Arrow fans have been teased that Season 6 is a bit of a reboot, and with Mericle breaking down how the removal of flashbacks affects the show, it does sound like fans will be stepping into a new series.
That actually sounds like a positive for those viewers sick of living in the past, even if it was a bit of a bummer for the Arrow writers who may have gotten used to the habit.
Mericle also states the flashback drop means the show’s writers should have a little more freedom, story-wise, without having to make all the callbacks between past and present moments, although there will probably be flashbacks in some episodes that draw into current events.