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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Series

Arrow

Arrow is an American superhero television series based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Arrow is an American superhero television series based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. It ran for eight seasons from 2012 to 2020 and launched the Arrowverse shared universe on The CW.

What it is

Arrow follows Oliver Queen, a billionaire who returns to Starling City after surviving years on a remote island and becomes the vigilante Green Arrow. Stephen Amell portrays Oliver Queen. The series was developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, and aired 170 episodes on The CW.

Why it matters

Arrow is the first series in the Arrowverse, a shared television continuity that includes The Flash and other DC shows. Its success sparked multiple spin-offs and crossover events, helping to establish modern DC superhero TV on The CW.

Key details

Key points: Eight seasons, 170 episodes, original run October 10, 2012 to January 28, 2020. Arrow adapts the Green Arrow character from Mort Weisinger and George Papp's comics. It aired in Canada through The CW's broadcast ecosystem and later via various TV and streaming distributors.

In short

  • Arrow aired for 8 seasons and 170 episodes on The CW (2012–2020).
  • Stephen Amell stars as Oliver Queen / Green Arrow.
  • It launched the Arrowverse, connected to The Flash and other DC shows.
  • The show helped shape modern DC superhero television.
Canadian angle

Arrow aired in Canada through The CW-era broadcast ecosystem and later reached Canadian viewers through various TV and streaming distributors, but the exact current availability depends on region and platform licensing.

Quick questions

How many seasons of Arrow are there?
Arrow has 8 seasons.
Who is the Green Arrow?
The Green Arrow is Oliver Queen, played by Stephen Amell in the series.
Is Arrow connected to The Flash?
Yes. Arrow and The Flash are part of the same Arrowverse continuity, and The Flash originated as a spin-off from Arrow.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arrow_episodes
    Supports: Eight seasons, 170 episodes, broadcast dates, Arrowverse continuity
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2193021/
    Supports: Series dates, season count, premise summary
  3. Arrow Fandom — https://arrow.fandom.com/wiki/Arrow
    Supports: Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen / Green Arrow, final season information
  4. The Movie Database — https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1412-arrow/seasons?language=en-US
    Supports: Season count and season premiere information
  5. DC Database — https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Arrow_(TV_Series)
    Supports: Oliver Queen as Green Arrow, Arrowverse, eight-season run
  6. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/arrow
    Supports: Original network, genre, dates, synopsis
  7. TV Guide — https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/arrow/1000506746/
    Supports: Where to watch/stream listing and series overview
  8. Deadline — https://deadline.com/2019/03/arrowend-with-10-episode-sesaon-8-final-season-canceled-1202570893/
    Supports: Final season length, Arrowverse franchise context, The Flash as spinoff