Morrigan2575 February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 KM Interview. I don't think there were spoilers but, beware just in case. https://www.etonline.com/meet-mia-smoak-arrow-star-katherine-mcnamara-dishes-on-playing-oliver-and-felicitys-daughter-119398?amp&__twitter_impression=true Link to comment
KenyaJ February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 Completely unsurprising because my TL is nothing but Arrow and Olicity right now. I've never seen it like this before, not even after the wedding. 5 Link to comment
Primal Slayer February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 Quote Arrow star on their shocking exit from the show: 'It's not the end" ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did your exit come about? Was it your decision, the producers’, or something mutual? ECHO KELLUM: I had a conversation with [then-showrunner] Marc Guggenheim in season 6. It was my idea. I have kids — I have a 12-year-old — and it was just starting to feel like I should be back home more. First of all, I love working on this show. I love the cast, the producers. It’s the best cast I’ve ever worked with, the best studio. They’ve taken such great care of me and made me feel like I’ve been there since season 1. So all of this has been very bittersweet because I actually feel very crestfallen, because it’s so tough to leave such an amazing show. But I think for me, it just boiled down to family, and also I just wanted to try a couple of creative ventures in my life. I’m working on music, directing, and writing now. I still love acting, but it’s something I’m not looking at as the top thing of my career anymore. I’m looking at my career in a different light. So, I approached Marc. We had a long conversation about family and fatherhood and all those things, and he totally got where I was coming from. You know, Warner Bros. and the network were so generous to be able to let me exit gracefully. What I will say, this isn’t the end of Curtis. I’ll definitely come back as much as they want me back, and visit and guest-star and whatnot. So, it’s not the end of him. I guess it’s really a family decision overall, just to be a little closer to my kids. I’ve been around my kids more during the school parts of the year the most that I have been in the last four years, even in the past month. It was definitely not an easy decision. The episode ends with Curtis deciding he can put his tech to better use in Washington after he gets his job offer. How did you feel about the way Curtis was written off? I liked it because it’s still innately Curtis wanting to help other people. He’s leaving in a way where he can try to have a bigger impact in trying to help other people in the world. I really appreciate that, because I hope it leaves open the door for him to pop back in every once in a while until they get to their 300th episode. [laughs] What was your last day on set like? It was very emotional. I definitely cried. Everyone cried. It was really difficult because they are my family and all of us have such a great rapport, on screen and off the screen. The last day was really tough. A lot of tears, a lot of cakes. But the last day, we shot in this spooky house, so it was very interesting. I feel good about my decision overall, but I’m going to miss all of them, miss being the trenches with them every day and laughing on set and just being silly, and then also just telling this amazing story that our amazing writers are crafting. So it’s just definitely very bittersweet. I’m exited for what’s in the future, but it’s tough to leave such an amazing show. Have you started talking to the writers about when that potential return might happen, or is that still far off? We’ve had some discussions. Nothing’s been finalized at this point, but we’ve definitely discussed that aspect and they definitely made sure and clear that they want Curtis to come back. I can’t give you any definitive episodes or storylines, but it’s definitely something I’m 100-percent open to doing, and I believe they’re open to doing it too, so it should definitely work out at some point in the future. If things aligned where you were available and they wanted you back, would you want to be involved in next year’s big “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover? Of course, 100 percent! That’s going to be so epic and amazing! I would love to be a part of those crossovers. https://ew.com/tv/2019/02/11/arrow-echo-kellum-terrific-exit/ Link to comment
BkWurm1 February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 Now that Curtis is gone I can go back to liking his character. 😄 3 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 (edited) If this IGN reviewer wants Arrow to adopt a "less soap operatic approach", then he should've stopped watching the show in Season 1... ARROW SEASON 7, EPISODE 13: "STAR CITY SLAYER" REVIEW BY JESSE SCHEEDEN 11 FEB 2019https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/02/12/arrow-season-7-episode-13-star-city-slayer-review Quote Probably the most consistently frustrating thing about the Arrowverse is how rare it is to find compelling minor villains. For every Reverse-Flash or Deathstroke, there are half a dozen “one and done” villains with barely any nuance or motivation to speak of. “Star City Slayer” is a welcome reminder that this doesn’t always have to be the case. The series paid off on a loose end from earlier in Season 7 and used it to fuel a memorably scary outing for Team Arrow. * * *So much of that boils down to the strength of Brendan Fletcher’s performance. Fletcher was perfectly enjoyable as Ollie’s dorky sidekick earlier in the season. But here he really got the chance to stretch his muscles and play a deranged killer barely holding it together. That final confrontation between Stanley and the Queen family easily ranks among the best sequences in Season 7 so far. Fletcher was equal parts repulsive, terrifying, and deeply pathetic. This episode did a great job of building up the tension in that scene despite the fact that we all knew Stanley wouldn’t be claiming another victim. * * * This feels like the right move. As entertaining as Curtis can be, he hasn’t really had much of a place on the show this season, beyond his status as Diggle’s go-to gadget guy. The cast needs to be streamlined (now more than ever, what with the addition of Emiko), and it’s nice to see the writers acknowledging as much. And honestly, you can’t argue with the notion of a guy like Curtis wanting to do more with his incredible intellect. * * * As for those flash-forwards, I don’t even know what to think anymore. The writers seem to be in full “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” mode at this point. First Felicity is dead. Then it turns out she’s not dead. Says who? Why, the daughter we never knew she had, Mia Smoak (not Queen?), of course. The more characters get tossed into this mix, the more obvious it becomes that the flash-forward storyline was a whole lot more exciting back when it was just following William and Roy. If this truly is a story meant to play out for the remainder of this series’ lifespan, it would be a good idea to slow down and adopt a less soap operatic approach. Edited February 12, 2019 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 Arrow, ‘Star City Slasher’: The Status Quo Goes out the Window in a Hurry BY CRAIG WACK · FEBRUARY 12, 2019http://oohlo.com/2019/02/12/arrow-star-city-slasher-the-status-quo-goes-out-the-window-in-a-hurry/ Quote If episode 150 of Arrow was all about previous season nostalgia, then 151 was dedicated to burning most of that to the ground. There wasn’t a singular series-altering moment in this episode, but there were enough small events to change the face of the show as we know it. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest episode of Arrow: * * *Sex and the Olicity: William’s troubles have interrupted the onscreen sexy times, but Olicity had to be getting busy some other time because after getting checked out by the doctor after getting drugged by the Slasher, Felicity finds out she’s preggers. Also, for reasons we find out a little later, Curtis transfers over his ownership of Helix to her, which puts her on her path to the future. On the island of the future: Hey, speaking of the future … Roy takes a tranq dart to the neck, just like old times. This was without a doubt, my favorite part of the episode. In early seasons of the show, Roy would do some fancy parkour moves only to end up getting tranqed by somebody. It happened All. The. Time. So, its callback this week was glorious. The gang goes back to the old Arrow Lair where they are ambushed by Connor Hawke, son of John Diggle, and Blackstar, whose real name is Mia Smoak -– yes the progeny of Olicity, and half-sister to William. Oh and not for nothing, Felicity is alive, which I believed I totally called months ago. * * *Last impressions: I’ll be honest here, after getting my first Roy-tranqed moment in probably four years, the rest of the episode could have been Stephen Amell sitting in a chair making fart sounds with his armpit, and I would have been happy with this episode. Fortunately, a different choice was made. Now if I wanted to pick nits, I could grumble about packing all the revelations into the last act of the episode, after doing a whole lot of nothing since coming back from the midseason break. On the other hand, Arrow has been doing these mini-midseason cliffhangers over the last few years now, so it shouldn’t be completely unexpected. In the end, this episode was tense, well-paced and eventful –- everything you could hope for in a Monday night of TV. 4 Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 ARROW 7.13 Review “Star City Slayer” By AMELIA EMBERWING Feb. 12, 2019https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2019/02/12/arrow-7.13-review-star-city-slayer Quote Ch… ch… ch… changes are underway in “Star City Slayer”. There are some big losses, counteracted with what could be a major gain for Oliver and Felicity, but only if it’s tackled correctly. All of that’s wrapped up in a fun and quick little slasher episode that serves as a re-entry point for Ollie’s Slabside buddy, Stanley. * * * Mothers can be the strongest, most badass creatures on the planet. With that said, I have some serious concerns about this particular direction for Felicity’s character. Arrow’s struggled with what to do with its super hacker in the past, and she has some complicated feelings about motherhood. If handled right, it could be an incredible arc. The thing is, bringing babies into a show very rarely goes great. I was proven wrong with William (though he wasn’t a baby upon introduction). Here’s hoping we all get pleasantly surprised with this Mia arc. 1 Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 (edited) Arrow Episode Guide: Season 7, Episode 13 - Star City Slayer Starman Feb. 11, 2019http://www.mygeekygeekyways.com/2019/02/arrow-episode-guide-season-7-episode-13.html Quote Any drama to the Star City Slayer targeting Dinah is nullified by the fact that we know Dinah is alive 20 years in the future. The Claytons say they should have filed for custody of William years ago. One wonders, in retrospect, why they didn't. As they say, Oliver is a convicted felon and that he is a professional superhero who was absent for most of William's life. Even though Samantha's dying wish was that Oliver take care of their son, there's no way to prove that in court and everything Samantha had done before then was aimed at limiting Oliver's influence on William. Throw in the multiple kidnappings and yeah - there's no way any judge in Star City would think twice about getting William out of Oliver's home. Curtis' T-Sphere is much less conspicuous and likely to attract attention than the giant Maglite that Diggle is carrying when he tells Curtis not to use his T-Sphere.* * *Stanley Dover's miraculous drug completely paralyzes a person's muscles... except for the ones needed to talk. Felicity says that it gets really cold in Central City in the winter. Given that Star City is based in the Arrowverse where Seattle should be, it should be pretty cold there in the winter too. * * * The production team did a good job establishing a creepy mood with the Star City Slayer house. The lighting, music and set decoration are all fantastic, though the creepy stuffed monkey and music box were a bit much. Edited February 12, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 (edited) Arrow Just Delivered A Huge Felicity Bombshell That Changes Everything BY LAURA HURLEY FEBRUARY 11, 2019https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2466794/arrow-just-delivered-a-huge-felicity-bombshell-that-changes-everything Quote For one thing, the present pregnancy likely means that Felicity is benched and behind her computers for the indefinite future. She's never been the character most likely to suit up and hit the streets to fight crime, but she hasn't been afraid to rush into danger whenever necessary to help save the day. Felicity is too responsible to make reckless decisions with herself if she has a bun in the oven. She's certainly been showing off some strong maternal instincts after she started helping to raise William. The good news is that Felicity is the one member of Team Arrow whose contributions to fighting the good fight won't be inhibited by being benched for safety's sake. The bad news for TV fans who don't love babies on non-baby-friendly shows is that... well, a baby is definitely on the way, if Mia kicking ass in the flash-forwards is any indication. Felicity being pregnant in February means that she'll still be pregnant when Season 8 rolls around, if Arrow follows its usual time jump following Season 7. Can Arrow really pull off such a monumental task? * * * Given that there's really no question of the father of Felicity's child being anybody other than Oliver, fans can put their minds to bigger questions posed by Felicity's pregnancy. Did William not know that Mia existed? He never mentioned her when talking about Felicity being dead, and he certainly didn't recognize Blackstar when he met her. If he didn't know that Mia existed, why not? "Star City Slayer" saw him choose to go live with his grandparents in Central City, and we know that William doesn't have the loving relationship with Oliver and Felicity in the future that he did prior to Oliver going to Slabside, but surely somebody would have told him that he had a baby sister on the way. Central City isn't that far away, and Oliver and Felicity clearly intended to stay in his life even as he moved away. Does Felicity go into hiding for the duration of her pregnancy? It would be difficult to blame her if she went to extremes to stay safe while expecting. No matter where she and Oliver live, their home always seems to be broken into. In this episode alone, their family dinner of chili was interrupted by Oliver's psychotic former cellmate, who drugged them all and ranted at them in a speech that probably would have ended in their murders if the drug hadn't worn off enough for Oliver to clobber Stanley in the head with a bottle. Or does William know about his sister, but had no relationship with her and therefore didn't spare a thought for her after learning that Felicity was dead? If he didn't know her, he wouldn't recognize her. What happened to the Queen family that tore them apart? Why does Mia go by "Mia Smoak" rather than "Mia Queen" in the flash-forwards? Was she raised without Oliver in her life, or did something drive her to actively choose to go with her mother's surname? ... Edited February 12, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 Arrow recap: 'Star City Slayer' features a big Blackstar reveal and some goodbyes CHANCELLOR AGARD February 12, 2019 at 11:40 AM ESThttps://ew.com/recap/arrow-season-7-episode-13/ Quote At the beginning of Arrow season 7, showrunner Beth Schwartz promised that the season would feature many big reveals. To her credit, she has delivered on that promise. In the first half of the season, we got the surprising flash-forwards, Talia al Ghul’s return in “The Demon,” and the introduction of Emiko Queen as the New Green Arrow. The one thing all of these twists had in common is how obvious they should’ve been from the beginning; whether or not that’s a positive or negative is up to you. Personally, I like the fact that the show didn’t try to be too clever. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the twist that ends last night’s episode “Star City Slayer” definitely falls into that “wow, should’ve seen that coming.” * * * Last night’s flash-forwards pick up with Dinah, Zoe (a.k.a. “pampered girl from the Glades playing vigilante dress up”), Roy, and William heading to the old bunker to see if that’s where Felicity hid her bombs since they haven’t had any luck with the Archer system. Instead of finding the bombs, though, they find Mia and Connor, who knock them out and tie them up. In the ensuing interrogation, Mia shares that she’s actually trying to find Felicity, who still alive, and stop whoever is trying to pull a sequel to 2013’s Undertaking (2 Under 2 Taking? The Undertaking: The Glades Strike Back?), and she learns that William is Felicity’s son. I’m not sure if this is a choice or not, but McNamara’s tough exterior wasn’t completely convincing. * * * As I mentioned before, we should’ve seen this coming. I mean, the character’s name is Mia. In the comics, one of Green Arrow’s Speedy sidekicks was named Mia Dearden, so it makes complete sense that if the show was going to introduce a character with that name that she would have some major ties to Oliver. But the problem here is that the show just pulled the “secret family card” with Emiko a few episodes ago, and we’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what Emiko’s arrival in the present day storyline means for both Oliver and the show itself. Throwing another new major, status quo shifting character like Oliver and Felicity’s daughter into the mix feels like a lot. But, hey, I’m willing to approach this story with an open mind and to reserve judgement until it all plays out. * * * The Queen family time, however, gets interrupted when Stanley breaks into the apartment and drugs them using his paralyzing agent. From there, Brendan Fletcher proceeds to give a gloriously demented, scary, and unhinged performance as he explains that he’s been targeting both Oliver’s foes and victims to show that he’s the only one who understands Oliver. In some ways, Stanley feels like a great stand-in for toxic and bad fans, especially in the moment he realizes that Oliver is about to reject him. Thankfully, Stanley monologues long enough for the drug to wear off, which allows William and Oliver to take him out with a glass bottle. ... Reader, I’ll admit, I was moved during his tearful goodbye with Felicity since, in case you forgot, Echo Kellum’s first scene on the show was with Emily Bett Rickards. Before leaving, though, Curtis hands Helix over to Felicity, therefore setting up Smoak Technologies in the future. * * * I will say that part of me is wondering if the introduction of Felicity and Oliver’s daughter as a very skilled fighter has something to do with the overall future of the Arrowverse. At the TCA press tour, CW President Mark Pedowitz talked about how they’ve started thinking about the next generation of DC superhero shows, which makes sense since Arrow, which was just renewed for an eighth season, is getting old. And with so many potential young heroes running around Arrow — Zoe Ramirez, Emiko Queen, William, and now Mia — could it be possible that the powers that be are at least considering using these characters from the future storyline to launch the aforementioned next generation of shows. Like, McNamara has a bankable fanbase from Shadowhunters, so it would be surprising if CW wasn’t at least trying to milk that for all it’s worth. Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 (edited) Arrow Review: Star City Slayer (Season 7 Episode 13) February 12, 2019 Brianna Martinezhttps://www.telltaletv.com/2019/02/arrow-review-star-city-slayer-season-7-episode-13/ Quote In probably the best episode this side of the winter hiatus, Arrow Season 7 Episode 13, “Star City Slayer,” manages to fill the hour with a compelling story of the week, the villain I’ve been waiting for, and plenty of Queen-Smoak family angst, with a massive reveal by the end to really top the hour. “Star City Slayer” manages to merge the horror, the action, and the family drama thoroughly well without clunkily switching between the modes, instead opting to thread and go between all of them smoothly, at times opting to mix them up like in the Queen-Smoak family loft scene. * * *Brandon Fletcher played the disturbed serial killer so eerily good that it makes me hope he’s not just a one-off return villain. That one terrifying and paralyzing Queen-Smoak family scene leaves a lasting impact and calls back to the hints of unhinged thinking when he had Oliver captive during the riot. While Stan’s tortured and twisted villainous arc added a lot to the hour in terms of bringing in the team and setting things in motion for a few characters, the Queen-Smoak family angst added to the emotional aspect of the episode, providing a heartbreaking development and a shockingly happy one in the span of one act. * * * The Queen-Smoak family was a highlight and kept things interesting on Arrow season 6, truly becoming a family over the season, and to see them get to this point is just upsetting, even if some of it makes sense. It’s because of how far they’ve come and how much I’ve truly enjoyed this dynamic that Oliver and Felicity’s final scene with William wrecks me. * * * They don’t know each other and don’t know each other existed until this moment. What happened to our Queen-Smoak family to have them fall this far in the future? Why is she a Smoak and not a Queen? Where is Oliver?! * * *Oliver’s famous chili makes its debut and seems to be a hit with his wife, and it’s equal parts funny and adorable in its own way given the context of the scene. Edited February 12, 2019 by tv echo 3 Link to comment
tv echo February 12, 2019 Share February 12, 2019 ‘ARROW’ 7×13 REVIEW: HOLY SMOAKS! ALYSSA BARBIERI FEBRUARY 12, 2019http://fangirlish.com/arrow-7x13-review-holy-smoaks/ Quote But then sometimes, there are episodes like “Star City Slayer” that remind me that this show used to be good; that this show can be good; that this show should be good. From putting the core of the show as the central focus to having a legitimate villain that is actually scary (nothing like Diaz) to beautifully weaving the present and flash-forwards into something compelling with an amazing yet expected bombshell. It would figure that Arrow would deliver one of the best episodes of this season prior to a three-week hiatus. Because while in recent memory I haven’t looked forward to Arrow, now I actually need to see what happens next. Figures. * * * So I don’t think there’s anyone in the Olicity fandom that didn’t call the whole “Mia is Olicity’s daughter” thing. And while it took forever for this show to reveal it — they saved it for one of their better episodes this season — it was so incredibly satisfying to hear confirmation. Mia is so Oliver and Felicity’s daughter. She’s got the brute strength and toughness from her dad and the wit and smarts from her mom. And it’s such a kick-ass combination. * * * But something else I would appreciate in the next episode is getting a scene where Felicity tells Oliver that she’s pregnant. Don’t deprive us of that moment and just have everyone “know” that Felicity is pregnant. We deserve these family moments. But I won’t get my hopes up. * * * Anyone that ever thought these writers would kill off Felicity are just moronic. Felicity has and will always be a fan favorite that’s pretty much untouchable at this point. Not to mention our girl is too smart to be killed by one of Rene’s goonies. I bet Felicity used death as a way to escape. Hopefully she’s chilling with Oliver, who’s also so not dead, in Ivy Town. Actually more believable is that Oliver and Felicity are together (hopefully with Diggle) and plotting how to take these bombs down. * * *Stanley, Oliver’s psychotic Slabside “friend” was more terrifying in less than 10 minutes than Ricardo Diaz has ever been. HE WAS THE VILLAIN WE DESERVED. HE WAS THE VILLAIN THAT ACTUALLY WAS TERRIFYING. HE WAS A VILLAIN THAT WAS BELIEVABLY A THREAT. What a damn shame we only got him for this episode. But it was a reminder that this show is capable of creating compelling villains and casting correctly. Stanley’s obsession with Oliver in Slabside was something that you could just feel was setting up for something more. No one thought anything of Stanley, but those are often the most dangerous of criminals. And his return was glorious. Especially when he went after NTA. I’m just saying, that was satisfying. He was basically us until he went to Oliver and Felicity’s. * * *“This started with the three of us.” What an iconic line by Oliver Queen back in season 2 that cemented the significance of OTA and Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle to this show and this mission. They are the gold standard of all superhero teams. And I cannot tell you how much I yearn for moments like seasons 1 and 2 when it was just the three of them. But guess what, looks like Arrow is setting up for the next generation of OTA. Not only do we have Oliver and Felicity’s children in William and Mia, we also have Diggle’s son, Connor Hawke. And I’ll be damned if they don’t look like the next reincarnation of one of the best superhero teams. I wasn’t a big fan of an idea of a spinoff with the flashforward peeps, but I would so watch a show where Mia, William, and Connor are Team Arrow. I’d watch the hell out of it. This started with Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle. But perhaps it will continue with Mia, William, and Connor. * * * If there is one character in the Arrowverse that deserves a happy ending after everything, it’s Oliver Queen. Hell, he earned that after the first two seasons. So, of course, this future glimpse shows us that, presumably, Oliver doesn’t get the happy ending he deserves. Oliver deserves to retire as a hero and live a happy life with his wife Felicity and their daughter, Mia, and son, William. Oliver and Felicity both deserve that. And I swear to God if these writers don’t find a way to give them a happy ending at the end of all of this… 6 Link to comment
tv echo February 13, 2019 Share February 13, 2019 (edited) Quote First, Felicity is alive which DUH. * * * This reveal felt fairly perfunctory and it tells me the Arrow writers didn’t really expect us to believe Felicity was truly dead because, as I always say, they ain’t that crazy. You do not throw out the lightning in the bottle. You keep the lightning in the damn bottle for as long as you possibly can until she starts screaming to get out and you are absolutely forced to let her go otherwise you’ll be charged with kidnapping. * * * Mia tells William Felicity is alive. It’s unclear if Mia knows because she has actual proof or if this is more a gut feeling type of thing. Either way it’s significant. Felicity’s circle of trust is pretty limited in the future. If she trusts Mia then she is incredibly important to Felicity. The only other person Felicity has reached out to for help was William, her son, and she sent him to get Roy, the brother-in-law (I’m just calling it like I see it). QUEEN FAMILY REUNION!!!! This whole “Felicity is evil” angle is total crap too. Toss that nonsense out the window. * * * I think Felicity, Mia and JJ are trying to stop the destruction of Star City by infiltrating the Glade because Rene’s Chief of Staff is evil. Even if I’m wrong about plot points I am not wrong about Felicity being one of the good guys. * * *Oliver made his famous chili tonight, which is something the comic canon nuts have been after for years. But Arrow is going to put their spin on it. The comic canon folks will get their chili, but Oliver is making it for Felicity and William (and not LL like they want and ridiculously still believe they’ll get). It was two spicy for William, but Felicity was having seconds because SHE IS INCUBATING THEIR LOVE CHILD!!!! * * * * * * * * * Is it awful William and Mia don’t know each other? Of course it is. My heart is broken Oliver and Felicity didn’t get to live an idyllic life, raising their babies in peace, and the city is still a hot mess 20 years in the future. I wouldn’t have picked it as a storyline, but if I was writing this show then Olicity would’ve been married in Season 3 and we’d be on our second set of triplets by now. I don’t know how the family became splintered, but I am dying to find out. I want to see Felicity reunited with both her son and daughter. I want to know what the hell happened to Oliver. I absolutely want to see William and Mia’s relationship as brother and sister develop. It reminds me of the Season 1 between Oliver and Thea or more accurately Oliver and Emiko now. If everything is a mess in the future then at the very least I want to see the Queen family fighting to make it better. SIGN ME THE HELL UP!!!!!! * * *“Star City Slayer’ felt like the birth of new OTA (William, Mia and JJ). Did you notice how JJ came running in as Mia interrogated William and Dinah, all protective and concerned for her? My ship is setting sail! * * *Kat McNamara said in her TVLine interview, “Beth has said they’re trying to combine the best qualities of Oliver and Felicity — his physical strength and her intellectual strength. “ * * * The fans didn’t introduce the Olicity baby into the story. * * * The writers did and they did it for a very specific reason. * * * This has always been what Oliver is fighting for. Arrow is not just about saving Star City. It’s about saving Oliver Queen too. Felicity’s love and the family they will build together is his salvation. * * * There’s been a lot of discussion about the “mistakes” Oliver has made and what he needs to do to be a better leader. I’m drawing a blank whenever this topic comes up around the Newbies because they are all awful and Oliver should’ve let them rot in Slabside. * * * ... * * * * * * Curtis decides to take the job in DC. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The minute Curtis said it I went online to buy him 15 plane tickets – one for him and his 14 PhDs. * * * I don’t know why Arrow continually compartmentalizes Felicity. It seems to me she could be deputized and work with Team Arrow as Overwatch while creating Smoak Tech. Maybe that will happen, but for now it seems only one activity at the time. But at least her storyline won’t be stripped and ransacked to serve Curtis Fucking Holt anymore. WE CONTINUE TO BE BLESSED FANDOM. ALL MY PRAISE TO JESUS AND BETH SCHWARTZ. * * * Last, but certainly not least, “Star City Slayer” finally delivers a villain worth watching. Stan the Fan is back and is more creepy, diabolical and terrifying in one episode than Diaz was for a year and a half! * * * That’s how we do! It’s gonna be so great when all four members of the Queen family are reunited, kicking ass, taking names and saving the city together. ETA: Okay, now I'm picturing Oliver, Felicity, William and Mia fighting together like The Incredibles. Edited February 13, 2019 by tv echo 5 Link to comment
tv echo February 14, 2019 Share February 14, 2019 (edited) "Arrow" Revealed Some Major Olicity News And I'm Going To Be Honest, I'm Emotional Nora Dominick February 13, 2019https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/arrow-revealed-some-major-olicity-news-katherine-mcnamara Quote This all led to a big reveal where Blackstar, played by Katherine McNamara, told William that she is actually Mia Smoak, Felicity's daughter. * * *And just like me, people are FREAKING OUT over the news. * * * Now, there's a few things I need to break down after this reveal because this is literally all I've been thinking about for two days: 1. Mia specifically says her last name is Smoak not Queen, which makes me incredibly nervous about her relationship with Oliver. * * * This also has me thinking about the next Arrowverse crossover. In "Crisis on Infinite Earths" the Monitor will return and undoubtably cash in on the favor Oliver owes him. Could Oliver have disappeared or be dead in the future? * * *2. With William going to live with his grandparents in present day and the fact that he doesn't recognize Mia, I'm wondering what the heck happened to Oliver, Felicity, and William's relationship. * * *3. And finally, now that we know Blackstar's name is Mia, it's possible that she can eventually take the place of Mia Dearden from the comic books. * * * In the comics, Mia Dearden is the second character to take up the Speedy mantle and become Green Arrow's sidekick. * * * Also, just a quick side note, I'm wondering why Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and The Flash have all explored events that are going to happen in the 2040s this season. It can't be a coincidence. * * * The future Arrow timeline takes place in 2040, Zari is captured in 2042 before she joins The Legends, and Nora West-Allen keep traveling back to 2049. * * *So, if you need me, I'll be watching the end of this episode on repeat and eagerly awaiting Arrow's return on March 4. Edited February 14, 2019 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 Arrow Season 7 Episode 13 Review: “Star City Slayer” Chris King February 14, 2019https://www.tvovermind.com/arrow-season-7-episode-13-review-star-city-slayer/ Quote After the frustrations I felt during Arrow‘s 150th episode last week, I needed an hour like “Star City Slayer” to remind why I love this show, even when it’s at its most maddening. Unlike Diggle’s proclamation that everyone had each other’s backs, this week’s emotional payoffs actually feel earned.... And what is this story exactly? I don’t know why I’m writing around it so much. If you watched the episode, you know the major reveal: Blackstar’s true identity is Mia Smoak, and she is the daughter of Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen. Again, as I mentioned above, this reveal is something that many fans have speculated about and accurately predicted for months, but that doesn’t stop it from being great, not only because of what it sets up for Oliver and Felicity in the present (How will the two of them deal with Felicity’s pregnancy after having just sent their son away to live a normal, safe life?) but because it injects the flash-forwards with a new sense of urgency that they desperately needed. No longer is this future storyline simply about an “abandoned” William halfheartedly trying to figure out what new disaster is coming for Star City; instead, it’s about two Queen siblings who have never met, who apparently didn’t even know the other existed, working together to not just save the city but create a stronger between themselves as well and, hopefully, find their parents in the process. If that sounds a lot like Oliver and Emiko’s storyline in the present day, you’re not wrong, and I don’t think it’s an accident. * * *It was important for both Oliver and Felicity to spend this time with William because, in its later seasons, Arrow has shifted from a show about Oliver Queen’s journey to a series about his legacy. The question is no longer about whether or not he’ll save Star City or how he’ll take down the latest season’s big bad (although let’s get one thing straight: Stan is more intimidating in one episode than Diaz has ever been). Arrow is now about what Oliver will leave behind when he hangs up the hood and bow and arrow for good, what he’ll have left when his identity transforms from the Green Arrow to simply that of husband and father. Oliver Queen will never stop being a hero, even when his days fighting for Star City are done, and from what we’ve seen throughout the flash-forwards as of right now, his children will never stop trying to be heroes either, even when everything else is telling them to run away and do the opposite. That’s what Oliver Queen’s legacy is: the heroic spirit of both William and Mia. And that’s not something they inherited through blood—it’s something they learned from the example of his and Felicity’s actions. Whether they were in the same home, same city, hell, same world as their parents, both William and Mia know what Oliver and Felicity have done to protect Star City and all the people they care about most. The two of them emulate that, whether it’s fighting with a knife or hacking into a building, and by doing so, they guarantee that, no matter what Oliver and Felicity’s fates in the future are, their parents live forever. That’s one hell of a legacy, isn’t it? * * * I also want to comment on some of the negative reactions I have seen to Felicity’s pregnancy from members of the Arrow fandom, including some people who call themselves Felicity Smoak fans. If you don’t like pregnancy or baby storylines on TV shows, that’s one thing, but to refer to Felicity as nothing more than an “incubator,” as simply a tool or mechanism from which Mia springs, is insulting to Felicity’s character and, more importantly, to all real-life mothers. Pregnancy will be a part of Felicity’s story moving forward in Season 7, but did everyone forget that she also regained full control of her company in this week’s episode and that she still serves as Overwatch on Team Arrow? Being a mother will not be Felicity’s sole character distinction just like being a father hasn’t been Oliver’s only character trait these past couple of years. These characters are more complicated and dynamic than that, and if you don’t believe that, I think we’ve been watching two very different shows over the past seven years. 5 Link to comment
tv echo February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 (edited) I'm not sure how I feel about naming a baby "Arrow"... 12 Valentine's Day-Themed Names For February Babies By Clare Green 02/14/2019 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/valentines-day-baby-names_l_5c65cc71e4b0233af97311ca Quote Arrow This is a name to please both romantics and comic book fans (and romantic comic book fans). Arrow is undeniably a weapon name, but in the sense of Cupid’s arrows of love, it feels less militaristic and more symbolic. The link to the superhero Green Arrow gives it extra cool points, as does the “o”-sound ending. Archer has shot up the charts in the last decade, and its cousin Arrow shows signs of following. Edited February 15, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
BkWurm1 February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 2 hours ago, tv echo said: I also want to comment on some of the negative reactions I have seen to Felicity’s pregnancy from members of the Arrow fandom, including some people who call themselves Felicity Smoak fans. I'm glad someone addressed this. 6 Link to comment
apinknightmare February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 2 hours ago, tv echo said: Pregnancy will be a part of Felicity’s story moving forward in Season 7, but did everyone forget that she also regained full control of her company in this week’s episode and that she still serves as Overwatch on Team Arrow? The only reason I feel even remotely confident about them doing something about this now is because they've already showed that it happens. And I really do hope she returns fully to being Overwatch once the lair is rebuilt. While I'm glad that the show has made an effort to keep her involved during its Law & Order phase, I'd much rather her be in the thick of things with everyone else. 2 hours ago, tv echo said: If you don’t like pregnancy or baby storylines on TV shows, that’s one thing, but to refer to Felicity as nothing more than an “incubator,” How gross and utterly unsurprising. 9 Link to comment
Chaser February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 (edited) Curtis leaving is a terrific (😜) sign for Overwatch as well. Edited February 15, 2019 by Chaser 3 3 Link to comment
Mary0360 February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 16 minutes ago, BkWurm1 said: I'm glad someone addressed this. At that it was from a legitimate and big name reviewer to. In regards to his comments about Felicity Smoak fans, they are also the same people who have claimed to have quit the show. So I'm not sure why they even care what happens to Olicity or Felicity on the show now? 2 Link to comment
KenyaJ February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Mary0360 said: At that it was from a legitimate and big name reviewer to. In regards to his comments about Felicity Smoak fans, they are also the same people who have claimed to have quit the show. So I'm not sure why they even care what happens to Olicity or Felicity on the show now? One of the people he called out is on Twitter gloating about having been mentioned in the review and doubling down on being disgusting. I'm pissed that it was even RTed into my TL. She clearly is just seeking attention at this point, and no one should give it to her. 1 Link to comment
Mary0360 February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 14 minutes ago, KenyaJ said: She clearly is just seeking attention at this point, and no one should give it to her. Agreed. I mean these people supposedly quit the show back before season 5 started because they were convinced Oliver and Dinah would be the new endgame couple, so them coming out of the woodworks now when something good happens for Olicity is just them trying to nastily rain on people's parades and get a reaction and attention they don't deserve. 1 Link to comment
tv echo February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 (edited) Did Flash Set Absenteeism Record? Are Whisperers Scarier Than Walkers? Truly Contrived Detective Work? And More Qs By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Ryan Schwartz, Dave Nemetz and Charlie Mason / February 15 2019, 9:58 AM PSThttps://tvline.com/2019/02/15/flash-5x14-barry-absent-almost-whole-episode-tv-questions/ Quote 8 | On Arrow, how were the Star City Slayer’s typewritten notes ending up with such big letters? Was he stopping by Kinko’s? Also, Oliver and Felicity are now fated to have a strained relationship with not one, but two kids? Are these flash forwards just getting more and more depressing? Edited February 15, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 15, 2019 Share February 15, 2019 (edited) EW's Kyle and Chance talked about 713 (among other things)... Entertainment Weekly - Superhero Insider: The Flash, Arrow, Doom Patrol, The Umbrella Academy Kyle Anderson and Chancellor Agard February 15, 2019 -- Arrow (713): They first discussed Curtis' exit from the show and referenced the EW interview with EK. It was EK's decision to leave. Curtis' exit has been in the works for awhile. Chance doesn't think that the show will replace Curtis with a new character, but that Felicity will probably go back to doing what she was doing before for the team. Kyle noted that the cast is still pretty big. -- Chance said that Mia's last name is Smoak and not Queen probably because the name "Queen" in Star City paints a big target on your back. -- Chance was a little exasperated that another new Queen character (Mia) was introduced right after a new Queen character (Emiko) was just introduced. He thought that the two characters should've been spread out over the season; however, he noted that it could be an example of history repeating itself - just like with the Undertaking 2.0. Kyle understood that the show was doing parallel storytelling, but felt that there should be some connection at some point. -- Chance doesn't seem to like the flashforwards. -- Kyle suggested that after Crisis on Infinite Earths, the entire show will shift to the future timeline with the new cast, which would allow SA to exit the show as a regular cast member. Chance thought that casting Katherine McNamara, who has a big fan following from Shadowhunters, showed that the producers were considering maybe a spinoff set in the future and were testing all these new characters this season on Arrow. -- Kyle didn't think it was a coincidence that Arrow and Flash were both dealing with future children this season. -- Arrow's 150th episode (712): Chance said that he liked the episode when he first watched it because they brought the team back, but then he read A.V. Club's negative review and thought that review made a lot of great points, like, how the documentary gimmick revealed a lot of flaws. For example, the characters didn't act any different when filmed by the documentary crew than when they weren't being filmed. Also, we got no idea of the documentary filmmaker's viewpoint. Kyle agreed that he got a "thrill" out of seeing Team Arrow together again and he loved the action sequences. However, he also agreed with its flaws. Chance pointed out that, unless you knew Barry Allen was The Flash, why would the documentary film crew interview him of all people? Also, how did the documentary crew find Sara Lance when she's traveling through time? Edited February 15, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 (edited) I don't think it's necessarily true that Mia didn't even know she had a half-brother. It's possible that she remembered a half-brother named "Will" but last saw him when she was a child, so she might not recognize him as an adult named William. Similarly, it's possible that William knew he had a half-sister but last saw her as a child and believed she was either living far away or dead (also, maybe her given name was Moira and she was known as "Rory" as a child)... DC TV Watch: 'Arrow' Retreads Same Twist for Its Latest Shocker FEBRUARY 16, 2019 8:15am PT by Sydney Bucksbaumhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/dc-tv-watch-arrow-felicity-pregnant-1187180 Quote The big news: Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) is pregnant with Oliver's (Stephen Amell) baby, and their daughter will grow up to become Blackstar (Katherine McNamara) in the future. What it means: This is obviously the news that "Olicity" fans have been waiting for ever since Oliver and Felicity got married. But this is hardly an event to celebrate, as it's far from a happy ending. Mia calls herself "Mia Smoak," which could signal trouble in paradise for Oliver and Felicity in the future. Her parents still haven't been seen or heard from in the future storyline, and there's no way of knowing if they're even alive at this point. Felicity's been "murdered" (although the jury is still out on if that actually happened, as Mia doesn't believe it) and no one is even mentioning Oliver. While the news of Felicity's pregnancy may be a good thing in the present, Mia's life has clearly not been one full of love. She didn't even know about her half-brother William (Ben Lewis), so this family is about to get fractured. It's also interesting to note that Arrow is retreading the same surprise family twist just a few episodes after revealing that the new Green Arrow is Oliver's half-sister Emiko (Sea Shimooka). Half-siblings suddenly appearing in a time of crisis? Has Arrow run out of ideas? Other noteworthy moments: The Star City Slayer was none other than Oliver's prison stalker, Stanley (Brendan Fletcher). After he escaped Slabside, he kept up his obsession with Oliver to the point where he started stalking Team Arrow. Before they caught him and sent him back to prison, he slashed Dinah's (Juliana Harkavy) throat, which finally explains her scar in the future. Has the Black Canary lost her cry for good? This sudden reappearance was well-done, as it both tied up a loose end from earlier in the season as well as packed a shocking punch for the future storyline. It can be argued that Dinah losing her cry is Oliver's fault for trusting the wrong person. That can't be an easy pill to swallow. And Team Arrow lost a member by the end of this week's episode. Echo Kellum has departed the show and is no longer a series regular as Curtis decided to accept a new job in Washington, D.C. to leave the vigilante life behind. There is the chance he could reappear as a guest star later down the line, but for now, Mr. Terrific has left the building. Edited February 17, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
Morrigan2575 February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 (edited) If Dinah blames Oliver for her losing her cry (assuming she actually has lost it) I'm going to be fucking pissed. How about she blames herself for walking into a basement by herself instead of waiting for her partner (isn't that what cops do?) How about she blame herself for not clearing the room (checking all around for the suspect) instead of going to look at a freaking wall?! Edited February 17, 2019 by Morrigan2575 5 Link to comment
jay741982 February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 28 minutes ago, Morrigan2575 said: If Dinah blames Oliver for her losing her cry (assuming she actually has lost it) I'm going to be fucking pissed. How about she blames herself for walking into a basement by herself instead of waiting for her partner (isn't that what cops do?) How about she blame herself for not clearing the room (checking all around for the suspect) instead of going to look at a freaking wall?! Cause that's not the MO of any of NTA or the Writers Link to comment
kes0704 February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 8 hours ago, Morrigan2575 said: If Dinah blames Oliver for her losing her cry (assuming she actually has lost it) I'm going to be fucking pissed. How about she blames herself for walking into a basement by herself instead of waiting for her partner (isn't that what cops do?) How about she blame herself for not clearing the room (checking all around for the suspect) instead of going to look at a freaking wall?! The writers are aware that Dinah is not a well like character when you consider the not so subtle lines of Rene telling her to “keep doing what you’re doing, haters gonna hate” and Captain Singh telling her she can “change hearts and minds” and would avoid going down the path of having her blame Oliver for something...again. But then I remember it’s Arrow and they often double, triple, quadruple down and go with the most irritating and/or infuriating choice. Link to comment
Mary0360 February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 After Dinahs attitude in season 6 it's completely consistent with her character to blame Oliver for no reason so I wouldn't be surprised if that happens. 2 Link to comment
Mellowyellow February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 haha I tuned out of all the Dinah scenes I missed all the meta references. So they know she's hated but they'll just keep trying to make fetch happen. I've accepted her mug is all over the place actually. I just find it silly the actress and tptb can't accept that she's irrelevant. 3 Link to comment
Mary0360 February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 13 minutes ago, Mellowyellow said: haha I tuned out of all the Dinah scenes I missed all the meta references. So they know she's hated but they'll just keep trying to make fetch happen. I've accepted her mug is all over the place actually. I just find it silly the actress and tptb can't accept that she's irrelevant. Maybe her being sudden bffs with Oliver is suppose to achieve the same kind of positive reaction and acceptance as BS being friends with Felicity 🤷♀️ Except they didn't realise that Stephen was going to phone in all his performances with her and that Juliana would get confused in scenes and start making seductive eyes at inanimate objects. 2 2 Link to comment
Mellowyellow February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 3 minutes ago, Mary0360 said: Maybe her being sudden bffs with Oliver is suppose to achieve the same kind of positive reaction and acceptance as BS being friends with Felicity 🤷♀️ Except they didn't realise that Stephen was going to phone in all his performances with her and that Juliana would get confused in scenes and start making seductive eyes at inanimate objects. Haha you're right! In this sense she drew the short draw and KC got the better deal with EBR. Lord I hope she's not going to lobby for scenes with EBR next season. She's an ambitious one it wouldn't surprise me 💀☠💀 Link to comment
way2interested February 17, 2019 Share February 17, 2019 Ah, I was wondering about Mia's little theme https://austencello.tumblr.com/post/182877096534/star-city-slayer-arrow-music-notes-7x13 Quote Blackstar aka Mia Smoak I mentioned in my 7x08 review that Blackstar was likely to be important because of the very memorable fight theme she was given while fighting in the cage. They don’t give out themes like that to just anyone. This electric guitar theme returned as the flash-forward teams fight: Mia and Connor against Roy, Dinah, William, and Zoe. It lends a danger vibe fitting with the no-care attitude she carries with her as well as her superior fighting capabilities. The important moment, however, is when it was used filling in the spaces during the proclamation to William that Felicity was her mom and therefore his sister. It also seemed to match the bombshell effect it left on William’s face, as well as who Mia is: bold and intense. And the reference from 708 Quote That being said, the clearest was introduced with Blackstar. Clearly, the attention on the actress herself joining the cast as well as a really cool theme as she was fighting means that she is important. Her theme consists of a low slightly distorted electric guitar. Her theme ends in dissonance and repeats several times and then just plays the first six notes (without the dissonance) as she wins in a higher register. Now, the only other character that usually uses electric guitar is usually Oliver Queen (unless you count the Justice Society in Legends) but he usually uses harmonics instead of this grittier sound. Does mean that she is somehow connected to the Queen family or a hero in using a sound for the JSA? It’s a little too early to say but it could be a possibility either way. When they ask about Felicity and she admits to being her broker for a few parts, the music for the future returns. This seems to appear in every scene where they are either in Felicity’s offices or talking about her and her possible nefarious plans. It’s electronic and futuresque in sound. As Blackstar warns/threatens them that asking questions about Felicity is dangerous, a three note motif returns in the strings combined with two distorted notes that had appeared in 7x06 (William determined to discover what happened to Felicity). The string motif also happens to be the first three notes of Blackstar’s theme. Coincidence or connected? The motif returns after they visit her office again to look for evidence that she was withholding information. 4 Link to comment
tv echo February 21, 2019 Share February 21, 2019 (edited) ‘Arrow’ recap and review: 7×13, “Star City Slayer” Lynsey Neill February 20, 2019https://www.purefandom.com/2019/02/20/arrow-7x13-star-city-slayer/ Quote There was scotch and tattoos. Badass synchronicities. Flawless transitions. And an all consuming gut feeling that she has to be someone extremely important in this universe. But there was also a promise to Oliver Queen that we couldn’t ignore. That after he’s survived all of his islands, he can live. He can live a life with his wife, son, and daughter. He can feel the warmth of a family even if he’s a protector to Star City. Because really, he has earned that much. * * * Mia Smoak is the child of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak. * * * Well… of course there is a small matter of this apocalyptic Star City and Mia going by the last name Smoak, not Queen. Obviously, something disastrous happens… but her royalty status as Queen is always implied. * * * William gets kicked out of boarding school for fighting and the school doesn’t call his parents to let them know? Plot meet hole. * * * Stan The Fan returns in the creepiest episode of Arrow yet. I think Arrow can stand to insert more horror-movie-esque vibes into their more grounded themes, I live to be spooked. * * *But can Stan please stay? He’s is wayyyyy more terrifying than Diaz. I know that doesn’t say much because Diaz isn’t terrifying in the slightest. Anyways, Stan’s backstory actually makes sense. Him and his brother were abused their whole lives by their parents, Stan killed them, his brother found out and left him, so Stan killed his brother. Now he is looking for replacement brother in Oliver, and eliminating who he sees as bad for him. * * *Stray thoughts: FELICITY SMOAK IS PREGNANT WITH OLIVER QUEEN’S CHILD WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE! HOW IS OLIVER GOING TO REACT TO THIS NEWS?!? … I’M VERY EMOTIONAL! Edited February 21, 2019 by tv echo 1 Link to comment
tv echo February 21, 2019 Share February 21, 2019 (edited) Amazing job by Austencello - it was too long to quote below, but she goes through Olicity themes in detail with specific episode citations; it's also interesting that Oliver never had a couples theme with Sara, Helena or McKenna (fyi, the beginning of this article, which I didn't quote, outlined Lauriver themes)... List of Olicity Themes February 20, 2019https://austencello.tumblr.com/post/182940428674/list-of-olicity-themes Quote ... As this [Lauriver] relationship was disintegrating in Season 2, a new small theme emerged with Felicity and Oliver, the first time the two of them had any sort of theme apart from Team Arrow: “No Choice”. This theme occurred 3 times: * * *It was the first hints of a romantic theme between Oliver and anyone else besides Laurel. It give hints about how Oliver felt about Felicity but also had a tinge of sadness, not letting either of them delve into their feelings for each. Oliver then dates Sara but all the themes are related to either Sara or Oliver without a specific love theme for them. Then life greats crazy with Slade, Moira is killed, Thea is angry and leaves, Laurel finds out Oliver is the Arrow and then is kidnapped by Slade as the woman he loves. It is at this point that those hints of Oliver’s feelings for Felicity come back out in 2x23 as he tells her that Slade took the wrong woman. At this point, the Olicity theme is born: “The one I love.” From then on, Felicity is the only woman for Oliver and that theme is used quite a few times throughout the show as they head towards marriage and now a kid. * * *One cannot also ignore the angsty Olicity theme as well. This one reflects the love they have for each other but unable or unwilling to be together. Occasionally it is used for others he loves especially in the beginning but it really focuses on Felicity and Oliver after 3x20. Someone You Love * * *Finally to bookend with small Olicity themes, there is Domestic Olicity. “Domestic Life” * * * (Read more) Edited February 26, 2019 by tv echo 3 Link to comment
tv echo February 21, 2019 Share February 21, 2019 DC Is Finally Doing It Right Jithin Jacob Feb 15, 2019 Updated Feb 20, 2019http://www.umassmedia.com/opinions/dc-is-finally-doing-it-right/article_70876d0a-3160-11e9-b302-63a242434b77.html Quote I don’t mind a gritty version of a character done properly. Take the Green Arrow adaptation for TV for instance, which started in 2012. That’s a balanced dark take on a character. The show started off with the antagonist killing all the criminals he came across and places where the character faces moral ambiguity, but it is interspersed with lighthearted moments by the supporting characters, which makes it work. It is in its seventh season and still going strong. The DC universe for TV, dubbed the "Arrowverse," was proof to me that DC could not just do a shared universe, but do it well. ... 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 24, 2019 Share February 24, 2019 (edited) Arrow: 5 Things We Already Know About Mia Smoak (And 5 Questions We Need Answered) by Meredith Jacobs – on Feb 21, 2019https://www.cbr.com/arrow-things-already-know-mia-smoak-questions-need-answered/ 10 KNOW: SHE WAS THE LAST PERSON FELICITY CALLED BEFORE HER POSSIBLE DEMISE 9 DON'T KNOW: WHAT WERE SHE AND FELICITY WORKING ON BEFORE FELICITY'S END? 8 KNOW: SHE'S USING THE CODENAME BLACKSTAR 7 DON'T KNOW: WHY DIDN'T SHE AND WILLIAM RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER? 6 KNOW: SHE DOESN'T LIKE VIGILANTES 5 DON'T KNOW: WHY DOES SHE HATE DINAH AND ZOE? 4 KNOW: SHE'S A GREAT FIGHTER 3 DON'T KNOW: IS SHE RIGHT THAT FELICITY IS ALIVE? 2 KNOW: SHE'S FELICITY AND OLIVER'S DAUGHTER 1 DON'T KNOW: WHAT'S HER RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH OLIVER? Edited February 24, 2019 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo February 26, 2019 Share February 26, 2019 The State of CW’s DCU [Part 1]: Where We See Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and Black Lightning Going [PREVIEW] Posted by Joey Mills February 25, 2019https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/02/25/flash-arrow-supergirl-lightning-cw-dcu-part-1 Quote Let’s talk about Arrow. We’ve been led to believe that Oliver made some sort of deal with the Monitor in this season’s crossover that we expect to be cashed in during next year’s event. Every season, the crossovers become more bombastic. Every season, someone will make an off-the-cuff remark about the crossover sometime when the shows return from hiatus in mid-January. Every season, they’re completely forgotten by February. Surely Arrow should be ratcheting up the tension for Oliver, no? Andy: What is up with Future Rene? Can we get him back in his hockey mask taking down baddies, please? Please don’t write Curtis off the show. Please don’t have Felicity actually be dead in the future. Joey: It feels like the arc for the future stories will result in some sort of resolution where not-vigilante Rene and not-dead Felicity will return to saving the city, perhaps as leaders/mentors for the younger generation. Back in the present day, I feel like we need a villain. ARGUS is chasing Dante, but with Diaz behind bars–for now?–and the loose end with Stanley tied up, we’re entering March without a major villain looming large over the remaining episodes. Who’s going to outman, outgun, and outmatch the SCPD this May? Andy: And let’s hope Emiko pricks Oliver’s social conscience again. I miss the “YOU FAILED THIS CITY” revenge vibe against the greedy and corrupt. Let’s get back to those roots. Link to comment
tv echo February 26, 2019 Share February 26, 2019 (edited) I'm surprised that this list didn't include Olicity's "You will always be the love of my life" scene from 7x09... 25 Times Olicity Were Couple Goals ghostfox February 25, 2019https://www.buzzfeed.com/ghostfox/25-times-olicity-were-couple-goals-3sf58 Quote ... After assassins, a broken engagement, countless villains, prison, and even the addition of a pre-teen, can anything take this couple down? NEVER, I hear the Oliciters shout. So let’s take a look back at the twenty-five times Olicity were the ultimate #CoupleGoals of the DCTV universe. * * *1. “You are not alone and I believe in you.” Season 2, Episode 22 ... This entire episode was full of amazing Olicity moments, from Oliver declaring his love to her (which we all know wasn’t really a ruse as he originally had her believe, ah the old days of angst!) to this incredible moment where at the depths of his doubts, Felicity steps up and reminds Oliver of the man he truly is, and how much he’s capable of. Is there anything more powerful than a strong woman standing in your corner? Not for Oliver. * * *4. “You opened up my heart in a way I didn’t even know was possible.” Season 3, Episode 20 ... Do we even need to say anything about this perfect scene? Silk sheets, candles, and only a few hundred assassins between them and safety, when better to confess your feelings to the man you love and have a first time that made us question whether we’d ever see anything quite so romantic on television? * * *6. “You don’t have to be funny for me.” Season 4, Episode 13. ... Felicity Smoak’s funny anecdotes are one of the amazing parts of the show that bring the lighter tones into darker storylines, but when she goes to hide her pain over the return of her estranged father, Oliver’s quick to remind her that she can be honest with him and not hide behind her humor. Get you a man who can see through your jokes and help you process the harder times. * * *10. “My coffee shop is in a bad neighborhood.” Season 1, Episode 3 ... Famously known as the moment we may have first seen Oliver smile genuinely in the show, Felicity Smoak’s first appearance is an instant impact on our broody hero. He’s an instant goner for her babbling and the way he trusts her to help him from the get-go. * * *15. “I have been in love with Oliver for six years.” Season 6, Episode 21. ... We never needed validity on how long Felicity has loved her man because we know these two were fools for each other long before they gave in, but seeing her on the stand declaring her love for him at his most desperate moment is a small reprieve to the threat of separation. * * *20. “For better or worse.” Season 4, Episode 10 ... Recovering from Damien Darhk’s paralyzing attack leaves Felicity reminding Oliver that her injury isn’t the life he signed up for, but he won’t hear it. He skips right over ‘in sickness and health’ to remind us that there’s nothing he wants in life more than the woman he loves and we weren’t crying, the sky was just leaking. * * *23. “At last.” Season 6, Episode 10 ...At Last indeed. Etta James summed it up perfectly in the ultimate song for the couple’s first dance at their wedding reception. Olicity surrounded by friends and family, celebrating their wedding, what more could we want from an episode opener? 1. “You are not alone and I believe in you.” Season 2, Episode 22 2. “There was no choice to make.” Season 2, Episode 7 3. “You are my always, and I just want the chance to be yours.” Season 4, Episode 16. 4. “You opened up my heart in a way I didn’t even know was possible.” Season 3, Episode 20 5. “It’s a mortal lock.” Season 5, Episode 5. 6. “You don’t have to be funny for me.” Season 4, Episode 13. 7. “His life would be better with you in it. Just like mine.” Season 6, Episode 3. 8. “Hold on to me tight.” Season 1, Episode 22. 9. “I’m glue, baby.” Season 6, Episode 18. 10. “My coffee shop is in a bad neighborhood.” Season 1, Episode 3 11. “She is the one who lights my way.” Season 4, Episode 9. 12. Felicity Smoak, you have failed this omelet.” Season 4, Episode 1. 13. “It was red.” Season 3, Episode 1. 14. “You will always be my girl, Felicity.” Season 2, Episode 14. 15. “I have been in love with Oliver for six years.” Season 6, Episode 21. 16. “Promise me you’re not going to tell anyone that we had bunker sex.” Season 5, Episode 20. 17. “You’ll always have me.” Season 6, Episode 17. 18. “You’re remarkable.” Season 1, Episode 9. 19. “We found ourselves in each other.” Season 4, Episode 6. 20. “For better or worse.” Season 4, Episode 10 21. “If you ever need to tell someone about your day, you can tell me.” Season 1, Episode 18 22. “I want to be with you.” Season 3, Episode 23. 23. “At last.” Season 6, Episode 10 24. “I’m a better human being just because I’ve loved you.” Season 6, Crossover Episodes. 25. “I love every moment when I am with you, no matter where we are.” Season 4, Episode 1. Edited February 26, 2019 by tv echo 5 Link to comment
tv echo February 28, 2019 Share February 28, 2019 (edited) Wonder if BuzzFeed's Nora Dominick is preparing to write another article... ETA: She already wrote the following article... Which TV Couple Did You Fall In Love With Based Only On Their First Scene Together? Nora Dominick February 26, 2019https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/which-tv-couple-did-you-immediately-fall-in-love-with Quote But, has there every been one TV couple that you knew would be your favorite based on their very first scene together? * * *Maybe you're like me and the moment Oliver stepped into Felicity's office on Arrow, you knew they would be your favorite couple ever. * * * So, tell us which TV couple instantly became your favorite and WHY via the DropBox below, and you could be featured in a BuzzFeed Community post or video! Edited February 28, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 4, 2019 Share March 4, 2019 Arrow - Star City Slayer - Review Posted by Lisa Macklem at March 03, 2019https://www.spoilertv.com/2019/03/arrow-star-city-slayer-review.html Quote Arrow “Star City Slayer” was written by the team of Beth Schwartz and Jill Blakenship[sic] and was directed by Gregory Smith. This episode wraps up – potentially – a couple of storylines and has a couple of somewhat obvious reveals. My biggest beef with the show right now is the future storyline. Why did we need a whole new show? And to that end, because no show can afford that many regular cast members, we see Echo Kellum (Curtis) leave the show. Now, I know I’ve been his harshest critic in the past, but I think this is an actor who was completely squandered by the show. Yes. His comedy was way, way over the top and I hated it, but when asked to do a dramatic scene, Kellum delivered every time. * * * We learn that Felicity is pregnant just before we learn in the future that Maya is actually Mia Smoak (Katherine McNamara) and Felicity’s daughter – guess we know what Felicity is having! We also learn in this episode that Connor Hawke (Joseph David-Jones) is Diggle’s son – was anybody surprised by any of this? It’s Kid-Arrow Team. The bizzaro world continues as it’s obvious that Star City and the Glades have really just switched places as the Glades is now the home of the privileged. There is quite a good fight scene in the future storyline. Mia reveals as well that Felicity is still alive. I’m dreading seeing her in the simply awful aging makeup. * * * All in all, while this episode had some good fight scenes and I did like the final faceoff with Stanley, the future storyline continues to distract and detract from the present for me. ... Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) A.V. Club reviewer gave 713 a grade of C+ and 714 a grade of B in this combined review... Arrow prepares for a new era with exits, introductions, and a hell of a lighter-catch Allison Shoemaker March 5, 2019https://tv.avclub.com/arrow-prepares-for-a-new-era-with-exits-introductions-1833055244 Quote ... The last two episodes of Arrow—the mini horror movie “Star City Slayer,” and the more meditative “Brothers And Sisters”—both sprint through some pretty major developments, and continue in establishing a new status quo. ... * * *There’s plenty that works about “Star City Slayer,” particularly Dinah’s anxiety about being outed as the Black Canary, a young William storyline that actually makes sense, and Brendan Fletcher (as Stanley, the Sobbing Star City Slayer) chewing the holy hell out of absolutely all of the scenery. It is entirely too much, but it’s definitely not boring. Yet even with a scene in which the Queen family have to defend themselves from a weepy psycohpath whose daddy issues assert themselves in the form of scary gas using only a glass bottle and some finger movement, the big developments of the episode concern entrances and exits. Let’s review: * * * So the show essentially jettisons two major characters (young William and Curtis) and one character that seemed to be set up for a longer storyline (Stanley, though he could come back) in an episode that also includes some very violent throat-slashing, the hint of a pregnancy, that crazy glass bottle thing, and Dinah’s Black Canary feelings (complete with Captain Singh cameo). That is a lot. ... But wow, it’s a lot, and that’s largely due to the comically convenient revelations considering the characters in the future storyline. For reference, they are: Future Dinah, Future Roy, Future Mayor Rene, and then it’s literally all kids of characters in the current storyline, and none of them seem to know each other. There’s Future William, Future Zoe, and the only versions of Connor Hawke/Diggle and Mia/Maya Smoak we’ve yet seen. All we need is a Lance and maybe a kid of Thea’s, and then they can face off against Ricardo Diaz Jr. Maybe they can even get Nora Darhk to come over from Legends for a bit. * * *I will not believe that Ricardo Diaz is dead until I see a body. I’ve been burned before. (Get it?) But even that aside, that’s a whole bunch of stuff—and that up there is a partial list. What puts “Brothers And Sisters” a step above the others is that the theme works beautifully with almost every story. Oliver, Rene, and Emiko, William and Mia, Diggle and Felicity, Felicity and Not-Laurel. All center on people treating each other like or acknowledging each other as family. All include honest, kind, tough sibling conversations. All mark a step in an existing or burgeoning relationship. It’s smart writing, character-driven and efficient. It’s still too crowded; it still robs some of the more potent storyline of some potential heft. But unlike “Star City Slayer,” it feels like more than a plot dump with one smart character story. Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) Too bad Felicity's only choice of female friendship is a woman who previously tried to kill her... Arrow recap: Oliver and Emiko hit some speed bumps on their first team-up CHANCELLOR AGARD March 04, 2019 https://ew.com/recap/arrow-season-7-episode-14/ Quote While tonight’s episode “Brothers & Sisters” does touch on Curtis’ departure a couple of times, it’s more concerned with that latter development. In fact, the episode digs into Felicity’s anxiety over becoming a mother and starts to explore William and Mia’s dynamic, as well as Oliver and Emiko’s. * * *The development of Felicity and Laurel’s friendship has been one of the best parts of the season, if only because I don’t think we’ve ever had anything like this on the show. I could be wrong, but Arrow has never really given Felicity another female with whom she could bond. I don’t remember her having too many meaty scenes like this with Thea or the original Laurel. Sure, she was friendly with Alena, but their relationship didn’t have the emotional depth as the one she has with Earth-2 Laurel now. For the most part, Felicity has always been closest with Oliver and Diggle, which makes sense and is great, but this is great because female friendships are important and it further helps Felicity have a life outside of her relationship to Oliver. * * * ... This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the sting goes to hell because Diaz betrays them — because of course he did! He fries the chip in his brain, tells Dante that he’s been set up, and proceeds to shoot his way out of the embassy. Unfortunately, Dante escapes in the chaos, because it looks like he’s the season’s big bad. But it’s not all bad news, because Diggle makes up for his past mistake and helps Felicity capture Diaz instead of going after Dante. And it seems as though Laurel’s talk actually helped Felicity because she decided not to kill Diaz when she got the chance. * * * -The episode ends with someone — presumably Dante — covering Diaz in gas and setting him on fire in his cell. Wonder how the Dragon likes the fire now? Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) ARROW SEASON 7, EPISODE 14: "BROTHERS & SISTERS" REVIEW BY JESSE SCHEEDEN 4 MAR 2019https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/05/arrow-season-7-episode-14-brothers-sisters-review Quote The title hinted at a major Ollie/Emiko storyline. Unfortunately, that’s not really what we got out of this week’s installment. That’s one area the show hasn’t handled particularly well. Emiko’s debut in December was a great way to cap off the first half of the season, but she hasn’t been quite the prominent player she really needs to be. There was some sibling drama to be had in this episode, but nothing as deep or compelling as the series needs. The reveal that Emiko is hiding a great deal from Ollie doesn’t carry as much weight when we’re not fully invested in their relationship yet. * * * The title also refers to the recent revelation that Mia is Felicity’s daughter. This episode did a better job on that front, establishing a stronger sense of rapport between William and Mia and exploring their shared parental hang-ups. This is one area where the interplay between present and future works well. Felicity’s pregnancy announcement is cause for joy in 2019, but we already know full well that she and Ollie aren’t destined for a happy domestic life. The William/Mia material helped provide an emotional anchor to a subplot that’s been too dominated by by an endless series of twists lately. * * * With that in mind, it’s just as well this episode cast aside the other Ghost Initiative members in favor of a reluctant Team Arrow/Diaz team-up. That pairing proved far more entertaining. It also allowed Felicity to finally get some closure and prove to herself and the rest of the world that she’s no longer haunted by the specter of Ricardo Diaz. * * * Plus, we got our first real glimpse of Dante in action. Seeing Duncan MacLeod himself, Adrian Paul, doing battle with the Green Arrow is pretty neat. Paul definitely has the necessary blend of danger and physicality to take over Kirk Acevedo’s role as the big villain of the series. If the brief clash between Ollie and Dante in the climax is any indication, we’re due for some killer fight scenes in the weeks ahead. Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
apinknightmare March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 16 minutes ago, tv echo said: Sure, she was friendly with Alena, but their relationship didn’t have the emotional depth as the one she has with Earth-2 Laurel now. Unearned emotional depth, but I guess we don’t care about that anymore, LOL. 5 Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) Arrow, ‘Brothers and Sisters’: There’s No Sign of a Midseason Slowdown as Dante Makes His Debut BY CRAIG WACK · MARCH 5, 2019http://oohlo.com/2019/03/05/arrow-brothers-and-sisters-theres-no-sign-of-a-midseason-slowdown-as-dante-makes-his-debut/ Quote Like the episode before it, Arrow continues to slash and burn through plot like a flamethrower. It’s almost like the writers are trying to make up for six seasons of “get on with it already” in one frantically paced series of episodes. ... * * *Sex and the Olicity: Felicity has been trying to find the right moment to spill the beans to Ollie about their bundle of joy. Fake Laurel figures it out by the lack of booze and coffee during her meeting with Felicity (which is odd because I don’t remember Felicity popping bottles much before she was pregnant). Felicity finally gets a moment to let Oliver in on her secret after they get invited to back up Diggle on the Dante hunt. It’s a tender moment that’s been in short supply since Oliver has been imprisoned or distracted and Felicity, in perpetual paranoid Mama Bear mode. * * * ... Dante reveals that he’s more than a nice suit and an evil plot, as he starts shredding loose ends with some hidden knives. Oliver has a fight with him on a balcony before Dante makes his escape. Felicity gets the drop on Diaz and as he monologues about how Felicity still doesn’t have the guts to pull the trigger, Diggle comes up behind him and knocks him cold. It’s not exactly a happy ending as Diggle falls on his sword at ARGUS to keep Lilah in position to continue to investigate Dante and the related conspiracy (also freeing him up to join the Star City PD). Oh, and Diaz might be dead for the third or fourth time (it’s hard to keep track these days). Someone rigged the sprinkler system in his cell to spray a volatile liquid all over him, and he gives a “What are you doing here?” to an unseen person who tosses a lighter into the cell. Diaz makes a great catch, but it’s not enough to keep him from going up in flames. They want you to believe that the unseen person was Not-Laurel, who killed Diaz in the exact fashion Diaz killed his childhood bully last season. * * *Last impressions: I’m starting to dig this roller-coaster ride. Normally, this time of the season is reserved for side adventures while the big-bad mysteriously goes on vacation for two or three episodes at a time. So this surge of significant plot developments is a welcome change. Emiko’s connection to Dante suddenly makes the thought that she eventually takes over as the Green Arrow seem even more unlikely. Oliver might actually be discovering the cracks in her façade, because the construction of her arrows is going to come back into play. Despite the fact I’m still not sold on the whole future plotline, Arrow is hitting enough character notes and providing solid action to keep it entertaining week in, week out. Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) Arrow season 7, episode 14 review: Brothers and Sisters by Scott Brown March 5, 2019https://bamsmackpow.com/2019/03/05/arrow-season-7-episode-14-review/ Quote The A.R.G.U.S. storyline has been one of the most lackluster storyline lines throughout the entire season. It honestly felt like it was a story just to give Diggle and Curtis something to do rather than anything important. The show has tried to make Dante feel like this grand, mysterious villain, but there’s never actually been shown as to why he should be an intimidating presence. Sad to say, but that is also the case for this episode. It’s always fun to see the Suicide Squad in action on this show, so after being absent for several seasons, it was exciting to see the team again. The team itself is also great with Diaz, China White, Cupid, and Grant Wilson. The problem is though, they don’t have chemistry. The team feels very bland when together which is sad to say. * * * Everything about this story feels bland actually. The team, the story itself, and the action. There’s really no excitement or suspense when it comes to any part of this episode dealing with the Suicide Squad, except for the final scene when only Diaz is involved. They’re portrayed as protagonists, but after being portrayed as both minor to major antagonists, it’s hard to root and care for them due to the fact that we haven’t been with them enough to care about any of them which really hinders the impact that the story is trying to have when involving these characters. The only part of the episode that dealt with the Suicide Squad that was good was Felicity’s turmoil and need for revenge. It’s great to see Laurel advise Felicity to be better and has a great amount of emotion behind it. It looks like Dante is going to be playing a much bigger role going forward though meaning that maybe this story wasn’t as much as an afterthought as it seemed. The better story in this episode though is Oliver’s story. It’s definitely the B-story of the episode and doesn’t have as much screen time as the Suicide Squad story, but it’s so much better. It’s tenser and has better action to it and immensely more emotionally charged. * * * Despite a lackluster A-story, the B-story and flash-forwards are compelling enough to make about half of this episode of Arrow interesting enough to be enjoyable. Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) ARROW 7.14 Review “Brothers & Sisters” By AMELIA EMBERWING Mar. 05, 2019https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2019/03/05/arrow-7.14-review-brothers-sisters Quote “Brothers & Sisters” is about exactly what you’d expect, but only one pair of siblings does anything really noteworthy. I desperately want to be on board with this Emiko arc, it just hasn’t grabbed me yet. Sea Shimooka does fine in the part, and Stephen Amell has proven time and time again that he can turn Oliver into an emotional powerhouse, I’m just not into it. Mia and William steal the show in the future, bonding over their broken parents, but we learn that Oliver and Felicity aren’t the messes that the two of them may think. ... Either someone’s gone to great lengths to ensure that the Smoak-Queen children think their parents are tremendous assholes, or there’s some timeline funniness going on. * * * Dig’s decision to jeopardize the primary objective to be Felicity’s backup is actually quite heartwarming. Shades of the old John Diggle shone through both then and when he tells Lyla that it’ll be him taking the fall for the Suicide Squad so that she can remain in charge of ARGUS. It took a while, but it looks like the band’s finally getting back together! ... With Diaz out of prison, their murder mission’s back on. The thing is, Laurel’s not as into it as she once was. Then she finds out that Felicity’s pregnant, and all cuteness breaks loose. Not only does Laurel go to the store and bring back all kinds of healthy and otherwise pregnant-friendly snacks, she also gives Felicity a kick in the pants kind of pep talk that can only come after you and a friend have plotted to kill a man. Oliver might not have been the first to know, but the scene where he learns that Felicity is pregnant is appropriately both short and sweet. She’s happy, he’s happy, everyone’s happy! Except Ricardo Diaz, because he’s finally dead. Everyone do a little dance; we don’t have to deal with that arc any longer! Unfortunately, Dante’s story doesn’t seem any more interesting for the time being. That’s the long and short of this week. Some solid progression, with Mia finally willing to be a team player after some nudging from her brother in the future. Meanwhile Oliver’s made huge strides as a character. There’s an Olicity baby on the way! Dig lost his job, Lyla didn’t, and somehow Black Siren is a better friend than Earth 1 Laurel Lance ever managed to be! Lots going on and lots more to look forward to in the coming weeks. Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo Link to comment
tv echo March 5, 2019 Share March 5, 2019 (edited) TV Review: ‘Arrow: Brothers and Sisters’ POSTED MARCH 5TH, 2019 BY DARRYL JASPERhttp://sciencefiction.com/2019/03/05/arrow-review-brothers-sisters/ Quote When examining what has worked this season of Arrow to what hasn’t, it seems that when the story drives the narrative instead of the characters, the show falls into a bit of trouble. That’s not to say there haven’t been good story-driven episodes. After all, the first part of the season was based around Oliver’s time in jail. But this show’s strength is not the plot-focused episodes, rather when character relationships are explored. “Brothers and Sisters” is the perfect example of the latter. Not only do several characters break ground as they try to move forward with one another, but the growth several of them have gone through is put on display. As the titular character, Oliver is definitely the most important cog in this Arrow machine. His transition from Inmate 4587 to Oliver Queen to a deputized member of the SCPD goes far beyond story credentials. Not only is he less angry and rash, but he’s also patient and actually listens before casting his own judgment. This newly developed trait is displayed several times throughout the episode. * * * Casting aside the casual nature of calling out his wife’s plan to murder someone, Oliver doesn’t try to verbally beat Felicity into seeing things his way. He admits he doesn’t think it’s the right thing to do while, at the same time, looking at it from her perspective. It’s one of the best examples of dealing with conflict in a relationship I’ve ever seen on the show. And for it to come from Oliver, a man who, for the most part, has been that alpha-type persona who can only see things his way, it’s a pleasant treat to see such growth executed on screen. * * * Though I’m a huge fan of Emily Bett-Rickards, there have been too many moments where Felicity has been overly simplified as the tech/comic relief (similar to Curtis). But when given a situation weighted with strife, she’s been great. That’s why her arc in “Brothers and Sisters” is so satisfying. It’s completely understandable for her wanting Diaz dead and the conflict at discovering Diggle and Lyla using him instead of making sure he’s locked away is a jarring revelation to her. Couple that with her newly discovered pregnancy and it’s not a surprise for her to be driven to protect her family at all costs. But despite all that, Felicity isn’t a murderer and, when she comes face to face with Diaz with no one to stand in her way, she chooses not to pull the trigger. She realizes who she is and, in that, knows there’s a better way. Sure, Diaz’s being set aflame by an unknown assailant makes her decision moot (for the plot line), it doesn’t take away what she’s discovered for herself as a character. The character development on its own makes “Brothers and Sisters” one of the better episodes of this season. But it’s the last few plot-driven minutes that put it over the top. Not only do we finally get to see the villainous Dante made flesh, but we also get to see that the man is a verifiable bad-ass, even besting Oliver before making his escape. The fact that he’s played by Highlander’s Adrian Paul is an added bonus. Adding to that bonus is the shocking end where it’s revealed that Emiko’s working with/for him—he tells her “it’s time to come home”—adds that much more flavor to what may be the best season seven Arrow episode to date. Edited March 5, 2019 by tv echo 2 Link to comment
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