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The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow


Grammaeryn
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Another casting article. Spoilerish if you count character descriptions for PY & ER. But nothing too spoilery.

 

Arrow Season 4 Adds Three New Actors in Recurring Roles by Andy Behbakht on August 10, 2015

Parker Young, Rutina Wesley and Elysia Rotaru added to season four of Arrow!

 

http://tvafterdark.com/arrow-season-4-adds-three-new-actors-in-recurring-roles/

 

Excited about Rutina Wesley, she slayed it in TrueBlood!! don't know anything about the other 2.

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Some news coming out of CBS' panel at the TCA Summer 2015 Press Tour mention Arrow...

"Supergirl" won't have crossovers with "Arrow" and "The Flash" on the CW, but the shows will cross-promote one another.

TCA: CBS talks 'Dome,' 'Good Wife,' more
20 hours ago  •  By Gail Pennington
http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/television/gail-pennington/tca-cbs-talks-dome-good-wife-more/article_d8bd7818-d749-56ce-adb6-aedfed073f30.html

Appearing at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, CBS Entertainment chair Nina Tassler told TVLine, “We have not had conversations about [storyline] crossovers” between the freshman drama Supergirl and The CW’s own DC Comics-based series, Arrow and The Flash, “but we are doing crossover promotions. So you will see promotional crossovers” — meaning, ads for Supergirl airing on The CW and vice versa — “but not in terms of the characters.”

 

Elaborating on the issue, Tassler added, “You really have to be respectful and mindful of what each universe says you can and can’t do. Obviously, we’re working very closely with DC, and our [Supergirl] producer, Greg Berlanti, is the poster child for this field. Right now, we’re not doing it [storyline-wise]…. But we’ll always stay open.”

CBS Boss Talks Supergirl Crossovers, Dome and POI Futures and More
By Matt Webb Mitovich / August 10 2015, 9:07 AM PDT
http://tvline.com/2015/08/10/supergirl-arrow-flash-crossovers/

Greg Berlanti says he’s followed a “similar formula” for all of his superhero TV series for The CW and CBS, “regardless of gender.”...
*  *  *
Berlanti says he builds all his superhero shows to allow for all kinds of different storytelling, including romance as well as action and “all the things you love about the comic book itself,” he insisted. He noted there had similarly been complaints about CW’s Green Arrow [sic] initially, and he hopes that, like then, people will watch episodes and “determine what they love about and what we can improve on. That’s always fun for me,” Berlanti insisted.
*  *  *
Asked how he’d “cracked the code” with Arrow and The Flash, on CW, and now Supergirl coming to CBS, Berlanti said modestly: “We always try to imagine what the show is if you remove the superpowers from it.”... The action sequences, he said, are only worth spending all that money on if they demonstrate something about that character. “Where we have been lucky enough to have success, it’s casting, casting casting.”

‘Supergirl’ Follows The Formula, Greg Berlanti Says – TCA
by Lisa de Moraes August 10, 2015 10:56am
http://deadline.com/2015/08/supergirl-greg-berlanti-controversy-tca-1201496374/

During Supergirl‘s TCA panel, executive producer Greg Berlanti addressed initial criticism of the series, including negative reactions to Kara’s Supergirl costume and the somewhat controversial casting of Mehcad Brooks as photog Jimmy Olsen.

“We experience it with any show we introduce. What’s interesting to us is we have a similar formula for all shows,” Berlanti explained. “[When we revealed] the costume for the Green Arrow, there was initial conversation about that. It’s a healthy dialogue — anything that gets people talking about the show in this environment and gets people to check it out.”

New Supergirl Trailer Touches Down — Plus: EPs Respond to Costume, Casting Controversies
By Rebecca Iannucci / August 10 2015, 10:03 AM PDT
http://tvline.com/2015/08/10/supergirl-trailer-season-1-spoilers-video/

Edited by tv echo
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It looks like IGN.com staffers are Team OTA - Goldman is Executive Editor and Fowler is an Editor for IGN TV...

Eric Goldman ‏@TheEricGoldman  12h12 hours ago
Yes! I told @JoshuaYehl I hope @EmilyBett and @david_ramsey both accompany @amellywood to the ring. #SummerSlam
Matt Fowler ‏@TheMattFowler  12h12 hours ago
Please let @EmilyBett be in @amellywood's corner at #SummerSlam. Or David Ramsey. Or me and my cat. #wwe #raw

7:44 PM - 10 Aug 2015

https://twitter.com/TheEricGoldman/status/630932816881172480

Edited by tv echo
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I'm all for SA doing SummerSlam because its his dream & probably on his bucket list. But really I could care less if DR or EBR show up. I don't mind the cross promotion, because its probably good for the show. But honestly, I really have no desire to see the actual ARROW show, characters & actors brought into the WWE arena just because of SA's interests. Its cool that that SA & ARROW fans are behind it, the signs are precious - but EBR & DR shouldn't feel pressure to do it.

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Hahaha yes!! The Felicity Funko Pop is finally here!!

I'm all for SA doing SummerSlam because its his dream & probably on his bucket list. But really I could care less if DR or EBR show up. I don't mind the cross promotion, because its probably good for the show. But honestly, I really have no desire to see the actual ARROW show, characters & actors brought into the WWE arena just because of SA's interests. Its cool that that SA & ARROW fans are behind it, the signs are precious - but EBR & DR shouldn't feel pressure to do it.

Oh I agree they shouldn't feel pressure to do it but it would be cool if they did!

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Yeah, MG's tiptoeing around the sucktitude that was S3 was hilarious, but it does grate that the people continually blame Felicity/Olicity as the cause of it when it was a small fraction of the shit show that was happening all around. EVERY ASPECT OF THE SHOW HAD PROBLEMS...the flashbacks sucked, there was no direction to the storylines, the villains were laughable, everyone became instantly proficient in superheroing, there was no resolution to wrongdoing with Merlyn, sideline stories were going on with no real tie-in to the main plot, unnecessary love triangle angst was dragging the show, the stunts were weaksauce, etc. SMDH

Edited by NumberCruncher
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Well they acknowledge the Flashback issue and also about the main vilian. They won't mention The ATOM or BC arc but imo having LOT not the ATOM and Sara being brought back shows they are aware if that issue.

And they won't see the Merlyn issue because of their love for JB.

Edited by tarotx
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According to @KsiteTV, there was a CW sizzle reel shown with a glimpse of Oliver in the new suit. Oh, and The Flash (as well as iZombie and Jane the Virgin) is getting a big promotional push this year. Because it's so hurting from lack of ratings and attention. /sarcasm

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I love that. She's probably a favorite to write because she's not beholden to the weight of comic book history, which must affect the way they approach writing other characters.

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I love that. She's probably a favorite to write because she's not beholden to the weight of comic book history, which must affect the way they approach writing other characters.

 

I think it probably also has something to do with the fact that (with the exception of last season for the most part), they get to be lighter with her, and write cute little quips that aren't in character for the others. 

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CW president Mark Pedowitz says 'no intention' for more DC spinoffs
By YVONNE VILLARREAL AUGUST 11, 2015, 4:37 PM
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-cw-president-mark-pedowitz-says-no-intention-for-more-dc-spinoffs-20150811-story.html

The CW has no intention of becoming the DC network.

 

Mark Pedowitz, the network's president, took his turn Tuesday before reporters during the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills -- and took on the unofficial superpower of fielding questions regarding the network's fruitful relationship with DC Comics.

 

The network has achieved one of its intended missions -- bring in more male viewers -- with its DC superhero dramas, "Arrow" and "The Flash," both of which are top performers for the network. Those shows, as well as the network's other genre-centric series, made it seem like the more logical home for the forthcoming youth-oriented series "Supergirl" -- but that show ultimately flew over to sister network CBS. (CBS Corp. and Warner Bros co-own the CW.)
*  *  *
Asked why the CW didn't land the project, Pedowitz said the network didn't want to commit to another superhero series because it would detract from its overall mission to broaden out. Warner Bros. presented him with the project last summer -- months before "The Flash" was in gearing up for its debut.

 

“Sometimes you lose great projects,” he said. The network does have another upcoming DC project, "DC’s Legends of Tomorrow," rolling out midseason.

 

But Pedowitz said that's it for now for the DC universe on the CW: "There is no intention, at this point, to spin anything else off," Pedowitz said. OK, sure.

 

Pedowitz noted, as CBS Entertainment chief Nina Tassler did on Monday, that there would be cross-promotion of its current DC properties with CBS' "Supergirl." But as far as story-line crossovers, Pedowitz said he's leaving that up to "Arrow"/"The Flash" executive producer Greg Berlanti.

 

"We’re open to crossovers," Pedowitz said. "It’s Greg’s call because he understands his shows."

Edited by tv echo
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This article seems to rebut the theory that a solo Atom spinoff was originally intended (or maybe it's just spin)...

Despite having no intention to do another DC series last season, the CW ended up going ahead of Legends of Tomorrow. The idea did not start circulating until the fourth quarter of 2014 when Arrow and The Flash started adding high-profile arcs of superhero characters played by well known actors such as Brandon Routh, Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller. “This was a great opportunity to create a third leg of the stool,” Pedowitz said of adding a third series in the Arrow/Flash universe.

CW Boss Has ‘Supergirl’ Regret, Talks Possible Crossover, ‘Jane the Virgin’ Emmy Snub & ‘Supernatural’ End Date
by Nellie Andreeva  August 11, 2015 5:29pm
http://deadline.com/2015/08/supergirl-regret-crossover-jane-the-virgin-emmy-snub-supernatural-end-spinoff-1201497547/

Edited by tv echo
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More from MP (patting himself on the back)...

During his stop at the Television Critics Association’s semi-annual press tour Tuesday afternoon, the CW president reiterated a set of goals that he outlined when he joined the network back in 2011: to broaden out the audience; to find shows with adult appeal; and to bring men back to the network. Four years later, he has delivered on all three.

 

"The 2014-15 season has been pivotal," he said from the Beverly Hilton stage. "It changed our perception." From the podium, he pointed out that last year’s additions, Jane the Virgin and Flash, provided him with the most acclaimed show and the most watched show in CW’s history, respectively. And though the younger-skewing network lures an audience that's considerably smaller than its broadcast competition, it did manage to grow its total viewership by 12 percent — which Pedowitz noted, marked the network's third consecutive year of growth.

 

Evidence of the CW's shift in perception was felt in the Beverly Hilton ballroom, as Pedowitz fielded questions about the gains he's made at the network, which now regularly draws praise for Jane, Flash and longer-running Arrow. During his time on stage, he talked broadly about the network's push for more and year-round original programming — CW features more than 300 hours today, up from 220 hours when he arrived — along with the components he looks for before making a bet on a new show: "Will it make noise. Will it set itself apart. And will it sustain itself for 100 episodes."
*  *  *
Asked why Supergirl will air this fall on sibling CBS and not genre-heavy CW, Pedowitz said that he wasn’t ready to commit to another superhero series when studio Warner Bros. came to him with the idea last summer. At that time, the CW had yet to air breakout Flash, and he didn't yet have plans to add another DC project, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, to the schedule. "Sometimes you lose great projects," he said, acknowledging that there can be downsides to being patient. Still, he noted that he’s "still a broadcaster," which is to say he can’t simply rely on genre programs.

The CW Chief on 'Jane the Virgin's' Emmy Snub, 'Supergirl's' Backstory and a Shift in Perception
AUGUST 11, 2015 3:34pm PT by Lacey Rose, Marisa Guthrie
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cw-chief-jane-virgins-emmy-814697

Edited by tv echo
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In contrast, the network's broody comic book-drama "Arrow" features fewer supernatural elements and a lead who's grappled with fatal retribution, broken family dynamics and DC Comics formidable League of Assassins. But it too draws the line at sexual violence.

 

"We don't do sexual violence, and that's always been part of culture of show before I came on," said executive producer Wendy Mericle. "Ultimately it's been done so much, you can see it on almost any procedural on TV, and it's not that interesting at the end of the day. Let's try to challenge ourselves and do something in a way that doesn't glorify that. And that's the kind of challenge we present ourselves whenever the conversation goes that way. That's when we try to steer it back."

Women at the CW work to keep sexual violence off their shows

By NARDINE SAAD  AUGUST 12, 2015

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-the-cw-rape-sexual-violence-women-showrunners-julie-plec-20150811-story.html

Edited by tv echo
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Good for them for not doing sexual violence.  Let's have creativity instead.

 

CW released a new sizzle reel promoting its upcoming TV season (includes the new Flash costume but still the old Arrow costume - what a surprise)...

It looks different though -- the hood and part of the jacket seem like they're suede of fabric rather than leather.

 

Maybe it's his cold-weather version. It seem silly to put out a sizzle reel without the much hyped new costume.

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This article seems to rebut the theory that a solo Atom spinoff was originally intended (or maybe it's just spin)...

CW Boss Has ‘Supergirl’ Regret, Talks Possible Crossover, ‘Jane the Virgin’ Emmy Snub & ‘Supernatural’ End Date

by Nellie Andreeva  August 11, 2015 5:29pm

http://deadline.com/2015/08/supergirl-regret-crossover-jane-the-virgin-emmy-snub-supernatural-end-spinoff-1201497547/

Pedowitz might not have been interested (which actually kind of supports the idea that ATOM wasn't doing it for anyone), but I am positive Guggie et al. were. 

 

Re sexual violence, while they're patting themselves on the back about how against it they are, I'm remembering Sara being seconds away from gang rape on the Amazo, the woman in the first episode of S2 ("What's wrong, we just want to be friendly."), and RAG setting his own daughter up to be raped.

Edited by AyChihuahua
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ComicBook.com article on the new Felicity Smoak Funko POP! figure...

 

Arrow's Felicity Smoak Getting A Vinyl Figure
Andrew Steinbeiser- 08/11/2015
http://comicbook.com/2015/08/11/arrows-felicity-smoak-getting-a-vinyl-figure/

After three season on The CW’s Arrow, Felicity Smoak is finally entrenching herself as pop culture royalty with her very-own Funko Pop! Vinyl figure.

 

In a true sign that she’s “made it,” Smoak will join Funko’s upcoming second wave of Arrow-inspired Pop! figures. The first wave featured a masked and unmasked Arrow, Deathstroke, and Black Canary, so here’ hoping Funko goes deeper into Arrow’s bench characters like Arsenal and The A.T.O.M., along with Ms. Smoak. You can see Funko's full concept art below.

Edited by tv echo
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Matt Ryan to Reprise 'Constantine' Role on CW's 'Arrow'

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/matt-ryan-constantine-arrow-814661

Pretty happy for this, I quite liked Constantine.  The show had teething problems, but it had a definite improvement as it went on.  Was sad when it was cancelled.  And while I'm not sure how the deal with rights and everything with the other network, I really hope they can use Bear McCreary's theme for Constantine because it's a wicked awesome theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLr-BeHFzdU

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This article just leaves me all warm with fuzzies :') This is everything I wanted their relationship to be tbh

 

‘Arrow’: Oliver aspires to a ‘positive, healthy’ Felicity relationship

BY CHRIS HAYNER AT 07:08 PM ON AUG 12, 2015

http://zap2it.com/2015/08/arrow-season-4-oliver-felicity-olicity-positive-healthy-relationship/

 

The Oliver (Stephen Amell) seen at the end of “Arrow” Season 3 is a far cry from the dark and brooding vigilante fans have come to know. Emerging from the darkness that had all but consumed him, he was able to admit his feelings for Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and leave Starling City with her to find actual happiness.
 

Naturally, that couldn’t last forever. After all, what’s “Arrow” without the Arrow? When Oliver returns home, things will be very different. Thanks to Felicity, his outlook on life is not as negative as it once was.
 

“The relationship with Felicity is the thing he aspires to in terms of a more positive, healthy environment,” “Arrow” executive producer Marc Guggenheim tells Zap2it during a group interview. “But can [he] do it while also a vigilante? That’s going to be the two things pulling at him throughout the year.


While Season 3 saw Oliver at war with himself over who he truly was — Oliver or the Arrow? — he now realizes the truth. Guggenheim explains, “We knew in Season 4 he and Felicity would be together and the dilemma is going to be, ‘How do I be both?'”

Finding the balance isn’t going to be an easy task. “How [does he] do it in a way that doesn’t have [him] descending back into darkness like [he] was doing in the first three seasons?” Guggenheim wonders.
 

One threat that would set Oliver back down the road to his darker ways is an attack on Felicity, the woman he loves. By opening his heart to her, he’s also painted a target on her back. Luckily, at least for the time being, she should be safe.

 

Asked how “Arrow” will avoid having Felicity fall into the damsel in distress trop, Guggenheim assures, “We’re going to avoid, for as long as we can, Felicity being kidnapped.”
Edited by wonderwall
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Arrow has actually done a pretty good job not damseling Felicity. There was the Count, sure. But for the most part, she's either able to fight back (like with Cooper) or it's part of the plan (e.g. Slade). So I don't think I'd really mind her getting kidnapped and seeing Oliver going nuts with worry. 

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Yeah, I kind of agree? I'm glad it's not going to be a regular deal, but on this show (and all superhero shows), people on the team are going to be targeted, kidnapped, put in danger, and I'm fine with women filling that role in an equal balance to the men, as long as it makes sense and they're are allowed to help save themselves at least to some extent.

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I am really happy that MG promised not to damsel Felicity. I know it's a popular trope, but no thanks!

He just said that they'd avoid it for as long as they can, so don't be surprised when it happens (because it probably will eventually). Edited by apinknightmare
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Arrow has actually done a pretty good job not damseling Felicity. There was the Count, sure. But for the most part, she's either able to fight back (like with Cooper) or it's part of the plan (e.g. Slade). So I don't think I'd really mind her getting kidnapped and seeing Oliver going nuts with worry. 

Even with the Count, she was taken on a mission while she was trying to do something. She's never really been "damseled". When people take her they want her to do something for them. She is taken for her skills, not because of who she's connected to. LL just seems to have people swing by her apt and kidnap/damsel her for no good reason.

 

I hope they keep that up that trend to avoid damseling FS because its the easiest thing to do for plot.

Edited by kismet
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Pedowitz might not have been interested (which actually kind of supports the idea that ATOM wasn't doing it for anyone), but I am positive Guggie et al. were. 

 

Re sexual violence, while they're patting themselves on the back about how against it they are, I'm remembering Sara being seconds away from gang rape on the Amazo, the woman in the first episode of S2 ("What's wrong, we just want to be friendly."), and RAG setting his own daughter up to be raped.

Ah, but they didn't go there so they are at least not bowing to that trend.  I have to admit, hearing that they were purposely not going there relieves me about the future because one trope I do not want to touch is when the main couple is going strong and then the woman is assaulted and due to her emotional issues, they break up.  HATE that one.  It's real, it's a problem but I don't want it on for entertainment. 

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CBR interviewed Guggenheim:

 

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/marc-guggenheim-talks-new-arrow-characters-legends-craziness

 

The ~fanservice~ question just got boomed and mic dropped:
 

How much do the show's 'shippers influence you, cause you to reconsider whatever relationship plans you might have cooking?

 

Ooh, I love these questions, because what's great about that question is, there's no good answer. There's no answer I can give that won't get me in trouble. The only thing I can say, or the only thing I'm willing to say, is that we did not get Oliver and Felicity together because of the 'shippers. That, quite frankly, we did that because of the chemistry between Emily and Stephen, and we kept writing towards that chemistry.

 

And then we reached the point where we were like, "Wow, we're writing towards it. We've got to pick a horse -- or not pick a horse. We've got to do something here. Either that relationship is going to go forward or it needs to stop." But it really was -- we wrote to what we were seeing on the screen in the dailies. And I know there will be some people who are upset with me. But at the very least, it has the virtue of being true.

I mean, Felicity was never part of the original plan of the show. She was supposed to be a one off. Had we cast anyone other than Emily Rickards, she would have been a one off. And we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. But one of the great things, I feel, about television as opposed to a feature is you have an opportunity -- week in, week out -- to respond to what your actors are giving you.

 

I mean, we write so far ahead of broadcast, particularly in the first half of the year, it's impossible to respond to the fans. It's actually one of the frustrations we have. We're doing stuff now. We don't know what's going to play and what's not going to play. The only thing we can respond to is what we're seeing in the dailies. And you write towards that, or you write away from that, depending upon what's working and what's not working.

Edited by dtissagirl
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Even with the Count, she was taken on a mission while she was trying to do something. She's never really been "damseled". When people take her they want her to do something for them. She is taken for her skills, not because of who she's connected to. LL just seems to have people swing by her apt and kidnap/damsel her for no good reason.

 

I hope they keep that up that trend to avoid damseling FS because its the easiest thing to do for plot.

 

That's a good point about Felicity being taken because of her skills. There was something I saw being talked about on Twitter last night that I'd love to see on the show, a reversal with Oliver being kidnapped or threatened to get to Felicity because they want to use her hacking expertise. Nice twist on the trope and would also make Oliver and Felicity understand that the threat is not just coming from one side.

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I like that he caught himself here, haha:

 

 

And then we reached the point where we were like, "Wow, we're writing towards it. We've got to pick a horse -- or not pick a horse. We've got to do something here. Either that relationship is going to go forward or it needs to stop.

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That's pretty much what MG has been saying all along, every time he gets asked about it in his Q&As. He'll keep saying it until he's blue in the face and there will be people that still scream about fan service.

This is true, unfortunately, but it's good that he keeps repeating it over and over again because each time he does he puts another nail in that coffin. He should thank his lucky stars that in a bit of serendipity Emily showed up because from a personal standpoint, I doubt I'd still be watching the show otherwise. It's not even because of Olicity as I didn't even start shipping them until towards the end of S2. Before Felicity showed up there very little levity in the story or hope that Oliver would have a healthy relationship without a huge amount of baggage. I can handle darkness up to certain a point, then I have to disengage. There's a reason I'm not a big fan of Nolan's Batman series. If you don't at least provide me few laughs among all of the pain or show me a character's path to redemption--I'll find some other form of entertainment that doesn't make me hate the world.

Edited by NumberCruncher
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