Prime Video Adds All 8 Seasons Of A Beloved Dc Comics Tv Series

The CW

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There was a time not all that long ago when the DC Universe was thriving on TV thanks to The CW. The Arrowverse existed for more than a decade as a haven for superhero fans, and it all started with one show centered on a hero who is far less famous than Batman or Superman. Now, that show has a new home.

Streaming now on Prime Video, all eight seasons of "Arrow" are there for subscribers to enjoy. The series centers on billionaire Oliver Queen who, after being marooned for five years on a remote island, comes home with a mysterious agenda and a lethal set of new skills. Oliver returns to Starling City a new man who is determined to right the wrongs of his father and bring justice to the criminal and corrupt underbelly of his city. The cast of "Arrow" was led by Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow.

The series premiered in 2012, when Marvel's cinematic universe was just truly getting underway and DC's shared big-screen universe still hadn't begun to materialize. Superheroes were just beginning to truly ascend to the top of the cultural hierarchy in terms of popular entertainment, and it was the height of the "dark and gritty reboot" era. That explains why "Arrow" was directly inspired by the classic superhero movie "The Dark Knight."

We had to say goodbye to "Arrow" in 2020 after eight seasons and 170 episodes, but that was one hell of a run. Particularly in the modern television landscape, where even getting to three seasons can be a miracle much of the time.

The CW

More than just a single long-running show, this Green Arrow-centric drama paved the way for so much more. In 2014, The CW doubled down on its partnership with DC when "The Flash" made it to air. This was the beginning of what would become known as the Arrowverse, named for the show that kicked the whole enterprise off.

The universe continued to expand when CBS moved "Supergirl" to The CW for Season 2 in 2016. Then things really started to heat up. Crossovers happened and a true shared universe began to flourish. Eventually, the network was host to a whole grab bag of shows based on DC Comics characters, including "Legends of Tomorrow," "Batwoman," and "Black Lightning," among others.

What was nice about it is that the Arrowverse didn't have the stakes of a blockbuster movie or a massive budget miniseries. With long seasons, they could take risks and viewers could really get to know these characters. "The Flash" went from the best superhero show on TV to total disaster, but that's sort of the nature of most long-running shows. Similarly, "Arrow" had its peaks and valleys, most fans would tell you.

But the high highs were meaningful to fans. Some truly wild things happened in "Legends of Tomorrow," things that astonishingly made it to air on network television. But that all started with the relatively grounded, gritty take on Green Arrow that had no expectation of starting a whole shared universe. It was just a show based on a comic book hero with no real powers.

The CW

In retrospect, "Arrow" is easily one of the most important superhero shows of the 2010s. That undoubtedly makes it worth revisiting, or perhaps visiting for the first time. And not unlike many other shows from The CW's heyday, there's plenty to go around. This binge watch will take some time.

But all good things must come to an end. "Arrow" concluded its run in 2020 largely on its own terms, and the whole universe fell apart soon thereafter. In 2023, the Arrowverse officially came to an end bringing a vital part of TV history to an end with it. Hundreds of episodes across multiple shows spanning more than a decade. It was an impressive feat.

The CW as we knew it changed forever when the network was sold to Nexstar in 2022. The new leadership wanted to cut costs and focus more on cheaper programming. These DC shows no longer fit the bill and, one by one, they all met their demise. At the same time, DC Studios and Warner Bros. were taking more control over the brand, making shows like "Peacemaker" that were more heavily tied to the movies. It couldn't last forever.

As for this show more specifically, The CW canceled plans for a major "Arrow" spin-off that would have been titled "Green Arrow & The Canaries." There were also plans for a John Diggle spin-off that never materialized. But we'll always have these eight seasons of Oliver Queen's adventures in Starling City.

You can also grab "Arrow: The Complete Series" on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon.