Laurel Lance: Black Canary, Black Siren.

[quarks]

The story I heard was that the showrunners deliberately didn't show Sara's body "just in case," but had no actual plans to bring her back until after episode 9 aired, when the possibility was raised as a "hey, this could be fun," thus the subplot of "Sara is alive" in the first season to plant the possibility. The actual decision to bring Sara back as BC was made after the first season finale aired, during the blocking/planning period.  

 

Whether or not the idea of Sara as BC was also a "just in case" idea from the beginning I have no idea. I do remember several viewers saying right from the beginning that Sara wasn't dead - just swept out to sea, and looking at the pilot now I can see Sara's fate is kinda ambiguous there.

[Starfish35]

The EPs said that they had planned on Sara being alive as far back as s1 but did they also plan to have her as the Canary?

I don't think so. I think they said recently they'd considered making her Ravager at one point. Which makes one wonder why the switch to Black Canary?

It seems to me that bringing Caity Lotz in as the Canary was a nail in the coffin of Laurel being a realistic BC unless they had planned to kill Sara at the end of s2.

I've been thinking about this, and I think they probably did intend to kill Sara at the end, just as everyone had predicted. The arc makes more sense with Sara dying heroically than going back to the LoA. But they probably rewrote it due to Sara's popularity and the fear that anger over her death would focus on Laurel. They probably thought that people might be more likely to accept the switch if Sara still lived.

[BkWurm1]

The arc makes more sense with Sara dying heroically than going back to the LoA. But they probably rewrote it due to Sara's popularity and the fear that anger over her death would focus on Laurel.

 

Yeah, I think the backlash would have been loudly felt.  I was upset at just the possibility.  Sara living at least gives me a little hope that Sara might remain Canary so I get to put off completely hating on Laurel as undeserving.  I probably would still be watching but I'm sure others would not be. 

[ArctisTor]

This makes a lot of sense to me and I can totally understand that. CL is pretty hard to beat given her martial arts, dancing and parkour background and general physicality. It's a bar raised pretty damn high and it's hard to see how KC could come close to it. The producers really shot themselves in the foot with that one if this was always their plan.

 

All of this.  What makes it worse is if they seriously pair Oliver with just about anyone besides Laurel in a romantic sense, as they do seem to be doing with Olicity, they're making things all the worse trying to salvage the Laurel arc.  Lauriver being such a big chunk of Laurel's would-be arc and yet I'd rather see Oliver in scenes with just about anyone else but her.  Amell and Cassidy just don't work in any sense on screen together.  I don't even want to see the characters as friends and if Laurel isn't there even in that sense for Oliver, it's hard to say what I'd be able to see to keep her relevant to "Arrow"/the protagonist's arc, hence partly why I keep falling back on Laurel-as-villain.  If at any point I saw anything between these two actors, it was when their characters were at odds with each other / Laurel was acting like a bitch towards him.  In most cases, I just don't see these actors connecting on screen at all.  

 

There are few other on-screen pairs in just about any series I've seen work on screen less than these two with the kind of supposed epic story these two are supposed to have together.  I'm extremely hard-pressed seeing myself ever buying into this supposed epic as I don't believe this on-screen pair will ever be able to convince me of it and the writers aren't at all selling it either.  They haven't remotely yet, I don't see how they ever will.

 

Even if we don't factor romantic chemistry at all, which Stephen has with Emily Bett Rickards and several other actresses that weren't Katie Cassidy, Stephen has all kinds of different chemistry with other actors in the cast.  I resent Oliver/Laurel not only for the lack of ability to convince me of anything worth watching and yet I'm somehow supposed to want to see them a lot more (sorry, writers/producers/Katie Cassidy, I just don't), but I resent it from taking away from scenes I'd rather see Oliver - who I care about far more than I do Laurel - engage in with other characters (several of which I also care more about than I do Laurel).  Actors who Amell has a lot more chemistry with and stories I feel the writing is there.

[KirkB]

For me it's not just the lack of chemistry with Oliver and Laurel (theirs is almost an anti-chemistry) it's that half the time Stephen doesn't seem to know how to react to some of the stuff Katie is doing. Now if that's deliberate, and is in fact Oliver responding that way to Laurel, it's not coming across that way to me and would no bode well to the idea of them being so good together/

[Password]

I think what we can see is they are not good together. They weren't when Oliver was a slouche and they aren't now. I am starting to think the way they are together is exactly what we're supposed to see. And yes, it doesn't bode well if they're end game.

[icandigit]

 

I am starting to think the way they are together is exactly what we're supposed to see.

I was considering that too after reading all the post about how horrible the couple is in the comics.

[quarks]

That's my ongoing thought - that the writers do realize that Laurel/Oliver are horrible together, even if Laurel doesn't know it, and are doing an extraordinarily good job of showing that on screen.  

[slayer2]

I was considering that too after reading all the post about how horrible the couple is in the comics.

They're terrible in the comics. It's a giant wtf. I think there's even a universe/version where Oliver Queen's actions inadvertantly get Black Canary raped. Horrible.

In response to Danny I would say the comics are definitely relevant since this show is based on (however loosely) and derived from it. They are still using quite a bit of the comics material in terms of characters villains and clearly love interests (for better or worse) so I would hardly call it a moot point. Mileage varies of course.

Edited June 2, 2014 by slayer2

[Sakura12]

They're terrible in the comics. It's a giant wtf. I think there's even a universe/version where Oliver Queen's actions inadvertantly get Black Canary raped. Horrible.

In response to Danny I would say the comics are definitely relevant since this show is based on (however loosely) and derived from it. They are still using quite a bit of the comics material in terms of characters villains and clearly love interests (for better or worse)so I would hardly call it a moot point.

That's puts Sara closer to comic Canary as well then if we are to go with how she was introduced in the first half of the season where they implied she was raped (or mistreated by men). The change would be it was both Oliver and Sara's actions that led to that happening by being on the Gambit at the wrong time. 

 

They are using the comics, but they are hardly following them verbatim. All the villains are nothing like they are in the comics and since they are keeping Malcolm Merlyn (who doesn't exist in the comics as the Dark Archer) I don't see why they can't keep Sara Lance (who also doesn't exist) as the Black Canary.

 

Even the latest comic for the Black Canary is going to be BC getting out from under Ra's al Ghul's control and taking over the League of Assassins. That fits perfectly with what this show has done with Sara. 

[KirkB]

I hope they do something like that. It would drive the comic purists nuts, of course, but I've said for a long while now that shows like Arrow, Smallville and Walking Dead are based on comics but not beholden to them. They are the inspiration. Showrunners aren't going to simply recreate, verbatim, what was on the page. Why bother? If I wanted that I would just read the comics in the first place. So just because Laurel was the Black Canary in the comics doesn't mean she ever HAS to be on the show. Let Sara be the Canary and figure out something else to do with Laurel. If they can.

[dtissagirl]

I sort of love it that she goes by Laurel on the show. Dinah/Black Canary from the comics is one of my all time favorite characters, and the different names help me separate Laurel from my beloved BC completely, since I don't see any link or similarities between them.

[strikera0]

I've been thinking about this, and I think they probably did intend to kill Sara at the end, just as everyone had predicted. The arc makes more sense with Sara dying heroically than going back to the LoA. But they probably rewrote it due to Sara's popularity and the fear that anger over her death would focus on Laurel. They probably thought that people might be more likely to accept the switch if Sara still lived.

 

I think so, too. While predictable, Sara dying heroically would have given Laurel a believable motivation to pick up the BC mantle and fight on in her name, but it seems the writers were smart enough to realize that it also would have created a big backlash on the internet - so they gave Sara a faux happy ending by sending her back to the killer cult. And it seems to have worked in a way. There may be some negative feedback in comment sections when the issue of Laurel turning into BC comes up, but some of the boards I've been reading have been rather quiet on that front because a lot of Sara fans seem more relieved that she made it out of the season alive - even if the show might end up turning her into something most fans won't recognize.

Edited June 3, 2014 by strikera0

[KirkB]

I've been thinking about this. Not exactly a serious question but still...would Laurel actually want to be called the Canary? For one thing that was her sister's title, and for another could would her ego be able to accept a name like Canary when she could be Hawk or Eagle or something?

[FurryFury]

Laurel will do whatever the writers will want her to do. Silly things like character logic have never factored into that.

Edited June 3, 2014 by FurryFury

[statsgirl]

 

would Laurel actually want to be called the Canary? For one thing that was her sister's title, and for another could would her ego be able to accept a name like Canary when she could be Hawk or Eagle or something?

LOL.  Or Falcon or Kestrel since Hawkman is already taken.

 

If Sara had died, i could see Laurel taking on the name in tribute to her. But with Sara still alive, it makes no sense for her to appropriate her sister's identity.

[bluebonnet]

Well, it would sort of make sense after Laurel's "you stole my life" comment.  But that's only if they want Laurel to be a jerk, which I'd be cool with.  

[BkWurm1]

I can see some logic in Laurel using the Canary name. It already comes with the history of being a hero and I'm sure Laurel would be happy to just accept the kudos that goes with the name.  Insta recognition and perhaps respect. 

 

Yeah, I hate it too. 

Edited June 4, 2014 by BkWurm1

[Sakura12]

If Laurel does take the name because it was Sara's that just feeds into my interpretation of her character that Laurel was always jealous of Sara and wanted what she wanted and/or had. She didn't tell their father that Sara was at a party drinking because she was worried about her little sister, she called so Sara would get in trouble so she could make a move on Oliver. They did show Sara having second thoughts about going with Oliver, she tried to tell her delusional sister that Oliver was cheating tool, so moving in with him was probably not the best idea and Laurel just bit her head off because she's either delusional or stupid. Everyone knew that Oliver was a playboy but her. Oliver hooking up with 10 other women didn't even get through to her. So pretty much Laurel was a terrible older sister. 

 

Now I don't agree with Sara hooking up with Oliver behind Laurel's back, but I can understand why she did if that's the kind of sister she grew up with. 

 

I also didn't understand the point of them showing us that, I really didn't need any more reasons to dislike Laurel and her being the victim was the only reason I felt sorry for her. Or am I supposed to feel sorry for Laurel because she's a complete idiot doormat that ignores things she's doesn't like? If so that is not a good character trait for a super hero.

[icandigit]

 

She didn't tell their father that Sara was at a party drinking because she was worried about her little sister, she called so Sara would get in trouble so she could make a move on Oliver.

Oliver being shocked that Laurel could do something like that was interesting. It almost makes me think that Laurel was horrible and Oliver had no idea. I wish they had time for Sara to tell horrible Laurel stories. Still can't understand how she didn't know what Oliver was when all of Starling city knew.

[statsgirl]

 

Oliver being shocked that Laurel could do something like that was interesting. It almost makes me think that Laurel was horrible and Oliver had no idea.

That's an interesting thought.  No matter what they're telling us (Oliver saying in Sacrifice that five years ago Laurel was the only one who saw who he really was; Laurel telling Oliver she knows him better than anyone else does) what they're showing us is that neither Oliver nor Laurel really knew the other person.

 

 

Still can't understand how she didn't know what Oliver was when all of Starling city knew.

She seems to see things in black and white.  Tommy was not worth her time (in spite of the fact that she'd slept with him) until he proved himself with the fund-raiser and then she put all sorts of expectations on him; Oliver was a sleaze and the Hood a hero until Tommy died and then the Hood was a killer; now that she knows that Oliver is the Arrow "it makes her love him even more"( Katie Cassidy).

 

Kreisburg said that when we saw what she did when she found out that Oliver was the Arrow would make us love her, and those who already love her love her even more.  I don't understand that at all.

 

ETA:

From the Arrows Through the Heart thread 

 

Laurel really needs to develop her own identity - a clear cut one - rather than have Sara's everything handed to her.  It's worse than hand me downs.

This makes me wonder -- why is it so hard for them to write Laurel?  All the spaghetti they've thrown at the wall for her, and so little of it has stuck.  Crusading lawyer, no she blackmails to get her way; Tommy and losing him;  addiction arc; Sara conflict... none of it seems to work for her, or make love or even just respect her.  Why? 

Edited June 4, 2014 by statsgirl

[dtissagirl]

This makes me wonder -- why is it so hard for them to write Laurel?  All the spaghetti they've thrown at the wall for her, and so little of it has stuck.  Crusading lawyer, no she blackmails to get her way; Tommy and losing him;  addiction arc; Sara conflict... none of it seems to work for her, or make love or even just respect her.  Why? 

 

I think it's a mix of --

 

1. It always looks like the writers really don't understand why the majority of the audience rejects Laurel. Maybe they resent the audience on that matter? They write her from the standpoint that she's Good and Warm and Relatable, when almost all of her actions come out looking self-serving and manipulative. And wasn't there a tweet from a journalist saying Kreisberg was surprised when she asked him about the Laurel hate, pretty late in the season?

 

2. KC plays Laurel without an ounce of vulnerability. Even during her addiction storyline/crucible, she still infused Laurel with a wall of invulnerability and a sense of superiority over the other characters, which made it almost impossible for the audience to feel any empathy for her.

[KirkB]

I think it's a mix of --

 

1. It always looks like the writers really don't understand why the majority of the audience rejects Laurel. Maybe they resent the audience on that matter? They write her from the standpoint that she's Good and Warm and Relatable, when almost all of her actions come out looking self-serving and manipulative. And wasn't there a tweet from a journalist saying Kreisberg was surprised when she asked him about the Laurel hate, pretty late in the season?

 

2. KC plays Laurel without an ounce of vulnerability. Even during her addiction storyline/crucible, she still infused Laurel with a wall of invulnerability and a sense of superiority over the other characters, which made it almost impossible for the audience to feel any empathy for her.

 

   You're probably right. It can't be JUST the showrunners or just Katie Cassidy. A good enough actor can take the most atrocious writing and terrible directing and make it something impressive to watch, and the right kind of writing and directing can overcome all but the worst actors. The directors and Katie are always talking about how great Laurel is while the show makes Laurel look cold and insensitive to anything that doesn't directly relate to her. So either they have no idea what to do with her (leaving Katie nothing to work with) or else this is being done on purpose for some reason.

[dtissagirl]

So either they have no idea what to do with her (leaving Katie nothing to work with) or else this is being done on purpose for some reason.

 

If any of this was on purpose, then they deserve some kind of award for pulling it off. *g* But I doubt it was, because I could add a couple of things to my list: KC's lack of chemistry with Stephen Amell vs. EBR's chemistry with him, and the unexpected way the majority of the audience connected with Felicity and immediately liked her better than Laurel. Which is why I don't believe they planned anything that happened with Laurel. They obviously didn't expect their two leads to lack chemistry, and they didn't know EBR coming into the show would change things so drastically.

[icandigit]

 

Kreisburg said that when we saw what she did when she found out that Oliver was the Arrow would make us love her, and those who already love her love her even more.  I don't understand that at all.

Wow.Because that whole thing made me go from hate to full on rage. And off to the bitterness thread.

[bluebonnet]

My hate for this character wouldn't be so intense if the EP's stopped saying bullshit like that.  I think it just makes things so much worse when TPTB and the actor playing the part -KC in this case- are quoted saying the most delusional crap about their show or character.  It further confuses and already very confused character.  Why would they do that?  I'm not even sure if they realize it, but these sorts of comments serve to shift blame to the audience.  It's like saying "oh, you'll definitely love her, and if you don't, there's something wrong with you."  

Edited June 4, 2014 by SystemRemote

[Morrigan2575]

Kreisburg said that when we saw what she did when she found out that Oliver was the Arrow would make us love her, and those who already love her love her even more.  I don't understand that at all.

 

IIRC that was for 2.19 when Laurel decided not to tell Oliver she knew he was the Arrow.  Of course the biggest WTF of that statement is that it wasn't  Laurel's reasoning it was Lance's.  Laurel was all set to tell him and only stopped b.c. she got the call about Quentin.  Then later Quentin is the one to give the great speech about how it doesn't matter who the Arrow is, only what he does.  So really it's another case of the writers telling us that Laurel is awesome but we're being shown that she's not, it's another character (in this case Quentin) that is awesome.  So WTF?

[Password]

I was annoyed that she didn't tell Oliver immediately and throw a massive hissy fit. It would've been totally in tune with what we know Laurel to do. It seemed so out of character for her not to yell at him at least a little.

[statsgirl]

Maybe that's what Kreisburg was talking about, that it would have been in character for her to throw a hissy fit but she didn't. (Just kidding, Kreisburg seems to have no idea how Laurel comes across.)

 

Of course the biggest WTF of that statement is that it wasn't  Laurel's reasoning it was Lance's.  Laurel was all set to tell him and only stopped b.c. she got the call about Quentin.  Then later Quentin is the one to give the great speech about how it doesn't matter who the Arrow is, only what he does.

It's another example of 'hand me down' awesomeness, like handing over Sara's jacket, or Oliver helping to win her cases in s1.  I'm glad we finally got an answer to "Does Quentin know that Oliver is The Arrow?" because it was getting ridiculous but I was expecting Laurel to do something great, and all she did was not screw things up.  And finally listen to her father for once.  That's good growth for the character but it does not a superhero make.

[BunsenBurner]

I just watched the first seven episodes of Season 1 this is my third time.

From the first episode all I get about Laurel is that 1) she must be bipolar, 2)her interactions with others are only about herself, 3)when someone in authority tells her to do something she will do the opposite which will result in her having to be rescued (in the prison she was told to stay in the room where it was safe of course she went straight into the riot and of course the most well known going to CRNI in the Season1finale)and 5) she has shown tendencies of going evil since the 1st episode.

I started watching this show because of Colin Donnel and Colin Salmon. I had no idea who any of the other actors were. I was also excited to see John Barrowman was also added.

Love this show cannot stand the character of Laurel. The handing over the jacket scene at the end of Season 2 just makes me even more sure she is evil. The maniacal laugh/giggle confirms it. If she were good she would never let her sister see or hear that.

Edited June 4, 2014 by BunsenBurner

[Starfish35]

Wasn't there a tweet from a journalist saying Kreisberg was surprised when she asked him about the Laurel hate, pretty late in the season?

He was surprised about the reaction to him comparing Oliver and Laurel to Lois and Clark.

I think he knows about the Laurel hate, because he's mentioned it in interviews.

[wonderwall]

Laurel Brown said on her twitter account that AK was surprised about the reaction to him comparing Oliver/Laurel to Lois/Clark. He said he didn't mean it the way people thought he meant it (he meant it to be an innocuous statement). 

To be honest, out of all the EPs, I think Kreisburg  might be the most deluded about Laurel/Oliver, then again, maybe he learned that Laurel/Oliver are not working considering the fan reaction. I mean, even the fanboys over at IGN admitted Laurel/Oliver don't hold a candle to Lois/Clark... Maybe that's why he's just stopped talking about Laurel/Oliver? I mean no one talks about them anymore (in a romantic light) except for KC. 

[dtissagirl]

Thanks for the clarification, guys! Yeah, that Lois/Clark comment was unfortunate to say the least. IF ONLY they had gone the rom-com triangle-for-two trope from many Lois/Clark versions with Laurel/Oliver. I guess the joke's on me that one of the reasons I tuned in for the Arrow pilot was I hoped for a version of Dinah that wasn't hung up on Oliver Queen. And then I got Laurel.

[writersblock51]

And AK is a big Laurel/BC fan.  He's also the reason I stopped reading Green Arrow/Black Canary comics.

 

The Laurel on the show is absolutely nothing like any of the versions of Dinah Lance in the comics.  Nothing.  I truly don't understand why the show writes her the way they have, why they brought on Sara if she wasn't to remain the only BC and why they think that just handing things, unearned, to Laurel is going to buy her credibility with the fans.

 

If Laurel became Manhunter or went Evil, then fine.  And if she never shares more than another awkward hug with Oliver, fine.  Anything else, no.

[KirkB]

I thought of a way they could keep to the canon and keep Sara as the Canary, and I think it's perfectly in line with Laurel's character. If she does indeed try to take on the role of vigilante she'll want a cool name, and since she's been bequeathed the role on the team and in Oliver's life by Sara she both honors and one-ups her sister, who is the Canary, by calling herself the Black Canary.

[tv echo]

It's hard for them to write for Laurel because they miscast Laurel in the first place.  The warm, compassionate lawyer they envisioned for this character is not the character that is being portrayed by Katie Cassidy.  Hence, the inconsistent, throwing-everything-at-the-screen, trying-to-play-to-the-actress's strengths approach, to Laurel over the past two seasons.

[statsgirl]

Yes.  That's why I wonder if it could be CW/WB that wanted her for the role rather than the EPs casting her in a general audition..

[dtissagirl]

Yes.  That's why I wonder if it could be CW/WB that wanted her for the role rather than the EPs casting her in a general audition..

 

Yeah. I've read that the role was offered to her -- probably because she already had a contract with the CW/WB. And the fact that they never screen-tested Amell with KC adds to my thinking that this is true.

[Starfish35]

Well in fairness they didn't screentest anyone with Amell, not initially. (I read somewhere that Amell said that the only person he did a read with was someone who was being considered for Tommy, but it wasn't Colin.) That the rest of the cast turned out to have great chemistry seems to have been a happy accident. However, they apparently made a point to screentest Caity Lotz with him - read whatever implications into that you like.

[Sakura12]

They screen tested Caity and Katrina, as well as EBR and Grant Gustin. That to me looks like they know the made a mistake with not screen testing their two leads. EBR was a lucky pick, she wasn't even supposed to be on more than one episode so there wasn't a reason to screen test her. 

[Morrigan2575]

IIRC they also chemistry tested SA and Celina Jade as well. So yeah that tells me that they're over cautious now because they saw how bad SA/KC turned out, of course YMMV

[Starfish35]

That to me looks like they know the made a mistake with not screen testing their two leads.

That's the way I take it too. What I don't understand is if they realize it, why do they keep pushing it? Do they think it's just going to spontaneously develop? Or that the viewers will just get used to it? I'm just not sure what the reasoning is here.

[dtissagirl]

That's the way I take it too. What I don't understand is if they realize it, why do they keep pushing it? Do they think it's just going to spontaneously develop? Or that the viewers will just get used to it? I'm just not sure what the reasoning is here.

 

The thing that comes to my mind is KC's people negotiated a contract for her that has too steep penalties for them to write her out of the show.

[Velocity23]

If the 3 year contract rumors are true i don't think they have much to worry about. They could always write her out at the end of season 3! 

A storyline i could imagine for Laurel is that Oliver turns her down when she ask him to train her (just assuming since Oliver didn't want to train Felicity either). She tries to do it on her own and fails miserably. Which causes her to relapse and spirals out of control. It will force Sara to comeback and Laurel gets shipped off to Central City to rehab, so her mother can keep an eye on her. 

[KirkB]

If the EP's are being forced to keep Laurel around for some reason (contractually, for example) but otherwise don't like the character and wanted to get rid of her, there are ways around it. If KC has to be in X number of episodes per season they show her briefly at the DA's office or something and otherwise keep her off the show as much as possible until her contract runs out then she dies in a fire or something. Instead they keep pushing her to the forefront and going out of their way to apparently try and make the audience like her more. This tells me they apparently do like her and can't understand why part of the audience doesn't. Their efforts to change the equation, by making her the BC possibly, just make it worse.

[Sakura12]

They had the perfect chance to start Laurel on her way to becoming the BC from last season's finale. Tommy was killed because some rich maniac thought he was above the law and could just wipe out all the poor people. Cue crusading justice seeker Laurel. But nope, they had her crawl into a corner weeping and downing pills.  

 

Then for some reason their way to fix the disconnect of the Laurel character was to bring in another character as the BC, have her kick all kinds of ass, give her all the traits of the BC including a wayward orphan named Sin, then have her leave and give her jacket to Laurel (who has not done one thing to earn it) after she tells her she's a hero, cue everyone will like Laurel. 

 

That's some deep level assbackwards thinking right there. 

 

Whatever happened to the darkness thing? Was Laurel blackmailing her boss supposed to be like the same darkness Oliver, Sara and Helena have from killing people and losing their humanity? Is that like Laurel's intermittent drug problem was her island?

Edited June 5, 2014 by Sakura12

[statsgirl]

The jacket hand-over scene suggests two possible things 1) that they are serious about making her the Black Canary; or 2) they are going to make a push to see if the audience is going to accept her as BC or not.  (If it fails, maybe they will take the Manhunter option.)

 

Either way, I anticipate a big push to put Laurel in position for a BC role next season.

Edited June 5, 2014 by statsgirl

[dtissagirl]

The jacket hand-over scene suggests two possible things 1) that they are serious about making her the Black Canary; or 2) they are going to make a push to see if the audience is going to accept her as BC or not.  (If it fails, maybe they will take the Manhunter option.)

 

What worries me is it really does take 8 to 10 episodes to fix stuff that is not working for the audience... as we witnessed in S2 with the Laurel Sisters Drama inserted mid-season to try and make the audience more sympathetic to Laurel. By the time S3 premieres they'll have already filmed at least 8 episodes. They'll only get a reaction to 301-303 by the time they'll be prepping episodes 310-312, so if they start out with Laurel as BC and it doesn't work, we're stuck with that until mid-season. Again.

[Password]

I really don't think they'll make Laurel BC right off the bat in the first episode of s3. They absolutely have to see the flack she got from that jacket handover. Unless they want viewers to really resent her and/or quit the show, they cannot let their vision blind them to the obvious contempt for Laurel.

[statsgirl]

I don't know how Arrow works but it may be similar to how House did.  They blocked off each season into 3 sections.  The first planning meeting was at the end of May where they plotted out the arcs for the first third of the season and handed out individual episodes to the writers (because it takes a month or so to write a script and then they have to prep it before they start shooting). The second on was in August, and the third in December.  I agree with ArrowLimbo that they probably won't make Laurel BC right off the bat, just start with setting her up in the role.  By the December meeting, they should have aired 8 or 9 episodes and have a good idea of how she is working out in terms of the show and audience reaction. That gives them the last third of the season to either solidify the character, find her something else to do, or write her off.