I'm probably one of few fans who still remain optimistic about Arrow (especially after that awful finale of Season 4), and I believe there's plenty of ways to still save this once-promising show. The easiest solution would probably be to just fire Guggenheim, but given how unlikely that is at the moment, there's other ways to go about fixing the show.
The Costume
After receiving a solid - definitely greener - upgrade in season 4, there are still things that can be done. I like the sleeveless look more akin to the best looks from the comics, but I am slightly bothered by the shoulder pads. And it could still be greener.
However, I will admit that the costume seen in season 4 is far from bad and hardly the biggest issue with the show.
The Beard
It's time to stop [frick]ing around and let Ollie have his beard. Or at least, a beard. There's absolutely no reason for him to not have the beard, as a beard won't make him any more recognizable than he already is. He would hardly be the only guy in Star City with a beard, and I'm willing to bet that every single citizen/bad guy would assume that anyone of those other guys with beards is more likely to be the Green Arrow, before placing their bets on a former playboy turned interim mayor.
At the very least, give him something like this:
And then he can transition in the Van Dyke-beard eventually.
The Olicity
It's simple.
The Team
I'd like to see Ollie working more or less alone for the forthcoming season and for him to "get back to basics", so to speak.
Luckily, the awful season 4 finale hinted at just that as Thea, Quentin and Diggle let Ollie know they were leaving.
I much rather see Ollie operate alone and get help occasionally from friends and former team members, which opens the door up for Roy to return as Red Arrow.
The Personality
After being a happier Oliver Queen in the beginning of season 4, more similar to the way we know him in the comics - and no longer just a Batman-lite - the writers decided to completely throw this development out and return Oliver to his wooden and brooding ways.
More contempt with who he is, it is time for Oliver Queen, and Green Arrow, to lighten up a bit.
The Flashbacks
No more, please.
The Big Bad
I think I speak for most of us when I say that we're fed up with story arcs about the world coming to an end.
Which is why I suggest a more personal, mano a mano approach for season 5 and I know just the guy to present GA with this challenge.
That's right, I'm talking about Onomatopoeia. The character that was initially planned to appear in a previous episode (what a waste that would have been for one episode) should be the thorn in Green Arrow's side in season 5. I'm aware Kevin Smith initially advised against using the character as he believed the character's repeated sound effects would simply sound retarded, but has since changed his tone:
"I would love to jump in for a one or two episode arc just to bring that Onomatopoeia character to life. That would be so badass – I created this character in the comics and then to do a live-action version of it that fit into their universe, fit into the run of their show? That would be exciting to me," Smith told Variety a few weeks ago.
Onomatopoeia is an extremely mysterious villain, who specifically hunts down non-powered heroes, and keeps their masks/costumes as trophies once he has killed them. Potential established "victims" that a version of the character could encounter on Arrow throughout the season includes the Huntress, Wildcat, Thea, Roy and even Diggle, before perhaps adapting a modified Sounds of Violence for the last two or three episodes of the season.
In Smith's Green Arrow: Sounds of Violence, where the character was first introduced, Onomatopoeia takes out Virago and Buckeye, before later shooting Connor Hawke in the head, but failing to kill him, and then failing again to finish the job later at the hospital, after being halted by the Green Arrow.
Since the Arrowverse's version of Connor is actually Diggle's future son, his spot in this story arc could be taken by either Roy or Thea (I'd actually prefer for Thea to be one of the Onomatopoeia's previous victims, possibly in the mid-season finale?).
What do you think? Is there a way to save Arrow? Or is it doomed and should be cancelled ASAP? Leave your thoughts below.