The ArrowVerse
Definition per Wikipedia:
Arrowverse is a shared fictional universe that is centered on various television series airing on The CW and web series airing on CW Seed based on characters appearing in publications by DC Comics. The Arrowverse stars Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen / Green Arrow, Grant Gustin as Barry Allen / Flash, Melissa Benoist as Kara Danvers / Supergirl, Megalyn Echikunwoke as Mari Jiwe McCabe / Vixen, with an ensemble cast leading Legends of Tomorrow, including Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter, Caity Lotz as Sara Lance / White Canary, Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer / Atom, Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory / Heat Wave, with Victor Garber and Franz Drameh as Martin Stein & Jefferson “Jax” Jackson / Firestorm. Russell Tovey stars as Ray Terrill / The Ray.
Arrow (2012-Present)
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.
Total Episodes: 138
1st season – Great
2nd season – fine
3rd – 4th seasons – UGGHH I don’t want to watch this.
5th season – Okay this is good again
The Flash (2014-Present)
At 11, Barry Allen’s life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Orphaned Barry later becomes Detective Joe West. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother’s death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession – a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention – causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
Total Episodes: 92
Some of the plots are a little weak, but I think this is my favorite of the ArrowVerse.
Supergirl (2015-Present)
At 12 years old, Kara Zor-El escapes doom on planet Krypton to find protection on Earth with the Danver family, where she grows up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learns to hide the extraordinary powers she shares with her cousin, Superman. Now an adult living in National City and working for media mogul Cat Grant, Kara finds her days of keeping her abilities a secret are over when super-secret agency head Hank Henshaw enlists her to help protect the city’s citizens from threats. Finally coming into her own, Kara must juggle her new responsibilities with her very human relationships.
Total Episodes: 65
Some people find this cheesy – and season 1 is pretty cheesy but this show is super fun. Its part of the Arrowverse, but on an Alternate Earth.
Legends of Tomorrow (2016-Present)
Total Episodes: 51
A super great show – though I called Rip “Rory” the entire first season. You need to watch Arrow and Flash before this though, as it uses a lot of background characters from both.
Each of these four shows have a “crossover event” each season, so watching all of them is helpful.
A Grey Area
Constantine (2014-2015)
Demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine figured there was no longer any point in fighting the good fight since his soul belongs to the netherworld, but when demons target the daughter of one of his closest friends, Liv, he reluctantly rejoins the battle. It turns out that Liv has second sight, an ability to see other worlds and predict supernatural occurrences, a power that makes her a threat to the new evil rising from the shadows. She and Constantine take their combined skills on the road, traveling the country to find demons and send them back to hell.
Total Episodes: 13
Though not intended as part of the ArrowVerse, characters (with the same actors reprising their roles) appear in Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow.
Smallville (2001-2011)
An interpretation of the Superman story features young Clark Kent coming to grips with his emerging superpowers. He must hide his abilities from his friends, including Lana Lang, the girl of his dreams, and Lex Luthor, who will one day become Superman’s nemesis. Complicating matters is the presence of kryptonite throughout Smallville, which causes strange mutations in locals and cripples Clark.
Total Episodes: 217
Between Jimmy’s lecture to Kara in warning her away from Lena that “Clark and Lex were best friends once too.” and Midvale’s direct acknowledgement of Chloe Sullivan (who was a characters created for Smallville), while Smallville is not directly confirmed a part of Arrowverse, it feels like it could be, especially since Supergirl is an alternate earth to the other Arrowverse shows, so Smallville’s origin of characters doesn’t clash with the Arrowverse counterparts.
Web-Series
Vixen (2015-2016)
Based on the DC Comics character, Vixen follows the story of Mari McCabe, orphaned at a young age, as she tries to find meaning in her life. Mari finds meaning through an inherited mystical Tantu Totem that allows her to mimic the abilities of any animal that has ever lived on Earth. As part of the “Arrowverse,” Mari’s life continually crosses paths with Green Arrow, the Flash, Black Canary, Atom, and many others as she learns to use and control her powers in her quest to stop threats like those that claimed her family.
Total Episodes: 12
Freedom Fighters: The Ray (2017-Present)
Freedom Fighters: The Ray is an American animated web series developed by Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim.
Total Episodes: 12
In-Production
Untitled Batwoman Show
- Scheduled for 2019
- By The CW
- In script-development
RiverMoose-Reads 