When it premiered, Legends of Tomorrow wasn't a show that many people believed would survive for seven seasons -- but it did. Its fan base grew and it became one of the Arrowverse's strongest series before its recent cancellation. While there are still a multitude of superhero properties on the small screen, Legends of Tomorrow was unique because the show constantly took big risks, and proved that taking risks and moving away from the traditional formula can help a series find success.
Legends of Tomorrow started out with a combination of heroes and villains who had previously been on other Arrowverse shows, but as the show grew, so did the range of characters -- and the stories that they were able to tell. The team could travel to any point in time, from the golden age of Hollywood to the days of the Wild West. The show moved beyond the "villain of the week" formula that plagued so many of the Arrowverse shows and created its own specific space in the franchise.
While many of the CW shows -- and superhero shows in general -- stick to that single format, Legends of Tomorrow created entirely new scenarios that existed throughtout time. Seeing the team track down an alien in the 1930s or fight with magicians in the Wild West helped to make each episode special. The show allowed fans to experience their heroes in so many different eras that the plotlines were continually refreshed.
The show's rotating cast also forced the writers to keep developing new ideas. Heroes would come and go, or evolve into different roles. Fans saw true character evolution and decisions that actually impacted the lives of the team for more than one episode. Each time a character moved off the show or experienced a major change, it was a risk -- but each of those risks paid off and made the series better while the rest of the Arrowverse squandered its storytelling promise.
Legends of Tomorrow proved that not every show needs to have one big-name superhero at it's forefront. If the series offers a unique perspective that fans haven't seen much of, it can still thrive. While the series never had Batman or Superman, it offered great acting (particularly from Caity Lotz, who spoke out about the cancellation) within really fun and heartfelt stories. Every season felt like a new adventure because of those different stories and new team members, making the series bright and exciting compared to the brooding tone of other genre shows.
While fans are upset to see the end of the series -- especially with the cliffhanger ending to Season 7 -- they can be happy with the impact it had. Legends of Tomorrow evolved from a show featuring other series' guest characters to one of the longest-running Arrowverse series. The actors, writers, and directors all worked tirelessly to provide a different superhero experience, and it was those risks and differences that kept the series on the air for the better part of a decade.