The CW Needs to Find Its Second Arrow to Survive, but Chances Are Dangerously Low
We have to adapt to the new order.
No matter how many years we have witnessed the slow cancellation of almost every single one of The CW's original shows, it was hard to imagine that the network that raised so many kids on Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Riverdale and the Arrowverse would suddenly turn around and leave it all behind.
But times have changed, and the network's financial situation required all of these measures to keep it alive. However, back in the day, when The CW found itself in times of trouble, it managed to make the best out of it by introducing one of its biggest hits to the public.
Why Did The CW End the Arrowverse?
Launched in 2012 and running for more than a full decade, the Arrowverse has been one of the biggest factors in The CW's recent success. The original show that kicked off the expanded TV universe, Arrow, was not only an intriguing setup for viewers, but ended up being a saving grace for the network's executives.
At least that is what Arrow co-creator, showrunner and executive producer Marc Guggenheim was told by Warner Bros. TV chairman Peter Roth at the time. He revealed the details of their agreement on The Showrunner Whisperer podcast:
“[He] took us out to lunch and basically laid out for us in incredible detail the reality that if Arrow wasn’t a hit, there would be no more CW… Now we also have the pressure of keeping the whole network on the air,” Guggenheim recalled.
Giving Green Arrow Oliver Queen the green light to impress viewers with his backstory was a risky move for The CW, but in the end, it was completely worth it. The show has become a massive hit, thanks in part to its DC Comics roots and in part to its contract with colorful and fun Marvel productions.
Right now, The CW seems to be in desperate need of another Arrow-esque show to save the network, but that doesn't seem to be a possibility.
The only show The CW continues to produce from its past originals is All American, which doesn't feel like it has an expandable potential for spinoffs. The new police procedural Wild Cards, though highly rated, is not about to become the second NCIS. So the future of the network remains unclear.
If you want to go back in time and watch some of your favorite Arrowverse crossovers, be sure to stream Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and more on Netflix.
Source: The Showrunner Whisperer Podcast