Laurel Lance: Black Canary, Black Siren.

[statsgirl]

replying in the relationshp thread

Edited October 4, 2014 by statsgirl

[dtissagirl]

Cassidy's issue is she doesn't seem capable or want to adapt to the character changing. In a movie you know your characters beginning and end but in a tv show the character is going to change by things happening to them on a weekly basis and you have to change accordingly. It's good she made up a back story but she has to be able and willing to change it when the writers do. I don't think she's done that yet, she's still stuck on the backstory she made up in season 1. That is what is hurting her.

It looks like going Method is actually hindering her ability to understand the character she's playing. The whole idea behind method acting -- creating in-depth backstories, shaping one's body to fit the character, living like the character -- is just so the actor can internalize that character so deeply that acting basically stops being "acting" and becomes natural and instinctual. KC seems to have done a whole lot of internalization about Laurel in S1, but as Sakura12 pointed out, TV is an open-ended fluid media, where not only stories change, but *characters themselves* change, sometimes organically, and sometimes via not-so-great writing, which is Arrow's case most of the time. KC is playing the Laurel she internalized very early in the game, but the whole show changed around her. Hence the cognitive dissonance the audience gets re: Laurel, and the whiplash fandom gets whenever KC talks about Laurel/Oliver. She's talking from 2012, basically.

This video from SDCC 2012 shows she put a lot of thought into Laurel before the pilot, and going into 1x02:

But the show changed pretty quickly from Laurel loves The Hood but hates Oliver triangle for two thing it looked like in the pilot, to well, not that at all by mid-S1, and it looks like KC got stuck with the original work she did on Laurel.

Edited October 4, 2014 by dancingnancy

[willpwr]

In that interview she says that Laurel had to take care of her father and sister since she lost her mother at a young age. Isn't that something that she should have confirmed with the producers first? I don't know, I always feel that her interviews from S1 seemed more thoughtful and better prepared but that's also the time frame that she lied about having fight training and reading the comics. I'm not sure when or why she decided it was a good idea to turn around and say she didn't read the comics, etc. I'm going to try to be open towards her SL in S3, I've actually watched all her scenes in the hopes she'd grow on me.  In that interview she also talks about Laurel being forgiving and helpful, she says Laurel is "almost angelic.... so pure and so honest", I honestly did not get that in the way she portrayed her.

[apinknightmare]

In that interview she says that Laurel had to take care of her father and sister since she lost her mother at a young age. Isn't that something that she should have confirmed with the producers first? I don't know, I always feel that her interviews from S1 seemed more thoughtful and better prepared but that's also the time frame that she lied about having fight training and reading the comics. I'm not sure when or why she decided it was a good idea to turn around and say she didn't read the comics, etc. I'm going to try to be open towards her SL in S3, I've actually watched all her scenes in the hopes she'd grow on me.  In that interview she also talks about Laurel being forgiving and helpful, she says Laurel is "almost angelic.... so pure and so honest", I honestly did not get that in the way she portrayed her.

 

Maybe she did? It seems like there's a lot of mind-changing going on BTS, especially with her character, trying to make her work. I don't think KC is particularly good at playing the kind of character that TPTB want Laurel to be, but honestly, I don't think the writers are very good at writing the kind of character that TPTB want her to be, either. Hopefully they all get a handle on it this season. Caring about Laurel (or at least not actively being indifferent to her to the point of being annoyed when she shows up on my screen) would make my viewing experience 100% more enjoyable.

[TanyaKay]

She actually thought Laurel was angelic after shooting the pilot and reading episode 2 where she threw a bitch fit at Oliver for just being alive!

She has been delusional from the word GO.

[statsgirl]

KC looked so happy in that round table.  Leading lady on a new show, the center of everyone's attention.

 

She said in that interview that Laurel tries to see the best in everyone.  It's understandable that she might not see it in Oliver at this point, but she definitely didn't see it in Tommy because every time he tried, she called him a wastrel like Oliver had been.

 

"I think Tommy was there for her when Oliver disappeared. It was a huge loss and I sort of think they both leaned on each other, a shoulder to cry on.....  Once Oliver disappears, she looks towards Tommy and Tommy's there for her and helps her and maybe takes advantage of the situation.  I think, he'll never be Oliver to her. No one will ever be Oliver but Oliver. Maybe they spent a few nights, maybe they were romantically involved but I don't think for Laurel it was ever anything too serious."

 

So no, Laurel doesn't always try to see the best in everyone.  She sees Tommy as taking advantage of her.  And poor Tommy, who loved her because all KC's Laurel sees is an occasional good time.

 

She says that who knows if Laurel ever becomes a superhero.  Did she not know that Dinah Laurel Lance becomes the Black Canary?  Was she being disingenuous?

 

"just real and grounded.  For me, Laurel is almost angelic if that makes sense. I feel like she's so pure she's so honest... for me I've done a lot of bad girl roles in the past so it's nice to do something different"

 

 

 

It looks like going Method is actually hindering her ability to understand the character she's playing. The whole idea behind method acting -- creating in-depth backstories, shaping one's body to fit the character, living like the character -- is just so the actor can internalize that character so deeply that acting basically stops being "acting" and becomes natural and instinctual. KC seems to have done a whole lot of internalization about Laurel in S1, but as Sakura12 pointed out, TV is an open-ended fluid media, where not only stories change, but *characters themselves* change, sometimes organically, and sometimes via not-so-great writing, which is Arrow's case most of the time.  KC is playing the Laurel she internalized very early in the game, but the whole show changed around her.  Hence the cognitive dissonance the audience gets re: Laurel, and the whiplash fandom gets whenever KC talks about Laurel/Oliver. She's talking from 2012, basically.

It didn't occur to me before but I guess that in order to be a successful Method actor, you have to be able to understand a large variety of characters.  You can get their either by intelligence or by empathy and I don't think she has for Laurel or for other characters on the show.  It sounds like she idealized Laurel from the beginning, and she's handing on to that original character.   (I wonder if she thought Laurel started drinking and doing drugs because she had been so hurt by Oliver and losing Tommy.)

 

I don't know why she hasn't adapted to the change in the show. It must be very hard for her but show-business is a cruel game.

Edited October 5, 2014 by statsgirl

[ostentatious]

I think there is an interpretation of Laurel that could've been like...she was really a warm, kind person, but being betrayed had forced her to develop a shell. Oliver comes back and she spends the pilot fighting her nature, which is to be warm and forgive. Finally toward the end, that nature emerges, and that's when Oliver gives her the "I am still the same guy" speech.

If played by an actress with innate natural warmth, I get it. Even being stroppy with Tommy becomes a defense mechanism adopted by a woman who has been too nice in the past, too forgiving of Oliver over and over until he finally did what he did, so she isn't going to let herself get fooled again. But KC is not that actress.

[tv echo]

KC's comments about Tommy taking advantage of Laurel disturb me.  Tommy loved Laurel and I'm betting Laurel knew it.  Laurel did not love Tommy (at least it didn't appear that way to me).  So if anyone was being used, it was Tommy.

 

Also, Laurel did not lose her mother at a young age.  Her parents divorced.  Her mother did not die, but moved to a nearby city.  If her mother completely abandoned her daughters, then there should've been more tension and hostility in the episodes in which her mother appeared.  So I'm assuming they kept in touch and perhaps visited with each other over the years.

 

Laurel as angelic, pure and honest is kind of a joke, considering what we've learned about Laurel over the past two seasons - from her early manipulations regarding Sara and Oliver not meeting, to her treatment of Tommy, to her treatment of Sara and Oliver upon their return from the dead, to her actions vis-a-vis getting her job back - not to mention her "do you know who I am" comment to the traffic cop when she was stopped for DUI.

 

Personally, I'm skeptical of method acting, esp. when taken to extremes (Shia LaBeouf).  I've watched Inside the Actor's Studio and heard many actors say the same thing about creating a back story, etc.  Some Oscar winners are method actors, other Oscar winners are not.  I believe there are Oscar winners who never went to acting school (Jodie Foster, Ben Kingsley).  I think some people are just naturally better actors than others, although training helps a great deal.  

Edited October 5, 2014 by tv echo

[KirkB]

Method acting makes sense for a movie. You're going to be working for a few months maybe a year, portraying a character who is not going to change too dramatically from the opening credits to the closing. They may grow emotionally, become a better or more honorable person or whatever, but will fundamentally be the same. So it's understandable how you immerse yourself in being an alcoholic musician or a drug crazed serial killer. But on a TV show, whether the producers may change their minds on a weekly basis about how a character lives or what their background is, it simply isn't practical. Yes, an actor can and should fill in blanks they perceive left in the writing or come up with their own personal back stories, but as has been shown with Caity and Manu even that won't amount to much if the EP's decide to yank the rug out from under you. A TV actor, more so than a movie or theater actor, has to be willing to adapt because their chosen medium tends to be more fluid for a variety of reasons.

[dtissagirl]

Yeah, what @KirkB said. Some parts of Method work for TV, like for example, if the character speaks with a different accent than the actor -- it helps the actor if they keep speaking with the character's accent between takes. Or if an fully able actor is playing someone with a disability, it can help to keep that disability off camera for muscle memory reasons. But internalizing background/morals/ideologies on TV is counterproductive, because those are things that can change, sometimes every week.

 

The thing that kills me about KC using Method is the lunatic grin in the jacket scene, because she's infusing Laurel with *future* knowledge that one day Dinah Laurel Lance will be Black Canary because comics. And that is pretty much THE OPPOSITE of Method acting, which was built upon the idea of using the actors' real feelings and thoughts to keep the character grounded IN THE NOW of the story. Never ever in the past or the future.

[willpwr]

I think sometimes people use "method acting" as an excuse for bad acting, being an asshole,lazy, etc because they can claim that nobody can tell them that they're not in character even if it makes absolutely no sense. True method actors do exist, though and they can be awesome but I think some people just latch on to that without really immersing themselves into their character and it makes me wonder if they actually understand what it is. From my understanding it's used to "react honestly as the character" but KC can't seem to separate her personal feelings from certain scenes. Paul Blackthorne is a method actor, uses a different accent, SA mentioned that whenever PB had to film a scene with him, PB would recreate the feelings of hatred toward Oliver before filming would begin to get his mind set into the role. I view PB as a method actor, I don't view KC as one.

Edited October 5, 2014 by willpwr

[fantique]

Also, Laurel did not lose her mother at a young age.  Her parents divorced.  Her mother did not die, but moved to a nearby city.  If her mother completely abandoned her daughters, then there should've been more tension and hostility in the episodes in which her mother appeared.  So I'm assuming they kept in touch and perhaps visited with each other over the years.

Also IIRC her parents only divorced after Sara disappeared. She does not have the broken home excuse. she was near her mid twenties and about to get her own place with her long term boyfriend. I am sure parents separating is hard but that is not the same once you have a life and your childhood years are well behind you.

 

Re: Method... yeah I don't think she is Method acting. She is barely character acting. I feel like she does not know Laurel. Also that jacket scene would never have happened if she was in method mode. Her character would be worried sick, unless her understanding of Laurel is that she is a selfish bitch that wants to steal her younger sister's life. I think that she had a fantasy of being this perfect leading lady and just liked that. Otherwise she would have tried to infuse Laurel with warmth, vulnerability and doubts wrt wishing Oliver ill in every scene. She at least tried to be the smart lawyer in season 1 but after that in season 2 all I saw was KC acting as Laurel.

Edited October 6, 2014 by fantique

[MostlyC]

This is the Laurel Lance thread, not the media thread.

 

We should not have to keep reminding you, especially this close to the season premiere.

[icandigit]

 

Laurel is forever ruined and you won't change your mind about her

I guess this is the closest one that fits me. I think at most she can move back to the indifference category for me. But, honestly I'm in it for the hate watching. Between the horrible character and some of the acting choices this character is a hate watcher's dream. After 2 seasons I really don't think any of the involved parties (writers, directors,ep's) have a grasp on this character. I can't wait for the train wreck in season 3 and will be kinda disappointed if she moves back in the indifference category for me. The warmth and vulnerability will never be there to get me invested.

[foreverevolving]

And so Fakanary journey begins.

ugh.

[bethy]

I guess the reason Laurel looked so smug the whole episode was because Katie Cassidy knew what was coming for Sara.

[Chaser]

I've decided I'm fast forwarding all Laurel scenes and all scenes that mention Laurel. 

[bluebonnet]

So disappointing. I found myself really adoring Laurel this episode.  It felt like the writers finally found a fit for the character.  This hard-hitting lawyer on the peripheral of Team Arrow was a perfect place for her.  Those last 30 seconds....ugh.  My excitement for the new season plummeted right along with Sara.  

[tv echo]

Laurel will probably view Sara's death as just more confirmation of her self-centered "everyone leaves me" world view.

[KirkB]

Laurel will probably view Sara's death as just more confirmation of her self-centered "everyone leaves me" world view.

 

   Heh. I read this and my first thought was "Yes Laurel, because they KNOW you."

[Sakura12]

Tommy and Sara, what selfish assholes for brutally dying and leaving Laurel. I don't think Laurel will be mourning that much since she gets to be Black Canary now. 

[Chairman Meow]

And we're back to the crazy gleeful smile as we tell our assassin sister that we never wanted her to make that choice.  SMH.  And they wonder why we can't buy KC in this role???  Because her acting choices make NO sense!

[strikera0]

And we're back to the crazy gleeful smile as we tell our assassin sister that we never wanted her to make that choice.  SMH.  And they wonder why we can't buy KC in this role???  Because her acting choices make NO sense!

 

Agreed. I don't know where KC's acting talent went because she used to have some, but I picked up on the same damn thing when I watched the rooftop scene. I should have known what was coming right then and there. It was the jacket hand-off all over again. And her "agony" when she cradled Sara's dead body in her arms? Cringeworthy doesn't begin to describe it.

[Morrigan2575]

I noticed something off I realized as soon as the finale scene was going to be Sara/Laurel that it was going to be something...just figured it was the big mystery/secret that was going to set up the 301-309 arc.  I can't even be bothered to rewatch and see if it was really KC in the scene and not Laurel.

[willpwr]

I missed Sara's death, I saw KC grinning inappropriately and I tuned out without meaning to and missed it until I read about it here. I swear I was trying to pay attention but she took me out of the show again and my thoughts drifted. 

[Chairman Meow]

I missed Sara's death, I saw KC grinning inappropriately and I tuned out without meaning to and missed it until I read about it here. I swear I was trying to pay attention but she took me out of the show again and my thoughts drifted. 

I find that my thoughts often drift when KC is on my screen... my finger also drifts... to the FF button.

[foreverevolving]

Agreed. I don't know where KC's acting talent went because she used to have some, but I picked up on the same damn thing when I watched the rooftop scene. I should have known what was coming right then and there. It was the jacket hand-off all over again. And her "agony" when she cradled Sara's dead body in her arms? Cringeworthy doesn't begin to describe it.

Like Stephen said in an interview (i think it was the girl on guy one): The part is just not right for you or you're wrong for the part. no matter how hard you may try.

(and i am paraphrasing cause i don't remember the exact quote). I think he said it in relation to the Spartacus role some other role he was auditioning for that he didn't get but ended up getting a different on the same show (maybe TVD?)

 

it's the casting directors job to cast the right actor for the part. but an actor should also be wise enough to know when s/he isn't the right fit for the role.

[slayer2]

Well, caught the premiere last night at around 1am. With Sara dead (RIP) onward and upward for CL, guaranteed. They'll certainly be some meaty stuff for Laurel to do. KC has been working out hard so I'm excited to see Laurel's transition into badass. I still haven't heard who was cast as Ted Grant. I hope they get a Smallville alum, just about every CW actor cut their teeth on that show at some point. Let's see some serious training with Laurel and Thea. I'm curious to know how physically different both will be when they meet up again.

Edited October 10, 2014 by slayer2

[formerlyfreedom]

Let's agree to disagree and move on. Posts have been deleted. If you can't get along, we'll be happy to give you a time out.

[poetgirl925]

I don't know if this name has come up, but if I could have cast someone else as Laurel, I'd have chosen Yvonne Strahovski. She fits the physical appearance, and she has more depth as an actress. I think she'd be able to pull off the range Laurel needs, especially when you factor in the bad writing choices that KC struggles with and exacerbates with bad acting choices. I know it's not all her fault, but the overacting she does in her angst scenes makes me want to headdesk myself into a concussion, and I hit my limit in season 2.

My fear after the events of The Calm is that we're gearing up for another angst fest with Laurel. If they allowed her to be lighter and actually made her relevant, I wouldn't have such an issue with Laurel the woman (which is different from my issues with her as the future Black Canary.) She had some good scenes with Tommy in season 1, and there were a few simpler scenes with Quentin and Sara in season 2 that didn't suffer from the overacting problem - maybe because she took cues from her partner in the scene or maybe the director stepped in? (These were things I noticed on rewatch.) Regardless of the reason, there were a couple of times I remember thinking she wasn't as bad as usual. And I don't skip scenes - God help me, I watched Blind Spot three times looking for a bright side to Laurel's character. If I'm going to complain, I'll at least watch it first.

But watching Angsty Laurel is a total entertainment suck for me, and I'm dreading the next few episodes for that reason even though I was going into the season with an open mind. KC just can't handle it, IMHO. I feel nothing, and truthfully, I'm a sap. I tear up at Hallmark holiday movies lol. I sniffled off and on while watching that new mystery series, Gracepoint. Kitten videos make me emotional! I'm not saying Laurel has to make me cry for me to enjoy the character, but the fact that someone like me feels no emotional connection to her at all is a combo problem of writing and acting. And I'm really irritated that the writers crapped all over my good will with regard to the character so early in the season, but it is what it is, I guess.

[Chaser]

I was expecting Sara's death to further Laurel's 'developement'. I hated it with a passion, but I expected it. Her death did shock me though because the timing did nothing for Laurel. I thought they would hold for until mid-season to at least try and make the Laurel more likable for that (largish) portion of the audience that doesn't like her. I figured they would lighter her up thru Sara, her Father and Ted. Instead its going to be more angry angst filled Laurel. 

[TanyaKay]

A lot has been said about Laurel and KC's acting choices but boy, was she bad or really really bad in then scene where Sara's dead body falls from above? She did not even check her for pulse or anything, she was dead sure that she is dead and then that ugly cry face.

Honestly, I could not even focus on Sara's death because I was so distracted by Laurel's crying and KC's absolute worst acting.

[slayer2]

I've seen worst cry faces on this show (I'm looking at you Felicity) I honestly thought the whole scene was awkward because they gave Sara's death less than a minute which was a weird editing/directing choice. I thought she emoted just fine for the 15seconds she was given. With respect to checking for a pulse or not calling 911, I found that strange as well. But that's a script choice and directing choice and has quite little to do with the actor. The only thing I can think of is that the writers wanted Caity to play most certainly dead. But who knows, the entire 40second scene was so bizarre. 

Edited October 10, 2014 by slayer2

[Tangerine]

A lot has been said about Laurel and KC's acting choices but boy, was she bad or really really bad in then scene where Sara's dead body falls from above? She did not even check her for pulse or anything, she was dead sure that she is dead and then that ugly cry face.

Honestly, I could not even focus on Sara's death because I was so distracted by Laurel's crying and KC's absolute worst acting.

 

I try to cut KC some slack, but honestly her choices were SO WEIRD in those last 5 minutes. Her weird grin when she said "We didn't want you to choose it?" And when she found Sara's body there was no pleading, checking for a pulse or sense of desperation. It was just an automatic "she's dead, now it's time to wail" reaction which just struck me as odd.

[apinknightmare]

A lot has been said about Laurel and KC's acting choices but boy, was she bad or really really bad in then scene where Sara's dead body falls from above? She did not even check her for pulse or anything, she was dead sure that she is dead and then that ugly cry face.

Honestly, I could not even focus on Sara's death because I was so distracted by Laurel's crying and KC's absolute worst acting.

 

Personally, I don't think she's bad all the time - there are elements to playing Laurel that she is capable of (I liked her more in S1 than S2 though). I just think that her choices as angst-ridden, suffering Laurel are terrible, which is partly why I had such an issue watching her "addiction" storyline. So, apart from my other issues with Sara's murder, I just...I really don't want to watch that.

Edited October 10, 2014 by apinknightmare

[catrox14]

This is my problem with Laurel. In addition to just being a terribly written character. She veers from being smug to snarky to trying to be sincere and it's always just inorganic and well, bad.  In a more capable actors hands if that was the intention of the writing to show us that Laurel is in fact all over the place and doesn't know what she wants I could buy it. But KC does not give Laurel any layers AT all to show me that she's screwed up. But honestly, I don't think they intended for Laurel to be a screw up until they foisted the addiction arc upon us.

 

 

Laurel is just a big ole mess of a character with no compelling reason for me to care about her or what she goes through. I resent the show for keeping her around and excising a GREAT character to do it.  So bad. So very bad.

 

With respect to checking for a pulse or not calling 911, I found that strange as well. But that's a script choice and directing choice and has quite little to do with the actor. The only thing I can think of is that the writers wanted Caity to play most certainly dead. But who knows, the entire 40second scene  was so bizarre.

 

ETA: This is rather interesting to me. I remember at the end of the s2 finale, there was much discussion about KC's choices and the smiling being inappropriate (unless one is intending to show the character as unsympathetic or crazy).  I remember the discussion about it being the director or the writing in that and who was to blame. I'm seeing the same kind of discussion here.

 

I would argue that even if the lines are awful, there are specific choices an actor can make on the fly to make it believable.  A good actor will look at the script and make choices that either work or don't. If it doesn't work then the director would intervene.  The reasoning I read was that maybe they just didn't have time to reshoot that scene. 

 

 

I rarely find Cassidy's work authentic or believable. That said, I give her credit for the bow scene last season when she was muttering to herself "Okay, okay, okay " whilst preparing to raise the bow. I actually thought that worked and showed that Laurel was trying to overcome her fear. I think that is the single authentic moment KC as ever had in the show. That felt like a good acting choice. What I would like to know is if it was or if it was scripted?

 

Either way my long ass comment is to say actor's have choices.  I think KC chooses wrong 9 time out of 10 and that's not on the writing and the directing.

Edited October 10, 2014 by catrox14

[TanyaKay]

Personally, I don't think she's bad all the time - there are elements to playing Laurel that she is capable of (I liked her more in S1 than S2 though). I just think that her choices as angst-ridden, suffering Laurel are terrible, which is partly why I had such an issue watching her "addiction" storyline. So, apart from my other issues with Sara's murder, I just...I really don't want to watch that.

 

I agree, she is not bad all the time, for instance, I liked her outburst in that family dinner from hell in Time of Death, she was good there. I also liked her in the scene where she was arrested for substance abuse and subsequent scenes in the police station. Every actor has a good day or bad day but if 80 per cent of your scenes suck in a royal manner then you have a problem and Katie Cassidy has a major problem.

[Ariah]

The thing is, Katie Cassidy was quite good in Supernatural as Ruby. Not bad in Harper's Island. Here, she's not memorable.

 

When I think of Laurel as a character, I see a lot of abandoned storylines:

- Laurel loves the Hood, but hates Ollie -> dropped

- Laurel is torn between Tommy and Ollie -> dropped

- Laurel helps Thea -> dropped

- Laurel wants revenge on the Hood -> dropped

- Laurel has drug / alcohol problem -> dropped

...

 

Yup, no plotline stuck for longer, which made the character really inconsistant. Reminds me of a colleague I had at work that couldn't do anything, but she was liked by the boss, so he kept pushing her from one job to the other in the company. She went from analyst, though coach, human resources to PR. And that's laurel, all right: from Black Canary tease (Dinah Laurel Lance!) to love interest, from alcoholic to hot-shot lawyer helper... And neither part is convincing. 

[poetgirl925]

Wasn't Ruby a pretty one note character though? I'm not trying to diss her resume, and I fully admit I've never watched any other show Cassidy's been in, but I went looking for Ruby clips once. I found them underwhelming TBH. I know she had bit parts in movies like Click and Taken, but they weren't exactly memorable. I don't think she's completely incapable - I agree with @apinknightmare there - but I do think she's a limited bag as an actress, and her angst acting is just painful to watch. I always end up feeling like I'm watching a bad daytime drama where Laurel is concerned. I have heard some good things about her new movie, but it's not really my thing. I'm just not interested in watching her in anything else, either - unfortunate, but true.

[catrox14]

I watched her in SPN. She didn't have to do very much or exhibit a broad range of acting skills. It was a lot of snark, bitchiness, and screaming in anger and fake fighting. There was little nuance required, but I thought she did a good job with what was required of the role.

 

To the point of dropped plotlines. That should make no difference to what the actor brings to the table for what plotlines they do have.  Sorry to bring up SPN but talk about an actor with dropped plotlines, Jensen Ackles takes the cake. But he still managed to make something out of nothing every time his arc was prematurely disrupted in favor of something else. He still sold the shit of out of the shit he was left with. Still does. 

 

To me the dropped storylines will affect the character's arc and will trash continuity but that should never really affect what the actor brings to the role. And the actor needs to be able to adapt or die. If KC can't bring anything really compelling until she's got the BC moniker, that's pretty sad. I don't know if that's the case, just saying that would be pretty disappointing.

Edited October 10, 2014 by catrox14

[dtissagirl]

I've actually been watching her season of SPN because it's been rerunning daily on my local WB. The big difference I see in KC playing Ruby and playing Laurel is that the intent she put on Ruby's actions, and the intent the writing had for Ruby were one and the same. I don't get cognitive dissonance from intent of text vs. acting there. SPN is terrible-awful-the. very. worst. at writing female characters, but KC's Ruby actually had a clear cut end point to get to by the end of the season, and they successfully got her there via both writing and acting.

 

With Laurel I am barely able to see her as an actual character most of the time. I keep seeing actress Katie Cassidy performing the role of Laurel, because there's a hugeass gap between the writing's intent for the character, and the outcome in the finished product.

[catrox14]

To my mind even if there is a gap in what is the perceived intent with a character and what the character's next progression is, the actor can still make the character compelling. EBR comes to mind with Felicity. The writers didn't quite know what they exactly wanted to do with Felicity they just knew that EBR had something they wanted on screen. I think she probably had as much to do with creating Felicity as the writers.

 

What I find perplexing is why the writers are not writing to KC's strengths which IMO are snarky etc. They keep trying to make Laurel this sincere good-doer but KC is not selling that at all IMO. Would seem better to drop Laurel being a superhero good-doer and make her a villain.  I hope maybe that's what will happen.

 

I will laugh if it turned out the Laurel was behind Sara's murder.

[poetgirl925]

With Laurel I am barely able to see her as an actual character most of the time. I keep seeing actress Katie Cassidy performing the role of Laurel, because there's a hugeass gap between the writing's intent for the character, and the outcome in the finished product.

Result of the method acting I guess? As others said above, if you don't adjust your internal head canon along with the story, it's a big problem. For example, that scene with Oliver in the foundry at the end of S2 came across as very Lauriver to me on her part - very OTPish. That (along with some unnecessary dramatics) took me way out of the scene. And if she really still has Lauriver as soul mates as her head canon, that has to come across in her acting. Laurel is angelic, and a good-doer, and she's apparently been victimized by everyone down to her parents. No wonder there's a cognitive dissonance.

Regarding what you said above about her and Grant - I like it. A Taming of the Shrew scenario where Grant tells her to suck it up and get out of her own head? Yes, please! If just one character could call her out on this (and not Oliver - he's wronged her too much to play that card IMO, which is why I thought he was a douche in ToD) - that might be an interaction worth watching. Oliver has Diggle and Felicity for his reality checks. Laurel could use someone like that too, someone not blinded by preconceptions and shared history.

[wingster55]

Laurel is torn between Tommy and Ollie -> dropped

 

That I don't agree with.

Laurel helps Thea -> dropped

 

Not dropped so much as she spiraled.

[dtissagirl]

Regarding what you said above about her and Grant - I like it. A Taming of the Shrew scenario where Grant tells her to suck it up and get out of her own head? Yes, please! If just one character could call her out on this (and not Oliver - he's wronged her too much to play that card IMO, which is why I thought he was a douche in ToD) - that might be an interaction worth watching. Oliver has Diggle and Felicity for his reality checks. Laurel could use someone like that too, someone not blinded by preconceptions and shared history.

Yeah. Sara's death has put a huge damper on my wishing Laurel/Ted starts in a light fluffy rom-com way, but this show has a terrible track record of starting almost all romantic storylines in media res -- which never ever works for me EVER. I wanna see the characters start the relationship, I do not wanna get dumped in the middle of it. EVER times infinity -- so seeing a potential love interest meeting Laurel for the first time might make me actually care. I can see potential in someone new seeing Laurel with fresh eyes -- reacting to Laurel with no baggage or evil intentions. It's something we've never really had happening on the show before.

It'll all depend on how KC plays Laurel, though. If she's in a fixed mindset that Laurel will end up with Oliver, and whatever other romances she has before ~destiny soulmating time~ are just temporary second banana dudes, I'll never buy it because I know all of KC's precognitive acting tells by now.

Edited October 10, 2014 by dancingnancy

[wonderwall]

If you watch the episode 2 extended promo, you'll see that we'll be getting a lot more "Laurel stares off into the distance" look. *sigh*

[Chaser]

I just re-watched the episode. It really is going to come down to KC on whether or not Laurel can become likable. I don't think the writing is ever going to support her (acting Felicity-lite with the "too-loud" line was so OOC and its been months sense you found out, why are you acting like this is new?).

 

 I didn't realize it on the first watch, but she was giving Oliver some heart eyes at the press conference. I keep looking at Oliver's reaction to the look and there was nothing from SA. Nada. If she plays every scene with Oliver like that, its going to be even more awkward.

[apinknightmare]

 I didn't realize it on the first watch, but she was giving Oliver some heart eyes at the press conference. I keep looking at Oliver's reaction to the look and there was nothing from SA. Nada. If she plays every scene with Oliver like that, its going to be even more awkward.

Yeah, she did give him a long, lingering, heart-eyed look during that press conference. The camera stayed on her forever and I was like, "this is getting awk-whew, thank god."

[Sakura12]

Nothing is going to be fixed if KC doesn't change her views on the Laurel she envisioned. That Laurel no longer exists on this show and has not existed for some time. She needs to change with the storylines in the show or she will always look out of place. Even if she doesn't like their direction (like all the other actors on the show have managed to do) 

 

You can imagine a backstory but if something happens that backstory has to be altered to fit that change (no matter how many times you have to do that). TV is an open ended medium, everything always changes especially the longer it's on the air. 

Edited October 10, 2014 by Sakura12

[TanyaKay]

I just re-watched the episode. It really is going to come down to KC on whether or not Laurel can become likable. I don't think the writing is ever going to support her (acting Felicity-lite with the "too-loud" line was so OOC and its been months sense you found out, why are you acting like this is new?).

 

 I didn't realize it on the first watch, but she was giving Oliver some heart eyes at the press conference. I keep looking at Oliver's reaction to the look and there was nothing from SA. Nada. If she plays every scene with Oliver like that, its going to be even more awkward.

 

Thank God I was not the only one who thought that. Initially I thought it was my paranoia that somehow TPTB are taking me back to that toxicity but mercifully Stephen Amell was so not reciprocating to those Laurel Lance heart eyes that I gathered that it was not TPTB but Katie Cassidy who just cannot get her head around the fact that LL and OQ are DONE!.

Someone needs to sit down with her and give her a new back story, preferably typed so that she can modulate her acting accordingly.