2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the Arrowverse, the DCTV shared universe that began in October 2012 with Arrow. Since then, the interconnected programming lineup has unveiled a whole set of spinoffs that collided along with many of DC's multimedia adaptations in the 2019 crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths. By the end of the crossover, the shared television universe was presumably saved from total annihilation at the hands of the Anti-Monitor. However, in the years since the crossover's conclusion, as The CW lays out its plans for future DC adaptations, it's becoming increasingly clear that the Arrowverse's lifespan appears to be nearing its end rather than flourishing beyond the promise of a second life presented by the Crisis.

Not only serving as a grand celebration of DC Comics' adaptations in television and film, Crisis on Infinite Earths offered Arrow its grand sendoff with the heroic sacrifice of the Arrowverse's original superhero, Green Arrow. By the end of the crossover, a new DCTV multiverse was born and the worlds of Supergirl and Black Lightning were merged into the main Arrowverse, hinting at renewed sense of cohesion between The CW's DCTV programming. Though Arrow had come to an end, a direct spinoff series Green Arrow & the Canaries was in development, with a backdoor pilot episode included in Arrow's final season. However, just as quickly as Crisis presented a new world of possibilities for the Arrowverse, it began to tamp down on this potential.

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Ultimately, Green Arrow & the Canaries was not picked up by The CW or HBO Max while the Arrowverse began to reduce its programming output. The year after Arrow ended, both Supergirl and Black Lightning similarly ended their respective series' runs before they could truly capitalize on inhabiting the same world as the rest of the Arrowverse. And while Superman & Lois and Stargirl both premiered to their own success following the Crisis, its longtime counterparts' futures remain uncertain.

The Flash series star Grant Gustin has signed on to extend his contract by only one additional season and, while the possibility that he could extend his contract further remains, it hints that The Flash in its current iteration may be heading towards its eventual endgame. This comes as Legends of Tomorrow continues to shed longtime cast members, with no renewal notice currently issued by The CW. And though new DCTV adaptations are coming to The CW, the network's plans indicate the notion of an explicitly shared television universe may be coming to an end.

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This year saw the premiere of Naomi to widespread critical acclaim, bringing the teenage DC superhero to live-action for the first time. In contrast to Superman & Lois, Naomi appears to take place in a completely different DCTV universe, complete with its own version of Superman separate from the Arrowverse's. The CW has also issued a pilot order for Gotham Knights, a series following the Bat-Family after the death of Batman, presumably set in its own DCTV universe like Naomi.

10 years into its lifespan and the Arrowverse appears to be quietly losing its lease on life, with its longest shows coming to an end while The CW's next wave of DC adaptations are largely standalone in their presentation. While Superman & Lois keeps the spirit of the shared universe alive, what was once a rapidly expanding, interconnected web of shows is gradually winding down its output. The Arrowverse brought plenty of fan-favorite characters and stories to television but the idea of an interconnected television universe between DCTV properties appears to have definitively peaked with the Crisis.

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