Arrow is in a strange place right now. It just finished what many former fans consider its worst season, and thus far, nothing shared about Season 5 suggests viewers have anything plausible to look forward to. Sure, you get “Olicity,” but not all of us are teen soap fans. Arrow began as an ambitious flagship for the DC television universe, meant to offer an alternative to One Tree Hill -esque shows.
Instead, pointless angst and romantic drama took the plot nowhere fast and drove away a large portion of the Arrow fan base. Anyone desperately held on after the insulting manner in which the Black Canary was killed off seemed to toss in the towel after the show’s logic-defying use of nuclear weapons to add drama — without actually adding any drama.
Arrow also devolved into a tired, repetitive trope. Seriously, how many times has Oliver Queen stood on the top of a car to inspire the chaotic citizens of Star City? When a show starts to feel a little too much like déjà vu, it’s time for a significant change in direction. The writers probably attempted to give fans that sensation by having everyone leave or die except Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen at the end of Season 4. The problem? There’s nothing to indicate this move represents a clean slate. It instead feels as if the show was written into a corner by a team of show runners lacking in fresh ideas.
Arrow Season 5 Premiere Title Revealed – https://t.co/TSDpDQWwJr pic.twitter.com/Y2p4XU8KhD
— ComicBook NOW! (@ComicBookNOW) July 5, 2016
You know things are bad when the Arrow fandom is praying that another show, the more popular Flash , comes along via “Flashpoint” and fixes everything. Arrow star Stephen Amell has been rather inconsistent about if he thinks that will happen. According to Screen Rant , he initially expressed skepticism that Flash’s (far more interesting) plot would impact Arrow in any way. Then he changed his mind, suggesting it was highly possible “Flashpoint” affect hit Star City. Amell then backpedaled once more .
The truth is, nobody knows what’s next for Arrow , and ComingSoon.net reports Season 5 production has just started . What I do know is that the only hope for Arrow is a seismic change. I just hope that they don’t opt to fridge Felicity to make it happen.
Arrow Season 5 begins production today. @MericlesHappen @GBerlanti @JamesBamford pic.twitter.com/LbCvVfsMrZ
— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) July 5, 2016
More drastic measures should be taking than killing off yet another woman character on Arrow . As I’d previously said in response to calls for Smoak’s head, this is a series that loves dead women. Despite their deaths, Arrow has only gotten worse. So aside from bumping off Smoak, what could make Arrow great again?
First things first: Fire some writers. In fact, everyone directly responsible for the noticeable drop in writing quality that began midway through Arrow Season 3 needs to go. Now.
Bad writing is poisonous to any show that isn’t Supernatural . While some Arrow fans may believe merely existing on the same network as Supernatural will keep the series safe, they seem to be forgetting that Supernatural is its own series. Arrow is one part of the DC television universe, and you can bet that DC isn’t going to stand for being associated with such a terrible eyesore. Especially not while battling for legitimacy on the big screen.
Avoiding this means sub-par writers are let go, and better writers get brought on board.
Kevin Smith returns to #TheFlash has Onomatopoeia plans for #Arrow https://t.co/2cUUwATIIk pic.twitter.com/MzSY2YfDBN
— Comic Book Resources (@CBR) July 6, 2016
Second, it’s worth noting that Arrow hasn’t exactly been drawing from the comic book universe for inspiration. Sure it’s introduced characters, but there is some truly heavy subject matter from the Green Arrow comics the show has yet to explore. For instance, the impact of drug addiction on superheroes. If that’s not a viable option, there’s always the Batman universe. Perhaps writers can find an interesting story arc from those comics to mimic at some point.
Speaking of which, that poor man’s attempt at “ The Killing Joke ” where Arrow temporarily put Felicity in a wheelchair doesn’t count. Fans have accused the writers of being ignorant about Green Arrow lore to the point of indifference. The upcoming season would provide the perfect opportunity to prove disillusioned fans wrong, and to start investing in the characters a bit more.
Arrow: Stephen Amell Says Season 5 Refocuses the ‘Core Mission of the Show’ – https://t.co/V4hKOF7v3D pic.twitter.com/nTAXMxHrMy
— Screen Rant (@screenrant) July 4, 2016
Improved writing and greater respect for the source material is a start, but to get fans reinvigorated, we’d have to see something worth getting excited about. Personally, I think having Arrow lay the groundwork for a small screen version of the Justice League might win back viewers. It would certainly help make use of the newly acquired Supergirl .
One thing is certain: Season 5 will be pivotal for Arrow. This will be the deciding season that determines whether Arrow has what it takes to stand shoulder to shoulder with other DC shows — or whether it will be an embarrassingly weak link that eventually gets itself canceled.
What changes do you think could improve Arrow in Season 5? Share your thoughts below!
[Image via CW Network]
