The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

[looptab]

That's not what I meant. This author in particular always seemed pretty neutral and at times pro Felicity and Olicity  in his reviews. Except sometimes he comes up with stuff that makes you wonder where he really stands. This article is good amd I'm not saying that he doesn't make good points,  but the bolded part in the original post do seem less than neutral. But perhaps it was just a case of poor choice of words.

[tv echo]

Interview with CD at SHC2 in Paris (talked Arrow and Chicago Med)...

ARROW: Colin Donnell Interview!
Posted on 19 June, 2016 by Tanavi P 
http://www.fanisma.com/2016/06/arrow-colin-donnell-interview/

Quote

You are here to celebrate Arrow with the fans of Arrow and The Flash. Have you been keeping up with the show?

CD: Well I’ve been trying to. It can be difficult as I’m working on a new show now, but I want to know what is going on, and watch my friends.

Have you watched the episode where Laurel dies? She cites Oliver as the love of her life, not Tommy. Were you surprised by this?

CD: No – she’s the Black Canary and in the comic canon that’s her soulmate, that’s who she was supposed to be with.

Colin seems sincere in hoping that this was the plan, though things change. He seems saddened by Laurel’s death on the show. ‘She was a great character, and Katie was great as the Black Canary.’ 
*  *  *
Well the writers let us assume at the end of season 1 that Oliver and Laurel getting back together was a mistake, and then it seemed Laurel was excited to get back together with Oliver after Tommy’s death – till Oliver ran off to Lian Yu!

CD: Well they have a lot of history together. I mean it’s Black Canary and Green Arrow right?

He accepts the writer’s decision to take things away from the canon, and is a fan of the show, but discussing its comic roots doesn’t feel Tommy and Laurel would or should have been together at the end.

Well it’s Felicity and Green Arrow really this season… do you ship Olicity?

CD: Hell yeah! I mean who doesn’t right?!
*  *  *
So being back here fans are talking about Tommy returning to the DC universe. You’ve recurred 3 times since your death. Have you thought about how you’d return? I’m thinking ghost – Casper style!

CD: Oh no I don’t think so. With all the other earths and time travel I could definitely see him returning in those ways.

Have you thought about what Earth 2 Tommy would be like?

CD: He’s got to be a villain, right? Smiling at the idea Colin would certainly be happy about that.
*  *  *
You and Stephen Amell became friends on Arrow. You were recently seen singing together in Chicago (Colin nods, smiling). What was it like working with Stephen?

‘Stephen is a great guy‘ Colin gushes. They clearly have fun together, as Colin recounts being on stage with him in Chicago. Colin is eager to attend more Heroes and Villains FanFest conventions, to support his friend, as HVFF is Stephen’s brainchild and business.
*  *  *
Well speaking of Chicago Med, where you play Dr. Connor Rhodes, you work with Brian Tee who also plays Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, with Stephen Amell playing Casey Jones. Have you seen the movie?

CD: Yes! I watched it in New York with Stephen and his family, it was fantastic. Brian is a sweetheart and I love working with him and Stephen is great in it.

Edited June 19, 2016 by tv echo

[looptab]

I just came around reading the interview with Guggenheim @apinknightmare re-linked recently about LL's death, and I found a few parts amusing, to put it mildly:

Quote

The team of course is now down a man, and at a critical time. Is that perhaps where the mystery character being played by Madison McLaughlin comes in? To maybe eventually fill that void?
I don’t want to spoil it, honestly. Madison is terrific, she’s in Episode 19 in a circumstance that is very dependent upon the events of [this week’s episode]. [Arrow writer] Brain Ford Sullivan pitched a very interesting story involving her character that is something we haven’t done on the show, and is something I don’t think any show has ever done.

What was this something no show has ever done? Is he referring to Laurel being outed as BC? 

Also, not to re-open that can of worms, but I thought I'd share this just because of the sheer hilarity:

Quote

 Katie, in addition to being a pro, is also in possession of a really good story sense. She’s always understood the show very well, she’s understood her character very well. It didn’t require a lot of explanation or persuasion for us to articulate what this story development would do for the series going forward. She’s a really smart cookie.

LOL

Edited June 20, 2016 by looptab

[dtissagirl]

Netflix, CW Near Deal That Accelerates Streaming Window as Hulu Ends In-Season Pact (EXCLUSIVE)
http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/netflix-cw-output-deal-the-flash-hulu-1201799176/

tl;dr: finished seasons will show up on Netflix quicker. Catching-ups during the season no more on Hulu, but still on The CW website.
 

Quote

 

CBS Corp. and Warner Bros., which produce the vast majority of CW’s primetime series, led the negotiations. The CW’s studio partners came back to the table this time around with a stronger hand compared to five years ago, thanks to CW’s growth under president Mark Pedowitz. Netflix’s willingness to step up for earlier post-season access to the shows reflects the sizzle CW has generated with its fleet of DC Comics-branded superhero shows, notably “The Flash” and “Arrow,” and buzzy critical darlings “Jane the Virgin” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”

From Hulu’s perspective, however, the CW in-season rights were not worth the pricetag to renew unless it came with stacking rights to all episodes — something that surely would have been a non-starter for CW and Netflix. From Hulu’s perspective, sources said, the vast majority of viewing was delivered by CW’s two highest-rated shows: “The Flash” and “Arrow.” Moreover, fans of those two shows frequently lodge complaints with Hulu about the limited five-episode selection.

 

[Starfish35]

Drat.  I hate CW's streaming player.  Hulu's is so much better. :(

[catrox14]

1 hour ago, Starfish35 said:

Drat.  I hate CW's streaming player.  Hulu's is so much better. :(

Maybe they'll make improvements ?

[Starfish35]

I can only hope. :(

[tv echo]

'Arrow' Alum Colton Haynes Signs With UTA (Exclusive)
1:16 PM PDT 6/22/2016 by Rebecca Sun
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/arrow-alum-colton-haynes-signs-905631

[tv echo]

Tell-Tale TV's review of Season 4 (portions quoted below)...

Tell-Tale TV Panel: Arrow Season 4
June 22, 2016  Allison Nichols
http://telltaletv.com/2016/06/tell-tale-tv-panel-arrow-season-4/

Quote

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank the season overall?
Lyra: Overall, I’d give the season an 8. One point is docked because of the flashbacks. The other because they didn’t kill Malcolm Merlyn. Besides that, I loved Oliver’s journey and that of his loved ones. For the first time in the show I feel like everyone’s getting time to develop into storylines that are inherently their own. It gives me more people to cheer for at the end of the day!
Lizzie: I’m going to go with Lyra. 8 is a good number. I’m tempted to give it a 7 because the drama for the sake of drama was not my favorite, and the flashbacks were so boring I can’t even remember what happened in them, but the show held my attention all year.
And despite me wanting to break things while watching it at times, I never considered stopping, so that’s a good thing.
Allison: I’m going to say a 6. The flashbacks, per usual, continued to be the most boring thing on the entire universe. There was a lot of unnecessary drama, and I felt like the end of the season kind of whimpered out. It wasn’t my favorite Arrow season, and, um, I did consider stopping — well, finishing out the season but then stopping.
*  *  *
What was the season’s biggest mistake?
Lyra: The season’s biggest mistake was keeping William a secret from Felicity. As soon as Malcolm found out about William, he should have spilled it all in the hopes of protecting his son.
Felicity would’ve understood and would not have been hurt so much by the information. Hell she would’ve done anything to safeguard him against Damien because he was important to Oliver.
Also I’m pretty sure that Samantha wouldn’t be as mad with Oliver if he acknowledged that it was to protect his son. Keeping it a secret was a clear ploy to start drama for drama’s sake.  
Lizzie: William. Oh, God, William. Especially because they didn’t really deal with him afterwards. This wasn’t about Oliver learning to be a father, this was about breaking up Olicity, which they didn’t really need to do.
People CAN do their jobs (even if their jobs include arrows and saving the city) and be together. It’s like William happened, and then he was gone a few episodes later, and this changed nothing, meant nothing. It was drama for the sake of drama and I hated it.
Allison: William was a huge mistake. It was a pointless complication to a storyline that actually could have been really great. Like Lizzie said, after all this drama, William was forgotten about and then cast away, so we never really dealt with him.
I think that was a huge mistake, but I felt like there were a lot of pacing mistakes. What even was that season finale? There wasn’t a big lead up to a grand showdown, and then at the beginning of the season, we wasted a couple episodes setting up Legends of Tomorrow. Arrow was essentially put on hold to kickstart this new show.
*  *  *
What worked really well this season?
Lyra: I especially loved how the opening and closing of this season, echoed with each other. In the opening of the season, Oliver and Felicity had distanced themselves from Team Arrow to find a bit of normalcy and happiness as a couple. The rest of the gang was burdened with taking care of vigilante duties all on their own.
At the end of the season, Oliver and Felicity were still separated but ended up together once more. This time around, their friends were taking breaks from the vigilante life to find themselves (Heck they deserve down time to get their mental houses in order.) And while things are still uncertain for our heroes, there’s hope at the end of Season 4 that they’ll survive this, one step at a time.
Lizzie: I think the Olicity worked really well till they ruined it with drama. The “team within a team” kinda of thing was in full display, and I loved it. I also really liked how the tables turned for Oliver and Diggle, whereas Diggle was the one pointing Oliver towards the right path for most of the first three seasons, this time it was Oliver’s turn to be there for his brother.
Finally, I really liked that Oliver managed to take a step forward this season and do it by himself. He’s grown in the past 3 seasons, but he’s mostly done it because of Diggle and Felicity. This time he had to do it by himself.
Allison: I really enjoyed Oliver trying to find a way to be the Green Arrow and to save the city out in the daylight. The mayor storyline was actually really enjoyable, and I’m looking forward to see Oliver as the Mayor. We actually saw Oliver taking step into the light, and it was fun watching him question whether or not he could do it.
*  *  *
What was the biggest surprise of the season?
Lyra: The biggest surprise of this season comes in the form of Laurel Lance’s confession to Oliver on her deathbed. Laurel was 100% over Oliver. Making her confess this seemed like they were backtracking on the progress that she had been making as a person and as Black Canary.
Honestly wished they would’ve nicked that part and made it about her family. Oliver WAS a huge part of her life. Keyword: WAS. But the most important person to her wasn’t Oliver anymore. It was her dad, Sara, and even her mother. It was a mistake what they did.  
Lizzie: Well, not Laurel’s death, that’s for sure. That was obvious. The way they handled it, though, that was surprising.
From the obvious bone the threw to fans of the Lauriver relationship with that ill-conceived and frankly ridiculous deathbed confession to the awful flashback AFTER her death which basically annihilated her character, I was just …well, shocked, really, that even in the season they were going to kill her off these writers couldn’t really honor Laurel the right way.
Allison: God, Laurel’s deathbed confession was bad enough, but then they follow it with that horrendous episode that aired after that was supposed to honor her memory. I am still just so shocked that Laurel was treated so terribly.

Edited June 30, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Interesting interview with EK (no spoilers, only quoted portions)...

Exclusive: We Speak With ‘Arrow’ Star, Echo Kellum
JUNE 29, 2016    DAMIAN FASCIANI
http://dccomicsnews.com/2016/06/29/exclusive-we-speak-with-arrow-star-echo-kellum/

Quote

(DCN): How did the opportunity come up for you to try for the role of Curtis Holt?
Echo Kellum: When the audition first came in, they had it in a code name. It wasn’t “Curtis Holt,” it was “guy who works with Felicity.” So when I read the script, I was really funny, and the character really interested me, you know — spoke to me as someone who is really nerdy. I used to work at Geek Squad, you know, so I was very familiar with the things he was talking about. I just really felt very close to the character even before I went in and when I went in, David Rappaport, who is the casting director, said “Man, I feel like you and Emily [Bett Rickards, aka Felicity Smoak] would have a really good rapport with each other. I think you guys would be really great acting off each other,” and I was like “oh, wow, thank you.” And then I went in the next day to audition for the producers, and they let me know at the end of the audition, “by the way, this is for Mr. Terrific, he’s gonna be a superhero on the show, and we think you’re awesome.” And then they called me a couple days later and let me know that they wanted me to play the role, and I was very, very excited. You know, I was – for me, it’s always been a dream to be in some type of comic book universe and to get to play that…and it was funny, prior to the audition I had set up this game plan up with one of my best friends called “Operation Let’s Take Over Hollywood,” and we started working out, and we’re like “dude, if we’re funny and we get jacked, we’ll be golden” – because you know, we came up in the comedy scene, and improv, and we’re also writers and directors so we were really just trying to attack it from all angles.

So it was actually really cool to get one of the things on our list off, which was like “book a superhero show or movie,” you know, not to mention the fact that I grew up as a kid, highly engrossed in comic books, and nerddom, and, like, you know, anime, video games, all the stuff like that. So it really was, when I got this role, such a tremendous feeling of pride, and I just felt, like, so blessed to get to portray a superhero.
*  *  *
(DCN): What was the process like to build your persona of the character of Mister Terrific?
Echo Kellum: I definitely read through all the Mister Terrific comics, definitely took some inspiration from Michael [Holt]. I think what’s really cool about the character and the way the development will progress will be like, you know, right now he’s just very optimistic, loveable, nerdy character but I think there’s a lot of room for him to really develop and grow into different things, especially if he decides to don the T-mask, and I don’t know one hundred percent if that will happen, but I think the thing I am most excited about this character is that he will have a lot of growth and development, and that even though he might seem a certain way now, who knows what life or tragedy could play into his future. And obviously I say this MAINLY being based on the comic books, because there’s been no hints or anything like that from the producers that we’re going to take the canon and do exactly like we do on the show, you know they like to do things differently. But I do love the aspect that it was tragedy that drove Michael to become Mister Terrific, and I think for me as an actor it would be very cool to go through some similar situation with Curtis to see how he shifts and becomes his character as well. And even when I auditioned for it, they had me play it two different ways. The first way had me playing it very much the way I play it as seen on TV, and the other was much more confident, to the point. So I think that would be really cool to see that character have some shifts even though he maintains who he is. Like on the show when Diggle had to deal with Andy – no spoilers – you know, it changed him. And you see these arcs in these characters from season 1 to season 4. And I think the comic book fodder would be and has been helpful in creating who Curtis is and who Mister Terrific will be.

(DCN): Do you think we can draw parallels between the relationship Curtis has with Felicity and the relationship Oliver has with Felicity?
Echo Kellum: Yeah, definitely. As we all know, when Felicity first started working with the Arrow, he was trying to get info on certain things and giving her half-excuses, you know, like “yeah, that serum was something I got from a club” and she’s like “yeah, okay.” And then there was a moment at the beginning of the season [four] where Felicity was trying to tell Curtis that she played poker and had a card and that’s why she needed to have him analyze it and I thought that was a really fine parallel as kind of an homage to see her doing [to Curtis] what Oliver had done to her.
*  *  *
(DCN): As far as development of Curtis, do you have any voice in the discussions for how that character will play out, or is it that the writers send everything and you just portray what they give you?
Echo Kellum: I would say the writers have a lot of input as far as where they want the show to go, what they want certain characters to experience. But I feel like they’re very open to suggestions and open to listen and collaborate with you about certain things if you really feel strongly about the character like, “oh he wouldn’t say that” or something like that, they’re very open to hearing things out. But I also feel like the writers’ room is so great that the actors have so much trust and faith that they are getting out our voices and writing and understanding how to pay homage to the characters, you know, keeping the integrity of the characters there. But we just have so much faith in them, you know, like, we know they’ve been doing this for a while and constantly put out really great material and really great stuff for us to do, but they are open to collaborate a lot.
*  *  *
(DCN): What were your thoughts and feelings first day on set of Arrow?
Echo Kellum: You know, joining a hit show can be daunting in some ways, especially for an up and coming actor, so I tried to be as professional as possible and just really hoped to bring something special to the show. I remember my first day of shooting I met Emily Bett Rickards and she just honestly made it all so absolutely wonderful. She made it so easy to respond, she was so professional. It was such a wonderful day, it was a great jumping off point for the rest of the season. Everyone on the show is just really down to earth, really nice, and also very professional, from the grip guys all the way up to the executive producers. They made it so welcoming, an open arms environment. It was so surreal. And when I got there, I was like “this is a show I wanna be in for the long run.”
*  *  *
(DCN): Can you share any details about what fans can expect to see in season 5?
Echo Kellum: I can say expect a lot of craziness, expect things to be slightly different. But just expect the same from Arrow, really great stunts, excellent storytelling, a lot of action-packed scenes, awesome visual effects, and meaty drama to go along with it.

Edited July 1, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Italian interview with ER...

Taiana, the woman from the past – Interview to Elysia Rotaru (Arrow)
Carlo Coratelli / 2 days ago
http://lospaziobianco.com/899-taiana-woman-past-interview-elysia-rotaru-arrow/

Quote

Can you tell us how you got the role for Taiana Venediktov on Arrow?
I was fortunate enough to be asked to audition for it in July 2015 and that was it. I got a call a few weeks after from my agent that I booked the role.

Your character was created for Oliver Queen’s flashback Taiana isn’t from the comics as the other characters are. How did you prepare for this role?
Well, Taiana was part of the original Green Arrow comic but yes, the original character and the one I brought to life are very different from each other. I used the comic as a basic guide for when I started to develop the relationship between Oliver Queen and Taiana, and elements of that showed up in the storyline for sure. The accent was something I had in my back pocket and was so excited to play with. There wasn’t a dialect coach on set, so I had to rely on my training and making some Russian friends to make sure I was in the right place with how I sounded. Otherwise, the arch of my role was never revealed to me so I had to trust my directors, Stephen, and my scene partners episode by episode. I think by now we all understand what Taiana is doing in season 4.
*  *  *
What is was the biggest challenge for you while working on Arrow?
With this being the biggest role and arch I have carried in my career thus far there is more than just one challenge. In retrospect, I think the biggest challenge was not really knowing what was next. I mean, I never knew if they we going to kill off Taiana, or keep her. I really didn’t foresee all the stuff with the idol and Baron in her future, that’s for sure. Not knowing the arch or end is a tough place to work from sometimes. It really helped me develop a deeper appreciation for my intuition, and realize that I really do love what I do. I learnt that as an actor, you have to be prepared for anything, not just with the work but the politics. Dealing with fans of the show that “hate” on you is hard at first, but then you learn to deal with it. I mean, being introduced as Oliver Queens love interest really caused a big stir in the past, and still does with some Olicity fans! But I love them; we wouldn’t be able to really do what we do without them. Of course it’s always a challenge having your own expectations as well. When you hear things about the story and what might happen, or the edit is a way that you didn’t expect it to be, all those moments and more, they really help you grow. And the work itself is sometimes a challenge, being a part of such heightened emotion and circumstance, you really want to make sure you’re connected and telling the truth. Man, I feel like I wrote too much, but heck, I learned a lot working on the show for almost a full season, and I am very grateful.
*  *  *
Could you tell us some juicy stories about working on the set and with Amell?
I wish I had some “juice” to spill, but we kept things pretty tame on set, as our time together was so short and intense – hence why we didn’t get to snap many selfies together or Snapchat etc. He’s a pretty busy guy and I could just tell that the majority of the time we had between takes, he just wanted to chill, chat with his family, or attend to other “Arrow” matters. When we did get to connect it was short and nice. He did invite me out a couple of times to join him and some crew members after set for a few beers, which was lovely. I love a good beer with good people.

And ER's tweet about this interview...

Edited July 1, 2016 by tv echo

[Starfish35]

TVLine included Oliver's and Felicity's breakup at #7 on their list of the season's "10 most explosive breakups".

http://tvline.com/2016/07/01/tv-breakups-greys-anatomy-arrow-pretty-little-liars/

[dtissagirl]

If they mean an explosive pile of poo, then yes.

[wonderwall]

35 minutes ago, Starfish35 said:

TVLine included Oliver's and Felicity's breakup at #7 on their list of the season's "10 most explosive breakups".

http://tvline.com/2016/07/01/tv-breakups-greys-anatomy-arrow-pretty-little-liars/

...........nah :p

[SmallScreenDiva]

16 hours ago, tv echo said:

Italian interview with ER...

Taiana, the woman from the past – Interview to Elysia Rotaru (Arrow)
Carlo Coratelli / 2 days ago
http://lospaziobianco.com/899-taiana-woman-past-interview-elysia-rotaru-arrow/

And ER's tweet about this interview...

She sounds slightly bitter, not that I can blame her. I imagine what we saw on screen wasn't what was promised when they cast her. But I do not appreciate the Olicity fans getting blamed yet again for other people's failures. She can "Go #Olicity" all day long but that's another interview where she specifically mentions the negative reaction to her character by "Olicity fans." Girl, the Olicity fans were the least of your problems. 

I wonder when the decision to totally drop her being the FB love interest was made. I mean, weren't they still trying to sell Oliver as being in love with her after the mid-season finale? Which episode was the Shado hallucination? 

[tv echo]

Apparently the Examiner.com site is shutting down :( ...
http://laurawritesabout.tumblr.com/post/146769368961/as-of-july-10-examiner-will-be-no-more

Quote

As of July 10, Examiner will be no more.
I got word today that the site is shutting down for good, so I wanted to take the time now to say thank you to everybody who has read my articles and reviews over the years. It’s been a fun ride, and my life quite literally changed once I started writing about Arrow and comic TV. 

Sadly, there aren’t a lot of sites out there looking for 1000+ reviews, so this is it for “What worked, what didn’t, and what needs to happen next.” I’d love to find a place that would post such monstrosities, but I’m not optimistic. 

I’ll still primarily write for CinemaBlend, and I’ll probably step up my writing for WhatCulture now, but no more Examiner and no more “Worked/didn’t/next.”

Again, thank you to everybody for reading! I hope you’ll stick around here on my blog and keep checking out my stuff on other sites. Chatting with people on social media has become one of the joys of my job.

- Laura

Edited July 2, 2016 by tv echo

[Midnight Lullaby]

Not to be mean but this "big stir" from Olicity or any other type of fans about her role is only in ER's head. Yes, there was a turmoil when she was announced as a LI because of clickbait articles that didn't specify in the headlines she was only going to be in the FBs, but once people read the articles and then, from the very first scene they had together no one (maybe just her?) cared. No one even remembered her existence or her name.

Also I noticed she was called to audition and I wonder once again what's up with the CW? Try to hire new people and let those who can't act go!

[tv echo]

Warning - spoilery if you don't read the Spoilers thread...

'Arrow': 8 Burning Questions for Season 5
3:35 PM 7/1/2016 by Sydney Bucksbaum
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/arrow-season-5-burning-questions-908071

8. Is Team Arrow Destroyed For Good?
7. What Will Lance Do Now That He's Not a Cop?
6. Will There Be a Green Lantern Easter Egg?
5. How Will Oliver Fare as Mayor?
4. Who Is the New Season-Long Villain?
3. Will Olicity Get Back Together?
2. What Were Laurel's Last Words to Oliver?
1. Is This the Last Season of Flashbacks

Edited July 2, 2016 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Now I'm curious as to which forum this guy frequents ...

Heroes & Villains Fanfest: New York 2016
Posted July 1, 2016 By Jason Borelli
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/01/heroes-villains-fanfest-new-york-2016/

Quote

Cut to today. I will be attending Heroes & Villains Fan Fest this weekend. Technically, it’s taking place in Secaucus, NJ, but it’ll take me a half hour to get there, so I’ll allow it. There will be artists that scratch my itch for sketches, but the guest lineup is interesting. If you’re a fan of superhero genre TV shows, this might be your con. There’s going to be a lot of CW stars, headed by Stephen Amell. Haley Atwell will be there, a month after ABC pulled the plug on Agent Carter. Gotham? Four actors, including Sean Pertwee. I think meeting the son of a Doctor would count as an official encounter, especially given the uncanny resemblance. Watching Alfred cross swords with Azrael, I can’t help but think of the sword fight between the Doctor and the Master in “The Sea Devils.” And on top of all that? John Barrowman. Sure, Malcolm Merlyn might make for a pain as a recurring nemesis on Arrow, but I’ve heard fun stories about Barrowman’s panels.

While I doubt that H&V will be as intimate as Long Island Who, I’m hoping to find stuff while I’m there. For instance . . is David Ramsey as jacked as he looks on television playing John Diggle? Is Charlotte Ross as big a hugger as Donna Smoak? And how much of a fan following does Katie Cassidy have, especially since the death of Laurel Lance went mostly unlamented at the forum I frequent? With New York Comic Con three months away, H&V should make for a good warmup.

Edited July 2, 2016 by tv echo

[wonderwall]

36 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Now I'm curious as to which forum this guy frequents ...

Heroes & Villains Fanfest: New York 2016
Posted July 1, 2016 By Jason Borelli
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/01/heroes-villains-fanfest-new-york-2016/

Seriously I want to visit that board lol

[kismet]

After reading the excerpts above from ERs interview, it's hard not feel a little sad for her. She probably thought (& perhaps even told) she was getting this amazing role and then got that crapfest of writing that was #Poppy. If I was her, I would be bitter.

Other flashback characters have gone on to get lead roles in other shows, movie/TV parts on bigger shows or have become fan favs. After her season on Arrow, she could probably barely even land that interview. A whole season went by and people barely even knew her name. A year from now people could mention Taiana and people will say who? I know its an actor's job to elevate the material, but she got handed a raw deal. 

With her comments about Olicity, I wonder if she got a lot of negative or hurtful attention from fans. I also wonder if she was being fed misinformation about her role being altered because of Olicity. Either way Olicity was the least of her or the show's problem with her character.

Edited July 2, 2016 by kismet

[looptab]

I think focusing on this supposed hate she received must be better for her self esteem than thinking that none of the reviewers - people who get paid to recap/review the show - ever bothered to learn her character's name, nor did they spare a single word for her or her performance. :/

[bijoux]

6 hours ago, SmallScreenDiva said:

She sounds slightly bitter, not that I can blame her. I imagine what we saw on screen wasn't what was promised when they cast her. But I do not appreciate the Olicity fans getting blamed yet again for other people's failures. She can "Go #Olicity" all day long but that's another interview where she specifically mentions the negative reaction to her character by "Olicity fans." Girl, the Olicity fans were the least of your problems.

I wonder when the decision to totally drop her being the FB love interest was made. I mean, weren't they still trying to sell Oliver as being in love with her after the mid-season finale? Which episode was the Shado hallucination? 

I'm too lazy and frankly uniterested to go and actually read the interview, but she should look at her scene partner. I don't know if SA has looked so comatose since some of his S1 scenes with KC.

[EmilyBettFan]

There was hardly any Olicity fans actually talking about her. It was mostly the flashbacks that they were talking about as a whole and how they sucked. That has nothing to do with Olicity. Some actors on Arrow has elevated the material they get. She to me just didn't cut it. Her accent was terrible and at the very end I'm sorry for saying this but when she was taken over by the idol she looked like she became a body builder or something. It was just weird awkward body acting.

[TimetravellingBW]

It sounds like she was annoyed about other aspects of the show, not just Olicity. Her comment about never knowing what was coming next really sounds like frustration with the writers for having zero direction with the plot and not giving her anything to go on. And when talking about SA it's obvious they didn't click or hang out much. 

So yeah can't blame her for feeling bitter. And it must suck for her because almost every other flashback character eventually linked up to the present day plot/appeared in scenes with the main cast and at least had more characters to play off. (Slade, Sara and Shado all interacted with each other, and Sara and Slade had big roles in present day. Even Tatsu and Maseo had more to do in flashbacks and popped up later. Poppy's role was to be a sounding board for a blank faced SA). 

Edited July 2, 2016 by TimetravellingBW

[tv echo]

FYI, from Laura Hurley's tumblr (hopefully, she'll still post in-depth Arrow episode reviews)...

Quote

I started a blog!
In the wake of the news that Examiner is shutting down, I was despairing the loss of all the articles and reviews I’d written there over the years. I decided that I wanted to save and archive them somewhere, and that somewhere is going to be a WordPress blog! I’m hopefully going to get all my Examiner stuff up there by the site goes down on July 10, and I should be doing some other fun writing stuff as well. If I can’t find a new home for “What worked, what didn’t, and what needs to happen next,” I might put them up there. 

I’m also thinking that I’ll do some retroactive reviews of old episodes of TV shows there. If I do, I already know what I’m starting with: Arrow 2x07. 

Check it out, and stay tuned!

https://laurawritesabout.wordpress.com/

- Laura 

Edited July 3, 2016 by tv echo

[Velocity23]

Interview with KC

[Velocity23]

TV Line reporting from HVFF

[Chaser]

I wonder how long KC is going to continue giving these interviews. She isn't mentioning any upcoming projects. Just more I love this character and I want to come back to Flash and be on Legends. 

Also, Laurel didn't have a bad bone in her body? Normally actors want to make their characters layered. She takes a very simple approach. 

[tv echo]

John Barrowman Would Like To Play Captain America’s Boyfriend – Heroes & Villains Fanfest 2016
by Jason Borelli  July 3, 2016
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/03/john-barrowman-would-like-to-play-captain-americas-boyfriend-heroes-villains-fanfest-2016/

Quote

I heard good things about John at conventions, and he did not disappoint. My only misgiving was that kids showed up; I feel that this was a “rated PG-13” panel, because the guy was very ribald. Early on, he made farting noises for the purpose of making the sign language interpreter translate that. He told the story about how his husband photobombed him twice by appearing naked. He talked about how much Malcolm Merlyn is hated. Then there was the time he was filmed eating chips with David Tennant for four hours, and they became constipated for three days afterward. Then Colin Donnell and Thea Holland stopped by (John’s children on Arrow; “I killed one and beat the other!”), and John and Colin sang “Anything Goes” When asked what established character he would like to have played, John figured it was by either Captain America or “Captain America’s boyfriend.” And it turned out the producers at Arrow offered the role of Malcolm to John, not thinking he’d accept it. He also talked about the Torchwood comic he’ll be writing with his sister Carole for Titan, and he mentioned that there would be a story about how Captain Jack Harkness would become the Face of Boe. Personally, I always thought that Jack was having fun with the Doctor at the end of “Last Of The Time Lords.” Now, one of Jack’s testicles evolving into the Face of Boe? I can buy that. Anyway . . . if you have a chance to see John Barrowman up close, do it. I feel envious towards those who will be attending the Eisner Awards this month, where he’ll be hosting.
*  *  *
Most of the Arrow stars had their own area. I noticed Katie Cassidy had a long line, so I’m guessing she has more fans than I would have figured. By the way . . . yes, I am aware of Previously.tv, my screenname is Lantern7, and you guys were the ones I was thinking about in regards to not liking Laurel Lance.

Edited July 4, 2016 by tv echo

[dtissagirl]

[looptab]

I knew he was on this board, hahah.

[SmallScreenDiva]

C'mon, @Lantern7, you must realize this board is not exactly representative of the fandom, LOL! Just like the anti-Felicity/Olicity forums on Reddit :P KC does have lots of fans.

Edited July 4, 2016 by SmallScreenDiva
To clarify which antis on Reddit I was referring to

[kismet]

With it being so close to NYC, I wonder if a lot of her fans also came from her fashion blog/line/job. I don't quite know exactly what she does, but I know she does something with Fashion. And fashion is a big thing in NYC.

[Chaser]

As far as I can tell, she had a good showing in Dallas as well. KC has fans. Laurel has fans. I do think there is/was a post death popularity surge, part of it to do with her and part of it is other factors. 

I am curious about what will happen after the shows start up again. Con appearances and interviews talking about coming back have amounted to nada for her.

[kismet]

Well @Lantern7 has revealed himself. Thanks for the shoutout.

Laura Hurley feel free to reveal your secret identity at any time :)

[Bort]

Hey all, you know the fandom talk is a red light, let's stick to real media topics, please.

[tv echo]

Next Level interviews with KC and PB at HVFF-NY this past weekend...

Next Level Interview w/ Katie Cassidy @ Heroes & Villains Fan Fest NY/NJ
Published on Jul 4, 2016, by Next Level Radio

Next Level Interview w/ Paul Blackthorne @ Heroes & Villains Fan Fest NY/NJ
Published on Jul 4, 2016, by Next Level Radio

[tv echo]

Two Geeks of Doom reports on Sunday's Arrow cast panel at HVFF-NY...

HVFF: Arrow Cast Panel
Dr. Zaius    Monday, July 4th, 2016 at 12:00 
http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2016/07/04/hvff-arrow-cast-panel

Quote

Day 2 at Heroes & Villains Fan Fest in Secaucus, New Jersey and the opening panel featured stars of the CW’s hit show Arrow hitting the stage. David Ramsey (Diggle), Willa Holland (Thea), Katrina Law (Nyssa al Ghul), and Colin Donnell (Tommy Merlyn) joined the moderators on stage. Ramsey, a few seconds late to the panel, sat next to Donnell who immediately commented, “For a minute there I felt like a large man.” They took audience questions for a majority of the panel.

They started with an adorable little girl who asked them all their favorite color, after which she said hers was green prompting a round of applause (Willa’s favorite too). Holland and Law discussed the improving role of women on television, and how awesome it is to play well-developed characters with strong story arcs that are more than just tag-alongs to the male characters. Law said growing up, her favorite characters were Batman and Superman, so it’s great to play a strong female role. Someone asked about a possible continuation of the Suicide Squad story that was hinted in Arrow, but David Ramsey said it’s a long shot due to the film and TV series being controlled by different companies.

On what to look forward to in Arrow season 5, Ramsey joked, “Mayhem, death, you know, the usual.” They teased the 4-show crossover with Supergirl, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow which has fans of the whole DC TV Universe excited. A fan asked about their favorite scenes on Arrow. Colin Donnell, who was reminded constantly by the panel that he died back in season 1, said that that scene was the one for him. Holland said she loved shooting Stephen (Amell). Ramsey said that Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) death scene in season 4 was incredibly emotional and memorable. He said all the tears in that scene were genuine.

The last question got the biggest response from the audience and panel as a fan asked Ramsey if he liked his mask and if would we see a new one. John Diggle’s mask was much maligned by fans as looking like a cheap Magneto ripoff; Ramsey himself said he had heard “Mag-Negro” floating around (no hashtag’s please!). The crowd roared with laughter and we all agreed he needed an upgrade. Thankfully,

 

he admitted that Diggle will be getting a Cisco (Carlos Valdes) created new one, that hopefully fans will appreciate more.

 

HVFF: Where Heroes & Villains Feel Like Family
Olympus Athens  Monday, July 4th, 2016 at 11:10 am
http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2016/07/04/hvff-heroes-villains-feel-like-family

Quote

Some highlights:

– Willa Holland initiating a hug – she could not be any sweeter.
– Katrina Law giving us rabbit ears behind our heads in the pic.
– Neal McDonough and my husband discussing the awesomeness of Ravenous.
– Milo Ventimiglia making me laugh with his silly selfie faces.
– Drew Powell asking us how Rockaway Beach was.
– David Mazouz being the nicest young man, while I gushed about what a fantastic actor he is.
– Ciara Renee trying not to agree (but I think she did), that Hawkgirl should’ve chosen Cisco.
– Danielle Panabaker saying she likes these smaller ones because she doesn’t get to meet as many people at the big conventions – press obligations.
– My husband and Cody Rhodes discussing wrestling action figures.
– Telling Caity Lotz where to get the unlimited root beer.
– Meeting Peter Pan. Robbie Kay is so mature – no wonder he can hold his own with the likes of Robert Carlyle.
– Deciding I was in love with Sean Pertwee. Husband told him that Alfred is his favorite character.
– Charlotte Ross and Paul Blackthorne being completely gracious and gorgeous.
– Not being able to speak when Stephen Amell and Colin Donnell put their arms around me and then looked into my eyes (separate occasions). I was in full on swoon mode.
*  *  *
Two people I missed on the personal level, and are first the next time I come are – John Barrowman and David Ramsey. I did get to hear the Barrowman panel in its entirety, as everything is in one big room. He is hysterical, and I also caught glimpses of him dragging fans up and down the bouncy slide. I wish I embraced every moment to the fullest as he does. His sister, author Carol Barrowman, was there as well promoting her (and their) novels. I may request some to review for GoD. I did get to stare at David Ramsey from other lines. I have never seen arms that big in real life ever. He should challenge some wrestlers too. We also enjoyed his panel with Holland, Donnell, and Law.

Edited July 5, 2016 by tv echo

[looptab]

Quote

Ramsey said that Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) death scene in season 4 was incredibly emotional and memorable.

LOL, keep shading, David. :D

[Chaser]

I read somewhere that DR said that that was his favorite scene. I laughed because he didn't do anything but watch LL die. 

[tv echo]

This article references recent, maybe spoilery tweets on Olicity at HVFF-NY, but I've quoted only nonspoilery portions of the article...

Why Many Arrow Fans May Be Furious About Oliver's Love Life In Season 5
BY LAURA HURLEY July 4, 2016
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1530240/why-many-arrow-fans-may-be-furious-about-olivers-love-live-in-season-5

Quote

Oliver's love life has gone through a lot of changes over the years on Arrow. He spent the first season and a half or so bedding just about every age-appropriate woman on the show, but it wasn't until he openly set his sights on Felicity, however, that we really saw how much he changed. The big scary vigilante was monogamous to a relationship that wasn't even there in Season 3, and he was ready to propose by the Season 4 premiere....
*  *  *
It's not hard to see why Oliver's topsy-turvy love life in Season 4 could have been a drag for many viewers. His relationship with Felicity started out the season pretty low-key most of the time, but the show went too far in amping up the melodrama to break them up. The storyline with Oliver's secret kid seemed mostly in service of ending Olicity, and that arc was pretty damaging to Oliver's character in general. The show just wasn't all that good during the melodramatic straits of Season 4, and some of that had to do with how Arrow was handling the main character's romance.
*  *  *
... And there's no denying that melodramatic romance has always been a part of Arrow. One of the very first things the pilot episode revealed was that Oliver was coming back from the dead after seemingly drowning while on a sex cruise with his girlfriend's sister. The premise was basically a superhero soap opera, and the soapiness clearly did not end even when Oliver's relationships with both of the Lance sisters ended. Now that Sara is on Legends of Tomorrow and Laurel is in the Great Beyond, it's looking like the most logical candidate to continue occupying the love interest role in Oliver's heroic journey is Felicity.

Of course, this is all great news for the Arrow viewers who have fallen for Olicity. Oliver/Felicity is a surprisingly sweet romance that really feels like it was never supposed to happen, especially considering the comics on which Arrow has been loosely based. The Green Arrow's traditional comic love interest has been the Black Canary, while Felicity Smoak's traditional comics role has been as Firestorm's stepmom who happened to be good with computers. Emily Bett Rickards was brought on to play an Easter egg character, but a few seasons later, she became Oliver's lady love.

It's been an unexpected progression that Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards have worked to sell over the years even when the writing has thrown third-party love interests and a surprise illegitimate child in their path....

Only time will tell if, when, how, and why (oh why) Oliver and Felicity might get back together.... 

Edited July 5, 2016 by tv echo

[lemotomato]

I'm not sure what to make of DR's sudden appreciation for LL. Before, he never mentioned her unless someone asked him a direct question about her.

[looptab]

38 minutes ago, Chaser said:

I read somewhere that DR said that that was his favorite scene. I laughed because he didn't do anything but watch LL die. 

Right, that's why I quoted.:) His favorite scene,her death scene? That's major shade, haha.

@lemotomato, here's what I think, and maybe it's going to sound far-fetched to some,or too cynical, but I think he's doing it to ingratiate himself to her fans? Which is what I think about him talking up Olicity, but that's another story.. :)

Edited July 5, 2016 by looptab

[tangerine95]

I actually think DR is just really glad it wasn't him in the grave lol. He seems pretty excited to me when talking about the death and has sounded like that even before we found out it was Laurel.

[Velocity23]

Quote

I actually think DR is just really glad it wasn't him in the grave lol. He seems pretty excited to me when talking about the death and has sounded like that even before we found out it was Laurel.

Same. Also David is finally getting some perks more likely and getting 2nd billing. I wouldnt mind talking about her death in that sense.

[Morrigan2575]

23 minutes ago, looptab said:

Right, that's why I quoted.:) His favorite scene,her death scene? That's major shade, haha.

@lemotomato, here's what I think, and maybe it's going to sound far-fetched to some,or too cynical, but I think he's doing it to ingratiate himself to her fans? Which is what I think about him talking up Olicity, but that's another story.. :)

Nah, I'm betting 2 things. One, he's happy Diggle wasn't in the grave and two, the show runners gave him talking points.

[looptab]

Yeah, I'm sure all you've said it's true and he's happy he was not in the grave, but how would that add up with this newfound appreciation of LL? Honest question.I get the EPs giving him talking points, but I'm not seeing the link between being happy he wasn't the one dying and the suck up to LL.

[Chaser]

Given the other grave occupant options and his appreciation for certain dynamics, I think he is super glad it was Laurel.

[Morrigan2575]

1 minute ago, looptab said:

Yeah, I'm sure all you've said it's true and he's happy he was not in the grave, but how would that add up with this newfound appreciation of LL? Honest question.I get the EPs giving him talking points, but I'm not seeing the link between being happy he wasn't the one dying and the suck up to LL.

I already answered this in the spoiler thread.

Spoiler

He was given talking points about 501 which is called Legacy and has a freaking statue to Laurel/BC in it.  That's why DR was talking up Laurel becuse he knew 501 was going to suck up to St Laurel.  IMO