Superhero TV Shows, Ranked

Damon Lindelof's sequel series won Outstanding Limited Series at the 2020 Emmys and took 11 awards total, blending superhero myth with a searing story about American racism.

Netflix's Marvel debut was praised for its grounded tone and single-take hallway fight scenes, and Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock proved popular enough to be revived in the MCU.

Adapted from Garth Ennis's comic, this ultraviolent satire of corporate superheroes became one of Amazon's biggest hits and a multiple Emmy-nominated cultural phenomenon.

Robert Kirkman's adult animated series stunned audiences with its brutal pilot twist and earned wide critical acclaim for its voice cast and mature storytelling.

An Emmy-winning landmark of animation, it defined the modern Batman aesthetic and introduced Harley Quinn, who became a permanent part of DC canon.

Marvel's first Disney+ series framed grief as a decade-hopping sitcom pastiche and earned 23 Emmy nominations for its inventive structure.

James Gunn's spin-off gave John Cena a surprisingly heartfelt showcase, and its full-cast opening dance number became an instant internet favorite.

Tom Hiddleston's time-bending series was among the best-reviewed MCU shows and set up the multiverse saga through its Time Variance Authority premise.

Stephen Amell's grounded take on Green Arrow launched the sprawling eight-year Arrowverse of interconnected CW superhero shows.

Grant Gustin's speedster became the Arrowverse's flagship, running nine seasons and anchoring the network's annual crossover events.

Krysten Ritter's noir-tinged first season won acclaim for tackling trauma, with David Tennant's Kilgrave hailed as one of Marvel TV's best villains.

The Superman origin drama ran a remarkable ten seasons, charting Clark Kent's journey before the cape and cementing a devoted fanbase.

The first MCU-tied TV series lasted seven seasons, gradually winning fans with time-travel and space arcs after a slow start.

Melissa Benoist headlined six seasons as Kara Danvers, moving from CBS to The CW and expanding the Arrowverse with an optimistic, issue-driven tone.

Based on Gerard Way's comic, this dysfunctional-family superhero saga was a Netflix hit but drew criticism for a divisive final season.

A pre-Batman crime drama following young Jim Gordon, it ran five seasons on an increasingly campy origin-story premise for Batman's rogues.

The grittier Teen Titans adaptation launched DC's streaming service and ran four seasons to mixed reviews over its dark tone.

Widely regarded as the weakest of Netflix's Marvel shows, its poorly received first season drew criticism for pacing and fight choreography before cancellation after two seasons.

Panned by critics with a 27 Metacritic score, Marvel's IMAX-shot flop was cancelled after one eight-episode season and became a byword for superhero TV failure.