It can be easy to be drawn into the world of a favorite TV show. Keeping up with these stories and characters every week can start to make them feel like a part of a fan’s life.
Because of that, it can get jarring to actually see them break character or to see what things are really like behind the scenes. In the age of social media, this is more common than ever.
Instead of only seeing behind-the-scenes photos in magazines, people see them every single day on the Twitter or Instagram pages of any of their favorite show’s stars, or even on the official page of the show itself.
Even still, it’s easy to feel that these moments ruin certain shows for certain viewers once the illusion has been shattered, but for most, these are a fun insight into how their favorite shows get created.
Behind-the-scenes moments like these remind fans that these shows and these characters are all created by people putting in hard work.
These people occasionally find the need for down time and often need to be just as silly or ridiculous as anyone else one might meet in their day-to-day life. They ground heroes and make them feel attainable and, if anything, more relatable.
In this list, you’ll see many such shots from just numerous beloved CW shows that are, at this point, still on the air.
While each show might still face the often grueling, tight schedules of network TV, they can clearly be quite a bit of fun behind the camera as well.
Here are the 20 Behind-The-Scenes Photos That Change CW Shows Forever.
20. Shocked Faces on Arrow
Arrow has gone through so many changes in its main cast over the years, dating back to its very first season. Throughout its run, especially with Willa Holland now leaving the show, the only true constants from the beginning have been Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity.
Everyone else has either left, been relegated to a semi-occuring guest star role or, in the case of Sarah Lance, gone on to expand the so-called Arrowverse in a headlining role on Legends of Tomorrow.
Even though Arrow is only in its sixth season, it’s because of these significant changes to the cast that this photo can seem jarring, seeing so many of the faces that formed the backbone of the show all actually standing together.
There’s no doubt that Arrow will continue to rotate out and mix and match old and new cast members and heroes as it continues on, especially now that it has been picked up for another season.
19. Gal Pals of Riverdale
The female cast members of Riverdale are particularly strong, often outshining their male counterparts and even dominating the overall focus of the story.
This is something that was clearly established right from the beginning, with the almost role reversal between Betty and Veronica.
Their cutthroat rivalry introduced in the pilot allowed for a truly innovative departure from the original source material. Each new girl introduced in the show has brought something just as interesting to the table as Riverdale has gone on.
Seeing all of the gals assembled here away from their male co-stars only helps to strengthen that fact and remind fans how great, endearing and talented this girls are on their own, as well as how much of their huge potential they still have yet to reach as the series continues on, hopefully for several more seasons.
18. The iZombie Cast Being Chill On Set
While iZombie might have started out as a quirky comedy to provide much needed counterbalance to the intense drama of The Walking Dead, it’s definitely gotten more serious as it has gone along, even if it’s retained as much of that original quirky charm as possible.
However, this picture clearly shows that there is still plenty of fun to be had on set and that the show is not taking itself too seriously.
With all the different directions this ongoing zombie battle has taken, it’s great to see that the cast can take a break every once in a while, even just to take a few ridiculous selfies.
Even still, these behind-the-scenes glimpses break the illusion a little bit, but iZombie was never a show that felt rooted in attempting to convey any kind of realism in the first place.
17. Melissa Benoist Sleeps on Supergirl Set
The reality of any TV show, but especially a stunt and special effects heavy show like Supergirl, is that the grueling long hours can be absolutely exhausting at a certain point.
This shot of Supergirl sleeping on set is absolutely no surprise and probably not the first time (or the last) that something like that has happened.
With a schedule like the one this undoubtedly has, an actor is going to take all the downtime they can get, wherever they can get it.
The lead actors are still present in those fight scenes doing as much as they can, so if Supergirl has to take a nap every now and then in order to stay, well, super, then more power to her. No pun intended, of course.
16. The Flash & Reverse Flash Are Friends
The Flash was a big surprise as soon as it was released. Barry had been likable in his appearances on Arrow, but not even the CW knew if this other show was going to work.
However, right from the opening episode, Flash set up a great character arc, real stakes, and a truly enigmatic and creepy villain.
The eventual reveal of Harrison Wells as Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash wound up defining that first season. Their dynamic was as great and intense as any rivalry ever seen on a superhero TV show.
This behind-the-scenes picture definitely destroys that illusion. Here, it’s more than clear that Flash and Reverse Flash are truly friendly and get along great in real life.
Although, that could also be easily gathered from the fact that the show has kept finding ways to keep Tom Cavanagh around through every season after Thawne’s defeat in the first.
15. Getting Silly on The 100
The 100 is easily one of the most dystopian shows that the CW has ever aired. It’s a great sci-fi concept that feels as revolutionary as the early days of Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica.
After Earth has been ravaged and seen unfit for life, 100 people are sent back on a colonization mission to see if Earth is still hospitable, only to discover that there are still people left.
The show has developed and changed over the course of several seasons now, but that original premise is still air-tight.
Because of the nature of the show, a little levity can be important, so it’s nice to see these shots of the cast hanging out and having fun behind the camera, even if it does pull a fan out of the self-made “reality” of that world in which the characters live these often miserable, post-apocalyptic lives.
14. iZombie Cast Having Fun on Set
Once again, there’s fun to be had with the cast on the set of iZombie, keeping that whimsical humor alive.
Even though iZombie has grown into something very different from its original Vertigo comic book incarnation, it’s become its own, unique show that has built a large and loyal fan base on its own merit.
iZombie is simply the latest in a long tradition of horror comedy. Even zombie comedies like this date back well before Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland.
The show has gotten more and more tense as it’s gone on, but that’s all the more reason to enjoy these quick glimpses of the cast and crew having fun behind the camera and allowing fans to see some of the clear joy they’re putting into making this TV show.
13. Taking a Break on The 100
The 100 cast is back, taking this small, surely appreciated break while filming. In many ways, from the production design and aesthetic to the character relationships, The 100 feels very much designed to be CW’s Game of Thrones.
Like Game of Thrones, it is based on a series of novels. The fourth novel was released in 2016, while the fifth season is set to premiere this month, so the two have somewhat developed together.
Much like Game of Thrones, The 100 has taken many liberties with the source material.
This dystopian show can be a downer at times, but it’s nice to see that there’s always a sense of fun and camaraderie between the cast once the cameras stop rolling and everyone takes a bit of a break.
12. Riverdale Cast Looking Drama Free
When Riverdale was first announced, people were highly skeptical of a dramatic, at times almost horrific take on the bubblegum-pop comic world of Archie.
However, the iconoclastic concept of taking that Happy Days kind of vibe and redoing it as a teen drama by way of Twin Peaks is undeniably interesting.
The show has proven to be a success now over the course of two seasons. Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Josie and the Pussycats and so many others have been reimagined for a much different generation.
In this picture, though, the drama is left behind while the cast have fun and hang out on set. It’s a nice reminder that everything isn’t always high stakes drama for the young stars of this extremely successful show.
11. Toothy Smiles from The Originals Cast
Created as a spinoff of the immensely successful The Vampire Diaries, The Originals has maintained a loyal fan base even if not quite reaching the level of rabid fandom as its predecessor.
It was announced last year at Comic Con that The Originals’ upcoming season would be its last, which is no doubt disappointing for fans of the show.
It’s also unfortunate as Originals is only the most recent in a long history of CW vampire shows, dating all the way back to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in the network’s previous incarnation as WB.
Here, the cast of the show clearly have fun embracing the supernatural nature and the makeup FX elements that go into the creation of a series like this, pausing to snap a pic with their fangs prominently on display.
10. Arrow’s Black Canary Gets Goofy
Arrow has taken an interesting approach when it comes to Black Canary. With Dinah Lance being the wife of Green Arrow for so long in the continuity of the comics, many fans were expecting her to be a part of the show.
However, the show’s handling of the character has been interesting, with Laurel being their version of Dinah, but not taking on the mantle of Black Canary until after seeing her thought-dead sister Sarah become the Canary first.
When Laurel—after her first name was casually mentioned to be Dinah— finally took up the mantle of Black Canary, it was something fans had clearly waiting a long time to get to see.
As evidenced by the picture, she certainly must have had some fun in action as the character before her arc once again took a drastic turn.
9. Supergirl Takes a Dip
After Superman made his first stunning debut in Supergirl’s second season premiere, many fans were kept wondering when exactly they’d see the man of steel again and what their relationship would be like when he did wind up coming back.
His return in the season finale is night/day compared to the premiere. While their bond keeps them together, that jealousy toward Supergirl’s more popular cousin comes through when they are forced into fighting each other.
This fight scene was one of the biggest that Supergirl has seen yet. It had to be, given the raw power of the two heroes.
Here, Melissa Benoist is seen taking what couldn’t possibly be too refreshing of a dip given the cold Vancouver weather. But, true to form for Supergirl, she seems to smile and persevere nonetheless.
8. West Siblings Bond on The Flash Set
As soon as The Flash began with Barry deep-rooted in the West family, fans wondered when Wally would turn up. After all, Barry Allen had only recently returned as The Flash in the comics at the time.
For most fans who grew up in the ‘90s and early 2000s, Wally West was their Flash. People wanted to see him as much or more than they wanted to see Barry.
When he finally appeared, it was an interesting new take on the character that allowed the creative team to build him up and establish those familial bonds before finally giving him powers.
While Wally hasn’t been around as much this season, it’s refreshing to see photos like this that showcase the bonds that have been created in order to believably bring these character relationships to life.
7. Legends of Tomorrow Cast Has a Moment of Downtime
In this picture, Caity Lotz shares a selfie with a few other key members of the Waverider crew during a bit of downtime during the filming of the show.
When this series was first announced, it was a bit of a surprise for fans, given that it was based on any kind of existing comic book title. With so many different shows out there, people wondered what Berlanti and Co. were thinking.
But it turned out to be a great decision. Legends of Tomorrow is the Arrowverse’s first team show and because of that, it almost felt like the Avengers of that universe, assembling key characters that had never really been given the spotlight before.
It’s the Star Trek of these shows, hopping back and forth in time and leaning into the fantastical elements more than the others. It’s a series that continues to reinvent itself each season.
6. Ackles Can’t Help But Laugh on the Set of Supernatural
Supernatural is one of the longest running shows in recent memory. It has been on the air for over a decade and has just been renewed for its fourteenth season.
Amazingly, it’s still going strong. People still absolutely love this show and see something in these characters and especially in the bond between the Winchester brothers that just keeps them wanting more after all this time.
Stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have been more than game for just about everything that’s been thrown at them on this long, strange journey.
As evidenced in this picture, the set has to be fun enough to warrant a laugh from its stars every now and then. When people stick with a show for this long, they tend to do it because they love the people they work with and that love comes through clearly in Ackles’ smile.
5. Legends of Tomorrow Offers Extreme Posing From the Crisis Crossover
The first four-part CW crossover was hugely anticipated by fans of those shows, but people wound up being a little let down when it turned out that each episode was very much its own episode of that show while the other characters were relegated to background roles.
With Crisis on Earth-X, it turned out to be a completely different story. This was its own major event from beginning to end and fans absolutely could not get enough of it.
From the cast photo here, it’s abundantly clear the amount of love, fun and silliness between every single person involved. This looks like a bunch of friends getting together after not seeing each other for years, or even a family reunion.
The fact that cast members of completely different shows can feel that closeness is a testament to the production and how well these shows are organized.
4. Getting Into Character on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is without a doubt one of the riskiest and most ambitious programs the CW has ever aired. That’s saying a lot for this network.
As tame as it is, it has constantly proven itself to take risks, from running four concurrent superhero series set in the same universe to even the recent Black Lightning and its timely and emotionally profound update of the common superhero story.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a romantic, musical comedy with heavy doses of drama.
Each of those things are often considered their own genres when it comes to television, but like Buffy and others before it, crossing genres has proven to be the key to this show’s success.
This shot offers just a glimpse behind the scenes of the makeup room and the process it takes to get the actors into character each day.
3. The Winchester Bros Share a Laugh on the Set of Supernatural
Once again, the chemistry between the Winchester brothers is immediately clear. Even after all this time, since they began the show in 2005, they still enjoy each other’s company and—most importantly—they can still make each other laugh.
That is a rare quality, especially in TV. There are so many stories out there about TV co-stars who grew to absolutely resent one another to the point that they could barely ever be in the same room.
Both actors have also taken their own breaks during the show’s run, starring in their own horror movies with Padalecki starring in Friday the 13th and Ackles appearing in My Bloody Valentine, but they’ve kept coming back to this show much to the delight of their loyal fans.
Clearly, the passion is still there. If it remains. There’s no doubt that if that passion from the cast, crew and fans remains, Supernatural will likely go on forever.
2. David Hull is Well Stocked With Cheetos on the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Set
This is an amusing behind-the-scenes story that only accentuates how funny the production of a show can actually be. At the very least, it accentuates how the cast and crew have to make their own fun on tight schedules and long, long hours.
In this case, David Hull went home for the night apparently leaving his chair covered in Cheeto dust.
When he returned to set the next day, his chair, his makeup chair, his spot in the green room and anywhere else he was likely to be were all apparently covered in bags of Cheetos.
These are the sorts of antics that keep things exciting behind the scenes for the cast and crew and which make for eccentric, but admittedly enlightening, stories for the fans after all is said and done.
1. Bloody Fun on The Originals Set
Part of the fun of The Originals, especially now that The Vampire Diaries has run its course, is that it is allowed to get gory. None of the other CW shows really get to have that.
Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Black Lightning are all fundamentally superhero shows at their core. Even as Arrow started out as a hard-edged vigilante series, it has evolved into a superhero story over time.
Other shows lean in a more high-sci-fi or comedy direction, with Riverdale truly being one of the only shows on the network that’s allowed to get dark.
But when it comes to The Originals, this is a series that’s allowed to get truly gory sometimes.
It only makes sense, as vampires drink blood to survive and werewolves have their own carnivorous appetites as well. So, it’s only natural that the series gets down and dirty with the gore from time to time, given its horror roots.
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Do these images change CW shows for you? Do you know of any other behind-the-scenes photos that fans need to see? Sound off in the comments!