The 20 best superhero TV shows

There have been many different iterations of the caped crusader, both in film and television. However, it is universal opinion that the very best Batman TV series is Batman: The Animated Series. This staple of ‘90s animation sees Bruce Wayne fight crime as The Dark Knight in Gotham City, and features all the villains fans love to hate, from Joker to the Penguin. Batman is played by Kevin Conroy, who became the definitive voice for the character over a number of movies, shows and games.

Superman has been a pop culture icon for years, with his origin story having been told many, many times. But what about when Superman was a teenager on Earth? Smallville follows a young Clark Kent, learning to harness his supernatural powers. He hides his identity as he tries to lead a normal teen life while protecting everybody from evil. The show depicts Clark’s growth as a man and superhero as he comes to terms with who he is and his burden.

He’s the fastest man on Earth and can move at the speed of lighting. The Flash had a TV series in the ‘90s and a solo movie in 2023, but CW’s The Flash series depicts the best and most popular version of the character. After being struck by lightning, Barry Allen discovers he has obtained the power of super speed. He decides to use it to fight crime in Central City. Grant Gustin’s charismatic performance has been collectively acclaimed and is matched with exciting storytelling and memorable villains.

Colin Farrell was unrecognizable as Ozz Cob, a.k.a Penguin, in 2022’s The Batman , alongside Robert Pattinson. He left such a huge impression that he earned his own spin-off series, The Penguin, which takes place after the events of the film. Ozz works his way up the ranks as a gangster and aims to seize the underworld of Gotham City. The series takes inspiration from The Sopranos and presents a gritty and violent take on the character that is grounded in reality. 

He was once an evil tyrant, but Loki, the God of Mischief, eventually became one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Known for his trickery and unpredictability, Tom Hiddleston made the character a fan favorite, so it’s no surprise he got his own series. Loki sees the titular character come across the TVA, who protects the Sacred Timeline and unleashes havoc over the multiverse. Weird, creative, and bold, Loki is arguably the best Marvel Disney+ show.

The Daredevil movie released in 2003 failed to impress fans and critics, but luckily, Netflix rectified the issue and gave viewers the top-tier version of the character and world they deserved. Matt Murdoch is a lawyer in New York City and also navigates daily life being blind. By night, he fights crime as Daredevil. With its dark tone, Daredevil makes for one of Marvel’s best vigilantes. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are perfectly cast, with Kingpin stealing the show. 

Legion is a trippy sci-fi thriller that follows David Haller, a character from the X-Men comics. He has lived his life as a diagnosed schizophrenic and is admitted to a psychiatric facility. After encountering one of his fellow patients, he realizes that he may not be ill after all and instead possesses great power. Legion is not your typical superhero series, with its unconventional storytelling, psychological elements, and unique visuals. It’s the perfect show for those sick of the usual superhero fanfare. 

Peacemaker, played by John Cena, was one of the MVPs of 2021’s The Suicıde Squad and got a titular series. The titular anti-hero is back after the events of that movie and is forced to join a new black ops squad. Like The Suıcide Squad, Peacemaker is darkly funny and satirical. It offers a less sanitized version of the comic book genre, featuring nudity, cursing, and a very high and bloody body count. Cena proves himself to be a reliable and endearing action star.

Before Gal Gadot took the reins of the character in the DCEU, Wonder Woman was known to all as Lynda Carter in the ‘70s. In the Wonder Woman series, a U.S. soldier crashes on an island inhabited by women. When Diana Prince rescues him and learns of the ongoing war in the human world, she decides to help save humanity. With her iconic spin transformation and outfit, Carter became a retro pop culture icon. The series is unabashedly campy and represents a bygone era for superheroes. 

Zack Snyder gave fans his cinematic version of Watchmen in 2009, and 10 years later, HBO reimagined it as a miniseries. In a world where masked vigilantes are treated as criminals by the government, a group decides to rebel while others of their kind try to stop them before chaos is created. This Watchmen is very different from Snyder’s vision in that it is less stylized and cartoonish, going for a more realistic feel. It explores intriguing political themes and features stellar performances from Regina King and her co-stars. 

Superheroes are supposed to be role models and clean-cut good guys, right? Well, that’s not the case in superhero satire The Boys. In a world where superheroes are as influential as celebrities and politicians, many of them abuse their powers. A group of vigilantes, known as The Boys, set out to expose their dirty secrets and misuse of power. The show revels in its explicit nature, featuring extreme gore, sex, nudity, language, and drug use. It’s essentially an anti-hero show in itself. 

Along with The Boys, Prime Video has another hit adult superhero show on its hands, Invincible. This animated series follows seventeen-year-old Mark Grayson, whose father is Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on Earth. Mark begins to develop powers of his own, leading in his father’s footsteps but also learns there may be something more sinister behind his father’s legacy. The series doesn’t shy away from gore and dark material, while also being irreverent and quirky. 

Batman’s famous sidekick, Robin, leads his own show in Teen Titans alongside a bunch of other teenage superheroes. While trying to save the world, they also deal with regular issues that teens face. Joining Robin are Starfire, Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy. The series does a great job of showing Robin as a leader and how he navigates his life without Batman, accompanied by exciting action and vibrant animation. While kids spin-off series Teen Titans Go! is perfectly cute, this is where it’s really at. 

Gotham is another live-action series from the world of Batman. It starts with Detective James Gordon's origin story. While investigating Thomas and Martha Wayne’s murder, he becomes acquainted with their orphaned son and future caped crusader, Bruce. James Gordon isn’t the only character who gets the origin story treatment. The series also explores the beginnings of many other Batman characters, such as Catwoman, Penguin, Joker, and Riddler.  

Before Keaton, Bale, Clooney, Kilmer or Affleck, there was Adam West as Batman in the original ‘60s series. Along with sidekick Robin, Batman fights classic villains like Mr. Freeze and more eccentric ones like King Tut. Everything about Batman is over-the-top and campy, representing a more innocent time for superheroes. Batman himself remains serious despite the silliness around him, and onomatopoeia words like "POW!," "BANG!" and "KAPOW!" loudly fill the screen during the show’s comical fight scenes. 

The Justice League movie didn’t go down too well with audiences, so it’s lucky that there’s an excellent Justice League animated series to make up for it. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter make up the powerful supergroup who keep a watchful eye on Earth and protect it from otherworldly threats. The show deeply and equally explores each member’s origins and journey, making them easy to invest in. 

X-Men ‘97 is a long belated revival of X-Men: The Animated Series from the ‘90s, picking up from where that much-loved series ended. The X-Men are a group of mutants who band together to protect a world that vilifies and fears them. The series features all the classic characters like Professor X, Magneto, Jean Grey, Wolverine, and Cyclops. It’s an action-packed blast from the past that adds more depth to the original series but is also watchable as a stand-alone. 

WandaVision was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe television series to hit Disney+ and set the bar high for the number of shows to follow. In the town of Westview, Wanda Maximoff and Vision lead an idyllic suburban life, hiding the fact that Wanda has cast a hex on the town to create her own fake reality. Blending different sitcom styles with superhero drama, WandaVision is one of the most unique projects released by the MCU and is full of intrigue and mystery.

Along with Teen Titans, DC released another series about young superheroes trying to find their way through life, fighting crime, and growing up. Young Justice sees a group of teen superhero proteges try to establish themselves as members of the Justice League as part of an apprentice team organized by the Justice League itself. The series features lesser-known heroes like Superboy, Miss Martian, and Kid Flash and collects new members, like Blue Beetle, along the way.

Sugar, spice, and everything nice, are the key ingredients that make up The Powerpuff Girls. This heavily loved Cartoon Network series follows Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. They are three little girls with superpowers, created by Professor Utonium, who protect the city of Townsville from evil. There is a lot of nostalgia associated with The Powerpuff Girls, as those who grew up with the series often choose which Powerpuff Girl represents their personality best.