Team GATV Roundtable: Looking Back At The First Half Of Arrow Season 4

Has Season 4 changed your opinion of the show since the time we did the last roundtable?

DEREK: It’s proven, again, that it’s a show that can turn itself around. I feel the same way as I did about late season 1 and especially season 2 — Arrow can course-correct like nobody’s business. There’s always a fine line between listening to criticism and indulging in fan desires. I think it’s been a common complaint among a lot of critics that season 3 leaned a little (or…a lot) too far on the latter, to its detriment. Season 4, conversely, has seen substantial organic growth to turn around past problems, while still throwing out curveballs and things we didn’t know we wanted, not just handing us things some were directly asking for. So yes, my opinion absolutely changed. The show bounced back.

STEPHANIE: I don’t know that it’s changed my opinion of the show because I feel like I’ve always respected what they were doing even when I wasn’t all that fond of the outcome (we’re only harsh because we care), but this season has definitely increased the amount that I enjoy the series. That has a lot to do with the way they’ve solidified the characters, especially the women, into places where they can shine. Laurel’s a fighter, driven by the past, but not drowning in it. Felicity’s back to her spunky self with touches of emotional drama every now and again. Thea’s growing up and seemingly escaped club life, which has given the whole series more of a sophisticated feel.

MATT: It has. Last season really left me exhausted with the show and looking less forward to seeing what they were going to do. Hearing things over the summer about them wanting to lighten the series didn’t entirely fill me with joy and hope, even though they finally embraced the whole Green Arrow of it all. But the energy, the cohesiveness, and the pure pleasure that has driven the season has wrestled my enjoyment to the ground and holds it and my attention rapt.

CRAIG: As I mentioned above, the Arrow I loved is back… though, I’ll be happier once the show gets past resurrections and spin-off set-ups.