Stephen Amell Remembers When 'Arrow' Was Given 100 to 1 Odds of Surviving Its First Season

When it comes to The CW's Arrow one would be hard pressed to call the show anything but a success. [...]

When it comes to The CW's Arrow one would be hard pressed to call the show anything but a success. Not only the DC Comics inspired show celebrate its 150th episode last Monday, but the series was recently renewed for Season 8 as well. Despite this, there was a time when some critics thought the show wouldn't survive Season 1 -- something Stephen Amell remembers well.

The Arrow star took to Twitter on Saturday to share photo of one such dire prediction that gave Arrow 100 to 1 odds so many years ago.

"Tonight was one of the coldest nights we've ever had on set," Amell wrote. "Seeing this in my mentions was like a warm blanket."

The idea of Arrow having longevity of any sort is something that Amell has long been open about not taking for granted. At San Diego Comic-Con last year, the Oliver Queen actor was asked if he ever expected the show to last even six seasons something, he admitted that he didn't, even with being on the same network as long-running series like Smallville and Supernatural.

"No. I mean, I was saying earlier today we're compared to Smallville which went ten seasons and we're on the same network as Supernatural which is going into its 14th season and so I feel like there's, that people think that getting into a seventh season there's an element of it that's pedestrian, but that's not the case at all," he said. "We're in rarefied air for a tv show and we're so fortunate. I've talked with Emily [Bett Rickards], I've talked with David [Ramsey], just talked with everyone today about just how lucky we are. We really are."

That attitude of not taking longevity for granted is also something that was carried into planning for the current season, Season 7, as an eighth wasn't promised at the time.

"I think that's one of the things I'm getting out of what they've planned for season seven -- we're not writing like we're guaranteed something beyond this, because we're not; nobody is," Amell told The Music Australia. "I want them to really push forward and take the fact that we have a certain license and a certain respect from the fans to take some chances."

Among those chances have been extensive flash-forwards in Season 7, giving viewers a glimpse at the future of the city Oliver has dedicated his life to saving. It turns out, the future isn't great. Star City is in ruins, the Glades has risen as a shining, safe place to live, and things really aren't great for the vigilantes. On top of that Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) was revealed early on to be dead in that future and it's one that according to Katherine McNamara, who plays Mia/Blackstar in the future timeline, can't be changed.

"You can't," McNamara said when asked by TV Line if the future could be prevented. "It's very different from the [Season 1] episode of Legends you saw, where you saw the future of Arrow ... This is a very different future, and it's one that is what it is."

What do you think about Amell's reflection on Season 1's survival odds? Let us know in the comments below.

Arrow airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.

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