Arrow season 8 to be final season, star Stephen Amell confirms
In a post on Twitter (which CarterMatt has for you to check out below), star Stephen Amell broke the news by saying that playing Oliver Queen has been the “greatest professional experience” of his entire life, but also added that you “can’t be a vigilante forever.” The final season of Arrow is only going to run for ten episodes, meaning that the storyline we have at present (which seems to be veering off in many different directions) will have to be tied together sooner rather than later.
While this news is certainly a surprise to us, there’s a good chance that Amell and the rest of the Arrow team have known about this for some time now. Ending a show, especially for a network like The CW, is one that is not made lightly. With Arrow, that is especially the case since you are discussing what is one of the most influential shows in the history of an entire network. Without Oliver Queen and his green hood, there would likely be no The Flash, and the same goes for Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and the upcoming Batwoman, if ordered to series. These series all exist because of what Arrow proved — that you can do a modern superhero adaptation and not have it be a prequel a la Smallville. The Arrowverse is a model that all other shows within this genre should hope to achieve.
What’s also interesting is the timing of the announcement, given the news that Crisis On Infinite Earths is meant to be the epic crossover event coming a little bit later this year. We don’t want to read anything into where Arrow is and what supposedly happens in the source material there — if we had it our way, Arrow would be given a proper series finale rather just ending with a crossover. It shouldn’t have to sacrifice something big for the sake of the greater world around it. Arrow already did that by having the 100th episode be a part of the Invasion! crossover.
As Amell says, there is so much more to say on the subject of Arrow, its legacy, and what it’s meant to not just superheroes on TV, but also all of the actors and crew members that these shows have employed. Presumably, some other shows will live on; beyond just that, we’re sure that more will be coming to The CW in the wake of others ending. All of them have at least one more season on tap, but we don’t think any of them are meant to really go for ten or twelve years. It’s better to leave flying high than with a thud, and we think that this is something that all of these shows are aware of.
One thing that is also great about Arrow ending with ten episodes? It’ll give the cast a chance to go back out for pilot season immediately.
What do you think about Arrow ending after season 8? Be sure to share right now in the comments. (Photo: The CW.)