CW's Arrow and more arrive on Pluto TV next month for free

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Published Apr 13, 2026, 12:44 PM EDT

The influential start of the Arrowverse is heading to Pluto TV

Oliver Queen as the Green Arrow in a still from The CW's Arrow series based on the DC Comics hero

One of the best superhero TV shows ever made is about to be available to stream for free. Pluto TV announced Monday that it will be adding The CW's Arrow to its slate of channels and on-demand series, starting May 1.

Based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, the series premiered in 2012 on The CW. Arrow originated in an era when superhero series were a bit skittish about their comic book origins, and the character wasn't even called by his moniker until later seasons. (Instead, he was just referred to as "The Hood.") It was also full of the CW's patented soapy melodrama, which was really part of its charm.

Arrow followed billionaire Oliver Queen as he returned home after years stranded on an island. He returned to right his father's wrongs, which mostly involved shooting Starling City's criminals with arrows as a vigilante. The storylines and cast grew over time, with villains like Deathstroke and superheroes like Black Canary, Arsenal, and Mister Terrific joining the fray. It also gradually turned the Arrow into a pseudo-Batman by giving Oliver Queen storylines heavily associated with the Dark Knight, like his relationship with Ra's al Ghul and The League of Assassins.

While DC was struggling to launch a cinematic universe on the big screen, it found success with interconnected storytelling on the small screen. Arrow served as the launchpad for the Arrowverse, which gradually grew to include The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman. The series would have regular crossover events, and even tackled a Nazi Earth storyline before Peacemaker did.

Arrow will be available to stream on Pluto TV on May 1. It will also be broadcast on Pluto's linear channels (meant to mimic cable TV). It was previously available on Netflix, but left the service at the end of last year.

Also arriving on Pluto TV in May are The 100, Hart of Dixie, and Everwood.