Arrow Stars in Other Roles

[statsgirl]

I agree, there were lots of problems with Jen but Mark's long hours were always a problem as was his refusal to take on his share of family responsibilities, something that was repeated in his marriage with Elizabeth.  He was great as a mentor to younger doctors and in contrast very passive-aggressive in his marriages.

 

 

 

 

Most of the show's romantic relationships were pretty bad, now I come to think of it. Too much drama, and too much work dating. It was the mentor/mentee relationships that I really loved, and how you saw them grow into real friendships through the course of the show.

It suffered a lot from "we must keep the OTP couple apart" syndrome. You could almost set you watch by it.  Things got better when David Zabel took over from John Wells but I think the problem of actors' egos remained.  (Eriq La Salle didn't want his character in a relationship with a white woman, Noah Wyle was in and out and I suspect tanked Carter's addiction arc.) 

 

John Wells had no idea what to do with Elizabeth after Anthony Edwards left and he let Alex Kingston go, Twice.  I liked Elizabeth in her early years with Benton and I wish she had stayed.

 

I watched Private Practice, I know I saw Violet's boytoy paramedic, but for the life of me, I don't remember Stephen Amell as anything other than eyecandy.  Maybe it's because I disliked Violet and her narcissism so much.

 

I love doctor shows but I can't watch them because the medicine and characterization is so crappy.  (House, PP and Saving Hope, I'm looking at you.)  Perception was great but it's been cancelled. Right now, I think Remedy is the best, with Enrico Colantino (Keith Mars) but I think it's only shown in Canada at the moment.

[Velocity23]

Emily was in a movie with Amanda Tapping. I used to wish her to play Felicitys mom. The movie was called Random Acts of Romance.

 

 

[foreverevolving]

Regarding ER couples in th early years of show they were very good and not doing the will they won't they and keeping couples apart for stupid reasons. For example Doug and Carol, Peter and Jeanie.. And I'm blacking out on others right now. Personally i felt the problems you mentioned actually started when Wells stepped down as the main show runner suddenly every couple i heard of from the show was doing that stupid dance (all happened in later seasons which i didn't really watch).

And I agree that once Marc died the show seemed to have had a hard time doing anything with Elizabeth. They had the same problem with Carol after Doug left (which I'm sure contributed to the reason Julianna left by the following season)

[dtissagirl]

I really need to watch that movie. Amanda Tapping is basically my personal God.

[statsgirl]

Has anyone seen that movie?  I wanted to watch it because I'm an Amanda Tapping fan and then I saw a trailer and it looked awful.

 

 

Personally i felt the problems you mentioned actually started when Wells stepped down as the main show runner suddenly every couple i heard of from the show was doing that stupid dance (all happened in later seasons which i didn't really watch).

Chulack took over when Wells stepped down and there were two awful seasons where nothing made sense. The show was just nearing the end of its contract and getting ready to fold when David Zabel took over and pulled another 3 or 4 seasons out of it.

[BkWurm1]

Oh, Shailene... if only you'd matured that well in real life...

Please tell me that this means I'm not the only one that doesn't understand how Shailene Woodley has become some kind of a star. Nothing I've seen her in has EVER shined a kind light on her acting skills.

Granted, the last I saw her (apart from clips and commercials) was in The Secret Life of the American Teenager (or something like that) and her acting was soooooooooooooooooooooo terrible I dropped it after two episodes and afterwards couldn't even stand to watch the commercial promos.

And it's not like my standards are that high. I was a big fan of The Lying Game. I watched Smallville for all ten years. I still remember fondly reruns of Giligan's Island and Dukes of Hazzard. I put up with Marisa Cooper before they killed her and put the spotlight on her little sister aka Willa Holland.

Shailene just seems blank faced and dull to me. I don't get it.

Edited January 10, 2015 by BkWurm1

[dcinmb]

I watched Private Practice, I know I saw Violet's boytoy paramedic, but for the life of me, I don't remember Stephen Amell as anything other than eyecandy.  Maybe it's because I disliked Violet and her narcissism so much.

 

Aside from the fact that Scott was much younger than Violet, there was nothing boytoy about him IMO. In fact, he was way too good for her. And as problematic as the Violet character was, I don't think Shonda Rhimes would've planned for him to be Violet's potentially "end game" love interest if he were nothing more than a pretty boytoy. Then again, the writing for Violet was all over the place, so who knows?

 

From GreenArrowTV.com:

Let’s just say that Addison refers to him as “Hot Scott” for good reason, but he is much more than a pretty face. Scott embodies the idealistic charming, sweet, caring man any girl would be lucky to call her boyfriend. He brings Violet coffee, he respects what she wants, he looks out for what he feels to be her best interest. When Scott semi-jokingly tells Violet, “I’m not cute, I’m tough. I’m a tough guy,” you are not at all concerned with whether that statement is false because it is just so endearing.

 

Stephen Amell: perfection. There are not a lot of actors who can genuinely pull off such a radiant character. He oozes charm without hints of creepiness or ulterior motives, and displays a pure heart without ever appearing weak.

 

And based on what I've seen of SA in interviews and on other TV shows, the Scott character seems to be closer to his own personality than his other roles.

[Ariah]

"Hot Scott" got me when he agreed to wait for Violet until she's ready and never pushed her to do anything. And this was the younger character, the one who was supposed to ooze with sex. I was looking at my tv screen shouting "Get him, girl!" and I didn't even LIKED Violet.

 

Another film I saw recently with Stephen was Hallmark's "When Calls the Heart" - unfortunatelly, it didn't follow the book closely, but rather told its story in a chopped manner, interweaving with another story thus diluting the screen presence of the couple I was interested in (the main couple in the book). Stephen was clean shaved in that one (too bad...), but the thought of him in a Stedson (and a Mountie!) makes me want a movie / series where Stephen actually plays a Mountie in the Canadian West in 1815. Stephen in suspenders? You know you want it!

[AnalyzeAndCritique]

"Hot Scott" got me when he agreed to wait for Violet until she's ready and never pushed her to do anything. And this was the younger character, the one who was supposed to ooze with sex. I was looking at my tv screen shouting "Get him, girl!" and I didn't even LIKED Violet.

Another film I saw recently with Stephen was Hallmark's "When Calls the Heart" - unfortunatelly, it didn't follow the book closely, but rather told its story in a chopped manner, interweaving with another story thus diluting the screen presence of the couple I was interested in (the main couple in the book). Stephen was clean shaved in that one (too bad...), but the thought of him in a Stedson (and a Mountie!) makes me want a movie / series where Stephen actually plays a Mountie in the Canadian West in 1815. Stephen in suspenders? You know you want it!

I was disappointed with When Calls The Heart. Oke's books were the first series I was given as a ten year old (after I had gone through all the Nancy Drew books) so I have a fondness for then and haven't missed a movie.

I actually thought the initial feelings on Amell's acting from Arrow S1 were correct based on his WCTH character. However, having now seen more of Arrow I blame it on the script abd director's of WCTH. It definitely wasn't their best movie adaptation.

[tv echo]

Please tell me that this means I'm not the only one that doesn't understand how Shailene Woodley has become some kind of a star. Nothing I've seen her in has EVER shined a kind light on her acting skills.

Granted, the last I saw her (apart from clips and commercials) was in The Secret Life of the American Teenager (or something like that) and her acting was soooooooooooooooooooooo terrible I dropped it after two episodes and afterwards couldn't even stand to watch the commercial promos.

And it's not like my standards are that high. I was a big fan of The Lying Game. I watched Smallville for all ten years. I still remember fondly reruns of Giligan's Island and Dukes of Hazzard. I put up with Marisa Cooper before they killed her and put the spotlight on her little sister aka Willa Holland.

Shailene just seems blank faced and dull to me. I don't get it.

Shailene got rave reviews for her performance on The Descendants (with George Clooney), which I did not see.  However, I did see her performance on Divergent and agree with your assessment of her acting.  I found her to be blank-faced and charisma-free.  But maybe it's a matter of needing the right project for her to shine.

 

Also, it could be that she's gotten more shine because she's emerged as a star at the same time as Jennifer Lawrence and they get compared a lot - both being young blonde, fresh-faced actresses.  For me, however, Jennifer Lawrence is a much better actress and well deserving of her Oscar.  Jennifer has been great in every movie I've seen her in.  I thought her performance even elevated the Hunger Games movies.

Edited January 10, 2015 by tv echo

[Danny Franks]

Shailene got rave reviews for her performance on The Descendants (with George Clooney), which I did not see.  However, I did see her performance on Divergent and agree with your assessment of her acting.  I found her to be blank-faced and charisma-free.  But maybe it's a matter of needing the right project for her to shine.

 

 

Aren't those important qualities for a Hollywood starlet to have these days? I know it seems to be present in many of the young actors I've seen break through over the last few years, male and female.

[statsgirl]

It's funny how fashions in actors change.  (Personally I loved the heroines of the screwball comedies, a persona Marion Davies invented.)

 

Aside from the fact that Scott was much younger than Violet, there was nothing boytoy about him IMO. In fact, he was way too good for her. And as problematic as the Violet character was, I don't think Shonda Rhimes would've planned for him to be Violet's potentially "end game" love interest if he were nothing more than a pretty boytoy. Then again, the writing for Violet was all over the place, so who knows?

 

I don't think he was going to be Violet's endgame, she would go back to her ex-husband eventually.  He was just planned to be a longer term love interest than he got.

 

I agree he was too good for Violet.  But then, I think Malcolm Merlyn would be too good for Violet, but more in line with what she deserved.

[BkWurm1]

Well Kristine Stewart has perfected the dull stare so yeah, maybe blank is the new hot.

[WaitandHope]

I think that was Sin (Bex Taylor-Klaus) in the Librarians tonite. BTW, the show is a fun little distraction that I can watch with my kids. I recommend it. Show re-airs again later on TNT.

[BkWurm1]

I think that was Sin (Bex Taylor-Klaus) in the Librarians tonite. BTW, the show is a fun little distraction that I can watch with my kids. I recommend it. Show re-airs again later on TNT.

I have like six episodes of The Librarian backlogged on my DVR, not sure if I was going to watch.  I think I'll watch for the off chance it is Sin.  :)

[JenMD]

Yes, that was her and she did a great job. One of their better episodes, imo.

[tv echo]

‘Torchwood’ To Return?!
Posted about 7 hours ago by Alison "Boom" Baumgartner
http://sciencefiction.com/2015/01/14/torchwood-return/

 

Torchwood radio plays in production, says John Barrowman
News Rob Leane 1/14/2015 at 7:31AM

http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/torchwood/242717/torchwood-radio-plays-in-production-says-john-barrowman

Edited January 14, 2015 by tv echo

[romantic idiot]

Eh, not interested in the Gwen show. Because you know that's what it's going to be. 

 

So, I just caught up to?with? Arrow - i've been resisting for 2 years because 104 and especially Laurel made me completely uninterested in the show. But too many people whose opinions I trusted were telling me to go for it and I did and I'm glad. And I'll admit, I didn't catch SA's acting prowess or good looks the first time around, which I'm totally sold on now. Having said that I came here to repeat something I mentioned elsewhere - while i do love Arrow, I hate that they keep making me root against, and killing my heroes. I mean, John effing Crighton, Helo, Simon and River Tam, Gunn, Helo !!! Seriously you guys? Couldn't they have found good roles for them to play? Or is it that they were too old? This reminds me of my childhood Indian entertainment, where heroes on TV would inevitably play villains in the movies. And it always made me sad. 

 

Still, better than killing Xena off in one episode I guess. 

[Morrigan2575]

I turned off Arrow in S1 mostly because of Laurel and O/L but I gave up right after Helena killed Helo...eff that! You do not kill Helo! LOL

I was OK with the others but I loved Helo and Tahmoh is awesome.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Morrigan2575

[Ariah]

I turned off Arrow in S1 mostly because of Laurel and O/L but I gave up right after Helena killed Helo...eff that! You do not kill Helo! LOL

I was OK with the others but I loved Helo and Timoah is awesome.

Don't start "Starcrossed" then ;)

[Morrigan2575]

That was the one on CW that eas about Aliens and stuff? Came out last season? Did Tahmoh appear in that too? I saw him on SPN, he was awesome, although I wish they used him more

and obviously, I wish they didn't kill him off

Edited January 18, 2015 by Morrigan2575

[dtissagirl]

Tahmoh got killed on Continuum too, but he killed people on Reign instead. #TahmohExpert

Edited January 18, 2015 by dancingnancy

[Ariah]

That was the one on CW that eas about Aliens and stuff? Came out last season? Did Timoah appear in that too? I saw him on SPN, he was awesome, although I wish they used him more

and obviously, I wish they didn't kill him off

Yup, yup and

he gets killed in Starcrossed too

.

[Morrigan2575]

Tamoh got killed on Continuum too, but he killed people on Reign instead. #TamohExpert

I don't watch Continuum but I remember him showing up on Reign...TV needs more Tahmoh

[catrox14]

So Tahmoh is the Sean Bean of TV.

[dtissagirl]

Continuum is legit my favorite sci-fi show currently on TV. Crazy dense storytelling going on there, and they just got renewed for a final season so they'll get an actual planned ending. \o/ And since it's shot in Vancouver -- well, the story is set in Vancouver as well -- there's lots of crossover actors. Roger Cross and Nic Lea even recurred on both shows at the same time.

Edited January 18, 2015 by dancingnancy

[Morrigan2575]

So Tahmoh is the Sean Bean of TV.

:(

[tv echo]

I think Tahmoh Penikett's character got killed in Castle as well.  He's been on Supernatural, Reign, Continuum, Star-Crossed, Criminal Minds, Arrow, Castle, The Killing, Haven, Dollhouse, Smallville, Stargate SG-1, Dark Angel, and of course, Battlestar Galactica.

Edited January 19, 2015 by tv echo

[romantic idiot]

Edit: And yet I still feel TV could do with more Tahmoh on it. In it?

 

re: Tahmoh, I don't mind if he's killed off. Well, no, I do, but I can live with it. I thought Arrow wasted him. And Ben Browder and Sean Maher actually. They are too good for what little they were given to do. 

 

Actually even Summer Glau for that matter but the first three really sting. 

 

Now if they proposed to waste Amy Acker or Alysson Hannigan, I wouldn't mind so much. 

 

JB's the only one they are using well. And they really needed someone of JB's calibre to pull off their Malcolm Merlyn. For that matter they also needed a good Moira. (Can you imagine an older Katie Cassidy as Moira? *shudders*).

Edited January 18, 2015 by romantic idiot

[manbearpig]

I think it's a huge shame Arrow killed off J. August Richards in Home Invasion, because he was pretty chilling in that episode. I liked him a lot on Agents of Shield though so I can't say I'm too upset, and he even returned to Grey's Anatomy as flashback Richard this season in a pretty good episode. (Shame they couldn't get Sarah Paulson back too, but, oh well).

[Morrigan2575]

Yeah I really liked J. August Richards in Home Invasion he was a good villain.

[Danny Franks]

When you consider that Tahmoh Penikett was supposed to get killed in BSG, or at least just abandoned to die on Caprica, he must just be paying back the karma by dying on all these other shows. And funnily enough, he's probably one of the more ubiquitous BSG alumni, by virtue of these brief, dying appearances. A lot of those guys have all but disappeared (well, Grace Park is on Hawaii 5-0 but, as much as I adore her, I ain't watching that shit).

 

But yeah, Arrow has wasted so many flipping great guest stars on crappy little roles or underused recurring gigs. But even as a Firefly fan, I have to say that Sean Maher kind of sucks, so I didn't mind him getting killed.

 

I just wish they'd get onto the idea floated at Nerd HQ, and have Zach Levi guest star as someone who befriends Team Arrow and then betrays them. Because... Zach Levi. I'd have to actually watch that episode.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Danny Franks

[NumberCruncher]

Sign me up for Zac on Arrow as well, but with him nabbing his new gig in the Heroes reboot, he sadly won't be available. :(

[Danny Franks]

Sign me up for Zac on Arrow as well, but with him nabbing his new gig in the Heroes reboot, he sadly won't be available. :(

 

I know. That jerk is making me interested in Heroes, and that's just not something I'll forgive lightly. >:(

 

That show was such a huge pile of high concept drivel, in its first iteration, and I know it's going to suck the second time around. But again... Zach Levi.

[catrox14]

I feel like I must be missing something because I don't really like Zach Levi and I did not like Chuck at all.  I enjoy him on the Nerd HQ panels, but he's totally meh for me as an actor. So I would be perfectly fine with  him not showing up on Arrow.

Edited January 18, 2015 by catrox14

[Danny Franks]

Good taste is what you're missing. ;)

 

I guess Chuck wasn't to everyone's liking (which would explain the ratings), but it ranks up there as one of my favourite ever shows. Along with Friday Night Lights, Farscape, Firefly, The West Wing and Community. 

 

But funnily enough, the third season of Chuck was almost as troublesome as the third season of Arrow seems to have been, in terms of fans feeling betrayed and hurt by the writing of the show. For different reasons, mostly, but one factor that counted in both was the presence of Brandon Routh as an intrusive, creepy third party love interest who seemed to directly impinge on the hero's life in ways that were uncomfortable to watch, while the hero himself was going down a darker path, cutting himself off from those who cared for him. The writers of Chuck changed course when they realised that it was killing what so many people loved about the show. I wonder if the Arrow writers have that kind of awareness.

[NumberCruncher]

Good taste is what you're missing. ;)

I guess Chuck wasn't to everyone's liking (which would explain the ratings), but it ranks up there as one of my favourite ever shows. Along with Friday Night Lights, Farscape, Firefly, The West Wing and Community.

But funnily enough, the third season of Chuck was almost as troublesome as the third season of Arrow seems to have been, in terms of fans feeling betrayed and hurt by the writing of the show. For different reasons, mostly, but one factor that counted in both was the presence of Brandon Routh as an intrusive, creepy third party love interest who seemed to directly impinge on the hero's life in ways that were uncomfortable to watch, while the hero himself was going down a darker path, cutting himself off from those who cared for him. The writers of Chuck changed course when they realised that it was killing what so many people loved about the show. I wonder if the Arrow writers have that kind of awareness.

I'm going to have to go with a "No" here. The Arrow peeps are too in love with A) Brandon Routh and his bland acting and B) Ray Palmer "Because comics!".

[catrox14]

 

Good taste is what you're missing. ;)

 

Well, that seems a bit harsh.  I tried Chuck many different times, and it never took. Just like Parks and Rec. Not that I feel like I need to defend my viewing tastes but West Wing, Community, BSG, SPN (divisive show I know), The Wire, FNL, Angel are all in my pantheon of favorite shows.  Chuck never climbed past 3 episodes for me. 

Edited January 18, 2015 by catrox14

[romantic idiot]

The writers of Chuck changed course when they realised that it was killing what so many people loved about the show. I wonder if the Arrow writers have that kind of awareness.

 

I hope so. But I don't think so - KC's still around. But to be fair, Ray isn't too bad yet. (And now watch me change my tune if Ray/Felicity take a more romantic turn). I couldn't sustain my interest in Chuck once Matt Bomer was permanently off it, but Zack Levi wasn't bad in it. I like his sense of humour for sure. 

 

Re: Heroes - there's no way I'm watching that, but I do blame a lot of its suckitude on the PTB's crush on Quinto. 

 

Onto the topic of the thread, I'll confess that i don't remember Charlotte Ross from NYPD Blue, but rather from Glee and Hit the Floor, which is as close as I get to train wreck watching. 

[Danny Franks]

Well, that seems a bit harsh. 

 

It was also a joke. Hence the little winky face.

 

I hope so. But I don't think so - KC's still around. But to be fair, Ray isn't too bad yet. (And now watch me change my tune if Ray/Felicity take a more romantic turn). I couldn't sustain my interest in Chuck once Matt Bomer was permanently off it, but Zack Levi wasn't bad in it. I like his sense of humour for sure.

 

 

I was happy when Bomer left for good, because all Bryce was ever used for was as a 'ship obstacle. There was a lot more they could have done with him, but never really wanted to. It's just a shame his own show, White Collar, was ruined when the showrunner forced his own crush onto the audience.

[statsgirl]

It seems to me that a lot of good actors get wasted in roles where they are hired to be ship obstacles rather than well-integrated characters on their own right.

 

trivia:  Matt Bomer was initially hired to play Superman but when Bryan Singer took over the project, he fired Bomer and hired Brandon Routh.

[bethy]

The girl who plays Sin was on one of last week's Librarian episodes.

[BkWurm1]

Edit: And yet I still feel TV could do with more Tahmoh on it. In it?

 

re: Tahmoh, I don't mind if he's killed off. Well, no, I do, but I can live with it. I thought Arrow wasted him. And Ben Browder and Sean Maher actually. They are too good for what little they were given to do. 

 

Actually even Summer Glau for that matter but the first three really sting. 

 

Now if they proposed to waste Amy Acker or Alysson Hannigan, I wouldn't mind so much. 

 

JB's the only one they are using well. And they really needed someone of JB's calibre to pull off their Malcolm Merlyn. For that matter they also needed a good Moira. (Can you imagine an older Katie Cassidy as Moira? *shudders*).

You hit the nail on the head.  I used to get excited about upcoming guest stars but I learned not to be since so often even those that reoccurred are woefully under characterized.  The only way I got past Sean Maher is telling myself that there is no way he would have run without deactivating the bomb in his head -explosions where his thing - so I go with he faked his own death and is out there reviving a clone of Helo and Xena.  :)

[Velocity23]

Brooklyn, the movie where EBR has a small part in, is going to Sundance

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sundance-2015-adds-the-end-of-the-tour-brooklyn-mississippi-grind-digging-for-fire-and-more-20141208

[thuganomics85]

Really curious to see if this show is going to do a good job with Vinnie Jones as Brick.  As I mentioned in the episode thread, I think he really is only good a playing a certain type of character.  In other words, he is limited, but as long as he stays in his comfort zone, he is actually kind of awesome.  Also, while he has a history in stuff like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and X-Men 3, he actually can be funny like in more low-brow stuff like the hilariously bad The Cape, and, currently Galavant.  Vinnie isn't the first person that pops into my head about casting someone for a comedic musical set in medieval times, but not only does he make it work, he's actually one of my favorite things about that show (behind Timothy Omundson, and since they are almost always in the same scene, that pair really cracks me up.)

 

In short, I hope they actually do a good job with him, instead of squander him like they've done with other guest stars.  Brick seems tailored made for him, but it depends on if the writing does him any justice.

Edited January 22, 2015 by thuganomics85

[Trini]

It really is a delightful surprise how funny Vinnie is on Galavant, because I've only seen him play "big guy who punches things". Or basically his role on Arrow.

[Genki]

I love Galavant...him the King and the Chef are delightful!

[AyChihuahua]

Vinnie Jones is hilarious in Eurotrip (which is a generally hilarious movie).

[thuganomics85]

Looks like Spartacus is coming to Netflix on February, so if you have that, you can get to see how Arrow guys like Slade, Nyssa, Amanda Waller, and Boomerang look with more blood and less clothing (in some cases, no clothing too.)  In all seriousness though, it is a pretty good show, and well worth checking out.  Manu Bennet was really great in it, Katrina Law was all kinds of awesome, and Nick E. Tarabey was perfectly despicable.

 

Amusingly though, they finally do this right after I get the DVDs for my rewatch.  Could have saved a few bucks, but oh well: at least I do get some cool bonus features with the set.

[Morrigan2575]

It really is a delightful surprise how funny Vinnie is on Galavant, because I've only seen him play "big guy who punches things". Or basically his role on Arrow.

he's fantastic on Galavant, so funny.