Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

Hopes and Fears: How Will We Survive This Island? (Speculation WITHOUT Spoilers)


quarks
  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

I could imagine a scenario where we are introduced to Laurel as the Black Canary right around the same time something romantic is happening between Oliver and Felicity.  Kind of like a distraction--pay no mind to the woman in the black mask--look over here at this shiny new relationship!  That way, Laurel fans are happy that she is Black Canary while Olicity fans are happy that Oliver and Felicity are getting together. 

  • Love 1
(edited)
Like on JAG?  A flip of a coin to see if they get together?  Worst. Ending. Ever. after St. Elsewhere.

 

    I'm a longtime JAG fan and I have to speak up on this one. You may be misremembering the finale. They didn't flip a coin to see if they were going to be together, they were already together. They flipped a coin (whether or not this is actually any better is up to you) to figure out which of them was going to accept a new post and which was going to retire in order to go with them.

 

  On topic, I wouldn't mind seeing Oliver and Felicity together, but I don't want to see it yet. Right now Oliver is, and should be, focused on cleaning up Starling. I don't think he can really commit to any person until he is no longer fully committed to the city.

Edited by KirkB

Oh, I know! Laurel gets to be the Black Canary, fulfilling what KC has been saying (and possibly some contractual obligations) for the first episode of the third season, then at the very end in a shocking twist she is killed off. This also brings Sara (the real Canary) back, seeking vengeance.

  • Love 1

My  bad about the JAG finale, KirkB. I remember I hated it for some reason, it turns out it's because it was a horrible way of negotiating a relationship.  I'll look in my mailbox for an invite to the break-up party.  Nine seasons of UST, and then that.  I don't just want to know the couple gets together in the end, I want to see how they are together.

 

One of the reasons I'm in favour of an Oliver/Felicity get-together is because it could be done with a minimum of angst and suspension of disbelief.  (Getting together with Laurel after the sister-swapping and the lying and lack of faith would take a major suspension of disbelief.)  I like Arrow because it's an action/adventure show, not a soap opera,   I hope Arrow continues to make Oliver cleaning up Starling City it's primary focus but during the next season, I'd like see him open up personally more, including getting closer to Felicity. Those two could really rock the Nick and Nora Charles banter.

  • Love 2

If you want to talk about waiting forever for a couple to get together... I had to suffer through many seasons of The X-Files and several years of Farscape before the two main leads finally hooked up.  Of course, that's not the only reason I watched those shows.  Fortunately, they were (for the most part) pretty well-written, developed and acted shows.  Also, during all that time, Mulder/Scully and John/Aeryn worked and fought together as trusted friends and partners, and it was pretty clear that they were meant to be together.

(edited)

Farscape was only 4 seasons long, not sure how that's waiting forever...but I never liked John/Aeryn...way too angsty for my tastes.

 

I never shipped Mulder/Scully either I liked the partnership and didn't really care if they got together or not but that series ending was utter crap as far as the characters/relationship went.  

 

Back on Topic: Mostly fears.

  • My fear is that the producers are so locked into their original plan that they're going to make Laurel BC and Lauriver OTP even if it doesn't work and just tell the audience it's what we need.
  • I fear that they're going to tease and drag out Olicity because it's hugely popular but never pull the trigger because even though it's kind of clear that most of the cast supports it (SA, EBR, CH, DR, CL, Bex, Celina, Katrina), because it doesn't fit their original plan
  • Subset of the above fear, I fear that they may actually put Olicity together only to destroy it by having Oliver cheat on Felicity with Laurel thus sinking the ship and leaving Olicity and Felicity fans bitter
  • I fear that these EPs are so in love with their original plan or their egos are so big that they refuse to accept that Laurel/KC doesn't work and will continue to prop the character up and destroy other characters in order to make Laurel look better/gain sympathy.
  • I fear that their egos are so big that even if they wanted to get rid of Laurel/KC they won't because unlike Tommy/Moira which were their choices, getting rid of Laurel/KC is what the audience (IMO) wants and therefore they're going to force her down our throats rather than admit they got it wrong.
  • I fear they will shove Diggle, Felicity and even Roy; into the background in order to prop up Laurel and force the audience to support Oliver/Laurel.
  • I fear that they're going to destroy Sara (kill, maim, turn her evil, etc) so that Laurel can assume the BC Mantel simply because she has the right name.
Edited by Morrigan2575
  • Love 4
(edited)

@Morrigan2575, I totally get where your fears are coming from. I'm still super worried about how they can fit Laurel as BC on the show [if they even can do that at this point], but the showrunners gotta realize that if they do something extreme like having Oliver cheat on Felicity with Laurel, they will lose a significant amount of audience. A lot of people would quit the show cold turkey if that happened. Who would want to watch *Oliver* after that? And storytelling wise, they'd also lose Felicity as a character, because that would be basically stripping her of everything the audience loves about her -- especially her bubbly/happy/sunshine personality, and her loyalty to Oliver.

 

My nightmare scenario would be that they kill Felicity, and that's why/how Oliver goes back to Laurel in the end, but after how badly the HIMYM finale flopped, I'm not so sure another show can get away with sticking to the original romance plan like that.

Edited by dancingnancy
(edited)

The CW publicity and social media teams certainly know Felicity and Oliver/Felicity sell. Their latest tweets [https://twitter.com/TheCW_PR/status/479066648008085504 + https://twitter.com/CW_Arrow/status/479321622558408704], and latest Facebook update [https://www.facebook.com/CWArrow/ ] couldn't send a clearer message.

 

My hope is that even if the showrunners still want to go with their original plan of Laurel as BC and GA/BC romance, the studio and the network will run interference.

Edited by dancingnancy
(edited)

 

The CW publicity and social media teams certainly knows Felicity and Oliver/Felicity sell. Their latest tweets [https://twitter.com/...066648008085504 + https://twitter.com/...1622558408704], and latest Facebook update [https://www.facebook.com/CWArrow] couldn't send a clearer message.

They did the same thing on Friday also 

https://twitter.com/CW_Arrow/status/477558392303517698/photo/1

 

and even the ArrowWriters twitter account retweeted the CW_Arrow Olicity tweet

 

and a few days earlier an Olicity fanart that is really well made

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqRRZJeIQAEV8Wn.png:large

Edited by Velocity23

 

I'm really quite confused now as to what they're playing at. I'm seeing a lot of Olicity floating around Arrow related staff. Seriously do other ships get this coverage?

You mean something like this? The nominaton was for #Arrow and they put Felicity and Oliver on their page

https://www.facebook.com/warnerbrostv/photos/a.10152596414488777.1073741882.23330993776/10152596414543777/?type=1&theater

(edited)
I'm really quite confused now as to what they're playing at. I'm seeing a lot of Olicity floating around Arrow related staff. Seriously do other ships get this coverage?

 

Nope.

 

I'd like to believe this isn't one giant tease...but you never know.

Edited by Morrigan2575

I'm really quite confused now as to what they're playing at. I'm seeing a lot of Olicity floating around Arrow related staff. Seriously do other ships get this coverage?

 

I don't think I've ever seen this type of coverage across all platforms from a studio, but I also don't think there's been this much social media participation by studios either. MG even said the writers were all told to get a Twitter account when they first began. That accessibility to the creators and writers of the show was unheard of even five years ago, I think. 

 

I am laughing at how everyone from the PR dept to the person who runs the Facebook account seems to be making their preferences known. 

  • Love 1

I'm really quite confused now as to what they're playing at. I'm seeing a lot of Olicity floating around Arrow related staff. Seriously do other ships get this coverage?

 

I think they know exactly what they're doing re: publicity and social media. They know that talking up Felicity and Oliver/Felicity gets them the biggest possible positive reaction -- most retweets and favorites on Twitter, most likes and shares on Facebook and Tumblr. And every time they've tried to talk up any other Oliver 'ship, they got a noticeable amount of backlash.

 

However, publicity doesn't happen in a vaccuum. I doubt that studio execs are reviewing and approving every post [lol, no], but they certainly oversee the accounts, and probably give the media team some outlines to follow. Apparently, their main outline is Post. More. Felicity. The WB and the CW seem to be completely aware of the GOLD they struck with EBR/Felicity, and they're obviously exploiting that. .

 

This is also probably a reaction to Sepinwall's Emmy ballot talk about EBR yesterday as well. I don't really remember another CW actor getting this kind of buzz before.

(edited)

You mean something like this? The nominaton was for #Arrow and they put Felicity and Oliver on their page

https://www.facebook.com/warnerbrostv/photos/a.10152596414488777.1073741882.23330993776/10152596414543777/?type=1&theater

What strikes me is that the nomination was for the show in general, not for a specific romantic couple. I would have expected Oliver in action, or a Team Arrow shot, not one of Oliver & Felicity in what appears to be a shippy encounter.

 

I hope they're not so stupid as to tease something this much that's not going to happen, but you never know.

 

I wonder if the Olicity stuff is being sent out now because Oliver is going to shut it down early in season 3, and they want viewers to be invested in it because it's going to start up later  For realz, I hope.

 

ETA: good point about it being a result of the Sepinwall and Feinburg articles, dancingnancy.  It makes sense to push what critics think is good about the show.

Edited by statsgirl

I wonder if the Olicity stuff is being sent out now because Oliver is going to shut it down early in season 3, and they want viewers to be invested in it because it's going to start up later  For realz, I hope.

 

I was also thinking this, that they're pushing it to soften the blow almost.

I was also thinking this, that they're pushing it to soften the blow almost.

I could be wrong but that wouldn't soften the blow, in fact I think it would have the opposite reaction. Olicity fandom would be confused, angry and feel teased. They already (knowingly) screwed around with the fans emotions with the bait & switch. MG said it was going to happen back in March (I think) and EBR mentioned that she worried about the fans when she read the script.

Spending the summer teasing Olicity only to shut it down in 3.01 (especially if they revisit O/L) will piss people off, IMO.

I think it depends on how they shut it down. If Oliver admits that he has feelings for Felicity but feels that he can't be with her because of the whole superhero thing, I think most fans will go "yeah, they're going to bring it back later" because the idea of them together has been established.  Most of the comments from people who want them together that I've read said that it's too soon, and that the Queen Manor scene was better with having the kiss cut.

(edited)

 

This is also probably a reaction to Sepinwall's Emmy ballot talk about EBR yesterday as well. I don't really remember another CW actor getting this kind of buzz before.

 

 

 

As I understand, back in 2010  there was some buzz out about Jensen Ackles for Supernatural(who should have had about 9 emmy nominations as it is /forever bitter) but Supernatural doesn't have the same broad appeal as Arrow nor the backing of DC/WB.  Makes me kind of sad too because I think Jensen did some of his best work this past season. I don't know why they can't submit for multiple CW shows.   

Edited by catrox14
(edited)

Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls fame was a critics choice almost every year. Hopes would raise and then be dashed. After the show got not love, then is when I started hearing that WB/CW shows just don't get nominated. (Veronica Mars on UPN too).

Arrow should get some kind of nod for the stunts. No one is as consistently great as them. If I were EBR I would submit the "You are not done fighting" episode. Between running Isabel over in the van and the "I believe in you." How could anyone not love her?

For Paul Blackthorne I'd love if he would send in his reunion with Sara. For ST, her last episode. I'm not sure about the rest.

Edited by BkWurm1
  • Love 3
(edited)

It's not just WB.  Sci fi/action shows don't win any of the major awards either. Battlestar Gallactic won only 3 Emmys, 2 for visual effects and 1 for editing.  Never got nominated for a single acting award.  It's the shows on the other cable networks, like HBO and AMC  that win the awards.  NCIS, the highest rated drama, over 11 seasons got three Emmy nominations, two for stunts and one for Charles Durning as guest actor, and didn't win anything.

 

I fear Arrow, for all the actors and crew who put their hearts into it, isn't going to win a major award. Although I do think they deserve the Emmy for stunts. 

Edited by statsgirl
  • Love 1

Yeah the lack of acting noms for BSG is just freaking APPALLING.


 

Although I do think they deserve the Emmy for stunts.

 

I thought for sure Arrow would be shoo-in and then stupid GoT had t

heir big epic stunt stuff

and 24

had a quite badass car chase scene that was pretty cinematic

. As soon as I saw those, I thought, well, crap there goes the Arrow stunt Emmy :( because GoT and 24 reasons. But they damn well deserve a nomination at minimum.

  • Love 1

Let's keep on topic about Arrow in here, okay? While I can appreciate and have even watched some of the shows you're mentioning, this is the Arrow forum. If you want to discuss another show, and how it got robbed, see if we have a forum on it - if not, you are welcome to request it. Otherwise, off-topic conversation goes in the Small Talk topic.

 

Thanks!

  • Love 1

I can see the scenario posted above by SonofaBiscuit happening.  The EPs don't want to lose any fans but they also seem committed to Laurel becoming the Black Canary (with the jacket hand-off, etc.).

 

Unfortunately, I don't see Laurel being killed off anytime soon.  It's more likely that Sara will be killed off.  They didn't kill Sara off in Season 2 because they already killed off Moira (one big death per season?) and because, I think, people expected it and there would've been a huge backlash.  Maybe they think there will be less of a backlash if they further prop Laurel up in Season 3 and end it in a big dramatic arc with Sara's death. 

(edited)

The thing is, they don't need to kill Sara off to make Laurel the Canary. They've already gotten rid of Sara. Back with the League, we never have to see her again, though that does give them the opportunity to bring her back and/or kill her later. Meanwhile Laurel gets to be a vigilante and probably sleep with Oliver again.  :(

Edited by KirkB

 

But if Oliver/Felicity get together and then break up, will they be able to work as partners. It would be awkward as hell and I don't think Felicity will be able to make her smart/funny comments to Oliver anymore. - From the spoilers thread

That's what people are worried about (mostly the non-olicity shippers). People think that if Oliver/Felicity get together then that will ruin the team dynamic. It will suddenly be more about Oliver/Felicity than Diggle and his relationships with each of them. I think that while there's a chance that this may happen, I feel like the writers and EPs understand just how loved the dynamic is and that they'll do everything in their power to preserve it because Diggle is also one of the most loved characters on the show. 

 

I also think that once Oliver/Felicity do get together (which they will. Shhh just let me have this), they'll pretty much stay together because they've built and still are building such a strong foundation to a solid relationship. Not to mention people will be extremely pissed if they break up for some inane reason like Oliver cheating on Felicity or something like that. Sorry, that would just make Oliver the biggest unforgivable douche. 

 

I think that the thing that would ruin the team dynamic (which it sort of did in the second season) would be more Lance drama and bringing Laurel into the lair and in on more missions. Laurel already seemed out of place in the lair, it was literally uncomfortable. I felt more comfortable with Oberyn Martell's death than I did with Laurel in the lair. It would be weird for Oliver just to accept her into that life when he still sometimes has trouble accepting Felicity and Digg. Lance drama just sucks the life out of the show and the more screentime they get, the less our lovable team does, thus ruining the dynamic because we get to see so little of it. Not to mention Laurel would most definitely cause a lot of tension between team members... 

 

Another thing that would potentially ruin the team dynamic is Oliver/Laurel. Diggle already dislikes Laurel immensely, and I can't ever see Felicity getting along with Laurel. This could potentially be a dividing factor between Oliver and Felicity/Digg. I don't want to see that. I really would rather see Laurel do her own thing preferably off screen. 

  • Love 3

Another thing that would potentially ruin the team dynamic is Oliver/Laurel. Diggle already dislikes Laurel immensely, and I can't ever see Felicity getting along with Laurel. This could potentially be a dividing factor between Oliver and Felicity/Digg. I don't want to see that. I really would rather see Laurel do her own thing preferably off screen. 

 

I can't see in my minds eye how on earth Laurel will be integrated into the Arrow cave. I don't see how it will happen in a way that I will accept it and be okay with it. I know Diggle will throw shade at Laurel but Felicity probably wouldn't be outright like that. I dread it, I won't lie.

Them forcing Laurel into the team is my biggest fear. When they've done nothing but show us that Laurel thinks Diggle and Felicity are nothing but Oliver's employees/servants, treats them like they are beneath her and are not worth her time. Diggle does not hide the fact that he's not fan of Laurel and Felicity tries to be friendly with her and Laurel barely looks at her. 

 

They showed us them having issues with Sara being part of the team (someone who has actual useful skills), so they sure as hell better show us them having issues with Laurel being part of the team since none of them particularly like her or think she has anything to offer.

  • Love 1
(edited)

I think you're right, @wonderwall -- Oliver/Laurel has far more potential to ruin Team Arrow -- especially the bond between Oliver and Diggle -- than Oliver and Felicity getting together. One of my biggest fears for S3 is they somehow doing an 180 with Diggle, and having him suddenly liking and approving of Laurel.

Edited by dancingnancy
  • Love 1

I don't think so. Diggle having a kid when Oliver finds out he has a kid should prove to have some very crunchy character growth for Oliver and Diggle. The producers say that s3 is more intimate and by this I can't see the intense hustle and bustle of the second half of s2 which made Felicity and Diggle shadows, not just because they had no air time, but because they became shadows of themselves in the way they reacted to things.

  • Love 2

Cutting back Diggle's time so that Laurel can take his space sounds like a nightmare.  Not to mention, it wouldn't work because Laurel is pretty much the antithesis of Diggle.  (He's trained, she's not; he's experienced, she's not; he's wise, she's not; he's got a platonic, selfless relationship with Oliver; she thinks she's in love with both Oliver and the Arrow.)

 

When Roy and Sara joined, there were a lot of people asking for the original Team Arrow back. And they were respectful of both the mission and Diggle and Felicity. I don't see how they can add Laurel without spoiling the dynamic.

 

But that still doesn't mean I'm not scared they'll plop herl in there next season. 

  • Love 1

I still have bad a feeling that the whole reason for Diggle's kid is meant as a way to lessen or even remove him from the show. Now whether or not this opens up more space for Laurel is a separate point of contention.

I don't think that's the case, the whole season seems to be set up around parenthood.  Diggle having a kid while Oliver finds out about his kid and then the Thea/Malcolm stuff.  It seems that it's going to bring about more Oliver/Diggle interaction, I'm sure there will be talks about parenthood and being sacred to be a dad with the life they lead...etc.

  • Love 2

 

I don't think that's the case, the whole season seems to be set up around parenthood.  Diggle having a kid while Oliver finds out about his kid and then the Thea/Malcolm stuff.  It seems that it's going to bring about more Oliver/Diggle interaction, I'm sure there will be talks about parenthood and being sacred to be a dad with the life they lead...etc.

I also hope for Felicity/Dad/Mom backstory finally added into that combination. 

I was trying to convince myself to watch S3, but I discovered that Laurel worming her way into Team Arrow is only a part of my biggest fear.

 

I dread the secret son/baby mama drama. I hate this trope, it's probably in my top 3 with "disappeared/ not-so-dead spouse" and brother/sister swapping.

I fear that it will be coupled with more Oliver/Laurel drama -since she was in the related flashback, which will now be brought in the Arrowcave. And ruin it all.

 

I hope that the audience reaction is so negative (or at least completely "meh")  that the writers decide before the shooting begins to shelve this storyline for a long, long time.

  • Love 2

I was trying to convince myself to watch S3, but I discovered that Laurel worming her way into Team Arrow is only a part of my biggest fear.

 

I dread the secret son/baby mama drama. I hate this trope, it's probably in my top 3 with "disappeared/ not-so-dead spouse" and brother/sister swapping.

I fear that it will be coupled with more Oliver/Laurel drama -since she was in the related flashback, which will now be brought in the Arrowcave. And ruin it all.

 

I hope that the audience reaction is so negative (or at least completely "meh")  that the writers decide before the shooting begins to shelve this storyline for a long, long time.

 

So far, everything I've heard about season 3 is turning me off in a big way. Laurel flexing her superhero muscles and being a thoroughly unwanted presence in Team Arrow, suggested love triangles, baby drama? None of that interests me at all.

 

Plus, I realise that if this child of Oliver's turns up, it'll be a six or seven year old kid. And I'm sorry, but kids can't act. Other than a very select one or two, child actors suck, and they suck even worse when they're paired with adults on screen. The worst thing a show can do is stick a kid in there, and expect me to feel anything but annoyance and a desire for them to disappear forever.

  • Love 2

It would be amusing to see Laurel getting all hurt and weepy and then Det. Lance, her mother, or even Oliver getting fed up and pointing out that he cheated on her repeatedly the entire time they were together and she needs to open her eyes and stop acting like they had this perfect relationship.  This would, however, require screen time for Laurel and I do not want that.  

(edited)

Plus, I realise that if this child of Oliver's turns up, it'll be a six or seven year old kid. And I'm sorry, but kids can't act.

 

Maybe they'll have the child magically age up to a CW demo-appropriate teenager, due to some magical serum like mirakuru.  This has certainly happened on other shows...

Edited by tv echo
  • Love 1

Some kids can act but they are few and far between, so it's always a gamble.  For every Kiernan Shipka there will be a thousand Jared Gilmores or the kid who played Jamie on One Tree Hill.  If the show finds another Kiernan then we have nothing to worry about but the odds aren't in their favor.  

 

I can't remember, how long before the shipwreck did the pregnancy happen?  I want to say it was during that last year but I could just be assuming.  If the show didn't completely specify, they could fudge it and say it happened when Oliver was 18/19, giving them an opening to find an older actor and increase their chance of casting someone who can act.  Actually, they should do that anyway even if they explicitly said that this happened a week before the wreck.  I know I would be more forgiving of such a change if it resulted in a competent actor.

(edited)

I've been researching Arrow EP Andrew Kreisberg and someone else had commented in some thread (don't recall where) that he wrote a series of DC Comics graphic novels about Green Arrow and Black Canary together.  My fears about the direction the show is going with respect to Oliver, Laurel and Black Canary have been aggravated by finding one of those graphic novels in which GA (Ollie) proposes to BC (Dinah):

 

http://www.amazon.com/Green-Arrow-Black-Canary-Game/dp/1401227090/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=17YCZ6YHCK2NHF4MGQ5C

After decades in an on again-off again relationship, Green Arrow has finally proposed to Black Canary…but the fun’s just beginning!

Also read some of the customer reviews.  I'm sure AK still gets royalties from those graphic novels so it's in his best interest to promote the GA/BC relationship.

 

These graphic novels, along with AK's previous interview comments, indicate to me that AK is very invested in the Oliver/Arrow and Laurel/Canary relationship and will not let it go easily.

Edited by tv echo

I'm being nitpicky here but they're not graphic novels, he wrote the Green Arrow / Black Canary Comic book title, what they're selling on Amazon are the trade paperbacks, basically a collection of the individual issues put into graphic novel format.  Usually they tell you which issues it is, for some reason Amazon didn't have that listed but if you go to the comments someone mentioned it was #21-#26.

 

It's a total nitpick I know but for me Trade Paperbacks aren't Graphic Novels.

With the EPs love of parallels, I'm wondering if we are going to watch Thea's and Laurel's storylines mirror each other (with the training and whatnot), but Thea will decide to let go of her anger and go back to Oliver while Laurel turns to the dark side.  If the EPs insist on keeping Laurel, I guess that would be a scenario that would make sense since she's pretty hostile. 

(edited)

With the EPs love of parallels, I'm wondering if we are going to watch Thea's and Laurel's storylines mirror each other (with the training and whatnot), but Thea will decide to let go of her anger and go back to Oliver while Laurel turns to the dark side. If the EPs insist on keeping Laurel, I guess that would be a scenario that would make sense since she's pretty hostile.

No she's not, she's the most wonderful understanding, compassionate character on the show. That's why she's the most beloved. Edited by Morrigan2575
  • Love 3

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...