For more than a decade, The CW’s Arrowverse turned Tuesday and Wednesday nights into a mini comic-con:
leather suits, dramatic rooftop speeches, and at least one slow-motion walk toward the camera per episode.
Even though the era of weekly crossovers is mostly behind us, fans are still arguing over one crucial
question: what are the best shows in the Arrowverse?
To build this ranking, we looked at fan-voted lists, audience scores, and rewatchability. That means
pulling from places where real viewers hang out: big fan polls, audience ratings on popular review
aggregators, and passionate rankings from long-time Arrowverse addicts. The result is a list that reflects
what fans actually binge, argue about, and revisit – not just what critics once raved about.
What Exactly Counts As the Arrowverse?
Before we start ranking, a quick refresher. The “Arrowverse” grew out of
Arrow, which premiered in 2012 and quietly kicked off a sprawling DC TV universe. From there we got
The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and
Batwoman, plus animated spin-offs and web series. Later, Superman & Lois and shows like
Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray connected in through crossovers and multiverse shenanigans.
Fans sometimes debate whether certain series are “properly” Arrowverse or just Arrowverse-adjacent, especially
after the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover rewired the whole multiverse. For this list,
we’re focusing on the core live-action shows that shared characters, crossovers, or timelines with the main CW
DC universe and that regularly appear on fan rankings.
How We Ranked the Best Arrowverse Shows
Instead of one person shouting “I’m right, you’re wrong” into the void of the internet, this ranking leans on:
- Fan polls and vote-based lists where thousands of viewers rank their favorite Arrowverse shows.
- Audience scores on major review platforms to see how casual and hardcore fans rate each series.
- Rewatchability rankings that look at how often people go back to a series, not just how they felt during season one hype.
- Long-term consistency – shows that stayed good for years get a bump over ones that peaked early and crashed hard.
With that in mind, let’s suit up and dive into the best shows in the Arrowverse, ranked by the people who kept
these series alive: the fans.
The Best Shows in the Arrowverse, Ranked By Fans
1. Superman & Lois
It still surprises some people that Superman & Lois often lands at the top of fan-voted
Arrowverse rankings, but once you watch it, the love makes sense. Fans praise the show for pulling off something
rare in superhero TV: it’s both a grounded family drama and a high-stakes superhero series at the same time.
Instead of retreading Clark Kent’s early days, this show drops us into his life as a married father of two
teenagers trying to balance world-saving with parent-teacher conferences. Many fans say it finally gives Superman
the emotional depth he deserves while still delivering cinematic-feeling action on a TV budget. The show’s first
seasons, in particular, are frequently called some of the best superhero television of the last decade.
Add in a strong Lois Lane, compelling villains, and a visual style that looks more like a streaming blockbuster
than a standard CW show, and it’s no wonder fan polls often put Superman & Lois at number one in
the Arrowverse.
2. Arrow
Without Arrow, there is no Arrowverse. Fans still look back at the early seasons with a kind of
nostalgic awe – the gritty tone, the grounded street-level fights, and that now-iconic island backstory. Many
viewers rank seasons 1 and 2 among the best superhero seasons ever made, thanks to tight plotting and standout
villains like Deathstroke.
Over the years, fans agree that Arrow had its ups and downs, but it also gave the universe some of its
most beloved characters: Felicity Smoak, John Diggle, Sara Lance, and a whole roster of vigilantes in hoodies.
The show also carried the weight of launching crossovers, setting up new heroes, and basically acting as the
Arrowverse’s older sibling who never got a day off.
For many longtime fans, Arrow isn’t just a show; it’s the emotional core of the whole franchise. That
final season and Oliver’s arc in Crisis on Infinite Earths still hit hard on rewatch.
3. The Flash
If Arrow is the brooding older brother, The Flash is the hopeful, slightly nerdy
younger sibling who runs everywhere instead of walking like a normal person. When fan rankings talk about the
best shows in the Arrowverse, The Flash almost always lands in the top three.
Early seasons are especially beloved, with many fans calling season 1 one of the strongest superhero TV seasons
ever. The combination of heart, humor, time-travel chaos, and a terrifying Reverse-Flash hooked viewers fast.
Even when later seasons got messier with speedster villains and timeline resets, the emotional core – Barry, Iris,
and Team Flash – kept people tuning in.
Rewatchability rankings often put The Flash near the top because it’s easy to marathon: fun villains of
the week, big crossover episodes, and just enough sci-fi weirdness to make you say, “Sure, that’s how time travel
works now, I guess.”
4. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow started as the Arrowverse’s misfit crossover spin-off and slowly became
the universe’s funniest, strangest, and most creative show. If you’ve ever wanted a time-traveling superhero
series that’s not afraid to be outright bizarre, this is the one fans recommend.
Early seasons leaned more serious, but once the writers realized the show worked best when it embraced chaos,
fan love soared. Viewers rave about how Legends turns background characters into MVPs, lets heroes fail
in hilarious ways, and still manages to land emotional gut punches amid all the time anomalies and musical
episodes.
In rewatchability lists, Legends of Tomorrow consistently ranks high because it’s just fun. You don’t
have to follow every multiverse rule or remember every crossover; you can jump in, enjoy the ride, and quietly
wonder how this show made a stuffed toy mascot one of the Arrowverse’s most beloved “characters.”
5. Supergirl
Supergirl may not always sit at the very top of Arrowverse rankings, but it has one of the most
passionate fanbases. The show began on a different network before joining The CW, and that move helped it lean
into bigger crossovers, more DC deep cuts, and a stronger connection to the larger universe.
Fans often praise Supergirl for its hopeful tone and willingness to tackle real-world themes through
superhero stories: immigration, prejudice, identity, and found family. Kara Danvers is repeatedly cited as one of
the most inspiring leads in the Arrowverse, and supporting characters like Alex, J’onn, and Lena built a loyal
following of their own.
While some seasons are viewed as more uneven than others, standout episodes and emotional arcs keep
Supergirl near the middle or top of most fan rankings, especially among viewers who value character
relationships as much as action.
6. Black Lightning
Black Lightning technically began outside the main Arrowverse continuity, but it later crossed
into the shared universe through the big crossovers – and fans were glad it did. Even on its own, the show earns
strong ratings for its grounded storytelling and more mature tone.
Viewers frequently highlight Jefferson Pierce as one of the most fully realized heroes in DC TV: a father, a
principal, and a reluctant vigilante trying to protect his community. The series also stands out for the way it
deals with family dynamics and social issues without losing sight of its superhero core.
In many fan rankings, Black Lightning sits comfortably in the middle: not as widely watched as
The Flash or Arrow, but loved by those who discover it, and often called “underrated” by
viewers who wish more people had given it a chance.
7. Batwoman
Batwoman had one of the rockiest roads in the Arrowverse. Recasting its lead, navigating
behind-the-scenes drama, and trying to find a consistent tone while Gotham begged to be fully explored was no
easy feat. Fan reactions are mixed, and that shows up in rankings where it usually lands in the lower half.
That said, viewers who stuck with Batwoman often appreciate its representation, its attempt to carve
out a darker Gotham-centered corner of the Arrowverse, and the way later episodes leaned into comic book villainy
and legacy. It may not be the first show fans recommend to newbies, but it still has its defenders.
8. Stargirl (Arrowverse-Adjacent, but Fan-Favorite)
While Stargirl sits partly outside the main Arrowverse continuity, crossovers and
multiverse nods have brought it into the conversation. Fans frequently rank it highly when comparing CW and DC TV
shows as a whole.
Viewers love its blend of cinematic visuals, earnest coming-of-age storytelling, and deep cuts from DC’s
Justice Society of America. Even though it’s not as deeply intertwined with the Arrowverse as The Flash
or Supergirl, many fans consider it a spiritual cousin and toss it into their “best Arrowverse shows”
lists anyway usually near the top.
9. Constantine & the Animated Spin-Offs (Vixen, The Ray)
These shows don’t always appear in the main rankings, but hardcore Arrowverse fans know they matter. Matt Ryan’s
Constantine began on another network, got canceled, and then was rescued by the Arrowverse,
where he became a fan-favorite on Legends of Tomorrow. His solo season and animated follow-ups are
often treated as essential companion viewing.
Likewise, animated series like Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray expanded the
universe in fun ways, even if they’re not as widely seen. In fan circles, these projects are often ranked as
“bonus content” – not core pillars like Arrow or The Flash, but rewarding for viewers who want
every piece of the puzzle.
Why Fans Still Love the Arrowverse
Ask longtime viewers why the Arrowverse still matters, and you’ll hear the same themes again and again:
characters, crossovers, and community. Fans got attached to these heroes over years, watching
them grow, fail, and get back up again. Crossovers like Crisis on Infinite Earths became events where
everyone gathered to see which Earth would explode this time and who would cameo next.
Even now, with many of the shows wrapped, people still revisit early seasons of Arrow and
The Flash, binge Legends of Tomorrow for comfort, and recommend Superman & Lois
to friends who say they’re “kind of burned out on superhero movies.” The Arrowverse didn’t just tell superhero
stories; it helped define what superhero television could look like in the 2010s and early 2020s.
Real-World Fan Experiences With the Arrowverse
Rankings and scores are fun, but the real magic of the Arrowverse lives in personal stories the late-night
binges, the group chats exploding during crossover episodes, and the friendships built around “Did you see what
Barry just did to the timeline this week?”
For many fans, Arrow was their first serious superhero TV obsession. Maybe you remember tuning in
“just to see what this Green Arrow reboot is about” and suddenly realizing you’d watched half a season in one
sitting. Season 2, with Deathstroke’s long-burn revenge plot, turned casual viewers into full-time obsessives
the kind who pause fight scenes to admire the choreography or argue about which rooftop duel is the best.
Others came into the Arrowverse through The Flash. The hopeful tone, the bright colors, and Barry’s
“I just want to save everyone” energy hooked a totally different crowd. Some fans talk about watching the show
with younger siblings or kids, explaining time travel with the help of a whiteboard and a lot of hand-waving.
When big emotional episodes landed like Barry confronting the loss of his mother those moments hit entire
living rooms at once.
Supergirl brought in viewers who weren’t sure superhero TV was “for them” until they saw Kara juggling
her job, her friendships, and her desire to do the right thing even when it’s extremely inconvenient. Fans share
stories about how certain episodes helped them feel seen, whether it was a storyline about identity, family, or
standing up for people who don’t have much power. For a lot of viewers, Supergirl wasn’t just
entertainment it was a weekly shot of hope.
Then there’s DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the show that turned group watch nights into full-on events.
It’s the series people throw on when they want to laugh, yell “WHAT?” at the screen, and then unexpectedly get
emotional five minutes later. Fans talk about introducing friends to the Arrowverse by skipping straight to a
wild Legends episode and watching them slowly realize, “Oh, this universe doesn’t take itself too seriously, does
it?”
Black Lightning and Batwoman also meant a lot to fans who rarely saw themselves in superhero
stories. Viewers talk about watching with parents, seeing neighborhoods and issues that felt familiar, and
realizing superhero TV could speak more directly to their real-world experiences. Even when these shows didn’t
get the same spotlight as The Flash or Arrow, the people who connected with them connected
deeply.
And of course, there are the crossovers the Arrowverse’s version of a holiday. Fans planned their schedules
around multi-night events, avoided spoilers like they were actual supervillains, and live-messaged friends as
heroes switched worlds and timelines like they were changing subway lines. Crisis on Infinite Earths
especially felt like a curtain call for an entire era. For many fans, it was the first time a TV universe they’d
grown up with actually acknowledged how big, weird, and meaningful it had become.
Even now, people are revisiting the Arrowverse in order, watching it with partners or kids, or finally filling in
the gaps catching seasons they skipped, or finally giving a show like Black Lightning or
Stargirl a shot. The rankings help point new viewers to the best Arrowverse shows, but the experiences
around them the binge-watch marathons, the heated debates, the emotional finales are what keep this universe
alive long after the credits roll.
Final Thoughts: Where to Start With the Arrowverse
If you’re brand new to the Arrowverse and staring at a terrifying number of seasons, here’s a simple approach:
- Start with Superman & Lois if you want modern visuals, a complete emotional package, and a fairly self-contained story.
- Start with Arrow if you want the full “I was there from the beginning” experience and you love gritty vigilante stories.
- Start with The Flash if you prefer hopeful, high-energy superhero drama with a strong team dynamic.
- Jump into DC’s Legends of Tomorrow once you know a few characters and want pure, time-traveling chaos in the best way.
However you dive in, you’ll quickly see why fans still rank and re-rank these series years later. The best shows
in the Arrowverse didn’t just give us costumes and crossovers they built a shared TV universe that felt like
hanging out with old friends every week.
