Stephen’s Q&A Answers HVFF Atlanta

So… before we get into the Q&A, I’m going to post this:

See… here’s the thing. I don’t actually have a beef with WHAT Stephen said. However, there is a sales technique required here. Some may not hear what he said because of how he said it. He could have said what he said and then added THIS (re see above) and diffuse A LOT of the issues. Everybody needs to go to their corners and regroup. Everybody is angry and defensive on all sides, and I get that, but it’s time to find the middle ground here.

So, let’s talk about what Steve said (X) (X). Now, these are MY opinions because that’s what Something To Live For is about. lol I’m not telling you what to think and I’m not saying you have to agree with me. Cool? Let’s dig in.

Yes, this is a TV show and this is what TV shows do, ESPECIALLY ON THE CW NETWORK. Really, what Stephen said isn’t ALL that different from what Marc said to me at SDCC (X) (X). I’m getting some “Do you still believe what Marc said to you?” “Do you think Marc lied?” questions.

Uhhh…. yes I do believe it and no I don’t think he lied. Sometimes I think people heard “rebuild” and “Olicity centric episode in 5x05″ and that’s it. I had, in total, about a 30 minute conversation with Marc. We talked about A LOT of things, but the one thing he said to me over and over and over and over again was this:

Please be patient.

In fact, he was begging me (and the fandom) for patience. They are balancing art and business here. Marc was very clear. The found out that Arrow was going to run longer than five years and they needed to slow Olicity down. PERIOD. That’s what’s going on here. That’s the business side of this you guys and that’s just what television is. They have X amount of story to tell in X amount of years and they are trying to balance that against making a buck. Same as any other TV show on any other network. Arrow will never be ONLY about art.

Marc also said Olicity would be a long journey this season. You know what long journey is code for? SEASON LONG. That’s not Episode 5 or 7 or 9. That’s 23 episodes Marc was asking me to buckle up for.

Television shows find something successful, like a couple, and then they milk the ever loving crap out of it, especially on The CW network. Honestly, I can’t think of a television show I’ve watched that hasn’t done this. Do they eventually pull the trigger and let the couple be together and happy? Yup. When does that happen? Typically five or six years into the TV show. Some don’t. Some wait until the last season. Some wait until the last episode.

Will it ever change? I don’t know. Maybe. But it’s probably not going to be The CW network to do it and Arrow isn’t going to be the show. Sorry. It’s not. That’s just reality. It is what it is. However, that doesn’t automatically make Arrow a crap television show.

However, I don’t think we’re a “last season/last episode” situation. I think we’re on the cusp of Arrow pulling that trigger. I’m not saying you have to like how Arrow is slowing the Olicity train down. I’m not saying you have to like how Arrow is milking Olicity. I don’t like everything they are doing. I would prefer not to dance this “other love interest” dance again. I don’t find that element to be new. They’ve done it. MANY TIMES. However, I am HOPING that whatever lessons Oliver and Felicity learn from it will be. I have to keep watching to find out though.

I kind of think Stephen is full of shit when he says fans should support those other love interests. That’s his defensiveness talking. I honestly believe Arrow doesn’t really expect us to fall in love with Oliver and Susan and Felicity and Billy. I think what they were expecting was more patience.

Yes, I agree with Stephen when he says television is not about getting what you want all the time. In fact, more often than not, it’s the opposite of that because that’s where the “drama” comes in. Quite frankly, I think that was Whedon’s compass for which direction to take Buffy. If it was what the audience wanted - he did the opposite. And yet… we watched because there was still quality story there.

Whether or not Arrow is still putting together quality story together is for YOU to decide. If the answer is yes, you keep watching. If the answer is no, you can stop watching. That’s the only real control we have as viewers.

Television is the antithesis of immediacy in storytelling. It’s not like a book, where you can control how quickly you finish it. It’s not like a movie or play when it’s finished in two hours. These stories are pieced out to us, week by week, over YEARS. This is a long haul my friends. Sometimes, that gets draining and frustrating. However, that’s the medium we are in.

A successful television series evolves over time. TV shows are always focused on introducing NEW elements so they can keep the show “fresh.” Some of those new elements are successful and become new core elements as a series ages. Sometimes those new elements are disasters we never want to revisit again. Storytelling is a lot about experimentation and THEY WILL MAKE MISTAKES. Frequently.

I know people love Olicity and Original Team Arrow. I do too. However, that’s never been what Arrow has only been about. Being the core to the show doesn’t mean that’s the sole focus of the show. It’s like Olicity and OTA are the trunk and everything else is the branches. If you only focus on the trunk of the tree, you are missing the full beauty of it. That’s what Stephen meant by letting Arrow become about only one thing - we’ll miss the bigger picture.

Now… you can only like OTA and Olicity. Those can be the only elements about Arrow you care about. However, I’m just going to caution you and say that you will probably always be disappointed with Arrow.

When people say they want to go back to only OTA or Olicity, I’m not exactly sure what period in the show they are referencing. Arrow hit on Oliver, Diggle and Felicity around mid Season 1. That “focus” lasted until 2A. So I guess I just answered my question. 1B - 2A. That’s when OTA was the primary Arrow cave focus. However, Diggle didn’t have an independent storyline and neither did Felicity.

The reason Arrow focused on OTA from 1B-2A was because it was NEW. Then, the story shifted again. Sara came. Then Roy. Then we moved into Season 3 with Laurel and Thea. There’s always been a rotation of a cast of new characters and new elements. Arrow decided that OTA would be the core. Meaning, essentially, the story would always remain central to these characters (they aren’t going anywhere) but it wouldn’t always FOCUS on these characters at all times. We would get snip its because that’s what Arrow does.

It’s the same with Olicity. When people scream for Season 1 or Season 2 Olicity I scream just as loud “NOOOOOOOO!” We actually had very few Olicity scenes in those seasons. We got snip its. Felicity’s role was extremely elevated in Season 3 and 4. I don’t think they are bumping her back down to her S1 or S2 level in S5, however I do think they are back burning Olicity at least through 5A because… THEY NEEDED TO SLOW THE STORY DOWN.

Some will say Arrow just needs to end then. Well, we’ll agree to disagree. I think Arrow is still churning out a quality product. Do I love everything? Nope, but there isn’t a season of Arrow that I don’t find some highly problematic aspects with. This show either does something spectacularly well or spectacularly bad. I find there to be very little middle ground. Occasionally, but not often. That’s fine. I accept what Arrow is and I meet it at its level.

I’m also not expecting the CW network to be something that it’s not. This is all about the back end for them. They want more seasons to sell to Netflix. That’s why ratings don’t matter. That’s why everything gets renewed. When they find a successful series it’s all about longevity to the CW because that’s how they make money. I also don’t expect CBS to do anything other than comedies and procedurals. I expect ABC and Shonda Rhimes will be going at it for several more years. And so on. Networks change and evolve, but the business strategy for the CW (which is essentially the WB) has not changed for twenty years.

Do I think Arrow serves the core characters well all the time? Nope. I think they need to redirect in 5B, but that also goes to Stephen’s point that episode 7 isn’t even one third of the season yet. Perhaps a refocus on OTA is coming. David has said it is. We have to watch and see.

However, part of creating new elements is establishing those elements. They have to give new characters screen time. My only personal complaint is that Arrow would utilize its large cast more. Allow these different characters to interact with one another. Let Diggle and Felicity talk. Let Thea and Felicity talk. Let Wild Dog and Lance have a scene. And so on. Spin the board. Right now we’re getting a lot of the same characters talking over and over again (Felicity/Curtis, Diggle/Wild Dog, Thea/Lance). I want Arrow to mix it up and I think that’s something they struggle with and I feel that’s a fair criticism. Now that these new characters are established, hopefully a spin is coming.

Stephen was also trying to bring perspective. Oliver and Felicity not being together is not the worst thing Arrow could do. Felicity could be dead. Please, in the Holy Mother’s name, do not send me messages panicking that Arrow is killing Felicity Smoak. That’s not what Stephen meant. Marc has also assured me that they would never do that. THEY ARE NOT KILLING FELICITY.

However, there was a time people were worrying about that. It wasn’t so long ago. Remember the “Who’s in the grave?” panic last season? Remember how impossible it was to kill Laurel Lance? I do. I was ridiculed for a straight year for thinking Arrow would do it. So, all those comic book fans cheering when Stephen said, “You don’t get what you want all the time” ummm…. he was talking about YOU too. That reference to Felicity dying? That was a reference to LAUREL DYING. Arrow killed their fave.

Are they occasionally bringing her back to a guest stint? Sure, but that in no way compares to our fave, who is still alive and kicking, is the female lead of the show, and will probably eventually reunite with the male lead of the show. Olicity fans don’t have it that bad. So, I’d stop clapping comic book fans.



Sometimes TV shows send one half of a ship to a different show/network. Here’s to you Bangel and Klaroline fans.



Sometimes TV shows kill one half of a ship. Here’s to you Clexa, Lauriver, Outlaw Queen, Snerk, MerDer, every Shonda ship ever, Wesley/Fred, Tara/Willow, every Whedon ship ever, (and the thousands of others I’m forgetting) fans.

Sometimes TV shows never put a couple together even though fans are desperate for it. Here’s to you Benson & Stabler fans (and 20 procedurals I’ve stopped watching because that’s what procedurals do).

Sometimes TV shows have one half of your ship bang the other half of your ship’s brother. Here’s to you Stelena fandom.

Sometimes the actor who plays one half of your ship decides to leave the show. Here’s to you Delena fans.

Sometimes your ship doesn’t end up together. Here’s to you Barney & Robin, Will & Alicia, Lucas & Brooke, Dawson & Joey, Felicity & Noel, Ryan & Amber fans…. and the list goes on forever.

As of right now, Arrow has focused either indirectly or directly on Olicity for 6 out of the last 7 episodes. The NARRATIVE is basically still all about Olicity. Yes, they are dating different people, but this is hardly apocalypse level in terms of television storylines my friends. The minute Arrow drops Olicity I’ll be the first to let you know. I’m still waiting for that to happen though. I think I’ll be waiting for quite awhile.

Okay. So that’s what I agree with Stephen on. Here’s what I take issue with him on. There is a WAY to say that to fans, who have just dropped an incredible amount of money on a convention to come see you, that is not quite so defensive. Personally, I think that question was polite. I’m sure Stephen got other questions throughout the day that weren’t as polite. I’m sure this made Stephen defensive about Olicity going into the Q&A.

Understandble, but… tough cookies. These conventions are one big “SELL ARROW’ to Arrow fans. The venue matters. This is a different forum than promos or interviews or hell even Twitter. This is a hyper specific, niche crowd. The Olicity fandom are Arrow fans and selling to them is also part of selling Arrow, especially at a convention. They also are a large part of the convention attendees. I don’t have a beef with what Stephen said. I have a problem with how he packaged it. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Perhaps phrase it a little gentler and then toss in a little positivity about Olicity similar to the statement I posted above. It’s not hard. While his statements were accurate the tone made it very difficult for some fans to hear it.

This doesn’t have to be one extreme or the other. We can find middle ground here. That’s all I’m saying. It’s kind of like when Marc fires off a tweet about entitled shippers. Sigh. Yeah, I get why they are defensive but NOT HELPING BOYS!!!!

This is how the game is played and Stephen KNOWS this is how the game is played, so drop the ego and the attitude a little, and just play it. You’ll make all kinds of money on your wine, conventions, t-shirts, movies and so on. Let’s not try to reconfigure the arrangement five years in because you are sick of fans asking Olicity questions at conventions and it is getting more attention than YOUR individual storyline.

This fandom isn’t actually that difficult to please and get excited. Look how excited we were about Marc’s 5x09 spoiler. So, that’s why I’m saying they just need to ease up a little. Let’s stop hitting this same nail so hard and shift into a little more positivity.

Now, here’s where maybe I veer off a little bit from others. Stephen Amell thinks the most important part of Oliver and Felicity is their partnership and their ability to save the city together. “Canoodling” is secondary.

Great. That’s Stephen’s opinion and he’s more than entitled to his opinion. I love when Stephen and I agree. Over the course of the show, I’ve agreed with him more than I’ve disagreed with him. However, I’m cool when we don’t agree.

Here’s what it boils down to for me. I don’t need Stephen or Marc or Wendy or Emily or David or Willa or ANYONE to tell me why I like Arrow. I don’t need them to tell me why I should watch Arrow. They are more than entitled to their opinions, but Stephen’s opinion is no more valid than my own. So all those who are heartbroken over his statements - don’t give others so much power over your opinion. You love Olicity and think the canoodling is most important part. THAT’S ABSOLUTELY VALID. You can love it for that and if Stephen doesn’t love it for the same reasons, it doesn’t make what you feel about the story any less real or important.

I’m also adamant in my belief that I don’t look to the actors or writers for hope. It’s wonderful when they give it. I love it when they do. It’s certainly a fun and positive way to engage with fans. However, I am not devastated when they don’t. I look at Arrow. I look at the show. From my standpoint, I see plenty of evidence to be hopeful for Olicity’s future. If that ever changes I will certainly amend my opinion, but I’m five years running here and I have yet to see any evidence that Arrow is abandoning the love story they’ve created.



I’d also like to say that nowhere did Stephen say Olicity is over. He’s simply telling fans they don’t control the show and that’s true. However, Arrow can’t control what fans like or don’t like. So, Arrow is going to do what Arrow is going to do and YOU get to decide if you are going to watch. That’s it. That’s the relationship between viewer and show.

I also don’t put that much importance on the promotion either. The only promotion for Arrow that really mattered to me was Season 1 when they aired the commercial for the pilot. Since then… I didn’t need a commercial to tell me to watch Arrow. Do I think the CW network has their head up their ass? Yes. Do I think the promotional department is a hot freaking mess? You bet. Has been for YEARS. Trust me, Arrow is not the first show they’ve illogically promoted. However, at the end of the day, when I watch Arrow… I like it. That’s more important to me than the marketing and it always will be.

If Arrow is making you so angry every week that you want to throw things at it, and you are simply not enjoying it, I encourage you to change the channel. This should be fun. This should be entertaining. I’m watching because I am entertained. However, if you stay watching then you need to own that choice. There’s something you are still getting out of the experience. There are some, I believe, that are equally entertained by hating a show as they are by loving it. You control your viewing experience.

Listen, my patience with Arrow isn’t never ending. Season 5 is a big year for me. There’s a lot I think will be make or break. There’s a lot I think they need to move down the field. I’m curious to see where the season is going and when it’s over I’ll evaluate what I think of it like I do every other year. My hope is Season 5 will be a chapter close in many ways. I hope they will close the book on the flashbacks. I hope they will evolve Oliver to a point he can let go of his past. I hope they will let him become the superhero he’s destined to be. And… I hope Olicity is back together. Then, going forward I hope we get to see a new kind of Arrow where Oliver is just the Green Arrow. The origin story closes out and we just get to watch him be Batman for lack of a better comparison. That’s what I’m hoping for. So far, I think the narrative is driving towards that and I remain hopeful. Maybe it’ll happen. Maybe it won’t. I’m going to watch and see. Just like every other season. For those who are willing to join me… I am so happy to be sharing in this very loooong road with you :)