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Parents' Guide to

Arrow

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Drinking, deaths in dark superhero tale beloved by teens.

TV CW Drama 2012
Arrow Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 55 parent reviews

willb847
willb847 Adult
January 20, 2020
age 14+

Really Good show btw spoilers

So I'm 13 and idk if i registered as an adult or whatever but yeah so i'm thirteen and watching through arrow and it's honestly a great show. There is some profanity but not a ton but it still might be something that parents should be aware of and be mindful of if there showing this to a young kid. Sex is really bad imo, I always skip through kissing scenes and sex scenes and stuff and although it's not like straight nudity it's still pretty suggestive like when two unmarried people wake up in the same bed and stuff. and the main character is a playboy so that doesn't help. The pilot episode has a scene where oliver and sarah are having sex and everything but i think if you skip through scenes like these then the show is good for 13 or 14 year olds. The violence is bad but i'm completely fine with that, for example characters get tortured and there's a lot of killing especially in the first season but later on there's some good messages with killing and stuff as oliver learns more and eventually he decides that killing is not the way he would be a hero. I'm not really touchy when it comes to violence but i get it if your kid is. Theres a lot of drugs in the show especially with teens but if you're not going to let your kid watch a tv show because theres drugs then thats stupid. obviously there's some conversations to be had with ur kid if there younger than 13 and watching this show with all these drug, sex, and violence. From a christian perspective, i think that this show is fine for teens over 13 if you skip sex scenes but if you don't skip the sex scenes then idk if this show is appropiate for anyone who wants to have a healthy mind, kids and adults. my parents watched this when my older brother watched this at the age of 12 and even when my parents were watching alone they'd skip the sex scenes- anything like girls in underwear, sex, etc is just not healthy for anyone of any age.
DFlabs
DFlabs Adult
October 3, 2023
age 15+

Boring after Season 3.

This show should be appropriate for mature children above the age of 14. There are some sex scenes, however, none are explicit. There is swearing, but this is infrequent and generally restricted to fight scenes. There are some positive messages such as redemption, friendship and perseverance in this show. However, as it is such a long show, it falls victim to reusing the same formula: someone is in danger, the hero must save them, the hero is always almost in trouble, but inevitably escapes just in time, saving the person. This is bearable for the first 3 seasons where we are still captivated by this new world, but as time progresses, it becomes unbearably boring. Most notably where characters are always brought back from death - this removes all the stakes and emotional attachment the viewer has. This show is simply not worth your time if you are looking for anything remotely engaging and interesting.
See all 55 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When shipwrecked castaway Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is discovered on a remote island after a five-year absence, his family and friends celebrate his miraculous return but quickly sense that there's something drastically different about the former billionaire playboy. Little do they know that Oliver has set his sights on cleaning up his hometown of Starling City to make up for his former wild ways, to fulfill his father's dying confession, and hopefully to win back the heart of his former girlfriend, Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Under the cover of darkness and the cloaked alter-ego he creates for himself, ARROW plots revenge on the city's corruptors, all the while keeping up pretenses during the day with his mother, Moira (Susanna Thompson); his younger sister, Thea (Willa Holland); his best friend, Tommy (Colin Donnell); and his dutiful bodyguard, John Diggle (David Ramsey). But Oliver's not the only one keeping secrets, and those he trusts most might be the biggest threat of all.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (55 ):
Kids say (225 ):

CW hits the mark with this thrilling, suspenseful series centering on a modern-day superhero who could likely hold his own in a duel with just about any comic-book hero. As superheroes go, Arrow ranks high on appeal thanks to a secretive double life, a genuine desire to oust the bad guys, and a heartwarming affection for the people he cherishes most. He's also easy on the eyes, and his "superpowers" are learned (and thus achievable) skills rather than a supernatural gift (like flying), but it's the subtleties of his personality and his compassion for humanity that are his greatest attributes.

Even so, Arrow/Oliver isn't a faultless hero, and his methods raise some interesting, relevant issues. Who should decide the punishment for crimes? Is violence ever the answer? When, if ever, is it forgivable to take justice into your own hands? Oliver's decision, after killing villains in the show's first season, to dispatch bad guys without snuffing out their lives, is another rich topic for discussion. Granted, Starling City (later called Star City) is an extreme example of the socioeconomic fallout from concentrated power and wealth, but there are some parallels to current events, and with a little effort from parents, this dark series could shed some light for teens on the possible effects of certain financial and judicial practices.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the justice system. Does our court system do an adequate job of punishing the guilty and exonerating the innocent? Are the checks and balances enough that no one has too much power within the system and therefore can corrupt it?

  • Teens: Does our society present fair options for success to everyone? How does a person's socioeconomic status influence their future potential? Is race a factor as well?

  • How does Arrow stack up against the big-hitter superheroes? Do you think his story is worthy of the big screen? Why or why not? Do you prefer the Arrow of the first season, who kills villains without remorse, or the gentler Arrow of later seasons?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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