The Starling City Times: News and Media about Arrow

[dtissagirl]

Petition for an episode wherein Felicity gets temporary shapeshifting powers, and it's just 42 minutes of her morphing into everything ever she can possibly imagine dot org.

[Chaser]

I have a real affection for actors who are fans themselves. I like when I hear about my favs geeking out over the same stuff I do.

Petition for an episode wherein Felicity gets temporary shapeshifting powers, and it's just 42 minutes of her morphing into everything ever she can possibly imagine dot org.

"So Oliver, I'm going to turn into an..."

 

"NO."

 

"Arrow..."

 

"NO."

 

"And you're going to..."

 

"Fe-Li-Ci-Ty."

 

"Fire me."

 

"NO."

[lemotomato]

Petition for an episode wherein Felicity gets temporary shapeshifting powers, and it's just 42 minutes of her morphing into everything ever she can possibly imagine dot org.

She can turn into a bird! A... pretty bird. Edited October 7, 2015 by lemotomato

[bijoux]

That's a good list, but I'd put Oliver thinking Roy was dead it. That was hard to watch.

And no mention of Tommy's death? For shame.

[Chaser]

I agree with #1. It was a well done scene. That look on SA's face still gets me.

[EmilyBettFan]

She, David and Stephen should do all the interviews. They always say funny stuff and never get themselves into trouble for the show or with the fans. Oh and Willa!

See I think a show that had Oliver Laurel and Tommy as leads theoretically could have been great...as they delve into their families history with each other and the city in general. I actually thought that's what they were going for.

No it isn't

They do. This show wouldn't have lasted without the three of them. This show wouldn't have lasted if they stuck with a love triangle. You see what that did to Vampire Diaries.

TVD have had the worst ratings and their ad funding has gone way down.

Edited October 7, 2015 by EmilyBettFan

[manbearpig]

TVD was the CW's biggest show for about five years and it still performed pretty well last season, though. I'm glad Arrow avoided the love triangle route, though, but still.

Edited October 7, 2015 by manbearpig

[statsgirl]

See I think a show that had Oliver Laurel and Tommy as leads theoretically could have been great...as they delve into their families history with each other and the city in general. I actually thought that's what they were going for.

I can see that working as a movie (although I didn't like it when it was called Spiderman) but would it have worked for a TV show that wasn't on PBS?  Even Jack and Bobby failed as Greg Berlanti found out.

 

I don't think Tommy or Laurel were interesting enough as characters to carry a show, and Oliver is only interesting because of his years on the island and becoming a vigilante.  Tommy had a huge amount of psychological baggage but how long would that have been interesting on a full hour drama?  And the scrambling they did to find storylines for Laurel in s2 suggests there wasn't that much to be mined from her character either other than becoming the Black Canary.

 

And then there's that whole triangle thing, which turns off a lot of viewers.

Edited October 7, 2015 by statsgirl

[apinknightmare]

Yeah, my biggest NOOOO for an O/L/T led show would be the never-ending love triangle that it would surely become. I don't even like watching a person torn between two others even one time - throughout the lifetime of a show? Nah. Plus, not saying it wouldn't or couldn't have been a good show, but I wouldn't have continued watching Arrow if I didn't know that Felicity came in full time and that she and Diggle and Oliver started working together. So, whether an O/L/T show would've worked or not, I probably wouldn't have kept watching it, so I'm glad TPTB went in the direction they did. 

[wonderwall]

I mean... I wouldn't be here if it continued to be an O/L/T led show. I quit because of that.

 

The major reason why I came back was because of Felicity and O/F/D so...

[Chaser]

My biggest issue with love triangles is that whenever the meat says to one slice of beard "I Love You" I say " For Now."

[dtissagirl]

I tend to think it wouldn't have worked, because why else would they change the entire premise? The lack of confidence in the original plan tells me they looked into it, and realized the changes were necessary. But of course I don't know for sure.

 

The one thing I can say for sure is I would have quit this hypothetical O/L/T show so fast.

[wingster55]

I can see that working as a movie (although I didn't like it when it was called Spiderman) but would it have worked for a TV show that wasn't on PBS? Even Jack and Bobby failed as Greg Berlanti found out.

I don't think Tommy or Laurel were interesting enough as characters to carry a show, and Oliver is only interesting because of his years on the island and becoming a vigilante. Tommy had a huge amount of psychological baggage but how long would that have been interesting on a full hour drama? And the scrambling they did to find storylines for Laurel in s2 suggests there wasn't that much to be mined from her character either other than becoming the Black Canary.

And then there's that whole triangle thing, which turns off a lot of viewers.

I can see why the love triangle is annoying..I maintain a well written one is fine..but for Tommy? His issues would be insanely interesting to actually delve into. May not be ratings popular but...well I think (usually) the more popular shows etc aren't that great. But I digress

[calliope1975]

I can see why the love triangle is annoying..I maintain a well written one is fine..but for Tommy? His issues would be insanely interesting to actually delve into. May not be ratings popular but...well I think (usually) the more popular shows etc aren't that great. But I digress

 

I think Tommy had a ton of story left for him, and love interest was at the bottom of a very long list that could have been explored. Sadly, that's not possible now.

[apinknightmare]

I actually liked Malcolm more when he was around Tommy (as a villain, not as a decent human being). So Tommy sticking around and working through his issues would've made Malcolm more bearable, too. 

[tarotx]

I hate love triangles. The one on LOST even. That is the one that was probably on the mind. KC just doesn't have enough chemistry with Stephan to be the central of attraction. It all comes down to that imo. The show needed to recast someone or it had to change direction.

[kismet]

OMG, I love Emily so much. This new interview with Vulture is so much fun!  http://www.vulture.com/2015/10/arrow-emily-bett-rickards-pop-culture-questionnaire.html?mid=twitter_vulture

 

My doctor dad was the exact same way about ER, so I cracked up at that. And, as a lawyer, I'm the exact same way about legal shows, so I agree that Felicity and Oliver would nitpick a superhero show to death. LOL.

What an adorable interview!! I feel like she would be an awesome TV watching buddy. She has some pretty good taste - Scandal, HoC. And a Nikita & Maggie Q fan, now I'm really psyched. It would be so cool if she could live up her fantasy and train up with Maggie Q to fight some badasses on ARROW.  I know its OOC, but let me have my little head canon of kickass females taking down the baddies and bringing justice together.

 

I'm with you on the nitpicking of TV shows in your professional realm. Same reason why I can't make it through most medical shows. Heck, I can barely make it through a medical situation on ARROW without going mentally ballistic.

[Velocity23]

IGN review of Arrow

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/10/08/arrow-green-arrow-review

 

 

It was tough to know just how excited to be for Arrow’s fourth season. On one hand, despite its high points, Season 3 was pretty disappointing overall. But on the other, all of the changes announced for this season (in terms of tone, costumes, villains, etc.) look to be moving the show in the right direction. And if the premiere is anything to judge, Arrow is on firmer footing as it charges into Oliver Queen’s new status quo.

 

More than the new villain or the costume changes, the most obvious difference in this episode was Ollie himself. It’s almost strange seeing our morose, tortured hero so genuinely happy and at peace with himself. For all that the Season 3 finale failed to justify Ollie’s sudden shift away from the vigilante lifestyle, this episode really conveyed that psychological shift. Stephen Amell deserves a lot of credit for altering so much of his usual performance. From the tenor of his voice to the way he carried himself, Amell nailed the idea that Ollie is a fundamentally different person than he was back in May.

 

It’s almost as if Amell is playing two completely different characters now. If present-day Ollie is calm and cheerful, the post-China Ollie is lost, adrift and about as miserable as we’ve ever seen the character. The contrast really worked. I can’t say I’m particularly invested in the new flashback storyline yet (what little there is so far), but it should be really interesting to see these two versions of Ollie struggle and evolve over the course of this season. Plus, this episode gets extra points for the shot of Martin Jordan’s flight jacket in the Coast City bar. Is it too much to hope for a Green Lantern appearance on one of the DC shows this year?

 

Amell and Emily Bett Rickards had a strong rapport going as this episode explored their life of quiet, domestic bliss. The fact that Ollie is more open and affectionate now helps their chemistry feel a little more authentic than it often has in the past. I also loved that this episode subverted expectations by painting Felicity, not Ollie, as the one who was growing bored with the domestic life. While Ollie apparently would love nothing better than to spend the rest of his life cooking, Felicity couldn’t resist going behind his back and helping out Team Arrow.

 

One thing this episode did especially well was justifying the need for Ollie to put his new life on hold and dive back into the superhero fray. And that’s all thanks to Damien Darhk. Other than perhaps Peter Stormare’s Count Vertigo, I don’t think any villain on this show has left such a strong and immediate impression as Neal McDonough’s Darhk. He had a weird, infectious charm in his big entrance scene that wasn’t unlike Brandon Routh’s Ray Palmer from last season. Yet very quickly, Darhk established himself as a terrifying villain and a true force to be reckoned with. Clearly this is a man of considerable power and resources but a fairly tenuous grip on sanity. Even ignoring the mystical element, Darhk seems like just the sort of flashy, compelling foe this season needs.

Given the terrifying nature of Damien Darhk and his H.I.V.E. agents, it’s impressive that this episode was able to juggle the light and dark elements so well. On one hand, we saw clearly just how badly the city is suffering. The population is dropping, businesses are shutting down, and there’s a general sense of desperation in the newly christened Star City. Yet there was also a sense of optimism that came with the emergence of Green Arrow. As stupid as it is that Ollie is trying to convince the city that he’s a different vigilante from that other guy, I’m glad to see him falling more in line with the classic incarnation of the character. He’s stepping out of the shadows and becoming more of an inspiration to those he defends. Even his costume is sleeker and more comic accurate. Now he just needs that goofy Robin Hood goatee.

 

The weak point this week was Team Arrow. Mind you, Diggle had a strong week. That’s pretty much to be expected given all the baggage left over between Diggle and Ollie from last season. This is clearly a bromance that’s going to take a while to heal, and David Ramsey handled that reluctant reunion with his former friend well. That helmet needs to go, however. It probably wouldn’t stand out quite so badly if it wasn’t for the fact that the rest of Diggle’s superhero outfit is just functional plainclothes.

 

It was more Thea and Laurel who failed to impress. Laurel too often came across as the same bumbling, barely competent fighter she was when she first donned the Canary costume. There’s little sense that the last six months have made her a better warrior. Plus, that scene where she rescued the boy in the train station was painfully awkward. As for Thea, the writers don’t seem entirely sure what to do with her, so they’re treating her basically like Roy 2.0. The subplot involving her overzealous behavior in costume felt forced and shoehorned into the story. Hopefully that evolves into something more compelling over the next few weeks.

 

Those flaws aside, this was an enjoyable way to start off the new season. Even better, the final few scenes set a number of interesting wheels in motion. It seems there’s a lot more to Damien Darhk than is immediately apparent, what with his strange knife ritual and references to his “associates.” Then there was the twist that Detective Lance is working with H.I.V.E. And most significantly, there was the dramatic flash-forward to Ollie and Barry standing over the grave of… somebody. Obviously the implication is that it was Felicity, though you’d think if that were the case the camera would have panned around to show her tombstone. But regardless of which loved one they’re mourning, this scene made it abundantly clear that there’s a long, dark road ahead for this lighthearted Oliver Queen.

 

The Verdict

It's impossible to judge a whole season based on one episode, but Arrow is showing every sign of addressing the flaws that bogged down Season 3. This episode introduced a dramatically different Oliver Queen, a compelling new villain in the form of Damien Darhk and a new status quo that looks to emphasize the light as well as the dark in Star City. Not every supporting character held up their end, but this was an all-around solid start to the new season.

[Kymmi]

I enjoyed that write up but I always flinch when I see "Ollie".  I think of Ollie as pre Lian Yu.  Thea can call him Ollie, or Laurel when she's feeling wistful.  But he's not Ollie to me anymore.

[NumberCruncher]

That IGN review is pretty much spot on, IMO. All of the positives (happier Oliver, better quality Big Bad, avoiding typical cliches) and the negatives (awkward Team Arrow) were exactly my same observations, but I WILL NEVER BE OKAY WITH THE GOATEE.

[Morrigan2575]

Can we go back to posting links and then just the parts of the article that you want to comment on?  It's difficult to go through everything on my very old/slow tablet.

[dtissagirl]

I enjoyed that write up but I always flinch when I see "Ollie".  I think of Ollie as pre Lian Yu.  Thea can call him Ollie, or Laurel when she's feeling wistful.  But he's not Ollie to me anymore.

 

Ollie:

 

[lemotomato]

I enjoyed that write up but I always flinch when I see "Ollie".  I think of Ollie as pre Lian Yu.  Thea can call him Ollie, or Laurel when she's feeling wistful.  But he's not Ollie to me anymore.

I feel like "Ollie" is how people who have read the comics like to refer to Oliver because they think it gives them cred. "I was following GA when he was still called Ollie." 

[Chaser]

In retrospect, Thea and Laurel really did feel like the Jr. League. Thea seemed very young when out in costume. It was fun, but it was SuperTween.

[bijoux]

 

It’s almost as if Amell is playing two completely different characters now. If present-day Ollie is calm and cheerful, the post-China Ollie is lost, adrift and about as miserable as we’ve ever seen the character.

I found this part strange. Has the writer seen the past seasons, season one in particular? Those were two very different characters as well.

[wingster55]

In retrospect, Thea and Laurel really did feel like the Jr. League. Thea seemed very young when out in costume. It was fun, but it was SuperTween.

Maybe Laurel but Thea was quite impressive.

[Chaser]

Oh I liked Thea. And it was fun watching her, but she just seemed younger this year when out in the field. Older in the scenes with Oliver.

 

Edited October 8, 2015 by 10Eleven12

[BkWurm1]

I enjoyed that write up but I always flinch when I see "Ollie".  I think of Ollie as pre Lian Yu.  Thea can call him Ollie, or Laurel when she's feeling wistful.  But he's not Ollie to me anymore.

 

 

I feel like "Ollie" is how people who have read the comics like to refer to Oliver because they think it gives them cred. "I was following GA when he was still called Ollie." 

That's my take as well.  Either that or they are deliberately clinging to the old name to annoy me, which it totally does.  Bugs the crap out of me, lol.  Ollie and Oliver on Arrow are very different people and that is a very good thing. 

 

 

Oh I liked Thea. And it was fun watching her, but she just seemed younger this year when out in the field. Older in the scenes with Oliver.

 

I thought IGN was off on their observations of Thea. her manic enthusiasm fit her perfectly.  She seems younger IMO because she is so confident and the rush and thrill makes all the heavy stuff in her life just melt away.  She reminds me more of party girl Thea from the first season.  That extra touch of recklessness makes her seem so young - but in a good way.  I think the crazy will build but right now I had no issues with her at all.  I don't get what IGN's compliant was.

 

About Laurel, I do get but I kind of wondered if I was just being too hard on her.  Nice to know the problems I saw stood out to others as well. I knew the kid in the train station was bad, though.  It's a frustrating scene because it could have so easily been saved with a line change.  She picks him up.  He sees her in her costumed glory and just says "Whoa!" and she's off!  I would have believed that but the "You're strong" comment was unearned and weird.  So was the wink but I would have been willing to overlook that. 

[apinknightmare]

I hope that rush and thrill was all Thea and not a Pit side effect.

[Chaser]

I got what the writer was saying about Laurel. Part of it was the plot, they had to be over their head so she had to lose this fight. Part of it was the stunt problems, it got really sloppy with the stunt double at times and that moment when she is standing there looking completely lose.

 

Part of it really was the writing. The painfully heavy interaction with the kid. The conversation with her Dad didn't make her seem so bright given the location.

 

But mostly, Oliver, Diggle and Felicity were just more important.

[Morrigan2575]

I got what the writer was saying about Laurel. Part of it was the plot, they had to be over their head so she had to lose this fight. Part of it was the stunt problems, it got really sloppy with the stunt double at times and that moment when she is standing there looking completely lose.

How could that be? KC does all of her own stunts...expect the crazy ones like jumping off buildings.

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Chaser]

I found a youtube video of SA teaching someone how to do the Salmon Ladder. It was uploaded about 8 months ago. I just laughed.

[Happy Harpy]

 

It’s almost as if Amell is playing two completely different characters now.

"Now"? When, how, why just "now" ? S.Amell has been fully playing two different characters for three seasons, "now".

I can't think of more different incarnations than season 1, PTSD 100% badass I don't care about the body count Oliver in present time, and Frat Boy with a soft heart gets a reality check that goes with torture Oliver in the flashbacks.

[EmilyBettFan]

The Laurel part was ridiculous. They were trying to do something similar with her that they did with Sara in season two with saving that child from the burning building. One is not like the other though show. The kid looked small to, so the you're strong comment was shoehorned in. Also why are they always making her as fighting three bad guys at a time? So not believable. Not one time did we see her face while actually fighting. Not that I saw at least.

Edited October 8, 2015 by EmilyBettFan

[Primal Slayer]

I didn't see it as the same as Saras at all. Sara had a small audience, Laurel didn't, it was just a quick moment that got her no praise except from a small child saying she's strong.

[EmilyBettFan]

I'm sure they will keep doing moments like that to somehow eclipse Sara. I don't know it just felt weird and that's what I immediately thought. The audience was the girl's mother, Lance and Laurel.

Who is going to watch in chaos when everyone is running around?

Edited October 8, 2015 by EmilyBettFan

[Primal Slayer]

I don't see it as them trying to eclipse Sara, the two are able to co-exist or should be able to at least. It just another round of Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera.

[tv echo]

401 reviews by Jenny Raftery (Vulture) and Laura Hurley* (CinemaBlend)...

 

Arrow Recap: Fooled for the Summer
By Jenny Raftery
http://www.vulture.com/2015/10/arrow-recap-season-4-episode-1.html?mid=twitter-share-vulture#

I found myself asking the same question throughout this episode. I’ve previously read that Stephen Amell would be bringing a lighter tone to how he portrayed Oliver Queen this year. After all, Oliver is unshackled from his Arrow persona and getting laid on the regular. But I wasn’t prepared for how different the character would really feel — his voice, his movements. I’ve admittedly waxed poetic before about Amell’s abilities to play Oliver at different levels, but all of the wax and poetry feels earned. It’s not easy to take the main character of a show that an audience has been getting to know each week for three years and then debut a different version of that character that also feels true and grounded. It was jarring at first, but I think it’ll be an interesting way for the show to keep fresh four years in.

 

The Arrow Season 4 Premiere Just Hit Fans With A Big Twist
BY LAURA HURLEY  YESTERDAY
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Arrow-Season-4-Premiere-Just-Hit-Fans-With-Big-Twist-90897.html

 

(* I'm guessing that Laura Hurley will also write a more in-depth review of this episode for the Examiner.)

Edited October 9, 2015 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Two 401 reviews from WhatCulture...

 

30 WTF Moments From Arrow’s Season 4 Premiere
9 Oct 2015   Andrew Pollard
http://whatculture.com/tv/31-wtf-moments-from-arrows-season-4-premiere.php

 

Arrow: 6 Ups And 5 Downs From The Season 4 Premiere ‘Green Arrow’
8 Oct 2015   James Hunt 
http://whatculture.com/tv/arrow-6-ups-and-5-downs-from-the-season-4-premiere-green-arrow.php

What’s undeniable, whether you want them to be together or not, is that Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards have great chemistry together, and that really shines through both in the opening moments, and their later scenes together as well.
*  *  *
Diggle and Oliver are the two original heroes of the show, and along with Felicity form the heart and soul of Team Arrow. They can get some tension out of them feuding, but it’s a lot better when they’re working together, trusting each other, and are friends. Hopefully the show will get back to that before too long.
*  *  *
Right now I’d say that the most likely candidate is Detective Lance, given he’s working with Darhk but likely to try and get out of this situation. Outside of that it’s a lot of speculation and could be any number of characters, but it’d be a huge shock if the likes of Thea or Laurel were to be killed off at this stage (though of course that may be part of the reason to do it), and I’m not even entertaining the idea of it being Felicity. Just, no.

[tv echo]

Robert Dougherty is also back with his reviews...

 

Arrow S4: E1 -- 'Green Arrow'
By Robert Dougherty October 08, 2015 08:45AM EDT
http://www.themovienetwork.com/review/arrow-s4-e1-green-arrow

It is funny enough that Oliver justified letting Malcolm in to stop Ra’s because Malcolm knew Ra’s ways all too well, and now Team Arrow 2.0 is letting Oliver in to stop Damien in part because he knows his ways a little better than they do – making Oliver the Malcolm of this scenario. Diggle may not yet be ready to appreciate the irony, though.
*  *  *
12 months ago, we watched as Olicity had a dinner date interrupted, and then we never got to smile again for about seven more months. This time, a dinner date that Oliver planned to be much, much more is stopped, and yet here we have Oliver and Felicity flirting more openly than usual in front of a computer afterwards. The early suburban Olicity may ring false in more than a few ways, but putting them back in a lair and working their magic together is indeed the missing piece – making it even easier to see where Felicity’s desire to return for good comes from.
*  *  *
Now for the next six months, we are going to undergo a rather awful guessing game about the future. We are going to analyze every single episode for clues to what that answer will be, while dreading the possibility of an outcome or two that could utterly destroy this show, destroy rather large portions of the fandom – and maybe even start another shipper war.
*  *  *
Now here we are once again, facing what is in essence the exact same set-up. Once again, we know a rocky road is coming, and once again we can do nothing but hope it makes sense when the big picture is filled in. Once again, we can do nothing but hope when that comes, the show hasn’t shattered itself to the point it can’t put itself back together again. But this time if it does, then there is absolutely no going back – and there may be many of us ready to jump ship completely if the worst happens.

[tv echo]

The second Jen weighs in (the first Jen was Jenny Raftery, the third Jen will be jbuffyangel)...

 

Arrow 4x01 "Green Arrow" (We Could Be Heroes)
JustAboutWrite Oct 8 2015
http://www.itsjustaboutwrite.com/2015/10/arrow-4x01-green-arrow-we-could-be.html

Speaking of death, we not only have flashbacks this season but flash forwards as well (I called this a few months ago, so I feel like I deserve some sort of prize). In our flash forward, we see Oliver standing by a tombstone as Barry Allen comes up beside him. Both are visibly upset, but not distraught as they stare at the fresh grave. All that is left is to make a vow, then –– Oliver promises to kill an unnamed "him" (presumably for whatever this person did that landed our unmentioned deceased person deceased). And Barry? Well, Barry promises to do whatever Oliver needs. After Barry leaves in a flash (ha, ha, I can't resist at this point), Oliver kneels beside the grave and lets a single tear slip out.

 

For the record, I don't believe this is Felicity's grave. I feel like Oliver would be inconsolable, first of all, and Barry would be too. I also don't believe it's Thea. We saw Oliver's reaction already to losing Thea. He is far too composed and calm for it to be either of the two women he loves most in the world. My money is on a member of the Lance clan. I suppose it could also be someone like Lyla, too, though I truly hope it isn't.

Edited October 9, 2015 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Here's the third Jen's review of 401 (lots of animated gifs, as usual) and another quickie Laura Hurley article for CinemaBlend...

 

WALK IN THE LIGHT: THE GREEN ARROW 4X01 REVIEW
OCTOBER 10, 2015 @ 04:37
http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/130869554723/walk-in-the-light-the-green-arrow-4x01-review

 

Apparently, People Are Really Excited About Arrow Again
BY LAURA HURLEY  2 DAYS AGO
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Apparently-People-Really-Excited-About-Arrow-Again-90987.html

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2015 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This 'pointed commentary' by Matt D. Wilson and Chris Haley is still snarky, but meaner and less funny than last season's reviews (so I might drop it from my list)...

 

‘Arrow’ Post-Show Analysis: Season 4, Episode 1: ‘Green Arrow’
by CA Post-Show Team October 9, 2015 4:30 PM
http://comicsalliance.com/arrow-season-4-episode-1-green-arrow/

[tv echo]

Reading this review, I sometimes can't tell if the writer is being serious or snarky/sarcastic...

 

This Year, Arrow Is Determined to Kick Your Ass From The Very First Episode
Esther Inglis-Arkell  0/08/15 2:00pm
http://io9.com/this-year-arrow-is-determined-to-kick-your-ass-from-th-1735419591

[Morrigan2575]

This 'pointed commentary' by Matt D. Wilson and Chris Haley is still snarky, but meaner and less funny than last season's reviews (so I might drop it from my list)...

 

‘Arrow’ Post-Show Analysis: Season 4, Episode 1: ‘Green Arrow’

by CA Post-Show Team October 9, 2015 4:30 PM

http://comicsalliance.com/arrow-season-4-episode-1-green-arrow/

There's one thing the Matt guy said that I think encapsulates my major issue with Arrow, it's gone from The Dark Knight to Smallville! IMO that's one hell of an insult but I think/thought Smallville was utter crap for 90% of it's run.

[tv echo]

More media guesses and speculation...

 

Who Is Dead in the Arrow Season 4 Premiere Flash Forward?!
This season was supposed to be "lighter"...
by kayti burt 10/8/2015
http://www.mtv.com/news/2341536/arrow-season-premiere-flash-forward/

 

'Arrow' Season 4 SPOILERS: Top 5 Predictions for Who Died in Season Premiere's Final Scene
By Andrew Meola | Oct 09, 2015 03:30 PM EDT
http://www.mstarz.com/articles/87624/20151009/arrow-season-4-spoilers-top-5-predictions-who-died-premiere-episode.htm

Edited October 10, 2015 by tv echo

[bijoux]

Here's the third Jen's review of 401(lots of animated gifs, as usual) ..

 

WALK IN THE LIGHT: THE GREEN ARROW 4X01 REVIEW

OCTOBER 10, 2015 @ 04:37

http://jbuffyangel.tumblr.com/post/130869554723/walk-in-the-light-the-green-arrow-4x01-review

 

I thought this was a really interesting observation:

 

Per tradition, Oliver must start the season running and he must run through some kind of woods. What’s adorable about this set up is that he pops out in suburbia. However, the run before was pure Arrow. Oliver ran through the bushes like he was chasing down Slade Wilson and Ra’s Al Ghul. There’s a drive to Oliver, an intensity, no matter where he is. This drive is what motivates Oliver to wear a mask, jump off buildings and risk his lives for others. No matter where he is, the drive, the need, is still there. The hero lives… whether Oliver can recognize it or not.

[wonderwall]

I thought this was hilarious:

 

 

Oliver looks like the Grinch discovering the true meaning of Christmas every time that he looks at Felicity.

http://www.examiner.com/article/arrow-s04e01-what-worked-what-didn-t-and-what-needs-to-happen-next

 

 

[Primal Slayer]

Laurel is also the best. I love her battle outfit, which looks good and severe. I love that when she was driving a motorcycle and Thea was crouched over her they reminded me of Master Blaster from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. I love, in the big action finale, when the heroes are clearing out a train station because the shiny new bullet train has been sabotaged by the Ghosts, she helps a child up, smiles at him and give him a wink with her huge, glorious, fakey-fake eyelashes. There’s the Black Canary charisma we’ve all been waiting for!

 

http://io9.com/this-year-arrow-is-determined-to-kick-your-ass-from-th-1735419591

 

Love it.

[EmilyBettFan]

We haven't all been waiting for it. Lol sorry I had to. Just too easy.

Anyway, those two gifs above are priceless!