The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

[calliope1975]

:p

 

‏@caitylotz: I'll try and not take this personally @StephenAmell

(Retweeted EntertainmentTonight)

 

Hah! This is probably why he's always demurred on these types of questions before. 

[AyChihuahua]

Caity's pretty much my girl crush.

[bijoux]

Someone better at this than I should post pics of SA at the MTV awards. He looks very handsome. No hat of any kind.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/mtvmovieawards?f=images&vertical=default&src=hash

https://twitter.com/SAEBRfan/status/718979729064357888

This TMNT thing is worth it just for the stylist they unleashed on him. See, Steve, you CAN look casual and put together at the same time. I'm guessing they saw how he showed up to that thing with Megan Fox and went, "Nope." Good.

:p

‏@caitylotz: I'll try and not take this personally @StephenAmell

(Retweeted EntertainmentTonight)

And he replied with the following.

https://twitter.com/stephenamell/status/719011319022653440

Seriously, the video is very nice, but this interplay is so much better.

Edited April 10, 2016 by bijoux

[Chaser]

Pretty sure two weeks ago he would have ducked this question. But now, what ship war?

CL's response is funny.

ETA: Loved SAs reply and now EBR just needs to make it a threesome. lol

Edited April 10, 2016 by Chaser

[lemotomato]

Hee! My Olicity bias aside, choosing his current on-screen kissing partner as his best kiss is probably the safest answer.

Edited April 10, 2016 by lemotomato

[catrox14]

Damn, he is a handsome man. I can't decide whose eyes are bluer, Stephen's or Misha Collins. ( or my nephew's LOL)

[tarotx]

He did duck the question or a similar one a few weeks back when he said Sara from the pilot :p

Pretty sure two weeks ago he would have ducked this question. But now, what ship war?

CL's response is funny.

ETA: Loved SAs reply and now EBR just needs to make it a threesome. lol

[looptab]

Haha, somehow I'm inclined to think he is going to regret answering that, and this is how I imagine him to be like when that happens

[bijoux]

Hee. But I think @lemotomato hit the nail on the head. He's basically promoting his current project. And who knows if he and Megan Fox even kiss in the movie.

[Midnight Lullaby]

I find it pretty funny that a few weeks back he said he couldn't answer that question and I remember he was asked again in the past and avoided it as well. Now he seems free to say what he wants, LOL

He is looking good. Way better than he appeared at cons lately..he is a handsome man but he doesn't do himself any favors with his clothes choices and those damn hats. The slightly longer hair makes him look younger so bless whoever stopped him from covering his head :D

[tv echo]

Arrow Season 4: 9 Ups And 6 Downs From 'Eleven-Fifty-Nine'
Andrew Pollard   8 Apr 2016
http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-season-4-9-ups-and-6-downs-from-elevenfiftynine

There’s an argument to see why John Diggle would trust his brother, but it made Laurel again look ridiculous by how willing she is to convince Oliver to trust Andy once the Emerald Archer begins to suspect that the younger Diggle brother may not be as reformed as he claims.
 

Again, the poor characterisation of Laurel Lance continues, with her regularly being made to look like the show’s most braindead character since Arrow began in 2012. Sadly for Laurel, her blind faith and trust here would ultimately lead to her downfall.
*  *  *
In fairness to Big Digg, you could maybe stretch logic a little and look at it as him having unconditional faith in his brother because… well, because he’s his brother. But this insta-belief in Andy betrayed the character of John Diggle considering what had gone on previously.
*  *  *
A major disappointment of Eleven-Fifty-Nine was how Quentin Lance missed daughter Laurel’s final moments.
*  *  *
Throughout Arrow’s four-season run, two characters have largely been shown to be major asshats: Laurel Lance and Thea Queen.
 

Now poor Laurel has still been the victim of some horrendous writing, but the character of Thea has seen a major change this season. No longer a complete d*ck or written as a whiny brat, Thea Queen is, dare I say it, one of the absolute highlights of The CW’s Emerald Archer-centric show nowadays.
*  *  *
Blackthorne is always mesmerising when given anything of note to do, and seeing his tortured father act here was absolutely sensational. Whilst he’d sadly not make it to Laurel in time, depriving viewers of another Paul Blackthorne masterclass, it was still painfully brilliant in how we saw Quentin battling with the news of the likely death of his eldest offspring.
*  *  *
Throughout Arrow’s four seasons to date, Katie Cassidy’s Laurel Lance has been the constant weak link of the show. This is a character who just can’t help but come off as petty, selfish, d*ckish or just outright useless in how she’s been written over those seasons.
 

Here, though, with her life in the balance, we see some semblance of just what a great character Laurel/Black Canary can be if handled in the right way. And no, I don’t mean by killing her off, but more in how she was depicted in those final moments with Oliver. There was a tenderness, a sincerity, and a sense of tragic regret painted across Cassidy’s performance.
*  *  *
Did she do enough here to make all of that worthwhile? No. But she certainly did enough in those final moments to act as some sort of redemption for a character who has been so mistreated at times.
*  *  *
When I first heard that it was going to be Laurel Lance “in the grave”, I thought that was a great thing, but not for the same reasons why I thought it was great by the time that this episode came to a close.
 

Initially, with so much damage having been done to the character of Laurel Lance/Black Canary, it felt that Laurel would be better served in death than she would be by anything that the writing team could do for her, with them seemingly intent on constantly marking her out as a joke of a character.
 

By the time Eleven-Fifty-Nine came to an end, though, the death of Laurel Lance was a major “Up” for a difference reason: it was handled brilliantly in how shocking, emotive and earth-shattering it really felt.
 

Sure, Arrow is a show that so often has consequences for the actions of its characters, but this took things to an entirely different level. This was Team Arrow suffering the death of one of their own, which completely changes the outlook of the team and of the show as a whole. Consequences can be big, and now the safety net has been removed from Ollie and Co.
 

Not only was Laurel flat-lining handled brutally brilliantly, but this was a great moment in how those around her reacted, with those reactions and the repercussions of her death set to play out even further as Season 4 continues for its final five episodes.

Edited April 10, 2016 by tv echo

[Mrs. de Winter]

I am sure it is a coincidence (and that I am not the nicest of people) but I did laugh a little that SA decided to answer the kiss question now when he has avoided it in the past given

the promo for the next episode...

[Sakura12]

:p

 

‏@caitylotz: I'll try and not take this personally @StephenAmell

(Retweeted EntertainmentTonight)

 

Haha, I like that CL and SA seem to really like working together and can joke around. 

 

It is funny that he answered that question now that the non-existent "because comics" triangle is gone. 

[tv echo]

This article includes video clips (and gifs) of Oliver kissing Felicity, Helena, Laurel and Sara...

 

Who Does Stephen Amell Think Is His Best On-Screen Kiss? He Reveals It's (Spoiler!), And We Agree!
By Amie Marie Bohannon ⋅ Posted on April 10th, 2016 at 1:47pm
http://moviepilot.com/posts/3863443

Edited April 10, 2016 by tv echo

[bijoux]

I am sure it is a coincidence (and that I am not the nicest of people) but I did laugh a little that SA decided to answer the kiss question now when he has avoided it in the past given

the promo for the next episode...

You're not the only one.

[Primal Slayer]

I am sure it is a coincidence (and that I am not the nicest of people) but I did laugh a little that SA decided to answer the kiss question now when he has avoided it in the past given

the promo for the next episode...

He and MG are finally letting their real feelings show now that they don't have to worry about any further backlash or possibilities of L/O.

[TwistedandBored]

I hope someone just gives us the BTS drama one day. Like I wanna know how bad things got recently or something. 

[Scribbles]

Hopefully this link works for everyone

Hollywood Reporter article about Katie Cassidy and her take on LL/BC death

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrow-laurel-dies-katie-cassidy

 

if not maybe someone else can try to post it better

[kismet]

ETA: Loved SAs reply and now EBR just needs to make it a threesome. lol

Now that sounds a little too risque for the CW ;) Although that would be interesting to watch.

[kismet]

I find it pretty funny that a few weeks back he said he couldn't answer that question and I remember he was asked again in the past and avoided it as well. Now he seems free to say what he wants, LOL

He is looking good. Way better than he appeared at cons lately..he is a handsome man but he doesn't do himself any favors with his clothes choices and those damn hats. The slightly longer hair makes him look younger so bless whoever stopped him from covering his head :D

The other times he was asked, wasn't it just at cons? This time it was on a red carpet while presenting best kiss ~ the circumstances of the question asking I think made him more inclined to answer it rather than any on the show circumstances. Plus it was a MTV event and that is the audience that voted Olicity best ship ~ he knows his audiences.

 

And yes, many blessings to the new stylist that is being thrust upon him. Here is hoping he learns a few basic style tips for future appearances when he is left to his own devices.

[Password]

Plus it was a MTV event and that is the audience that voted Olicity best ship ~ he knows his audiences.

Good point, I never even thought of him selling Olicity and the show by saying this.

[way2interested]

Honestly, I was just slightly disappointed that they didn't introduce him as SA from TMNT2 and one-half of ship of the year. The moment was right there, MTV.

[tv echo]

Hopefully this link works for everyone

Hollywood Reporter article about Katie Cassidy and her take on LL/BC death

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrow-laurel-dies-katie-cassidy

 

if not maybe someone else can try to post it better

 

'Arrow's' Latest Victim on Controversial Death: "Shock Value Is Good"

APRIL 08, 2016 12:00pm PT by Sydney Bucksbaum

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrow-laurel-dies-katie-cassidy-881919

[wonderwall]

Another Hollywood Reporter Article

 

Critic's Notebook: Why Did So Many Female Characters Die on TV Last Week?

APRIL 11, 2016 2:45pm PT by Daniel Fienberg

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fien-print/critics-notebook-why-did-female-882659

 

 

Arrow - After months of teasing, last week's episode seemed to confirm that Katie Cassidy's Laurel is in the grave we've been seeing for months, stabbed by Damien Dahrk, then given the opportunity to say sad, powerful, still-mysterious last words to Oliver before flatlining. Laurel was a much maligned character when Arrow premiered, but by the time she was dismissed, many of us had grown to think her Black Canary was pretty decent. Arrow was in a tough place building to a major character death. Thanks to Lazarus Pits and whatnot, killing Thea would have been an anti-climax, or at least an emotional repeat, something the show already did with Sara Lance. Killing Diggle would have raised ire for a show with an only limited minority presence. Killing Felicity would have made me and many others quit watching immediately, plus they already did a fake-out with Felicity's shooting at midseason (a fake-out that didn't fool many viewers). Nobody would have cared enough if they'd killed Quentin Lance. So instead, Quentin has now had to deal with thinking that his two daughters have been killed a dozen times, which isn't going to help his battle with alcoholism or Paul Blackthorne's battle with his native accent. So Laurel died because she was the closest thing Arrow had to a character who was simultaneously disposable, but important enough to make other characters cry. That's not a great circumstance and speaks to deeper issues, but I understand it.

[TwistedandBored]

LMAO at that last part, wonderwall.

[lemotomato]

Another Hollywood Reporter Article

Critic's Notebook: Why Did So Many Female Characters Die on TV Last Week?

APRIL 11, 2016 2:45pm PT by Daniel Fienberg

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fien-print/critics-notebook-why-did-female-882659

Laurel was a much maligned character when Arrow premiered, but by the time she was dismissed, many of us had grown to think her Black Canary was pretty decent.

After four seasons and multiple storylines dedicated to her, Laurel only manages to achieve "pretty decent" in a reviewer's esteem. It's actually a common sentiment in a lot of the responses to 418-- "I didn't like Laurel, but she was OK/growing on me/pretty decent/getting better in the last couple episodes." Episodes where she spent most of the time as part of the ensemble or as a sounding board. And there are still questions of *why* she got killed off? SMH Edited April 11, 2016 by lemotomato

[AyChihuahua]

After four seasons and multiple storylines dedicated to her, Laurel only manages to achieve "pretty decent" in a reviewer's esteem. It's actually a common sentiment in a lot of the responses to 418-- "I didn't like Laurel, but she was OK/growing on me/pretty decent/getting better in the last couple episodes." Episodes where she spent most of the time as part of the ensemble or as a sounding board. And there are still questions of why she got killed off? SMH

I think they're either writing as if they are naive or they are actually naive. She is, most likely, in the top 3 for pay. Keeping an expensive actress who, four seasons in, is at best described as "pretty decent" as a background player, would be very stupid. I mean, I'm still surprised they had the guts, but bc of comics reasons, not acting reasons.

Edited April 11, 2016 by AyChihuahua

[apinknightmare]

After four seasons and multiple storylines dedicated to her, Laurel only manages to achieve "pretty decent" in a reviewer's esteem. It's actually a common sentiment in a lot of the responses to 418-- "I didn't like Laurel, but she was OK/growing on me/pretty decent/getting better in the last couple episodes." Episodes where she spent most of the time as part of the ensemble or as a sounding board. And there are still questions of why she got killed off? SMH

 

If you were someone who thought the show was actively trying to improve her character, then I can see why it might be surprising for them to kill her off right when it started working (speaking specifically about those people who thought she was growing on them/getting better recently). 

[lemotomato]

If you were someone who thought the show was actively trying to improve her character, then I can see why it might be surprising for them to kill her off right when it started working (speaking specifically about those people who thought she was growing on them/getting better recently). 

I get that, but it just seems to me like the improvement is also related to the downward trend in her screentime and relegating her to the background. Which makes me think less is more, and none is even better.

[apinknightmare]

I get that, but it just seems to me like the improvement is also related to the downward trend in her screentime and relegating her to the background. Which makes me think less is more, and none is even better.

 

Right, but my point is that if you were a reviewer whose opinion of her *had* changed, and thought that was the result of TPTB actively trying to make her character work, the decision to kill her off would be confusing. Like, why put the effort into rehabilitating a character just to off them right when (for them) it started working?

[wonderwall]

Aww, you know that reviewer Erik Kain? He's saying that S1 has had higher ratings than S4 on twitter and using it to indicate the drop in quality :p For a guy who is a wannabe critic he sure as hell doesn't know how TV works :)

Edited April 12, 2016 by wonderwall

[tennisgurl]

That article noted the same thing I have in multiple threads, that this week has had a weird amount of dead female characters. I am behind on 

Hap and Leonard, so I did not know that Trudy was dead

which sucks, and 

Nina on The Americans broke my heart, but it was by far the "best" death this week. It actually made sense in the story, and it gave her some final moments of agency before her death. The Americans is a really good show

. It really is kind of a weird coincidence. 

[dtissagirl]

That doesn't even count the teeny tiny shows in smaller networks/digital. A woman died on 11.22.63 [Hulu] last Tuesday, and another died on Underground [WGN] last Wednesday. Laurel has become part of some really weird and uncomfortable statistics.

[BkWurm1]

In general I do wish shows would stop killing characters every year.  It's way too common place now. 

[Bort]

Hey, the ratings discussion is very interesting but needs be in the actual ratings thread, please. I'll be moving the relevant posts over there later this evening.

[bijoux]

SA's appearance at MTV awards got a mention on GoFugYourself. I only bring it up because they chose a pretty funny photo. I approve.

[bethy]

SA's appearance at MTV awards got a mention on GoFugYourself. I only bring it up because they chose a pretty funny photo. I approve.

 

I was tickled by the fact that someone in the comments said it looked like he was ready to take on Prince George at his little sister's christening. Referring to this picture, I'm sure. 

[bijoux]

Hee. I never read the comments so I would have missed it if you hadn't brought it over. Thanks.

[bethy]

Hee. I never read the comments so I would have missed it if you hadn't brought it over. Thanks.

 

Honestly, you're missing out if you don't read the comments! Generally people are very respectful and funny, and I've actually learned quite a bit. :) You should check it out.

[NumberCruncher]

I really liked his suede jacket. /unpopular opinion

[tarotx]

I really liked his suede jacket. /unpopular opinion

For some reason it reminds me of Ollie but it's a nice jacket/look on Steven. 

[statsgirl]

What reads as an on-line therapy session from Green Arrow TV:

 

Why Laurel Died and Why Did Laurel Have to Die?

 

Personally, I wasn’t a huge fan of Laurel for the majority of her time on the show. In fact, most of us here weren’t. We wanted to be fans and we wanted the potential of the character to be realized in huge ways. Katie Cassidy had delighted us in previous roles, but something wasn’t quite connecting between her and the writing of the character during that first season. There also seemed to be a chemistry problem with Amell that put a crimp in the side of exploring the romantic aspects of these two characters, something that was a bit disconcerting given the fact that this was Green Arrow and Black Canary, a prominent and stalwart couple in the DC Universe. Worse, though, is that they didn’t seem to know how to give Laurel her own arc and thrust in that first season. She became a prize between Oliver and Tommy and was used primarily as a source of drama for those two.

It was disappointing, and then it was compounded by taking essential aspects of her journey away and giving them to her sister, including a romance between Sara and Oliver that extended to their costumed identities. Laurel’s second year started with a great bit of guilt and anger that turned her into an enemy of “the Hood,” but before they could really milk that for what it was worth, it was over. Set adrift and with little else to do, they gave her an addiction trope that, try as Cassidy could, was frequently written so inelegantly that it never really held the weight nor endeared her to the audience in the way that they had hoped.

[snip]

“Since, though, she’s been a pretty solid utility player.”

Edited April 12, 2016 by statsgirl

[Sakura12]

To me it seems like the Laurel dying thing wasn't as big as they thought it would be. I'm not seeing too much of it the news anymore. I think Sara's death had a bigger reaction, probably because she was also part of the "bury your gays" trope. Then the Sleepy Hollow big death came about 2 days after Laurel's. I guess it'll get talked about again when they have her funeral. 

[dtissagirl]

Yeah. There are a bunch of op-eds in big media sites on how there's no Sleepy Hollow without Abbie. Which I guess is the sentiment the "noLaurelnoArrow" hashtag was trying to reflect and/or incite, but that one didn't translate into real media picking it up.

[Velocity23]

Hot 10: Emily Bett Rickards
There's nothing this gorgeous 'Arrow' actress can't do.

http://www.maxim.com/women/hot-10-emily-bett-rickards-2016-4

 

 

The Arrow starlet spoke to Maxim about having superpowers, her favorite curse word, and who she'd love to work with.

1. What's your favorite curse word to use?
Cocksucker. It has so much chutzpah.

2. What do you wear to feel your sexiest?
A white t-shirt.

3. What is your favorite part of your body?
My collarbone.

4. Is there a movie that you can recite most (if not, all) of the lines to?
The Truman Show, or Mean Girls perhaps. Although, I watched The Matrix recently and I was pretty on point there.

5. Do you have any female celebrities you're crushing on right now?
Aisha Tyler.

6. If you have a free afternoon, what can we find you doing? Working out and netflixing out with the dog.

7. What is the worst pick-up line you’ve ever heard?
"I’ll pay you."

8. If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Friend calling. Snap your fingers and your friend appears. If they were busy working or something… too bad.

9. If you could work with any actor/actress, who would it be and in what kind of role?
Tina Fey, and something with even more chutzpah than cocksucker.

10. What’s next for you?
Tonight = dogs, wine, and Survivor.

[NumberCruncher]

I also think the fact that shows have been killing characters off left and right so much lately has caused Arrow's death to have less of an impact.

[looptab]

I've seen something about fan outrage about it on JustJaredJr, but nothing else. They basically pasted a collection of angry tweets.

[apinknightmare]

I think there would've been more of a response if the death had been unexpected (for the general audience). So far they all pretty much have been. We were flat-out told in the first ep that someone was biting it, all that was left was finding out who it was.

Edited April 12, 2016 by apinknightmare

[wonderwall]

So far critical reaction to her death, it looks, has been "meh". Even the Forbes guy couldn't muster up the strength to talk about Laurel for more than a couple of sentences. That's how much of an afterthought she is. 

 

As far as fan reaction, I expected more, but nothing monumental happened. Right now I"m really interested in the Live +7 ratings tbh as well as the ratings for 419

[Velocity23]

Matt Roush on BC death on Arrow

http://www.tvinsider.com/article/84760/ask-matt-walking-dead-finale-deaths-on-arrow-and-sleepy-hollow/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=tvi

Edited April 12, 2016 by Velocity23