Last night The Flash marked the return of the DC TV show lineup on The CW network for the fall season. The network is blazing new ground as they are now home to four nights of superhero entertainment during their primetime lineup. Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and the show that laid the foundation for the DC television universe, Arrow, are all on the runway waiting for takeoff within the next week.
Tonight Arrow makes its return to the airwaves for its fifth season, promising a re-energized cast and a brisk new direction for the series. The cast and creative team has talked all summer long about the change of tone in the upcoming season; one that’s intended to bring the program back to its gritty roots.
The upcoming season will see changes to the makeup of Team Arrow, with Oliver Queen in the mayor’s office and Diggle off on a Middle-Eastern walkabout. So fans can look forward to the new additions coming to the crime fighting troop, with such characters as Wild Dog, Artemis, and Curtis Holt getting into the action as Mr. Terrific as well. Actor Echo Kellum, who plays Holt, recently talked about the upcoming season of Arrow to ET and made a bold prediction.
While Batman V Superman was getting hammered in theaters for being too grim, Arrow came under scrutiny for becoming too playful and lighthearted. According to many, the vigilante story had started to lean too heavily into the whimsy of its neighboring superhero shows and in the process lost a bit of its edge.
“I want fans to know that I think the fifth season of Arrow is going to be, possibly, the best season of Arrow…I really believe that with my heart, and all of the things we’re doing: the stunts, the fights, really delving into Oliver’s legacy, I think it’s going to be the best season we’ve ever had.”
Apparently the showrunners got the message. As this upcoming season has shied away from magical foes of the past like Damien Dahrk, being replaced with more grounded villains, such as Prometheus and Tobias Church. Which would seem to lean more towards the grounded action of season two, which has been held as the series’ high point.
Just to hammer home the point, Kellum made a bold, yet confident statement.
All shows have a twist or hook at the season mid-point, which is where ratings (and advertising dollars) spikes, so Kellum’s comments aren’t too surprising. Around that time CW will be staging the four-series crossover event, which promises to be break new ground in superhero television as well. The possibilities for the season are literally limitless. However, it’s all for nothing if they don’t get off to a good start with tonight’s premiere. Let’s see if the archer can hit the mark.
“I think if you sleep on it you’re going to be woke by mid-season, because everybody’s going to be like, ‘Yo, if you haven’t been watching it, you’ve been tripping! (laughs) We’re doing some really awesome and amazing things.”
The Flash season 3 will premiere Tuesday October 4th at 8pm on The CW, Arrow season 5 will premiere in the same timeslot on Wednesday October 5th, Supergirl season 2 on Monday October 10th, and Legends of Tomorrow season 2 on Thursday October 13th.
Source: ET
