And after Arrow has been on for five seasons and has spent five seasons going it's own way, it's a wonder that the source material is expected to be a strong influence or indicator of the show's direction.
And if Arrow "is going its own way", the showrunners are being pretty half-assed about it, as when they decided to introduce Dinah's Insta-Canary in the fifth season, because "a Green Arrow adaptation needs a Black Canary" (according to Wendy Mericle). It's kind of odd that Guggenheim and company discovered this truism after killing off the Black Canary they already had! I honestly don't know if such inconsequential and nonsensical storytelling can really be called "going your own way". I'd say that the "Arrow" TPTB are too susceptible to outside influences to give any impression of real artistic integrity or sense of direction.
I personally think that Dinah Drake could have been given more screen time and character development in season five if the writers had been more skilled and had more inclination to let her be an important person on the show and in Oliver's life. There are plenty of television series that manage to introduce supporting characters in later seasons and give them substantial storylines. I've just finished the brilliant series "The Killing", and every season the writers managed to give fleshed out, interesting and independent storylines to the newly introduced characters who surrounded the "core" characters of Linden and Holder. The "Arrow" TPTB/writers are so, if not obsessed, at least partial to their supposed "core" characters and their interaction that when they DO introduce canon characters, such as Roy or Dinah/NUCanary, they are treated like bit players. And honestly, what is even the point of Oliver using the Green Arrow moniker, or the writers referencing the comics if they're so committed to presenting a totally different version of Oliver Queen/Green Arrow? Why not call it "The Dynamic Duo" or "Adventures of the Original Team" (or something similar) if their goal is to turn the original material into a story about a Batman-esque tortured serial killer and his love affair with his hacker partner? If an adaptation strays so far from its original sources that it doesn't really differ from the rest of the CW staple formula shows, it might as well be marketed as an independent creation, rather than as a comic book adaptation.
It might be that there are somewhat deluded Laurel/BC fans out there who dream about a reformed Black Siren and a renewed Laurel/Oliver romance, but I personaly don't want Black Siren anywhere near Oliver's manparts. As far as I'm concerned that train departed a long time ago (if that is the correct idiom!). I prefer if her story evolves independently of any romantic liaison with Oliver. In fact, being romantically involved with Oliver usually has detrimental effects on whichever female character takes on the role of "love interest", so I think Black Siren will be better off without Oliver. Also, Guggenheim seems so convinced that Olicity is one of the most chemistry-laden, epic romances in TV history that I very much doubt that he and his writers will stray from the Olicity-path, especially so late in the series. They'll just try to tone it down as much as they can, as to not alienate the fans who view this romance as one of the most problematic aspects of the show.
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