Premiering in 2012 and lasting eight seasons, Arrow would become known as one of the best superhero TV shows of the 2010s and made DC Comics’ skilled archer Oliver “Green Arrow” Queen more popular than ever. It would also spawn a successful shared universe of TV shows centered on DC characters like The Flash and Supergirl called the Arrowverse.
Of course, if you are a fan of Arrow, you have probably seen the other installments of the Arrowverse (most of which are among the best DC TV shows on Netflix) and might be looking for something else to check out instead of another binge of producer Greg Berlanti’s hit series that started it all. Luckily, we have compiled the following list of great superhero movies and a variety of good TV shows like Arrow that we hope hits the right target in terms of what you like about this crime-fighting adventure series.
Hawkeye (2021)
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld
What it's about: Retired Avenger Clint Barton teams up with young, aspiring archer Kate Bishop, who helps him take down a nefarious enemy so he can get back to his family for Christmas.
Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: Obviously, Oliver and Clint are both miracle workers with a bow and arrow, but the more important reason I thought to match Arrow with Hawkeye – one of the best Disney+ original TV shows spun-off from the Marvel movies – is how Clint acts as a mentor to Kate, similarly to how Oliver acts as a mentor to Barry “The Flash” Allen.
The Punisher (2017-2019)
Starring: Jon Bernthal
What it's about: Former Marine Frank Castle is motivated by the senseless murder of his wife and daughter to wage a brutal one-man war on crime.
Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: Arrow is that age-old kind of superhero story in which the hero channels their grief from a tragic past into serving vigilante justice, much like our title hero from The Punisher (formerly one of the best Marvel TV shows on Netflix, before transitioning to Disney+) who is, admittedly, more lethal than Oliver Queen.
Iron Man (2008)
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow
What it's about: After seeing his creations fall into the wrong hands, weapons manufacturer Tony Stark decides to change his ways by making himself into the ultimate weapon against evil.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: Like Arrow, Iron Man (one of the best MCU movies) is the story of a wealthy, charismatic businessman who makes himself into a superhero and the first chapter in what would become a popular shared universe.
Batman Begins (2005)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine
What it's about: Years after the murder of his parents when he was a child, Bruce Wayne seeks training to become the ultimate protector of his home, Gotham City.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: Like Arrow, Batman Begins (one of the best live-action Batman movies) is another story based on a DC comic about a wealthy businessman who becomes a superhero but Bruce's journey to become a vigilante especially mirrors that of Oliver.
- Stream Batman Begins on Max
- Rent or buy Batman Begins on Amazon
- Buy Batman Begins on Blu-ray on Amazon
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Parts 1 And 2 (2012, 2013)
Director: Jay Oliva
Starring: Peter Weller, Ariel Winter
What it's about: An aging Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement and enlists a teenage girl to be his new Robin.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: An older, one-armed Oliver Queen, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes, plays a pivotal role in the second half of one of the best animated Batman movies, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which is also another great, gritty superhero story inspired by Frank Miller’s influential graphic novel.
How to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Parts 1 And 2
- Buy Batman: The Dark Knight Returns on Amazon
- Buy Batman: The Dark Knight Returns on Blu-ray on Amazon
Daredevil (2015-2018)
Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio
What it's about: Years after a chemical accident leaves him blind but greatly enhances his remaining senses, Hell’s Kitchen attorney Matt Murdoch leads a double life laying waste to criminal scum by night.
Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: The complex, clever, and brutal Daredevil (which is coming back to Disney+ as the upcoming Marvel TV show, Daredevil: Born Again) is another comic book adaptation that boasts a tragic origin story and brings its source material to the real world in the most refreshing way.
Supernatural (2005-2020)
Starring: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
What it's about: Dean and Sam Winchester have sworn to carry on their parents' legacy in the hunt for all things that go “bump in the night.”
Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: Like Arrow, Supernatural is another long-running CW series about humans taking on extraordinary circumstances that has been known to occasionally indulge in its own campiness despite its dark themes.
Titans (2018-2023)
Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter
What it's about: A group of young vigilantes come together to take on the evils of the world.
Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: It is always a treat to see Green Arrow interact with other DC heroes in crossover episodes while Titans gives you that sort of treat in every episode.
Riverdale (2017-2023)
Starring: K.J. Apa, Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, Camila Mendes
What it's about: The daily struggles of Archie, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, and other teens in a town that always seems to attract trouble.
Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Arrow: Arrow is not the only hit CW comic book adaptation to spawn a shared universe as some characters from the Riverdale cast (Lucy Hale’s Katy Keene and Sabrina Spellman from Chilling of Adventures of Sabrina, which admittedly premiered on Netflix before Kiernan Shipka’s cameo) got their own spin-offs from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's soapy take on the Archie comics.
What do you think? Do the following shows serve the Arrow fan in you justice, or is this list a crime?
