Arrow‘s Paul Blackthorne Previews Finale’s ‘Beautiful Exit’ for [Spoiler]
The following contains a well-reported casting spoiler for the Season 6 finale of The CW’s Arrow.
As Season 6 of The CW’s Arrow draws to a close this Thursday at 9/8c, it will set the stage for an original cast member’s exit.
In the season finale, titled “Life Sentence” and written by exiting showrunners Wendy Mericle and Marc Guggenheim, Oliver — with a new ally on his team — will engage Ricardo Diaz in an epic final battle. Once the dust clears, Team Arrow may be poised to bid adieu to one of its most trusted allies, for as previously reported, series vet Paul Blackthorne will not be returning for Season 7 as a series regular.
Speaking with TVLine at EW/People‘s Upfronts Week party, Blackthorne teased “an interesting exit” for cop-turned-interim mayor Quentin Lance. “It’s a beautiful exit, actually,” he quickly added. “A very nice exit, as exits go!”
Reflecting on his Season 6 arc, Blackthorne said “it was interesting to play” Quentin’s interactions with dead daughter Laurel’s Earth-Two doppelgänger, who for a stretch there, as the meta-powered Black Siren, helped Diaz terrorize Star City.
“It was kind of a mind-screw, the whole thing, in terms of who she was, reconciling that new relationship, and him trying to find hope in her and everything that she had gone through and become,” the English actor shared.
“All those scenes with Katie [Cassidy], it was a lot of fun,” he continued. “We’ve had six years of playing all that stuff, and it’s been a real, real treat. It’s a shame to see that go, but it’s wonderful to be in this new place now.”
That “new place” is The InBetween, which this week landed a spot on NBC’s 2018-19 schedule. The midseason drama stars Harriet Dyer (of Australia’s Love Child) as Cassie Bishop, a young woman who was born with the “gift” of seeing and communicating with the dead, helping them with their unresolved problems … whether she likes it or not.
Blackthorne costars as Cassie’s longtime friend/”surrogate father figure” Detective Tom Hackett, who with former FBI Agent Damien Asante enlists Cassie to help solve a darkly puzzling murder.
“We need her to help with the cases I’m trying to solve, using her psychic abilities — even knowing it puts her through hell to do that,” Blackthorne previews. “But when needs must, it’s, ‘Could you please help us out?'”
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The new show sounds like MEDIUM 2.0
So he doesn’t die then, hopefully? Seriously, Quentin and the entire Lance family has suffered more than enough trauma, heartache, pain, and devastation. They deserve happy endings!
Since coverage keeps saying “not returning as a series regular”, it’s that “series regular” part that sticks out. Sometimes it doesn’t mean anything, sometimes it means the actor will still be a guest star and has not completely moved on. I hope they leave the door open for Quentin to live in the Arrowverse.
Heck, original Laurel died, and came back. So even if this Earth’s Quentin dies, some other Quentin can come and replace/visit.
Sounds a little like Ghost Whisperer….. I will miss Quentin
Will miss Quentin who sometimes seems like the only adult on Arrow. Aware of his failings, struggling day to day to be better.
Yeah. Losing Moira really knocked this show down in terms of the maturity of storylines it tackled; losing Lance looks set to forever consign it to Flashian themes.
To be fair what more could you do with Moria and Lances
This explains why they wanted Sara back for the finale. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays into Laurel’s path, going forward. Especially now that she’s clearly back on the good(ish) side.
Oh luara will need her father now she will turn good now I hope
Actually the new show sounds more like a combination of Ghost Whisperer and Medium.