The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

tv echo · April 13, 2019

MEFCC 2019: 'Arrow' star Katie Cassidy on her scream of a career
Chris Newbould April 13, 2019
https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/mefcc-2019-arrow-star-katie-cassidy-on-her-scream-of-a-career-1.848221

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Arrow star Katie Cassidy has taken her early career status as a “scream queen” to quite literal levels with her role in the CW’s DC adaptation. Her early years in movies were marked by a number of appearances in horror movies including the 2006 Canadian cult hit Black Christmas and the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Having established herself as a metaphorical scream queen in such slasher staples, she took things a stage further in 2012 – her Arrow character Black Canary, aka Laurel Lance, is a superhero whose most powerful weapon is an awesome sonic scream that can destroy objects and even kill. I ask Cassidy whether she had long harboured a desire to base her career on being “the screamy lady".

“I didn’t know early on in my career, I just looked for projects that were character-driven,” the actress laughs. “When Arrow came along I did want to do action, so I looked into the character of the Black Canary and observed some of her characteristics in the comics, so obviously I knew screaming was going to be an aspect, but it wasn’t a planned thing.”
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In fact, Cassidy reveals that she actually does very little screaming on the set of the long-running show, which saw her killed off in season four, only to be brought back in season six as Canary’s doppelganger from an alternate universe, Black Siren.

“When my character first evolved into The Black Canary, I was thinking a lot about how to do it,” she reveals. “We were shooting a lot outside at night, and when I had to scream for the very first time I thought, first of all, how are my vocal chords going to hold up to this, and second, am I going to wake up the whole neighbourhood? So I chose to keep it like a silent scream and we add it in post. It was the only way I could do it without destroying my voice.”

Cassidy also admits that when she learned her character was being written out of the show in season four, she didn’t take it too well.
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“I didn’t know until two episodes before that I was going to be the one to die. It was hard. I’d put my soul into the show, blood, sweat and tears. Of course I was professional and I’d always support the show, but I was really sad. I get why they did it. As a producer or writer, killing one of the main characters off serves as a jumping-off point for the other characters, but I didn’t like it.”

Fortunately for the star, after less than a one-season break, the show’s writers clearly felt their shrill-voiced heroine was not so disposable. They took viewers to “Earth 2", from whence Black Siren travelled to our own world to fill in for the missing Canary, first in season two of The Flash, and then in some episodes of season five of Arrow. Cassidy returned to the full cast for season six.

This in itself presented a challenge for the actress. Although Siren looks like the Canary, and has similar powers and skillsets, she’s a very different personality.

While the Canary version of Lance is a crime fighter, Siren is less morally pure, while her relationships with the show’s other characters have changed, too.

“It was strange. I recall season six, I think, I was doing scenes with Paul Blackthorne who plays my father, and we were so used to playing this father and daughter dynamic, and when I started playing scenes with him as Black Siren it was confusing," she says. “We were both confused because she’s from Earth 2, and her father looks like Quentin, but he’s not Quentin. It’s complicated, but it’s interesting.”
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Finally, following the critical and commercial success of Shazam in theatres, I ask Cassidy if she thinks we can expect to see more of DC’s less well-known characters joining the main Worlds of DC cinema universe, perhaps including her as Black Canary, or indeed Siren.

“It’s an interesting idea. I don’t feel that there are any rules whether it’s TV or film,” she says. “I would love to be involved. Maybe it’s time for a Black Canary film – it’s a time for women right now and I think it would be really interesting. I don’t know if that makes sense to Warner Bros, but I’d love to do it.”

ac12-Katie-Cassidy.jpg?f=16x9&w=1200&$p$

Edited April 13, 2019 by tv echo

Chaser · April 13, 2019

I think they could have used a better picture.

4 minutes ago, tv echo said:

“It’s an interesting idea. I don’t feel that there are any rules whether it’s TV or film,” she says. “I would love to be involved. Maybe it’s time for a Black Canary film – it’s a time for women right now and I think it would be really interesting. I don’t know if that makes sense to Warner Bros, but I’d love to do it.”

That's awkward.

apinknightmare · April 13, 2019

55 minutes ago, Chaser said:

I think they could have used a better picture.

I was gonna say - they did her dirty with that pic.

lemotomato · April 13, 2019

5 hours ago, tv echo said:

Of course I was professional and I’d always support the show,

Sure. She was really supportive of the show when she liked all those “no Laurel, no Arrow” tweets and thanked the author of the “Arrow is dead” article.

Edited April 13, 2019 by lemotomato

Primal Slayer · April 14, 2019

10 hours ago, lemotomato said:

Sure. She was really supportive of the show when she liked all those “no Laurel, no Arrow” tweets and thanked the author of the “Arrow is dead” article.

And when she said "watch the show" and only praised the show.

PWHCHCH · April 14, 2019

Just an FYI there’s a lot of coverage about Tom Welling appearing in next season of Arrow. Some one who was at Armageddon Expo where he was appearing claims to have quoted him as such.

Um I was also at Armageddon and that’s not what he said at all. He said “yeah I’ll be appearing in season 9... That’s a joke cause you know arrow has been cancelled right?”

Chaser · April 14, 2019

KC being supportive at Cons didn’t come across as genuine to me given her twitter likes. Nolaurelnoarrow, thanking that author, liking tweets saying Arrow is only watchable because of her, bashing Felicity/Olicity.

RS3 · April 14, 2019

8 hours ago, Primal Slayer said:

And when she said "watch the show" and only praised the show.

K.

olicityfan25 · April 14, 2019

It's really embarrassing if you think about it. When it comes to her trying to be nice about other things on the show it just screams as fake. Also it's just petty.

tv echo · April 14, 2019

Katie Cassidy excited about MEFCC in Dubai
Enid Parker Filed on April 10, 2019
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/citytimes/katie-cassidy-excited-about-mefcc-in-dubai

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Daughter of seventies heart-throb David Cassidy, Katie Cassidy has come a long way since starting her career modelling with Abercrombie and Fitch. After making her film debut as Tiffany Madison in the horror When a Stranger Calls (2006), Katie appeared in a number of TV shows, including the long-running fantasy-horror hit Supernatural. Because her career credits include quite a few horror films like Nightmare on Elm Street, Wolves At The Door and the TV series Harper's Island, she's acquired the reputation of being a modern day 'Scream Queen'.

However she is best known today for essaying superhero characters Black Canary and Black Siren on hit shows Arrow, The Flash, and Vixen and will be aptly making her presence felt at the upcoming Middle East Film and Comic Con to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 11-13.
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So is this lovely multi-faceted star (she's also a talented guitarist and pianist) a comic book fan in general?

"I've certainly become one. I grew up playing video games. I guess you could call me a gamer girl," she admitted.

Katie emphasised that playing superheroes has inspired her in real life too. "I feel it's part of my responsibility as a public figure to be a positive role model for others to look up to."

Black Canary is one of DC Comics' oldest super-heroines, and taking on such a cult part was 'rather intimidating,' she revealed. "Black Canary's shoes are big shoes to fill. However, instead of allowing fear to get in my way, I embraced her and took the "bull by its horns".... Black Canary would have done the same."

When asked if she likes dressing up in costume, Katie said, "Ummm yes. Who wouldn't want to dress up in costume to play a super hero!?! It's every little kids dream come true, myself included."

So who is her favourite comic book character of all time? Here's a hint: it's a feline superhero, who first made her appearance in Batman #1 (1940). Yes, you guessed right, Catwoman is "hands down" Katie's favourite comic book character. Will we see her portraying this attractive supervillain/antiheroine of DC comics someday? Only time will tell. In the meantime, head down to Comic Con to catch a glimpse of Katie. And don't forget your costume! We're thinking of going with Black Canary.
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Quick 5 with Katie!
Your favourite...
. TV series - Homeland
. Film - The Shawshank Redemption
. Actor - Matt Damon
. Actress - Meryl Streep
. Musician/band - the Beatles

Edited April 14, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 14, 2019

The rest of this article (not quoted below) contains spoilerish comments (which are posted in the Spoilers thread)...

ETA: You can watch Gulf News video of selected portions of this KC interview (none of her spoilery comments are included in the video).

Katie Cassidy dishes on her fate on ‘Arrow’
Marwa Hamad, Senior Reporter April 14, 2019
https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/hollywood/katie-cassidy-dishes-on-her-fate-on-arrow-1.63326819

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Cassidy explained that she does character backstories based on script analysis, and sometimes even journals as her characters. She compared playing ordinary, everyday roles to embodying characters who already exist in superhero universes and have the “best fans in the world”.

“It’s definitely a little bit more tricky when you have these hardcore fans that have expectations, and I want to do the character Black Canary and Black Siren as much justice as possible, and be as authentic as possible,” said Cassidy.

“It also is kind of freeing, when [on the other hand] you get to create this character that doesn’t exist until a certain film or television show [and] you can pick and choose based off script analysis how you are going to bring the character to life. So, it’s a little bit more restrictive, it’s a bit of pressure, but I think I’ve done an okay job,” she added.

Edited April 15, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 14, 2019

Keep an eye out for this JH interview at ComicBook.com...

tv echo · April 15, 2019

Another late review of 717...

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Soooo… here’s the problem guys. I don’t really care about Emiko. The whole time I’m watching this plot line unfold I am thinking, “Couldn’t Thea have gone all evil?”
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Not so much with Replacement Thea. The problem is I just met Emiko this season. I understand that’s typically the case when it comes to Arrow villains, but I’m supposed to bond with her character as Oliver’s sister and then be horrified when she turns out to be a villain.
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Oliver and Emiko face off in a fight that’s a lot about her ponytail. It had a life of its own.
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Sadly, this is one of the worst fights I’ve seen in Arrow’s history. I really hope Sea Shimooka isn’t taking acting tips from KC, because it sure looks like it.
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Why isn’t enough that you’ve redeemed yourself Oliver? You’re a Queen. You count. Yes, you were a massive douchebag once upon a time, but you stopped sleeping with Lance sisters (thank God), fell in love with sunshine, and embraced monogamy & commitment like the squishy teddy bear with abs we always knew you were. You also fight for the city, save lives, and cook your pregnant wife yummy veggies to munch on. You’re evolved dude. Cut yourself a break. And Thea isn’t exactly the Mistress of Satan. She’s off saving the world too. Two out of three ain’t bad.
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She is also targeting the Archer program, which means nothing good for Oliver, Felicity and their children. Despite, my frustrations with Emiko’s character I am glad they are tying this all back to Robert and the Queens. Family is where this story began and it’s where it should end.

Dante gave Emiko a gift when she was struggling between being a Queen or joining the Ninth Circle. It was the most hilariously unrealistic looking invoice from Merlyn Global, but it showed the location of the bombs on the Queen’s Gambit. Emiko knew about Merlyn’s plan and she could have saved her father’s life if she simply passed on the information at their meeting. But he rejected her once more, so Emiko sent Robert to his death and unknowingly condemned her brother to five years of hell. Damn.
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The genius of this season, and the retooling of Felicity’s company, is the writers have found a way to weave it in with the vigilante storyline. Smoak Tech no longer feels like an island they are placing Felicity on, but rather it permeates almost every facet of the show – both past and present. This means Felicity permeates every facet of the show.
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Last, but certainly not least, Felicity continues to be a bad ass wife as she manages more Queen family drama. The man is an Adonis who cooks, but oy does he come with family baggage. At least, Oliver’s reaction to this type of drama is predictable and Felicity doesn’t miss a beat.
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Where has this gif been for the last seven years? If Oliver is going to be a stubborn ass then at the very least his wife is going to drag him for it with some patented Felicity Smoak snark.
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After a long day of supporting her husband, incubating their child and stopping criminals, Felicity returns to the loft to work on Archer with Alena. And this was a light Felicity Smoak episode. Damn. Queen of DCTV is right.
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I love Oliver Queen. He is my favorite character, but I think we can all agree Felicity Smoak makes him infinitely more tolerable. Oliver can be stubborn, grumpy pine tree left to his own devices. Hopefully, he’s evolved enough that all of Felicity’s hard work doesn’t go down the tubes the moment they are separated. He is supposed to be Jesus now. I think Slabside is evidence it won’t, but ten episodes without Felicity Smoak feels like a daunting task. It feels like climbing a mountain…
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I need to put on a sweater whenever Stephen and KC film a scene because brr it’s cold!

Edited April 15, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 15, 2019

You may wish to read the entire article...

‘Arrow’: The Goodbye OTA Project talked to us about their future plans
Lynsey Neill April 14, 2019
https://www.purefandom.com/2019/04/14/arrow-the-goodbye-ota-project-talked-to-us-about-their-future-plans/

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Goodbye’s are not easy. Especially from your favorite people. And in the Arrow fandom, Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle are our FAVORITE. From hitting people with vans and just driving away, to drinking margaritas after a job well done, we will always love this iconic trio, known to us as “Original Team Arrow,” and OTA.
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We talked to the fans behind the project about future plans, OTA, and more! Check it out:
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PURE FANDOM: What is The Goodbye OTA Project?
OTA PROJECT: The Goodbye OTA project put simply is a way to say goodbye to a trio of characters who have had an incredible impact on us. Also, this fandom has always loved giving back and what better way than to give back while honoring this incredible show and these outstanding relationships.

What gave you the idea to start the project?
This project was born a day after the announcement that season 8 would be the last, so I guess you can say the idea came from pure melancholy. It was really spontaneous and organized within two days. It was thought as a way to ease the pain of having to say goodbye to our favorite characters in a few months and give the fandom something to look forward to.

How much money have you raised?
To date we have raised over $14,500.00.

What charities has the project been involved in?

Cure Childhood Cancer – They specialize in the research and development of treatment of cancer with their ultimate goal being ending cancer all together. They also support the families of children with cancer by providing them with financial and emotional support. Cancer is a cause very close to Stephen Amell’s heart and we suspected the fandom would sympathize with it from the beginning. It wasn’t surprising to us that the fandom picked Cure as one of the charities.

buildOn – This organization works on building schools in some of the most economically poorest countries to bring education to everyone. They also work with urban youth in the United States to help them improve their communities through community service. School changed Felicity’s life and we hope we are helping change some lives too by donating to BuildOn.

The Kleine Levin Syndrome Foundation – They want to provide help to not only those who are diagnosed with KLS but also find it important to exchange information with the medical community who may not be aware of KLS. Their main focus is seeking a cure for this rather unknown condition. They also hope to bring more awareness so more people can know about KLS. We are very excited about being able to donate to the KLS Foundation and we would like to encourage people to check it out and seek information about the syndrome, since it’s a condition that’s not well known.

When can we expect to see the billboard in Times Square go up?
There have been some developments we were not expecting during this project, happy surprises you could say. What initially was supposed to be one billboard became two and we’re trying to determine the best dates to get both up and running. We want the fandom to have a chance to go to New York to see it personally, and the second billboard will help with that. That being said, we are currently thinking one at the beginning of May and one at the end of May. It’s not set in stone yet at this time, though.

UPDATE: Since talking to The Goodbye OTA Project, they have announced that the billboard in Times Square, featuring all of the friendly faces of OTA, has got a date! On May 6, 2019, a Times Square billboard would be up for 24 hours! Mark your calendars!

Do you have anything else planned?
We have a few other projects that we are working on. We plan on sending Stephen, Emily and David personalized gift baskets. As well as planning a rewatch of the show all summer leading up to the Season 8 premiere. We have several smaller projects just to engage with the fandom including celebrating artists, writers and creators who share just as much passion about OTA as we do.

Also, we have something planned for the crew and writers, to let them know we appreciate all the hard work they’ve put into the show for all of these years. We want them to know we are as grateful for their work as we are for the work of the three people playing our favorite characters in front of the cameras, because we know the show wouldn’t exist without them.

What’s one of your favorite OTA moments?
We have so many it’s hard to narrow it down, but the moment in 2×21 “City of Blood” when OTA turns back to Laurel and Oliver says “This started with the three of us” down in the foundry seems to be a general consensus.

Another one, is in 5×20 when Diggle, Oliver and Felicity form that human chain in the elevator. What we saw was their complete trust and unwavering faith in each other. That moment resonated more than any other for me.

A favorite OTA quote that really just says it all is when Diggle says “you, me, Felicity, we make each other better.”

Edited April 15, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Honestly, I didn't find anything I wanted to quote in this interview (no spoilers if you've seen 718)...

Five Questions About "Lost Canary" with 'Arrow' Star Juliana Harkavy
By RUSS BURLINGAME - April 15, 2019
https://comicbook.com/2019/04/16/five-questions-about-lost-canary-with-arrow-star-juliana-harkavy/

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Arrow recap: Felicity, Dinah, and Sara team up to save Laurel's soul
By Chancellor Agard April 15, 2019
https://ew.com/recap/arrow-season-7-episode-18/

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A member of Team Arrow made its long-awaited return in tonight’s Birds of Prey-inspired episode, “Lost Canary.” Of course, I’m talking about our beloved salmon ladder, which achieved series regular status in Arrow’s first couple of years. Let me tell you, I screamed the moment we saw Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) doing the salmon ladder in the bunker because it has been so long since we’ve seen the show’s favorite exercise device in use.
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At the top of the episode, director Kristin Windell takes your standard badass-confronts-goons scenes, the type of thing Arrow does all the time, and livens it up by shooting it in one take. So, the hour opens with Laurel mowing her way through a bunch of armed goons. Sure, the show has executed oners many times before (see almost every episode James Bamford has directed), but it was pretty cool to see Katie Cassidy Rodgers, who has been with the show since the beginning, at the center of one and get a moment to shine like this.
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Look, I’m a sucker for any scenes on this show that remind me of the good ol’ season 2 days. Needless to say, I loved Felicity and Sara’s reunion in the bunker, which not only included Sara putting in some work on the salmon ladder, but also Sara teasing Felicity about crushing on Oliver way back when and Felicity joking about whether or not Sara was ever into her. It was appropriately cute. Once the feel-good stuff ends, though, Sara shares some important wisdom with Felicity about Laurel: “You can’t force redemption on people.”

Felicity almost gives up hope on her friend when she and Dinah find a bomb waiting for them at Black Siren and Shadow Thief’s hideout, but Sara realizes the bomb’s delayed detonation wasn’t a mistake and that Laurel probably did it to save them. Her suspicions are somewhat confirmed when she finds Laurel at Quentin’s grave. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy Lotz’s scenes with Cassidy Rodgers as much as I did here. While there was a warmth and familiarity between Felicity and Sara in their reunion scene, that feeling was missing from this Laurel-Sara scene, which makes sense because these two women don’t have any kind of history. Both Lotz and Cassidy Rodgers did a great job of making these two women feel like strangers to each other.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

ARROW SEASON 7, EPISODE 18: "LOST CANARY" REVIEW
BY JESSE SCHEEDEN 15 APR 2019
https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/04/16/arrow-season-7-episode-18-lost-canary-review

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The good news is that the writers seem mindful of the need to streamline things leading into the final season. The series already bid farewell to Echo Kellum’s Curtis, and we recently learned that Emily Bett Rickards is leaving after Season 7. Now it appears that Katie Cassidy-Rodgers is bidding farewell to the Arrowverse, too. “Lost Canary” marked the end of Earth-2 Laurel Lance’s tenure in Team Arrow, and it’s not a bad way for this incarnation of the character to go out.
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No matter what Earth she hails from, Arrow has had a rocky success rate when it comes to Laurel. She’s never fully embodied the Black Canary of the comics. That clearly was never the goal, hence the decision to divide the Black Canary mantle among so many characters. But while the entire Black Siren storyline has had its definite low points, in the end Laurel is a fundamentally more interesting character when she’s a bad person struggling to be good.
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It did seems as though Laurel’s arc was compressed a little too much. I’d rather have see her deal with being a pariah and a fugitive for a few episodes before getting her big send-off. It’s as though she flipped a mental switch with the way she so quickly and totally reverted to Black Siren mode. This whole storyline pretty much glossed over the fact that by taking on the name and identity of Earth-1 Laurel, Earth-2 Laurel basically destroyed the reputation of one of Star City’s honored dead. There’s some definite missed potential there, even though Laurel more or less smoothed things over in the end.

If anything, the flash-forward storyline helped the most in terms of cementing her character arc and sending Laurel off on a high note. In general, the flash-forward scenes were fairly bland this week - all action and little in the way of plot progression or interesting story developments. But seeing an older Laurel leap to Mia’s rescue with Canaries in tow made it all worthwhile. We see Laurel at her best and truly embodying the redemption being Black Canary offers. That final scene served as a strong farewell to a character who’s been a mainstay in one form or another for most of Arrow’s existence. And at the same time, it showed that Laurel hasn’t left Earth-1 behind forever.
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Another major selling point with “Lost Canary” is that it’s a rare female-driven Arrow episode. Not just in terms of the cast, but also in that it was written and directed by women. We got a neat little subplot involving the return of Kodiak, but other than that it was the Felicity Smoak/Black Canary Power Hour. You have to wonder if this episode is intended as a litmus test for a possible Black Canary or Birds of Prey-esque spinoff. Or “Birds of Justice,” as Felicity referred to their team-up. With multiple Canaries on the team and Felicity filling in for Oracle, it could work.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Arrow, ‘Lost Canary’: Season’s Final Push Starts with Laurel-centric Episode
BY CRAIG WACK · APRIL 16, 2019
http://oohlo.com/2019/04/16/arrow-lost-canary-seasons-final-push-starts-with-laurel-centric-episode/

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Whenever Not Laurel aka Black Siren pops onscreen there’s plenty of eye-rolling from me, so this episode allowed me to see what the back of my brain looked like. They couldn’t even follow through on this being her swan song, but their big twist ends in the future. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest episode of Arrow:
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What’s the scoop: Not Laurel has embraced her newfound rogue status by teaming up with a heretofore unseen Diaz compatriot, Shadowthief. They are a regular BDSM-styled, semi-gender flipped Bonnie and Clyde. Dinah is out to put Black Siren in jail, but Felicity is not so sure. She thinks there’s redemption to be found in Siren (eye-roll) and even recruits “sister” Sara in from Legends of Tomorrow for backup. Sara does her part by talking heroics with Siren at Quentin’s headstone. Felicity sniffs out how Siren is picking her targets, which opens the door for Shadowthief to suggest a bigger score –- a big ole bomb stored in the Abandoned Warehouse District.
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Sex and the Olicity: They spent most of the episode on their own separate missions, but Olicity did have a cute moment in the end when both are exhausted from a long day and curl up on the couch for an intimate conversation about supervillains, babies and what to have for dinner. Given what is happening behind the scenes, it’s important to savor these small moments.
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What about the action: Fans who always wanted Birds of Prey got as close as they are ever going to get with Dina, Sara and Felicity teaming together to stop Siren and Shadowthief from stealing the bomb that could potentially kill a lot of innocent people. As usual, the fight sequences are well choreographed and we even got our first salmon ladder in ages. The team convinces Siren to swing back to the good guys’ side at the last minute and they harmlessly detonate the bomb inside the warehouse. While they celebrate, Siren drops the bomb that she’s going back to her Earth to be a hero, which makes Felicity a little sad. Of course the hopes fans who for a fleeting instant thought they were rid of Laurel Lance forever were dashed in the episode’s stinger when we see a blond-wigged (or is it supposed to be grey hair?) Siren as one of the future’s Canary Crew.

Last impressions: All Birds of Prey fan service aside, this was a filler episode. It did allow the show to explore some relationships it had been picking at most of the season. The downer was that Siren’s moment of redemption did not exactly feel earned. Sure she got a couple of graveyard pep talks from Sara, but ultimately Siren switched sides because she was outmatched, which has been her M.O. since the character’s “resurrection” and heel turn a couple of seasons back. As filler episodes go, this one was slightly better than average, but only the most hardcore Laurel fans are going to look back at this episode with any fondness.

tv echo · April 16, 2019

ARROW 7.18 Review “Lost Canary”
By AMELIA EMBERWING Apr. 16, 2019
https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2019/04/16/arrow-7.18-review-lost-canary

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Seven seasons of waiting finally paid off. After all, a Birds of Prey episode by any other name still smells as sweet. “Lost Canary” doesn’t just pay tribute to Oracle and her team. It also weaves in a whole new dynamic for the team with the heroes in Star City 2049. Though it has an obligation to spend some time on the Emiko arc, outside of the reveal of Longbow Hunter's involvement, it’s not really worth mentioning.
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Every moment with Sara feels so incredibly well-earned. From her heart-to-heart with her not-quite-sister, all the way to the moments she shares with her chosen one, Felicity. All of the history of the character shines through the moment she steps foot in Star City. I’ll always be here for the snarky Sara who’s banged her way through time, but it feels so appropriate that we see all of the weight of her losses as she tries to break through to Laurel. Don’t think it was all well-earned brooding, though. Her first scene with Felicity erases any passage of time and gives us a touching moment between Star City’s lost assassin and its babbliest hero like the world hasn’t almost ended fifteen times since they last shared a moment.
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We’ve talked at length about what a journey it’s been to get to this point on Arrow. From bi characters literally being offed and thrown in dumpsters, to a whole season where all the main female member of the team was allowed to do was cry, it’s been a long, long road to get to “Lost Canaries”. Though we all could have done without the show’s previous treatment of women, it does make this episode a hell of a lot sweeter. Creating a team of vigilantes whose sole purpose is to work as a support system and show women that they always have each other’s backs no matter what happens is a dream come true arc that I never thought we’d see on the likes of Arrow. Shout out to writers Jill Blankenship and Elisa Delson for proving me wrong.
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While the OG Laurel’s story stopped being for me around season three, it’s nice to see the character come full circle in an arc that will hopefully do her fans both new and old proud. We see Sara’s Star City arc come to a close as well while we start ramping up for the beginning of the end. The episode closes with a simple yet touching husband and wife moment between Oliver and Felicity, serving as a reminder of how clever this show can be in its small moments like that.

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Arrow season 7, episode 18 review: Lost Canary
by Scott Brown April 16, 2019
https://bamsmackpow.com/2019/04/16/arrow-season-7-episode-18-review/

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Really though, all of the Canaries get a chance to shine in this episode. Juliana Harkavy, Caity Lotz, and Katie Cassidy Rogers all give great performances in this episode, which is a good thing because the emotional beats wouldn’t have held up if this wasn’t the case.
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With Laurel returning to the life of Black Siren, this also puts the spotlight on Dinah as well. Given that they are both versions of Black Canary, putting them at odds with each other makes the most sense. They’re two sides of the same coin, both taking cues from the original Laurel, so it makes sense to put them at odds with each other. And really, this is the climax of the build-up of the tension between the two over several episodes. It’s a great dichotomy that the two have that is explored really well in this episode.

It’s also great to have Sara back, even if it’s just for this one episode. Sara is arguably the best character in the entirety of the Arrowverse and it’s always fun to see her return to the show that she originated in, especially in an episode as emotionally charged as this. It’s awesome to have her back in this episode, she’s the best.

tv echo · April 16, 2019

I'm surprised that a few reviewers seem to believe that E2 Laurel really was working undercover for the SCPD - I thought it was clear that Dinah just made up the undercover story to avoid having to arrest E2 Laurel...

Arrow Season 7 Episode 18 Review – ‘Lost Canary’
APRIL 16, 2019 BY JESSIE ROBERTSON
https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2019/04/arrow-season-7-episode-18-review-lost-canary/

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Tonight’s opening was shot pretty brilliantly and really made me miss Arrow being on over the last few weeks. We sort of knew Black Siren was moving back towards her villain days and the whole thing had a very cool vibe to the look of the shots. Within 5 minutes, when Felicity is calling Laurel like a clingy ex, and starts dumping exposition like only Felicity can do to Oliver, I sat back and thought “This show is batshit crazy!”

I know these articles inevitably spoil things, but I write them with the pretense that you’ve actually seen the episode so the moments I bring up are fresh in your head. We’re just going to get right to the heart of this one early: the episode doesn’t work, as far as plot. So, Black Siren is on the run, wanted for murder, giving up her old life and back to criminal enterprising…even cutting out her one and only friend, Felicity. She teams up with “The Shadow Thief” which this is a poor version of the very cool comic book villain of the Hawkpeople, and starts creating havoc until the whole thing was a swerve! Huh? Siren was actually deep undercover as a villain to help bring this lady in. No! This does not work! And they were all celebrating afterwards! Then, we fast forward to the future where the network of Canaries is suffering major casualties and Laurel shows up there as well! I felt like the Arrow fan base by the time this one was over and heavily Laurel fatigued.
* * *
Bringing in Sara Lance was the one good move to find here. She is such an established character in this universe now that she instantly brings credibility and weight to any show she pops up in. She’s found such a rhythm on Legends too and I love it. But, she’s used perfectly here; as someone who misses her sister obviously but who can sort of get into the head of this Laurel Lance and let’s her know “this is not a mission; it’s a journey” to be a hero. But, again, if all this was for the act, even the good stuff on tonight’s episode was wasted. And I’m sorry, Laurel Lance in no universe beats her sister in a fight!

Our future stuff was mainly pushed as a girl heavy story, which I appreciated as was the whole episode; but making Laurel the centerpiece of this female centric story feels like the wrong choice.
* * *
6/10 – At this point, it’s hard for me to get invested in the character of Laurel Lance/Black Siren, especially in a crime story where she’s both the pro- and antagonist.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Arrow: “Lost Canary” Review
Taylor Cole April 15, 2019
https://thenerdstash.com/arrow-lost-canary-review/

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I haven’t necessarily had a problem with Dinah in a long time. Really since that short stint in season 6 where we had that terrible “Team Arrow Civil War”. I’ve been invested in her character this season, mainly due to the flashforwards and what happened to her in “Star City Slayer”. However, I found Dinah to be pretty annoying this week (and I’m vastly understating that). This has nothing to do with Juliana Harkavy’s performance either. She did the best with what she was given. I get that Dinah doesn’t like Laurel, and that’s completely fine. But the way she just adamantly kept putting down Felicity’s points and dismissing the notion of Laurel being redeemed just took me out of the episode.
* * *
That’s probably the best way I can describe “Lost Canary”. Loved the destination but I just thought the journey we took to get there was subpar. Laurel’s arc is another piece of evidence to my description. Anyone who has read my reviews of Arrow this season knows that I’ve enjoyed watching Laurel’s redemption arc from heartless killer to a hero. This week almost unraveled every single bit of that character development.

After all of that time spent into developing Laurel, we went from her being outed as Black Siren to her being in full villain mode in the span of one episode. It was jarring to see and I kept thinking that there was some twist on the way. At one point, I thought she was playing both the team and Shadow Thief in order to find the bomb and take down the assassin to prove her loyalty or something. I was totally off. Instead, she was dead-set on going back to the dark side until Felicity and Sara talked her out of it.
* * *
Verdict: “Lost Canary” is a solid return for Arrow and eased me back into the series as we hit our final stretch of episodes. Performances by Katie Cassidy and Caity Lotz were standouts. Emily Bett Rickards was pretty great as well. For me, this week was about the destination, not the journey and that’s my best description on the episode as a whole. If this was Laurel’s sendoff for a while in the present day, it was a worthy one. But, hopefully, we’ll see her again sometime soon.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

SARA LANCE RETURNS, LAUREL GOES ROGUE AND A SURPRISE EXIT (?!) IN THE LATEST ARROW
Trent Moore April 16, 2019
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/sara-lance-returns-laurel-goes-rogue-and-a-surprise-exit-in-the-latest-arrow

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After Laurel was outed by Emiko and framed for Diaz’s murder, she decides to turn back to her life of crime, feeling betrayed by Team Arrow as an arrest warrant is issued to bring her in. After seeing the redemption story they’ve pushed for Laurel so hard the past season or two, it’s frustrating to see her so immediately decide to fall back into old habits — and it also felt forced to see her so quickly turn back to good, again, after being pushed by the Birds of Justice (they’re still workshopping that one) to call it quits on stealing weapons for black market thieves.
* * *
Having Sara back also allowed this episode to really lean on its female heroes, to great effect. Oliver and Diggle have a little side mission and a bit of screen time, but this is really Felicity, Dinah, Sara, and Laurel’s story all the way through. With a Birds of Prey movie on the way from DC, this is certainly a bit of proving ground that the concept can have legs on the small screen, too.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

TV Review: ‘Arrow: Lost Canary’
APRIL 16TH, 2019 BY DARRYL JASPER
https://sciencefiction.com/2019/04/16/tv-review-arrow-lost-canary/

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One of the biggest issues with network shows is that they often have to speed through narrative arcs that would be stronger and more impactful if given more time to develop. “Lost Canary” is a perfect example of this as it gives us a Laurel who, after being framed for murder, is on the run and almost immediately reverts back to her criminal ways. But whereas some may write her off, Felicity is the one person that refuses to give up on her. Though sloppily executed, the overall message rings true, not just for Laurel but for the future Mia, who realizes that there is strength in knowing that others have your back.
* * *
The problem in this short two-arc story, however, is how easily she succumbs to some people losing faith in her. Yes, it would be disheartening to experience but it’s as if she doesn’t even acknowledge that Felicity — the closest she has to a true friend — never loses faith. Felicity is eventually able to steer Laurel back to the light, but the fallout from the Black Siren’s brief flirtation with her darker side is quickly swept under the rug.

And therein lies the issue with “Lost Canary”. It’s a hastily put-together script that doesn’t give us time to truly appreciate the magnitude of Laurel’s actions, both good and bad. Despite her partnership with Shadow Thief (a very cool new character) targeting bad guys, there are no real consequences to Laurel murdering them alongside her temporary partner.

When she switches allegiances after a good old face-to-face with Felicity during that final act, it’s so sudden that it loses any real emotional weight. Had this particular story arc been seeded through the last three or four episodes with “Lost Canary” being the culmination to that lead-up, it would have been a much greater impact. Instead, it was almost like a generic and deeply flawed PSA of “don’t worry if you do wrong but then do right kids, we’ll forgive you and you won’t have to pay for your crimes”. The one saving grace in that is Laurel realizes she does indeed have to make up for her actions, deciding to return to Earth-2. Whether that’s to balance the scales by being a hero or literally accept punishment for her crimes remains up in the air, but as the flash forward shows us, whatever she does has completely solidified her as a true white hat.

On the flash forward, like the present time, the women are center stage. We get to understand a bit more about Dinah and her creation of the Black Canary network and its purpose as a support structure for the strong women out there fighting for the city. The message itself is a solid and necessary one — both for women and people as a whole: you’re never as alone as you think you are and when you realize that, you’re more powerful than you can imagine. The stumble is more about the overall execution of Laurel’s story than the nature of the message. So much seems like it’s wrapped up in a bow, skimming the surface of what has been a surprisingly captivating character.
* * *
- I’m not a fan of Sara Lance being the leader in Legends of Tomorrow, but her guest appearance in Arrow put the former assassin in her element. Though not wholly a loner, she does her best (and most believable) work not as a leader, but as that wild card with the autonomy to get it done her way. Subtle it may be, it makes a big difference to how effective she is on-screen.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Arrow Review: Lost Canary (Season 7 Episode 18)
April 16, 2019 Brianna Martinez
https://www.telltaletv.com/2019/04/arrow-review-lost-canary-season-7-episode-18/

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“Lost Canary” is a two-pronged approach at the Canary story, giving context in the present that translates into the future while working through the concept of what redemption entails and how much of free will is involved in the process.

It works efficiently and makes the Black Siren story tie in nicely to the overarching Canary one.
* * *
So, it makes sense that it’s Siren’s story to illustrate the redemption benchmarks. The one thing that still doesn’t sit right, though, is the amount of nudging and pushing Felicity, Sara, and eventually, Dinah do for Siren to be willing to continue her path towards redemption.
* * *
It almost feels like it was too much pushing and nudging to get her to see it, contradicting a bit of the idea that redemption involves choosing to turn things around.
* * *
Mia’s tenacity continues to be the best combination of Oliver and Felicity, and it’s in moments like her face-off with Dinah that really highlights it. Mia wants to fight and do what needs to be done, not knowing that she’s got more of her parents’ hero spirit in her than she’s probably imagined.
* * *
Elsewhere in 2040, questions about Earth-2 Laurel’s plans are raised again when she comes in with an assist as Mia tries to take down one of those masked men. Does this mean Siren left and returned or did she stay on Earth-1 the entire time?
* * *
The Queen-Smoak domesticity is heart-meltingly sweet, from Oliver telling Felicity to take it easy because of “precious cargo,” to the foot rub scene at the end of each of their missions. To think that moments like these are numbered is bittersweet.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 16, 2019

Juliana Harkavy Is Glad They Made A 'Birds of Prey'-Themed 'Arrow' Episode Before Emily Bett Rickards Left
By RUSS BURLINGAME - April 15, 2019
https://comicbook.com/dc/2019/04/15/juliana-harkavy-is-glad-they-made-a-birds-of-prey-themed-arrow-e/

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"I was wigging out; I was so excited [for the episode]," Harkavy told ComicBook.com during an interview last week in support of the episode. "I knew about Birds of Prey. I was really excited about the movie. I love the art and the comics, and I was so excited. I know there had been talk about it in the past, but the fact that they actually got it to come together was really great, and I'm just so glad that we got to do it with Emily because having a female-centric episode without her wouldn't have been the same. So it was a perfect time for it."
* * *
"I've admired Dinah's ability to forgive to a certain level and I have also empathized with her as she's had trouble forgiving," Harkavy said. "The same with Laurel, I've appreciated how far she's come. And then on the other hand there's always that tinge of fear -- 'is she going to just kill people?' I love having that energy bouncing back and forth between them all the time. I don't know if their relationship will ever land in the final phase. I do think it's closer to where it would end by the end of this episode perhaps. But yeah, it's definitely very up and down.

Edited April 16, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 17, 2019

Arrow – Season 7 Episode 18
Apr 16, 2019 | Posted by Craig McKenzie in TV
https://kneelbeforeblog.co.uk/tv/arrow-lost-canary/

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A strong episode that provides closure of sorts for Evil Laurel by focusing on her key relationships and setting her up for the future. Having her regress to her criminal ways after a massive setback in the form of the truth becoming known about her activities makes sense for her as she has always struggled to maintain a more legitimate lifestyle. The Shadow Thief acts as an enabler for her which works in the confines of this episode but any attempt to suggest that there is anything deeper at play doesn’t work because the prior relationship doesn’t exist as far as the audience has seen. They were introduced off screen so this is clearly an invention for the purposes of this episode. It definitely works but also lacks depth at the same time.

Focusing on Evil Laurel’s core relationships with Felicity and Dinah is a great way to showcase her redemptive arc as she relates to them in very different ways. Felicity is the supportive yet unlikely friend and Dinah is the one who sticks to the facts and judges Evil Laurel on her own merits. In particular their relationship is wonderfully complex as there is a history there that means Dinah will never truly forgive her. Sara acts as the example of someone who has been through a similarly difficult journey and represents hope that it is possible to come out the other side of it. This helps Evil Laurel decide to return to Earth-2 in order to right her wrongs and she is given Earth-1 Laurel’s Black Canary outfit as something to earn. It’s also great to see the Arrow version of the Birds of Prey coming together to solve a problem. The payoff of Evil Laurel’s development is shown in the future time period when she is shown wearing the costume as a proud trusted member of the Canary movement. The future scenes are exciting in terms of action but offer little in terms of character development.

Edited April 17, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 17, 2019

‘ARROW’ 7×18 REVIEW: ‘LOST CANARY’
ALYSSA BARBIERI APRIL 17, 2019
http://fangirlish.com/arrow-7x18-review-lost-canary/

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While Felicity’s first appearance in the lackluster, “Lost Canary” hit me with some expected and some not-expected emotions, the episode as a whole was a reminder why Arrow needs to come to an end. I just wish she’d stick it out through the final 10-episode season.

I understood what Arrow was aiming for with “Lost Canary,” which was a female-centric, Birds-of-Prey-esque hour that preached girl power. They even went so far as to bring back the original Black Canary, Sara Lance, to make me even more emotional than I already was.
* * *
I will never, for the life of me, understand this show’s obsession with Canaries. I understand Sara Lance, the original Canary. I even get Laurel Lance, the comic Black Canary. But it’s like Arrow has no idea what it wants to do with Canaries at times that it just continuously moves on to a new one like a clean slate. As if Black Canary isn’t a complete badass and a character worthy of a great storyline. Because she is.

Nope, two Canaries weren’t enough. Then this show had to go out and force another Canary on us in Dinah Drake. Oh, but it doesn’t stop there. Then there was Laurel of Earth-2, who was technically Black Siren but still counts as a Canary. Oh, then there was this whole “Canaries” group that Dinah starts in the future. Because everyone can be a Canary, apparently.
* * *
I miss the days of Sara’s Canary. Things were simpler then. I even miss the days of Laurel’s Black Canary in season. There was stability. It didn’t seem like this show was on a Canary high that it didn’t know how to control. But now, there are just hundreds of girls walking around in future Star City calling themselves Canaries. Kind of takes the meaning out of the word, doesn’t it?
* * *
I just want to remind everyone that Oliver actually said the words “precious cargo” when referring to his and Felicity’s unborn child. Just so everyone is clear. Because I’m still not over the cuteness that was that moment and the last scene that highlighted the beauty that is Olicity.

After a long day of saving the world, Oliver and Felicity did what any normal person would do, which is collapse on the couch from exhaustion. Only, aside from any normal person, Olicity manages to make it look hot as hell. Just saying, I wish I looked that good stumbling home from a long day’s work collapsing on my bed.
* * *
But how quickly Laurel was able to be “redeemed” made me laugh. Here she was ready to kill three badass women and then all of sudden she was like, “I’m not that person.” I’m sorry, but the resolution in that scene was so sudden that it lost all impact. While I get the allure of having Laurel decide to change her ways when everyone’s in danger, but I would’ve preferred Laurel’s come-to-Jesus moment to happen during one of her emotional talks with Felicity or Sara.

So was Laurel redeemed? The short answer is: No.

The longer answer? Let’s have Sara explain it: “Redemption isn’t a destination, it’s a journey.”

There have been so many people obsessed with this idea of Laurel finally earning “redemption,” but it’s not something that you can earn in a season, yet alone an episode. We saw how long it took Oliver to be truly redeemed — his arc lasted five seasons.

So, no, Laurel was not redeemed. But she’s on the path to get there. She’s just not there yet.

Edited April 17, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 18, 2019

Arrow Episode Guide: Season 7, Episode 18 - Lost Canary
Starman April 16, 2019
http://www.mygeekygeekyways.com/2019/04/arrow-episode-guide-season-7-episode-18.html

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Goofs
Black Siren's DNA and fingerprints were found all over the scene of Gustavo Hernandez's murder. Felicity says this is proof she can't be the killer because she's too smart to leave evidence. There has been little evidence in any of Black Siren's previous murders that she had any sense of subtlety.

It is completely unbelievable that Dinah would be willing to overlook the crimes that Black Siren was involved with (including multiple murders!) just because she was wrong about her killing the one gang leader she was framed for killing.

Though the point is rendered moot by Black Siren deciding to return to Earth 2 rather than continue impersonating Laurel, how exactly is Dinah supposed to convince the mayor, the rest of the DA's office and the SCPD that Black Siren was on a secret undercover mission to catch the Shadow Thief? Aren't their procedures in place for that sort of thing? Wouldn't Dinah know all about those procedures being an undercover cop?

For that matter, what about all the material (such as the photo of Black Siren with Ricardo Diaz) that was sent to the press last week that showed Black Siren associating with criminals before she became the District Attorney? How would that get explained away?

How exactly is Black Siren supposed to get back to Earth 2? After everything she did to try and kill Team Flash working with Zoom, I doubt Barry Allen or Cisco Ramon is going to be willing to help her bum a ride home.
* * *
Performances
As always, Caity Lotz is a delight and the scene of Sara and Felicity catching up is wonderful. The chemistry between the original two ladies of Team Arrow is as strong as it was five years ago and one wonders what might have been had a proposed Birds of Prey spin-off starting the two actually happened.
* * *
Trivia
In the title card for this episode, the arrowhead behind the title is replaced with the stylized Canary emblem used by Dinah Drake.

Edited April 18, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 19, 2019

Arrow Should Have Given Sara & Felicity A Birds Of Prey Spinoff Years Ago
BY MATT MORRISON – ON APR 18, 2019
https://screenrant.com/arrow-birds-prey-spinoff-felicity-sara-lance/

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"Lost Canary", the latest episode of Arrow season 7, proved what many fans have felt for years - that The CW should have created a Birds of Prey spinoff centered around the characters of Sara Lance and Felicity Smoak years ago. ...
* * *
The subject of a Birds of Prey series was raised again recently by the plot of "Lost Canary" - a season 7 Arrow episode which saw the current Black Canary, Dinah Drake, Felicity Smoak, and Sara Lance team up to try and talk some sense into Black Siren after she returned to a life of crime. With multiple Canaries on one team along with a computer hacker like Felicity, it's easy to see how the entire episode was something of a tribute to Birds of Prey. However, it was the interactions between Caity Lotz as Sara Lance and Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak that truly tapped into the spirit of the original comics.
* * *
The Birds of Prey comics written by Gail Simone and her handling of Black Canary formed the basis of Sara Lance's personality and background when she was first introduced in Arrow season 2. Both women were trained by the League of Assassins and took their bird-themed codename from a nickname given to them by a sensei. For Black Canary, it was Siu Jerk Jai - "The Little Bird" in Japanese. For Sara Lance it was Ta-er al-Sahfer - "Yellow Bird" in Arabic. Both women also acted as guardians to a girl named Sin and were written as bisexual.

Felicity Smoak would also be developed into something of an Oracle analog as Arrow went on, fulfilling a similar role as Green Arrow's technical support before becoming his love interest. At one point there were plans for her to officially adopt the Oracle name and be paralyzed after being shot by one of the series' main villains, like Barbara Gordon in The Killing Joke. These plans were changed after DC Entertainment objected to anyone else using the Oracle name, and so, Felicity took up the codename Overwatch instead.
* * *
A brief scene in "Lost Canary" hinted at what might have been, as Felicity and Sara briefly caught up and discussed how things had changed since the days when they were the only two women on Team Arrow. Many fans felt this scene was the high-point of the episode, largely due to the chemistry between Lotz and Ricards, as well as the revelation that Felicity had enjoyed Sara's attempts at flirting with her in the past and was at least bi-curious, if not outright bisexual. This in itself was another clever nod to the Birds of Prey comics, which had hinted that Black Canary and Oracle were friends-with-benefits, if not quite in a devout relationship. While it's probably too late for such a show starring the two actresses to spin out of Arrow at this point, it's still heartening to see the relationship between the two women and the classic comics acknowledged one last time.

Edited April 19, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 19, 2019

‘Arrow’ 7×18 review: “Lost Canary”
Lynsey Neill April 18, 2019
https://www.purefandom.com/2019/04/18/arrow-7x18-review-lost-canary/

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But even with the joy of seeing this female friendship be developed, there was still a pretty large elephant in the room. And it was Black Siren’s so-called “redemption.” Felicity maintained that she’s different now, and that she’s changed. You see, I never had a problem with them being friends. I welcomed it even. I had a problem with how Felicity was just brushing over the things she has done.

She can be her friend and still call her on her bull. Inhabiting a dead girls life (even if you share the same face) is not redemption. Doing a few good things, is not redemption. And Felicity was more often then not, acting like it was. Why?

I think we underestimated how utterly alone Felicity felt in the beginning of the season. How abandoned she felt. And how much it meant to her that Black Siren was there.

Yes, other characters came in at the final hour and helped Felicity with Diaz. However, Laurel was there as more than just a way to get Oliver out of prison. She was there as a friend too. Felicity appreciated that long after she had her husband back. And Laurel was taken with Felicity, how her light radiates brighter than most people, and how even given that, she’s still not a girl scout.
* * *
What does redemption mean? Black Siren/Laurel had it right when she was trying to be a better person. She was taking steps. But the steps you take doesn’t erase the pain you have inflicted.
* * *
If anyone knows anything about redemption, it’s Sara Lance. A woman who literally rose from the ashes as White Canary. The only way Sara could be redeemed for what she’s done, was to face the people she hurt.

That’s why it ultimately makes sense that Laurel went back to earth-2 at the end of the episode.
* * *
So, after Laurel decides to continue on her journey of redemption and go back to earth-2, Felicity and Laurel have a nice goodbye. I will say that the nice thing about Laurel this season, is her whole function was to be Felicity’s friend. And I applaud that.
* * *
In the future, we learn more about Dinah’s network of Canaries. Initially when we learned that there was a whole flock of Canaries out there I thought it just made the “Black Canary” itself less special. If anyone can call themselves a Canary then what’s the point?

However, considering how the title of “Black Canary” has been bestowed upon many characters on Arrow, that went out the window a long time ago. And how they are using it now, is very special.

It’s about women supporting women. When a Canary calls, your fellow singing birds will be there to back you up. Physically and emotionally. This is probably my favorite thing they’ve done with the Black Canary storyline. Just the idea that there is a network of women in Star City being heroes, and supporting each other, fills me with such warm fuzzies.
* * *
Oliver and Felicity have been married for a while (even before they officially said, “I do”). But for the two short scenes they shared this episode, they personified Marriage™.

Here it is, Oliver saying “precious cargo” and “I’m here now, I’ll take care of you.” The Queens of DCTV, ladies and gentleman: ...

Edited April 19, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 20, 2019

Would Thrones' Jaime Recognize Bran? Did Grey's Spiritual Journey End? Best Gotham Canon Nod? And More Qs
By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Michael Ausiello, Dave Nemetz, Rebecca Iannucci, Ryan Schwartz and Charlie Mason / April 19 2019
https://tvline.com/2019/04/19/game-of-thrones-season-8-premiere-jaime-bran-tv-questions-answers/

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7 | As Arrow‘s old-age makeup goes, did Laurel/Katie Cassidy get off easy?

tv echo · April 20, 2019

This article basically outlines the chronological history of Malcolm on Arrow, capped off by the writer's conclusion below...

Malcolm Merlyn: How the Dark Archer Became Arrow's Wild Card
by Sam Stone – on Apr 20, 2019
https://www.cbr.com/malcolm-merlyn-arrow-dark-archer-explained/

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A noble villain who values family and his legacy above all else, Malcolm Merlyn is one of the most entertaining villains to appear in the entire Arrowverse. While he has been dead since Season 5, DCTV's tendency to employ flashbacks, alternate worlds and hallucinations suggest that fans may not have seen the last of the longtime antagonist

Edited April 20, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 20, 2019

Entertainment Weekly - Superhero Insider: Avengers: Endgame, Legends Of Tomorrow, The Flash and more
Kyle Anderson and Chance Agard April 19, 2019

-- Arrow 718: Kyle said that KC's Earth-2 character "has always been strange" for Arrow, because Arrow is supposed to be the "most grounded" show in the Arrowverse and yet they've had this AU character around for at least two seasons.

-- Chance thought that E2 Laurel's friendship with Felicity was "one of the best things" about this season. He also thought that "throwing" Sara and Dinah into the mix was "better than I expected."

-- Chance: "Just in terms of [KC's] performance as the character, I think her as Black Siren was better than her as Earth-1 Laurel, um, just performance-wise." He said that Black Siren "had more of a variety of beats to play," whereas Laurel just played the "same, similar beats kinda" for the first few seasons, until S4 when the show finally found a "groove for her... she functioned great as this supporting character." However, Chance thought that they "never quite nailed what to do with her... how to give her her own thing."

-- Kyle thought that there have been moments for each of the core characters that we met in S1 where "they flip the switch into the next thing" (like, for Oliver, that happened toward the end of S1 and going into S2), but that "they never got to that place with the Laurel character... where they sort of found a second gear for her."

-- Chance agreed, saying that Sara's death as motivation for Laurel to become Black Canary works better "in hindsight," but at the time, it was just 'meh' for him. He also added that, although Laurel had "some great moments" in S4, "the character never really stood out on her own, like, the way Diggle and Felicity do, or Thea, or, yeah, Roy maybe." But, now as Black Siren, Chance thought that we have a better idea of what we're getting, as opposed to Laurel, who seemed to be whatever the plot needed.

-- Chance found the flashforwards in 718 "kinda jarring" because it wasn't clear how we got from the present day storyline to the future storyline in this episode.

-- Chance loved the scene between CL and KC at Quentin's gravesite because they believably acted as two strangers, as opposed to two people who've known each other for many years.

Edited April 20, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 20, 2019

Arrow: Why Felicity Smoak Needs a Happy Ending
April 20, 2019 Brianna Martinez
https://www.telltaletv.com/2019/04/arrow-why-felicity-smoak-needs-a-happy-ending/

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Felicity has come such a long way from her introduction on Arrow Season 1 Episode 3, “The Lone Gunman,” going on her own parallel journey to find out who she is and what she’s capable of.
* * *
But from the moment she joined Oliver and Diggle on The Hood’s mission on Arrow Season 1 Episode 14, “The Odyssey,” it’s clear that she found her purpose in the mission. Felicity understood what the vigilante/hero life entailed, even if there was another way to go about it.
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She’s endured so much over the last seven years, including paralysis, rebuilding her company (over and over again), and having to live apart from her family, giving up a chance at happiness for the sake of her and Oliver’s mission—keeping Star City safe.

These sacrifices she’s made willingly with no expectation of a reward because it’s not one she or anyone on OTA ever expected out of their work.

She’s had to watch the love of her life sacrifice himself multiple times over the years and figure out a way to continue his legacy and mission, a mission that became her own the moment she agreed to stay on.
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She’s earned a happy ending being reunited with Oliver, Mia, and William. She’s earned a chance to live happily and stress-free, succeeding in keeping Star City safe together with her partner and husband, and making it out of the uncertainty that has been this flash-forward arc alive.

After all, Oliver and Felicity’s stories have become indelibly intertwined in a way that any kind of ending for either of them that results in anything other than happiness would doom the other.

It essentially boils down to the story the Arrow writers have been telling for years, specifically when it comes to Felicity. She’s provided the beacon and the support. She’s contributed to the vision of a future where their city is safe, and their friends and family are living a life beyond their hoods and masks.
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That’s the end goal, and a promising send-off for Felicity would keep that vision of the future, despite the actual future we see in the flash forwards, alive. It would provide that bit of optimism to the remainder of the series as things are bound to get bleaker before the series wraps up.

If there isn’t a reward for the sacrifices she’s made, for the impossible situations she’s been put in, if there is no brighter side to the mission being accomplished, it would feel like it goes against what Felicity’s story and words of encouragement to Oliver over the years were about.
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There should be another way to end Felicity Smoak’s story than darkness; the same way Felicity showed there was another way to become a hero.

Edited April 20, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 20, 2019

FYI...

tv echo · April 21, 2019

Arrow season 8: How can the show continue without Emily Bett Rickards?
April 21, 2019
https://cartermatt.com/361345/arrow-season-8-how-can-the-show-continue-without-emily-bett-rickards/

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However, there’s still one element of the final season that is abundantly clear: The absence of Emily Bett Rickards. It’s a huge void in the show given that she is a huge part of its legacy. We’ve spoken already of the enormous underdog factor with this character, someone who entered this series without any promise of more episodes but someone who became a steady presence and a necessary x-factor in many stories. That’s without getting into the Olicity of it all, an iconic Arrowverse romance and one that really showed the value in going along with fan enthusiasm and on-screen chemistry.
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Do – Show the absence of this character. How is Oliver doing without it? What about Diggle? She’s a part of the coined OTA because of her skill set and her value — she’s an inspiration to many out there because she showed the value in atypical superheroes. It shouldn’t be business as usual without her and while it’s okay to see Oliver and others finding some success, there should be a void felt here. That brings us immediately to the next point…

Don’t – Cast another tech expert for the heck of it. We don’t want to see some poor actor have the challenge of trying to replace Felicity at least in terms of all the computer jargon and that role within the team. It’s a tough spot to put a new person in, especially since the final season is only ten episodes.

Do – Make this season even more brutal. To compensate for Felicity’s absence, the best thing that the writers can do is focus entirely on the other side of this show, which is dark, brooding, and intense. Allow yourself to be placed on a freight-train of drama where Oliver feels alone and forced to make decisions without the person he loves the most. In a lot of ways, this is best way to show that he misses her — have her show the ways she’s changed him even when she is not around.

Don’t – Make the reason Felicity is gone from the show a flimsy one. It needs to be firm enough so that casual viewers, those who don’t know about Emily’s announced departure, don’t expect her to turn up in every single episode of season 8. Don’t jerk viewers around who love this character, since otherwise, you’re just toying with some of their emotions.

Do – Find a way to pitch something compelling to Emily for the series finale, that way her impact is truly felt and Felicity’s legacy is touched on one more time. If she doesn’t turn up, make sure to find a way that she is honored. She needs to be represented at the end given how she is now one of the show’s longest-tenured and most important cast members. We want the end of this show to be a reflection of the characters’ growth, but also that first season that started it all, back in the days when we just had a guy in a hood and a fledgling Olicity ‘ship viewers hoped would eventually turn into something so much more.

Edited April 21, 2019 by tv echo

tv echo · April 21, 2019

Arrow: Lost Canary
by Shari April 21, 2019
https://www.douxreviews.com/2019/04/arrow-lost-canary.html

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I know I’ve mentioned the effects of diversity behind the camera affecting what’s seen in front of the camera but it bears repeating. An episode like this would never have occurred without a female showrunner. Being written and directed by women didn’t hurt either. It passed the Bechdel test with flying colors, while losing none of its ass-kicking comic book cred. Well done.

tv echo · April 23, 2019

Arrow recap: 'Spartan' serves Diggle family drama in the present and future
Chancellor Agard April 22, 2019
https://ew.com/recap/arrow-season-7-episode-19/

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In terms of visceral excitement, nothing in “Spartan” comes close to matching that entertaining and atmospheric scene. But that’s fine because the Diggle-centric episode, which was written by Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes, delivers on the emotional material, thanks to David Ramsey and guest-star Ernie Hudson’s great performances. Furthermore, even the flash-forwards continue their upward swing. Let’s dive in!
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... What I found very interesting about this episode is how Stewart’s presence sends Diggle right back to behaving like a teenager. Even Oliver is surprised by the contempt Diggle has for this man and urges his brother to give Stewart chance because, you know, Oliver has a blind spot for family. Diggle’s wariness of Stewart is very reminiscent of how he treated Andy after he first found out he was alive.
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The toxic nature of Emiko’s relationship to the Ninth Circle — a group which was responsible for her mother’s death but still calls itself her real family — is an interesting comparison with Diggle and Stewart’s repaired relationship. As the episode ends, Diggle apologizes to Stewart, who reveals he lied about the way Diggle’s father died because every son deserves to believe their father is a hero. That warms Diggle’s heart and the two men leave on good terms.

Unfortunately, the Diggle family drama doesn’t stop there. In the future timeline, we learn that Connor’s brother John Jr. is a member of the Deathstroke gang. Apparently, Deathstroke’s legacy endures in the future and inspires legions in the same way that the Joker’s does on Batman Beyond. Anyway, John Jr. bristled at his father’s high expectations and rebelled by joining the gang, which put him at odds with Connor, who works for good A.R.G.U.S. It turns out that Connor and John’s relationship is even worse than it appears because John tries (and fails) to have his brother killed in tonight’s episode. Hopefully, we’ll see Papa Diggle pop up in the future soon and learn what the hell happened to the Diggle family and how he and Felicity feel about Connor and Mia’s love connection.

The last thing about tonight’s episode that’s worth touching on is the Felicity of it all. After the Ninth Circle steals ARCHER, she realizes that her only option is to destroy it, which hurts her so much because she thought ARCHER was her way of making a difference outside of Team Arrow. “I love Team Arrow, but it is not enough. I need to do something separate that can still do good,” says Felicity in a moment that feels like the show is finally starting to prepare for her eventual departure. Unfortunately, in the wake of the mission, it seems as though she’s lost that opportunity because she decides to give up on ARCHER since it can be used for evil. As we know though, this won’t stop Galaxy One from getting their hands on it in the future and using it to create an army of ARCHER-programmed sentinel-like things.
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Arrow namedropped Dr. Will Magnus in tonight’s episode. In DC Comics, he’s the creator of the Metal Men, a group of robots. On Arrow, he’s simply referred to as a robotics specialist who expresses some interest in buying Smoak Technologies and ARCHER before Felicity destroys it.