Colton Haynes with a bloody nose looking straight ahead and scared in ArrowImage via The CW
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Kendall Myers
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Kendall Myers is a Senior Author with Collider. As part of the TV and Movies Features team, she writes about some of the most popular releases before, during, and after they premiere. In three years, she has written over 900 articles with topics ranging from classic sitcoms to fantasy epics.
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Old shows are always cycling in and out of streaming services, but it's frustrating to say goodbye, and soon, Netflix will lose a memorable part of its library. The CW's Arrow will no longer be available to Netflix users on December 18, giving fans just a few weeks to rewatch the superhero series before it disappears. There are plenty of comic-based shows available to fans, especially as the DCU expands, but Arrow is unique. It may not have received the same budget as more recent DC series, nor does it connect to any film continuity. Yet with its dark tone and underappreciated main hero, Arrow is an impressive example of superhero media that DC fans don't want to miss.
'Arrow' Follows a DC Comics Hero That Is Often Overlooked
Arrow's eight-season run ended in 2020, and though there seem to be more superhero shows than the average fan can keep up with now, that wasn't the case when Arrow began. In fact, Arrow inspired many of the series that came after it, kicking off a larger universe of TV heroes, appropriately referred to as the Arrowverse. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Arrow is that it isn't about a character that isn't often seen, at least in film and TV. The series shows Oliver Queen's (Stephen Amell) journey as a hero, remaking DC fans' favorite archer in a serious and gritty story.
Oliver Queen is not a hero who is often in the forefront, but Arrow takes this overlooked DC hero and gives him a Batman-like makeover. Oliver may be a rich playboy who takes up vigilantism, but he starts as a brutal foe. With a vendetta and a list of people to kill, Oliver sets out on a mission that soon leads to moral quandaries. Throughout the series, he goes from being the infamous figure known as The Hood to the slightly more appreciated The Arrow and eventually to the truly heroic Green Arrow, slowly earning the respect of Star City's population. Arrow weaves an interesting narrative, full of terrifying villains and expertly used flashbacks that slowly piece together Oliver's past. This series may not be a comic-accurate Green Arrow, but it tells a compelling story as it allows Oliver to grow into his role as a hero.
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Posts 1 By Gregory Mysogland Feb 27, 2025While Oliver is certainly the center of the series, Arrow includes many characters that fans will recognize, and some that they won't. Oliver develops a team of capable heroes behind him as he inspires others to follow his lead. These include familiar, Green Arrow-related names, like Black Canary (Katie Cassidy), Arsenal (Colton Haynes), and Speedy (Willa Holland), as well as others like John Diggle (David Ramsey) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards). Together, the heroes, collectively known as Team Arrow, fight corruption, crime, and their own demons as they protect their city. The team aspect allows Arrow to go beyond Oliver, exploring an ever-growing roster of heroes, each with an emotional backstory and unique challenges. Arrow doesn't lean into all the craziness of a comic book adaptation, instead preferring a largely grounded story that focuses on justice and redemption.
'Arrow' Began the CW's Superhero Universe
The heroes of the Arrowverse, including The Flash, gather to battle a Nazi invasion during 'Crisis on Earth-X'.Image via The CW
Many things distinguish Arrow from other superhero series, but perhaps the most significant is that it was the inspiration for The CW's connected universe. Following Arrow's success, the network slowly built its own DC universe, adding The Flash, Supergirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and Black Lightning to its roster. Most of these series took a drastically different tone than Arrow, adding a wide variety to the world, with DC's Legends of Tomorrow highlighting the zaniest elements of the genre in contrast to Arrow's gritty tone. Yet despite their differences, none of the others would exist without Arrow, making it the best of the lot.
Beyond being the first, Arrow was most unlike the rest, with its dark realism contrasting most of the Arrowverse shows' light comic book tone. This uniqueness allowed the series to do things others couldn't, setting it further apart. Arrow remained adaptable, always working with the rest to accommodate the connected universe as characters regularly appeared in other series, building the connection.
During their heyday, these series aired massive crossover events, adapting some of DC's most recognizable storylines, such as Crisis on Infinite Earths or Elseworlds. Oliver Queen's story started it all, eventually leading to the founding of the Justice League (at least as it is in this particular universe). The Arrowverse came at a time when DC movies were struggling, allowing these shows to fill a void for fans. It may not be the most critically acclaimed superhero franchise, but the Arrowverse was a unique and beloved set of series that tackled many fascinating stories with its own creative flair, and all of that was thanks to Arrow.
'Arrow' Leaving Netflix Is the End of an Era
Oliver Queen, played by Stephen Amell, in his Green Arrow suitImage via The CW
After years of being on Netflix, Arrow's departure is something of a surprise, but it shouldn't be. The CW renegotiated its exclusive deal with the streamer back in 2019, announcing that the shows currently available on the site would remain for five years after their conclusion. Considering Arrow aired its finale in 2020, this should have been expected. Saying goodbye to Arrow is disappointing enough, but this deal means that, slowly but surely, the rest of the Arrowverse will follow, leaving Netflix in the same order they concluded their runs. With that pattern, The Flash will be the last to remain, staying available until 2028.
There is hope that Arrow will become available on another streamer, with HBO Max being the most likely candidate (Batwoman and the Arrowverse-adjacent Superman & Lois are already there, after all.) Arrow's impending departure from Netflix gives fans a limited time to be sure they can enjoy the trendsetting series, so watch it while you can.
Arrow is streaming on Netflix in the U.S. until December 18.
Arrow
Like TV-14 Crime Drama Action Science Fiction Release Date 2013 - 2020-00-00 Network The CW Showrunner Andrew Kreisberg Directors James Bamford, John Behring, Glen Winter, Michael Schultz, Wendey Stanzler, Laura Belsey, Gregory Smith, Guy Norman Bee, Nick Copus, Jesse Warn, Gordon Verheul, Antonio Negret, Kristin Windell, Thor Freudenthal, Rob Hardy, Eagle Egilsson, Dermott Downs, Joel Novoa, Kevin Tancharoen, Tara Miele, Ben Hernandez Bray, Mairzee Almas, Alexandra La Roche, Andi Armaganian Writers Oscar Balderrama, Sarah Tarkoff, Speed Weed, Keto Shimizu, Rebecca Bellotto, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jill Blankenship, Deric A. Hughes, Benjamin Raab, Erik Oleson, Lana Cho, Tonya Kong, Moira Kirland, Rebecca Rosenberg, Bryan Q. Miller, Jenny Lynn, Maya Houston, A.C. Bradley, Barbara Bloom, Mark Bemesderfer, Nolan Dunbar, Gabrielle Stanton, Elisa Delson, Marv Wolfman Franchise(s) ArrowverseCast
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Stephen Amell
Oliver Queen / Green Arrow
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David Ramsey
John Diggle / Spartan
When presumed-dead billionaire playboy Oliver Queen returns home to Starling City after five years stranded on a remote island in the Pacific, he hides the changes the experience had on him, while secretly seeking reconciliation with his ex, Laurel. By day he picks up where he left off, playing the carefree philanderer he used to be, but at night he dons the alter ego of Arrow and works to right the wrongs of his family and restore the city to its former glory. Complicating his mission is Laurel's father, Detective Quentin Lance, who is determined to put the vigilante behind bars.
Genres Crime, Drama, Action, Science Fiction Powered by
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