Spoiler Discussion Thread

[Morrigan2575]

17 minutes ago, insomniadreams88 said:

Is it bad that I want Oliver to suffer some sort of consequences for Susan? And if it turns out that she doesn't betray him because of whatever, he probably won't. 

I suppose there are two ways this could go down. One is that Susan never betrays Oliver because genuine feelings. So Oliver was right all along and, everyone else (Lance, Thea, Audience) were wrong.  The biggest problem here (for me) is that we're 13 episodes in, she's still shady and they're still having Thea trash Susan. Why is she good?  Just to insist that everyone else (audience) is stupid ala BMD?  

The other possibility (which I could live with) is that Susan isn't evil like Isabel, she's not out to destroy Oliver or working for Prometheus. Instead Susan is a "good reporter" out to do her job and uncover the truth!  So really, she's not bad, she has integrity and yeah she feels bad about revealing Oliver's secrets but, truth, journalism ethics and, all that.  It's still BS but it is about the only way I can make sense of what's shown and what's told (in interviews).

Sadly I think the first option is more likely.

The ultimate question for me and, I still can't see the answer. Is what purpose does she serve? What is the ultimate point of the character? Is she supposed to teach Oliver a lesson? If so what? That it's perfectly OK to trust Reporters with intimate details that impact both day and night jobs?  That seems like a dumb lesson to me.

Is she there to force Oliver to out himself as GA? Possibly, I can't say they won't go there this season.  Is she there to force the show back to S1 with Cops vs Arrow? Possible. 

At this point I just want to skip to the end (516 hopefully) just so I can see the whole thing revealed. I'm not the least bit interested in the character, story or romance but, I'm oddly fascinated by what their ultimate goal was in all of this.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Morrigan2575

[Velocity23]

I just wonder how that is gonna play out. If the reporter isn't in 5x13 and in 5x14 Felicity already uncovers shady Susan and tells it to the team but not Oliver. 

[insomniadreams88]

5 minutes ago, Velocity23 said:

I just wonder how that is gonna play out. If the reporter isn't in 5x13 and in 5x14 Felicity already uncovers shady Susan and tells it to the team but not Oliver. 

Maybe Thea goes to Felicity to look into Susan, Felicity uses Pandora, and that's how Thea finds out about Pandora? And then they maybe clue in Diggle? Maybe Lance? And that's how others find out what Felicity's doing before Oliver? 

(I just really want Thea part of taking down Susan. And for Thea to have something to do. And Felicity/Thea scenes.)

Edited February 15, 2017 by insomniadreams88

[apinknightmare]

Anyone think there's anything to Anatoly telling Oliver there was something he wanted Oliver to take care of back in Star City last ep? I had a fleeting thought that maybe he'd gotten wind of a reporter snooping around in Bratva stuff and that had something to do with it, but that would make the sex that followed even more ICK, and the very last thing you'd want to do if you knew a reporter was investigating Bratva connections is show her your freaking Captain's tattoo. But this is Arrow and Oliver, so IDK. 

It was probably just a throwaway line so LOL @ me trying to make sense of things. 

[Cleanqueen]

Thea and Felicity discussing Susan is a scene that I desperately want. But we can't have nice things.

[ladylaw99]

This reporter story is like the BMD story to me.  I don't understand the purpose and no matter what Oliver looks dumb.  Like others have said even if she does not rat him out, she still investigated him.  She looked into his past to get dirt on him.  He had numerous red flags. Oliver will find out what she has been doing and you can't tell me he wouldn't feel betrayed.  So what I am suppose to believe he will be ok with that.  What about the team, if Ms. Shady is good at her job, she should be able to figure out who is on his team.   If Ms. Shady rats him out what a fool he is going to look like.

How about that PI?  How do we know he wouldn't leak information about Oliver, I am sure he can put two and two together and figure it out.  This whole story just sucks and I can't wait for it to be done.  The only thing I want is Thea (Felicity can help) and take her down.  I want Thea to call the Moira in her and leash it out.  If Oliver gets mad or upset, oh well, I say suck it up buttercup and get over it because he is no saint and not the greatest brother.

[statsgirl]

26 minutes ago, Velocity23 said:

I just wonder how that is gonna play out. If the reporter isn't in 5x13 and in 5x14 Felicity already uncovers shady Susan and tells it to the team but not Oliver. 

I would LOVE it if the secret that everyone but Oliver knows is that Susan is shady and not that Felicity has "crossed a line."

And then there has to be consequences for Oliver.  A large part of my frustration about this Susan storyline is that I'm worried he's going to get off scot free and then he'll be reinforced for being an idiot.

36 minutes ago, Morrigan2575 said:

The other possibility (which I could live with) is that Susan isn't evil like Isabel, she's not out to destroy Oliver or working for Prometheus. Instead Susan is a "good reporter" out to do her job and uncover the truth!  So really, she's not bad, she has integrity and yeah she feels bad about revealing Oliver's secrets but, truth, journalism ethics and, all that.  It's still BS but it is about the only way I can make sense of what's shown and what's told (in interviews).

There is still no way I can see her  as a "good reporter".  She has no indication that Oliver is stealing money from the city.  And unlike Rob Ford (let's keep away from American politics at the moment), Oliver is not doing drugs or drinking on the job and the police haven't been called to his house for domestic violence.  So this story that Oliver was in Russia when he said he was on the island the whole time is really a non-story and if she's a professional, not worth the amount of time she's spending on it, much less to sleep with the guy to find out the story.

And if she decides to drop the story because of her feelings for him, then she's an even worse reporter.

12 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

Anyone think there's anything to Anatoly telling Oliver there was something he wanted Oliver to take care of back in Star City last ep? I had a fleeting thought that maybe he'd gotten wind of a reporter snooping around in Bratva stuff and that had something to do with it, but that would make the sex that followed even more ICK, and the very last thing you'd want to do if you knew a reporter was investigating Bratva connections is show her your freaking Captain's tattoo. But this is Arrow and Oliver, so IDK.

I really, really hope you're right.  I'm desperate for something about this story too keep from Oliver looking like an idiot, or the audience being one for accepting it.

The sex would be ick but Oliver just broke a guy's fingers and blew up his shop.  Ick sex is way better than that for me.

[AyChihuahua]

11 hours ago, weathered1 said:

^Oh, I know. And I agree. I was just running with it to see if it could make any kind of sense whatsoever. It just doesn't. 

I have to say, even though they have a pattern of making Oliver dumb as a post, the writers seem to almost revel in taking him to new depths of stupid. Doing that to the titular superhero of a show is an interesting choice, to say the least. At times, I almost wonder if that reflects their real thoughts about SA. Regardless, though, it's all just mystifying to me. Truly. 

Yeah, I mean the show is the show, so it's possible, even without any in-show support. I just wouldn't be able to get beyond the fact that EVERY POLITICIAN IN THE WORLD has to deal with nosy reporters, bc sticking their noses into politicians' business is a major reason reporters exist. Close to zero politicians respond by banging the nosy reporters. Even in Russia Putin just has them killed. And, I'm with you, like, what is his plan? It makes no sense for him to get info this way when he has the world's best hacker right there ready to hack and bug away.

[BunsenBurner]

Have they actually shown Oliver's face with the GA suit on in Russia? Talia also wears the hood couldn't he show it to be her?

[tv echo]

From MG/WM's recent interview comments about 513, it sounds like the team members will be lining up as follows....

Pro-gun:  Rene
Anti-gun (pro-gun control):  Quentin, Curtis
Don't Talk About It:  Felicity

(I wouldn't be surprised if Diggle is on Rene's side. Tinah should also be siding with Rene considering her frequent gun use, but maybe she'll side with fellow cop, Quentin. As for Oliver, who knows? He may be as confused on the gun issue as he is on his kill-no kill policy.)

Edited February 15, 2017 by tv echo

[insomniadreams88]

So, based on the sneak peek, no one thought to tell Lance that they recruited someone named Dinah Drake?! REALLY?! 

[Trisha]

At least the line about Felicity not wanting to talk about it makes a bit more sense in context. It's more of a "let's not talk about this right now" rather than "I don't have an opinion on this." (Although her second mention of gun control debates complete with an eye roll still seems a bit OOC for all she's gone through with regards to gun violence). Still, if that's all we get from her, it's still a bit better than what I was imagining after MG's comments.

[tv echo]

From the Collider article, it sounds like there are no definite plans yet for Rory to come back this season.

[Cleanqueen]

8 minutes ago, Trisha said:

At least the line about Felicity not wanting to talk about it makes a bit more sense in context. It's more of a "let's not talk about this right now" rather than "I don't have an opinion on this." (Although her second mention of gun control debates complete with an eye roll still seems a bit OOC for all she's gone through with regards to gun violence). Still, if that's all we get from her, it's still a bit better than what I was imagining after MG's comments.

 

I didn't have an issue with it and I could tell why she was frustrated with them. But come on, why didn't Lance say something To Dinah about her name. What a missed opportunity. And she really comes off as a bit too hardcore wannabe. 

[apinknightmare]

4 minutes ago, Cleanqueen said:

But come on, why didn't Lance say something To Dinah about her name.

He was probably taken aback by the way she was looking at him, haha. 

[Belinea]

14 hours ago, weathered1 said:

at times, I almost wonder if that reflects their real thoughts about SA.

I wonder if that bothers SA.

[Cleanqueen]

4 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

He was probably taken aback by the way she was looking at him, haha. 

I thought I was the only one who caught that look she gave him. Also she'd totally be old enough to date him. IMO Donna looked just as young as her. 

[Belinea]

14 hours ago, calliope1975 said:

And MG's snarky ass comment about it being this or tackling abortion is such a dick move

In this case gun control seems to be the almost 'better' choice because someone has to be pregnant to talk about abortion...

Edited February 15, 2017 by Belinea

[apinknightmare]

2 minutes ago, Cleanqueen said:

I thought I was the only one who caught that look she gave him. Also she'd totally be old enough to date him. IMO Donna looked just as young as her. 

Three eps in, I'm beginning to think that's just her look. She doesn't really seem to be very selective about who she directs it at. 

[Trisha]

5 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

He was probably taken aback by the way she was looking at him, haha

Yeah, she's really leaning into this sultry thing, huh? I guess it's a small comfort that she's not just directing those looks/line readings at Oliver.

[AyChihuahua]

4 minutes ago, Belinea said:

I wonder if that bothers SA.

I don't think making Oliver a moron is a dig at Steve or even intentional, exactly. I think the writers are not bright, not creative, don't plan out their storylines carefully (I continue to believe the BMD could have been largely salvaged if they'd just had Moira threaten BM in the flashback v. offer her money, but that would require PLANNING), and are really surprisingly lazy. Basically, they're dumb, so writing Oliver as dumb is the best they can actually do.

IMO the whole writing staff needs to be replaced.

[Velocity23]

People kept telling me JH is great. And now seeing her action choices, i want to sue all of them. 

[Morrigan2575]

11 minutes ago, Cleanqueen said:

I thought I was the only one who caught that look she gave him. Also she'd totally be old enough to date him. IMO Donna looked just as young as her. 

 

13 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

He was probably taken aback by the way she was looking at him, haha. 

Come Onnnnnn! Make this happen! Then I can go well Dinah Drake has to marry Larry Lance...Because Comics! ???

[finnaire]

Okay, so I saw nothing sexy or sultry in last week's line delivery.  But, that, right there with Quinten?  She'd totally do him.

[Thundercatmary]

Well to be fair PB is very doable :D

[Midnight Lullaby]

34 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

He was probably taken aback by the way she was looking at him, haha. 

The way she was talking to him too, LOL. I guess it's simply the way she decided to play the character. So weird.

[apinknightmare]

Tinah's look is very "here comes the smolder."

[Midnight Lullaby]

17 minutes ago, Thundercatmary said:

Well to be fair PB is very doable :D

If they let him use his accent even more imo. ?

[way2interested]

Just now, Midnight Lullaby said:

If they let him use his accent even more imo. ?

If we got to have Felicity go undercover as Bratva, I demand that we get Lance going undercover as an Englishman. 

[tv echo]

FWIW - Carly Pope's IMDb page currently does not list her for 513, but lists her for 514 and 515. According to papp (pursuit23), she's also in 516.

FWIW - Juliana Harkavy's IMDb page currently lists her for 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 519, 520, 522 and 523.  Curious that 518 and 521 were omitted by whoever edited her page (intentional or mistake?). I believe that JH tweeted pic of herself in Vancouver during the time that 518 would've been shooting. Also, I think that 518 is the episode when Evelyn returns to the show.

Edited February 15, 2017 by tv echo

[Cleanqueen]

29 minutes ago, tv echo said:

FWIW - Carly Pope's IMDb page currently does not list her for 513, but lists her for 514 and 515. According to papp (pursuit23), she's also in 516.

FWIW - Juliana Harkavy's IMDb page currently lists her for 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 519, 520, 522 and 523.  Curious that 518 and 521 were omitted by whoever edited her page (intentional or mistake?). I believe that JH tweeted pic of herself in Vancouver during the time that 518 would've been shooting. Also, I think that 518 is the episode when Evelyn returns to the show.

I stand by my assumption that when she as on set during 5x16, she was filming a scene for 5X15. Just like how she was on set during 5x13 but we now know that her scene was in 5x12. 

[lexicon]

51 minutes ago, Midnight Lullaby said:

The way she was talking to him too, LOL. I guess it's simply the way she decided to play the character. So weird.

When I saw the clip from the Russia ep, that was pretty much my reaction too -not so much that she was directing come hither looks at Oliver but that her DD was going to be one of brash talking, hard fighting women who spoke archly all the time aka the in your face kind of sexy that dominates the comics world. 

[insomniadreams88]

I'm starting to think we're going to be stuck with Susan until the finale. What are they filming now, 518? 

[way2interested]

My goodness, Susan might still be around for 518? 

[apinknightmare]

[lemotomato]

I think nicknaming her Rayporter is going to (unfortunately) be very apropos. She'll probably be around for as long as Ray was in season 3. (Remember when we thought we were free of Ray because BR was filming a movie in Asia around the time 3.21-3.23 were filming? Good times.)

Edited February 15, 2017 by lemotomato

[Kymmi]

Why is that pap so happy to announce Carly Pope is back filming?  I'm assuming he has an adversarial relationship with Olicity shippers?  Personally, I like CP as an actress, I just don't see the point of her character.  

[Midnight Lullaby]

If she is around that long at least I hope it's because she is part of Prometheus' (or Talia's) plan and she is going to create a huge mess for Oliver. The idea she might be around because she is a normal reporter and she is still dating Oliver puts me to sleep.

[lemotomato]

That pap has expressed annoyance that people keep asking him if CP is on set.

[Chaser]

I will only tolerate her presence if she is dumped when exposed and goes full on antagonist.  

Otherwise nope.

[Morrigan2575]

Just now, Kymmi said:

Why is that pap so happy to announce Carly Pope is back filming?  I'm assuming he has an adversarial relationship with Olicity shippers?  Personally, I like CP as an actress, I just don't see the point of her character.  

Because he's asked about her every day? Maybe he's just rubbing it in because people keep pestering him about her...all the time.

[Cleanqueen]

GOD I DO NOT WANT TO BE SUBJECTED TO MORE OF HER FACE AND OLIVER'S CONSTIPATED LOOK AROUND HER. ARROW GODS SAVE US FROM THIS!!

[Mellowyellow]

Ray is cute and charming and my favourite character on LoT!!!!! 

This woman is just wretched!!!!!! Always looking snide on screen. I can never tell if she's supposed to convey any other expression besides snide. 

[insomniadreams88]

I just don't see any point to dragging out her character's storyline. And I especially don't want to see her taking up screen time the closer we get to the end of the season.

And if Oliver's still dating her in 518? Just no. 

Edited February 15, 2017 by insomniadreams88

[MuuMuuChainsmoker]

Hi guys

An advance warning that we are going to be locking the Spoiler Discussion thread about a half hour before the episode airs tonight until about a half hour or so after it ends.  You can post in the new live posting thread during that time.  

[finnaire]

Prediction: if they are still dating, Oliver introduces her to the lair. Because stupidity knows no bounds.

Edited February 15, 2017 by finnaire

[Morrigan2575]

Now I know how you guys felt with Ray in S3.

[AyChihuahua]

Sometimes I really think Guggie and Co. intentionally double down on everything they like that the audience does not. Like pouty two-year-olds.

Because really, WHO is clamoring for more Susan?

[insomniadreams88]

10 minutes ago, finnaire said:

Prediction: if they are still dating, Oliver introduces her to the lair. Because stupidity knows no bounds.

If they ever have Oliver consider that, I hope the team figures out how to keep people out of the lair by then. So they can lock Oliver out. 

[MaisyDaisy]

Wow they went full on clunky with that dialogue, it's like a combination of being hit over the head, then force fed via a spoon a diet of preachy moral debate. It felt really stiff, unnatural.

Whelp Dinah was brought in to appease a certain viewer and I guess she is playing to that troupey character they want. She is playing for the male gaze, not something that really sits well with me to be honest. I liked Sara's canary, she was super sexy without the constant smolder, just with confidence.