe, they only react and rarely plan. People like that? We will do it! They should maybe have a plan and a well-written script or a concept before changing and adjusting over and over again.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Belinea

[Belinea]

5 minutes ago, ComicFan777 said:

The direction they've been taking this season towards being more like comics just makes me lean toward it being more likely - of course, I've lost faith in the writers, so...

Maybe they should consider doing a live-reading of the comics instead...Maybe that would please all the comic book fans. 

Edited January 4, 2017 by Belinea

[ComicFan777]

...just you wait...Susie snuggles in 5.12 - comic book fans get to see the Arrow version of pretty bird snuggles...

Edited January 4, 2017 by ComicFan777

[Chaser]

I forgot about the Con this weekend. I've been dreading those this season, but I'm really curious about what is going to be said at this one. I hope we do get a feeling one way or another about Felicity's storyline and Tina's potential.

Here is hoping there are a lot of Felicity questions. I also want someone to ask if we will get Tina interacting with the Felicity and Thea.

[way2interested]

10 minutes ago, Belinea said:

I figure that the sides mainly showcased all the aspects that the character would need to bring including the LI aspect. Since MG wants people to watch and not spoil nor give him only backlash for a yet-to-be introduced character, he came out and said that they write fake sides. Which they might be but the intent behind the sides still remains accurate. Maybe I also remember it wrong but he didn't say that those sides were fake just that they do write fake ones from time to time. 

Yeah, he said that they write fake sides occasionally (like how he said that a 4b episode includes a Felicity hallucination), which is technically true, but still meant to divert the anger/attention that people have on a particular aspect even if it happens to be true (Tina/Oliver relationship, Felicity in a wheelchair) to avoid backlash from spoilers, like you said. I'm just confused that from after receiving backlash (or at least enough backlash that there was a need to comment on it), and not just from this but a few times previously from seemingly anti-Olicity previews for the season (or at least questionable backlash, since after one of those articles we had MG go onto tumblr after months, and the cast all conveniently tweeting out around the same time), that they would now even to a small extent drive into that skid after already acknowledging those sides in the first place. Just talk about Tina maybe joining the team or talk about her conflicting with Oliver some more, but actually hinting at a connection goes against what MG was trying to divert attention from in the first place to avoid spoilers or ruining a future character.

10 minutes ago, Belinea said:

Isn't a panel on the weekend? Maybe SA will give more answers that people can interpret in a positive or negative manner. 

Yep, I'm going. His panel though is with DR, so idk how much the panel will actually give (although I at least think that this means it might be more fun), so people might have to go on personal accounts from the autograph line (which, who knows? could be true. He spoiled that Felicity has a bf to one person.)

Edited January 4, 2017 by way2interested

[Belinea]

11 minutes ago, way2interested said:

Just talk about Tina maybe joining the team or talk about her conflicting with Oliver some more, but actually hinting at a connection goes against what MG was trying to divert attention from in the first place to avoid spoilers or ruining a future character.

I think someone mentioned here that there are focus groups for the show? Maybe they have info how stuff is received but just don't care anymore. Their ratings won't improve drastically anymore. They might more or less stay the same or decrease in the spring even further. They won't get more promotion. The show is simply on the air for too long for that. So maybe they only care about their own version of events. As long as nobody wants them to change stuff, I doubt they will. I think a lot of the storyline decisions are based on BTS stuff these days and that doesn't always benefit the storyline but their might be so many egos and so much money involved that the audience is the last thing on anyone's mind. 

[apinknightmare]

I figured the "connection" mentioned here has something to do with getting Tina on the team - since it seems like it happens rather quickly based on BTS pics that were posted, and because he's bringing her on to fulfill Laurel's dying wish, which to me means there will probably be more of a relationship or mentorship initially than there would be for other recruits. 

I think any "connection" regarding his P and her V (or any teasing of said connection) would probably *happen later. 

*I initially wrote come later, but I can't be punny about this!

[Belinea]

22 minutes ago, way2interested said:

Yep, I'm going. His panel though is with DR, so idk how much the panel will actually give (although I at least think that this means it might be more fun), so people might have to go on personal accounts from the autograph line (which, who knows? could be true. He spoiled that Felicity has a bf to one person.)

I hope you have a great time. :-) DR seems like such as nice man.

I always admire people who manage to ask nice question because even though I am not a rude person, I'd be the kind of person who asks questions that make people uncomfortable because they'd be somewhat more honest opinions than actual questions. 

Edited January 4, 2017 by Belinea

[Trisha]

30 minutes ago, ComicFan777 said:

The direction they've been taking this season towards being more like comics just makes me lean toward it being more likely - of course, I've lost faith in the writers, so...

The more this season progresses, the more I wonder if BTS shenanigans are to blame. The abrupt pivot away from Olicity, the new masks, the constant mentions (and now appearances) of Laurel, and the way the showrunners/writers are conducting themselves in interviews and on social is starting to scream outside involvement. I'm not sure why DCTV would insist on making the show more comic book-y when they have LOT, but nothing else adds up. 

Up until a couple of weeks ago I thought everyone was being too negative and hysterical about Tina. Now I think it could seriously go either way. I'm not comforted by the knowledge that this isn't usually when/how they introduce LIs because nothing they're doing this season is consistent with the past when it comes to writing and promotion. Everything about S5 is headscratching. It will be interesting to see if any fans push for answers at the con (and if they do, if we'll get something beyond "you can't always get what you want.")

[insomniadreams88]

At this point, I'm just hoping something comes out of the con that makes me think the show remembers that Felicity and Diggle are friends. That they're not overselling Felicity's storyline. That Thea has a storyline coming up that's not connected to Oliver or Lance. That Oliver ... is not an idiot? That he remembers the people who have stood by him for four years and doesn't just care about newbies? I expect we'll get nothing about Olicity (other than maybe another mention of "oh, isn't it great they're friends/partners?" even though we don't really see that on-screen).

6 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

I figured the "connection" mentioned here has something to do with getting Tina on the team - since it seems like it happens rather quickly based on BTS pics that were posted, and because he's bringing her on to fulfill Laurel's dying wish, which to me means there will probably be more of a relationship or mentorship initially than there would be for other recruits. 

Yeah, that's the part I don't get. What's with the rush to get Tina on the team? Why not have the guys go to recruit her and she decides against it, then maybe decides to move to Star City to help as a detective after doing some research into what's going on there. She slowly starts to see that the vigilantes are actually doing good in the city and then maybe decides to join up later on in the season. Instead, it looks like there's going to be, what, one or two scenes where she's "anti-vigilante," which was a part of her character description in the casting news, and then suiting up with them?

I feel like the goal is to deal with the SCPD as little as possible this season, so

16 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Tina may be a detective but I'll be surprised if the story spends any time on it.  It, along with her ex-military background is just a set-up for why she already has the skills to be a vigilante.  She's supposed to be the best ever.  LOL!  I think establishing her as a female badass is the priority.         

this is probably 100% the case. Remember when they found out Prometheus had access to evidence from the police? Did that actually go anywhere? Not that I can remember. The corrupt cops apparently all disappeared with Church (isn't that nice of them?). 

[bijoux]

1 hour ago, insomniadreams88 said:

 

I did like that that preview mentioned some stuff coming up for Diggle. It actually sounds like they might not forget that the people who framed him are out there. I'm assuming that's who Colonel Walker is. I never caught the guy's name.

What preview, the one where Chase is with Dig and BS destroys the bunker? I don't remember a Colonel Walker being mentioned. Not saying he isn't, just that I'd like to go back and see.

[apinknightmare]

1 minute ago, insomniadreams88 said:

Yeah, that's the part I don't get. What's with the rush to get Tina on the team?

IDK, but this show hasn't ever been into taking its time with anything.

[insomniadreams88]

Just now, bijoux said:

What preview, the one where Chase is with Dig and BS destroys the bunker? I don't remember a Colonel Walker being mentioned. Not saying he isn't, just that I'd like to go back and see.

The TVLine preview. Here's the stuff about Diggle:

Quote

Elsewhere, Diggle emerges from his latest imprisonment “with a much bigger drive, and not the same fatalism that he had earlier in the season,” the EP previews. “He’s going to come up against Colonel Walker” as well as “grow closer to Adrian Chase.”

[apinknightmare]

1 minute ago, bijoux said:

What preview, the one where Chase is with Dig and BS destroys the bunker? I don't remember a Colonel Walker being mentioned. Not saying he isn't, just that I'd like to go back and see.

No, the winter preview on TVLine mentions that Diggle emerges from his imprisonment with more drive and less fatalism - and that he's going to come up against Colonel Walker and "grow closer to Adrian Chase."

[bijoux]

Thanks, I thought it was only the stuff about Tina, since that's the only part that was quoted.

[Angel12d]

Was it ever confirmed that Adrian Chase is Vigilante or is that still just speculation? 

[bijoux]

1 minute ago, Angel12d said:

Was it ever confirmed that Adrian Chase is Vigilante or is that still just speculation? 

Still speculation, even though nothing else makes sense to be honest.

[insomniadreams88]

3 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

IDK, but this show hasn't ever been into taking its time with anything.

True. But I don't get recruiting someone new so soon after Evelyn's betrayal. Unless they think that by looking outside the city, there's no chance Tina could be working for Prometheus? (But imagine if she is. Imagine if Prometheus heard about her metahuman canary cry before the team did and recruited her. "You're anti-vigilantes? Well, I have this vigilante in Star City who was a killer a few years ago, etc." I'm going to assume he knew about Laurel's tech, since he knew about Black Siren and since he has Evelyn working for him. Imagine if that's why Tina joins so quickly. Maybe, since he lost Evelyn as a mole, the Black Siren dupe is a test to see if he can get someone new in with them, and if/when that fails, he has Tina as a backup. The only problem with this would be Tina working with someone who's killing people, I guess.)

[Angel12d]

Just now, bijoux said:

Still speculation, even though nothing else makes sense to be honest.

Hmm.

I'm just wondering if Diggle getting closer to Chase makes it less likely for Felicity to be teaming up with Vigilante. But then that was simply speculation too so IDK. Haha.

And I thought Diggle was supposed to be bonding with Wild Dog? Or was that just a one episode thing? These interviews really do make things out to be more than they are, every single time.

[Belinea]

5 minutes ago, Angel12d said:

And I thought Diggle was supposed to be bonding with Wild Dog? 

I think that has already happened.

[Chaser]

I'm dying to know how this conversation goes with Tina.

I want to know Oliver's sales pitch. It has to be good. Drop you life in Central City. Hit the streets with me in the former mask and name of two of my previous girlfriends. ..... Please don't think I'm weird.

[apinknightmare]

8 minutes ago, insomniadreams88 said:

True. But I don't get recruiting someone new so soon after Evelyn's betrayal

I'll amend my previous answer to: this show hasn't ever been into taking its time with anything OR making a whole lot of sense, haha. 

Really, it doesn't make sense to bring anyone else in until Prometheus is finally dealt with, since he'll have gotten the drop on them twice with people they (kind of) trusted - Evelyn and  not!Laurel. So the premise that they bring anyone else in at all is stupid, so I guess the timing of it at that point doesn't much matter. I figured maybe Felicity did some background research on her - and using knowledge of what she's been through is how Oliver would approach her and persuade her to join the team (like he did with Rory), thus sparking this "connection," whatever it may be (I'm assuming her painful past - or at least part of it - will be similar to his in some way). 

My two preferred methods of bringing Tina on at this point since they're going to do it with breakneck speed regardless is that: 

1. They find out that she has some connection to something that they think can help defeat Prometheus (what this would be, I have no freaking idea) and/or

2. Someone else on the team knows her and can at least vouch for her character. 

#2 would be my preferred option, though at this point I'm expecting them to go with the dumbest possible explanation, which is basically picking a stranger up off the streets because she can do fighty type stuff.

Edited January 4, 2017 by apinknightmare

[calliope1975]

7 minutes ago, Angel12d said:

I'm just wondering if Diggle getting closer to Chase makes it less likely for Felicity to be teaming up with Vigilante. But then that was simply speculation too so IDK. Haha.

 

Does Chase/Vigilante need a team? Perhaps additional muscle with tactical experience and a brilliant hacker? Just floating that since Oliver's got newbs and a reporter and is increasingly unlikable to me. 

Edited January 4, 2017 by calliope1975

[Midnight Lullaby]

1 minute ago, Chaser said:

I'm dying to know how this conversation goes with Tina.

I want to know Oliver's sales pitch. It has to be good. Drop you life in Central City. Hit the streets with me in the former mask and name of two of my previous girlfriends. ..... Please don't think I'm weird.

Also "I know you hate vigilantes but don't knock it out until you've tried it!"