Team GATV Roundtable: Looking Back At Arrow Season 5

Are you excited or interested in seeing Black Siren on a more regular basis?

MATT: Yes. It’s a version of Laurel that plays to Katie Cassidy’s strengths and seems like she be a fun antagonist and potential ally for Team Arrow this year.

STEPHANIE: Yes! I’m sure Katie Cassidy is a lovely human, but she shines so much brighter when playing characters with a darker or more morally ambiguous side. I’m hoping Black Siren grows into some sort of Ruby/Ella Simms combo – a dangerous and untrustworthy presence with a killer wardrobe and sassy comebacks for days.

CRAIG: Yes and no.

I’m very excited to see Katie Cassidy back on Arrow, and the concept of Black Siren is really intriguing… but, I do wonder what the point of introducing a new Black Canary was if they were bringing back Katie Cassidy anyway. Without the Dinah factor, I always would have assumed that the Earth-2 Laurel, like her comic book counterpart, would eventually become the Black Canary with her rightful place on Team Arrow. Now I’m not so sure.

Though… being unsure can be a good thing, because it can be intriguing to see how it will play out. Either way, I’m happy Katie is back in the fold. She has a lot of fans, is an integral part of Arrow’s DNA, and I was disappointed that she was gone in the first place.

MELISSA: Not really. She’s fine in limited doses, but I find her very campy and unsympathetic. I’m hopeful she’ll make a good nemesis for Dinah, but I’m not too interested in seeing Black Siren interact with Quentin since I was glad to see him fully understand that this is NOT his daughter. I’ll be disappointed if they regress that recognition. Overall, I don’t like the suggestion that she COULD replace Earth1 Laurel. They are different characters with different histories. And one just helped kidnap Oliver’s son and all his friends and family. Original Laurel and Black Siren Laurel shouldn’t be interchangeable, but I fear some view them like they are.