The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

[apinknightmare]

Yay! 

Now I'm off to go watch reddit have a breakdown.

[insomniadreams88]

22 minutes ago, apinknightmare said:

Yay! 

Now I'm off to go watch reddit have a breakdown.

Which also happens especially because of this:

24 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

No matter how much the rest of us love her it pales next to how much he loves her. 

[Mellowyellow]

4 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

No matter how much the rest of us love her it pales next to how much he loves her. 
 

Also: paging @Mellowyellow

Omg I just woke up and you tell me this!!! Squeeeeeeeeeeee

🥰🥰🥰

[tv echo]

Can Flash Friend Come Out to Play? Are Good Place Boors a Buzzkill? Conners Finally Mentioned Her? And More Qs!
By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Michael Ausiello, Kimberly Roots, Dave Nemetz, Rebecca Iannucci, Ryan Schwartz and Charlie Mason / November 1 2019, 
https://tvline.com/2019/11/01/the-flash-season-6-missing-caitlin-reaction-to-crisis-tv-questions/ 

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12 | Was Arrow‘s Dig already back in Star City from his mission in Kasnia when the timelines merged? And do you think the joke about Nyssa “working on her tan” a nod to Katrina Law’s new Hawaii Five-0 gig?

Edited November 2, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Joseph David-Jones on Portraying Connor Hawke in the Arrowverse
By Thao Vo|   November 2nd, 2019
http://www.sheenmagazine.com/joseph-david-jones-on-portraying-connor-hawke-in-the-arrowverse/ 

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Tell us about yourself. When did you know acting was what you wanted to pursue as a career?
That’s a hard questions (laughs). I’m just a regular guy, I love music and I’ve always been into movies. I just love stories that reach and grab people. When I started, I didn’t know where I wanted to be in life. Coming out here and pursuing my career gave me a chance to find my passion. I really love all aspects of this industry from the writing to being able to see it all be made. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

How would you describe your experience thus far as Connor Hawke in The CW’s Arrow?
It’s been great! It’s sad that the show is coming to an end. For us new kids, we’re building bonds and now it’s sad cause it’s coming to an end. It’s bittersweet but gaining new friends and being apart of something this special means a lot to me.

Are there any upcoming projects you could give us insight into?
There are a lot of projects that I’m working on. I have a handful of passion projects. I’m working on an animated series. I am also writing a feature film with a friend. Luckily, I’ll have a few months off before things start back up again. Overall, I’m excited to bring these passion projects to life!

What can we expect to see from Joseph David-Jones in the future?
Hopefully, a lot of great work. We’ll see what happens with The Green Arrow. Hopefully there is room for me in the Universe.

Edited November 5, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Katherine McNamara talks ‘Arrow’ final season, mastering the martial arts [VIDEO]
POSTED 1:07 PM, NOVEMBER 5, 2019, BY OJINIKA OBIEKWE
https://pix11.com/2019/11/05/katherine-mcnamara-talks-arrow-final-season-mastering-the-martial-arts/

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NEW YORK — "Arrow" star Katherine McNamara tells PIX11`s Ojinika Obiekwe what fans can expect from the final season of the hit CW action-adventure series, and how she makes all the action look easy.

-- KM: "I play Mia Queen, the daughter of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak."

-- KM talked about how Arrow has almost created "its own style of martial arts with the bow" and how they have a trainer who has whipped her into shape for using the bow and arrow. She added that they never shoot live arrows on the show for safety reasons. So she doesn't know how her accuracy is, but at least her form is great.

-- KM: "I have a very special love for passionate fans. I think it's amazing. I think that's the whole point of it, is to get conversation started and to get people excited about things. If I can make people smile or help someone get through their day by running around in decrepit buildings, it sounds like a good plan to me."

Edited November 5, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

One of Arrow’s best hours unites the future and the present
Allison Shoemaker  November 5, 2019
https://tv.avclub.com/one-of-arrow-s-best-hours-unites-the-future-and-the-pre-1839652575 

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“Present Tense” is not the most ambitious Arrow’s history, nor its most inventive. It is, however, one of its best. Like every episode so far in this final season, it revisits ideas, plot devices, and characters from previous seasons (and recycles an old title card—this one is from season four, the Andy Diggle season). And like the young season as a whole, it manages to stroll down memory lane while heading in a new direction, imbued with the palpable energy of new ideas, new pairings, and the chance to bring the whole shebang home at last. Not all of it works, though one of the biggest wrinkles also seems likely to be sorted out, given the episode’s final act. But it’s smart, complicated, lively, often funny, with a number of solid performances and one of the single best scenes in the show’s history. What a gem.
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It’s a fine Arrow plot, kind of vague but mostly effective. It doesn’t matter, anyway—it’s just a means to an end. The real meat of the story exists in the conversations between these people, and the presence of the Deathstroke gang makes those conversations about a thousand percent more interesting. ....

It’s rough, complicated stuff, but the cast more than rises to the occasion. David Ramsey has one of his best episodes ever, playing a level of frustrated confusion perfectly in line with the way he’s reacted to time-travel weirdness before. (A reminder that JJ is Digg’s post-Flashpoint kid; before Barry Allen Barry Allened, Diggle and Lyla had a daughter.) As Connor, Joseph David-Jones gets some great moments too, and together, the pair absolutely sell the bonkers scenario that is a man feeling betrayed by the adult son he has yet to adopt as a child, the son feeling guilty about the stuff his child self has yet to do, and both just wanting to make it right for the other.

Rick Gonzalez, Juliana Karkavy, and Katie Cassidy each have at least one excellent moment, with Gonzalez in particular doing a lot of emotional heavy-lifting and getting from “what the fuck, your son kills my daughter in the future” to “that future is never, ever going to happen” pretty damn fast. Cassidy’s great moment comes with Katherine McNamara’s Mia, who once again reacts petulantly whenever possible—consistent, if not particularly engaging. But their scene together, perhaps a glimpse of the dynamic we can expect from the potential Canaries spinoff, gives Cassidy a chance to lace Black Siren’s sharp-edged grief through with something a little wiser and wearier. Good stuff.

And then there’s Oliver. “Those are my kids.”

While again, Mia’s somewhat one-note spikiness leads to this hour’s few stumbles, it’s hard to be all that bothered, because Stephen Amell, Ben Lewis, and in the episode’s final act, McNamara all give performances ripe with confusion, heartbreak, joy, sorrow, excitement, gratitude, and loss. That standout scene mentioned at the top of the review arrives when, Mia having stormed off to one of the bedrooms in Felicity and Oliver’s mostly empty apartment, Oliver and William sit down to catch up a little. There are no bad scenes between the two—in almost any other episode, the pair’s other exchanges would be at the top of the pile. But not here. William tells Oliver he’s a billionaire. He tells him he’s gay, and Oliver tells him he knew. And they tell each other, with every smile and silence, how grateful they are for this moment and how much it will hurt when it ends. Which, of course, it will.
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- William Clayton has a better understanding of time-travel within an hour of time-traveling accidentally than Barry Allen has been with seasons of practice.
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- TAMVP: Anytime Stephen Amell is this good in an episode of a show he’s been doing since 1978, I am obligated to name him TAVMP. But let’s make it a tie, because hot damn, Ben Lewis just straight-up killed me this week. He’s consistently really good, but this was next-level. Almost everyone was, frankly.

Edited November 8, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

William's Arrow Coming Out Is One of the Highlights of the Series
RAFFY ERMAC  NOVEMBER 05 2019
https://www.pride.com/geek/2019/11/05/williams-arrow-coming-out-one-highlights-series 

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PRIDE: William already confirmed he was gay earlier this year, but that was more lighthearted and comedic in nature. The scene from tonight’s episode where you come out to your dad Oliver is way more emotional and really pulls at viewers’ heartstrings, especially those with complex, and complicated relationships with their parents. How emotional was that for you to act that scene opposite Stephen Amell, and what was it like to bring that kind of representation to the small screen? 
Ben Lewis: It was very important to me. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself, honestly, to get it right, especially because it's a scene and a moment that I had specifically asked the writers for. As soon as I read the ending of the last episode, 803, where Mia and William were reunited with Oliver in 2019, one of the first things that popped into my head was 'Wow, I bet William never had the opportunity to come out to his dad before he died.' As a gay person myself, I know what a hugely defining moment that can be in any queer person's life. I know certainly, it was for me. I came out to my parents right before my 18th birthday, and it was such a... Until you do it, you can't imagine just how much it will change your life. To hopefully shed all those years of pent up guilt and shame. Obviously, everyone has a different coming out experience. For some people like me, you're lucky enough to have parents who love and embrace you. For other people, it can be very traumatic and difficult. But I think the thing that everyone coming out has in common is that fear of not knowing. Taking the leap and what it's gonna be like on the other side. 

For me, it was just like this huge turning point in my life personally. It's where I felt like I really started living. So for William to have been robbed of that opportunity to come out to his father before he died. To live with the grief and potential regret of that, and then have another chance 20 years later in his 30s to face his father and tell him who he really is and to speak his authentic truth, it's such a loaded moment. As an actor, a normal coming out scene would be emotional and cathartic to begin with, but then you add onto it the time travel aspect and the fact that he's seeing his dead father for the first time in 20 years, it was just so layered. There was so much to play there, so it was just a real gift to get to do it.  

How receptive were the writers of your suggestion for a coming-out scene?
They were immediately receptive. The rollout in terms of the information we've gotten about William and his sexuality has been really amazing. In my second episode, William made a brief reference to an ex-boyfriend, so that's how you know at least he was queer, but you don't know exactly how he identified on the spectrum. And then it that next episode where I said 'I'm gay and she's my mom!' that's when you realize he identifies as gay. Those moments were a little bit more off-handed or light-hearted because William is a man in his 30s who has been living out for a long time and is very comfortable in himself. That was an interesting thing to tap into as well, the vulnerability of being a child or a younger person and coming out to your parents. 

The writers, I think that they not only saw the dramatic potential in having that scene but also I think they knew how much it would mean to the LGBTQ fanbase for the show. Representation is paramount, it's so important. 

[tv echo]

Arrow Recap: The Kids Are Alright — Plus, Will [___] Betray Oliver?
By Matt Webb Mitovich / November 5 2019
https://tvline.com/2019/11/05/arrow-recap-season-8-episode-4-oliver-meets-future-mia-william/ 

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To start, the kids keep the gr’ups in the dark about JJ being evil in the future, and that as Deathstroke he slayed Rene’s daughter Zoe. When Oliver brings William and Mia to his and Felicity’s quickly vacated apartment, his notion that the two kids grew up together is promptly shattered. Oliver also gets dinged for A) walking out on and never returning to Felicity and Mia, and B) never seeing William again, after losing custody to Samantha’s folks. Oliver goes to call Felicity with an update, but William advises against it, because she is not on the show right now until they figure out what exactly is going on. While Mia cleans up (and apparently somewhere finds a size 0 tactical suit), William informs his dad that he is gay (“We knew”) and a multi-billionaire.

Edited November 6, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Arrow Review: Present Tense (Season 8 Episode 4)
November 6, 2019   Brianna Martinez
https://telltaletv.com/2019/11/arrow-review-present-tense-season-8-episode-4/

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“Present Tense” does an excellent job of taking a breath and diving in a bit more into the feelings and frame of mind of Mia, William, Connor, Oliver, and Diggle, seeing what 20 years have done to their respective families.

There’s a sense of heartbreak the flows through Oliver’s interactions with Mia and William. He missed out on 20 years, Mia and William were kept apart until 2040, and they both felt a resounding sense of abandonment.
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But while Mia’s initially closed off and angry, William’s more open and immediately willing to take the chance to rebuild his relationship with Oliver.
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These striking differences play off each other in a way that makes Oliver’s interactions with each one poignant and at times, hard to watch, especially when it comes to his moments with Mia.

Stephen Amell, Ben Lewis, and Katherine McNamara do a phenomenal job playing the visceral emotions that a reunion like this brings out, leading to more than a few tearful moments.

The raw anger is on full display as Oliver tries to stop Mia from going out on her own. It’s a rough confrontation that is honestly breathtaking in its painfulness, as Mia reaches into the deep-seated feelings she has about being abandoned.

There’s something about the whole scene that makes it incredibly hard to watch, as Mia accuses Oliver of leaving for the sake of being a hero, that he’s just playing “dad,” and he’s nothing more than “some guy” in her way.
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Mia’s feelings and need to lash out make sense considering what we know of her upbringing and Oliver’s absence, making the moment equal parts necessary and agonizing, especially knowing what we know about Oliver and his mission.
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Oliver: Hate me if you want. I’m not letting you do this.

There were always moments that clearly indicated how similar Mia was to her father, especially to early series Oliver. But it’s moments like their scene out in the field as he stops her from killing that illustrates it perfectly while also showing how much Oliver has grown.

Between their moment in the field and Oliver offering advice on processing guilt, Mia and Oliver end on a somewhat tentative note, offering hope for repairing their relationship.
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There’s no shortage of emotional moments between the pair either as we get perhaps the sweetest scene after Oliver asks William about something good that’s happened in the future. It’s lovely to see William come out to his father.
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Oliver’s simple acknowledgment and explanation that he and Felicity were waiting for his son to do it on his own terms is a beautiful sentiment and is immediately followed by the stunning realization (once again) that Oliver missed out on so much with his children.

It’s a realization Oliver comes to many times throughout the hour, and it remains just as emotionally potent throughout the hour.
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David Ramsey and Joseph David-Jones do an excellent job of conveying the uncertainty, guilt, and ultimately affection that comes with a reunion like this.
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Granted, he was overwhelmed by what he was seeing and dealing with his adult children in front of him, but it’s weird to not have Oliver ask about Felicity in 2040.

Edited November 6, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘Arrow’ 8×04 Review: “Present Tense”
BY RAQUEL   November 6, 2019
https://fangirlish.com/2019/11/06/present-tense-arrow-review/ 

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Welcome back one more week to Arrow! “Present tense” is one of the best episodes of the entire show, and one of my favorites. The emotional background they have shown us in this episode has been deep, real, raw, and they have gotten us to empathize with the characters in a way that only Arrow can achieve.
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Oliver’s explanation is addressed to everyone, but especially to Mia. Oliver wants to make it clear that he did what he did to protect them, her mother and her, and that it is the most difficult thing he has done. When he says “those are my kids,” I almost died of emotion. He says it with such pride and emotion that I couldn’t stop screaming.

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Oliver takes that direct hit to heart. He knows he has a whole relationship to rebuild with his children. And it will start with William. But before that, he has to tell Felicity everything. I love that they look at these details, they are the ones that give quality to the story. Felicity is his wife and the mother of his children, she has to know what is happening. The excuse for not saying anything is quite convincing. They still don’t know how that time travel works, what they could alter … and it’s better not to do anything at the moment.

It is true that Curtis later appears, and it seems a bit strange that he can know everything and Felicity doesn’t… but at least they tried to explain it, so we’ll give them that.

In addition, this immediate reaction of Oliver speaks of the growth of his character. He is a man used to keeping everything to himself and hiding very important things, even from his wife. But he has learned that this is not right, and that sharing a life with someone means sharing everything, secrets and strange time travel included.
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And Stephen. Oh Stephen. He is sublime. He is exceeded in each episode and especially in this scene. Those eyes full of tears about to spill, that emotion that tears his voice, that lump in his throat that he manages to transmit to you perfectly. Bravo!
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As with this, Mia also wants to hide from everyone what happens in the future. It is true that it is very painful and somewhat difficult to accept but it is better that they go through the pain instead of, in addition to the pain of the truth, making it so they feel betrayed by their own children. Again, Mia’s behavior is reflected in Oliver’s. Recall all the things that Oliver decided to hide in an attempt to protect those he loved, among other things, a secret plan to infiltrate the League.
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Mia’s attitude is a mixture of Oliver and Felicity. Oliver was blinded by revenge many times. Felicity got carried away by that same feeling only once, with Díaz. That desire to feel that you have made the other pay for the suffering that they have caused you. That power to have control over the life and death of the person who has caused all your ills, who has taken everything away from you, including the control of your own life, to be able to hit back with the same forcefulness … it is easy to get carried away by that, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.
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Once this is analyzed, I have to add that it has been somewhat forced that Mia asked Laurel for reinforcement. It’s true that they both know each other, but Mia trusts Connor more than her. Of course, both have to have scenes to forge a relationship, considering the spin-off and everything has been pretty good and natural once we enter the scene, but it has been a little out of place that Mia names Laurel as her partner and not Connor.
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We have felt the pain of all the characters, their joy, their resentment, their suffering, their hope … and everything in between. We were not spectators of history, we were part of it. For an hour of our lives, we have been inhabitants of Star City, part of Team Arrow and the Queen family.

And this is what I will miss most. Few series today have Arrow’s ability to make us partakers, for better or worse, of all the decisions and feelings of the characters. Few shows so clearly show the lights and shadows that we are all made of. Few series are capable of being as real as life itself. In this episode, Arrow has done it once again.

Edited November 6, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Why Arrow Is Handling Time Travel And Parallel Universes Better Than The Flash In Season 8
LAURA HURLEY    NOVEMBER 5, 2019
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2483927/why-arrow-is-handling-time-travel-and-parallel-universes-better-than-the-flash-in-season-8 

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Basically, this was the kind of episode that few Arrow fans could have even imagined a few seasons ago, when Arrow was still the grounded series in the Arrow-verse. In fact, between the time travel, Team Arrow's determination to change the future, and parallel Earths in the mix, this plot would once have felt more fitting to The Flash than Arrow. At this point, however, I have to say that Arrow is doing a better job with time travel and parallel Earths than The Flash is. Why? Because Arrow is taking the simpler, more straightforward approach.

That's not to say that Arrow Season 8 is simple or straightforward, but the heroes of Arrow don't have the option of racing back and forth in time or jumping to parallel worlds to pick up an assist from an alternate version of an ally, so they have to rely on their own actions and trust that what they do can make a difference.

There will be no do-overs for Arrow, and nobody has the power of trying to alter an entire timeline to change one small thing. Barry has been irresponsible and too casual with time travel and Earth-jumping over the years; I can't guarantee that Oliver (or Mia, based on the events of "Present Tense") would be able to hold back from trying to use powers like Barry's to try and change time, but that's not the way Arrow operates, and so the stakes feel higher.

Even though the latest time travel twist means that Zoe's life could be spared in the future, JJ might not turn evil, and so much of the bad that created Star City 2040 can be averted, the losses feel real.
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Was "Present Tense" a perfect episode of Arrow? Certainly not. In fact, certain elements of it may make it rank as my least favorite of Season 8 so far. While I loved the character development between Oliver and his kids, as well as between Diggle and Connor, some of the plot developments fell flat for me, especially Rene's sudden push in his run for office and the groundwork for the spinoff between Dinah and Laurel, mostly because it felt like the groundwork for a spinoff rather than an organic part of the episode.

Edited November 6, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Jen & Calli loved Ben Lewis in 804 - here's their latest podcast..

Watchover with Jen and Calli
Watchover Ep 55 - Arrow 8x04 Discussion
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/watchover-with-jen-and-calli/e/65108368

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What an emotional episode Arrow gave us with 8x04 and we are here to break it down and discuss our most favorite bits (and there's a little ranting because, come on, it's US) and mostly, we thought it was a great episode (though it might have been better had they included more Felicity into it, just sayin').

Edited November 7, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘Arrow’ S8, Ep4: “Present Tense” Recap/Review
Jackson Hayes  NOVEMBER 6, 2019
https://fullcirclecinema.com/2019/11/06/arrow-present-tense-review/

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Levity finds its way into the episode shortly after the emotional opening, with William and Mia visiting their father’s home. While Mia is reluctant to take on the daughter role, William jumps at the opportunity to make up for lost time with his dad. Ben Lewis provides a stellar performance opposite Amell, who continues to bring his A-game for the show’s last outing. With David Ramsey and David-Jones also holding their own in the emotional scene department, it’s easy to say that  “Present Tense” is one of the most well-acted episodes of Arrow.
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The episode caps off with Mia finally opening up to Oliver, revealing to him that she needs his help in dealing with the loss of Zoe. The emotional beats in “Present Tense” is what makes this episode stick out in an already stellar last season. Placing the future characters was a gamble for the team behind Arrow, but it appears to be one that paid off. ...

Edited November 7, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

REVIEW: ‘Arrow,’ Season 8, Episode 4 – “Present Tense”
Charlie Ashby  November 6, 2019
https://butwhythopodcast.com/2019/11/06/review-arrow-season-8-episode-4-present-tense/ 

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But the core crux of the episode’s emotional core is the meeting between Oliver and his children. So far this season, we’ve seen how hard the decision to leave baby Mia and William was for Oliver. We’ve also seen this from Mia and William’s perspective through the flash-forwards in Season 7 and 8, and it all leads into this episode. While some have criticized the flash-forwards, they were significantly essential to gain a perspective into the children’s POV regarding Oliver and the feeling of abandonment.

Both of these perspectives finally merge, resulting in some of the finest acting this in the show’s history. Much praise should go to Ben Lewis and Stephen Amell, who deliver such a heartfelt and beautiful performance in which William comes out to his father. It’s a great scene that allows both characters to finally have a moment which both thought they would never have the chance to have.
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One of the most exciting themes in the episode is whether the future is set in stone, or if it can be changed. For Diggle, it’s whether or not his children will continue to fall down the same path as he and his brother did. While Rene has to believe that he can go against his future selves’ political corruption and stay true to the beliefs as he begins to partake in politics for the future, it was great to see the characters having learned from the past for once and pushing forward for once.
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As for Mia, it can be challenging to watch the character at times as she continues to feature “Season 1 Oliver” attitudes and personality, but it’s also understandable. Fortunately, the ending of ‘Present Tense’ shows another terrific parent/child heart-to-heart between Mia and Oliver, which shows how fantastic Katherine McNamara is.

Overall, “Present Tense” is quite possibly one of the best episodes of Arrow, one that is full of tearful scenes, humor, and trick arrows that freeze things.

Edited November 7, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Chris King's belated review of 803...

Arrow Season 8 Episode 3 Review: “Leap of Faith”
Chris King   November 7, 2019
https://ckinger13.wordpress.com/2019/11/07/arrow-season-8-episode-3-review-leap-of-faith/

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But being a hero doesn’t make you immune to the very human fears that we all face, and in “Leap of Faith,” both Mia and Diggle do their best to confront their worries over losing the two most important people in their lives. For Mia, that’s William, who is the only family she has left following Oliver’s death and Felicity leaving on her journey to reunite with him. Initially, Mia shows her love for William through strategic decision with the team or by taking down one of JJ’s Deathstroke henchmen, but he eventually gets her to open up to him in one of the episode’s best scenes. Mia is a character who has needed to spend so much of her life with her guard, constantly aware of the potential threats that could harm her or Felicity; it makes sense that she would not feel vulnerable enough to William about her fear of losing him. That’s why when she does it is both cathartic for them as brother and sister and for us as viewers.

Is the line at the end from Mia about killing William if he ever tells anyone about their talk a little bit cheesy? Of course it is. But it also doesn’t matter in the long run, because we are witnessing the destruction of Mia Smoak’s emotional barriers, in the same way we saw her father’s crumble over the years, and it’s a beautiful and satisfying transformation to watch happen. Plus, William’s response to her, that “Operating from a place of fear is not the way to protect each other,” is so quintessentially Felicity that in almost makes the sequence reflect his and Mia’s parents as much as it mirrors Oliver and Thea’s....

Edited November 7, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

The Clock Tower: The Arrowverse Was Full of Emotional Highs and Storytelling Lulls This Week
Amelia Emberwing    November 7, 2019
https://www.slashfilm.com/arrowverse-recap-november-7/ 

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Hoooo boy. Father/daughter stuff wrecks me, so I was definitely expecting something between Mia and Oliver to be what took me out this week. Turns out William would be the one to win that honor. 

After the initial shock of the kids being in 2019 wore off, Oliver and William had a sit down. William, unsure about how much time they’d get together, wanted to be sure his dad knew he was gay. With a warm smile and kind eyes, Oliver Queen gave his son a very simple “yeah buddy, I know.” And that was that. Tears aplenty! Of course, Mr. Queen had to follow it up with “Felicity and I knew. We just hoped that you’d come to us when you were ready. And you didn’t get that chance.” 
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Mia Smoak was there to fill that need of someone punching something. As is her way, she punched many somethings, but it was all the kind of latent rage we’ve seen from her father for years. Fittingly, it was also directed at that father! While Oliver doesn’t quite deserve the rage, it’s hard not to empathize with Mia’s abandonment issues. Add that to the fact that she just lost one of her best friends and the girl’s vendetta makes a little bit more sense.
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Oliver might have Curtis working on a way to recreate The Monitor’s… snap? Swoosh? Glow-y white light? Whatever it was that took out Earth 2! But Mar Novu is prepared to return it all into existence in exchange for Laurel betraying her new team. In her own words, for those who don’t remember, she used to play for Team Villain. Her deciding to side with The Monitor wouldn’t be a stretch even if she hadn’t previously been of the villainous persuasion. It’s a whole world, after all! But, hopefully we won’t have to sit with this information for long. There’s not a lot of season, and Laurel betraying the newly formed Canaries is a boring way to start things off. 
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There were a few really great things that happened this week that don’t really belong in a huge section. A quick breakdown:

- Mia Smoak said “frak!” evoking her momma!

Edited November 8, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

So, we might've gotten Liam McIntyre as Oliver Queen (fyi, Liam's current age is 37, compared to SA's 38). Also, we might've gotten either Rachel Skarsten or Shantel VanSanten as Laurel Lance (fyi, Rachel and Shantel are both currently 34, compared to KC's 32)...

20 Secrets You Never Knew About The Arrowverse Cast
by Daniel Kurland – on Nov 07, 2019 
https://www.thetalko.com/secrets-you-never-knew-about-the-arrowverse-cast/

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11  The Flash's Weather Wizard Was Arrow's Oliver Queen Runner-Up 
...
Arrow is the CW show that started it all for their connected universe and if they didn't have the right casting for their first hero, the whole thing might have failed. Stephen Amell perfectly personifies Oliver Queen, but if he had turned down the role then it would have gone over to Liam McIntyre. While it's not quite the same privilege, McIntyre would later find himself in the Arrowverse as the Flash antagonist, Weather Wizard.
*  *  *
7  Rachel Skarsten Nearly Reprised Her Birds Of Prey Role As Laurel Lance
...
When Arrow was fleshing out its supporting cast, it was clear that it would be bringing the Lances into the fold. Right from the start, Guggenheim had been considering connectivity between the previous DC television shows that had been out there. As a result, he considered Rachel Skarsten from the WB's short-lived Birds of Prey series. It didn't work out, but Skarsten would eventually show up in Batwoman as Red Alice.
*  *  *
6  The Flash's Patty Spivot Could Have Been Laurel Lance
...
The casting process for Laurel Lance was one of the more important aspects to nail correctly in Arrow. There were a bunch of different directions and approaches considered for the role, but ultimately Katie Cassidy came out on top. The Arrowverse was still able to put to good use some of the other Laurel contenders, with Shantel VanSanten later turning up as the popular Patty Spivot.
*  *  *
Sources: TVLine.com, SyFy.com, CBR.com, ScreenRant.com, Ranker.com

20  Brandon Routh Was Supposed To Play Ted Kord, Not Ray Palmer
19  The Man Who Might Wear The Cowl [Jensen Ackles]
18  Michael Rowe's Deadshot Was Written Off Because Of 2016's Suicide Squad
17  Stephen Amell Developed A Subtle Tick For Oliver Queen
16  Keiynan Lonsdale Auditioned For Jefferson Jackson, Not Wally West
15  Many Cast Members Were Vocal About Over Laurel's Exit
14  Arrow's Harley Quinn Was Brought To Life By Two Actresses [Tara Strong, Cassidy Alexa]
13  Stephen Amell Has Been An Avid WWE Performer
12  Legend Of Tomorrow's Ray Palmer And Nora Darhk Are Married In Real Life
11  The Flash's Weather Wizard Was Arrow's Oliver Queen Runner-Up [Liam McIntyre]
10  No Stunt Double Necessary [Stephen Amell, Caity Lotz]
9   The Flash's Pied Piper Originally Auditioned For Barry Allen [Andy Mietnus]
8   Many Cast Members Have Taken A Seat In The Director's Chair [Tom Cavanagh, David Ramsey, Danielle Panabaker, David Harewood, Caity Lotz, Katie Cassidy, Melissa Benoist]
7   Rachel Skarsten Nearly Reprised Her Birds Of Prey Role As Laurel Lance
6   Colton Haynes Left Arrow Over Issues With Terminal Anxiety
5   It's A Family Affair For Stephen Amell [Robbie Amell, Italia Ricci, Cassandra Amell]
4   The Flash's Patty Spivot Could Have Been Laurel Lance
3   Katie Cassidy And Danielle Panabaker Were Roommates
2   Stephen Amell Had To Temporarily Quit Twitter
1   The Thinker Was Detained During A Flight

Edited November 8, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

The November 2019 issue of ACCIÓN Cine-Series Magazine (a Spanish film and tv magazine) includes an Arrow article on pages 96-97 - you can view the contents of this issue online here (anyone here read Spanish?)...
https://www.accioncine.es/contenidos-revista/6923-revista-accion-1911-noviembre-2019

[JJ928]

4 hours ago, tv echo said:

The November 2019 issue of ACCIÓN Cine-Series Magazine (a Spanish film and tv magazine) includes an Arrow article on pages 96-97 - you can view the contents of this issue online here (anyone here read Spanish?)...
https://www.accioncine.es/contenidos-revista/6923-revista-accion-1911-noviembre-2019

 I tried to translate it but the article is so small that when I blow it up it's too blurry for me to read. If anyone can get a clearer image, I'd be happy to translate it.

The larger paragraph on the top right of the article just talks about it's premier date in Spain.

Edited November 8, 2019 by JJ928

[shantown]

The syndicated game show America Says (sort of a Family Feud knockoff where they give you the first letter of the answers) had a category tonight called "America's Favorite Television Shows With One-Word Titles"

Weirdly (based on the other answers) Arrow was an answer! Other answers included Cheers, MASH, MacGuyver, Friends, and Seinfeld. Nothing else that's currently airing or even relatively recent! 

[tv echo]

‘Arrow’ review: Full of William, Connor, & Mia feels in 8×04 “Present Tense”
Lynsey Neill  November 8, 2019
https://www.purefandom.com/2019/11/08/arrow-review-full-of-william-connor-mia-feels-in-8x04-present-tense/ 

Quote

Simply, it was William and Oliver’s laughing after a particularly heavy conversation at the apartment where they last saw each other. It was Mia’s mouth slightly agape when she sees her father for the first time that reminded us so vividly of Felicity’s classic shocked and upset expression. It was Connor pleading with a father that does not yet know him.

Explosions came second. Villainous monologues and evil plans came second. The badassery that came second was and always will be important ingredients in Arrow‘s patently yummy chocolate cake. But oddly in this action-packed television show we had an episode to ruminate with these characters and had the understanding that that’s what we should do.

The questions of “Present Tense” weren’t “what’s the bad guy going to do next?” and “what complicated tech can fix all our problems?”. It asked how the characters will all feel and react to each other. What are the things that need to be said?
*  *  *
William is the warm and gooey center in this episode’s chocolate cake. His moments in this episode are poignant, hopeful, and healing. 
*  *  *
William very clearly admires his step-mother Felicity, and he takes after her in more ways than one. He takes on Felicity’s role as the one with “perspective” as Smoak’s often do. He doesn’t want Oliver all to himself, he wants Mia to have time with her dad too. Anyways, William Clayton-Harris-Queen-Smoak is my son and I will ~violently~ destroy anyone that hurts him with a smile on my face.
*  *  *
Oh, Mia. My wild-child. She doesn’t know what to do here. Very understandably. It’s hard to completely forgive someone you don’t really know. And Mia’s perspective is technically right. Here’s the facts:

• He abandoned her.
• And her mom.
• He was never there.

And technically, that’s true. Even though he had no choice, she’s allowed to feel her feelings about that. Honestly, it would be a little unrealistic if everything was automatically sunshine between Mia and Oliver.
*  *  *
- Dinah was actually really great in this episode. “Knowing what’s happened can either destroy us, or save us. We’ve seen our worst, now let’s be our best.” That’s just really great time-travel advice. (Are you listening Flash)?
*  *  *
- Laurel has an arrogance that I just don’t like. No, Laurel, you were not the sole reason Felicity didn’t kill Ricardo Diaz (you were probably #5 on a list of 5 reasons). It’s like if Felicity said her influence is the sole reason Oliver stopped killing the bad guy. Boy, would she gotten so much sh*t she ever said that.
- Dinah and Laurel are BFFs suddenly? Mmmkay.
*  *  *
- Stephen Amell and Ben Lewis have a nice chemistry.
- Will Laurel betray Oliver? That tracks. But probably not if she’s going to be on the spin-off.

Edited November 9, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Is This Is Us' Beth AA-Bound? Should Arrow Text Felicity? Morning Show Short-Staffed? And More TV Qs
By Vlada Gelman, Michael Ausiello, Matt Webb Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Andy Swift, Dave Nemetz, Rebecca Iannucci, Ryan Schwartz and Charlie Mason / November 8 2019
https://tvline.com/2019/11/08/arrow-season-8-felicity-mia-william-2019-tv-questions-answers/

Quote

6 | We get why Arrow didn’t want to contact Felicity and mess with the future timeline at first, but if Mia and William are now staying in 2019, shouldn’t someone at least text Felicity? And Mia didn’t have time to leave the apartment before storming Deathstroke’s hideout, so were did she get the brand-new tactical outfit? Surely it wasn’t in Felicity’s closet… Does Dig see no reason to notify Connor’s birth parents? Or would that be too much for them to unpack? (“Wait, why did he need to be adopted??!”) Also, how did Dinah hear Connor address Deathstroke as “JJ” when that happened several moments before Team Arrow arrived from behind a steel door so heavy it needed to be blasted open?

Edited November 9, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Tweeted link is to 2016 article titled "How Olicity Has Saved ‘Arrow’"...

[tv echo]

Queerly Not Straight: The Perfection That Was William Coming Out on ‘Arrow’
November 12, 2019
https://fangirlish.com/2019/11/12/queerly-not-straight-the-perfection-that-was-william-coming-out-on-arrow/ 

Quote

Coming out isn’t easy. There are the expectations you put on the process, and the ones that your loved ones have on what it means to be queer. And with an ever increasing amount of queer content on our screens, coming out scenes have become more prevalent. Each of them is unique, but they carry the common theme of liberation and choice. That’s what I see when I look at the perfection that is William’s coming out scene on Arrow.

Now, this is not to say that Arrow is perfect. It’s not and it’s had plenty of problems throughout the years. My friends can attest to that and so can the podcast I’m on, where Arrow pops up here and there and drives Stop and Fangirl into Rantville. But this coming out scene with William needs to be talked about, admired, and given the credit it deserves for being so honest, open, and touching.
*  *  *
Not knowing how much time he has, William sits down with his father and prepares to tell him the truth about himself. A truth that he had always wished to tell Oliver, but that he had never gotten a chance to do so. A truth that is solely his, and still so precious to queer people all over the world. A truth that could only be said when William was ready. And this was the moment. 

So he comes out. He tells his father that he’s gay. And then it happens. Oliver accepts his son being gay; no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Hell, apparently he’d known that William was gay, and was giving him his own space and time because that’s what a good parent does when their child is struggling with something so intimate. That acceptance matters. 
*  *  *
I appreciate what Arrow has done with William and his coming out scene, because it will inform, empower, and give courage to those struggling to come out. Because this scene shows them that love could be the final answer when you come out to your parents or family members. Not everything is so sad and dour. And sometimes parents know, give their kiddo a smile, and keep on treating their kid like…their kid. I know, shocker that everything doesn’t have to be drama, drama, and drama all the time but it’s true, and I see in Williams coming out scene to his father, Oliver Queen.

Edited November 14, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Good interview with actor who plays Yao Fei on Arrow...

27 Questions: Byron Mann, Hong Kong kid turned Hollywood actor
EVELYN LOK    October 11, 2019
https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/living/people/27-questions-byron-mann-hong-kong-kid-turned-hollywood-actor/ 

Quote

But little did audiences know Mann spent his formative years in Hong Kong, before studying philosophy at UCLA. Like many university students, he too hesitated on a decisive career path, and decided to take on a summer internship at a law firm in Hong Kong. It was here where the partner eventually deemed him unsuited for the legal profession, yet encouraged him to pursue his real passion in life: acting. Mann has found his home in Hollywood ever since.
*  *  *
1. What is your life motto? 
Seize the day.
*  *  *
15. What is your greatest fear?
Mediocrity.
*  *  *
24. Who is the best teacher you’ve ever had, what is one important lesson that they taught you?
The late Hong Kong actor Roy Chiao once told me, “If you want to be a great actor, get in front of the camera as often as you can, and play as many roles as you can.” It’s absolutely true. 
*  *  *
26. Would you rather never be alone for a single moment, or be alone for the rest of your life? Why?
I’d rather be alone than be with someone just for the sake of being with someone. That would be the end of me.

Edited November 15, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

The MG tweet referenced in this article was recently posted in the Social Media thread...

Arrow Series Pitch Suggests Felicity's Character Was Originally a Man
by Ian Cardona – on Nov 15, 2019
https://www.cbr.com/arrow-felicity-male-in-original-pitch/ 

Quote

Following an emotional week, the cast and crew of the series bid farewell to Star City and the Arrow bunker, as series co-creator, writer and producer Marc Guggenheim shared his and Greg Berlanti's original Arrow pitch, which reveals plenty of differences between what the creators initially envisioned and what ultimately ended up on the screen in 2012.
*  *  *
Differences include Starling 'Star' City being named Starkton City, Detective Lance being a corrupt police officer and the series being titled The Hunter instead of Arrow. Perhaps the biggest departure, though, is what was envisioned for Felicity Smoak: Oliver's tech savant and partner-in-crime was a man named Stanley Dover.

The official character breakdown describes Stanley Dover as "brilliant but a bit eccentric. Our computer and technology savant. We'll learn that Stanley has a history with Oliver's father which explains why he's the first person Oliver recruits for his crusade."

Felicity, of course, is the technology expert of Team Arrow, and she definitely qualifies as "brilliant but a bit eccentric." However, this is where the similarities end. Where the character greatly differs is not only in the gender but also in the connection to Oliver's father. While Stanley worked closely with Robert Queen, Felicity was only an IT employee at Queen Consolidated. As for Oliver's first recruit in his crusade, that honor would befall David Ramsey's John Diggle, Oliver's bodyguard and eventual sidekick.

Emily Bett Rickards' Felicity Smoak first appeared in the third episode of Season 1, "Lone Gunmen." Although she began as a recurring guest star, it wasn't long before the character became a full-fledged member of the cast and one of the founders of the original Team Arrow.

Edited November 16, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

5 good Netflix shows to watch this weekend: The Crown season 3 and more
by Bryce Olin   November 16, 2019
https://netflixlife.com/2019/11/16/6-good-netflix-shows-watch-weekend-the-crown-season-3/ 

Quote

Arrow 

Arrow is one of Netflix’s biggest shows, and it’s coming to an end soon. If you follow the cast and crew on Twitter, you know production on the series is winding down and it’s a very emotional time for the cast, crew and, of course, fans of the hit series.

The first seven seasons of Arrow are streaming on Netflix right now, and you should catch up before the final season hits Netflix in early 2020.

Normally, we’d have to wait until May or June to watch the full season of Arrow on Netflix. Because the final season is shorter than the others, you’ll get to watch it on Netflix a few months sooner than previous seasons have been released. That’s the good news!

The bad news is you’ll probably bawl your eyes out!

The Crown season 3 
Daybreak
You
Arrow
Lucifer

Edited November 16, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

No spoilers quoted below...

ARROW: David Ramsey on the Eighth and final season of the super hero series – Exclusive Interview
By ABBIE BERNSTEIN  November 19th, 2019 
https://www.assignmentx.com/2019/arrow-david-ramsey-on-the-eighth-and-final-season-of-the-super-hero-series-exclusive-interview/ 

Quote

ASSIGNMENT X: When you began on ARROW, did you have a sense that John Diggle was going to get as big and as tough and as heroic as he became?
DAVID RAMSEY: No. I’ve got a funny story, though. The only thing that I was hoping for was a suit [laughs]. There were times during Seasons 1, 2, and 3 where you’d have Black Canary run in, Arrow run in, Red Arrow run in, Arsenal [all wearing superhero suits], and then Diggle comes in with a bomber jacket and jeans. So that was the hope, that at some point, this guy will come in with something. But no. Seriously, I could have never thought in my wildest dreams that this would be as big as it is.
*  *  *
AX: With the storytelling in the ARROW-verse, do you ever think, “Where am I? What universe am I in? What timeline is it? What’s changed in the timeline? What gender is my kid?”
RAMSEY: All the time. I mean, when we first take a look at the episode, we have to just remember what happened in the last episode to connect us to the beginning of this episode, and we’re always trying to figure how this connects to whatever probably happened in the large universe of FLASH, or LEGENDS [OF TOMORROW], where something changed, like my daughter to a son, things like that. So we’re always going through that in our minds.

AX: If you found out that your personal timeline had flipped to change something like the identity of your child …
RAMSEY: For example.

AX: For example. I think that’s one of the bigger things that’s happened to your character. Or your brother was good, and now he’s bad. Would you react the way John Diggle reacts, or do you feel like you’d react differently, but just play those scenes with conviction?
RAMSEY: Would I, David Ramsey, react [the way Diggle reacts]? I could only hope that I would. John Diggle is a lot better than I am. I think that’s part of the reason why he’s identified so well with the audience. You look at Felicity [played by Emily Bett Rickard]. She’s probably one of the top three smartest people on the planet. Oliver is one of the top two best fighters, maybe next to Bruce Wayne. And you have this guy, John Diggle, who’s just from the inner city, joined the military, bettered himself. I think that’s something that people really identify with. So I can only hope that I would respond to these other-worldly things as well as he has.

AX: Stephen Amell was part of the decision as to when ARROW was ending. Were you part of that decision?
RAMSEY: No, I wasn’t. To be totally honest with you, when I discovered that this was going to be a big hit, like in Season 2, 3, I’m like, “Yes, we can beat SMALLVILLE.” That was a selfish expectation of mine. So, no, I wasn’t part of it officially ending. I thought we probably would reach [Season] 10. But we’ve done seven strong seasons, now seven-and-a-half, eight seasons. We’ve done a great job. So I’m very proud of it.

Edited November 19, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Quote

Throughout its seven-plus years on television, Arrow has always been at its best when telling family stories, and that doesn’t just mean stories about the parents and children of the Queens, Diggles, Lances, and Smoaks. Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity forming the Original Team Arrow is a family story. Dinah discovering a new home with Team Arrow after losing everything she held dear to her in Central is a family story. Young William Clayton adjusting to life with Oliver and Felicity after Samantha’s death, learning to embrace them both as his parents and even calling Felicity “Mom,” is a family story. And that’s why “Present Tense,” is, at its heart, also a family story, although easily one of the most unorthodox ones Arrow has ever told, as Oliver and Diggle do their best to get to know the adult versions of their children from 2040 after they’re transported to Star City in 2019.

Some viewers may have hoped that Mia, William, and Connor would run into their fathers’ arms and everything would be happy and peaceful and wonderful. But that doesn’t make for good TV, or, more importantly, authentic storytelling. While it makes sense that Oliver and William immediately embrace, since they already had an established father-son relationship before 2019, it’s also fitting that both Mia and Diggle would be hesitant to hug Oliver and Connor, respectively.

For Mia, Oliver is a myth, a legend, a specter of a man who abandoned his family for a mission he deemed more important. She only knows him through photos and stories, passed down from Felicity and William, but their words, no matter how warm and heartfelt, can’t stop Oliver from feeling like a stranger to her. Mia’s resistance towards not only physically touching her father (unlike William who hugs Oliver as soon as he sees him) but also emotionally connecting to him rings true for her character and also serves as a reflection of the way Oliver used to be. In fact, William and Oliver even joke about this, when William mentions how Mia “can be a little stubborn and hard to read sometimes.” “Shocker,” Oliver responds. Who’d she get that from?” “Mom, I guess,” William says, as the two of them laugh together.

However, even though Mia’s behavior helps lead to that wonderfully hilarious exchange, her demeanor and actions are unjustified or treated as a punchline. Mia is a woman who has almost everything and everyone taken away from her: her parents, her home, her safety. The loss of Zoe, whose death she blames herself for, reopens all of those old wounds. How can she learn to live after losing so much? She understands that she cannot move on, but how can she at least move forward?

Fortunately, Oliver has also experienced similar loss in his life, and over the course of Arrow’s seven-plus seasons, we have seen him deal with it, in both healthy and toxic ways. Now, as the series nears its end, with only six episodes remaining, Oliver Queen possesses the most stable and mature mindset he has ever had. That is why he is able to offer to help teach his daughter something much more important than how to talk, walk, or fire an arrow with a bow—he wants to show her how to move forward with guilt, how to press on and continue living life, no matter how much the pain and regret of loss tries to halt you. “You can learn to live with it,” Oliver tells Mia. “I can help you with that, Mia, if you’d like.” And while we don’t hear Mia say “yes,” the expression on her face provides us with the only answer we need. She is willing to learn from Oliver, connect with him, and even embrace him, maybe not in the way William does at the start of the episode, but in a manner that is just as meaningful.
*  *  *
-William’s coming-out scene to Oliver is beautifully written and performed by both Ben Lewis and Stephen Amell. It’s easily one of my favorite moments so far from this final season.

Edited November 19, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Arrow sends Kapiushon back to Russia for one last visit with the fun uncle
Allison Shoemaker  November 19, 2019
https://tv.avclub.com/arrow-sends-kapiushon-back-to-russia-for-one-last-visit-1839958237 

Quote

After seven long seasons of Oliver and company keeping secrets, telling lies, and pushing each other away, it’s sincerely startling to see them all (or nearly all) behaving in such a healthy manner. And in Russia, no less! That’s not to say that these fine people aren’t still messed up in some way, nor that they all make exclusively good choices. But an episode that ends with Oliver answering questions about Lian Yu without protest is obviously far outside the norm. When Digg tells Ray that he eventually conquers his bloodlust with the help of a team, he might as well be saying, “No one should have to process their trauma alone—so consult a therapist! And be open to your friends! It’s all good!”

In most cases, this healthy equilibrium is reached with some stumbles and starts; both Oliver and Mia receive necessary pep talks and advice on their way toward making their relationship more honest and trusting—again, I can’t really believe I’m writing stuff like this about Arrow, but here we are. They both, especially Oliver, put in work to make things better. The Ollie/Mia dynamic is at the heart of this episode, and its simplicity allows the writers to draw Mia (Katherina McNamara) with more complexity than they had previously. Yes, there are still some generic “I’m tough, very tough, don’t you love how tough I am” moments, but there’s also that terrific scene with Laurel, in which Mia reveals that:
*  *  *
Good stuff. Oliver revisits some of the same old arguments, but in his case, it’s all a matter of watching him do things Oliver would never have done two seasons ago, or even less. He doesn’t just tell the “kids” they’re benched; he explains at least part of why they’re, even though it’s hard for him to say. And after he’s gotten some fun uncle words of wisdom, he’s even more forthcoming. Stephen Amell is great in this episode, as he has been all season, particularly when struggling with the complex blend of joy, grief, remorse, gratitude, and fear dredged up by the appearance of his adult children in what he believes will be the final months of his life (and he’s probably right about that).

But thematically, the most interesting cases are sort of twins and opposites at once: the two former Diaz deputies, one fully on the side of the angels (though he does shoot a guy), and one still making her way in that direction. This is probably Nykl’s final Arrow appearance, though I wouldn’t rule out some kind of big final farewell from the members of the Arrow supporting roster; he goes out not in a state of conflict or fluctuating allegiance, but as a trusted brother, and not the Bratva kind. That’s not the journey of this episode, it’s just the status quo, the endpoint of a long journey that began in season two. The relationship has assumed its final form, and Anatoly finds himself in a position to give some advice to his longtime friend and sometime foe. Again, all very healthy! What show am I watching?

Edited November 20, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Arrow Review: Prochnost (Season 8 Episode 5)
November 20, 2019  Brianna Martinez
https://telltaletv.com/2019/11/arrow-review-prochnost-season-8-episode-5/ 

Quote

It’s the Queen-Smoak family that becomes the highlight of the hour.

Oliver and Mia’s training opening scene is equal parts adorable and badass, seeing Oliver getting the chance to impart some of his hard-earned skills on his daughter as Mia eagerly takes it all in.
*  *  *
It’s not just the tennis ball training, but a few other scenes that harken back to some critical moments in Oliver’s journey not only in the last 8 years, but in the last 13 years and does it in such a cool, unforced, and impactful way that adds to the Queen-Smoak family dynamic.
*  *  *
Of course, it adds tension to their tentative relationship, providing a foundation for another heartbreaking Queen-Smoak family moment as Oliver conveys the depth of what he’s lost with his children. What he had to do the day The Monitor came to collect him and how recent it all still is for him.
*  *  *
There is so much pain in his words to Mia and William that you can’t help but feel that heartache at his loss and what’s at stake for him, which is still relatively fresh at that moment. You can also feel the amount of power he puts behind a promise he makes to Felicity.
*  *  *
-I’m going to need some clarification on what the rules are for revealing information about the future because Oliver and Diggle don’t seem to be concerned. How fast and loose are we playing with these rules? Is it playing out this way because things will be shifting soon?
-Mia’s look of wonder after seeing her father taking people down is fantastic and plays as a solid contrast to Oliver’s expression of fear of what his children think of him.
-Ben Lewis’ ability to deliver those panicky, hilarious one-liners is fantastic.
-Sidelining JJ, during the episode is an interesting choice, and I have questions about it.

Edited November 20, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Arrow recap: A trip to Russia and betrayal
By Chancellor Agard November 19, 2019 
https://ew.com/recap/arrow-season-8-episode-5/ 

Quote

The past is such an important part of Arrow. Since the show’s series premiere, it has lived uncomfortably alongside the present in many ways, from the flashbacks to the history between the characters Oliver reunited with when he returned home. The show’s sense of history and constant grappling with Oliver’s past actions is one of its hallmarks, and that feeling is even stronger in the final season, which is indeed hitting all of the greatest hits. This was strongly felt in tonight’s episode, which revisits one of the show’s high points in an interesting way that also explores Oliver’s struggles with parenthood.
*  *  *
Arrow has already explored Oliver’s complicated feelings about his time in Russia. What stops this from feeling repetitive, though, is the fact that his kids are there now. It was one thing to unpack all of this with the team, it’s a whole other thing to do that with your kids, especially if you’re trying to redeem yourself in their eyes after being absent for so many years. Not only that, but Oliver’s struggle to hide the darker parts of his past from his children actually helps ground this fairly fantastical story and makes it more relatable. Besides the whole time travel thing, most parents can presumably relate to wanting their children to learn from their mistakes without revealing too much about past indiscretions or failures. Oliver is facing something similar in this episode, and his guardedness actually creates more conflict between him and his kids.

Edited November 20, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘Arrow’ 8×05 Review: “Prochnost”
BY: RAQUEL  ON: NOVEMBER 20, 2019
https://fangirlish.com/2019/11/20/prochnost-arrow-review/ 

Quote

The moment of William speaking Russian and Oliver’s reaction will remain in the annals of the show’s history. Where did William learn to speak Russian so well? It is a mystery that I would like to know. And is this a good time to say that I LOVE Anatoly?  Well, I love him madly. He is my favorite Russian of all time. I laugh a lot with him.
*  *  *
That worried voice of Oliver, so low, so scared, when he finds out where Mia and William met, is another detail that has made me fall in love. It is impressive how Stephen achieves such a fatherly inflection.
*  *  *
Of course, father and daughter are so alike that they are both set in their ways. But there is something else Mia needs to know. Everyone knows her father in Russia and she doesn’t know why. Oliver explains a little of what happened, and Mia is hurt that he has not trusted her, if not as a daughter, at least as a mission partner. That her father didn’t tell her … is another thing to add to the long list of issues she has against him.
*  *  *
Oliver promised Felicity that he would keep them safe. And that promise and the person to whom it was made are so important, that there is nothing, including the universe, multiverse, supernatural event or crisis that will prevent him from fulfilling it (raise your hand if you melted here again).
*  *  *
In addition, in that scene Oliver finally begins to open up to them and tells them the other part of the reason why he didn’t want them to participate in the mission: the fear that they would discover who he was. Oliver is aware that he was not a good person. He did horrible things and simply didn’t want his children to know that part of him for fear of rejection. But that dark part of him is a part of himself. And he just has to explain everything to his children and hope they understand that he was a different man. But his children must know him, all of him, even the darkest parts. That’s why he starts telling them his story and everything they want to know. He doesn’t have to hide anything from them, not anymore.
*  *  *
In another order of things, I LOVED to see Oliver training his daughter. It’s like a dream come true, a great little gift. Mia is our new Green Arrow and who better to train her than than the man who will pass her the mantle, her father. In addition, that training scene with the arrows is a reflection of season 1, just as the fight-with-stick training reminds us of season 2. It is like a nostalgic trip to the past, but with the incorporation of Oliver’s legacy. Really special.  Like seeing William in Felicity’s chair.  Wonderful.
*  *  *
In conclusion, the episode follows in the wake of the previous ones, and the emotional aspect is the one that stands out the most. It is perfectly well treated and we can understand the motivations and feelings of each character, especially in regards Oliver and his children. The three actors have tremendous chemistry on screen, and that helps a lot to make everything more credible, more real. The truth is that, as happened in the previous episode, they have made us participants in the story.

Edited November 20, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Jen and Calli discuss 805 in their latest podcast (warning: Jen uses a lot of f-expletives)...

Watchover Ep 56 - Arrow 8x05 Discussion
Nov. 20, 2019
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchover-with-jen-and-calli/id1442164065

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We are back after the week's hiatus to talk about the latest Arrow ep and what worked (family dynamics!) and what didn't (Laurel!) and how there's a glimmer of hope for a brighter future for our favorite heroes. You must tune in to hear this one.

Edited November 21, 2019 by tv echo

[way2interested]

The real plot twist of s8. CW releasing another good looking poster for Arrow

[Trisha]

Looks like EW is releasing a special print edition on the Arrowverse:

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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Entertainment Weekly's Ultimate Guide to the Arrowverse
By Chancellor Agard, EW

A crisis is coming to the Arrowverse — and Entertainment Weekly is here to walk you through all of it.

In anticipation of this December’s epic “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover coming, EW delved into the multiverse to assemble the Ultimate Guide to the Arrowverse, which covers The CW’s six superhero shows:  Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and Black Lightning. 

Inside, we jump in the Waverider and take a trip through time-stream, exploring how super-producer Greg Berlanti company built this unexpected and unplanned shared universe on television — from the inception of Arrow, the series that lit the spark, to the ambitious five-hour extravaganza coming this winter, and every stop along the way.

Beyond that, though, the special issue also features an exclusive roundtable interview with the zany cast of Legends of Tomorrow; Q&As with Stephen Amell, Melissa Benoist, Ruby Rose, and Grant Gustin; a cheat-sheet for the previous five crossovers; a breakdown of the many heroes and villains that populate the universe; a behind-the-scenes look at each show; and more.

This book will serve as your personal Gideon through a world that’s constantly dealing with timeline changes, alternate realities, alien invasions, and more. So run (Barry, run) your nearest newsstand to purchase it when it goes on-sale Friday, Nov. 22.

For expert analysis, interviews, and scene breakdowns, watch EW’s official “Crisis” after-show, Crisis: Aftermath, hosted by Kevin Smith and immediately airing at 9 p.m. after Supergirl (Dec. 8) and The Flash (Dec. 10).

[Soulfire]

Edited November 22, 2019 by Soulfire

[tv echo]

Arrow Season 8 Episode 5 Review: “Prochnost”
CHRIS KING   NOVEMBER 21, 2019
https://ckinger13.wordpress.com/2019/11/21/arrow-season-8-episode-5-review-prochnost/ 

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-Can we just pause for a moment and celebrate how much Stephen Amell has been killing it this season as Oliver Queen? Amell has owned this role since Season 2, but in this final season, especially with Oliver meeting his now adult children, he’s given new levels of heart and soul to the character. Look no further than the incredible speech Oliver gives to Mia and William when they challenge his overprotective ways. Amell emotionally grounds lines that could seem over-the-top in a lesser actors hands, such as when he tells both his kids that “I made a promise to your mother to keep you safe and there is no world, there is no universe, there is no past, present, or future where I break it.” It could easily be cheesy when Oliver claims that there is “no world…no universe…no past, present, or future” in which he would break his promise to Felicity, but instead, Amell provides the moment, and thus the entire storyline, with weight and gravitas. It’s my favorite scene from the episode and one of my favorite scenes of the season so far.
*  *  *
-Mia’s reaction to Oliver being able to dislocate his thumbs to get out of restraints is so much fun. “You’ve gotta show me that.”
-Also so much fun: Oliver training Mia. More of this, please, Arrow writers.

Edited November 22, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Was Grey's Twist Rage-Inducing? Did Supergirl Make the Bible Canon? Feud Flub on Family Guy? And More TV Qs!
By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Michael Ausiello, Kimberly Roots, Andy Swift, Rebecca Iannucci, Ryan Schwartz and Charlie Mason / November 22 2019
https://tvline.com/2019/11/22/greys-anatomy-amelia-baby-father-owen-link-tv-questions-answers/ 

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11 | As fine an archer as Arrow‘s Mia may be, can we agree that tennis balls simply don’t bounce that high? Also, the way that Mia kept stopping to look at the Bratva countdown clock — and how they kept showing us Oliver notice that — did you suspect she was trying to fail the challenge? Finally, outside a plutonium storage facility that was famously “impenetrable,” Dig and Roy only and easily dealt with two guards while moseying up to the loading dock…?

Edited November 22, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Another 805 review...

Arrow Just Quietly Set the Stage for Its Spinoff Series
by Ian Cardona – on Nov 21, 2019 
https://www.cbr.com/arrow-green-arrow-canaries-spinoff/ 

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Now, in "Prochnost," Oliver begins to teach Mia everything he knows, from his skills to his tricks, to help her become a better vigilante. It all starts when he introduces her to a crucial exercise: shooting bouncing tennis balls with arrows. Fans of the series know that this particular move has been a signature of sorts for Arrow ever since its pilot. With this classic move, Oliver refines his daughter's technique, accuracy, and skills. Then, he continues by showing her the vast array of trick arrows at his disposal. From explosive projectiles to rope arrows that can subdue enemies, Mia begins to use these weapons in the field as practice through a series of montages.
*  *  *
And it doesn't stop there. Later, Oliver spars with his daughter with fighting sticks, much in the same way that he learned from Slade Wilson on Lian Yu. Oliver kept this particular training exercise going with John Diggle, and now he's passing on that skill to his daughter.

Throughout the episode, Oliver shows Mia every major technique the Green Arrow uses. To them, it's just father and daughter spending time together, and helping her become a more refined fighter. But we fans know the truth: Oliver is grooming her to become his successor, even if he doesn't know it yet.

This way, when Mia becomes the star of her own series, she will have all the building blocks that made her father the superhero that he was. Better yet, these techniques will help keep the spirit of Arrow alive -- as well as Oliver's legacy

Edited November 23, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

I only quoted the Arrow portions of this broader Arrowverse shows' review...

The Clock Tower: This Week, the Arrowverse Was Full of Lying Liars Who Lie
Posted on Friday, November 22nd, 2019 by Amelia Emberwing
https://www.slashfilm.com/arrowverse-recap-november-22/ 

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As Oliver and Mia’s relationship grows, I get more and more upset at how limited their time together will be. Hopefully, Canaries will take flight and result in more Mia and William. But the thought of not getting to see more of Stephen Amell and Kat McNamara’s exceptional father-daughter chemistry is heartbreaking. 

Back in the day, during Arrow’s more unfortunate seasons, I used to joke that I couldn’t see a future where Oliver Queen got what he deserved for being such an unlearning wretch. Turns out a daughter who is exactly like him and a loving, beautifully complicated family is exactly what he had coming. 
*  *  *
I’ve always been open with my distaste for Earth 1’s Laurel Lance despite my love for The Black Canary. There’s a whole list of reasons that were outside of Katie Cassidy’s control, but underneath all of that is the fact that she plays cranky, bitter anti-heroes better than she plays earnest. Enter Earth 2 Laurel, and a whole new age of interest for the character. 
*  *  *
-On the good dad front, there’s a moment where Oliver thinks Mia’s going to die, and the look he gives the man who pulled the trigger harkens back to the darkest of Hood days.
*  *  *
-Oliver Jonas Queen slipped in a shot about Felicity’s cooking and I have been laughing about it for an hour. “That tracks,” ha! Rude. 
-William and Mia had an Oliver and Felicity moment where he babbled and she gave him a simple “William”. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by tv echo

[lemotomato]

Olicity got a two-page spread in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly that’s all about the Arrowverse and Crisis:

[lemotomato]

I went and bought a copy from Barnes and Noble. Here’s the Arrow section (minus a one-page image of SA from the EW superheroes photo shoot in the summer) 

[lemotomato]

An old interview with SA and the Olicity feature:

[tv echo]

@lemotomato, thanks so much for posting the EW Arrow/Olicity article pages! 💐

Edited November 24, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

^^^ Here's the text of the "Struck by Cupid's Arrow article (by Rich Sands) in the above EW's The Ultimate Guide to the Arrowverse issue - pretty good article, except for the stupid "hijacking" comment...

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WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING A BREAK from a relationship, Ross and Rachel have nothing on Oliver and Felicity. As Arrow flies through its final season, Oliver (Stephen Amell) is off saving the multiverse from a crisis across infinite earths - and purportedly slated to die in the process - while his wife, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), will have to wait until 2040 to reconnect with her long-lost love. For passionate fans of the so-called "Olicity" pairing, the wait will be a crisis of its own - and may not be fully satisfying, since Rickards has left the show, and the final few episodes of Arrow will be swept up in "Crisis."

That’s high stakes for a relationship that was never part of the show’s original plan. Felicity (a minor character in the DC Comics lore) was originally slated for just one episode as a Queen Consolidated IT staffer who helped Oliver with a computer issue. But when producers noticed the sparkling onscreen chemistry between Amell and Rickards, they folded the character into the story line, with Felicity joining Team Arrow as a tech expert. Although Oliver feared he wasn't suited for romance, his relentless brooding was ultimately no match for her adorable quirkiness, and by the end of the third season they were finally in a full-fledged relationship.

Not that it's been happily ever after in Star City. First, diehard comic-book fans had to accept that Arrow was not beholden to the DC Canon, where Green Arrow and Black Canary are frequently linked. More important, Oliver and Felicity's relationship has been tested by the life-or-death stakes of superhero life. And let's not forget that Oliver, who has struggled with the trauma and darkness resulting from his five-year odyssey after being shipwrecked, is not exactly the poster child for honesty and emotional vulnerability.

Their first engagement (in season 4) ended after Felicity found out that Oliver had a secret son. (Oops!) Still, they went through with a fake wedding as part of a plan to draw out a villain, and Oliver stuck with his planned vows. "With your kindness, your generosity, your compassion, your intelligence, your wit and your trust, you brought me into the light," he told her. "You let me know that I deserved it. You were that light. And I don't know if I still deserve that trust, if I deserve you. I probably don't. But whatever has happened, whatever will happen, the way that you make me feel is the best part of my life.... You are my always, and I just want the chance to be yours."

Later, when they got married for real during season 6 - hijacking the wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West at the tail end of the "Crisis on Earth-X" crossover - Felicity offered a foreboding oath. "I believe that no matter what life throws at us, our love can conquer it," she said. "My greatest fear in life is losing you." The one arrow Oliver couldn't avoid, it turns out, was Cupid's.

Edited November 24, 2019 by tv echo

[olicityfan25]

Going tomorrow to find that magazine and buying it for all the Olicity goodness!

[tv echo]

I picked up my own copy of EW's The Ultimate Guide to the Arrowverse this morning - look who's on the front and back covers (and who's not)...

Edited November 25, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘Arrow’ S8, E5: “Prochnost” Recap/Review
Ernesto Valenzuela    November 25, 2019
https://fullcirclecinema.com/2019/11/25/arrow-s8-e5-prochnost-recap-review/ 

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Interactions between Oliver and Mia were the highlight of the episode. In it, we have Oliver revisiting his dark past in Russia and going back to the underworld, albeit reluctantly. This is mainly due to the concern of the safety of his daughter. The premise is basic and by the numbers, with Oliver recognizing Mia’s capabilities and using them to his advantage, working together. William hardly has any conflict with his father, and seems to be a Felicity fill-in as the tech person on the team.

Edited November 25, 2019 by tv echo