Even though this past Monday’s season finale of Arrow could’ve just as easily functioned as a series finale in many respects, the fact of the matter is that we still have a truncated final year ahead of us. Plus, Oliver Queen is fated to make the ultimate sacrifice during this fall’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event.
Right now, it remains to be seen if season 8 will be as grounded as previous offerings, or if it’ll gear more toward the direction of science fiction. Either way, The CW’s President, Mark Pedowitz, revealed something exciting today during the network’s upfronts, saying:
“Arrow is ten episodes, plus a retrospective to celebrate the eighth season.”
Okay, we already knew about the ten-episode duration, but the bit about a retrospective episode is pretty cool. If any series currently airing deserves that treatment, it’s most certainly Arrow. I mean, not only has it entertained us for nearly a decade, but it launched an entire universe – the appropriately titled “Arrowverse” – which has since given way to The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and the upcoming Batwoman show. Without the progenitor, so much would’ve never been possible.
If I were to hazard a guess, the prime time special will probably air one week prior to the season 8 premiere. In it, I expect for key cast and crew to look back on all that’s been accomplished during the previous seven years, while also teasing what’s to come. Furthermore, one would hope for it to be included on a future Blu-ray release.
In the past, the network has pulled off things like this before. Most similarly was a retrospective complementing Supernatural‘s tenth season, though Arrow was granted a “Year One” recap prior to its sophomore run.
Arrow returns with new episodes on Tuesday nights this fall on The CW.
