The 15 Best CW Shows Of All Time, Ranked

After UPN and The WB merged, the broadcast television network The CW was officially launched in January 2006. With this change, the channel doubled down on original scripted television programming, creating some of the most beloved shows of the past 20 years. From teen dramas to horror-tinged series and superhero shows, The CW had it all, with its original programming thrilling millions of fans worldwide. After the platform was acquired by Nexstar and shifted to low-cost unscripted programming, it truly felt like the end of an era for the television landscape.

For the purposes of this article, the shows that were grandfathered into the CW's library as the brand transitioned are also retained. That means shows that predate the channel merging and rebranding, like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Charmed," don't quite make the cut. Here are the 15 best CW shows of all time, and each of them is worth revisiting or experiencing for the first time.

For four seasons, Rachel Bloom actively showcased her creative talents on the cult classic comedy series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." Bloom stars as Rebecca Bunch, a lawyer who moves to Southern California to follow Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), a fellow lawyer whom she briefly dated in high school. When Rebecca's love life becomes increasingly chaotic, she addresses her longstanding mental health issues as her instability becomes clear. This progression is all chronicled by musical numbers, often led by Rebecca, in every episode.

Though "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" was never a particularly big draw in terms of viewership ratings, it maintained healthy critical acclaim and a loyal fan base. A lot of that charm comes from Bloom herself, who co-created, wrote, and executive-produced the series. As the show continues, it becomes more direct with how it deals with the emotional vulnerabilities of its characters, but still with a self-aware wink and a song. Anchored by a consistently commanding performance from Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" is a must-watch for any musical theater aficionado.

There was a time when "The Flash" was the best superhero show on television, much less on The CW. Set on the network's shared Arrowverse, uniting its series based on DC Comics properties, the show starred Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, a forensic scientist who develops super-speed. Teaming up with a group of scientists at a private lab, Barry hones his powers while contending with a growing number of supervillains threatening his hometown of Central City. However, Barry is far from the only speedster running around time and space, leading to many kinetic showdowns for the fate of his reality.

Yes, the latter seasons of "The Flash" are some of the weakest in the history of the Arrowverse, but its ensemble cast stays consistently likable. Even still, the sheer strength of the series' first five seasons earns it a spot on this list, although its weaker second half bumps it from a considerably higher position. What the show always does well is tie the lives of its ensemble directly into most of the super-powered skirmishes they become involved in, particularly Barry's. A strong reminder that superhero shows can be bright, vibrant, and fun and still taken seriously, "The Flash" enjoyed a nine-season run and ended on its own terms.

Chris Roberson and Mike Allred's acclaimed comic book series "iZombie" was adapted into television in a 2015 show of the same name. The series follows Liv Moore (Rose McIver), a Seattle medical student who is transformed into a zombie, causing her personal life to fall apart. Taking a job at the morgue due to her condition, Liv eats the brains of the dead to avoid turning into a feral ghoul. Upon consuming their brain tissue, Liv absorbs the dead's memories, which she uses to solve murders with police detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin).

Running for five seasons, "iZombie" offered an undead twist to the well-worn crime procedural genre, with comedic flourishes. McIver provides a stellar lead performance as Liv, and the show provides a breakout role for Rahul Kohli as Liv's colleague and roommate, Ravi Chakrabarti. The series also steadily escalates as its zombie outbreak grows dramatically over the course of the story, rather than focusing on Liv trying to maintain her undead secret. An underrated zombie show with a relatively family-friendly premise, "iZombie" offers one of the most unabashedly fun zombie stories around.

Who would've thought that Green Arrow would serve as the foundation for a successful and expansive shared television universe based on DC's superhero properties? The 2012 series "Arrow" ran for eight seasons and spawned the subsequent Arrowverse, with the show joined by a robust number of spin-offs. Offering a darker take on the Green Arrow mythos, the series had rich playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) return home to Starling City after being shipwrecked for five years. Now a highly trained hand-to-hand combatant and archer, Queen puts these hard-earned skills to use defending his city from its deeply embedded criminal element.

Starting out as a gritty and self-serious superhero drama, "Arrow" saw a creative rebirth as it progressed and expanded its universe. Throughout all the colorful supervillains and sidekicks, along with fluctuations in tone, the constant is Amell's performance as Oliver Queen. The show excels whenever it pits a solid adversary for the unfailingly intense Queen, and fortunately, it provided a number of them over the years. Throughout its eight-season run, "Arrow" positioned The CW as the go-to network for superhero television for a decade.

Characters based on Archie Comics saw something of a television resurgence in the late 2010s, with this wave led by 2017's "Riverdale." In this darker take on the normally wholesome characters, high schooler Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) and his friends find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery. This rapidly escalates to the teenagers uncovering sinister secrets about their small town, including the odd conspiracy and malevolent cult or two. This outlandish escalation grows into Archie and the gang witnessing alternate dimensions and timelines and engaging in the odd musical episode between bloody reveals.

"Riverdale" is all somehow even more absurd than it sounds, but therein lies a lot of the show's charm. While maintaining a deliciously moody atmosphere, part of the fun is seeing what over-the-top lengths the show will go next. Keeping it all from going off the rails is the series' likable ensemble cast, grounding their characters as best they can with the material and going along for the ride. "Riverdale" deliberately dialed up the melodrama as far as it could go, reveling in the campiness of it all to great effect for seven seasons.

Another CW show that kicked off its own television franchise was "The Vampire Diaries," based on the novels by L.J. Smith. The show follows teenager and recent orphan Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) in the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. As Elena overcomes her grief, she meets and falls in love with handsome vampire Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and his older brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder). As Elena becomes increasingly involved with the Salvatore siblings, she's drawn into a dark world of far more deadly supernatural figures.

Packed with plenty of big twists and bad romances, "The Vampire Diaries" brought a paranormal twist to The CW's usual teen drama lineup. The energy between Dobrev, Wesley, and Somerhalder was positively electric, with the additional characters bringing in their own layers of intrigue as the cast grew. The show spawned two spin-offs, which also aired on The CW — "The Originals" in 2013 and "Legacies" in 2018 — but nothing compares to the first series. A more all-age-friendly riff on "True Blood," "The Vampire Diaries" kept its scares network television-appropriate but no less thrilling and amorous.

The heir apparent to "Dawson's Creek," in terms of small-town-based coming-of-age teen dramas, was "One Tree Hill." Premiering in 2003, the show was part of The WB for its first three seasons until the merger and network rebranding. Set in the fictional Tree Hill, North Carolina, the show focused on teenager Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), who falls in love with his half-brother's girlfriend, Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton). As Lucas and his classmates grew older, the show's scope expanded to the wider ensemble as they progressed into young adulthood and serious romance.

With its complicated character dynamics, redemption arcs, and interpersonal betrayals, "One Tree Hill" stands as a masterfully staged teen drama. The chemistry is strong all around and something that the cast only further hones as the series goes on across its nine-season run. Its legacy has been tainted somewhat by misconduct allegations from the cast and crew toward its creator, but the series itself holds up. And with a "One Tree Hill" sequel series on the way to reclaim the story away from its toxic association, the show is poised to shine once again, brighter than ever.

Long before there was an Arrowverse, there was "Smallville," which reimagined Superman's origins for television. Premiering in 2001, the series was one of the shows that carried over to The CW after the channel merger, going into its sixth season. The series follows Clark Kent (Tom Welling) as he progresses from high schooler to college student and young professional, relocating from his hometown of Smallville to Metropolis. This is paralleled by Clark coming to terms with his burgeoning superpowers and Kryptonian heritage as he assumes the role of Earth's greatest protector, Superman.

Over 20 years since its premiere, "Smallville" is still one of the gold standards in superhero television. The show brings a humanist angle to the Superman mythos, showcasing a Clark with all the vulnerabilities of growing up despite his superhuman secret. Across its 10-season run, the show also reimagined many popular DC heroes and villains, all while informing Clark's superhero destiny. Without the success of "Smallville," The CW's later expansion into the superhero genre may not have occurred, making it a foundational fixture on the network.

After working together depicting the adventures of affluent Southern California teens with "The O.C.," producers and screenwriters Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage turned their creative attention to Manhattan. The resulting 2007 teen drama series "Gossip Girl" chronicled the saga of teens attending prestigious private schools on the Upper East Side. At the center of the story was the dynamic between longtime frenemies Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) and Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively). The show followed Blair and Serena through high school and college, all with an often glamorous vision of New York as its backdrop.

Like "The O.C.," "Gossip Girl" is a rich kid fantasy story, albeit with an urban setting rather than a suburban one. That distinction, including the pedigree of having Schwartz and Savage as series creators, made the show the most lavish teen drama among The CW's extensive programming in the genre. Beyond Meester and Lively, there was a tight ensemble cast that excelled at bringing the show's melodramatic dynamics to life. Unapologetically posh, "Gossip Girl" serves as a major genre influence years after the original series' conclusion.

Premiering in 2004, "Veronica Mars" was one of the last original series produced by UPN before the merger and network rebrand. The show stars Kristen Bell as the titular teenage detective who solves mysteries around her coastal hometown of Neptune, California. The initial overarching mystery centered on the murder of Veronica's best friend, Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried), with Veronica determined to find her killer. As the show progressed, Veronica graduated from high school and attended college, all while reconciling with her own trauma.

Though "Veronica Mars" technically only aired on The CW for a single season after the rebrand, it was still one of the most underrated shows on television at the time. Series creator Rob Thomas' knack for writing razor-sharp dialogue is present throughout the first season of "Veronica Mars" onward, while Bell makes the role wholly her own. Though the show would receive a continuation movie and a revival season on Hulu, there's just something about its initial three-season run. A tightly crafted coming-of-age neo-noir, "Veronica Mars" still hasn't quite gotten the respect that it deserves.

The longest-running scripted original series on The CW is "Supernatural," which began in 2005 on The WB before the merger and rebrand. The show follows brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), who inherit their family's duty to protect the world from paranormal threats. Cruising the country in their trusty 1967 Chevrolet Impala, the Winchesters' mission escalates to them trying to avert the apocalypse. Along the way, the brothers' bond deepens, with the siblings later joined by the angel Castiel (Misha Collins) to help their crusade.

Though purists may prefer the show's first five seasons when it had creator Eric Kripke as its showrunner, "Supernatural" definitely deserved its 15-season run. The series built its own mythology around Padalecki and Ackles' organic, easygoing chemistry, expanding the scope from its monster-of-the-week setup. Looking back, there are countless great episodes and memorable moments, including the odd franchise crossover or two, as the Winchesters consistently saved the day. A crowdpleaser that served as a programming constant on The CW, "Supernatural" is the little spooky show that grew into a record-breaking classic.

Another popular show held over from The WB through the merger and rebranding, "Gilmore Girls" ran for seven seasons from 2000 to 2007. The show is set in the fictional Connecticut town of Stars Hollow, following single mother Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel). As Rory endures the trials and tribulations of growing up, graduating from high school, and attending college, Lorelai faces twists and turns in her own personal life. This includes both women falling into their own complex love triangles and setbacks that force them each to learn and grow.

"Gilmore Girls" has rapid-fire dialogue and an eclectic ensemble cast worthy of a sitcom, with family drama stakes. Series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino makes Stars Hollow feel like a real community around its mother-daughter duo while keeping the focus on Lorelai and Rory. The show saw some big creative changes when it moved from The WB to The CW for its final season, but the series overall remains a sterling fan-favorite. A dramedy that expertly mixed coming-of-age drama with a fast-paced sense of fun, "Gilmore Girls" is a 21st-century classic.

The 2002 Venezuelan telenovela "Jane the Virgin" serves as the satirical basis for the 2014 dramedy of the same name. Gina Rodriguez stars as Jane Gloriana Villanueva, a religious young woman who plans to save her virginity until marriage. However, during a routine checkup, Jane is accidentally artificially impregnated by sperm donated by her boss, wealthy hotelier Rafael Solano (Justin Baldoni). As she cares for her surprise baby with her family, this places Jane in a love triangle with Rafael and her boyfriend, Michael Cordero (Brett Dier).

True to its telenovela inspiration, "Jane the Virgin" gleefully leans into the melodramatic and over-the-top plot developments. Though these beats are often played for comedy, there is also a genuine emotional investment in Jane and the supporting cast as they delve into their messy relationships. Rodriguez is very much the consistent standout throughout the show's five-season run, balancing heart and humor in effective measure. Embracing the self-aware metatextual nature of its premise, "Jane the Virgin" brings the deliberately complicated romance with a comical wink at the audience.

Though the Arrowverse concluded with "The Flash," The CW still had one popular superhero series in its lineup with "Superman & Lois." Initially set in the Arrowverse before being retconned into its own standalone universe, the show has Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) raising their sons in Smallville. As the Kents acclimatize to life in Smallville, they struggle with the arrival of formidable villains and the boys developing powers of their own. This culminates in a showdown with a vengeful Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz), who has an axe to grind with the Kents for putting him behind bars for years.

Compared to the other superhero shows on the network, there is a distinctly cinematic quality to "Superman & Lois," right down to its cinematography. This is a beautifully crafted show that built out Smallville as a community around the Kents, mixing coming-of-age parenting with superhero stakes. And though the show only ran for four seasons before changes in network management led to a premature conclusion, the series finale is still an emotionally satisfying experience. Just as Superman helped mark the birth of The CW, it also heralded the network stepping away from scripted programming, with "Superman & Lois" sticking the landing marvelously.

Author Kass Morgan's novel series "The 100" serves as the loose basis for the 2014 CW series of the same name. The show follows 100 teenage and young adult detainees who are sent to Earth to see if the planet's surface is habitable after a cataclysm nearly a century prior. The ensemble finds out that not only can Earth support human life again, but more primitive societies thrive around the wilderness. Led by Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor) and Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley), the group makes immense moral compromises and violently adapts to survive this harsh world.

There was never anything with quite the same level of intensity and mature storytelling as "The 100" produced by The CW. The brutal moral conundrums that the show's characters constantly faced only seemed to grow in scale each season. This evolution was punctuated by devastating deaths across its seven-season run, viciously upping the ante every step of the way. A tautly paced survivalist thrill ride, "The 100" got audiences caring deeply about its characters, making its story all the more heartbreaking.