The Not So Merry...Supporting Cast

[bijoux]

I wasn't a fan of the character or JDG in her first appearance, but I really liked that last scene with Helena and Oliver at the police station.

I thought the actress was distractingly awful in her first episode. Like she had trouble standing like a living human being. She got better though and I wouldn't mind her appearing in an episode or two per season.

[slayer2]

Her father was in the mob. Maybe she could get a deal with the Feds for information on her father's business partners.

Honestly, it's not like the show is going to think too hard on a realistic answer.

 

Also this is the same show that let Moira *Queen get away virtually scott free (legally at least) when her hands were bloody with many horrid deaths and her sons bloody hands have yet to see the inside of a jail cell so I figure a free Huntress isn't much of a stretch when you can throw a stone and hit a murderer on this show.

 

ETA: This fixation on Moira Kelly has got to stop. *sigh

Edited September 28, 2015 by slayer2

[Primal Slayer]

The New52 interpretation of Helena works for Spryal. But there are plenty of groups for them to pull from to put her in if they wanted  her to.

 

I would totally be willing to turn a left eye if they adapted Faiths storyline from Buffy/Angel, it's such a good storyline to do. Hopefully by 4b they will find the time to include her in a small 2-3 episode arc.

[slayer2]

The New52 interpretation of Helena works for Spryal. But there are plenty of groups for them to pull from to put her in if they wanted  her to.

 

I would totally be willing to turn a left eye if they adapted Faiths storyline from Buffy/Angel, it's such a good storyline to do. Hopefully by 4b they will find the time to include her in a small 2-3 episode arc.

 

Me-fucking too and by me-fucking too I mean I am virtually bouncing up and down at this idea. I love that arc so much and Oliver and Helena remind me so much of Angel and Faith. Their dynamic is very similar and there is a softness that SA plays Oliver with in scenes with JDG's Helena that you don't get to often see which I think is really special, but I also just love The Huntress and JDG's portrayal so much. She balances fragile and tough and almost maniacal so well. I love grey characters and I love that Helena started out doing the right thing by trying to turn her father in and that it just bit her in the ass. For me I can see how she can be all encompassed by this rage and crusade to kill her father, having no faith in the system that failed her in the first place. 

 

I also love love love their little chat at the end of Birds of Prey where she tells Oliver he was right and that it didn't fix anything but just made her feel lonelier and I love that he copped to being a hypocrite and understanding that he was a murderer telling her not to murder. I just love the story so much and the actors portrayals in it and the parallels to Faith/Angel are just icing on the cake for me. In fact I had hoped they'd do a tail-end scene like on Angel where Oliver visited her in jail. Even something like that tagged onto the end of beginning of an episode could go a long way in continuity and preparing for any future arcs so we'd know where her head was at.

Edited September 28, 2015 by slayer2

[kismet]

So basically, this is all speculative longing that HB/Huntress re-enter the ARROW TV world? Beyond her being in a few 2.5 comics and MG dropping on tumblr that he had at one point wonderful ideas for the character - there is nothing concrete or even remotely based in speculation that she will actually come back? No new or returning cast mentioned. No lingering contracts or unresolved plot arcs. No actual spoilers or speculation that has any hints of evidence behind it?

 

It's cool, that you guys love this character. I just want to make sure I know the actual facts from wish lists.

[Morrigan2575]

No, there is nothing to support it. Could she come back at some point? Sure, MG really seems to love the character.

[quarks]

I haven't heard any concrete statements that Helena might be returning. Indications that she could:

 

1. She's not currently booked on another TV show (like, say, Colin Donnell, currently over on Chicago Med.)

 

2. The character isn't dead, though even death hasn't stopped other characters or their twins from showing up.

 

3. MG has said he had wonderful ideas for the character, and from things he's said, it seems that Helena is one of his personal favorites. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him attempt to bring back Helena on either Arrow or Legends based just on that.

 

4. Canon establishes her as travelling a lot, which makes her one of the characters who could be the "floater" character appearing on all three shows. It really wouldn't be particularly difficult to have her escape from jail, legally or illegally. Or, since Legends is apparently playing with time travel, have her show up in a time travelling episode, an idea I've seen floating around.

 

5. Her three episodes in season one did well in the ratings.  In season two, "Birds of Prey" had 2.62 live viewers. considerably below the Barry Allen episodes (3.24 and 3.02) and below several other season two episodes ("City of Heroes," 2.74; "Identity," 3.06; "Broken Dolls," 2.89; "League of Assassins," 2.80; "Keep Your Enemies Closer," 3.09; "State vs. Queen," 2.66; "Tremors," 2.95 (which was the soft test for a "Young Justice" spinoff), and "Heir to the Demon," 2.86), but still above the season two episodes that followed it. Not anywhere near enough to get a spinoff greenlit, or near Barry Allen's popularity, but enough to suggest, given other indications/numbers/situations, that viewers did tune in to see her, and that fans might tune in for a Helena appearance on either Arrow or Legends.

 

So although I wouldn't call this speculation confirmed or anything, I also don't think it's coming out of left field, especially after the appearance of Shado Twin last season. 

[BkWurm1]

Why is the Shado twin thing significant to Helena?

[dtissagirl]

I haven't heard any concrete statements that Helena might be returning. Indications that she could:

 

1. She's not currently booked on another TV show (like, say, Colin Donnell, currently over on Chicago Med.)

 

Quick correction: she does have a new show. JDG is a regular on upcoming show Underground [it stars the dude from SVU and Aldis Hodge]. However, they just finished shooting the first season..

 

Quick googling told me JDG wrapped that show in late August, and is now in Australia shooting a movie.

[kismet]

So although I wouldn't call this speculation confirmed or anything, I also don't think it's coming out of left field, especially after the appearance of Shado Twin last season. 

Thanks for putting in the research! It doesn't feel like it would come from left field. But its also not even in the ballpark at this point. There is evidence that supports her returning to ARROW could be a good thing as you listed. However, there is no evidence that supports her returning as an actual reality. Her getting a new thread just made me think that perhaps I had missed something big. Since new threads are generally reserved for actual realities, heck Ray Palmer didn't even get one until he became a regular on LoT despite being in most of s3 of ARROW. Even the major villains/guest stars get discussed in the other threads. 

Edited September 28, 2015 by kismet

[quarks]

Quick correction: she does have a new show. JDG is a regular on upcoming show Underground [it stars the dude from SVU and Aldis Hodge]. However, they just finished shooting the first season..

 

Quick googling told me JDG wrapped that show in late August, and is now in Australia shooting a movie.

 

Yes, but Underground is a WGN show that's not going to be following the standard fall/spring shooting season, and at least right now, De Gouw is only credited for one episode, although she might actually be appearing on more. (It doesn't start airing until 2016, so it's not clear.)

 

The Shado Twin thing isn't directly related to Helena, but it showed that yes, Arrow would be willing to bring back characters/actors even after the seeming end of whatever plot they were involved in. Unless Oliver's visit later inspires Shado Twin to become a vigilante, Arrow seemingly had no clear reason for bringing her back other than "we need some filler for the flashbacks" and "we like the actress."  Since Arrow was willing to do this with Shado, it's possible they might do this with Huntress. 

[dtissagirl]

Yes, but Underground is a WGN show that's not going to be following the standard fall/spring shooting season, and at least right now, De Gouw is only credited for one episode, although she might actually be appearing on more. (It doesn't start airing until 2016, so it's not clear.)

 

I figured she's a regular from this interview:

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29491326/another-life-in-wa-for-jessica/

 

“I’ve been there (in Louisiana) for a lot of this year sweating it out in corsets,” De Gouw said of the show, which also stars Christopher Meloni, of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fame.

 

“It’s crazy but that’s the joy of doing this job — that for five months of the year I was in corsets playing an American socialite and now I’m running around on the streets of Perth looking very very different.”

 

[quarks]

I figured she's a regular from this interview:

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29491326/another-life-in-wa-for-jessica/

 

 

Ah, ok. IMDB says it's a ten episode season, and five months sounds about right for that. Hopefully someone will update this on IMDB and clarify.

 

But in any case, even if Underground gets renewed for another season, de Gouw should be free for a guest appearance on Arrow or Legends. Whether or not that happens, of course, is a pretty open question. I just don't think it's completely out of left field.

[dtissagirl]

Oh, yeah, I just can't be bothered to spec on a character returning without checking the actor's availability. And I remembered reading she got cast on that show. For all we know, after she wraps the movie she's currently shooting, she could hop on a plane to Vancouver.

[slayer2]

Ah, ok. IMDB says it's a ten episode season, and five months sounds about right for that. Hopefully someone will update this on IMDB and clarify.

But in any case, even if Underground gets renewed for another season, de Gouw should be free for a guest appearance on Arrow or Legends. Whether or not that happens, of course, is a pretty open question. I just don't think it's completely out of left field.

Truth! And MG did say he had prospective story for her that he wanted her back for season 3 but couldn't find room and that he had some interesting ideas for season 4 for her and especially with Sara on LoT, there's lots of potential.

[HighwayFlower]

I would love to see her on LOT! I can admit the actress was a bit stiff at first, but she really got better and I loved the character. She would be awesome as the floater.

[slayer2]

I always thought she was fantastic, the character is meant to be cold which is part of what attracted me to her. Here is the last article I could find of MG talking about the possibility of her return for season 4. It's dated around July of this year http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s206/arrow/news/a659903/arrow-producers-have-a-great-huntress-storyline-for-season-4-but-will-jessica-de-gouw-return.html#~ppENKnsfMouRVk

[kismet]

I'm just so bored by the flashbacks, and by Poppy.  I am not sure even naked Oliver Queen could get me interested in them.

 

I also think Poppy was a casting misfire. 

I'm not sure is was a casting misfire. But I'm not sure why they cast her just yet. Majority of the roles have all been cast so well, that I can see why they chose the actor or what the actor brings to the role. I might not always agree or prefer their choice, but I can understand it. That is not the case with Poppy. Visually she is not as impressive as other actors. Her accent does not inspire anything. Most of her scenes have been forgettable. She has yet to pop from the screen.

 

The FB script is boring enough, but to have an actor that doesn't pop only brings more attention to the fact that the script & story is very weak. I got excited a whole 2 times watching the FB (the new haircut reveal & OQ torturing people (i know shame on me)). I may not have loved the FBs in other seasons but at least the actors engaged me. That is not the case with Poppy and I'm not sure if its a casting or writing thing at this point. But they need to get around to telling a better story PRONTO.

[statsgirl]

I think one of the reasons they may have hired a low-key actress is that they didn't want her to be any threat to Olicity, even if she is in the past.  I remember when the news first came out that there was going to be a FB love interest, I wanted her to go evil or at least not be a nice person so that she wouldn't take anything away from Olicity.

 

It seems like they've decided to go with having her be a good person as opposed to an Isabel but I guess the trade-off is that she's not particularly sparkling.

[dtissagirl]

The most hilarious part for me is Elysia Rotaru lists an episode of Smallville she's been in that I swear to Zod, I've seen over a hundred times. I. do. not. remember. her.  AT ALL. And I can probably recite every line from that episode.

[kismet]

I enjoy & love Olicity, but I want the FB story to actually be good and relevant. I don't want it sacrificed to keep Olicity going. There is really no romance in the past that I can think about that would compromise his present-day relationship. I mean I guess I could think of doomsday situations & scenarios from the past/present but they are far to dark & twisted, no way the show would go there. Even if they bring her to the present-day, I'm not concerned about Poppy threatening Olicity. I dread the melodrama the writers would make us sit through, which is why I hope they don't go there.

 

It's not that she is a no-name actress. It's that she is just a boring actress so far. A lot of the supporting cast can be no names. Heck southern speaking soldier sparked more than her. Look at EBR, she was a no-name but she sparkled from the beginning. I'm not familiar with Celina Jade, but she seemed to be a not a well-known actress and she sparkled. Even the actor that played Cooper sparked. I want to believe in the process, that they somehow saw something in her casting sessions. But right now, I am questioning the casting. If it was done for Olicity then shame on the casting for compromising the story. I truly think its just a matter of the writers not making the story interesting or relevant. But honestly, I was expecting more from the actress.

[statsgirl]

Southern speaking soldier was played by Ryan Robbins, who has a ton of recurring/supporting character credits to his name in shows like Battlestar Galactic, Sanctuary, Republic of Doyle, The Killing, Falling Skies, Hell on Wheels and Continuum.  On IMDB he's got 110 acting credits to ER's 31.

 

I'm going to be the dissenting opinion but I'm glad she didn't spark with Oliver in the flashbacks.  She seemed like a nice person in a horrible situation and I can see something developing between her and Oliver as he hides her from the bad guys.  As much as I liked Shado as a character, I didn't see anything spark between her and Oliver and I get the same feeling here.  Love the one you're with.

 

Speaking of Shado, putting her with Slade would have been more interesting IMO.

[dtissagirl]

I'm actually expecting Ryan Robbins to be underused on Arrow.  I was pretty impressed with him in the last episodes of Continuum [which ended like, two weeks ago], and I loved loved LOVED his character on Sanctuary.

[kismet]

Southern speaking soldier was played by Ryan Robbins, who has a ton of recurring/supporting character credits to his name in shows like Battlestar Galactic, Sanctuary, Republic of Doyle, The Killing, Falling Skies, Hell on Wheels and Continuum.  On IMDB he's got 110 acting credits to ER's 31.

 

I'm going to be the dissenting opinion but I'm glad she didn't spark with Oliver in the flashbacks.  She seemed like a nice person in a horrible situation and I can see something developing between her and Oliver as he hides her from the bad guys.  As much as I liked Shado as a character, I didn't see anything spark between her and Oliver and I get the same feeling here.  Love the one you're with.

I had seen Ryan Robbins post something on Twitter, but I didn't even recognize him onscreen from his Twitter preview. I was not familiar with his other work. But his experience showed... the guy did an amazing job in a pretty crappily written scene. He sparked. Here's hoping ARROW doesn't waste him.

 

I don't care if she sparks with OQ or not. But she needs to spark with something on the screen. She is flat. Right now she is virtually invisible or just really seems like a major PIA. I should feel something for her instead, I'm wondering when she'll do something important or exciting, if I even remember her in a scene. If they are going to cast a recurring role it should be somebody inspiring to watch. So if there is not an in-script inspiration (which there is not IMO) they haven't even bothered to give her a name yet. Than there needs to be an actor inspiration. Its been over 3 years and I still want Raisa back and she was in 1 episode.

[bijoux]

Whoa, I thought for sure Raisa was in more than just the pilot. Maybe it's because she was the only person in the house who didn't have expectations of Oliver right after he came back from being cast away for five years. Okay, Walter was pretty chill too, but my love for him is well documented.

[Angel12d]

I honestly can't see much coming from this flashback love interest though. Sounds like she'll be separate from the rest of the story going on involving Baron Reiter and whatever they're doing on the island and I can't see much time dedicated to it. Even Shado/Oliver wasn't really all that much. We saw them kiss/flirt in one episode. I'm just like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[statsgirl]

Raisa was only in the pilot.  I guess they wanted to save money after that.  But she lives endlessly in fanfic, a testament to how useful she could be.

 

I'm actually expecting Ryan Robbins to be underused on Arrow.

 

Good point.  Unless the takes over ShadowSpire (?) he will be underused. But no one was more underused on this show than Chris Heyerdahl.  (boo.)

 

(Speaking of Sanctuary, if anyone gets the chance to see Jonathon Young (Tesla) on stage, take it. He's a co-founder of the Electric Company Theatre and they do some of the most amazing and innovative things on stage like marrying stage and film seamlessly in Tear Down The Curtain.  Betroffenheit is going to be touring through Canada and the UK next year.)

[dtissagirl]

I find Chris Heyerdahl TOO MUCH, like, seriously, dude, tone it down a notch or seventeen. But yeah, Arrow gave him *nothing*.

Which is kind of Arrow's MO anyway? Out of all of the actors with some major cult/geek cred they cast [ben Browder, Summer Glau, Nic Lea, Jeri Ryan], pretty much none of them ended up making the best of it. Barrowman seems to be the exception. Well, David Nykl has some cult cred, and got fun stuff to do as Anatoly, but he's been gone from the show for a super long time now.

[AyChihuahua]

Nic Lea was in this thing, either Once a Thief or To Catch a Thief (no relation to the Cary Grant film), with the dude from "Mother May I Sleep With Danger" (also later episodes of Charmed) and I loved it so.  He's great, and yeah, I def wish he had a meatier part.

[statsgirl]

On the other hand,at least they're treating everyone equally. even major geek characters like Seven of Nine or John Crichton.

 

I demand David Nykl come back for the Bratva season. Anatoly promised to teach Oliver Russian.

[Morrigan2575]

I'm actually expecting Ryan Robbins to be underused on Arrow.  I was pretty impressed with him in the last episodes of Continuum [which ended like, two weeks ago], and I loved loved LOVED his character on Sanctuary.

I remember him from Falling Skies (before I quit).  He's was entertaining in the role and managed to take a one note character and make him one of my favorites...which wasn't easy on that show (bad, bad, show).

 

I forgot he was on Arrow, I normally don't pay that much attention to the Flashbacks but when I heard him speak I perked up...Tector?!  

 

Sadly, the actress playing Poppy is horrible, I really hope they're watching the dailies and limiting her scenes because she does not have much range at all

Edited October 27, 2015 by Morrigan2575

[BkWurm1]

I think one of the reasons they may have hired a low-key actress is that they didn't want her to be any threat to Olicity, even if she is in the past.  I remember when the news first came out that there was going to be a FB love interest, I wanted her to go evil or at least not be a nice person so that she wouldn't take anything away from Olicity.

 

It seems like they've decided to go with having her be a good person as opposed to an Isabel but I guess the trade-off is that she's not particularly sparkling.

I watched ER this summer in Mr. Robot and she was very effective in her role, but it was not a warm character in the least. So far with Poppy, they haven't written anything to make her memorable and the actress hasn't emoted enough to fill in the blanks so at this point, I just have no feel for what the character is supposed to be.  Would they have skipped a chemistry test for just a flashback LI?  Cause right now, I'm getting anti-chem vibes between she and Oliver. 

 

I am holding out hopes that Poppy will still end up being evil or at least have her own agenda because this actress can pull that off very well.  I have to think there is a reason why she was hired so....

[dtissagirl]

I think you're confusing Elysia Rotaru with Stephanie Corneliussen? She was on Mr Robot, and got cast in LoT.

[BkWurm1]

Oops.  You are totally right. 

 

Well, there goes my confidence. 

[kismet]

So far with Poppy, they haven't written anything to make her memorable and the actress hasn't emoted enough to fill in the blanks so at this point, I just have no feel for what the character is supposed to be.  Would they have skipped a chemistry test for just a flashback LI?  Cause right now, I'm getting anti-chem vibes between she and Oliver. 

 

I am holding out hopes that Poppy will still end up being evil or at least have her own agenda because this actress can pull that off very well.  I have to think there is a reason why she was hired so....

Maybe they are using her to channel O/L anti-chemistry. See audience SA/OQ has had anti-chemistry with other people? Remember how bad that was. That is why O/F is a good pairing in the future because it has chemistry. And chemistry makes better scenes. The writers are using the pairing as a literal comparison/reflection of what it could be. 

 

I'm also holding out for Poppy being bad & evil.

Edited October 31, 2015 by kismet

[BkWurm1]

At least evil would be interesting.

[Angel12d]

I don't think we can really judge this flashback love interest yet because they've barely interacted so far. I'm not seeing anything there yet and I can't picture the two of them together at all but I also don't get much from her character. I can't tell if she's supposed to be good or bad. Is she a mole? I mean, she helps the other workers and stole the drugs to give them pain relief but still let some of them get killed or badly injured before she confessed. Not exactly a nice thing to do. 

 

And because I'm not really seeing this really dark Oliver yet, I still wonder if he's putting his trust in this woman and it turns out she's really playing him and then he'll go dark. I don't know. I just don't get much from the flashbacks at all.

[bijoux]

And because I'm not really seeing this really dark Oliver yet, I still wonder if he's putting his trust in this woman and it turns out she's really playing him and then he'll go dark. I don't know. I just don't get much from the flashbacks at all.

 

This is why I hope she's bad. Otherwise, the only impression I've got from her so far is unwise. I'm not even talking about not stepping in to stop other people from dying. Fear can be a nasty thing. I don't blame her for that, not really. I'm talking about her constantly yapping at Oliver who as far as she knows could have dropped her at any point. And she hasn't been portrayed as having a death wish or being that resigned to everything in other instances.

[kismet]

Poppy kinda reminds me of those annoying people that follow you around yapping away until you accept that they are not going anywhere. She is an annoying shadow. It's like getting stuck at work with the most annoying trainee ever. You have to train them, take care of them and be nice to them because they will eventually be your co-worker.

 

They're a burden. I really want her to be something more since we're stuck watching her. We have enough of the show weakening the story & the fight scenes to account for deadweight and shifting dynamics in the present. I do not need that in the flashbacks too.

[AyChihuahua]

This is why I hope she's bad. Otherwise, the only impression I've got from her so far is unwise. I'm not even talking about not stepping in to stop other people from dying. Fear can be a nasty thing. 

100% agree, except then she really shouldn't have stolen the drugs from the violent evil drug lords in the first place.

[AyChihuahua]

On rewatch, I have more questions about Poppy.  Why did she steal a whole "cake"?  This drug gets you "higher than the Empire State [building]," so that seems like an awful lot to steal, and an awful lot to use, even for a group.  Did she really think the drug lords didn't keep track of the drug?  Also, if it gets people so high, why didn't the guards notice their prisoners were high?

[Morrigan2575]

Is it me or is Curtis a bit of a Marty Stu?  He's super intelligent and a Bronze Medal Decathlete who's already helping TA? 

[Sakura12]

I was wondering why he's needed. It seems like he does everything Felicity used to do. I understand that Felicity is CEO of a company but we don't see that occupying her time all that much. 

[Angel12d]

Is it me or is Curtis a bit of a Marty Stu?  He's super intelligent and a Bronze Medal Decathlete who's already helping TA? 

 

He is but he'll never get called that because he was in the comics and he's a man! Felicity's intelligent and can do all manner of things and yet she's a Mary Sue. I can't with the double standards.

 

I do like Curtis, I think EK has great energy as the character, but I'm not liking it at the sacrifice of Felicity and her abilities. 

[statsgirl]

I don't mind that Felicity is assigning Curtis things that she could do herself for two reasons:  first, it gets her out of the IT hole and shows that she's the boss now  (so hopefully people will stop saying that they want her to go back to the comic relief of the first two seasons), and second that it frees her up to do 'more important' work.

 

She was there when Quentin needed to know what it was that DD gave him to do so she's still involved in the Arrow action and she's getting cute scenes with Oliver. She's just not doing the drudge work.

[dtissagirl]

Yeah, this. ^^

The reason I'm super fine with Felicity delegating everything that has to do with Palmer's storyline to Curtis so far is UUUUGH, PALMER. He doesn't even GO here. Let the minion deal with C-plot creepster while Felicity is busy with the A-plot.

[kismet]

I just wish they better delineated the power structure between Curtis & FS. I agree that a loto fw hat she asks him to do is simple delegation. But he needs to start reporting to her. He needs to feel like her inferior at least from a power structure. Like when he was texting her the gibberish, he should have been called into her office. Not her going to him almost all the time.

 

I get that they might be trying to pay homage to s1 when OQ would go to her with little tasks. It made for adorable moments. But the biggest difference is OQ was never FS's boss, FS is Curtis's boss. Curtis should be showing up to her CEO office and reporting back on the tasks she delegated to him. It would be two-fold in making FS seem more CEO like and Curtis seem like he is doing stuff for FS because she is uber busy to even come down to his workspace, not that she can't do what she asked.

[JenMD]

he should have been called into her office. Not her going to him almost all the time.

 

 

I'm blanking right now, have we seen her in her CEO office yet this season?  I can only recall seeing her in the board room in 4.01 and then visiting Curtis in the lab.   I just figure she's always going to him because they only had the time/money/energy to build/dress one permanent work set (at least, so far) and it was the lab since they can do so many different tech type things in there.  (Corrections welcome if I'm missing something obvious.)

[kismet]

I'm blanking right now, have we seen her in her CEO office yet this season?  I can only recall seeing her in the board room in 4.01 and then visiting Curtis in the lab.   I just figure she's always going to him because they only had the time/money/energy to build/dress one permanent work set (at least, so far) and it was the lab since they can do so many different tech type things in there.  (Corrections welcome if I'm missing something obvious.)

I do not believe we have seen it. I do not remember it, if we did. You make a valid point about time/money/energy to build/dress one permanent work set. But it shouldn't be too hard to make a CEO office. They had an office set last season. It does not appear that they have converted the old PT office into anything else. If anything it has been used as Curtis's workspace. The set dept is usually inventive. This set dept was able to use the PT set to make a living space for RP. It wasn't great, but it got the job done. So I put more of the blame on script direction for why FS is always going to Curtis and not the other way around.

 

I guess my point would be until we actually need Curtis to be inventing his T-spheres. The majority of his scenes should be shot on her turf in her space. They could even show his space as her space if its a set issue. On a script level, by having the direction read that Curtis comes to see FS, it makes FS seem more CEO like. Or if they don't want to do that. FS could make comments about how she is very busy now as CEO to someone. Instead the show has decided to neither tell us or show us how busy she is with CEOing. So her delegation seems less out of necessity and more like she doesn't have the skill set anymore. It makes Curtis seem like her equal when he is not her equal yet.

[statsgirl]

I think I'd rather have Felicity go down to Curtis' workstation to ask him about things.  That set, with all its toys and things that go boom, has to be more exciting than seeing her in a CEO office.

 

Seeing what a CEO does is pretty boring. Here, Felicity, sign another paper. Read another report.  The only time we saw Walter's office was when he called Felicity in to get her to do something, and while that might work with Curtis to some extend, it wouldn't for scenes like when Curtis decodes Ray's sekrit message.

 

Just in terms of visual and energy, this works better for me.