Arrow

[Evil Sneak]

Wow just watched the last episode, and I must say this is the first episode that the cast's performance didn't make me want to scratch my own eyes out. They actually showed some charm and personality. This was Willa Holland's & Steven Amnell's best episode to date. I actually got a sense that they were a family. It was nice.

Maybe the show has turned a corner and they've started to find a groove. Here's hoping.

[Zak213]

I'm wondering if I'm the only one who thinks the computer chick should be Bonnie king than Felicity smoak who is Ronnie Raymond's stepmom?

Just thought it would be more worthwhile to tie more GA stuff into the show.

[Blueferret]

I'm wondering if I'm the only one who thinks the computer chick should be Bonnie king than Felicity smoak who is Ronnie Raymond's stepmom?

Just thought it would be more worthwhile to tie more GA stuff into the show.

Lol. That's what I keep thinking. Felicity Smoak was a random name to pull for the show creators.

[Blueferret]

Interesting finale, laying the seeds for the rest of the season. I still think the Merlyn's have an Osborne type deal going on when everything's said and done.

[KingofMadCows]

I wonder who the author of the list is. I'm hoping that it's either Ra's al Ghul or Maxwell Lord.

[Kalen O.]

We are not going to see superpowered characters on this show, Phil. As of right now, this show is a street level crime/vigilante show. That is what it has established itself as, its what audiences are tuning in to see, and revealing halfway through the season, that surprise, we actually have superpowers in this universe would be considered a betrayal of their initial audience. Its Writing 101. You don't change your genre halfway through. Regardless of the fact that there's nothing inherent in the show that specifically says superpowers can't exist in this universe, introducing them this late in the game would still be a genre/tone change, and even if the producers were fine taking that risk, the network wouldn't be. They've built a good show with a solid fanbase thus far. You don't risk alienating your audience by blindsiding them with a completely unforeshadowed 'twist' like superpowers.

Not to mention, we're not talking about the producers changing their mind or going back on their word on a plot point, storyline or character direction. For them to introduce superpowers into a show they by their own words conceived as not having superpowers would be a shift to their entire vision of the show. From the producers' POV, it makes zero sense for them to do that. Its hard enough getting a show on the air, once you have that show on the air you don't jeopardize that by trying to turn it into something else, especially not if its already working. And from the network's POV, it makes no sense for them to do it either. The show works the way it is. You don't mess with that by turning it into something else.

[90'sCartoonMan]

I like Ollie showing more of his humanity, particularly his desire to get more in touch with his family. The action was pretty cool too, loved the exploding arrow/door trick. Good cliffhanger to leave us on until new episodes start up again.

We are not going to see superpowered characters on this show, Phil. As of right now, this show is a street level crime/vigilante show. That is what it has established itself as, its what audiences are tuning in to see, and revealing halfway through the season, that surprise, we actually have superpowers in this universe would be considered a betrayal of their initial audience. Its Writing 101. You don't change your genre halfway through.

Not that I expect Arrow to, but Smallville kind of changed from its original concept. In the beginning, the only super powers that existed came from meteor rock mutations, and Clark himself being an alien. As the series progressed, there was magic, metahumans of various origins, and other types of aliens.

[Legato]

I wonder who the author of the list is. I'm hoping that it's either Ra's al Ghul or Maxwell Lord.

The latter as I doubt they'd put Ra's on the show, considering.

[Kalen O.]

I like Ollie showing more of his humanity, particularly his desire to get more in touch with his family. The action was pretty cool too, loved the exploding arrow/door trick. Good cliffhanger to leave us on until new episodes start up again.



Not that I expect Arrow to, but Smallville kind of changed from its original concept. In the beginning, the only super powers that existed came from meteor rock mutations, and Clark himself being an alien. As the series progressed, there was magic, metahumans of various origins, and other types of aliens.

True enough, but you're still talking about a show that originated as sci-fi essentially expanding its definition of sci-fi as the show went on. Even Zatanna was treated less as magic and more as just something unexplained. Arrow on the other hand is a show whose only 'unreal' elements are in keeping with most action movies, there's nothing in either the concept or the world we've been introduced to that lends itself to science fiction, so the introduction of superpowers would be a gamechanger in a way that adding the Martian Manhunter and Aquaman weren't to Smallville.

[KurtW95]

I wonder who the author of the list is. I'm hoping that it's either Ra's al Ghul or Maxwell Lord.

Could it be Waller?

[Kalen O.]

Could it be Waller?

I can't say for sure without watching the episode again but I could've sworn Merlyn referred to the author of the list as a he.

[KingofMadCows]

The latter as I doubt they'd put Ra's on the show, considering.

They've already put Deadshot and Deathstroke into the show. Firefly is going to be on the show and there's an episode coming up called "Vertigo."

Could it be Waller?

I doubt it's Waller since she works for the government so they'd have to change her backstory quite a bit to have her be involved.

[Phil Clark]

We are not going to see superpowered characters on this show, Phil. As of right now, this show is a street level crime/vigilante show. That is what it has established itself as, its what audiences are tuning in to see, and revealing halfway through the season, that surprise, we actually have superpowers in this universe would be considered a betrayal of their initial audience. Its Writing 101. You don't change your genre halfway through. Regardless of the fact that there's nothing inherent in the show that specifically says superpowers can't exist in this universe, introducing them this late in the game would still be a genre/tone change, and even if the producers were fine taking that risk, the network wouldn't be. They've built a good show with a solid fanbase thus far. You don't risk alienating your audience by blindsiding them with a completely unforeshadowed 'twist' like superpowers.

I never said that they would introduce superpowers, only that they could. And I NEVER said it would/could or should be in Season one. What I thought I said, and what I meant if I didn't say it explicitly, is that if the show goes on long enough (and the ratings start to slip) then one way to breathe potential new life into the series is to have someone with powers show up. Start off small and if that character does produce a spike in the sagging ratings, then you do another and another.

Using the "Its writing 101" justification just doesn't fly with me. This show is a superhero show, period. Batman (with no powers) is a superhero. So is Green Arrow, and Hawkeye, and Black Widow, and several others. So if people are tuning in to watch a superhero show, it isn't a genere/tone change. It is a minor shift to a larger world of heroes and villains. An escalation if you will.

But as I said, not something you do right away. It is something to have in your back pocket for a few seasons down the road to help potentially bolster sagging ratings.

[Surtur]

Plus let us be honest..GA seems to be doing some borderline superhuman things with his arrows already. I can't imagine anyone being upset at powers being introduced. Superpowers are a staple of the DCU. They don't have to be walking physical gods like on Smallville, but low level meta's would fit right in IMO. Powers that simply give you an edge instead of an automatic win.

Hell Green Arrows friggin main girlfriend in comics is known for her super powered sonic scream.

[KingofMadCows]

I doubt that they'd have stuff like magic spells, aliens, or even metahumans but I think they'll definitely have some science fiction and mysticism. So they'll probably have powers based on James Bondian gadgets or maybe some kind of cybernetics/robotics and ancient martial arts techniques that allow people to achieve super human feats.