Haunted (Arrow)

Lore & Background

The episode sees Oliver Queen bringing sorcerer John Constantine for help because Sara Lance has become feral following her resurrection via the Lazarus Pit. Caity Lotz guest stars as Sara and Matt Ryan as Constantine, reprising his role from the NBC series of the same name. The episode was filmed in Vancouver from August 17 to 27, 2015. Stephen Amell stars as Oliver, joined by principal cast members Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards and Paul Blackthorne.

Reader's Guide

"Haunted" is significant as it integrates the supernatural character John Constantine into the Arrowverse, a crossover that had been discussed since May 2015. The episode received positive reviews, with a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews. Critics noted the fun interplay between Oliver and Constantine, though some felt the integration was less than convincing and the subplots extraneous. The episode also advanced the storyline of Sara Lance's resurrection and set up future plot threads, such as Ray Palmer's message "I'm alive, and I'm in trouble."

Did You Know?

• The episode was directed by John Badham, who also directed the Constantine episode "Danse Vaudou".
• Matt Ryan's appearance as Constantine was under a "one-time-only" deal.
• The episode was filmed in the slot of the fourth episode to accommodate Ryan's Broadway schedule.

Premise & Comic-Book Origins

Arrow is an American superhero television series that adapted the DC Comics character Green Arrow for the small screen. The costumed crime-fighter was originally created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp for the comics, and the television version was developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. The series exists within the Arrowverse, a shared continuity linking it to other related television shows. At its narrative core, the story tracks Oliver Queen, played by Stephen Amell, a billionaire playboy who claims to have survived five years shipwrecked on Lian Yu, a mysterious island in the North China Sea. After returning to his hometown of Starling City—later rebranded as Star City—Oliver assumes the identity of a secret vigilante, wielding a bow and arrow as his primary weapon to battle crime and corruption. Over its full run, the show delivered 170 episodes across eight seasons, premiering on October 10, 2012, and reaching its conclusion on January 28, 2020.

The Supporting Ensemble

Beyond the protagonist, the series constructed its world around a layered ensemble of allies who joined Oliver's vigilante mission. David Ramsey portrayed John Diggle, a former soldier who became a key operative in the team. Emily Bett Rickards played Felicity Smoak, an I.T. expert and skilled hacker who provided critical technical support. Caity Lotz brought Sara Lance, a former assassin drawn into the fight, to life. Colton Haynes appeared as Roy Harper, an aspiring vigilante finding his own path, while Willa Holland played Oliver's sister Thea. Katie Cassidy starred as Laurel Lance, an attorney who eventually embraced the vigilante role herself. The group also drew ongoing support from Detective Quentin Lance, played by Paul Blackthorne, the father of both Laurel and Sara. Together, this constellation of characters forged a complex family dynamic at the heart of the show, each member contributing distinct skills and personal stakes to the continuing struggle against the corruption plaguing Star City.

Narrative Structure & Temporal Storytelling

One of the series' most distinctive structural choices was its reliance on temporal framing devices to deepen the narrative. During the first five seasons, characters from Oliver's past appeared in a separate flashback story arc. These sequences drew parallels between events in his history and the unfolding present-day plot, effectively using his backstory to illuminate and shape the main storyline. This dual-timeline approach gave the show added depth, allowing past traumas and relationships to echo through current conflicts. Beginning with season seven, the creators pivoted to a different temporal device: flash-forwards. These sequences centered on Oliver's children, William, portrayed by Ben Lewis, and Mia, played by Katherine McNamara. The flash-forwards explored how present decisions would ripple into the future, examining how Green Arrow's legacy would be shaped and remembered by the next generation. This evolution in narrative technique mirrored the show's own maturation across its eight-season arc.

Production Timeline & Home Media Availability

The series maintained a steady production cadence on The CW, with the network announcing renewals on a roughly annual cycle. Season one premiered on October 10, 2012, and wrapped on May 15, 2013, earning its renewal on February 11. Seasons two through six each followed a familiar pattern of fall premieres and spring finales, with renewal orders arriving in the preceding winter or early spring. Season seven, greenlit on April 2, 2018, ran from October 15 through May 13, 2019, and notably featured 22 episodes rather than the 23 that had defined the prior season. On March 6, 2019, the network committed to a final eighth season with a 10-episode order, which aired from October 15, 2019, through January 28, 2020. All eight seasons have since been made available on home media, with DVD editions covering regions 1, 2, and 4, and Blu-ray releases distributed across regions A and B.