User blog:Taw2541/Arrow's Biggest Problem (It's not Olicity)

Arrow Season 6 is finally over, and while in some ways it was not as bad as season 4 as it truly did have some good moments like Season 3 even if it was not well liked. Ultimately, it was a frustrating season with a frustrating season finale but it's biggest problem is finally revealed to me: Respect of the Characters. Alot of people, myself including believe that the relationship between Oliver and Felicity is Arrow's biggest problem and in some ways it is, but it's true issue is that at some point the writers of the show stop treating characters with respect and have made them unlikeable in alot ways. These are just a few examples.

Katie Cassidy's portrayal of Laurel Lance (Earth-1) is the biggest example of the show's disrespectful treatment of it characters. Killing her off was the show's biggest mistake, there reason because they believe that she just ran out of story material and that is COMPLETE CRAP. I hate Olicity, but maybe it would not bug me so much if they didn't kill off Laurel partly because it, I mean who wouldn't find it difficult to be a guy who cheated on you with your own sister and knock up some random girl with a one-night stand. Black Canary and Green Arrow should be a thing but they don't have to be as painful as it is for me to say that. Laurel had plenty of stories left in her: she could have trained with a powerful martial artist to become Oliver and Sara's equal in combat, she could have become a metahuman like she is in the comics because now there are dozens of ways to gain powers in this show, form her own team: The Birds of Prey, or considering it is a CW show have her find love with someone other that Oliver Queen; obviousy someone more respectful and faithful to her than Oliver was, again I would like it all that much but I would get it. Obiviously the writers refuse to truly rectify these mistake by giving poor examples of it: building a statue in honor of her and then destroying it 10 episodes later, giving the Black Canary mantle to another character who also recieved very poor development, and Black Siren. Laurel Lance (Earth 2) was probably the only reason why I kept reading Arrow reviews and she was probably one of the only highlights of show, however, even her story and character development had its' issues and some ways her character to me is just another example of how they screwed over how badly they screwed over the real Laurel. All in all, I really do respect Katie Cassidy as person and a professional actress who did they best she could despite how awful she was treated on and off the show.

Another example is the treatment of the new characters of the show such as the New Team Arrow members; Dinah Drake, Rene Ramirez, and Curtis Holt. Honestly, Curtis and Rene got better treatment in Season 5 than in Season 6. These season the writers and showrunners completely threw their issues with Oliver out of proportion and ended up making them all pretty unlikeable. These is escpecially truly for Dinah Drake, who is not only a replacement for Laurel but a poor one at that. She had the chance to turn people around but didn't because of issues with Oliver crap but was also given a completely uncompelling storyline and real anger issues with Black Siren (which I get) but Siren just stole the spotlight.

Finally, the Original characters from the show. Honestly, it feels like everytime Oliver struggles and finally learns a lesson from a previous season he immediately unlearns 1 or 2 seasons later. Example, Season 2 tries to be a hero by not killing and while he does not kill everyone in every episode anymore it is an example of how he forsake everything he learns in previous episodes. Example 2, in season 3 he learns to really let people help and work with him but in Season 6 he sometimes acts like an unreasonable jackass that he ends up splitting up with everyone in his team. Even his "I am Green Arrow" moment is poorly executed because the entire season was him trying to keep his identity of the wraps but did it because he thought it was the only way to save his city from Ricardo Diaz; the only way again COMPLETE CRAP. Even Diggle, had his moments of being a real jerk this season he was more reasonable than Oliver but still, but on some level I get that for Dig to grew as a character he had to leave Oliver and come into his own which is something I do like; hell, they could done that without him and Oliver getting into a fist fight. Finally, Felicity, NOUGH SAID. Also, we all know Season 7 first episodes are going to be Olicity drama because of Oliver's decision to turn himself in to the FBI.

As a fan and a amauter writer myself, I understand that not every plot and storyline is going to be well-recieved but if you treat the characters you write and create with respect the story you will not be perfect but much more appreciated in the long run. I still don't watch Arrow anymore but if the writers can be more respectfull to their characters in future, I might be willing to binge watch the series on Netflix when it is complete.