Although Supergirl played fast and loose with the DC mythology throughout its run, distorting the very essence of what made James a great character by reducing him to a B-grade superhero wasn’t exactly a great choice. The most frustrating part of this narrative choice is the fact that Jimmy Olsen being an everyman is a very important part of who he is as a character. However, after it became clear that he and Kara weren’t heading down the aisle anytime soon, the show changed directions, instead choosing to make James a vigilante superhero who went by the name of Guardian. Originally, the series featured him as an art director working in National City for Cat Grant ( Calista Flockhart), as well as a potential love interest for Kara Danvers ( Melissa Benoist). For much of his time on the show, the character felt aimless, with little to contribute to the overall story. Supergirl never quite knew what to do with Mehcad Brooks’ James Olsen after the show introduced him in the pilot. Although seasons following Season 4 would learn to better handle the "Olicity" pairing, the writers were never quite able to balance out the edgier tone of the series with the melodramatic romance that included hidden children and messy break-ups. This included far too much focus on Felicity’s life and her romance with Oliver, as well as a love triangle with Ray Palmer ( Brandon Routh). Unfortunately, instead of oscillating between the light-hearted romance and the signature darker setting of the show, the writers went all-in on the rom-com turned romantic soap opera aesthetic. Amell wasn’t a particularly strong actor in the early seasons of the show, so having him riff against someone who made his performance considerably better and someone who wasn’t tied to his character’s moral failings, like his other love interest Laurel Lance ( Katie Cassidy), allowed for some much-needed levity in the show. While there were initially no plans to pair Oliver with the amusing tech expert, after the team behind the series noticed the on-screen chemistry between the duo, the two were written into a romantic relationship. The love story between Felicity Smoak ( Emily Bett Richards) and Oliver Queen ( Stephen Amell) in the series’ third season, dubbed by fans with the ship portmanteau name "Olicity" felt like fanfiction brought to life. While other seasons of the DC show suffered due to a plethora of reasons, the chief issue that caused such a tectonic shift in the show was the "Olicity" storyline. Season 3 of Arrow is inarguably the weakest of the series.
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