There are no new episodes of Arrow or The Flash this week on The CW - on November 12, 2019 - but both will be back on Tuesday, November 19. Some fans may be surprised to find that their DVRs aren’t recording new episodes of either show, especially since Tuesday isn’t a holiday, and the other two currently-airing Arrowverse shows - Batwoman and Supergirl - did run new episodes earlier this week.
Arrow is in the midst of its eighth and final season, which consists of ten episodes, whereas The Flash is on its sixth season. So far, both Arrow and The Flash are tackling similar themes by forcing their protagonists to accept that they must sacrifice themselves to save the multiverse. These storylines are deeply connected to the coming Crisis and the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett), and it will all come to a head in the five-part Arrowverse crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths, which will unite all five Arrowverse shows.
Arrow and The Flash are taking a one-week break this week. Based on the patterns laid out by previous seasons, the brief hiatus is likely just a routine move. Though this isn’t always the case, in most instances both shows tend to take one-week breaks sometime in November. Usually these occur in either the early part of the month or the middle of the month, so it’s not unusual for Arrow and The Flash to be off at this time. In any case, Arrow and The Flash will be back next Tuesday, November 19.
For fans, Arrow may have chosen a bad time for a hiatus, considering where the show left things for Team Arrow. In the cliffhanger of Arrow season 8, episode 4, “Present Tense”, the Monitor mysteriously re-emerged with a surprising proposition for Earth-2’s Laurel Lance. The Monitor, who previously claimed that he needed Oliver to save the multiverse, now wants Laurel to betray Oliver. This has naturally prompted theories that the Monitor may actually be the Anti-Monitor in disguise. The Anti-Monitor is the villain of Crisis on Infinite Earths and he closely resembles The Monitor.
The story that’s currently unfolding in The Flash is also linked to the Crisis. Its latest episode revealed that Nash Wells (Tom Cavanagh) - who may or may not be Pariah from Crisis on Infinite Earths - has an idea that may help Team Flash save Barry Allen. What Nash has been up to all season and the truth about the Monitor may be explored next week when Arrow and The Flash return. Neither show is expected to take another break until after the first batch of Crisis on Infinite Earths episodes release.
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