7 things Arrow needs to do to save itself

Photo Credit: The CW

4. Get rid of the new team members

This season, all of the “New Team Arrow” members have been insufferable. After Wild Dog sold out Oliver and the team, he has adopted this ridiculous attitude where he acts as though he wasn’t in the wrong. “This doesn’t change anything Hoss,” is a line that feels as though it’s uttered in almost every episode, and serves as a consistent reminder that Rene has overstayed his welcome. He’s joined by Dinah and Curtis, two characters that have failed since their upgrade to series regulars. The former has always felt like a Laurel Lance replacement and the arrival always felt so contrived. Her recent storyline involving Vigilante fizzled out before it even began since he was killed before his character was even developed.

Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl have both gained recognition for their LGBT representation with complex characters who aren’t entirely defined by their sexuality. Curtis has drawn the ire of many fans because he seems to be filling the quota for the show rather than trying to give him substantial representation. As a gay African American Olympian, Arrow could have had some interesting storylines with him, but instead, he’s mainly been relegated to a background character. It’s time to cut all of the new team members and put the focus back on the original cast.

Photo Credit: The CW

3. Have William begins his training 

It’s doubtful Arrow is going to kill off William or find a new relative to ship him off to, so the series is going to have to find something for him to do. Angsty pre-teens rarely do well on genre shows, just look at how hated Dawn is from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the series is going to have to work hard to avoid letting William go down that path. With Willa Holland poised to exit the show during the second half of season, it’s time to let her niece begin his training to step up as a new sidekick.

For a large part of this season, he’s mainly spent the time bonding with Felicity. It would be nice to see him spend some quality time with Oliver that doesn’t involve any brooding or secrets between the two. Supergirl and The Flash have both succeeded with strong family units which helps build up the backbone of their series.