Arrow S4 E1 “Green Arrow”

NM: This is supposed to be a rapid reaction blog, but “Arrow” is currently my favorite show and I have waited a long 5 months for the premiere, so I will indulge a bit on this post.

To give you an idea of how addicted I got to “Arrow”, I started binge watching on Netflix about the 2nd week of December 2014 during season 3 winter break. I was watching “The Flash” and liked the crossovers, thought Stephen Amell was hot, and liked Felicity. I mention the time in Decemeber because my birthday is in the 3rd week of December, 2 days before Christmas, to be precise. And I love celebrating my birthday and doing stuff all day. This time around though, all I wanted to do on my birthday was curl up in my bed and binge watch the 2nd season of “Arrow”. My cousins took me out all day, and in the 1 hour break I had, they looked at me and told me I could watch an episode. I knew I was hooked.

2nd thing to address about my love for “Arrow” is that I love the Oliver and Felicity relationship. I am a proud Olicity shipper. I am not a shipper. I like most couples, but i usually don’t ship. My original ship was Pacey and Joey and for awhile I didn’t ship anyone else. So for me to actually ship a couple speaks to the chemistry b/w the actors and the characters. I love organic relationships that are born out of respect, trust, and friendship. And that is what I find with Oliver and Felicity. So, yeah I will be biased to them.

I am a huge “Original Team Arrow” or OTA fan. I love the trio of Oliver, DIggle, and Felicity. I love Diggle. I would like Diggle as my older brother. I would also like a lot of hugs from David Ramsey.

I am NOT a Laurel fan at all. So not the blog to read about Laurel. She is irrelevant and the negatives of this episode all are towards her.

So without further adieu, here are my rapid reactions to the Awesome Season 4 Premiere of Arrow:

• I love seeing happy Oliver. Season 3 was too much angst for me. You can tell Stephen Amell is using more of his own voice because it is higher in tone and just happier overall. Him and Emily Bett Rickards play so naturally off one another. The touches, hugs, and the looks towards one another don’t seem rehearsed and is just utterly natural.
• The reality of couples and relationships is that it isn’t fantasy land all the time and I like that they are addressing this b/w Oliver and Felicity. I like the fact that their relationship is so honest that she can tell him that she is bored with suburbia lifestyle and he can still be ok with it and not mad. He just wants to talk it out.
• The thing I have loved about Felicity is that she is an independent woman and that she has her own interests outside of Oliver and it is ok if she wants  to have that part of her life again. As romantic as riding off to the sunset was, it wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle for someone like her and Oliver to an extent. She can balance the 2, he is going to learn how to now.
• Diggle, I get why you are still angry. I still have WTF moments that Oliver left baby Sara (sooooo cute btw). I mean Oliver, you could have called the neighbor at least to check on the baby. I digress. Trust when broken is very hard to gain back and Oliver does need to regain that trust and it should take time. If they had reunited happily even after 6 months,  it would be too easy and lazy writing. That being said, what Diggle said to Oliver about being dark and not being able to love was cold and a bit out of character. I like that he Dig might go a bit dark, with hiding H.I.V.E and all. I want to see Dig’s story front and center and that is my hope for him Season 4. No more putting Dig in the corner.
• I didn’t like Thea  the 1st 2 seasons, but that was because she was kept in the dark about Oliver and everything in life so there is little to work with. Once she found out about Oliver, I loved the relationship b/w her and Oliver evolve. It really turned out to be one of my favorite story lines of season 3. For season 4, I am excited to see that relationship evolve with her being all Lazarus pit’d and her as a vigilante.
• I am going to love Damien Darkh. That whole introduction to the high city members was so bad ass. I loved that he doesn’t care and he is pure evil. It seems wrong, but it is oh so right for season 4.
• Quentin Lance, your arm was in a sling so I couldn’t understand why you were front and center at every attack, until the end when I found out you are working with Damien Darkh. This storyline at least gives Lance something to do that isn’t revolving around Laurel.
• Laurel Lance, 1st of all it is obvious that is you. Where is the wig. Katie Cassidy can’t fight, it is obvious. That scene with the kid was a useless scene. She is useless and irrelevant
• For the last cliffhanger scene. I wasn’t expecting that and the 1st thing my friends said were “If it is Felicity I am done with this show” Which is why I responded that is exactly why it isn’t Felicity. The CW and Arrow hit a gold mine with the discovery of Emily Bett Rickards. Does anyone really think after all the Olicity hype this summer, they would kill her off so fast? And for what? Oliver has become the Green Arrow, this is the lighter side of him, the lighter side that Felicity brought out, and if they kill her, well then what were the 1st 3 seasons about? Also Oliver would be grieving a hell of alot more. He would have jumped in the grave with her. My hope it is Laurel. For reasons.

You guys I am excited for Season 4 and can’t wait to see how this journey unfolds. Please leave your comments below.