Uprising (Arrow)
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The third season of the American television series ''
Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'' premiered on
The CW The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
on October 8, 2014, and concluded on May 13, 2015, with a total of 23 episodes. The series is based on the
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
character
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
, a costumed crime-fighter created by
Mort Weisinger Mortimer Weisinger (; April 25, 1915 – May 7, 1978) was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' ''Superman'' during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books. He also co-created such features ...
and
George Papp George Edward Papp (January 20, 1916 – August 8, 1989) was an American comics artist best known as one of the principal artists on the long-running DC Comics series ''Superboy''. Papp also co-created Green Arrow with Mort Weisinger and Congo B ...
, and is set in the
Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American Superhero fiction, superhero media franchise and shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series ...
, sharing continuity with other Arrowverse television series. The showrunners for this season were
Greg Berlanti Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', ''Brothers & Sisters (2006 TV series), Brothers & Sisters'', ''Everwood'', ''Political ...
,
Marc Guggenheim Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), and ''Lege ...
and
Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American former television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the co-creator of the television series ''The Flash'', ''Arrow'', ''Supergirl'' and ''Legends of Tomorrow''. Pers ...
.
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on the CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), based on DC Comics. Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franc ...
stars as
Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
, with principal cast members
Katie Cassidy Katie Cassidy (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films ''When a Stranger Calls (2006 film), When a Stranger Calls'' (2006 ...
as
Laurel Lance Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As one of the earliest female superheroes in the DC Comics universe, the character has made numerous appearances in prominent team-up titles, ...
,
David Ramsey David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series ''Arrow'', ''The Flash'', ''Supergirl'', and ''Batwoman'' as John Diggle / Spartan, portraying Diggle and Bass Reeves i ...
as John Diggle,
Willa Holland Willa Joanna Chance Holland (born June 18, 1991) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama '' The O.C.'', Aqua in '' Kingdom Hearts,'' and Thea Queen in The CW series ''Arrow'' ...
as
Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series prot ...
,
Emily Bett Rickards Emily Bett Rickards (born July 24, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Felicity Smoak (Arrowverse), Felicity Smoak on The CW series ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', her first television credit. She reprised the role in the Ar ...
as
Felicity Smoak Felicity Smoak is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Her first appearance was in ''The Fury of Firestorm'' #23 (May 1984), created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan. She was originally the manager of ...
,
Colton Haynes Colton Lee Haynes (born July 13, 1988) is an American actor and model. He is known for his starring role as Jackson Whittemore in the MTV supernatural drama series ''Teen Wolf (2011 TV series), Teen Wolf'' and as Roy Harper (Arrowverse), Roy Har ...
as Roy Harper,
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman MBE (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his roles as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2010; 2020–2021) and its spin-off ''Torc ...
as
Malcolm Merlyn Merlyn (Arthur King) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a deadly bow-wielding assassin and contract killer and the archnemesis of Green Arrow, though writers have developed him over the years as an adversary ...
and
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television advertisements in England. His breakth ...
as
Quentin Lance ''Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...
also returning from previous seasons. The series follows billionaire playboy
Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
(
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on the CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), based on DC Comics. Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franc ...
), who claimed to have spent five years shipwrecked on
Lian Yu Lian Yu (; 1886 - 13 August 1972), art name Liqing ().was a diplomat, politician, judicial officer and lawyer in the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China. He was an important politician during the Reformed Government of the Republi ...
, a mysterious island in the North China Sea, before returning home to
Starling City This page lists the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites Arrowcave The Arrowcave is the former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. Avernus Cemetery Avernus Cemetery is a hidden burial grou ...
(later renamed "Star City") to fight crime and corruption as a secret vigilante whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow. In the third season, Oliver's company
Queen Consolidated Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
is sold to businessman, scientist, and aspiring hero
Ray Palmer Raymond or Ray Palmer may refer to: * Raymond A. Palmer, science-fiction writer and editor * Raymond F. Palmer, medical professor * Raymond Palmer, 3rd Baron Palmer (1916–1990), British peer and businessman * Ray Palmer (pastor), American pastor ...
(
Brandon Routh Brandon Routh (; born October 9, 1979) is an American actor. He portrayed Superman in the 2006 film ''Superman Returns'', which garnered him international fame. In 2011, he played the title character of the film '' Dylan Dog: Dead of Night''. H ...
) who changes the company's name to Palmer Technologies and hires Felicity as vice president. After Sara is found murdered, Oliver becomes embroiled in a conflict with
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
(
Matt Nable Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league player. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eag ...
). He struggles to reconnect with his half-sister Thea who knows Malcolm is her father. Laurel sets out to follow Sara as the Black Canary. Meanwhile, John becomes a father and struggles as a family man. The season features flashbacks to Oliver's third year since he was presumed dead, where after escaping Lian Yu, he is forced to work for
A.R.G.U.S. A.R.G.U.S. (Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans) is a fictional government organization appearing in DC Comics. A.R.G.U.S. first appeared in ''Justice League'' vol. 2 #7 and was created by Geoff Johns and Gene Ha. Headed by Amanda Walle ...
leader
Amanda Waller Amanda Belle Waller (née Blake), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character featured in some American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in '' Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len We ...
(
Cynthia Addai-Robinson Cynthia Addai-Robinson (born January 12, 1980) is a British-American actress. She is known for her roles as Naevia in the Starz television series ''Spartacus'', DC Comics character Amanda Waller in The CW TV series ''Arrow'', and Nadine Memphis o ...
) in Hong Kong. Oliver and
Tatsu Yamashiro Katana () is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in 1983, Katana is a samurai warrior whose skill with a sword allows her to fight for justice as a superheroine. Her tragic backstory includes th ...
(
Rila Fukushima is a Japanese fashion-model and actress best known for her comic book roles in film and TV and has appeared in projects such as the superhero film '' The Wolverine'' (2013) as Yukio, the TV series ''Arrow'' as Tatsu Yamashiro, and ''Ghost in th ...
) work to stop corrupt general Matthew Shrieve (
Marc Singer Marc Singer (born January 29, 1948) is a Canadian-American actor best known for his roles in the '' Beastmaster'' film series, as Mike Donovan in the original 1980s TV series '' V'', and as Matt Cantrell in ''Dallas''. Early life Singer was born ...
) from unleashing a pathogen which Ra's al Ghul acquires in the present. The series was renewed for its third season on February 12, 2014, and began filming in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
,
British Columbia, Canada British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beach ...
in that July. Despite a strong critical start for the season premiere, the season received more negative reviews than the previous seasons, and averaged 3.52 million viewers each week. The season would go on to be nominated for eleven nominations in various categories, winning two. This season includes the first annual Arrowverse crossover with spin-off TV series ''
The Flash The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date, cover-dated Jan ...
''. The season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 22, 2015. The series was renewed for a fourth season in January 2015.


Episodes


Cast and characters


Main

*
Stephen Amell Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on the CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), based on DC Comics. Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franc ...
as Oliver Queen / Arrow *
Katie Cassidy Katie Cassidy (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films ''When a Stranger Calls (2006 film), When a Stranger Calls'' (2006 ...
as Laurel Lance / Black Canary *
David Ramsey David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series ''Arrow'', ''The Flash'', ''Supergirl'', and ''Batwoman'' as John Diggle / Spartan, portraying Diggle and Bass Reeves i ...
as John Diggle *
Willa Holland Willa Joanna Chance Holland (born June 18, 1991) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama '' The O.C.'', Aqua in '' Kingdom Hearts,'' and Thea Queen in The CW series ''Arrow'' ...
as Thea Queen / Speedy *
Emily Bett Rickards Emily Bett Rickards (born July 24, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Felicity Smoak (Arrowverse), Felicity Smoak on The CW series ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', her first television credit. She reprised the role in the Ar ...
as
Felicity Smoak Felicity Smoak is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Her first appearance was in ''The Fury of Firestorm'' #23 (May 1984), created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan. She was originally the manager of ...
*
Colton Haynes Colton Lee Haynes (born July 13, 1988) is an American actor and model. He is known for his starring role as Jackson Whittemore in the MTV supernatural drama series ''Teen Wolf (2011 TV series), Teen Wolf'' and as Roy Harper (Arrowverse), Roy Har ...
as Roy Harper / Arsenal *
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman MBE (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his roles as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2010; 2020–2021) and its spin-off ''Torc ...
as Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer *
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television advertisements in England. His breakth ...
as
Quentin Lance ''Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...


Recurring


Guest


Production


Development

''
Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'' was renewed for a third season by
The CW The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
on February 12, 2014.


Writing

Talking ahead of San Diego Comic Con, executive producer
Marc Guggenheim Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), and ''Lege ...
stated that the theme of the season would be 'identity'. He and fellow EP
Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American former television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the co-creator of the television series ''The Flash'', ''Arrow'', ''Supergirl'' and ''Legends of Tomorrow''. Pers ...
confirmed that the series would continue six months on from the end of the previous season. Producers confirmed that the flashback sequences would continue this season, but be focused on Oliver's time in Hong Kong, and also examine the beginnings of his relationship with
Amanda Waller Amanda Belle Waller (née Blake), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character featured in some American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in '' Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len We ...
. Regarding
character arc A character arc is the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story. If a story has a character arc, the character begins as one sort of person and gradually transforms into a different sort of person in response to c ...
s, Guggenheim confirmed that both the characters of
Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series prot ...
and
Laurel Lance Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As one of the earliest female superheroes in the DC Comics universe, the character has made numerous appearances in prominent team-up titles, ...
would be developed further over the season saying "Laurel and Thea are the two characters we haven't done as much with in the past, and they have the strongest storylines that we've ever given them." In particular, Thea's relationship with her father
Malcolm Merlyn Merlyn (Arthur King) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a deadly bow-wielding assassin and contract killer and the archnemesis of Green Arrow, though writers have developed him over the years as an adversary ...
would be further explored, including a flashback to their encounter in the season two finale. Regarding Laurel, Kreisberg stated that "We're going to see Laurel take a few big steps toward her comic book self this season." Following previous revelations that the first episode would feature a date between
Oliver Oliver may refer to: Arts, entertainment and literature Books * ''Oliver the Western Engine'', volume 24 in ''The Railway Series'' by Rev. W. Awdry * ''Oliver Twist'', a novel by Charles Dickens Fictional characters * Ariadne Oliver ...
and
Felicity Smoak Felicity Smoak is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Her first appearance was in ''The Fury of Firestorm'' #23 (May 1984), created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan. She was originally the manager of ...
, Kreisberg stated that "The way the show has shaken out and the experiences the two have had, it feels like it's time to explore that." He also confirmed that Brandon Routh's
Ray Palmer Raymond or Ray Palmer may refer to: * Raymond A. Palmer, science-fiction writer and editor * Raymond F. Palmer, medical professor * Raymond Palmer, 3rd Baron Palmer (1916–1990), British peer and businessman * Ray Palmer (pastor), American pastor ...
would be "invading Oliver's life in every aspect", as well as injecting more humor into the season. It was also disclosed at San Diego that the season would feature an episode exploring the origins of the character Felicity Smoak, to be entitled "Oracle", which would focus on her time at
M.I.T The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sci ...
. It was confirmed by Marc Guggengheim in August that the episode name had been changed to "
The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak "The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak" is the fifth episode of the Arrow season 3, third season, and fifty-first overall episode, of the American television series ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', originally broadcast on The CW. Based on the DC Comi ...
" and that the episode would also introduce Felicity's mother, Donna Smoak. Kreisberg also confirmed that
Colin Donnell Colin Donnell (born October 9, 1982) is an American actor and singer known as Tommy Merlyn on ''Arrow'', Scotty Lockhart on '' The Affair'', Dr. Connor Rhodes on ''Chicago Med'' (2015–19), and Billy Crocker in '' Anything Goes''. He also star ...
would make an appearance as Tommy Merlyn in the second episode of the season, during a flashback sequence. Guggenheim originally discussed with the other writers about bringing
Jessica De Gouw Jessica Elise De Gouw (born 15 February 1988) is an Australian actress. She is known for her role as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress in the television series ''Arrow'', as Mina Murray in the NBC TV series ''Dracula'', and as Elizabeth Hawkes in ...
back as Helena Bertinelli / Huntress. However, despite the crew loving to work with De Gouw and De Gouw's interest in returning, the season ultimately proved to be too short for a Huntress episode given that they ran out of stories to include in a 23-episode season, like that of Felicity Smoak's parents, not wishing to waste the character for an episode that couldn't do her "justice". As a compensation, it was decided to bring the Huntress back in the '' Arrow: Season 2.5'' comic book series while planning to bring De Gouw back for the next season upon learning of the show's renewal. The preview of the third season trailer revealed the season 'big bad' to be
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
. Talking about potential story arcs, Kreisberg noted the possibility of Oliver working with Malcolm Merlyn against Ra's – "We've established firmly that Ra's al Ghul hates Merlyn and Oliver doesn't like Merlyn. It's going to be series of who hates who more.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" is an ancient proverb which suggests that two parties can or should work together against a common enemy. The exact meaning of the modern phrase was first expressed in the Latin phrase "Amicus meus, inimicus in ...
."


Casting

In July 2014, the series cast several season regulars, including
Brandon Routh Brandon Routh (; born October 9, 1979) is an American actor. He portrayed Superman in the 2006 film ''Superman Returns'', which garnered him international fame. In 2011, he played the title character of the film '' Dylan Dog: Dead of Night''. H ...
as
Ray Palmer Raymond or Ray Palmer may refer to: * Raymond A. Palmer, science-fiction writer and editor * Raymond F. Palmer, medical professor * Raymond Palmer, 3rd Baron Palmer (1916–1990), British peer and businessman * Ray Palmer (pastor), American pastor ...
along with
J. R. Ramirez J. R. Ramirez is a Cuban-American actor. He is best known for his series regular role of Detective Jared Vasquez on the NBC/Netflix series ''Manifest''. Prior, he was a series regular as Julio on the Starz series ''Power'' and as Oscar Arocho on ...
was Ted Grant / Wildcat,
Karl Yune Karl Yune (born April 16, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Maseo Yamashiro in the DC Comics TV franchise ''Arrow'', as Tak Mashido in the sci-fi film ''Real Steel'', and as Koichi in the film '' Memoirs of a Geisha''. ...
as Maseo Yamashiro and
Rila Fukushima is a Japanese fashion-model and actress best known for her comic book roles in film and TV and has appeared in projects such as the superhero film '' The Wolverine'' (2013) as Yukio, the TV series ''Arrow'' as Tatsu Yamashiro, and ''Ghost in th ...
as
Tatsu Yamashiro Katana () is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in 1983, Katana is a samurai warrior whose skill with a sword allows her to fight for justice as a superheroine. Her tragic backstory includes th ...
.
Devon Aoki Devon Edwenna Aoki (born August 10, 1982) is an American model and retired actress. Aoki's film roles include '' 2 Fast 2 Furious'' (2003), ''Sin City'' (2005), '' DOA: Dead or Alive'' (2006) and ''Mutant Chronicles'' (2008). Early life Aoki gr ...
was originally cast to play the latter, but scheduling conflicts led Aoki to be recast as Tatsu with Fukushima.
Vinnie Jones Vincent Peter Jones (born 5 January 1965) is an English actor, presenter, and former professional footballer. Jones played professionally as a defensive midfielder from 1984 to 1999, notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, C ...
was also cast as Danny Brickwell, in a guest role. The following month, it was announced that
Charlotte Ross Charlotte Ross (born January 21, 1968) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Eve Donovan on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1987 to 1991, and as Detective Connie McDowell on the ABC police procedural drama ...
would be joining the series as Felicity's mother, Donna Smoak. Later the same month,
Nolan Gerard Funk Nolan Gerard Funk (born July 28, 1986) is a SAG award nominated Canadian actor and singer, known for portraying Hunter Clarington in the musical comedy-drama television series ''Glee'', Collin Jennings in the comedy-drama television series '' Aw ...
was cast as Felicity's former boyfriend
Cooper Seldon ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'' is an American Superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort We ...
. In September,
Matt Nable Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league player. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eag ...
was cast in the role of the season's antagonist,
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
. Film actor
Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Liam Neeson, several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, BAFT ...
, who played the character in the
Christopher Nolan Sir Christopher Edward Nolan (born 30 July 1970) is a British and American filmmaker. Known for his Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters with complex storytelling, he is considered a leading filmma ...
''
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' films ''
Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with David S. Goyer. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne (Dark Knight trilogy), Bruce Wayne / B ...
'' and ''
The Dark Knight Rises ''The Dark Knight Rises'' is a 2012 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan, and the story with David S. Goyer. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the final instal ...
'', originally expressed an interest in reprising the role for the show, but couldn't take up offer when the showrunners approached him due to scheduling conflicts.
Amy Gumenick Amy Jaclyn Gumenick ( ; born 17 May 1986) is a Swedish-American actress, best known for her roles as Natalee Holloway in the television film of the same name (2009) and its sequel, as the young Mary Winchester in ''Supernatural'' (2008–10), a ...
was cast in a guest role as
Carrie Cutter Carrie Eliza Cutter (1842–1862) was an American nurse. She was the daughter of surgeon Calvin Cutter. An 1861 graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she helped her father in the 21st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as a nurse. She wa ...
in the same month.
Caity Lotz Caity Lotz (born December 30, 1986) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She has portrayed Stephanie Horton in the AMC series ''Mad Men'', Officer Kirsten Landry in the MTV mockumentary series ''Death Valley'' (2011), Annie in '' The Pact ...
was confirmed to return as
Sara Lance Sara Lance, also known by her alter-ego White Canary, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise, first introduced in the 2012 pilot episode of the television series ''Arrow'', and later starring in '' Legends of Tomorrow''. The ...
for at least three episodes at the start of the season.


Filming

The season began filming in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
,
British Columbia, Canada British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beach ...
in July 2014.


Arrowverse tie-ins

The third season includes the first annual crossover with spin-off series ''
The Flash The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date, cover-dated Jan ...
'': " Flash vs. Arrow".


Release


Broadcast

The season began airing in the United States on
The CW The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
on October 8, 2014, and completed its 23-episode run on May 13, 2015.


Home media

''Arrow: Season 3'' was released as a 5-disc DVD set and as a 9-disc Blu-ray and DVD combo pack set on September 22, 2015, in the United States and September 28, 2015, in the United Kingdom. The DVD and Blu-ray box sets contain additional features, including making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, gag reel, and highlights from the Paley Fest.


Reception


Critical response

Despite a strong critical start for the third-season premiere, the season received more negative reviews than the previous seasons. Writing for ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'', Chancellor Agard noted that season had been an uneven one where the "highs have been rather high and the lows have been almost insufferable" and highlighted that the season' biggest problem seemed to lie in the characterisation and motivation of the season's big bad,
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
. He did however praise the development of the character
Laurel Lance Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As one of the earliest female superheroes in the DC Comics universe, the character has made numerous appearances in prominent team-up titles, ...
as well as the development of Oliver's relationship with John Diggle. Katie Kulzick, of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' noted that the season had a habit of "making bold moves and all too frequently backing away from, rather than embracing, the ramifications of these series-altering decisions." Despite the season's "significant problems", she felt groundwork had been laid for interesting potential storylines, in particular the development of
Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series prot ...
becoming a member of the team omni man as Speedy, for
Felicity Smoak Felicity Smoak is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Her first appearance was in ''The Fury of Firestorm'' #23 (May 1984), created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan. She was originally the manager of ...
with Palmer Technologies and for Oliver to develop a fresh perspective. The season finale was described as "dull", "lacking scope", and "underwhelming" by IGN's Jesse Schedeen in light of the "high standard" the show had previously established for its finales. He cemented the mixed reception of the third season as being "haphazardly paced" and "struggling to develop a clear sense of direction". The third season holds a score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 8.37/10. The site's consensus concluding: "''Arrow'' stays on target with new characters and a steady supply of exciting action."


Ratings

The third season averaged 3.52 million viewers across the 23 episodes, ranking 135th among television show viewership.


Accolades

, - ! scope="row" rowspan="12" , 2015 , rowspan="3" ,
Leo Awards The Leo Awards are the awards program for the British Columbia film and television industry. Held each May or June in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the Leo Awards were founded by the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of British C ...
, Best Cinematography Dramatic Series , data-sort-value="Miles, C. Kim" , C. Kim Miles (" Blind Spot") , , , - , Best Costume Design Dramatic Series , data-sort-value="Mani, Maya" , Maya Mani ("
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
") , , , - , Best Lead Performance BY A Female Dramatic Series , data-sort-value="Rickards, Emily Bett" , Emily Bett Rickards ("
Left Behind ''Left Behind'' is a multimedia franchise of apocalyptic fiction written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, released by Tyndale House Publishers from 1995 to 2007. The bestselling premillennial novels are Christian eschatological narrat ...
") , , , - , rowspan="2" , MTV Fandom Awards , TV Dramas , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , Ship of the Year , data-sort-value="Amell, Stephen and Emily Bett Rickards" , Olicity (Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards) , , , - ,
Saturn Awards The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films bel ...
, Best Superhero Adaption Television Series , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , rowspan="5" ,
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
, Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor , data-sort-value="Amell, Stephen" , Stephen Amell , , , - , Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress , data-sort-value="Rickards, Emily Bett" , Emily Bett Rickards , , , - , Choice TV Liplock , data-sort-value="Amell, Stephen and Emily Bett Rickards" , Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards , , , - , Choice TV Villain , data-sort-value="Nable, Matt" ,
Matt Nable Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league player. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eag ...
, ,


References


External links

* * {{Arrowverse Arrow (TV series) seasons 2014 American television seasons 2015 American television seasons Television series set in 1993 Television series set in 2009