The third season of the American television series '' Arrow'' premiered on

The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

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, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

character Green Arrow, 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 a ...

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 Superboy feature for DC Comics. Papp also co-created the Green Arrow character with Mort Weising ...

, and is set in the

Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a 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 on CW See ...

, 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 of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', '' Brothers & Sisters'', '' Everwood'', '' Political Animals'', ...

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 ''Leg ...

and

Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''The Flash'', ''Arrow'', '' Supergirl'' and ''Legends of Tomorrow''. Personal life ...

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). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along wi ...

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'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...

, with principal cast members

Katie Cassidy Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy (formerly Rodgers) (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'' ...

as Laurel Lance, David Ramsey as

John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early ...

Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama '' The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series '' Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow' ...

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 pro ...

Emily Bett Rickards Emily Bett Rickards (born July 24, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Felicity Smoak on The CW series ''Arrow'', her first television credit. She has also reprised the role in the Arrowverse shows ''The Flash'', ''Legend ...

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'' and as Roy Harper / Arsenal in the CW superhero television seri ...

as Roy Harper,

John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' and '' Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowv ...

as Malcolm Merlyn 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 commercials in England. His breakthro ...

Quentin Lance ''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 Mor ...

also returning from previous seasons. The series follows billionaire playboy

(

), who claimed to have spent five years shipwrecked on

Lian Yu Lian Yu (; born 1886) was a diplomat, politician, judicial officer and lawyer in the Republic of China. He was an important politician during the Reformed Government of the Republic of China and Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing). ...

, a mysterious island in the North China Sea, before returning home to

Starling City Star City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, best known as the traditional home of the superheroes known by, or affiliated with, the shared alias of Green Arrow. Beyond that, it is also known to other characters ...

(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 Queen Industries is a fictional business organization in the DC Comics universe. It is owned and run by Oliver Queen / Green Arrow. Oliver reluctantly inherited the company after his parents, Robert and Moira Queen, were killed. It was founded ...

is sold to businessman, scientist and aspiring hero Ray Palmer (

Brandon Routh Brandon James 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 titular character of the film '' Dylan Dog: Dead of N ...

), 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, commonly pronounced correctly as ''Re'sh'', hence or ; "The Head of the Demon" or, in a rougher translation, "The Chief Demon". is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary o ...

(

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 and ...

). He struggles to reconnect with his 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. is a government organization 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 Waller, A.R.G.U.S. is typically depicted as a parent organization for the ...

leader

Amanda Waller Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...

(

Cynthia Addai-Robinson Cynthia Addai-Robinson (born January 12, 1985) is an 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 on the US ...

) 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-born 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 wa ...

) 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 ...

British Columbia, Canada British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

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 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

as Oliver Queen / Arrow *

as Laurel Lance / Black Canary * David Ramsey as

as Thea Queen / Speedy *

as Roy Harper / Arsenal *

as Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer *

Recurring

Guest

Production

Development

'' Arrow'' was renewed for a third season by

on February 12, 2014.

Writing

Talking ahead of San Diego Comic Con, executive producer

stated that the theme of the season would be 'identity'. He and fellow EP

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

. Regarding character arcs, Guggenheim confirmed that both the characters of

and Laurel Lance 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 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 and

, 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 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. It was confirmed by Marc Guggengheim in August that the episode name had been changed to " The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak" and that the episode would also introduce Felicity's mother,

Donna Smoak ''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 set in ...

. Kreisberg also confirmed that

Colin Donnell Colin Donnell (born October 9, 1982) is an American actor and singer best known for his performances as Billy Crocker in ''Anything Goes'', Tommy Merlyn in The CW television series '' Arrow'', Scotty Lockhart on the Showtime drama '' The Affai ...

would make an appearance as Tommy Merlyn in the second episode of the season, during a flashback sequence. The preview of the third season trailer revealed the season 'big bad' to be

. 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 ...

Casting

In July 2014, the series cast several season regulars, including

as Ray Palmer along with J. R. Ramirez was Ted Grant / Wildcat, Karl Yune as

Maseo Yamashiro ''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 set in ...

and

Vinnie Jones Vincent Peter Jones (born 5 January 1965) is a British actor, presenter, and former professional footballer. Jones played professionally as a defensive midfielder from 1984 to 1999, notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chels ...

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 Det. Connie McDowell on the ABC police procedural drama seri ...

would be joining the series as Felicity's mother,

. Later the same month,

Nolan Gerard Funk Nolan Gerard Funk (born July 28, 1986) is a 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 ''Awkward'', "Angel Eyes" ...

was cast as Felicity's former boyfriend Cooper Seldon. In September,

was cast in the role of the season's antagonist,

. Film actor

Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...

, who played the character in the

Christopher Nolan Christopher Edward Nolan (born 30 July 1970) is a British-American filmmaker. Known for his lucrative Hollywood blockbusters with complex storytelling, Nolan is considered a leading filmmaker of the 21st century. His films have grossed $5&nb ...

'' Batman'' films ''

Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, with Michael Caine, ...

'' 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. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is th ...

'', 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 was cast in a guest role as Carrie Cutter in the same month.

Caity Lotz Caitlin Marie Lotz (born December 30, 1986) is an American actress, dancer and singer. She has portrayed Stephanie Horton in '' Mad Men'', Officer Kirsten Landry in the MTV mockumentary series ''Death Valley'' (2011), Annie in '' The Pact'' (201 ...

was confirmed to return as Sara Lance for at least three episodes at the start of the season.

Filming

The season began filming in

in July 2014.

Arrowverse tie-ins

The third season includes the first annual crossover with spin-off series '' The Flash'': " Flash vs. Arrow".

Release

Broadcast

The season began airing in the United States on

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 digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

, 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,

. He did however praise the development of the character Laurel Lance as well as the development of Oliver's relationship with

. Katie Kulzick, of A.V. Club 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

becoming a member of the team as Speedy, for

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 that started with a series of 16 bestselling religious novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. It focuses on a seven-year conflict between the Tribulation Force, an underground network of converts, a ...

") , , , - , rowspan="2" ,

MTV Fandom Awards The ''MTV Fandom Awards'' was an annual pop culture, television and film awards show presented by MTV with awards voted on by fans. Ceremonies Categories *Best New Fandom of the Year *Fandom of the Year *Feels Freak Out of the Year *Ship o ...

, 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 be ...

, Best Superhero Adaption Television Series , data-sort-value="Arrow" , ''Arrow'' , , , - , rowspan="5" ,

Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United ...

, 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" ,

, ,

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