Arrow Season 3 continued (spoilers)

[red snow]

I thought CW were in talks for Atom and F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. spin offs. Doubt Ray is dead unless he asks for too much money to justify the spin off

Half of Firestorm is in the confirmed spin-off and I think Atom has been included in the cast as well.

While the treatment he received this episode isn't atypical at all (at least these days they usually acknowledge that he exists, something they didn't necessarily do during his early days as Ollie's sidekick), I doubt it's leading anywhere. The writers simply seem to have lost interest in him. Which is a shame, because I actually like this calm, relatively competent and reasonable version of the character.

I was mainly being flippant with the drugs comment. I do think Ray needs to have a "I'm getting a bit tired of all this crap". Then again, one of the reasons I like the character is that he just tends to keep his head down and when faced with a secret let's people know. It probably wouldn't help for him to join the whiny crew even if it was justified.

[Bastard of Boston]

The random identical twin sister you happen to bump into and never knew about? Really lame. I didn't think they did that thing on TV anymore.

Other than that, I'm excited at the prospect of nanotech finding its way into Ray's story. A precursor to shrinking? I admit, I was initially worried when he was in the hospital bed...felt like they were going to use the "He needs his suit to live" angle. They just April-fooled me, though.

[Jaxom 1974]

I'm looking past the twin sister ploy, only because the flashbacks are useless anyway...

That was a solid episode otherwise. I knew Oliver was going to be outed somehow this season. Not sure the genie is gong back in the bottle completely.

[Jon AS]

Pointless flashback is pointless. Unless they want to bring the actress back in the present day, I guess. But don't they already have more than enough people in the cast?

That was a solid episode otherwise. I knew Oliver was going to be outed somehow this season. Not sure the genie is gong back in the bottle completely.

There has to be a way to do that, because even if Lance comes around again neither that nor having the DA (or asssistant DA or whatever the hell Laurel's current day job is) on his side would prevent others from going after him for everything he's done. Particularly the rich and well-connected people he targeted in early season 1 (or in some cases their surviving next of kin) would love to get back at him.

[Mazrick]

Yeah, I'm thinking some of the time shenanigans over in Flash will be used to 'put the genie back in the bottle' as it were. I think I saw someone mention using it to bring Sara back, and that's a possibility, too.

I'm not sure how I feel about that, but its a possibility, I think.

[Quoth]

Other than that, I'm excited at the prospect of nanotech finding its way into Ray's story. A precursor to shrinking?

Yes. Yes! I hope so. But, if they go that route, will the bolts of electricity he can shoot be reduced to mere sparks? I'm picturing a super villian exclaming "Ouch!" ;)

[Jon Flow]

Anyone else notice in the Arrow/Arsenal/Atom fight during suicidal tendancies that Arrow never checked on Roy after he was essentially electrocuted?

[The BlackBear]

Anyone else notice in the Arrow/Arsenal/Atom fight during suicidal tendancies that Arrow never checked on Roy after he was essentially electrocuted?

Poor Ray. Not only did he get blasted, but Oliver didn't seem to check on him, nor did we see what happened to him. Poor Bastard.

Another of the Arrows comically implausible exits. Last week he fires a grappling hook at thin air, this week he leaves his partner unconscious face down in the dirt. And given that we didn't see him after that one has to assume he's still there.

On this episode, Ollie getting outed is interesting, I can only really see them using time shenanigans to reverse it though. Otherwise Arrow will have to lose his edge, or go down a constantly in hiding thing (which even Rorschach who's identity was secret didn't have to deal with.) And Roy's 'I am Spartacus!' moment surely came to late? Ollie has clearly confessed and the weight of evidence is against him. Now they're both going to prison.

[Corvinus85]

On this episode, Ollie getting outed is interesting, I can only really see them using time shenanigans to reverse it though. Otherwise Arrow will have to lose his edge, or go down a constantly in hiding thing (which even Rorschach who's identity was secret didn't have to deal with.) And Roy's 'I am Spartacus!' moment surely came to late? Ollie has clearly confessed and the weight of evidence is against him. Now they're both going to prison.

Except next episode preview shows Roy in an orange suit, and Ollie dressed normally talking to him from across the table.

From Lance's pov he really shouldn't be listening to anyone, and just arrest them all. But then he would have to admit his guilt at working directly with The Arrow for the past year.

[Jon Flow]

Yeah... no problem there. I can see the city suddenly backing Starling City's SUPER effective police department over the guy who constantly saves the city.

[Mexal]

No chance this gets reversed. The showrunners are about to totally fuck with the status quo.

[DaveSumm]

Yeah, time travel's a risky plot device even in its own series where it's been built up, there's no way in hell they'll use time travel to fuck with Arrow. My guess is Flash will depict an alternate Arrow, Sara will make it back to our universe somehow, never tell her family and head off to ATOM town, where ever that's going to be. No idea how Roy's gonna get off, maybe they somehow pin the early Arrow killings on the League? Seeing as they've been running about Starling in Arrow costumes anyway. Ollie could very easily step up as leader, fix all this, then bow out.

[Jaxom 1974]

No chance this gets reversed. The showrunners are about to totally fuck with the status quo.

For the record, I don't have a problem with it, but they need to embrace it.

My idea of the timeline being messed with was mainly concerned with Flash. It'd be a great crossover even if it doesn't bleed into Arrow proper. I do think that a messed with Flash timeline is the road to bringing Sara back.

[red snow]

That was a pretty terrible episode of TV in terms of hackneyed plots and stupidity yet it's still entertaining. Points of note

best-in-the-world Deadly assassins that can't sneak up on people

"i love you" plot/scene

identical twin sister

My dad has every possible exit to the city covered but didn't think of checking out all of Ollie's friends/employees houses out (the list isn't long and you'd think Lance could put the group together)

More specific to the show:

Oliver's resistance to doing the obvious and accepting the role of ra's and then disbanding the group - or you know, have them do something proactive.

I also find it really disappointing that Lance didn't solve Arrow's identity himself. It makes him stupid - even with his "I knew on some level" I'd have far preferred him accepting it on his own terms.

I hope they don't put the genie back in the bottle (especially with time travel cheating) as there's plenty of interesting things they could do. For one they could make Arrow and co a legit group (wouldn't happen in the real world but it isn't the real world). It would also remove the BS felcitiy/olly thing of "he's too dangerous" as everyone now knows who he is and that she's probably a target from now on anyhow

[Jon AS]

My dad has every possible exit to the city covered but didn't think of checking out all of Ollie's friends/employees houses out (the list isn't long and you'd think Lance could put the group together)

Would have been hilarious if a SWAT team stormed Thea's appartment to find Merlyn chilling on the couch. He and Oliver could be cellmates as the show turns into a wacky prison sitcom.

I also find it really disappointing that Lance didn't solve Arrow's identity himself. It makes him stupid - even with his "I knew on some level" I'd have far preferred him accepting it on his own terms.

That would have been the perfect moment for Lance to say 'Yeah, you think I haven't figured out by now that the guy who only shows up when Oliver Queen is in town, works closely with Oliver Queen's former bodyguard and personal assistant and hung out with my daughter after she came back from the dead and started dating Oliver is, in fact, Oliver Queen?'. Then he could have said that he was giving Oliver a chance to leave the vigilante life behind by not revealing his identity, making Oliver's decision to walk into the precinct and surrender to the authorities all the more powerful, instead of the anticlimax it turned out to be.

I hope they don't put the genie back in the bottle (especially with time travel cheating) as there's plenty of interesting things they could do.

Like putting Oliver in jail for a billion years or so for all the murders he commited? Not to mention that Diggle and Felicity would probably go down as his accomplices. But I maintain that the prison sitcom idea has potential.

It would also remove the BS felcitiy/olly thing of "he's too dangerous" as everyone now knows who he is and that she's probably a target from now on anyhow

It's not like she wouldn't have been a target before, what with her infiltrating mob casinos and playing bait for serial killers, nevermind her own criminal past. They are going to use that bs excuse for as long as they want, logic be damned (that's sort of their motto when writing interpersonal relationships on this show, anyway).

[red snow]

Would have been hilarious if a SWAT team stormed Thea's appartment to find Merlyn chilling on the couch. He and Oliver could be cellmates as the show turns into a wacky prison sitcom.

That would have been the perfect moment for Lance to say 'Yeah, you think I haven't figured out by now that the guy who only shows up when Oliver Queen is in town, works closely with Oliver Queen's former bodyguard and personal assistant and hung out with my daughter after she came back from the dead and started dating Oliver is, in fact, Oliver Queen?'. Then he could have said that he was giving Oliver a chance to leave the vigilante life behind by not revealing his identity, making Oliver's decision to walk into the precinct and surrender to the authorities all the more powerful, instead of the anticlimax it turned out to be.

The vigilante prison sitcom has a lot of potential. slade could guest star as well. Cheaper budget too unless they insist on exotic flashback stories that add nothing to the narrative.

If things had been played out this way with Lance it would have been far better. Maybe this is why I like Det West so much on Flash because he already know's Flash's identity and therefore isn't made out to be an idiot.

Roy's little confession seemed almost meta in the sense the actor probably wonders what the hell he's doing. He's still by far the most noble character on the show. It used to be Diggle but Diggle is a bit pro-secrets and I'm getting tired of his "Is there something you need to discuss with me" with Olly every other episode.

You're also right on the whole "it's ok because I used to be a murderer stance". I can imagine every serial killer trying that one - yeah but I haven't murdered anyone since the last victim.

Still, it's fun though. Is the doctor a member of the filmcrew? He seems to turn up far too often but not often enough to be a genuine actor?

[Jon Flow]

I think it's been mentioned but I'd love to see Arrow Season 4: Supermax.

[red snow]

I think it's been mentioned but I'd love to see Arrow Season 4: Supermax.

They've even got an old script lying around from the never got filmed movie if they want some ideas. Not sure they'd want to change the show that much but I can offer them a two birds one stone solution - season 4 is set x years from now and the flashbacks are the supermax storyline.

Sadly it can't happen because it's too intertwined with the Flash so unless that show jumped forward (big risk for a sophomore season) there's no chance. Which is one of the pitfalls of shared universe story telling.

[DivisionByZero]

I think it's been mentioned but I'd love to see Arrow Season 4: Supermax.

Arrow Season 4: Orange is the New Green.

[Jon Flow]

Okay... I like Arrow fine and I used it as an example of how DC owned small screens while Marvel owns the cinema. Then came Daredevil. I know it's not fair to compare the two because Arrow is on a network like the CW but to be honest it's like Andy of Mayberry vs The Wire.