Arrow’s Stephen Amell Reveals Challenges of Early Seasons on DC TV Show

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Actor Stephen Amell is set to grace our television screens once more, taking on the role of Ted Black in the upcoming spinoff series Suits L.A., which is slated to debut within a fortnight on the 2025 TV lineup. Nevertheless, it’s hard to forget that Amell gained his greatest recognition for his portrayal of Oliver Queen, also known as Green Arrow, in Arrow and other shows in the Arrowverse. It was Arrow that catapulted him to fame, and while he appreciates his time with the DC TV series, he also shared insights into why those initial seasons posed challenges for him.

In an interview with Variety, Stephen Amell recalled feeling like he was launched from a cannon when cast as Oliver Queen and started working on Arrow. However, reflecting on his experience now, he admitted that he didn’t take pleasure in working on the TV show for 10 months every year. He also expressed the strain he faced during the first few years of this key CW series by saying:

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I can tell you that the opening seasons of ‘Arrow’ had me hooked like no other. I held on tight, white-knuckled, as if my life depended on it. The hours poured into that show were more than any project I’d tackled before, and by the fifth episode of the first season, I had invested more time in it than anything else in my career. I wasn’t a beast, I didn’t dish out disrespect – but I did have a quick temper. And as life often teaches us, you learn from your experiences along the way.

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The television environment was significantly diverse when Arrow initially aired on The CW. Initially, its first six seasons encompassed 23 episodes each (with Season 7 slightly shorter), while the last season had only 10 episodes. This pattern is common in broadcast TV, but nowadays, most superhero TV series opt for direct streaming or airing on cable channels, leading to fewer episodes per season. In essence, if Arrow were made today, it might consist of 8-10 episodes a season and either premiere on HBO first or be exclusively available to those with a Max subscription.

Performing in a 23-episode TV season every year is tough for any actor, but the action-packed series Arrow put an additional strain on Stephen Amell, as he had to execute strenuous scenes while wearing that tight costume and firing arrows. It’s no surprise that he might have felt overpowered during Season 1, although I wouldn’t endorse being disrespectful towards anyone on set. Under those long working hours and the physical and mental demands placed upon me, it wouldn’t take much for me to lose my patience as well.

After Arrow concluded in 2020, Stephen Amell took up the role of Oliver Queen one last time for an episode of The Flash’s final season. Now, he’s back on regular TV with Suits L.A., debuting Sunday, February 23 on NBC. Subsequently, episodes will be streamable with a Peacock subscription. Compared to the rigors of Arrow, this spinoff seems less strenuous and requires fewer episodes for the season. If you’d like to rewatch his work on Arrow, it is available through a Netflix subscription.

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2025-02-14 19:38