Arrow follows billionaire playboyOliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Robert and Moira Queen's oldest son, who claimed to have spent five years shipwrecked onLian Yu, a mysterious island in the North China Sea, before returning home toStarling City (later renamed "Star City") to fight crime and corruption as a secret vigilante whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow. Throughout the series, Oliver is joined by others, among them former soldierJohn Diggle (David Ramsey), I.T. expert and skilled hackerFelicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), former assassinSara Lance (Caity Lotz), aspiring vigilanteRoy Harper (Colton Haynes), Oliver's sisterThea (Willa Holland), and attorney-turned-vigilanteLaurel Lance (Katie Cassidy). During the first five seasons of the show, characters from Oliver's past appear in a separate story arc based on Oliver's flashbacks. Starting with season seven, a series of flash-forwards focus on Oliver's childrenWilliam (Ben Lewis) andMia (Katherine McNamara), exploring how present events would affect their future and Green Arrow's legacy.
The series takes a new look at the Green Arrow character, as well as other characters from the DC Comics universe. AlthoughOliver Queen / Green Arrow had been featured in the television seriesSmallville from 2006 to 2011, also on The CW, the producers decided to start clean and find a new actor to portray the character.Arrow has received generally positive reviews from critics, and has earned multiple awards and nominations. In October 2014, aspin-off TV series titledThe Flash premiered, which was later followed by other spin-off series and media, forminga shared universe.[1]
The series follows billionaire playboyOliver Queen, who spent five years shipwrecked on the mysterious islandLian Yu, before returning home toStarling City.[2]
Inseason one, Oliver returns to Starling City and is reunited with his family and friends, includingTommy Merlyn andLaurel Lance. By night, he acts as a vigilante, known as "The Hood",[3] hunting down those listed in his father's notebook, with assistance fromJohn Diggle andFelicity Smoak. A conspiracy known as "The Undertaking", led byMalcolm Merlyn, threatens the city. The season also features flashbacks to Oliver's first year on the island, and his struggle to survive, alongside both new allies, includingSlade Wilson, and foes.
Inseason two, following the death of Tommy Merlyn, Oliver vows to no longer kill. Operating under a new alias, "The Arrow",[4][5] he is tested when the city comes under attack from Slade. He also struggles to balance his vigilante activities alongside his role asCEO ofQueen Consolidated. The season sees the return ofSara Lance, now also known as "The Canary", as well as the introduction of government agencyA.R.G.U.S and its leaderAmanda Waller. The flashbacks see Oliver face a new threat on Lian Yu, as well as revealing the origins of his feud with Slade.
Inseason three, following Sara's murder and the loss of his family's company toRay Palmer, Oliver refuses to believe he can lead a normal life whilst continuing as The Arrow. He becomes embroiled in a conflict withRa's al Ghul to protect his sister Thea. Felicity becomes vice-president of the now renamed Palmer Technologies and Laurel sets out to follow in Sara's footsteps, assuming the mantle ofBlack Canary. The season's flashbacks see Oliver escape Lian Yu, only to be forced to work with Waller inHong Kong, attempting to stop the release of a lethal pathogen.
Inseason four, Oliver and Felicity are living inIvy Town, but return to the renamed Star City, to fight terrorist groupH.I.V.E., led byDamien Darhk. Oliver adopts the moniker "Green Arrow"[6] whilst also running for mayor. The discovery of the existence of his sonWilliam, and his decision to conceal the truth, leads to the breakup of his relationship with Felicity. Laurel is killed by Darhk, and Oliver discovers his plan to detonate nuclear weapons. The season's flashbacks see Oliver returned to Lian Yu by Waller, where he attempts to infiltrate criminal groupShadowspire.
Inseason five, Oliver and Felicity recruit a new team of vigilantes to aid their mission, including former police detectiveDinah Drake, as the new Black Canary. Oliver struggles to adjust to his break-up with Felicity, alongside trying to balance his new role as mayor with the threat posed by the serial killer Prometheus. The season also sees the introduction of an antagonistic version of Laurel Lance, known as Black Siren, a doppelganger fromEarth-2, who made her debut during the second season ofThe Flash. In the season's flashbacks, Oliver travels to Russia where he joins theBratva, and is trained byTalia al Ghul, before returning to Lian Yu.
Inseason six, Oliver attempts to balance his vigilantism alongside his role as mayor, whilst also being a father to William, following the death of the boy's mother. He rekindles his relationship with Felicity, with the pair marrying in the season'sArrowverse crossover. A new threat in the form of terrorist hackerCayden James and his criminal gang emerges. WhenRicardo Diaz kills James, and with team Arrow facing a bitter split, Oliver is forced to enlist the aid of theFBI, striking a deal that leads to his incarceration infederal prison and his outing as Green Arrow to the public.
Inseason seven, Felicity seeks new allies to help catch Diaz and release Oliver from prison. Following his defeat of Diaz and his prison release, Oliver and his team are deputized by the SCPD. His half-sister,Emiko Queen, emerges as the new Green Arrow; however, it is later revealed she is the leader of the terrorist group theNinth Circle. The season features flash-forwards to twenty years into the future, with the now-adult William receiving a mysterious message. Joining Oliver's former allies, he discovers his half-sister, Oliver and Felicity's daughterMia, and works to save the city from a cyber attack.
In theeighth and final season,the Monitor recruits Oliver to aid him in his mission to prevent the comingCrisis. William,Connor Hawke, and Mia mysteriously time travel from 2040 to present-day Star City. During the Crisis, Oliver sacrifices himself and becomes theSpectre to stop theAnti-Monitor. Following their final battle, a new universe is born at the cost of Oliver's life. He is then reunited with Felicity in a "paradise dimension",[7] in the final scene of the series.
Stephen Amell asOliver Queen / Arrow / Green Arrow,[16][17] a billionaire playboy turned hooded vigilante-hero who is initially known as the "Hood", "Vigilante", and simply "Arrow". He is based on the DC Comics characterGreen Arrow. He survives on an isolated island for five years after the sinking of his father's yacht. Oliver returns to his home city with a mission—to right the wrongs of his father and save the city from the crime that has grown in his absence. Amell was one of the first actors to audition for the role, and Kreisberg felt that he "hit the target from the outset" and "everyone else just paled in comparison".[18] In season six's finale, Oliver confesses he's the Green Arrow and is sent to prison where he's known as "Inmate 4587". The actor, who was already in shape fromRent-a-Goalie, did physical fitness training at Tempest Freerunning Academy in Reseda, California. Amell received archery training as well, which included watching a video on how archery has been displayed inaccurately or poorly in television and film before learning the basics of shooting a bow.[18][19] For Amell, the appeal of portraying Queen was that he saw multiple roles tied to the same character: "There's Queen the casual playboy; Queen the wounded hero; Queen the brooding Hamlet; Queen the lover; Queen the man of action, and so on".[18] Amell also portraysDark Arrow (Oliver's Earth-X doppelganger) in the sixth season's crossover "Crisis on Earth-X".[20]
Katie Cassidy asLaurel Lance / Black Canary (seasons 1–4; guest: season 5–8) andLaurel Lance / Black Siren / Black Canary (seasons 6–8;[a] recurring: season 5),[22] based on the DC Comics character of the same name,[23][24] an attorney turned vigilante and former girlfriend of Oliver Queen. Cassidy said she was drawn to the show by Berlanti, Nutter, Kreisberg, and Guggenheim, whom she called smart, creative, and edgy. She was the first primary character to be cast.[25] Cassidy sees her character as a "caregiver" to her family, which led her to become an attorney. She said, "I think that she's very, very driven, and she has a huge heart ... she's sensitive. She has really strong morals and values, and she expects everybody to live up to them the way that she does".[26] The Earth-1 version of the character dies near the end of season four, but Cassidy returned as a series regular from season six as the Earth-2 version of the character who first appeared in the spin-off showThe Flash.[27][28]
Colin Donnell asTommy Merlyn (season 1; recurring: seasons 7–8; guest: seasons 2–3 and 6), Oliver's best friend,[29] the son ofMalcolm Merlyn and boyfriend to Laurel Lance. His character dies in season one's finale but Donnell reprises his role as hallucinations and flashbacks in subsequent seasons and also portrays his Earth-X doppelganger Prometheus and a posthumous impersonation byHuman Target in season six. Donnell returns in the eighth and final season as Merlyn's Earth-2 doppelgänger and is brought back to life by Oliver when he restored the multiverse in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event.
David Ramsey asJohn Diggle / Spartan,[30] Oliver's partner, confidant, and bodyguard, who becomes part of their vigilante team.[31] Named after comic book writer Andy Diggle, and created specifically for the show, Diggle was designed to be Oliver's "equal in many respects". Guggenheim further explained that Diggle's mutual abilities are a means of setting him up early in the series as a confidant for Oliver's vigilante persona.[32]
Willa Holland asThea Queen / Speedy (seasons 1–6; recurring: season 8; guest: season 7), Oliver's younger half-sister; based on a DC Comics character with similar traits.[33] The character is later revealed to be the daughter of Malcolm Merlyn. Holland exited the series in season six. Guggenheim stated that the door is always open for Holland to reprise her role as Thea.[34] After departing the series in the sixth season, Holland returned in a special guest star role during season seven.[35]Melissa Benoist had auditioned to portray Thea but was ultimately cast as Supergirl instead.
Susanna Thompson asMoira Queen (seasons 1–2; guest: seasons 5 & 8), Oliver and Thea's mother.[36] She is murdered at the end of season two,[37] but was brought back by Oliver after he restored the multiverse.
Paul Blackthorne asQuentin Lance (seasons 1–6; recurring: season 8; guest: season 7), Laurel andSara Lance's father and Starling City police detective.[38] The character is partly based on the DC Comics characterLarry Lance. The character dies in the sixth-season finale,[39][35] but his death is averted after Oliver restored the multiverse.
Emily Bett Rickards asFelicity Smoak / Overwatch (seasons 2–7; recurring: season 1; guest: season 8),[40][41] an IT technician at Queen Consolidated who later becomes part of Oliver's vigilante team, adopting the codename 'Overwatch'.[42] She is loosely based on the characterof the same name from the comic seriesFirestorm.[43] The character goes on to develop a romantic relationship with Oliver, with the pair marrying during the "Crisis on Earth-X" crossover event. She becomes stepmother to Oliver's son,William, and mother to their daughterMia. During season four she worked as CEO of Palmer Tech, and in season seven founded her own company, Smoak Technologies. Rickards was initially cast as a one-off guest star but was promoted to a series regular for season two, after becoming a recurring character throughout season one.[44] Describing the character's personality, Rickards stated "Felicity is really focused, and I think that focus can be overpowering. The whole bubbly/awkward thing is a product of the focus. I don't think they're parts on their own."[45] In March 2019, Rickards announced she would be leaving the series ahead of its final season.[46] She returned as a special guest star for the series finale.[47]
Colton Haynes asRoy Harper / Arsenal (seasons 2–3 and 7; recurring: seasons 1 & 8; guest: seasons 4 & 6), a character based on the DC Comics character of the same name.[48] He is also Thea Queen's romantic partner. Haynes was moved to series regular status at the beginning of season two, following his recurring appearance in season one.[49] Haynes left the series after season three when his contract ended, and later appears as a guest star in the fourth, sixth, and eighth seasons[50] (attributing his departure from to his mental and physical health at that time),[51] but returned as a regular for season seven.[52]
Manu Bennett asSlade Wilson / Deathstroke (season 2; recurring: season 1; guest: seasons 3 & 5–6), Oliver's former mentor on Lian Yu who becomes a masked mercenary. He is based on the DC Comics character of the same name.[53] Bennett was initially cast as a recurring character for season one,[53] before receiving series regular status during season two.[54]
John Barrowman asMalcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer (seasons 3–4; recurring: seasons 1–2; guest: seasons 5–8),[55] a wealthy businessman, the father of Tommy and Thea, and Oliver's nemesis. He is based on the DC Comics characterMerlyn. After being a recurring guest star for the first two seasons, Barrowman became a series regular in season three.[56] Barrowman reprised the role in season five during the crossover event "Invasion!" and later with his character's apparent death occurring off-screen, and again in season seven's crossover "Elseworlds" as a hallucination.[57]
Echo Kellum asCurtis Holt / Mister Terrific (seasons 5–7; recurring: season 4; guest: season 8), based on the DC Comics character of thesame name. Holt is a technological savant, inventor and medal-winning Olympic decathlete, who works with Felicity at Palmer Technologies.[58] Kellum was upgraded to series regular in the fifth season.[59] Kellum exited the series during season seven,[60] but returned for the finale and later appears as a guest star in season eight.[61]
Josh Segarra asAdrian Chase / Prometheus (season 5; guest: seasons 6 & 8), Star City's new district attorney, who is later revealed to be season five's antagonist and a serial killer bent on seeking revenge against Oliver. He is based on the DC Comics charactersAdrian Chase andPrometheus.[62][63]
Rick Gonzalez asRene Ramirez / Wild Dog (seasons 6–8; recurring: season 5), a dishonorably discharged Marine with an estranged daughter who joins Oliver's vigilante team. He is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Gonzalez was promoted to series regular from season six.[64]
Juliana Harkavy asDinah Drake / Black Canary (seasons 6–8; recurring: season 5), an undercover detective in Central City who later joins Oliver's team, taking on the Black Canary mantle. Harkavy was promoted to series regular from season six.[64]
Kirk Acevedo as Ricardo Diaz (season 7; recurring: season 6), a drug lord recently released from incarceration who terrorizes Star City, and targets Oliver. Acevedo was promoted to series regular for season seven.[65]
Sea Shimooka asEmiko Queen / Green Arrow (season 7; guest: season 8), Oliver's paternal half-sister and a vigilante who takes over the Green Arrow mantle after Oliver's imprisonment.[66]
Ben Lewis as an adultWilliam Clayton (season 8; recurring: season 7), Oliver and Samantha Clayton's son in the flash-forwards set in the 2040s. Lewis was promoted to series regular for season eight.[69]
LaMonica Garrett asMar Novu / The Monitor (season 8; guest: season 7), a multiversal being testing different Earths in the multiverse in preparation for an impending "crisis". He made his first appearance in the Arrowverse crossover "Elseworlds".
Garrett also portraysMobius / Anti-Monitor, the Monitor's polar opposite, an evil being dedicated to ending the multiverse.[73]
The idea for aGreen Arrow TV series was first discussed during the sixth season ofSmallville, with talk of spinning offJustin Hartley's portrayal ofthe character into his own series. Hartley however refused to entertain the idea, feeling it was his duty to respect whatSmallville had accomplished in five seasons, and not "steal the spotlight" because there was "talk" of a spin-off after his two appearances. According to Hartley, "talking" was as far as the spin-off idea ever got.[74][75] A spin-off series in which Oliver led the Justice League made it into early development. The series was to have been helmed byStephen S. DeKnight, who would later go on to be the showrunner for the first season of Marvel'sDaredevil.[76]
In January 2012, followingSmallville's conclusion,The CW prepared a new series centered around the character Green Arrow.Andrew Kreisberg,Greg Berlanti andMarc Guggenheim were announced to be developing the series.[77] A week later, the series was ordered topilot withDavid Nutter signed to direct. Nutter also directedthe pilot forSmallville, the aforementioned series followingClark Kent on his journey to becomeSuperman.[78] When developing the series, producer Marc Guggenheim expressed that the creative team wanted to "chart [their] own course, [their] own destiny", and avoid any direct connections toSmallville. Thus rather than continuing on with Hartley's incarnation of the character, they opted to cast a new actor in the role and establish the series as its own separate continuity.[79] At the end of the same month, Stephen Amell was cast in the titular role of Oliver Queen.[80]
The series does not initially feature super-powered heroes and villains. This decision was, in part, based on the executives' desire to take a realistic look at the characters in this universe.[81] Production on the pilot began in March 2012 inVancouver,[82] which would continue to act as the primary filming location for the series.[18] The series' skyline shots use a combination of footage fromFrankfurt, Germany,Center City, Philadelphia,Baltimore,Maryland,Back Bay, Boston, andTokyo, Japan.[83] The series was given a full season pick up on October 22, 2012.[84]
I think the idea is to—not all the time, and not with a set regularity—but I think it is critical to explore how he went from the person that he was when he left the island—which is extremely different: he's spoiled, he's entitled, he's a bit of a jerk—and he comes off it something very, very different. So we're going to explore how he gets there.[81]
– Stephen Amell on the use of flashback storytelling.
For the first five seasonsArrow features two storylines: one in the present, and the other, shown in flashback, during Oliver's time on the island five years before his rescue. These flashbacks are used to illustrate how Oliver transformed into the man that returns to Starling City.[81] Filming for the island flashbacks takes place in Vancouver's Whytecliff Park area, near beachfront homes. Much planning is required to keep the buildings out of camera frame.[85] Guggenheim said, "Stephen [Amell] has to wear a wig, and his look has to be changed ... there's a lot. It's actually incredibly ambitious to do these flashbacks every week, every single episode. Because like Andrew [Kreisberg] said, it's almost like it's its own show."[85] Regarding the flashbacks after the fifth season, Guggenheim and Mericle stated that the series would explore flashbacks from other character's perspectives, such as Curtis Holt, along with the possibility of flashforwards. Guggenheim said, "We still want to make [flashbacks] part of our storytelling, because we do like them. We like it when those non-island flashbacks sort of illuminate what's going on in the present day. That'll always be a part of the show and a part of the show's storytelling structure. It just won't be telling a serialized story."[86]
The series develops relationship triangles: some love triangles, others designed to catch characters in "philosophical debates".[87] Kreisberg provides one such example: "Every week, Oliver will be facing a bad guy, but the truth is, his real nemesis is Detective Lance, who's trying to bring him into justice... His daughter is going to be caught in the middle, because she loves and respects her father, and she's always believed in what he believed, but at the same time, she's going to see this dark urban legend out there that's actually doing a lot of good; the kind of good that she wants to be doing in her role as a legal aid attorney."[87] Learning from previous experiences working in television, the producers worked early on identifying the major story arcs for the series, specifically the first season, including "mapping out" how to accomplish them. Taking inspiration fromChristopher Nolan'sBatman film series, the creative team decided to "put it all out there" and "not hold back" from episode to episode.[87]
The team strives to include various DC Comics characters and aspects of the DC universe. Guggenheim citedBig Belly Burger, a restaurant franchise introduced in the Superman comics, which appears inArrow's third episode and onward. Kreisberg said, "There are so many characters in the DC Universe who haven't gotten their due in TV and film. We're so excited to reach into [the DC comics] roster and take some of these lesser-known characters that are beloved by fans, and do our spin on the characters."[85]
Ahead of the 100th episode, Guggenheim talked about the commitment to quality the series strives for, stating, "We never skimped on the writing, the production or in the post-process going, 'This is going to be one of those stinkers, we might as well cut our losses and move on.' We worked as hard as we possibly can on the scripts. If episodes have come in bad, we reshoot ... Even in season 5, we have no problems with doing reshoots, or pickups, or anything we need to do to make each episode as successful as it can possibly be." He also noted his biggest regret in the series was "I wish we had allowed the Oliver-Felicity storyline in season 4 to unfold at a more natural pace. We had set these tentpoles at the beginning of the season, and we were a bit too rigorous on how we hit them. That was a case where the planning overtook the storytelling. We didn't do things as naturally and as elegantly as we should have."[88]
On January 31, 2019, The CW renewed the series for an eighth season.[89] On March 6, 2019, it was announced that the eighth season would be the final season of the series, with an abbreviated ten-episode run. Stephen Amell had approached Greg Berlanti towards the end of the sixth season about "mov[ing] on" following the expiration of his contract at the end of the seventh season. Amell had hoped that the show could go on without him, but Berlanti, Mark Guggenheim andBeth Schwartz decided to conclude the series with a shortened eighth season, which Amell agreed to.[90] The season premiered on October 15, 2019, and concluded on January 28, 2020.[91][92]
The Arrow costume, worn byStephen Amell, during the first season
The realistic approach to the series included the costume design for Oliver's vigilante persona, created byColleen Atwood.[93] According to Amell, it was important for the suit to be functional, and the best way that he knew for that was if he could put the costume on by himself: "If I can put it on by myself, I think that people will buy it. And that was our idea. That's our world."[81]
In the second half of season two, Oliver dons adomino mask, similar to one worn by the character in the comics. Kreisberg said of the mask, "It's actually a big plot point in an episode, and there really is a story behind, not only the need for the mask but also who provides him with it."[94] On adding the mask now, Kreisberg stated that, "Conceptually, it was something we wanted to do because Oliver himself is [...] stepping out of the dark and being more of a symbol, so he has to take steps to conceal his identity more."[94] He added that it will "allow the Arrow to interact with people who don't know his identity in a much more organic way than having him constantly keep his head down."[94]
Costume designer Maya Mani put together roughly 50 mask options for the producers. Kreisberg said, "What's so wonderful about the design that Maya came up with is that it really is very simple, and it feels as if it's been part of his costume since the beginning ... once we finally had this mask and put it on Stephen [Amell], even Stephen was like, 'This is the right one.'"[94] In the episode "Three Ghosts", Oliver receives the mask fromBarry Allen, who is able to create a mask that will help conceal his identity, while still being functional and allowing Oliver to see clearly.[95]
To compose the score forArrow, executive producer Greg Berlanti invitedBlake Neely, with whom he had first worked onEverwood. Neely created a score that combined electronic and orchestral cues, varying between action themes and romantic ones.[96] Berlanti told Neely the series would be dark, and the music should be as well. After reading the pilot script, Neely went away to start composing on his own.[97] According to Neely, "Of course, Oliver has his main theme but also sub-themes for the many layers of his character. He and Laurel have a love theme. Mom had a theme for the Undertaking. The bad guys all have themes, which makes it sad for me when one of them dies. So I try not to become attached to bad-guy themes. Diggle has a theme. Even the Island itself has a theme."[96] A soundtrack for season one was released on September 17, 2013, byWaterTower Music.[98][99] Two versions of a soundtrack for season two were released on September 16, 2014, by WaterTower Music and La-La Land Records; the compact disc release includes two exclusive tracks not available on the digital release.[100][101] On December 18, 2014, WaterTower Music and La La Records released a selection of music fromThe Flash /Arrow crossover episodes, as well as two bonus tracks from their respective 2014 midseason finales.[102] The Season 3 soundtrack was released in December 2015, consisting of 2 discs for the first time (previous albums consisted of one CD).[103]
Arrow premiered on The CW network from October 10, 2012, during the2012–13 television season.[104][105] In Canada, the show isbroadcast simultaneously on the same day as the United States.[106] The show premiered outside North America throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland,[107] on October 22, 2012.[108] In Australia, the series premiered on May 1, 2013,[109] on theNine Network, before moving toFoxtel for Season 4.[110]
Each season release contains additional features, which include: making-of featurettes, episode commentaries, deleted scenes, gag reels, Comic-Con panels, and highlights from the Paley Fest. Starting with season four and continuing through each subsequent season, the boxsets included the crossover episodes from other connected series, as well as commentary on those episodes.
The first season received favorable reviews, with aMetacritic score of 73 out of 100, based on reviews from 25 critics, making it the highest rated CW show in five years.[111][112] Review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes calculated an approval rating of 85%, based on 36 reviews, with an average rating of 7.47/10. The site's consensus reads, "The CW nails the target withArrow, a comic book-inspired series that benefits from cinematic action sequences, strong plotting, and intriguing characters."[113] Mary McNamara of theLos Angeles Times called the series an interesting setup with a quality look, describing Amell as "a poster boy (no doubt literally) for theKatniss Everdeen set."[114] Brian Lowry atVariety described the series as a "handsome but stiff surrogate forBatman that could benefit from sharper execution."[115] In reviewing the final episode of season one, Alasdair Wilkins ofThe A.V. Club gave the season as a whole a rating of B+, noting that the show "hasn't quite figured everything out yet, but it's had some standout episodes."[116]
The second season received acclaim from critics for the action sequences, storytelling, performances of the cast, drama, and the portrayal of Slade Wilson.[117] Rotten Tomatoes reported a 95% approval rating based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 8.15/10. The site's consensus reads, "The second season ofArrow boasts more fantastic action, as well as a widening cast of intriguing, richly written characters."[118]Jeff Jensen ofEntertainment Weekly gave the first half of season two a rating of B+, saying, "Arrow possesses an intelligence that shines through its TV-budget production values, which aren't too shabby. The writing is adult and witty, the action is exciting, and Amell holds the center with well-cultivated ease."[119]The A.V. Club's Carrie Raisler gave the first half of season two a rating of A−. She said, "Arrow [has] officially established itself as one of the most satisfying shows on television. The most satisfying thing of all is that it did so by respecting its characters ... [Arrow respects] the character's comic-book roots in its overarching plotlines, all while using the network-appropriate soap-opera stories to do the heavy character lifting."[120]
Despite receiving positive responses for the season three premiere,[121] the second half of the season was met with criticism. The flashback sequences were characterized as sporadic and "superfluous", with Ra's al Ghul described as a "shallow" and "underutilized" villain "absent of clear antagonism",[122] although Matt Nable was generally praised for his portrayal of the character. Furthermore, while parallels toBatman had always existed in the show, the use of such a major character from Batman's rogues gallery and the essential application of the "Daughter of the Demon" and several other Batman and Ra's al Ghul storylines applied to Queen came under particular fire from viewers, who accused the show of "ripping off" Batman.[123] The season finale was described as "dull", "lacking scope", and "underwhelming" byIGN's Jesse Schedeen in light of the "high standard" the show had previously established for its finales. He cemented the mixed reception of season three as being "haphazardly paced" and "struggling to develop a clear sense of direction".[124] The third season holds a score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 8.37/10. The site's consensus reads, "Arrow stays on target with new characters and a steady supply of exciting action."[125]
The fourth season received mixed reviews. The season earned praise for the action scenes andNeal McDonough's performance as Damien Darhk. However, it also received increasingly negative reviews for its mundane flashbacks, lack of narrative focus, and formulaic season finale.[126] Ryan Fleming ofDeadbeatspanel.com noted thatArrow was "honoring the comics, but it isn't beholden to them. Characters ... have been introduced, but they aren't exact replicas of their comic counterparts. Instead, the characters tend to be loosely connected."[127] Lesley Goldberg ofThe Hollywood Reporter noted the presence of the character Thea "Speedy" Queen as one of the larger departures from the comics in the series, as well as the character's early willingness to kill.[128]Comic Book Resources' Kevin Melrose has also noted the series tendency to have loose connections to the source material.[129] Rotten Tomatoes gave the season an 85% approval rating based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 7.55/10. The critical consensus reads: "Season four ofArrow flourishes with a refreshing new tone, a thrilling new villain, and a gripping story arc."[130]
The fifth season received mostly positive reviews from critics, with praise directed towards the performances of Amell andJosh Segarra, action sequences, storytelling, and the season finale.[131]IGN gave the season a score of 8.7 out of 10, stating that it "managed to overcome them and recapture a lot of what made the show so memorable in its first two seasons."[132] Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 88% based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 7.38/10. The site's consensus reads, "No stranger to dramatic twists and turns, season five ofArrow continues to introduce new villains and surprise viewers despite some inconsistency".[133]
The sixth season received mixed reviews from critics.IGN gave the season a score of 6.7 out of 10, stating that it "captured the show at its best and worst, with a strong finish redeeming months of disappointment."[134] Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 64% based on 7 reviews, and the average score is 6.86/10. The site's consensus reads, "Arrow's sixth season deals with the literal fallout from the explosion in season five's finale and promises a drastic change in direction for the series".[135]
The seventh season received more favorable reviews than the previous season.IGN gave the season a score of 7.4 out of 10, crediting Beth Schwartz's work with giving new life and energy to the show, while remarking that the season was "full of missed potential". Particular praise was given to Amell and Rickards' performances, as well as new directions for the show via "more willingness to take risks and venture off the beaten path this year, even if it often bit off more than it could chew with its large ensemble cast."[136] Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 88% based on 211 reviews, with an average score of 7.35/10.[137]
The eighth and final season was met with an approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 125 reviews, with an average score of 7.5/10. The site's consensus reads, "Oliver Queen's final adventure hits emotional peaks while spearheading the game-changing 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', giving the Emerald Archer a rousing sendoff."[138]
In the United States,Arrow's premiere episode drew 4.14 million viewers, making it The CW's most-watched telecast of any show on any night in three years, and The CW's most-watched series premiere sinceThe Vampire Diaries in 2009. In its second episode,Arrow became the only new network drama in the 2012–13 season to hold its ratings in both adults 18–34 and adults 18–49 from its premiere to its second week.[84] In Australia, the premiere received 1.32 million viewers, making it the third most-watched broadcast on the network that night.[155] The UK broadcast was the highest-rated telecast of the week onSky 1, with 1.85 million viewers.[156] In Canada, the first episode got 1.32 million viewers, making it the fourth most-watched airing of the night and the twenty-third of the week.[157]
To promote the series,DC Comics produced a 10-page preview comic for the 2012San Diego Comic-Con, written by Kreisberg, illustrated by Omar Francia, and featuring a cover by artistMike Grell. The comic was regarded by the production crew as sharing the same canon as the series, with Kreisberg commenting, "[For] anyone who grabs a copy: Hold onto it and as the series progresses, you'll appreciate it more and more."[198] It was later released free online.[199] On October 10, 2012, DC Comics debuted a weekly digital comic tie-in written by Kreisberg and Guggenheim and drawn by various artists, including Mike Grell, which remained in continuity with the television series.[200] The comics were to be released initially as digital chapters, and then later be collated to produce monthly print issues.[201] The series lasted for 36 chapters, running until June 2013. These were collected, together with the initial preview comic, in two volumes with the first released digitally in October 2013 and the second in both print and digital formats in May 2014.[202][203]Titan Magazines published the comics in a physical format in the UK. The first issue was published on October 17, 2013, and contained the first four chapters of the series, with the complete series lasting six issues.[202][204]
A follow-up to the original digital title,Arrow: Season 2.5, is written by Guggenheim andKeto Shimizu, one of the show's executive story editors and writers, with art byJoe Bennett and Jack Jadson.Arrow 2.5 is intended to tell one continuous story across two arcs, that fits within the television narrative. Guggenheim stated, "We've tried to put in all the elements that people like about the show ... We're going to see what's happened to Detective Lance after he collapsed in the season [two] finale. A good chunk of the burning questions left over will get answered in the tie-in comic. Particularly towards the latter half of the series, we're going to start introducing characters [in the comic] who you'll see in Season 3 ... before they show up on TV."[205] On the comic's relationship to season three of the show, Guggenheim said, "Season three is designed to stand on its own feet without requiring anyone to do any outside reading. But what the comic book will give is a deeper appreciation for some of the moments [in the show] and a more complete narrative experience. If you want to go deeper into the story, that's whatSeason 2.5 is for." Shimizu added that the comic also allows the writers to "accomplish things on the page that are nearly impossible to do with our production schedule and our budget", including bigger action sequences, as well as visits to locations that cannot be recreated on the show.[206] The character Caleb Green, who has ties to Robert Queen, was created specifically for the comic.[207] Guggenheim said "The goal is to endSeason 2.5 basically five minutes before Season 3 begins."[208] The comic launched digitally biweekly on September 1, 2014, with its first physical release featuring a collection of the digital releases releasing on October 8.[205] The series featured 24 digital issues, which constituted 12 physical issues.[207]
A third series,Arrow: The Dark Archer, is written by Barrowman with his sister Carole, and with an art team led by Daniel Sampere. The comic, initially set between seasons three and four of the show before flashing back, explores a younger Malcolm Merlyn and his past, with Corto Maltese and Nanda Parbat featured. Barrowman, who initially pitched the series to DC Comics as another with the ability to tell Merlyn's backstory, said he "had a backstory in my head for Malcolm from the beginning and a lot of it has made its way into our comic, and onto the screen. I think it's always been my job to help the audience relate to Malcolm in some way despite his questionable morals and evil ways." Executive producers Guggenheim and Kreisberg helped the Barrowmans ensure the story would fit within the continuity of the series. The 12-chapter series was released digitally once every two weeks starting January 13, 2016, before the entire story was collected in a single print edition in September 2016.[209][210]
On November 6, 2013, a six-episode series of shorts, titledBlood Rush, premiered alongside the broadcast of the show, as well as online. The series, which featuresproduct placement for products of its sponsor, Bose, was shot on location in Vancouver, similar to the main show. The miniseries features Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes and Paul Blackthorne reprising their roles ofFelicity Smoak,Roy Harper andQuentin Lance, respectively.[211]
The episodes set during the course of the second season of the television series, show Roy coming to Queen Consolidated to have a meeting with Oliver. As he is out, Felicity tells Roy to go wait in the lobby.[212] As Roy leaves, Officer Lance calls Felicity, telling her that the blood sample the Starling City police found on the vigilante, which Felicity destroyed, has resurfaced. Felicity then calls Roy, using Oliver's voice encoder, asking him to break into the lab to retrieve the sample.[213] Felicity guides Roy through the lab, where he is able to recover the sample. As Roy is leaving, doctors enter the room, seemingly trapping him.[214] He notifies Felicity, who then hacks into the building's PA system, and issues an evacuation notice, giving Roy a chance to escape.[215] Roy gets out of the room before it enters into lock down, and is able to avoid two guards with the help of Felicity and exit the lab.[216] Roy returns to Queen Consolidated, and Felicity offers to mail the acquired sample for Roy as he goes in to meet with Oliver.[217]
A Green Arrow skin based on Oliver Queen's appearance inArrow appears in the 2013 video gameInjustice: Gods Among Us as downloadable content. The playable skin was given as a bonus reward to the first 5,000 voters ofInjustice's promotional Battle Arena competition, but was later released as a free download. Stephen Amell lends his voice and likeness to the skin.[218]
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham features anArrow downloadable content pack that adds multiple playable characters, including Arrow, John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, Huntress, Slade Wilson, Roy Harper, Canary, and Malcolm Merlyn as well as vehicles and an exclusive level set during Oliver's time in Lian Yu. Amell reprised his role in addition to voicing the traditional Green Arrow in the game, whileCynthia Addai-Robinson reprised her role asAmanda Waller.[219][220]
The video gameLego DC Super-Villains features DLC inspired byArrow in the "DC Super Heroes: TV Series DLC Character Pack". The DLC pack includes The Atom, Green Arrow, and Mister Terrific as playable characters.[221]
On February 23, 2016,Titan Books releasedArrow: Vengeance, a tie-in novelization written by Oscar Balderrama and Lauren Certo, which is set before and during the second season, detailing the origins of Slade Wilson, Sebastian Blood, and Isabel Rochev, and how they eventually meet and collaborate with each other to battle Oliver's alter-ego as seen in the television series.[222] On November 29, 2016, Titan Books releasedThe Flash: The Haunting of Barry Allen, a tie-in novelization written by Susan and Clay Griffith, set during the second season ofThe Flash and the fourth season ofArrow, which features characters from both shows;[223] the story continued inArrow: A Generation of Vipers, released on March 28, 2017, again written by the Griffiths.[224]
In August 2017, it was confirmed thatArrow executive producerMarc Guggenheim would co-author a fourth novel, alongside James R. Tuck, entitledArrow: Fatal Legacies, which was released in January 2018. The novel focuses on events between the fifth-season finale and sixth-season premiere.[225]
The first guidebook to be released wasArrow: Heroes and Villains by Nick Aires and published by Titan Books, released in February 2015.[226] Described as "a companion" to the series, the book features sections on the various characters of the series, along with descriptions, backgrounds, comic book origins, and "where they stand as of the end of the second season ofArrow".[227]
A follow-up toHeroes and Villains by the same author and publisher, titledArrow: Oliver Queen's Dossier, was released in October 2016, during the series' fifth season. The book is presented as information collected by the Green Arrow and Felicity Smoak over the course of his four years of activity. Included in the book are "handwritten notes" and "police reports" regarding the Green Arrow and those he targets.[228]
In July 2013, it was announced that Berlanti and Kreisberg, along with Nutter andGeoff Johns, would be creating a television series,The Flash, based onthe character of the same name, with an origin story for Barry Allen.[229] The character, portrayed byGrant Gustin, was set to appear in three episodes of season two ofArrow, with the final one acting as abackdoor pilot for the new series.[230] However, it was announced in November 2013 that the backdoor pilot would not be happening, with a traditional pilot being made instead.[231] In January 2015, The CW president Mark Pedowitz announced the intention to do aFlash andArrow crossover every season,[232] and The CW announced that an animated web-series,Vixen, featuring the DC heroineof the same name and set in the universe ofArrow andThe Flash, would be debuting onCW Seed in late 2015.[233] The character later made a live-action appearance onArrow in the fourth-season episode "Taken". The next month, it was reported that a spin-off series, which is described as a superhero team-up show, was in discussion by The CW for a possible2015–16 midseason release. Berlanti and Kreisberg would executive produce alongside Guggenheim and Sarah Schechter. The potential series would be headlined by several recurring characters from bothArrow andThe Flash, with the potential for otherArrow/Flash characters to cross over to the new series as well.[234][235] In May 2015, The CW officially picked up the series, titledLegends of Tomorrow.[236] A series titledJustice U that would star Ramsey was announced to be in development on January 13, 2022,[237] however, it was passed on in May 2023.[238]
Several characters from previous seasons returned in "Invasion!", a crossover episode withThe Flash andLegends of Tomorrow (and featuresKara Danvers / Supergirl fromSupergirl) which also doubles as the100th episode ofArrow,[239] where Thea, Diggle, Sara, Ray and Oliver are abducted by theDominators and were put in dream stasis to gather intel while they are shown what their lives would have been, had Oliver never gotten on theQueen's Gambit. Further crossovers occurred with "Crisis on Earth-X" in 2017,[240] "Elseworlds" in 2018,[241] and "Crisis on Infinite Earths" in-between 2019 and 2020.[242]
In August 2015, it was confirmed thatMatt Ryan would appear in the fourth-season episode "Haunted", reprising his role asJohn Constantine from the short-livedNBC seriesConstantine per a "one-time-only-deal" that would involve his character being "brought in to deal with the fallout of the resurrection ofSara Lance (Caity Lotz) via Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus Pit."[243][244][245] Due toArrow andConstantine sharing the same studio, the producers ofArrow were also able to acquire Ryan's original outfits.John Badham, who was a director onConstantine, directed the crossover episode.[244] On filming the episode, Guggenheim stated it felt like the production team was "doing aConstantine/Arrow crossover, and it's so exciting ... we're just really glad we got the chance to extend Matt Ryan's run as Constantine by at least one more hour of television. I think you'll see he fits very neatly into our universe. It never feels forced, it feels right."[246] Ryan would later reprise his role as Constantine inLegends of Tomorrow, beginning with its third season as a recurring cast member before being promoted to series regular status for the fourth season.[247]
In August 2019, it was reported that another untitled spin-off was in development.[248] The next month, The CW announced it was developing a female-led spin-off series, with Katherine McNamara, Katie Cassidy, and Juliana Harkavy as the leads, reprising their roles fromArrow. An episode ofArrow's final season would serve as a backdoor pilot for the potential series.[249] Filming for the backdoor pilot began on October 21, 2019,[250] with its title, along with the series, being namedGreen Arrow and the Canaries.[251]
In May 2020, after the series was revealed not to have been picked up for the early part of The CW's2020–21 television season, CW president Mark Pedowitz said the series was "very much alive" and remained under consideration.[252] In June, Guggenheim said that, should the series not be picked up, he would potentially resolve the cliffhangers introduced in the backdoor pilot in a comic book.[253] In January 2021, The CW officially passed on the spin-off;[254] Guggenheim said this decision was made at the beginning of theCOVID-19 pandemic, with Guggenheim feeling the pandemic was the "deciding factor" in not moving forward with the series.[255] Having the series move toHBO Max was also reportedly "thoroughly explored", which was another contributing factor to the length of time it took to officially announce its cancellation.[256]
^Although Cassidy is billed as a "special appearance" inseason 8, she is still considered a series regular for the season.[21]
^For episode 8 ("Crisis on Earth-X Part 2"), the show was moved to Monday 9:00pm to fit the chronology of the crossover.
^For episode 8 ("Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Four"), the show was moved to 8:00pm on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 to fit the chronology of the crossover.
^"Lone Gunmen".Arrow. Season 1. Episode 3. October 24, 2012. Event occurs at 13:47.The CW.We still found arrows in the scene. Solid evidence that The Hood was there.
^"City of Heroes".Arrow. Season 2. Episode 1. October 9, 2013. Event occurs at 40:25.The CW.I don't want to be called "The Hood" anymore.
^"Broken Dolls".Arrow. Season 2. Episode 3. October 23, 2013. Event occurs at 26:53.The CW.Last year you were working with "The Arrow", what a difference a few months make.
^"Green Arrow".Arrow. Season 4. Episode 1. October 7, 2015. Event occurs at 36:56.The CW.I am the Green Arrow.
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