Arrow is an American television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Many of the other characters appearing in the series are also based on DC Comics characters. The series premiered on October 10, 2012, in the United States on The CW television network, and is currently in its fifth season. On January 8, 2017, The CW announced that Arrow would be renewed for a sixth season.
Arrow follows the story of billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell). He is discovered after being stranded for five years on an isolated island. When he returns home, Queen secretly becomes a bow and arrow wielding vigilante in order to honor his father's legacy and atone for his family's sins.
Throughout the series, he is joined by others in his quest to protect Starling City. The characters that eventually aid Queen's vigilante efforts include: former soldier John Diggle (David Ramsey), I.T. expert and skilled hacker Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), former assassin Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), aspiring vigilante Roy Harper (Colton Haynes), Oliver's sister Thea / Speedy (Willa Holland), and attorney-turned-vigilante Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy). The group also receives support from Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) who works at the police department. Characters from Oliver's past appear in a separate story arc based on Oliver's flashbacks, which highlight parallels from Oliver's history that shape events in the main story.