TV Titanics: Arrow Season 4

And we are back for TV Titanics. Thought we would check in on Starling City's Emerald Archer and crew. This is Arrow Season 4.

Vigilante carpooling is rough.  Bet Batman doesn't have to.

When last we left them, tension was high when even his own crew thought Ollie (Stephen Amell of Hung, Private Practice, Heartland, Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Arrow and The Flash) was believed to have join Ras al Ghul (Matt Nable of Killer Elite, Riddick, Son of a Gun and Hacksaw Ridge) and his quest to eradicate evil by the most extreme of measures, including unleashing a terminal virus in his own city. Ollie thwarts and even kills off Ras but the trust of his team has been damaged. He and Felcity (Emily Bett Rickards of Soldiers of the Apocalypse, Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story, Arrow, Arrow: Blood Rush, Normal Doors, Vixen and The Flash) head off to the suburbs to play house and Ollie appears to be genuinely happy.

Knocked, locked and ready to rock.

So of course Thea a.k.a. Speedy (Willa Holland of The O.C., A Summer in Genoa, Legion, Straw Dogs, Tiger Eyes, Gossip Girl and Arrow) and former girlfriend/assistant district attorney/crimefighter Black Canary (Katie Cassidy of 7^th Heaven, Black Christmas, Spin, Supernatural, Harper's Island, Melrose Place, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Arrow The Wolves at the Door) so up explaining about high-tech robberies, paramilitary trained and armed men and an end game they cannot predict. They need the Arrow.

Dr. Palmer, (Brandon Routh of Superman Returns, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Fling, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Chuck, Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow) boy billionaire with his high-tech super suit...say that sounds vaguely familiar but I think Robert Downey Jr.did that better.  Oh well.   An experiment caused the top floor of what is now Palmer Consolidated to explode and no sign of Palmer anywhere. Leaving Felicity as the acting head of the company.

Villain monologue, people. Take 5.

Diggle a.k.a. Spartan (David Ramsey of Con Air, The Good News, All of Us, Dexter, Outlaw and Blue Bloods) has reservations with working with Ollie again after his shadow-play with Ras damn near got the mother of his child almost killed. With all this drama, clearly we need a main villain. Enter Damien Dahrk (Neal McDonough of Star Trek: First Contact, The Incredible Hulk, Ravenous, Band of Brothers, Captain America: The First Avenger, RED 2 and Mob City) a man with an organization, drive, ambition and sights on ruining this city and many others.

Will Darhk put the city's lights out? Will Team Arrow be able to recover??

This season gets to expand well on Season 3's existing story line making Thea a weapon thanks to "Daddy" Malcolm Merlyn via John Barrowman and his League of Assassins. Also Team-ups occuring with other DC characters like Hawkman, Hawkgirl, along with the Flash (Grant Gustin of 90210, Glee, Affluenza, Superhero Fight Club, Vixen, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash) being further established. So yeah the budget got upped, performances are a bit over the top, we have magic, metahumans and all thing expected of this comic book universe. And did I mention a new lightweight nomex kevlar body armor and hood combo?

Gimme some sugar, baby.

TV and Movie Medley: Arrow Season 3

Howdy readers! Sorry for the delay! Abrupt moving is a trifle hectic but what can you do about that? For the time being there will be fewer posts but that is mostly due to work, looking for a new apartment and dealing with Californians. That being said, let's get on with today's topic. As Season 2 wrapped up, Queen and his growing band of merry men (insert pervy or Robin Hood joke here) had defeated the awesome might of Deathstroke a.k.a. Slade Wilson and his Mirakuru super soldiers from destroying Starling City...and pretty sure Ollie left town to hit the island and work on his tan. This is Arrow Season 3.

Fighting skills by the League, Hair by Paul Mitchell.

Ollie ( Stephen Amell of Hung, Private Practice, Heartland, Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Arrow and The Flash) is leading his team against crime with Roy Harper as Arsenal (Colton Haynes of The Gates, Look, Teen Wolf, Arrow, Arrow: Blood Rush and Triumph) Diggle (David Ramsey of Con Air, The Good News, All of Us, Dexter, Outlaw and Blue Bloods) and tech support/hacker Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards of Soldiers of the Apocalypse, Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story, Arrow, Arrow: Blood Rush, Normal Doors, Vixen and The Flash) as they deal with the aftermath of Slade's super soldiers, petty crime and the impending "Big Bad" of the season. Queen is attempting to make "The Arrow" a symbol of justice and not a killer as he was as "The Hood" but it is slow going.

Meet your Mystery Date!!

 

With the loss of Queen Consolidated to a perspective buyer a one Dr. Raymond Palmer (Brandon Routh of Superman Returns, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Fling, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Chuck, Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow) whose technological savvy, marketing and being a beacon of enterprising hope breathes new life into Starling City with the hopes of prosperity and much needed capital. But does Palmer have...other ideas as well? With his brief encounters with the League of Assassins, a friend has fallen and a mystery needs unraveling. As if that was not terrifying enough, Ollie is being weighed and measured by Ras al Ghul (Matt Nable of Killer Elite, Riddick, Son of a Gun and Hacksaw Ridge) but to what end? Does he view Ollie as a threat, potential ally or hell he may be going the route of Bruce Wayne/Batman in the comics and looking for an heir to the throne.

Thwack!

What does this hold for the city?? How come no one has up and outright abandoned this town??? How long can they stand this level of madness??

This season brings out some new characters of note including the Atom of the Justice League, Nyssa Al Ghul and some reprising characters as well. The budget got steroids for the season and my God the stunt coordinators earned their money from gun fights, mixed martial arts, grappling attacks and tons of wire work. The story progresses well, the flashbacks embodies Ollie as a whole but dammit the only well rounded female character is an assassin. Yeah CW, not every girl needs to be the following one note concept: Bitchy, judgemental, clingy, ambivalent or pathetic. Not a good way to portray women CW. 

Hey kids, it's Clark Kent!!!