Greg Berlanti Shows Ranked
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7. ARROW
Just as Oliver Queen questions his own destiny, Arrow is not always sure what kind of show it wants to be — and its inconsistent tone may be partly to blame for Season 5's low ratings. But the CW drama (which has already been renewed for Season 6) has also carved out a mighty passionate fanbase; in fact, Merriam-Webster might want to consider adding "Olicity" to the dictionary at this point.
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12. BLINDSPOT
In a television era where truly original ideas are hard to come by, Blindspot's unique premise — a woman emerges, naked, from a duffel bag in Times Square, covered head to toe in tattoos — instantly set it apart. But in Season 2, the NBC drama set aside its central Jane Doe mystery to focus on a larger, and much less compelling, narrative.
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6. BROTHERS & SISTERS
If NBC's Parenthood had an edgy older sibling, it would be Brothers & Sisters. Led by such A-listers as Sally Field, Calista Flockhart and Rob Lowe, the series managed to be a gripping family drama that avoided overdosing on sentimentality. During its five seasons, Brothers & Sisters picked up a slew of award nominations, and Field deservedly snagged an Emmy for her work as Walker matriarch Nora.
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4. DAWSON'S CREEK
Though it'd be easy to write off Dawson's Creek as just another teen drama, the series contributed so much more to pop culture than just the great Dawson vs. Pacey debate. Across six seasons, it also captured the complexities of teenagedom, from the headiness of young love (Pacey remembers everything!), to the anxiety of carving out an identity in high school (Jack coming out to his father still leaves us misty-eyed). Admit it: You'll never hear Paula Cole's "I Don't Want to Wait" the same way again.
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15. DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
If you're not satisfied with just one hero on Arrow, Supergirl or The Flash, Berlanti's most recent DC Comics outing features an entire gaggle of Time Masters — and more deadpan one-liners per episode than you can count. But the CW series is still finding its footing in a TV landscape packed with superheroes and time-travel series.
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11. DIRTY SEXY MONEY
With its fabulous wardrobe, good-looking cast and soapy plotlines filled with betrayal, Dirty Sexy Money felt more like a series from Shonda Rhimes than Berlanti. But despite its deliciously scandalous storylines (and one heckuva pre-season marketing campaign), the series suffered from uneven writing and jarring tonal shifts. Low ratings felled the show after two seasons, leaving us to forever wonder who killed Nick's father.
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9. ELI STONE
Along with co-creator Marc Guggenheim, Berlanti took an idea that had been executed before — Seemingly Ordinary Man Experiences Weird Phenomena! — and injected it with smarts and creativity. But Eli got off on the wrong foot with viewers, after its premiere episode insinuated that autism is caused by childhood vaccines. Viewership remained an issue throughout its run, and when Season 2 relocated to Tuesdays at 10 — which is still ABC's death slot — it was the beginning of the end for the dramedy.
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1. EVERWOOD
These days, Berlanti is known for shepherding The CW's myriad superhero shows. But, truth be told, his best work centered around regular ol' human beings. During Everwood's four seasons, the uber-producer kept us wholly invested in the titular town and the complex relationships of those who lived there. The series celebrated how deeply flawed a family can be, making it Berlanti's richest, most heartfelt piece of storytelling to date.
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17. GOLDEN BOY
Years from now, TV historians will look back on this series and say, "What was that about again?" There was nothing inherently awful about the cop procedural — which centered on the rise of New York City's youngest-ever police commissioner — but in a genre as overcrowded as "crime drama," Golden Boy failed to shine.
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3. JACK & BOBBY
If Jack & Bobby were given a series order today, we like to imagine it'd find more success with savvier viewers and a different network. Alas, despite critical acclaim, the drama — which followed the teenage years of a future POTUS, via a faux-documentary style — only lasted one season on The WB. Armed with a smart, original premise and a terrific cast, this short-lived series will always leave us wondering what could have been.
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13. NO ORDINARY FAMILY
In the years since No Ordinary Family's one-season run, Berlanti has mastered the balance between science fiction and family drama on each of his current CW series. Back in 2010, though, that perfect combination was much more elusive, and No Ordinary Family suffered from a premise that simply couldn't be sustained.
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5. POLITICAL ANIMALS
If the cardinal rule of showbiz is "Always leave 'em wanting more," Berlanti & Co. accomplished that with Political Animals, a USA Network limited series starring Sigourney Weaver as a divorced former First Lady and current Secretary of State. Though the show occasionally veered into soapy territory, its six-episode run delivered sharp writing, nuanced relationships and just enough White House melodrama to get us longing for more than half a dozen installments.
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8. SUPERGIRL
Clark Kent's extraordinary cousin arrived on CBS in 2015, before (wisely) getting moved to The CW for its second season. Since its debut, Supergirl has leaned heavily into the girl-power message at its core, making it the bright-and-sunny alternative to moodier Berlanti shows like Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (with the same amount of badassery, mind you).
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2. THE FLASH
If Arrow is a bit too brooding, and Supergirl is a bit too saccharine, then The Flash is the happiest of mediums between the two. Easily the best of Berlanti's comic-book offerings, The Flash successfully mixes heartbreaking drama (Barry saying goodbye to his dying mother), romance ('WestAllen,' anyone?) and immense fun (Cisco!). Take note, DC superheroes: Wearing your heart on your sleeve isn't such a bad thing.
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14. THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA
This crime procedural — which focused on Debra Messing's titular cop, who balanced work with two rambunctious sons at home — struggled to find its footing in its first season. A successful course-correction in Season 2 that downplayed Laura's cloying kids led to a ratings uptick and, inexplicably, cancellation.
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16. THE TOMORROW PEOPLE
Though Berlanti has had quite a few sci-fi and superhero wins in recent years, The Tomorrow People quickly fell into the L column. Centering on a group of highly evolved humans with telepathic and telekinetic abilities, this one-and-done adaptation of a U.K. series failed to find an audience.
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10. RIVERDALE
Berlanti's dark and moody Archie Comics adaptation, with its captivating murder mystery, biting humor and a cast that appeals to nostalgics of all ages (Beverly Hills, 90210's Luke Perry! The Suite Life of Zack and Cody's Cole Sprouse!), quickly emerged as one of this season's most addictive guilty pleasures.