When Do The CW's Arrowverse Series & Riverdale Return in 2018?

With network scheduling shifts and new shows arriving, it can become difficult to keep track of your favorite superheroes and their returns. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of everything you need to know regarding The CW's Arrowverse, including newbie Black Lightning, and the hit-series Riverdale.

Kicking things off will be the Girl of Steel. Unfortunately for fans of Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow, the shows will be forced to share a timeslot when they return in 2018. This is due to the addition of Black Lightning, forcing Rhe CW to rework its scheduling for both shows. With the schedule shift, Supergirl is still set to return on Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. However, Legends of Tomorrow will take over that time slot come Monday, February 12, where it'll run through April 9. Supergirl will then return on Monday, April 16, when it will conclude its third season run through Monday, June 18.

The schedule changes are sure to frustrate plenty of Supergirl fans, as they are forced to endure a split schedule in the show's third season. However, for Legends fans, the show's February return is sure to excite, as it will bring with it Matt Ryan as fan-favorite John Constantine. Ryan, of course, played the titular role in NBC's Constantine series before it was cancelled. Since then, he has appeared as the character on Arrow, as well as previous episodes of Legends of Tomorrow. He is also set to voice the character in the CW Seed's animated Constantine series, which will hit the streaming service in early 2018.

While Supergirl fans will have to endure an uneven schedule for the remainder of the show's third season, the midseason premiere, titled "Legion of Superheroes," is sure to pack plenty of excitement as the episode's synopsis teases the arrival of Brainiac-5. With Supergirl still struggling to recover from her injuries inflicted by Reign, she finds herself in a dreamlike state, unable to be reached. At the same time, Mon-El recruits one of the Legion members Brainiac-5 (Defiance‘s Jesse Rath), to try to bring her back as Reign continues her rampage on National City.

Following Supergirl will be the fastest man alive, The Flash which is set to return on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT with the show's Season 4 midseason premiere, titled "The Trial of The Flash." The episode will see the series finally make good on the promise its been teasing since season one with the launch of the iconic comic book storyline. In the show's return episode, with Barry (Grant Gustin) on trial for the murder of Clifford DeVoe (The Thinker), Iris (Candice Patton) and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) must decide how far they are willing to go to keep Barry out of prison.

Following The Flash will be the CW's original DC series, Arrow which will return with Season 6’s midseason premiere on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 9pm ET/PT with an episode titled "Divided." Having lost half of team Arrow due to the departures of Black Canary, Wild Dog and Mr. Terrific, Oliver (Stephen Amell) remains confident that he, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Diggle (David Ramsey) can stop Cayden James (guest star Michael Emerson) and Black Siren (Katie Cassidy) in the midseason premiere. However, after learning one of Cayden’s secrets, Oliver makes the surprising decision to team with an unlikely ally.

Debuting as a DC superhero show separate from the Arrowverse will be the CW's latest superhero series, Black Lightning starring Cress Williams in the titular role. The series, which will mark the first ever live action adaption of the character, is set to premiere on January 16th at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Black Lightning will focus on Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, as he struggles to maintain his regular life as a high school principal, having put his put life as a superhero behind him, only to find himself forced to save those close to him as crime and corruption spread like wildfire throughout the community. The series currently exists outside of the Arrowverse, and both showrunner Salim Akil and Williams have indicated it'll remain as such, so don't expect the hero to join in on 2019's Arrowverse crossover.

Riverdale, easily The CW's most popular non-superhero series, will return on Wednesday, January 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT with "Chapter Twenty-Three: the Blackboard Jungle." The episode synopsis teases plenty of tension, as the shut down of Southside High School forces Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and his fellow Southside Serpents to transfer to Riverdale High, while Betty (Lili Reinhart) sets out on a quest to find her long-lost brother, Chic (guest star Hart Denton).

Need to catch up with any of the above shows? You can do so now on the CW's website or app.

CBR

When Are the Arrowverse Shows Returning?