The cliffhanger ending of Arrow Season 5 couldn’t help calling to mind last year’s Walking Dead shell game of a fall premiere.
The example I like to point to is that was true in Walking Dead.
You’re warned of spoilers through Season 7 of The Walking Dead from here on out, but the series’ most controversial cliffhanger had Season 6 end with an unknown character’s demise by Negan’s bat; revealed months later as two victims.
Now, Arrow bosses even invoke the AMC drama’s batty cliffhanger to caution against presuming Season 6 regulars are safe.