Board Thread:Arrow discussions/@comment-807326-20170202010018/@comment-25811707-20170202172937

Kir the Wizard wrote:

Aspiring wrote: The writers need to just outright say they hate Katie Cassidy and Laure Lance. Or maybe, just maybe, they had to change plans because Katie had other projects/obligations?

Considering that Wendy Miracle first said Laurel will come back via Flashpoint, then we've got that preview scene of Oliver telling Diggle that she's back on the team as the BC, and then it turned out that she's IMMEDIATELY ousted as the Black Siren in the actual episode. Obviously, a reshot happened, and a change of plans (IMMEDIATELY integrating the supposed "bad cop" character into the role of a new BC).

I suspect it's related to why they couldn't get Sears, or NPH: they have other projects. IIRC, Katie is starring in a movie. Which is why they could only get her as "special appearance" on the shows, rather than as a main cast member. Probably the reason they had Ollie telling Diggle was because they made a second scene to throw off the watchers so they would not think that Laurel was a villain.