ARROW "We Don't Treat It Like A Superhero Show"

Since Smallville wrapped up its epic ten-season run in 2011, US network the CW has had a superhero-shaped hole in its schedule. Arrow , a small-screen take on DC bow man the Green Arrow, is ready to step into the breach. According to executive producer Marc Guggenheim, however, the new show won't be getting hung up on superpowers.

“The shows that haven’t worked on television that were superhero shows were a little too broad and a little too comic-booky," Guggenheim told SFX . "We don’t even treat Arrow like a superhero show. We treat it more as a crime thriller. We’re drawing a lot more inspiration from movies like Heat , and taking a much more grounded approach. I think that’s the key. Also, we’re living in a slightly different age, in a slightly different era in terms of television production then when some of those dead shows kicked up. Comic books and superheroes have completely taken over the popular culture.”

Arrow kicks off in the US on the CW on Wednesday 10 October, and will air on Sky1 HD in the UK. Read more about the show in the new issue of SFX , on sale today . Arrow features in our 24-page Awesome TV Preview bonus mini-mag, alongside all of the big new shows starting between now and Christmas.

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To celebrate the preview mag, for the next two weeks we’re going to be running a story from a different show every day on sfx.co.uk – featuring extra content you won’t be able to read in the magazine. Come back tomorrow for Day 4.

Go back to Day 2 of the Awesome TV Preview : Merlin

Go to Day 4 of the Awesome TV Preview : Fringe

Richard is a freelancer journalist and editor, and was once a physicist. Rich is the former editor of SFX Magazine, but has since gone freelance, writing for websites and publications including GamesRadar+, SFX, Total Film, and more. He also co-hosts the podcast, Robby the Robot's Waiting, which is focused on sci-fi and fantasy.