Launched CW’s superhero industrial complex and a decade of crossovers.
Why it matters
Episode guide
170 episodes across 8 seasons — titles, air dates, and synopses.
At a glance
A billionaire playboy returns from a nightmare island as a hooded vigilante saving his corrupt city. Grounded grit evolves into multiverse toybox. Superhero TV as weekly soap and franchise seed.
Network & studio
- The CW — broadcast network
- Warner Bros. Television Studios — production studio
Why watch now
Watch for the cultural DNA of the 2010s — and the star power that made living rooms feel like red carpets.
Cultural impact
Launched CW’s superhero industrial complex and a decade of crossovers.
Creators
Greg Berlanti · Marc Guggenheim · Andrew Kreisberg
Key cast
- Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen / Green Arrow
- Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance
- David Ramsey as John Diggle
- Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak
- Manu Bennett as Slade Wilson
- Colton Haynes as Roy Harper
Flash facts
- CW premiere 2012 launched the Arrowverse.
- Directly enabled The Flash, Legends, Supergirl crossovers.
- Defined 2010s broadcast superhero quantity strategy.
- Ran the full decade into a planned ending.
FAQ
What network aired Arrow?
Arrow is associated with The CW (2012–2020).
Why is Arrow in the TV Flash top 100 for the 2010s?
Launched CW’s superhero industrial complex and a decade of crossovers.
Who are the key names behind Arrow?
Creators and principals include Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg.
Official & further reading
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
Back to the decade
Also on the dial
Related & side shows
The Flash
Scarlet speedster optimism — multiverse soap with heart-on-sleeve heroics.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Musical rom-com deconstruction — mental health with showstopping weird songs.
Jane the Virgin
Telenovela love letter — accidental insemination premise, maximal heart.
Gilmore Girls
Walk-and-talk caffeine, mother-daughter banter at 100 mph.
Supernatural
Two brothers, one Impala, fifteen seasons of demons and dad issues.
Smallville
No flights, no tights — until the cape finally arrives.