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The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow


Grammaeryn
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The 27 Most Bad-ass Women on TV in 2014

 

Felicity Smoak 24

 

Badass Boss Moves: Felicity started her time on Arrow as a smart but timid computer whiz. Fast forward to Season 3 and she’s completely able to hold her own when it comes to working with Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey). She’s also an insanely skilled hacker and runs circles around all of the men around her. Did I mention she’s also got, like, a bunch of men who want to date her? (I’m looking at you, Oliver and Barry [Grant Gustin], both of whom are total babes.)

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/badass-women-on-tv-in-2014#.kglRwW8Gb

 

And for plot purposes 32 Men on TV that make you Thirsty.

 

21 Diggle

 

What makes him hot: Diggle is a vision in a suit and without. Thank you, Arrow.

Thirst level: Fever of 103, seeing purple dragons in your room, and all you need is a glass of H2O so you can wash down the Tylenol.

 

11 Oliver

 

What makes him hot: He’s a rich and charming dude, but he’s also a superhero and, ya know, survived a couple of years of hell on an island.

Thirst level: You just ate a handful of pretzels in the middle of a work meeting, and have to wait it the fuck out. Luckily, there are visions of Ollie training to kick some ass, which help.

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/32-tv-men-who-made-you-thirsty-in-2014#.gb2M1DJxo Worth it just for the gifs they used.

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Arrow: 10 Things That Need To Happen Next

 

I was surprised to find myself agreeing with many of the points made in this article.

 

Arrow needs to find a way to return Oliver to the world of the living without opening a revolving door to the afterlife. -- This! Of course, I want Oliver to return. But only Oliver. I've loved and lost characters on this show but I don't want them to ever come back. This show has pulled out the "not dead" card a few too many times. Looking at you, Slade, Floyd and Sara.

 

Whichever way they go, the surviving members of Team Arrow must continue to embrace their roles in the quest that began as Oliver’s and became their own. -- I'm not looking forward to Roy and Laurel front center. Team Arrow for me remains Oliver, Felicity and Diggle. Without Oliver, I need Felicity and Diggle to take center stage. I want them to be calling the shots, not the insta-heroes.

 

Quentin Lance needs to find out that Sara is dead sooner rather than later -- No arguments from me.

 

Thea needs to know what has been taken from her and given the chance to atone in her own way. -- I haven't been happy with Thea's storyline but I sure hope she gains agency soon.

 

Hopefully, however, the superpowers stay in Central City. Oliver may have emerged victorious from the Flash vs. Arrow showdown in the first half of the crossover extravaganza, but he took a pretty serious beating in the process. -- I thoroughly enjoyed the crossover but I just don't want powers to be a regular part of "Arrow." Oliver is not superpowered and I think it'll be ridiculous to ask him to go up against those who are.

 

Now, with Oliver out of the picture, the writers have the chance to give a closer look at how Felicity feels about him. The pair certainly won’t work things out until May sweeps, but their relationship requires consistent progress rather than just popping back into existence in time for the grand finale. -- This! one of my (many) problems with the back half of the season is how Oliver and Felicity's relationship fell by the wayside. I understand that it was probably done to set up that big ruse in the final episodes, but it was incredibly stupid. Stephen and Emily were only able to sell it, IMO, because of their incredible chemistry. So yeah, I don't want a repeat of 2B here.

Edited by SmallScreenDiva
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This article reminds me of the fanmade poster that was floating around when it looked like Spiderman was going to be in Captain America 3. It had Spiderman up front, and Cap and Iron Man standing behind him  It was like, Jaysus, fanboys, pull your hands out of your pants and think with your other head.

 

This article is just some jumped up comic book fanboy (says the girl with about 20 comics stacked up to read over the weekend; and that's just from this week alone. More coming next week), who wants everything to be just like in the comics with no regard for what works on the show. Oh wait, Diggle's in the comics now.

 

On second thought, maybe this was written by Guggenheim under a pen name.

Edited by Lokiberry
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This article uses local CST times.  EST will be one hour later - so for U.S. East Coasters, on Jan. 13, Flash will air at 8 and Arrow will air at 9; and on Jan. 14, Arrow will air at 8 and Flash will air at 9.

One week before the return of new episodes of The Flash, The CW will be re-airing the Flash & Arrow crossover on Tuesday, January 13.  “Flash vs. Arrow” will air at 7 and Arrow’s “The Brave and the Bold” will be on at 8.

 

And if you need to catch up on the latest episodes before the shows return, on January 14 The CW will be showing the series’ midseason finales!  Arrow “The Climb” will be on at 7 with Flash “The Man In The Yellow Suit” at 8.

 

Both shows return the week of January 19.

REWATCH: Two Epic Episodes
POSTED: 03:05 PM CST Dec 29, 2014    UPDATED: 03:05 PM CST Dec 29, 2014
http://www.ky3.com/ozarks-cw/rewatch-two-epic-episodes/23964822_30444422

Edited by tv echo
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What Are Your Hopes and Wishes for TV in 2015?
By Chris King on Dec 31, 2014
http://www.tvovermind.com/tv-news/hopes-wishes-tv-2015-247436

– That Arrow and The Flash team up for just one more crossover, whether it’s only one character hopping over to the other show (like Felicity did earlier this season) or another two-episode event with Team Arrow in Central City and Team Flash in Starling City. I can’t imagine how much detail and difficulty goes into writing and shooting these episodes, but the Flash vs. Arrow crossover was just too good for me to not want another one immediately.
Edited by tv echo
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Did you know there's a companion book to the Arrow tv show called Arrow - Heroes and Villains (out Jan. 16, 2015;  released Feb. 3, 2015, on Amazon)?  I didn't.  I don't plan to buy it, but I'd be curious to know how it is (if anyone here does get it).  It's apparently a comprehensive character guide...

 

Book Giveaway – Win Arrow – Heroes and Villains
JANUARY 3, 2015 BY GARY COLLINSON
http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2015/01/book-giveaway-win-arrow-heroes-and-villains.html

Edited by tv echo
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Hmm - this is debatable, but I'm guessing the network loves this (Arrow is one of the shows mentioned)...

 

Why The CW Is the Best Broadcast Network on TV

By Chris King on Jan 2, 2015Jan 2, 2015

http://www.tvovermind.com/thecw/cw-best-broadcast-network-tv-247516

 

Actually I kind of agree with the article, as a non-US resident, most of my TV "viewing" is CW content and has been for years if we go back to the WB days. There is a huge escapist/enjoyment (+ pretty) factor to CW content. 

 

If I compare similar style shows, teen drama, sic-fi, fantasy I infinitely prefer CW and find the finished product better than stuff on other channels, plus they love to show off abs.

 

I Loved Buffy/Angel, Veronic Mars, Nikita all of which would have been cancelled far sooner on the other networks (Firefly, Wonderfalls). Maybe they don't do the number they should in the US but I think globally the CW shows have way more appeal.

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NEWS/ Our Ultimate TV Wish List: What We're Hoping to See in 2015!
by TV Scoop Team Wed., Dec. 31, 2014 8:00 AM PST
http://www.eonline.com/news/607781/our-ultimate-tv-wish-list-what-we-re-hoping-to-see-in-2015

That Arrow only uses the Lazarus Pit resurrection story arc once: Otherwise it will lose all value and weight as a creative device. I'm excited to see how that epic mythology plays out on the small screen (and how it affects Oliver's psyche), but it will pack the most powerful punch if it's only used once. Using it too many times to bring a character back from the dead and Arrow runs the risk of becoming like The Vampire Diaries, where death has truly lost its meaning in recent seasons.
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Actually I kind of agree with the article, as a non-US resident, most of my TV "viewing" is CW content and has been for years if we go back to the WB days. There is a huge escapist/enjoyment (+ pretty) factor to CW content. 

 

If I compare similar style shows, teen drama, sic-fi, fantasy I infinitely prefer CW and find the finished product better than stuff on other channels, plus they love to show off abs.

 

I Loved Buffy/Angel, Veronic Mars, Nikita all of which would have been cancelled far sooner on the other networks (Firefly, Wonderfalls). Maybe they don't do the number they should in the US but I think globally the CW shows have way more appeal.

It's a content thing.. Alot of what CW offers doesn't really exists on other networks in the US - not in the same way-.. the older networks tend to offer the same thing, either in network or globally together, they seem to cater mostly to gen X and above (and the older spectrum of gen Y). Compered to the major 3 (abc, nbc, cbs) the CW actually has a somewhat of a variety of shows to chose from (now less as they seem to have gravitated toward the supernatural/hero genre), it also tends to be more progressive in it's attitude towards sex in a way that the big 3 aren't (for the most part).

The CW is the more progressed 2000's version of what Fox used to be way back in the 90's when it first burst into the scene.

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Intriguing.. Disagree with them regarding Orphan Black and its lead, that's a show that is 100% a prestige show.

 

It's scifi, thus will never be regarded as such by the highbrow types who write this sort of stuff. Orphan Black has been great and Tatiana Maslany has been incredible, but it doesn't air on a subscription cable channel, so it's just pap compared to all the stuff that guy claims is "prestige". I mean, when you can watch a guy in period costume smoking (imagine that!) and, drinking, what more could you need?

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I think Orphan Black only works because of Tatiana Maslany. It's not all that great if you think about it. She's the reason it's being talked about, if they didn't have her, the show would be nothing. She brought every one of those clones to life and it's amazing to watch her act against herself, forgetting they are all one actress. 

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The only two "prestige" shows that I watch are GoT and Downton Abbey; and DA has been awful for the last couple of seasons. Everything else is "mid-reputable". Shows like Ripper Street and The Americans are equal to DA at least, in terms of acting, and vastly superior when it comes to writing, Orphan Black has  the best actress on tv. Yet, none of them will ever get any emmy love, because they are either genre, or air on the wrong network. The same goes for Jane the Virgin, the best new show of the season, IMHO, which the emmies will pretend doesn't exist because it's on the CW.

 

The emmies and mainstream critics are both snobby and conservative. They don't like genre shows (except GoT, which  they were forced to take notice of because it was such a huge phenomenon); and they don't like shows that really  think outside the box, like Orphan Black. They want their Aaron Sorkin-esque, vaguely liberal (but not really progressive) stuff, with  just the right actors, producers, and pedigrees, so they can pat themselves on the back for their exceeding good taste. This is the way it's always been, and I don't think it will ever change.

 

Meanwhile, I'm watching The Musketeers, Gotham, and waiting for Agent Carter's debut on tuesday, and The Flash's return. I'd be willing to bet that I enjoy my shows better than they do theirs.

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Me too on Downton Abbey. I liked it the first season but since then it's been a victim of it's own success.  Mary is the Laurel Lance of the show, a very high opinion of herself and jealous of anyone else getting attention, mean to her younger sister, and much more beloved by the writer than by me.

 

I wish the Emmys and other awards were so snobby. ("Prestige = snobby" in my book). Some of the best and most important stories aren't the snobby ones.  If Gillian's Island can teach you not to give up and to make alliances with people far different from you, isn't that just as important as the production values of Boardwalk Empire?

 

If Agent Carter does well, I wonder if that will reflect back on Arrow since MG's wife is one of the producers of that show.

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Me too on Downton Abbey. I liked it the first season but since then it's been a victim of it's own success.  Mary is the Laurel Lance of the show, a very high opinion of herself and jealous of anyone else getting attention, mean to her younger sister, and much more beloved by the writer than by me.

 

I wish the Emmys and other awards were so snobby. ("Prestige = snobby" in my book). Some of the best and most important stories aren't the snobby ones.  If Gillian's Island can teach you not to give up and to make alliances with people far different from you, isn't that just as important as the production values of Boardwalk Empire?

 

If Agent Carter does well, I wonder if that will reflect back on Arrow since MG's wife is one of the producers of that show.

 

OMG!

I couldn't agree more about Mary being the Laurel Lance of the show.

I just fail to understand why all these men - including Theo James as the handsome Turkish ambassador in season 1 - would fall for her. She was snooty and narcissist and I never really could understand why any one would love her or be loyal to her except for the fact that it was written in the script - just like Laurel Lance. Thank God I am not alone in thinking this.

 

PS: Any Good Wife watchers here? The show returned last night and it made very happy. Finally some relief for Cary Agos who is one of my favorite two characters on the show, other being Diane Lockhart.

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Jullian Fellowes based Mary on his wife, who I guess he loves because she always gets the best.  (I think he must have based Edith on someone he hated.)

 

I was afraid to watch The Good Wife last night in case something bad happened to Cary. Glad to know it's safe.

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Nah, I have to respectfully disagree that Mary Crawley is the Laurel Lance of Downton. Mary's bitchy but she owns it. She is the first one to admit that she's not a nice person. Laurel, on the other hand, has nowhere near that level of self-awareness.

On topic re: that article--I will never understand how one TV show can be considered more high brow than another. It's all complete fantasy and they all use the same tropes, regardless of genre. It's incredibly hard to be "groundbreaking" when you've had 60+ years of TV production. I also dispute the notion that the quality of CW shows is somehow less than the other mainline networks. Sure their actors skew younger but I would take the first 2 seasons of Arrow or Nikita and put them up against any of the standard crime/conspiracy shows on the other networks and they would more than hold their own, especially considering their comparable budgets.

Edited by NumberCruncher
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Matt Czuchry has been KILLING it this season. When the judge said he was free to go, tears were streaming down my face because of the relief on Cary's face. It was such a strong scene and Matt deserves an Emmy for the outstanding performance he's put on this season. FINALLY he's been given some really good material to work with and he's hit it out of the park. Hopefully this means they continue giving him good material. 

 

Overall I thought it was a fantastic episode. The

kiss

seemed so out of character for Alicia, but I think it was because of all the pent up emotions and relief she was feeling.

There was nothing sexual or lustful about that kiss whatsoever

. I'm still hoping for her and Finn to make out by the end of the season :p

 

Also, I never really liked Kalinda, but I felt bad for her the second she knew she was screwed. I think we now knwo how Kalinda is going to leave. She's either going to leave the country so she doesn't have to face jail time or she's going to go to jail. 

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Guggenheim: On Arrow, we have Ray Palmer and Roy Harper and if you call Roy "Ray" and Ray "Roy," you have to put money into the jar. But because we have a different budget than you guys, the money in that jar actually goes to produce the episode — usually in its entirety.

That's actually pretty funny.

 

Guggenheim: DC is actually pretty chill. I will say [Arrow and Flash showrunner] Andrew Kreisberg and I tend to be the gatekeepers in terms of what's a secret or trying to keep spoilers from leaking out. DC never really dictates stuff to us. We're self-policing, and we always apply a story that I had heard about Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Spoiler alert: In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, the Enterprise was blown up, and when Paramount cut the trailer, that scene was in the trailer. [Producer] Harve Bennett and [director-star] Leonard Nimoy went to Sherry Lansing — the head of Paramount at the time — saying, "That's a huge moment for us, we don't want that in the trailer." And Lansing replied, "Well, do you want people to be surprised or do you want them to go to the movie?" We use that as a barometer [on Arrow and Flash]. We're not militant but there are certain things that are absolutely secret.

Always good to know how they're thinking.  

 

I found the comparison of writing for film, TV and comics interesting.

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15 Reasons We’re Excited to be Geeks in 2015
By Eric Escaravage | January 6, 2015 - 7:00 am
http://nerdreactor.com/2015/01/06/15-reasons-were-excited-to-be-geeks-in-2015/

9.  ARROW
When this show debuted, it was easy to hear many communal groans from certain geeks. A show about Green Arrow? Seriously?

Well into its third season, Arrow has not only proved all of the haters wrong but has propelled Stephen Amell to unprecedented levels of stardom (as much for his acting as his physical shape, egad).

With a cast that now includes Capt. Jack Hark [sic] (John Barrowman), the rest of season three is sure to provide excitement, and like The Flash, continue DC’s domination of the television landscape.

Edited by tv echo
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TEN UNDERAPPRECIATED SHOWS YOU SHOULD WATCH
JANUARY 10, 2015 DSPEAKER
http://www.lateraldrop.com/ten-shows-you-should-watch/

 

-Arrow (CW) – Superhero movies are all the rage these days. They produce the biggest profits at the box office for Hollywood. While people can debate the best superhero movie of all time, no one can debate that Arrow is the best superhero television series. It is a must watch for Green Arrow fans and comic book fans. Don’t be surprised if the actors playing Oliver Queen, John Diggle, and Felicity Smoak break into movies in the next few years.
Edited by tv echo
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I don't think this has been posted here already.  I usually like Laura Hurley's thoughts on Arrow, and I think she nails a number of things in  Arrow: 10 Things That Need To Happen Next, including giving agency to Thea, telling Quentin, and integrating Laurel as the Black Canary.  My favorite suggesting is limiting the superpowers on the show so that Oliver can stay the star of his own story.  

 

 

 

tvline compiled the best and worst of 2014. Here's what Arrow got:

Best Cliffhanger Involving an Actual Cliff

Most Heartbreaking Breakup (Runner Up) - Oliver & Felicity

Murder We Hated To Watch: Moira Queen

Best first kiss: Oliver & Felicity

http://tvline.com/2014/12/26/best-tv-couples-2014-death-scenes-spoilers-photos/

Also TV Event That Lived Up to the Hype  The Flash/Arrow crossover

Edited by statsgirl
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Favorite line from 10 Things article

 

and Laurel could fight however Sara’s magical jacket beckons each week.

 

Then it provides a beautifully concise summary of the Laurel problem. 

On paper, the Dinah Laurel Lance of Arrow has the makings of a hero with a solid origin story. She is a lawyer who has fought for the rights of the downtrodden from her first appearance. Her family suffered terrible losses. Her philandering boyfriend cheated on her with her sister. She went through a crucible of drugs and alcohol following the death of the man that she loved.

 

In practice, however, Laurel comes across differently. She is a lawyer whose interpretation of her oath varies upon the situation. The sufferings of her family are seen through the lens of the wrongs done to her. Both the philandering boyfriend and the cheating sister are more sympathetic. She sped through her substance abuse problem in a flurry of poor execution and contrivance. The writers have flung characterizations at Laurel like spaghetti at a wall, and not much good has stuck.

 

Part of the problem with the attempts at rehabilitating the character lies in the fact that her storyline almost always parallels rather than intersects Oliver’s. As the dynamics of Team Arrow have generally been more entertaining than the weekly trials and tribulations of Laurel Lance, the inconsistencies frustrate. Producers must find a way to integrate rather than insert Laurel into the main plot of the season. Laurel needs a niche of her own to keep her interactions with Team Arrow relevant and organic instead of just periodically bursting back into the spotlight for her Very Special Episodes.

 

I really hope the producer pay attention. 

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And this:

 

 

Prior to the series premiere, Oliver and Sara were forced to forge themselves into weapons in order to survive the brutal and unforgiving environments of their crucibles that would last for half of a decade; Laurel had a background in self-defense. Oliver and Sara were suited for vigilantism due to the distinctly nontraditional ways in which they learned to fight for their lives; Laurel is studying boxing with a tolerant coach in a gym. Oliver’s arms bulge out of any shirt that dares try to contain him while Sara stood so solidly that she could intimidate despite her size; Laurel is all angles and anger. Oliver and Sara spent the majority of their time on screen either working out or fighting crime; Laurel has a day job. Stephen Amell and Caity Lotz displayed their exceptional athleticism from the start; Katie Cassidy has been tucked into heels and dresses and pantsuits.        
Enjoying a comic book show demands a certain suspension of disbelief, but to see Laurel race through the steps to practical vigilantism that took so much from Oliver and Sara would suspend any sense of legitimacy to her place in Starling’s expanding gallery of heroes. If Laurel Lance is truly going to become Black Canary, we need to see her earn and embrace the role as more than an outlet for vengeance.

It's not just about Laurel, she's right about a number of things that need to happen next on Arrow, like Team Arrow stepping up.  But I think she really nails the problems with Laurel.

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This article is about the CW network coming to the TCA on Sunday (today?) "with newfound sizzle and respect" due to Flash, Arrow and Jane the Virgin...

 

CW’s ‘Flash': Ratings Gains, Kudos Buzz Drives Net’s New Momentum
JANUARY 10, 2015 | 12:25PM PT Cynthia Littleton Managing Editor: Television
http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/cws-flash-ratings-gains-kudos-buzz-drives-nets-new-momentum-1201396919/

Edited by tv echo
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From the 10 Things Article, Who is that person? I think she's inside my head. 

 

Everything she said about Laurel is what most of us think about the character. It has nothing to do with shipping, because I don't ship Olicity and still feel the same way about Laurel. 

 

Her fans are always saying how much Laurel suffered. And she has, but that is not how it is coming across on screen. Which is what I go by. It's not my job to think about how much Laurel suffered and just go with that. KC or the writers are not portraying someone that warrants my sympathy. Laurel on screen is abrasive, entitled and selfish. 

 

When the sister that cheated with her boyfriend is more popular there is something wrong with the writing and acting of Laurel to get that result. Caity Lotz added a sadness to Sara that even though she didn't apologize and got back with Oliver, you still could see all that she suffered and how much it messed her up. But yet she still kept going and didn't blame anyone else for failings as a person. She made Sara, human and someone you wanted to root for. Then killing her off just brought more sorrow to her already tragic life. 

 

Laurel who is the least liked character on the whole show not only has to compete with the amazing badass Canary that Caity Lotz gave us she also has compete with the ghost of Sara the character that was more well liked then her. KC has not managed to get anyone that hated her to like her in 2.5 seasons so I don't know how she's going to pull that off. 

 

Some people might accept her now because they have no choice, but that is not the same has liking her character and wanting her around. 

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Alan Sepinwall on the TCA panel

 

 

(*) You'll note Cassidy was the only woman from either show. After the panel, Berlanti admitted to a small group of reporters that he had messed up on that. They were juggling which actors to bring, ultimately deciding to mainly bring people who played costumed heroes or villains, because the CW was going to put all the costumes on display in the hotel lobby. But even given that, he acknowledged they could have brought the actresses who played Huntress or Cupid, and that it was a mistake to not have more women there, particularly given how much interest there is in characters like Felicity and Caitlin.
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