You have to admit that The CW has stepped up its game in the past few years. Their current slate is made up of some of the most entertaining shows on network TV. Yet, people are still dismissive of these shows because of the network they’re on. The CW (or The WB) isn’t well-known for churning out quality stuff, but through the years, it did produce favorites like Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, and more. However, can we remember a time when The CW had THIS MANY good shows airing at the same time?!
This list/ranking is to convince you to start tuning into The CW and give a chance to these very awesome shows. They serve as great binge-watch-worthy recommendations for this summer.
The staff collaborated and evaluated all of The CW’s shows. The ones listed are what we consider our favorites. The shows are ranked by the amount of responses received from each writer and how enthusiastic their responses are.
Click NEXT to see which CW shows are the best of the best.
7. Reign
Ivanna Barrera: If you like history and drama, this is a great show to watch. Adelaide Kane is stunning as she portrays Mary, Queen of Scots. The show portrays the difficulties that come with being a Queen, carrying the future of countries on your shoulders. Love and duty is a constant theme throughout the show, and it does a great job at showing the inner struggle that these rulers have as young adults in power. Not to mention that Mary is a different kind of Queen, who exemplifies a strong empowered woman that makes her voice known. The show has dark undertones, as well as exploring the supernatural through pagan myths and rituals. Romance is definitely found in Reign, but it certainly is not of the fairytale kind. Cliffhangers are granted for every season finale, and murders, betrayal and scandal run rampant.
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The first season of Reign is on Netflix. Season 3 begins in Fall 2015.
6. The Vampire Diaries
Dana Cuadrado: I was a huge fan of this show when it started. The first three seasons were excellent, but it has gone a bit downhill since. I’ve stuck with this show for six years, and I still really love the characters. It does have some crazy plotlines, but the core cast is just magic together, that the show does work at times. They were able to phase out their main character beautifully. I can’t tell you how many times I have watched the first three seasons or cried during this show.
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Jose Cordova: Before Tatiana Maslany was blowing everybody’s minds portraying multiple characters on Orphan Black, Nina Dobrev was making a case for herself as an up-and-comer with work on Vampire Diaries as orphaned teen Elena Gilbert and centuries old vampire baddie Katherine Pierce. What seemed like a blatant attempt to cash in on the vampire craze in the wake of Twilight became a cheesy little soap with fun supernatural elements. As the actors settled into their roles, the show hit a great stride with a love triangle powered by terrific chemistry between the actors (some of whom would date in real life) and a surprising penchant for violence that was quite fun. The show’s entertainment value has waned in later seasons, but this past season recaptured some of the magic and featured of the best villains the show has ever had.
The first five seasons of The Vampire Diaries are on Netflix. Season 7 begins in Fall 2015.
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5. Arrow
Allyson Johnson: Listen, I didn’t love all of season three of Arrow, but the show still has plenty of worthwhile moments to keep your interest. The supporting cast is wonderful, the action is killer, and it was the stepping stone for many of the superhero shows currently on television. However, I can’t deny how excited I am to see the show go in a less dour direction.
Dana Cuadrado: Flashbacks aside, I love this show. This past season wasn’t the greatest, but I can’t wait to see where the show goes. The crime-fighting gang at the heart of the show is fantastic. The crossovers between Arrow and The Flash are perfection.
Gabrielle Bondi: Oliver Queen annoys me at times like none other (so broody), but I can’t deny that I do kind of love him at the same, and I am so surprised by how amazing well-plotted Arrow is. Season 1 and 3 may give you some doubts, but Season 2 of Arrow is pure entertainment. It’s full of hair-pulling, OH MY GOD moments that just make you love the characters so much more.
Jose Cordova: Arrow began as a cheap Batman Begins rip-off, and after a bit of stumbling around early in its first season, it figured out what kind of show it wanted to be. Arrow is a comic book show with primetime soap elements mixed in, and it somehow makes it work. I’m of the opinion that this past season was the show’s weakest to date, but part of the disappointment comes from the fact that it followed a fantastic second season. Season 2 of Arrow is a great showcase of the best parts of the show: tight and hard hitting action, larger than life characters, and crazy comic book plot lines.
The first and second seasons of Arrow are on Netflix. Season 4 begins in Fall 2015.
4. iZombie
Allyson Johnson: I’m still playing catch-up with this one, but so far, I think it’s a lot of fun. The style is distinct from the get-go and plays on familiar zombie tropes without it feeling redundant. The world is vibrant, and with a cast as charismatic as this one (I have a bias towards Ravi), it’s easy to forgive its sometimes meandering “case of the week” storylines. It’s a rare show where I like all of the lead characters, and I care about the entire lineup of iZombie.
Jose Cordova: iZombie shouldn’t work as well as it does. It’s a procedural show with zombies. Who isn’t tired of both zombies and procedurals? Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero, of Veronica Mars fame, do a great job of mixing up both the procedural and zombie elements just enough to make them feel fresh. The strength of the show is using the central gimmick (lead character Liv Moore is a zombie and medical examiner that sees how people died when she eats their brains) to explore the characters and their relationships with each other. This makes it very easy to get to know Liv and the rest of the people in her life and establish a connection with them. Throw in some serialized mystery elements pertaining to the zombie storyline, and it all adds up to a fun little show. iZombie is a bit slight, but it’s entertaining and has a great cast of characters.
Jeremy Rodriguez: The mind of Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas plus zombies? The show’s premise already had my interest. iZombie has the potential to be a cult classic of this generation with its strong, sympathetic lead and equally likeable supporting characters. Fans of Veronica Mars or Buffy the Vampire Slayer will enjoy seeing a strong female character grace their televisions once again.
Diya Mishra: Charming as hell. Yeah, you may go into it thinking it’s a Veronica Mars derivative, I know I did, but from the first episode, the characters and world of iZombie have such a distinct voice it’s hard not to fall in love. There are strong performances across the board; an enthralling season-long conflict, and not a shaky episode amongst the ten episodes already aired this season. But most attractive is the sheer charm, which is not something commonly associated with the zombie genre! Every character is so fully formed and inhabited, the chemistry within the cast so natural, it’s an hour of pure fun escapism. Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero’s distinct irreverent wit can be seen in the deft handling of solid subject matter: the complexities of life, even when you’re undead.
The first season of iZombie is currently airing on The CW. New episodes can be purchased on Amazon Instant or iTunes.
3. The Flash
Jeremy Rodriguez: I’ll be honest. I originally decided to watch this show because it starred one of the hot guys from Glee. Then I became enthralled with the characters and stories and completely forgot why I originally tuned in. I wasn’t completely addicted to the early episodes of the first season, but the show caught fire quickly and built up to a tear-jerking, action-packed finale. This series is going to make it hard to see anyone but Grant Gustin as the Flash. It’s too bad the role will be given to someone else, soon. DC is currently developing a film with no connection to this series, starring Ezra Miller. As far as I’m concerned, The CW is giving us the real deal, and DC will have some serious competition.
Allyson Johnson: For anyone who caught my weekly coverage of The Flash where the grades rarely slipped below an 8/10, it’s pretty clear that I adore this show. From its freewheeling charm to the show’s confidence to tackle it in a way that takes itself seriously while refusing to underscore the superhero nature of its origin, the series immediately caught my attention. The cast is fantastic with standouts in this season MVP’s Tom Cavanagh and Carlos Valdes, and a leading man in Grant Gustin as Barry Allen that has allowed my affection for the character to grow. The action is exciting on a weekly basis, and while I love the show’s more relaxed nature compared to other DC properties, it also has a surprisingly emotional core that keeps the story going. Big in heart and scope, The Flash is worth binge watching before the debut of season two in the fall.
Dana Cuadrado: I loved Barry Allen from the moment he was introduced in Arrow. The Flash is such a fun show. It has a much lighter tone than Arrow, but the two crossover really well. The ensemble works so well together. It has the humor and the action of The Avengers rather than the gritty tone of recent DC movies. It is just really enjoyable to watch.
Gabrielle Bondi: I love, love, LOVE The Flash. If you told me last fall that I would be fangirling as hard as I am over this show, I wouldn’t have believed you. But after my epic Arrow binge-fest, it seemed like a no-brainer to start watching The Flash, and I’m so happy I did. This first season went to places I didn’t think it would, and at around the halfway point, it consistently surprised and entertained me. Grant Gustin and the supporting cast make an awesome team; they have so much chemistry and make this show so much fun (and emotional at times). In a lot of ways, it ended up trumping Arrow’s season 3, ultimately becoming my favorite superhero TV show.
Jose Cordova: The Flash is pure comic book joy. The team behind the show is smart enough to realize that Barry Allen and the Flash character are entirely different from Oliver Queen and The Arrow. I love that the show embraces some the sillier and “comic book-y” aspects of the source material. The first season was a confident season of television, and although some of the comic book elements (and logic) had a difficult transition from page to screen, The Flash raced past all of the speed bumps and delivered a solid season of superhero action.
The first season of The Flash can be purchased by episode on Amazon Instant and iTunes. The second season begins in Fall 2015.
2. Jane the Virgin
Allyson Johnson: Another show where I’m about to set off into marathon-land, but even from the few amount of episodes I’ve seen, I can tell it’s something special. Mixing the relationship drama of Gilmore Girls with the fantastically surreal atmosphere of Pushing Daisies (one of my favorite shows of all time), Jane the Virgin is like very little else on television. The tone is decidedly female-friendly, and Gina Rodriguez has an immediate star quality.
Update: I am seven episodes in, and this show is magical and I love it. Each and every character is watchable, no subplots annoy me (a rarity), and the world is so rich in charm and fun that it has been hard for me to stop watching (work has a nasty way of interfering with my television binging).
Jeremy Rodriguez: I’ll admit I was very skeptical when I first heard of a show about a virgin, who is accidentally artificially inseminated. But I decided to check out the first episode when it originally premiered just to give myself a laugh. What I didn’t expect was to get immediately hooked into the addictive soapy storylines and likeable characters. This show features love triangles, murder, psycho exes, a drug lord who gets plastic surgery to disguise her face, and a season-ending cliffhanger that will keep you on the edge of your seat until season two finally premieres.
Ivanna Barrera: It was so easy to fall in love with Jane the Virgin. The storyline is like nothing that’s ever been done before. It has the perfect mix of comedy, drama and romance with a twist of quirkiness. The cast is extremely loveable; it’s even hard to despise the villains. After a few episodes you become emotionally invested in their lives. The writers have done an amazing job of creating some of the best cliff hangers that rival Mexican telenovelas. Not to mention that the Latin narrator that guides each episode is hilarious with his blunt comments and hashtags!
Gabrielle Bondi: If you followed my weekly coverage of Jane the Virgin, you know how much I adore this show. Like everyone else, I was very skeptical giving the show a chance, but the wealth of great reviews had me tune into the premiere, and it was insta-love. It balances so many different tones and themes effortlessly. It’s easily the biggest surprise The CW has ever given audiences. But most importantly, it gets the Latino family dynamic right.
Jose Cordova: Look maybe I’m just the target audience for this show because there really isn’t a bad thing I can say about it. I remember watching crazy telenovelas with my family when I was a kid, and Jane is all the best parts of novelas with a modern twist. There’s passion, love, betrayal, comedy, and insane plot twists. Under all of the crazy elements is the story of a normal woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Gina Rodriguez as the titular virgin leads an amazing ensemble that is perfectly cast. Rodriguez is a revelation, proving that she has great comedic timing as well as incredible depth as a dramatic actor. The show manages to be a quirky comedy, a family drama, a romantic comedy, and nighttime soap, sometimes all within the span of a single episode. Rodriguez moves from one style to the next without missing a beat. Jane is engaging, engrossing, and entertaining.
PS: Shout out to Jaime Camil for portraying what is easily my favorite new TV character of the season: Rogelio De La Vega. Lastly, shout out to The Latin Lover Narrator on the show as well. I don’t know what I’d do without him.
The first season of Jane The Virgin can be purchased by episode on Amazon Instant and iTunes. The second season begins in Fall 2015.
1. The 100
Ivanna Barrera: The 100 will give you some of the best gut wrenching, heart stopping moments from any show you can watch on The CW. It will overpass any expectations you could have ever had once walking in. It is also certainly the network’s most complex show. The show covers the gray areas of ethics and morality, making it known that there’s really no right or wrong. It leaves the viewers conflicted trying to find resolutions to the burning dilemmas the plot brings up. The writers are experts at giving each character plenty of room for growth from season to season. These actors are all newbies but are acting their butts off. There is depth to each of the stories presented, and the writers are not afraid to go where necessary, killing off children and even some of the beloved main characters. You will definitely develop a love and hate relationship with the show’s writers. The costumes and set-ups are fierce, even though their budget is not very grand. You will see gruesome and raw moments that you can’t peel your eyes away from. Earth is certainly going to continue getting more interesting as Season 3 begins next year. This is definitely a binge-worthy show.
Allyson Johnson: I can say, without question, that after watching the abysmal series premiere I did not expect it to become one of my new favorite shows. Surprise, surprise, it did. I won’t sugarcoat it, the first few episodes are pretty rough around the edges, but somewhere around episode five everything begins to get better. Season two cemented it as one of my favorite shows currently on television, period. It’s like little else on The CW because the stakes are real, people die, and there are no easy decisions for our heroes. The cast is great, and aside from a few characters who grate (such as Finn and Jasper) and some who are underutilized (Monty), each one serves their purpose and adds another layer to the show. However, it is the inclusion of the two leads, who wonderfully subvert tropes and clichés of the action hero and heroine that elevate the series. Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake are fantastic characters. The fact that I have to wait until 2016 to watch this show again is pretty simply, the worst.
Dana Cuadrado: I watched the first four episodes of this show when it originally aired. It was cool, but it didn’t make me need to keep up with it, so I didn’t. Then when season two began to air there was a lot of hype about the show on Twitter. I marathoned all of it over Thanksgiving and caught up with season two. I am hooked. This show is fantastic and like nothing else on the network. Clarke and Bellamy are the best parts of this show. There is so much character development over just two seasons, and I can’t wait to see more of the world of The 100. I have since made my Mom watch all of The 100 and my brother, who watched all of season one in a day.
Diya Mishra: I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, The 100 is the show we deserve. There are so few shows on television that both acknowledge their teen characters’ inexperience and yet have the gravity of real consequences, and The 100 manages to do both. To be completely honest, you’re going to have to give it at least until episode 4, where the show comes into its own, to appreciate the raw grittiness that sets it apart from the rest of The CW’s fare, but once you get there, it’s all tight storytelling, consistent characters arcs, and steadily spiraling stakes into a dizzying finish. Another thing that sets it apart? The amazing representation. Arguably the most important characters are the women, who are all far more complex than the blank slate “Strong Female Character.” They are led by protagonist Clarke, whose bisexual identification is such a nonissue on a network TV show it has to be celebrated. Characters that come from different racial backgrounds and sexual orientations, with different disabilities or limitations, are all given complex, well-formed arcs. Without giving anything away, investment IS rewarded, it’s truly the show we deserve, and it’s definitely the one we need right now.
Gabrielle Bondi: I just started season one of The 100, and let me tell you, I’m hooked. At first, I found it a bit campy, but it slowly grows into this epic sci-fi drama/thriller, exploring very moralizing and human situations in a deep and thought-provoking way. The characters come fully formed with strong female characters that are complex and completely interesting. I’m still getting to know these characters, but it’s progressing into a better show as I finish every new episode.
The first season of The 100 is on Netflix. The 100 returns for season 3 in 2016.
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