It still doesn’t feel right that we don’t have new seasons of the Arrowverse shows airing weekly on The CW anymore. The network’s shared universe of superheroes became such a fixture of the TV schedule over the past decade that it’s still hard to imagine any schedule without at least one of them on it.
It all started in 2012 when Arrow hit the target with its first season. From there, the Arrowverse grew, adding the likes of The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and Black Lightning to its line-up. It also set the stage for adjacent shows such as DC’s Stargirl and Superman and Lois. However, it all came to an end when The Flash bowed out with its ninth and final season in May 2023, ending a decade of dominance.
The Arrowverse’s contributions to the superhero medium are not to be overlooked. It single-handedly brought mainstream superhero stories back to television, encouraging other networks and streamers to do the same once they were able to see the value in that. DC TV reigned supreme for over a decade and we’ll never forget what a time it was to be alive!
Not all of the Arrowverse’s seasons were worth raving about. Thus, as the shared universe concludes (for now) let’s take this moment to look back at the many seasons of superhero showdowns and rank them.
Note: This article won’t include Arrowverse adjacent shows Superman and Lois and DC’s Stargirl as they remain set on different Earths.
If you’re a fan of the Arrowverse, listen to The CW Spiral Podcast for news and updates about the future of DC TV. Subscribe to their YouTube Channel here.
37. Arrow season 4
There simply aren’t enough words to describe what a decline in standard the fourth season of Arrow was. A cheesy, melodramatic and downright frustrating season of television, the show had completely lost its identity as the result of a series of poor creative choices and bad writing.
Felicity Smoak, the once lovable computer genius that aided Team Arrow in their missions, was now Oliver Queen’s romantic love interest. The show became all about the pair’s relationship, with the forced conflict dragging any compelling characters the show once had down with it. Felicity was only interested in making the kidnapping of Oliver’s son all about herself, and let’s not forget the infamous moment where she regains the ability to walk just so she could literally walk out on Oliver. An important storyline that could have raised awareness was instead wasted on this moment.
The show’s biggest sin was killing off the Black Canary, a disrespectful insult to the iconic character’s legacy and the comic book fans watching the show – which rightfully saw the ratings decline. There was no coming back from that, and even though Arrow eventually steadied out in terms of storytelling, the great show that it once was had died along with Laurel Lance.
36. The Flash season 7
There once was a time when you’d see a sequence of consecutive fourth seasons on the lower end of this list because, Supergirl aside, season 4 was not kind to the Arrowverse shows. But that streak has been broken by some really disappointing seasons from The Flash‘s later run.
Kicking us off on that front is The Flash season 7. This season saw Barry Allen and Team Flash have to take on the Forces (the Still Force, the Sage Force, the Strength Force, and of course The Speed Force). That sounded like a lot of fun, but the execution left a lot to be desired.
The truth is that the Forces just weren’t that interesting, and when you had the Speed Force, which looked like Barry’s mother Nora and referred to him as her “beautiful boy”, suddenly start calling Barry and Iris “mom and dad”, you have a serious problem.
The back half of the season fared a little better by introducing the long-awaited Godspeed, but it completely dropped the ball and rushed the storyline so much it almost makes us wish they never adapted it in the first place.
Season 7 was full of promise, but the drawn out Forces story, the truncated Godspeed story, and the pointless interlude format killed every last bit of it, making for The Flash‘s worst season.
35. The Flash season 9
Putting the final season of The Flash down this low on the list was not something I wanted to do. Heck, it’s something I shouldn’t have had to do. But the sad truth is that season 9 missed every opportunity for greatness, sending this titan of a show out on a disappointing note.
Original characters were forsaken, new characters were introduced without rhyme, reason, or purpose, and the lackluster supporting characters that audiences just didn’t care about took up far too much screentime. Chester and Allegra’s underbaked and yet repetitive romance was as by-the-numbers as you can get, Cecile decided it was time to be a superhero (and somehow developed flying abilities while she was at it?), and the arrival of newbie Khione meant that we didn’t get to spend the final season with beloved Flash vet Caitlin Snow.
There were less episodes in season 9 and that should have allowed for a tight and concise finish to the show, but the creative team opted to recycle the tired old “graphic novel” format (as well as a multiple-episode interlude), dropping storylines after just four episodes, acting like it was just any other season in the process. It was all so messy and completely missed the mark.
There were glimmers of brilliance (the episodes in which Green Arrow returns and Barry travels back into the past were outstanding), and some of the other episodes were decent. But it rarely felt like the grand finale that a show like The Flash deserved, and that is unforgivable.
Objectively, Season 9 isn’t the worst season of The Flash, but it is easily the most disappointing.
34. Black Lightning season 4
Black Lightning‘s final season was not well-received. It might have something to do with the fact that fans felt caught off-guard by the announcement that the show would be ending so early into its run or the departure of China Anne-McClain, but it jut didn’t come together in the way that a final season should.
The season focused on Jefferson’s retirement as Black Lightning and his refusal to go back to a life of heroics. But when his feud with archenemy Tobias Whale escalated once again, he of course, had to put on the suit again to end his reign of terror once and for all. That actually sounds great when you say it like that, but the execution of the storyline let it down, leaving parts of it feeling a little rushed.
One of the biggest disappointments of Black Lightning season 4 being its last was the fact that the show had just become an Arrowverse series due to Crisis On Infinite Earths. The decision to end the show so soon after that made us all question what the point of it even was, as its conclusion robbed Black Lightning of a chance to explore its new world on Earth-Prime and to cross over with the other DC shows on The CW.
All that being said, the Painkiller storylines were easy standouts in this season, and it made us all excited at the prospect of the character’s potential spinoff (which unfortunately wasn’t picked up).
33. The Flash season 4
The Flash season 4 was a turning point for the show (and not in a good way). After three seasons of light-hearted and family-focused fun, we veered into a direction that few shows want to find themselves in: A corny one.
In an attempt to make up for the admittedly darker third season, the series leaned heavily on sillier characters and storylines. From the introduction of the gimmicky Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. Elongated Man, to the introduction of a ton of one-and-done metahumans (that set the stage for countless standalone villain-of-the-week episodes), The Flash‘s fourth season was very in-your-face about its new direction.
As a villain, The Thinker made for a nice change of pace from the multiple speedster antagonists at the time, but his convoluted plan dragged the season down and he was just too powerful for Team Flash to ever believably defeat. It just wasn’t fun to watch them lose over and over again, and that was just one of the many reasons why the subpar season came off as repetitive.
The one shining light in season 4 was the standalone episode “Enter Flashtime”, which is easily one of the best episodes of The Flash ever made. It might just be the best episode of the show. Ever. And that’s enough to elevate this season over the ones we previously mentioned.
32. Supergirl season 5
The fifth season of Supergirl marked the beginning of a downward spiral for the series, which was a real shame considering how strong season 4 was. It seemed as though it misunderstood our appreciation for a more serious season as a desire for it to stay serious, because season 5 attempted to do that. The only problem is that its storylines were dull and uninteresting.
Leviathan are the most confusing and yet underwhelming villains to ever show up on Supergirl, constantly getting outshined by Lena and Lex Luthor. Speaking of Lena Luthor, her descent into villainy was completely unnecessary. If they were going to do that with the character, they should have done it sooner; at this stage it was predictable and very nearly ruined one of the show’s best characters as a result.
This season was also hampered by Crisis On Infinite Earths as it used the events of the crossover to reset the season midway through, changing storylines and characters along the way and virtually making it impossible for anyone who didn’t tune into it to understand.
Supergirl season 5 completely missed the mark of what the show should be. It took itself too seriously and had no fun whatsoever. We had a little fun watching it from time-to-time, but this is easily the worst season of the Girl of Steel’s series.
31. The Flash season 8
The Flash season 8 started off so well. It really seemed like it was set to be the long overdue comeback that fans had been waiting for – the reason being its excellent “Armageddon” crossover. A major event that brought in multiple Arrowverse heroes, it took place across the first five episodes of the season and saw Barry tackle the alien known as Despero, struggle with a loss he couldn’t remember and question The Flash’s position as a hero. He also got his amazing gold boots.
Unfortunately, when everything went back to normal, everything really went back to normal. We were left with a confusing Time Sickness storyline that saw Iris once again relegated to damsel-in-distress, there were more unnecessarily time-wasting “interlude” episodes, and the show randomly decided to kill off Killer Frost for no reason whatsoever when there were far less interesting characters still on the show.
The Deathstorm storyline was really interesting, and the return of Eobard Thawne as a good man was a nostalgic and welcome change-of-pace, but just like the pivot from its Armageddon storyline, the show just couldn’t maintain the standard. Too many questionable story decisions (and interludes) prevented this season from living up to its potential. And that’s a shame, because if we were just ranking “Armageddon”, season 8 would be an instant Top 10.
30. The Flash season 5
The biggest issue that The Flash encountered in its fifth season was its repetitive storytelling. There was no clearer example of that than its primary villain, Cicada, who underwent the same cycle of defeat-escape-retreat in almost every single episode he appeared in. He was portrayed to be some unstoppable threat, and yet Team Flash almost defeated him in every battle, until a ton of plot armor allowed him to escape again.
The underwhelming villain wasn’t the only one to suffer from this, however, as the admittedly lovable Nora West-Allen embarked on a similar character journey in her early episodes, running into danger, failing to listen to her more experienced father, and consistently making the same mistakes on a loop. Like we said: Repetitive.
Season 5 was all about family and that was definitely its strength, but it failed to capitalize on the abundance of potential in its storyline, its villains, and its characters. That said, there were plenty of wonderful bright spots in this season, including the remarkably fun “King Shark vs. Gorilla Grodd” episode and the incredible season finale, which saw the return of the Scarlet Speedster’s archenemy, the Reverse-Flash.
This season had a lot going for it, but again, there were just too many episodes.
29. Arrow season 3
There was a lot of promise in Arrow‘s third season that had fans excited about the future of the Arrowverse. For starters, it was the first Arrow season to be accompanied by another show, as The Flash joined it on The CW’s schedule. How would it hold up now that it was building a universe? Well, that answer has many layers, but on a story level at least, this is where the cracks started to show.
The introduction of Batman villain Ra’s Al Guhl was met with a divisive response, because Arrow was already known for borrowing heavily from the Batman lore and fans felt that the show should have distanced itself from the Dark Knight comparisons. It didn’t, because its central plot (which saw Ra’s choose Oliver to be his heir) is ripped straight from the pages of a Batman story.
Adding to that, the romance between Oliver and Felicity threatened to take over the show in all the wrong kinds of ways, making the latter character intolerable at times, and the melodrama began to overwhelm the show. As a result, there wasn’t enough time to tell actual compelling stories like Laurel’s underdeveloped journey to becoming Black Canary, and Roy’s struggles with his life in Starling City.
While heavily flawed, Arrow season 3 isn’t quite as bad in hindsight. There was a lot of good in there, including the jaw-dropping midseason finale, the three episodes headlined by Vinnie Jones’ Daniel Brickwell, and the thrilling “Public Enemy”. It still felt like Arrow for the most part, it just didn’t hit the target the way that fans had hoped.
28. Legends of Tomorrow season 4
For two seasons, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow had found the perfect balance between serious and silly, making the spinoff an adventurous sweet spot for Arrowverse fans. But in season 4, it ventured a little too far into the silly direction.
No show on television did silly better than Legends but the fourth season often felt outlandish for the sake of being outlandish, so it struggled a little with getting the tone right (especially when it was working with a pretty dark villain in the demon Neron). This all had to do with the full-time introduction of characters like Gary Green and Mona, who were fun in a recurring capacity but a little too much when the focus on them was increased, and the lack of more heartfelt characters like Professor Stein. And even though the idea of the Legends hunting down the mystical creatures was amazing, it was almost too unserious for its own good.
There was some brilliance in there, though (and we wouldn’t expect anything less from Legends), as the storyline between Nate and his father was heartfelt, the midseason finale “Legends of To-Meow-Meow” blew our minds, and the Bollywood musical number had us all longing for a Legends musical episode. Oh, how wonderful this show could be!
27. Black Lightning season 2
Black Lightning found a way to set itself apart in its first season as a superhero show that didn’t really feel like a superhero show. It was more concerned with telling grounded and compelling stories around a man who just happened to have superpowers (and who chose to use those powers for the betterment of his community). However, its second season would see it lean into the super side of things a little more,
That primarily had to do with the Lightning family, as Jefferson’s daughters, Anissa and Jennifer, began to develop, hone, and craft their abilities, becoming the crimefighters Thunder and Lightning. Throughout all of that, the conflict with The 100 gang continued, while we also saw the introduction of the villain known as Looker (played by the wonderful Sofia Vassilieva).
Black Lightning season 2 was a solid continuation of the story its predecessor began, opening with a real sense of urgency. It didn’t quite reach the heights of the more streamlined first season, but it did a great job with its expanded scope, while the promotion of Jordan Calloway to series regular made Khalil a welcome full-time addition to the show. It also convincingly set the stage for the stronger third season.
26. Legends of Tomorrow season 1
Anticipation was high for the first season of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow as it was set to give the spotlight to some of the Arrowverse’s best heroes and villains. Characters like Arrow‘s Sara Lance and Ray Palmer, and The Flash‘s Firestorm, Captain Cold, and Heatwave, would all unite to save the future from the immortal tyrant that was Vandal Savage, aiding a man from that future named Rip Hunter in taking him down.
It was a thrilling trip into the future that offered up a completely different side to the Arrowverse than the one we were used to seeing from Arrow, The Flash, or even Supergirl at that stage. At times it felt a little too Doctor Who for its own good, but it showed promise, and that’s all it really needed.
Vandal Savage was a very one-dimensional villain and the show often thrived whenever it deviated from the main storyline (the Legends’ trip to Star City 2046 and their first adventure in the Old West are standouts here) but it ultimately did what it set out to do.
As first seasons go, it was very good, but Legends‘ best days would be ahead of it.
25. Supergirl season 6
Supergirl‘s final season was a series of highs and lows that functioned well for the most part, but it did struggle in its attempt to send the Girl of Steel out on a high.
From wrapping up the previous season’s unfinished storylines to Kara’s imprisonment in the Phantom Zone, there was a lot going on in the first half of the season which prevented it from ever fully figuring out what it wanted its own storyline to be. There were some great episodes in there, but the lack of Kara made the whole thing feel utterly joyless.
Things turned around in the second half of the season when Kara returned, bringing a more uplifting tone back to the show. And with her return, other characters could focus on their own arcs, particularly Alex and Kelly, who had some of their most powerful storylines.
All in all, Supergirl season 6 was full of potential but its disjointed format prevented it from ever fully living up to it. At times it felt like Kara herself had no storyline, while Lena Luthor’s new story felt a little rushed (even with the bumper-sized 20 episodes). That said, its beautiful two-hour series finale was a highlight that did indeed manage to send Supergirl out on a high that she deserved.
24. Arrow season 6
If we could sum up how we feel about Arrow season 6 with one word, it would probably be “divided”. That’s a pretty apt word, because this season was pretty divisive in many ways, and we’re not just talking about the infamous division on Team Arrow.
Here’s the thing, Arrow season 6 starts pretty well, but it quickly goes off the rails. Cayden James was an interesting villain, but he never received the in-depth exploration that he needed to elevate him above his rather one-note reputation (and it turns out that motivation was there just waiting to be explored in more depth). His death partway through the season was uncalled for, and even though Ricardo Diaz had all the makings of a powerful new villain, his underwhelming portrayal in the first half of the season undercut that potential.
The Team Arrow conflict was infuriating, because the newer team members were absolutely right in their feelings, and yet the show wanted us to side with Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle. Neither would relent and we got a very repetitive cycle of storylines midway through the season.
That being said, the back half of season 6 is one of the strongest series of episodes in all of Arrow‘s run, setting the stage for an exquisite finale with real stakes and earned emotional payoff.
Season 6 is definitely a guilty pleasure of yours truly, and seeing Katie Cassidy back full time as Earth-2 Laurel Lance / Black Siren was an absolute treat.
23. Batwoman season 2
The second season of Batwoman had a lot to contend with. For a start, its lead Ruby Rose had exited the show, meaning that Kate Kane had to be written out and a new Batwoman had to be written in. On top of that, the show still had to wrap up the leftover storylines that never got the chance to properly conclude in the truncated first season.
Stepping into replace Rose was Javicia Leslie, who brought new original character Ryan Wilder to life in a way that instantly made fans fall in love with her. She was fun, lovable and downright badass, making us all root for the new Batwoman pretty darn quickly – and that is a testament to the strength of Leslie’s performance.
Other things that the season handled well were its portrayals of Black Mask, and Circe Sionis, and the further exploration of Alice’s origins through Coryana. The reintroduction of Kate Kane midway through the season shook things up and allowed us all to see fan-favorite Wallis Day in the role, but it did overwhelm the season a little, leaving it with little time to wrap up its concluding storylines.
Batwoman season 2 was an excellent addition to the Arrowverse, and even though it took on too much, it was a necessary transitional period for a show on its way to its best season.
22. Batwoman season 1
The last linear Arrowverse series directly tied to the shows that came before it, Batwoman premiered on The CW in 2019. It wasn’t the first time we had seen Ruby Rose’s Scarlet Knight (as Kate Kane debuted in the previous year’s Elseworlds crossover) but it was time to see if the character could lead her own show. We quickly learned that she could.
The show was a little shaky in the beginning, with the pilot essentially coming off as a rushed 40-minute Batman movie, but we got there in the end. A few episodes in and things steadied out with a solid series of episodes and, after the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover, things really kicked into gear.
It was great to finally be able to spend time in the Arrowverse’s Gotham City and this allowed for some fascinating portrayals of legendary Batman villains – villains that were no match for Batwoman, who quickly made an impression on the hearts and minds of Gothamites.
Batwoman needed some time to grow but once it got there, it became one of the best Arrowverse shows of the 2019 – 2020 TV season. It’s just a shame that it never got the chance to complete that season, because it’s one of the DC shows that felt most unfinished that year.
21. The Flash season 6
The Flash season 6 is a tale of two halves. It opens with the highest quality of storytelling seen on the show since its third season, introducing us to new villain Ramsey Rosso, a.k.a. Bloodwork, and setting the stage for Crisis On Infinite Earths remarkably well. When Bloodwork and Crisis come and go, however, the season completely shifts focus to Mirror Monarch and Black Hole, who both had potential that was never fully realized.
Season 6 was an example of both how successful and flawed Eric Wallace’s “graphic novel” approach could be. On one hand, the shortened Bloodwork narrative was pretty darn flawless, telling a great, short, cohesive story that set the stage for the Crisis and never fell victim to the same problems that previous seasons’ did. But on the other, the lacklustre back half drags the whole season down because it just couldn’t come close to matching the stakes.
Nevertheless, the good that we got was great. Bloodwork had a compelling backstory, but he was also incredibly formidable, giving Barry a real threat to overcome when he trying to focus on the Crisis. The stakes were truly high throughout the first half of the season and a large part of that was the fact that the story was a personal one, as Ramsey used Barry’s Crisis fears to manipulate him.
While the second half of the season didn’t quite match those highs, it was still a solid story with some great moments (Barry and Iris’ mirror conversation is stunning), ensuring that season 6 is never anything less than entertaining the whole way throughout.
20. Legends of Tomorrow season 6
Well into its run, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow left fans wondering what it hadn’t tackled, because it felt like the Arrowverse’s boldest show was willing to take on any challenge. By the time the season 5 finale rolled around, we got our answer and it seemed so obvious we should have already known it. Yes, it was aliens.
Apart from Supergirl (and the Invasion! crossover), the Arrowverse hadn’t really tackled aliens before, so this gave Legends a real opportunity to come up with some unique and creative antagonists. And they really did, utilising special effects, make-up, and surprisingly convincing suits to imbue the show with a real B-movie creature feature feel, which it rocked.
The season wasn’t perfect and some fans felt that it once again leaned too far into the silly territory, while others didn’t like the fact that the original Sara Lance died and that our main character was now an alien clone. Yeah, maybe Legends went too Legends on that one, but overall the season was hilariously entertaining and surprisingly heartfelt. And the episode which saw Sara Lance propose to Ava Sharpe was undoubtedly one of the finest hours of Legends of Tomorrow‘s whole run.
Season 6 was a rollercoaster, and an emotional one at that!
19. Arrow season 7
Hopes were high for Arrow‘s seventh season, especially as it was set to feature Oliver Queen imprisoned at a Supermax facility. It quickly delivered on that front, providing a gripping, edge-of-seat shift for the show that allowed Arrow to revisit its more mature form of storytelling.
Oliver’s imprisonment provided the show with a chance to bring back some familiar characters from the show’s past, as he crossed paths with Talia al Guhl, Daniel “Brick” Brickwell, and Cody Rhodes’ Derek Sampson. That quickly increased the stakes as fans wondered how the Green Arrow would survive in a place surrounded by criminals he put behind these very bars.
Those stakes carried through into the rest of the season, as Felicity went into hiding from Ricardo Diaz, Laurel sought redemption and revenge, and the city struggled to move on from its vigilante days (as a ban against vigilantes came into effect after Oliver’s arrest).
In many ways, the season became the inverse of season 6, as its back half failed to capitalize on the momentum. Its main villain Emiko, though compelling, was let down by the finale, the conflict between Team Arrow and the SCPD dragged on longer than it needed to, and the flash-forwards to Star City 2040 just didn’t have the same impact as the show’s flashbacks.
18. The Flash season 3
The Flash‘s third season is a bit of a mixed bag, because wonky elements are among the worst that the Arrowverse series had produced at the time, but the good is absolutely excellent. It was a conflicting season, but an absolute thrill-ride to watch.
Among the things that worked incredibly well was the villain Savitar, a.k.a. the God of Speed, who was expertly built up and genuinely felt like an unbeatable villain. That, of course, made the Future Flash reveal all the more fulfilling because how do you stop an evil version of yourself? The thing that let this reveal down, however, was the fact that it took too long to happen and, by the time that it did, fans had figured it out.
Other things that held the season back was its convoluted time-travel lore (which contradicted what we learned in previous seasons), the decision to make Iris a damsel-in-distress, the underwhelming resolution for Julian Albert, and most infamously of all, the creative choice to make the Flashpoint adaptation a single episode.
That being said, this was the last season in which The Flash truly felt like The Flash, Grant Gustin was amazing in the dual role, Killer Frost really changed things up when she debuted, and we got the legendary musical crossover with Supergirl. Yes, season 3 had its flaws, but there was so much good in there.
17. Black Lightning season 3
The third season of Black Lightning was an emotional one. It also had a lot going on all at once. And you know what? It did a pretty fine job of conveying all of that, and making you feel all the emotions along the way.
This one’s storyline was all about Jefferson’s battles with the American Security Agency who, under the guidance of the intimidating Agent Odell (portrayed chillingly by the legendary Bill Duke), began rounding up young metahumans in Freeland as a conflict with Markovia threatened to turn Freeland into a war zone.
Black Lightning has never been more powerful than it was in its third season. It was a thought-provoking storyline and a very, very compelling one. It also featured plenty of stakes and gave all of its characters real purpose – something the show had struggled with in the past.
Black Lightning season 3 was also the season in which the show officially became an Arrowverse series, with its midseason finale depicting the wave of antimatter wiping out Freeland (and the rest of that Earth), before the multiverse was reborn in Crisis On Infinite Earths. After that, the show’s continuity took place on Earth-Prime, along with the rest of the Arrowverse shows.
16. Legends of Tomorrow season 5
After swaying too far into silly territory, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow got itself back on track for a well-balanced fifth season that gave us some of the show’s best moments.
This time, the Legends were up against The Fates, mythical Goddesses in search of the Loom of Fate so that they could control the timeline (and everyone’s fates) all over again. This made for quite the adventure, as our favorite bunch of outcasts and misfits found themselves outrunning fate itself in the hopes of choosing their own destiny. And when they weren’t doing that, they were battling Encores – infamous killers whose souls had been returned from Hell.
The season also had to balance the fallout of Crisis On Infinite Earths, introduce Zari’s brother Behrad, as well as a new version of Zari, who quickly became a real standout. Among its best episodes were “Slay Anything” (which saw the Legends track down a prom killer in the 1980s), “A Head of Her Time” (which introduced Marie Antoinette), and “Mr. Parker’s Cul-De-Sac” (which saw the departures of Ray Palmer and Nora Darhk).
However, its biggest standout has to be “The One Where We’re Trapped On TV”, which saw the Legends end up in a reality where they were on shows that parodied Friends, Downton Abbey, and Star Trek.
Man, I miss this show.
15. Supergirl season 3
Supergirl‘s third season was a bit of a conflicting one, because on one hand it went on for too long, but on the other, it gave us some of the best drama, storylines, and character development that the show ever produced.
Kara’s attempt to move from on Mon-El saw her struggle with anxiety, panic, and fear of loss – something that she spent the first half of the season dealing with. She wasn’t the only one struggling, as Alex and Maggie’s relationship hit a wall, and newcomer Sam Arias fell victim to a darker personality within who would ultimately become this season’s big bad, Reign.
Reign was easily the best villain of Supergirl‘s whole run, and Odette Annable did a wonderful job highlighting the nuances of the role, making you root for Sam and against Reign. And whenever she wore that terrifying mask, you actually feared for the Girl of Steel, because Reign was a violent force-to-be-reckoned with.
If it was about two or three episodes shorter, Supergirl season 3 would have ranked much higher on this list, but the repetitive nature of the last batch of episodes stalled its momentum a little too much in that department. Nevertheless, it was still damn good television.
14. Black Lightning season 1
When Black Lightning first premiered in 2018, it (like Supergirl) didn’t exist on the same Earth as the Arrowverse shows. But, unlike Supergirl, it would seek to distance itself from the other superhero shows on The CW as it wanted to tell a very different kind of story. That story, dramatized in the show’s first season, was a very compelling one.
Its title character may have been a metahuman with the powers of electricity at his disposal, but Black Lightning wasn’t worried about super-powers, invasions, or villain-of-the-week adventures. No, this was a more grounded story about a man who had moved on from his days as a superhero and focused on helping the community as a high school principal instead. Jefferson Pierce loved Freeland, and he was willing to do whatever it took to keep it safe.
However, when crime overwhelms his community again, it’s up to Jefferson to bring back Black Lightning to put an end to it once and for all, all while reigniting the feud with his archenemy Tobias Whale.
An excellent debut for the show, Black Lightning featured strong, well-written characters and a sensational leading performance from Cress Williams. And it quickly set itself apart in a crowded genre.
13. Legends of Tomorrow season 7
It’s no surprise that Legends of Tomorrow once again found a way to reinvent itself for its seventh and final season, because this show was the Arrowverse’s answer to Madonna. It would never stop evolving as long as it was on the air, and we’re so glad that we got to see it try something different in its last outing.
While season 6 edged closer to the silly territory, season 7 found a way to balance things a little better, dropping our ridiculous outcasts and misfits in the much more serious setting of the 1920s. They were trapped there without the Waverider and had to come up with a way of surviving in a different time while also figuring out how to get back to their own time. That brought them to the man who would invent time travel. That man was Matt Ryan’s new role after they wrote John Constantine out.
The stakes felt high in season 7 and, looking back at how this ended up becoming the show’s unexpected final season, that’s a good thing. No show should be producing one of their strongest outings this far into its run, but Legends liked to defy expectations.
Even though its cliffhanger ending is incredibly frustrating, Legends of Tomorrow went out on a high. We just hope they someday get the chance to finish their story in the way they truly deserved.
12. Batwoman season 3
Batwoman was a show that spent most of its run finding its footing. It had plenty of great moments, but between its truncated first season and Ruby Rose’s unexpected departure, it had a lot to juggle and that ultimately slowed it down. By season 3, however, it had found that footing.
This season saw the weapons of Batman’s deadliest criminals fall into the hands of Gotham City residents, resulting in a whole second generation of some of DC’s most iconic bad guys running amok. From Killer Croc to the Mad Hatter, it was awesome to see new versions of Batman’s rogues gallery, and that set the stage for the season’s two main storylines, which saw Mary Hamilton become a vessel for Poison Ivy and Ryan’s brother Marcus evolve into a new Joker.
There were many highlights in this season, specifically seeing Bridget Regan stun us all as the original Poison Ivy. Its biggest highlight, though, was its focus on Ryan Wilder herself, who no longer had to worry about the show attempting to explain away Kate Kane’s absence. This season was all about Ryan and she proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is and always will be the definitive Batwoman, with Leslie delivering her best performances yet.
11. Arrow season 5
After falling from its pedestal in its reviled fourth season, Arrow had a lot of work to do if it wanted to reclaim the respect of audiences. To its credit, it put in the effort and ended up delivering a season that was a return to form on all fronts.
This show was at its best when it kept things simple and personal, so a villain like Prometheus was far more suited to it than the likes of Ra’s Al Guhl and Damien Dark. A demon from Oliver’s past that had returned to exact revenge on him, the deadly archer put together an intricate plan to take down his adversary, making the Emerald Archer’s life a living hell in the process.
Josh Segarra was a revelation in the role of Prometheus, making a case for why he might just be the show’s best antagonist, restoring that grounded and gritty nature that the show was once so beloved for.
The Team Arrow dynamic does get a little annoying (especially since it ended up dominating the next two seasons), Felicity is still occasionally intolerable, Ragman randomly disappears midway through the season and Dinah Drake feels rather underutilized after her introduction, but overall, Arrow season 5 was a huge improvement over its immediate predecessors and a reminder of how good this show could be when it wanted to.
10. Supergirl season 2
There was a lot of concern that Supergirl‘s move from CBS to The CW would impact the show’s production values and storytelling, which would have been a real shame given how cinematic season 1 looked. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case (at least not right away).
Supergirl season 2 leaned into much of the family-centric storylines that made the first season a success while also developing characters that much further. A great example of that is Alex Danvers, who came out to her sister Kara in one of the most beautiful scenes in the show’s whole run, and embarked on an exciting and heartfelt romance with Maggie Sawyer.
It also leaned into J’onn’s origins more, introduced Mon-El of Daxam, gave Winn more to do, and brought in legendary Lois Lane actress Teri Hatcher to portray the villainous Rhea, Queen of Daxam. Moreover, its exploration of the alien fight club storyline was handled incredibly well, and gave Kara an important cause to fight for – something the show would begin doing a lot as it went on.
There was a lot to love about Supergirl season 2, including the introduction of Tyler Hoechlin’s iconic Superman and the phenomenal “Supergirl Lives” episode directed by Kevin Smith. It even made an effort to keep Cat Grant on the show, with Calista Flockhart popping up to open and close the season. Yes, her absence was its biggest drawback, but the show did its best to work around that and still, at its heart, felt like the CBS show we fell in love with.
9. The Flash season 2
The Flash delivered one of the most perfect first seasons in television history. It introduced us to the Scarlet Speedster, his archnemesis, and even the concept of time travel. How could it beat that? Well, by bringing in the multiverse, of course!
Season 2 was all about the multiverse, as Barry and Team Flash went up against friends that looked like foes, and foes that looked like friends. It instantly shifted the dynamic and brought with it another compelling adventure for our heroes to deal with. And at the heart of that adventure was Zoom, the terrifying evil speedster that was essentially Earth-2’s version of the Reverse-Flash.
Earth-2 also played a pivotal role in the second season, which is something that DC Comics fans appreciated. It also gave the show the chance to experiment with its core cast, allowing them to play quirky and different versions of their characters. And the “Welcome to Earth-2” two-parter remains one of The Flash‘s strongest storylines.
This was also a season of discovery for Barry, as he attempted to come to terms with the grief he still felt over the loss of his mother and figure out if he could ever truly be happy. That leads to some interesting story beats, the incredible “Runaway Dinosaur” episode, and an amazing performance from Grant Gustin.
Yeah, we don’t talk about it enough, but The Flash season 2 was one of the Arrowverse’s strongest sophomore adventures.
8. Supergirl season 4
After three seasons of being the Arrowverse’s most comic-centric series, Supergirl decided to switch gears in its fourth season and tell a more serious story. The show had veered into important storylines before, but devoting a whole season to that was another thing altogether. And yet, it pulled it off beautifully.
The season’s primary arc was all about spotlighting issues of racism and discrimination through the discrimination that aliens suffered as the result of fear-mongering at the hands of the show’s very human villain Agent Liberty. This was a change of pace for the show, as Kara couldn’t defeat this evil with her powers, and she needed to reach the people around her and change the broken system. She had to inspire real change, and she eventually realized that aligning herself with one government organization wasn’t the way to do that.
Agent Liberty was such a well-storylined villain that we almost wish he wasn’t sidelined midway through the season in favor of Lex Luthor. However, when Lex did show up, it was impossible to do anything but watch in awe at Jon Cryer’s phenomenal, commanding performance. And the thought-provoking narrative was a great time to finally bring the legendary Superman villain in.
Supergirl was never more compelling than it was in season 4, and that makes it a rare example of an Arrowverse show that managed to shine brighter than ever in its fourth outing. The writing was strong, the characters went on thoughtful journeys, and we also met the game-changing Nia Nal, who would go on to become one of the Arrowverse’s most important characters.
7. Arrow season 8
After years of showing potential but never quite realizing it, Arrow found its way back to greatness in its final season, and it all had to do with a welcome increase in stakes and a long overdue reset. With the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover gearing up to shake the Arrowverse to its very core, all eyes were on Oliver Queen as he prepared for his final adventure and the ultimate sacrifice he would make in a bid to save his family and the multiverse from eradication.
With that, the show returned to its roots of primarily focusing on Oliver and John Diggle. Someone else who got some long overdue spotlight was Earth-2’s Laurel Lance, meaning that the show’s original leading trio, Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, and Katie Cassidy were at the forefront of it. That was enough to imbue it with a sense of nostalgia before we got the excellent episodes that took us back to the beginning.
Arrow felt like Arrow for the first time in a long time, and through the focus on its original actors, the move away from the Team Arrow nonsense, and its episodic format that allowed for some of the show’s best episodes ever, it went out better than it had been in years. And somehow, someway, it left us wanting more.
6. Legends of Tomorrow season 3
After figuring itself out in season 2, Legends of Tomorrow continued to go from strength-to-strength in its third season. This is also the first time the show really ventured into a different kind of genre outside of typical fantasy (and comedy of course), as it delved into more supernatural horror – a genre that would serve it well in the future seasons, too.
It all had to do with the arrival of the demon Mallus, who resurrected Damien Darhk to be his acolyte. It was a risk bringing Darhk back so soon after season 2, but the beauty of Legends was the fact that it easily change the time period he was from or change his motivation. In this case, it was both, as Mallus was using his daughter Nora as a vessel.
Yes, Legends got dark in season 3, but that didn’t prevent it from having fun. The introduction of the Time Bureau changed things up dramatically, with Ava Sharpe instantly working her way into viewers’ (and Sara’s) hearts. And we can’t forget about the fact that this was also the season that introduced us to none other than the legendary Beebo.
Legends is a strange anomaly that can juggle supernatural horror with mature character storylines revolving around grief, heartache, and loss, but it continued to prove itself in season 3. And if you need a reminder of that, just remember that a darker season ended in a battle between a devilish demon and a giant stuffed teddy.
5. Supergirl season 1
Perhaps no season of the Arrowverse is as quintessentially “superhero” as the first season of Supergirl. There was so much buzz surrounding its big-budget premiere, and it didn’t just live up to those high expectations, it exceeded them, offering up an adventure worthy of the big screen.
Supergirl was glossier than its CW counterparts, helped in no small-part by that big CBS budget that it had, but it wasn’t just surface level with this show. It looked like The Devil Wears Prada when you were in CatCo, but it had no problem evolving to Superman when it ventured into the skies of National City. And that mix of light-hearted office drama and superhero show blended together remarkably well, making a series about aliens feel incredibly human.
Melissa Benoist was a revelation in the role of Kara Danvers. She brought the Girl of Steel’s adventures to life with an endearing and believable performance, but one that would also define the role for a whole generation, turning Supergirl into the headlining star and taking her out of the shadow of her cousin.
Its primary villain, Non, wasn’t all that great, but there was a lot to make up for that, including villains such as Astra and Indigo, the secret introduction of J’onn J’onzz, the Danvers sisters dynamic, the crossover with The Flash, and the captivating performance of Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant.
Supergirl‘s first flight was fun, light-hearted, and cheesy in all the right ways. It was an adventure that screamed superhero louder than Silver Banshee’s shriek, and it ensured that the sky was the limit for the Girl of Steel. It was truly up, up, and away for Supergirl.
4. Legends of Tomorrow season 2
After Legends of Tomorrow‘s first season was met with a mixed reception, the creative team went back to the drawing board to look at what worked and what didn’t. It was a wise approach really, because there was a lot that did work in season 1, it just didn’t stand out in an overcrowded genre. What they accomplished with season 2, however, did all of that and so much more.
The second season leaned into more of the outlandish elements that fans enjoyed about season 1, acknowledging the fact that the Legends were just a bunch of outcasts and misfits that history forgot who ended up screwing up the timeline for the better. And when it figured that out, the show was all the better for it.
But it wasn’t all silly, because there were a lot of serious and emotional storylines in there too. Its central plot focused on Sara’s attempt to retrieve the Spear of Destiny to save her sister Laurel Lance/Black Canary, all while trying to kill the man responsible for death, Damien Darhk. It was powerful, but it also set the stage for one heck of an adventure as the Legends squared off against the Legion of Doom – a group of Arrow and The Flash villains who united to change their destiny so that they could be the winners.
Legends of Tomorrow season 2 was all about balance, ensuring it was capable of making us laugh one moment and moving us to tears the next. That’s what the show would be known for in the years that followed, and as a result, it finally found a way to stand out.
Oh, they don’t make ’em like Legends anymore!
3. Arrow season 1
After the success of Smallville, it made sense for The CW to set their sights on a Green Arrow TV series. What caught people off-guard was the fact that it would be a different Green Arrow than the one who appeared in that series.
But its star wasn’t the only thing different about Arrow, The series, led by Stephen Amell, was much darker than the source material it was based on, portraying Oliver Queen like a grittier Batman-esque character than the quippier Emerald Archer from the comics. It was definitely the effect of living in a post-Dark Knight world, but it paid off in a huge way, with the show instantly setting itself apart from Smallville and every other superhero TV show ever made.
Here, Oliver returned from his five years on an island to right his father’s wrongs, killing off the people who threatened to destroy Starling City. He wasn’t putting on the hood to be a hero, he was out for vengeance. And as he sought that vengeance, he saw how the people of his city were looking to him to save them.
Arrow‘s first season was a dark look at a new kind of superhero show, and it was an incredibly successful one at that. With drama, action, and a compelling narrative, Oliver’s return to Starling City and subsequent war with the Dark Archer set an incredibly high bar.
2. Arrow season 2
Arrow‘s second season is a thing of beauty. It’s really important to open with that sentence, because we just need to get the obvious out of the way. It’s perfect, the most perfect that Arrow ever was, and one of the highest standards of writing for a comic book show ever seen on television.
Deathstroke’s arrival in Starling City was already exciting on paper for DC fans because he’s such a beloved Batman villain, but the fact that it would further the flashback arc that played out in season 1 was just the icing on the cake. Manu Bennett was nothing short of terrifying in the role, providing a threat to Oliver that was even more formidable than the Dark Archer.
Other elements that shined in season 2 were Oliver’s partnership with Roy, the return of Sara Lance as the Canary, and the redemption of Moira Queen. Meanwhile, Katie Cassidy delivered one of the best performances the Arrowverse had ever seen as Laurel battled her alcoholism and attempted to cope with all the trauma she had faced.
There was so much happening in Arrow season 2, and yet it never felt overwhelmed by any of it. It all came together incredibly well, setting the stage for an absolutely stunning final batch of episodes, as the Arrow attempted to juggle his new heroic direction with the darkness of his past and take down Deathstroke once and for all.
1. The Flash season 1
The title of the best Arrowverse season goes to The Flash season 1. It has to. The truth is that it’s one of the best first seasons in television history, and it’s pretty darn incredible that it managed to achieve that given the enormous hype leading up to its debut.
As successful as Arrow had been, there was a sense that The Flash could achieve even greater heights when it sped onto our screens in 2014. And it did, very quickly in fact, with a pilot episode that set the stage for its title hero to steal our hearts. Across the 22-episode first season, that’s exactly what he did.
Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen was instantly lovable from his first appearance on Arrow, but throughout The Flash‘s first season, we learned about the tragedies that drove him to be a good person, and an amazing hero. His saga with archenemy the Reverse-Flash was the most gripping hero/villain story the small screen had ever seen and a worthy portrayal of the legendary comic book rivalry. And the writing that went into telling that story, as well as the various twists it encountered along the way, was exceptional.
When Barry wasn’t focused on that, he was busy saving Central City from rogues such as Heatwave and Captain Cold, helping Professor Stein and Ronnie Raymond with their Firestorm problem, and struggling over his feelings for longtime best friend Iris West.
It was compelling and joyous, thrilling and heartfelt. The Flash season 1 is everything a superhero story should be and so much more. The Arrowverse was never better than it was right here!
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