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The Best CW Shows 

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Updated July 31, 2020 108.4k votes 15.7k voters 217.4k views 75 items

This list of the top current and cancelled The CW Television Network TV series includes the date when each show first aired, as well as which actors starred in the show. The best The CW Television Network TV programs of all time include the most viewed shows on The CW Television Network, as this list covers the entire history of the network. This list is sorted by popularity, so the shows with the most votes are at the top of the list. There are tons of CW shows on Netflix now, such as Supernatural CWTV. In fact, some of the most watched sitcoms have the highest CW show ratings. There's tons of information below about CWTV shows, so check it out! 

The CW is home to some of the best shows on television today. If you're interested in an action-packed superhero thriller, try Arrow, or The Flash. If fictional monsters and paranormal activities are more your speed, The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural might top your list. If you're looking for a laugh, Jane the Virgin or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend will definitely do the trick. Some of the most viewed TV shows on the CW are reality shows, like America's Next Top Model. Older CW TV shows, like Gossip Girl and and Smallville, still pass the test of time. 

Although television fans in different locations grew up with The CW Television Network on different channels, the top TV shows on the CW should be pretty familiar to everyone. The list of top The CW Television Network television shows below includes cast, creator, and premiere date when available. This list contains only TV series on the The CW Television Network network, even cancelled CW shows. Vote up the best shows on the CW below, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section. 
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1
The Flash is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best CW Shows
Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker

Premiered: 2014

Genres (Tv): Superhero, Action, Sci-fi, Drama

The Flash (The CW, 2014) is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, based on the DC Comics character. CSI Barry Allen (Grant ...more

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2
Arrow is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best CW Shows
Doxia added Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, Colin Donnell

Premiered: 2012

Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Drama, Mystery, Adventure film, Action, + more

Arrow (The CW, 2012) is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, based on the DC Comics character. Five years after being ...more

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The Coolest Characters from CW's Arrow #36 of 642 The Best TV Shows To Binge Watch #58 of 333 The Best TV Shows of The Last 20 Years

3
The 100 is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best CW Shows
VoronErichLangsdorfXarya added Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco, Thomas McDonell

Premiered: 2013

Genres (Tv): Drama, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Action

Check out more shows like The 100!

The 100 (The CW, 2014) is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction drama television series developed by Jason Rothenberg, loosely based on the book by Kass Morgan. 97 years after a nuclear ...more

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4
The Originals is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best CW Shows
sannalockner added Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt

Premiered: 2013

Genres (Tv): Romance Film, Supernatural drama, Teen drama, Suspense, Drama, + more

The Originals (The CW, 2013) is an American television series created by Julie Plec, and is a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries. Vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) and his ...more

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5
The Vampire Diaries is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best CW Shows
Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder

Premiered: 2009

Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Drama, Horror, Fantasy

The Vampire Diaries (The CW, 2009) is an American supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series by L. J. Smith. In the ...more

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6
Supernatural is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best CW Shows
Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Katie Cassidy

Premiered: 2005

Genres (Tv): Supernatural drama, Black comedy, Drama, Horror Film, Mystery, + more

Supernatural (The CW, 2005) is an American fantasy horror television series created by Eric Kripke. Two brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), follow their father's ...more

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7
Legends of Tomorrow is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best CW Shows
CosmicCastaway added Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Arthur Darvill

Premiered: 2016

Genres (Tv): Superhero fiction, Action, Adventure, Science fiction, Fantasy

DC's Legends of Tomorrow (The CW, 2016) is an American superhero action-adventure television series spin-off from Arrow and The Flash, existing in the same fictional universe. Intending to stop ...more

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8
Smallville is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best CW Shows
Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Allison Mack

Premiered: 2001

Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Action/Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Adventure film, + more

Smallville is an American television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The ...more

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9
Supergirl is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best CW Shows
CosmicCastaway added Melissa Benoist, Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh

Premiered: 2015

Genres (Tv): Superhero, Drama, Action, Adventure, Sci-fi

Supergirl (The CW, 2015) is an American superhero action-adventure television series developed by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti, and Andrew Kreisberg, based on the DC Comics character. The adventures ...more

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10
Gossip Girl is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best CW Shows
Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley

Premiered: 2007

Genres (Tv): Teen drama

Gossip Girl (The CW, 2007) is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, based on the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar. After a mysterious ...more

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11
Reign is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best CW Shows
sannalockner added Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows, Torrance Coombs

Premiered: 2013

Genres (Tv): Historical drama, Romantic drama

Reign (The CW, 2013) is an American historical romantic drama television series created by Stephanie SenGupta and Laurie McCarthy. Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, (Adelaide Kane) faces political ...more

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12
One Tree Hill is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best CW Shows
Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton

Premiered: 2003

Genres (Tv): Soap opera, Teen drama

One Tree Hill (The WB, 2003) is an American drama television series created by Mark Schwahn. Half-brothers Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan Scott (James lafferty) trade between kinship and ...more

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13
Jane the Virgin is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best CW Shows
LanaYoshii added Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Yael Grobglas

Premiered: 2014

Genres (Tv): Comedy drama, Telenovela, Satire

Jane the Virgin (The CW, 2014) is an American satirical romantic comedy-drama telenovela developed by Jennie Snyder Urman. A working, religious young Latina virgin (Gina Rodriguez) becomes ...more

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14
iZombie is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best CW Shows
ashadjareh added rahul kholi, malcolm goodwin

Premiered: 2015

Genres (Tv): Drama, Crime Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction

iZombie (The CW, 2015) is an American television series developed by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright, loosely based on the comic books by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred. A medical ...more

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15
Riverdale is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best CW Shows
nadoomatani added KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes

Premiered: 2017

Genres (Tv): Teen drama, Mystery

Riverdale (The CW, 2017) is an American teen drama television series developed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, based on the characters of Archie Comics. The series follows Archie Andrews' (KJ Apa) ...more

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16
The Secret Circle is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best CW Shows
yourwelcome21 added Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker, Phoebe Tonkin

Premiered: 2011

Genres (Tv): Supernatural drama, Teen drama, Drama, Fantasy

The Secret Circle (The CW, 2011) is an American supernatural teen drama developed by Andrew Miller, and based on the book series of the same name by L.J. Smith. 16-year-old Casse Blake (Britt ...more

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17
Gilmore Girls is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best CW Shows
Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Scott Patterson

Premiered: 2000

Genres (Tv): Comedy-drama

Gilmore Girls (The WB, 2000) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. In the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, a thirty-something single mother ...more

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18
Scooby-Doo is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best CW Shows
Casey Kasem, Don Messick, Heather North

Premiered: 1969

Genres (Tv): Comedy, Fantasy, Animation, Mystery, Situation comedy, + more

Scooby-Doo is an American animated cartoon franchise, comprising several animated television series produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was ...more

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19
The Tomorrow People is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best CW Shows
ChristopherDeBono added Robbie Amell, Peyton List, Luke Mitchell

Premiered: 2013

Genres (Tv): Drama, Science Fiction, Fantasy

The Tomorrow People is an American science fiction television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Phil Klemmer, and Julie Plec that aired on The CW during the 2013–14 American television season. ...more

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20
Charmed is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best CW Shows
AndrewW.Curley added Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano

Premiered: 1998

Genres (Tv): Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural

Charmed (The WB, 1998) is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M. Burge. Sisters Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) discover ...more

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21
Veronica Mars is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best CW Shows
Kristen Bell, Percy Daggs III, Teddy Dunn

Premiered: 2004

Genres (Tv): Teen drama, Mystery, Neo-noir

Veronica Mars (UPN, 2004) is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by Rob Thomas. After her best friend (Amanda Seyfried) is murdered, and her father (Enrico Colantoni) ...more

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22
Beauty and the Beast is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best CW Shows
Doxia added Kristin Kreuk, Jay Ryan, Nina Lisandrello

Premiered: 2012

Genres (Tv): Police procedural, Crime, Drama, Thriller, Science Fiction

Beauty & the Beast is an American television series, very loosely inspired by the 1987 CBS series of the same name, created by Sherri Cooper-Landsman and Jennifer Levin that premiered ...more

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23
Shadowhunters is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best CW Shows
serena added Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Alberto Rosende

Premiered: 2016

Genres (Tv): Fantasy

Shadowhunters (Freeform, 2016) is an American fantasy television series based on The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. Clary Fray (Katherine McNamara) has just enrolled at Brooklyn Academy ...more

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24
Hart of Dixie is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best CW Shows
Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Cress Williams

Premiered: 2011

Genres (Tv): Medical drama, Drama, Comedy-drama, Comedy

Hart of Dixie (The CW, 2011) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Leila Gerstein. Rachel Bilson stars as Dr. Zoe Hart, a New Yorker who, after her dreams of becoming a heart ...more

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25
Nikita is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best CW Shows
Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca

Premiered: 2010

Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Drama, Thriller, Adventure film, Action, + more

Nikita (The CW, 2010) is an American crime drama television series and reboot of the Canadian series La Femme Nikita. The series focuses on Nikita, a woman who escaped from a secret ...more

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