‘Arrow,’ ‘The Flash,’ And ‘Supergirl’ Fans May Have To Wait Years For New Episodes To Hit Netflix, Hulu


Although streaming services have become a large part of many TV goers lives, fans of Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl will be disappointed to learn that it may be a long time before new episodes reach services like Netflix and Hulu. In fact, fans already have to wait a year before new seasons are fully released, and now that waiting time may be extended even further.

According to Shoot Online, Jeff Bewkes, the chief executive from Time Warner Inc., recently stated his company is considering waiting several years until the most recent seasons of some of the network’s TV shows are released online. This plan would include a number of different programs based on DC Comics characters (owned by Time Warner), including The Flash, Arrow, Gotham and Supergirl.

Season 4 of 'Arrow' is currently airing Wednesdays on The CW. [Image via The CW]
Season 4 of ‘Arrow’ is currently airing Wednesdays on The CW. [Image via The CW]
Apparently, one of the main reasons behind this decision is to make cable and satellite TV more attractive to consumers. Specifically, the company wants to try and boost its live viewer ratings, which have seen a dip since the arrival of online streaming. Furthermore, it seems as though some networks view the rise of streaming services like Netflix as detrimental to cable and satellite packages.

“Some of the media executives are looking at Netflix as a digital distributor who has gained too much power,” Anthony DiClemente, an analyst for Nomura Securities, explained. “They are thinking, look, maybe we should keep our most valuable content inside the traditional pay TV ecosystem, which is the golden goose.”

While this certainly comes as disappointing news for fans who do not subscribe to cable or satellite TV, DiClemente did state that some providers may offer more episodes in the future. This would include the ability to watch previous episodes in some kind of on-demand library provided by cable and satellite companies.

Additionally, this library would feature more than just the latest five episodes of any particular show. Instead, the networks would offer the most recent seasons in their entirety, while releasing older seasons to the streaming services after a few years have passed.

'Supergirl,' starring Melissa Benoist, is currently airing it's premiere season on CBS. [Image via CBS]
‘Supergirl,’ starring Melissa Benoist, is currently airing it’s premiere season on CBS. [Image via CBS]
According to Netflix Life, this move by the major network would clearly have a negative impact on sites like Netflix and Hulu, especially if cable and satellite companies offer viewers the opportunity to watch full seasons. After all, being able to watch entire seasons of TV shows is one of the major draws of services like Netflix and Hulu.

Even more, it would definitely be disappointing to see some of these online streaming services take such a big hit, especially considering how much these services have helped to enlarge the TV fanbase. This doesn’t even account for the fact that Netflix has saved shows from being cancelled and has even a revived a number of series that were cancelled.

Hopefully, the executives at Time Warner Inc. will not follow through with their plans to delay the release of the most recent seasons of DC Comics-based shows like Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl. Not only would this mean that fans will have to wait several years to watch their favorite shows, but it also could also potentially hurt the fanbase of these shows.

At the same time, it is understandable that Time Warner is feeling the need to try and bolster ratings on its networks and to improve subscriptions for its own cable TV services.

Given the nature and significance of this news, more information should be forthcoming. While viewers wait for an official announcement to clear some of the details up, fans can still watch the latest seasons of Arrow and The Flash on Netflix.

Tell us! Are your surprised that Time Warner would delay the release of Arrow, The Flash, Gotham and Supergirl to Netflix and Hulu? Let us know in the comments below.

[Image via The CW]

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