One of the weakest aspects of the series so far has been the interpretation of Green Arrow villain Count Vertigo, who was played by Fringe alum Seth Gabel in the first two seasons. "The Count" was a drug dealer peddling a dangerous drug called "Vertigo" on the streets of Starling City, which led to some pretty intense episodes. However, Gabel's over-the-top performance, which came off as a cheap Heath Ledger Joker impression, undercut any of the danger the character could have provided Oliver and co. Luckily, he met the sharp end of one of Oliver's arrows last season, and is gone for good. Count Vertigo, as it turns out, is NOT disappearing from the series. We learned this summer that Fargo and Prison Break alum Peter Stormare will play another version of the charcter, The New 52's Werner Zytle, in the season opener. The new Count is the ruler of a small nation called Vlatava, and is involved in organized crime. From the sound of it, he picks up the pieces of the previous Count's drug empire. Right from the get go, Stormare is a more intimidating and formidable opponent for Oliver to face, and one that can truly raise the stakes this year. Plus, Peter Stormare is awesome. So, really, we're just excited to see him on the show.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
