Stephen Amell Says Arrow is At Its Best When Grounded in Reality

Arrow has been through constant evolution, growing a lot in scope since it premiered almost five years ago. The show has spawned a whole universe of series, with The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, and even Supergirl having come along the path that Arrow paved.

Starting off as a very grounded show, with a guy who, simply, used a bow and arrow to fight crime, it has naturally become more fantastic as things have progressed. The introduction of metahumans thanks to The Flash, time travel thanks to Legends, and this year sorcery and the supernatural thanks to Constantine, Damian Darhk and others, has certainly made life in Star City considerably different than it was when Oliver Queen first showed up after five years away.

“I think it was a good element for season four,” star Stephen Amell told Comicbook.com during an interview at the CW Upfronts red carpet about the supernatural. “I think that ultimately, we are always going to be at our best when we do what we do best, which is, we’re the superpowerless superhero show, right?”

It sounds, then, like we’ll see a return to that focus for the most part in season five, but the actor definitely appreciates what the crazier elements have brought to the table.

“We haven’t been for a couple of years now, for a variety of reasons that have all been important and have helped build the universe on The CW. But at the same time, I do think we’re at our best when we are doing what we do best,” Amell said.

Arrow season four finale hits May 25, 2016. Season five will continue to air Wednesdays at 8pm on The CW in the fall.