The 20 best superhero TV shows of all time
Superheroes might have been a screen staple since the 1950s but capes, tights and masks never go out of style. Indeed, a ceaseless production line of Hollywood blockbusters have made them the dominant genre of the early 21st century. Marvel's latest TV effort is Black Panther/Iron Man spin-off Ironheart, following science student Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) as she invents an Iron Man-style armoured suit. But what are the best shows ever to pow, zap and fly into our living rooms? Here's our countdown of the all-time TV top 20.
How did we select our 20?
As Spider-Man's Uncle Ben always had it, 'with great power there must also come great responsibility' (although, sorry, Spidey, you haven't made our cut). We've looked at the entirety of the superhero genre on TV, determined not to fall into the cliché of just relying on Marvel and DC staples.
That means, you'll find some more whimsical family favourites nestling between the stern jaws and pumped pecks of some of our line-up. Heartfelt apologies, however, to SuperTed, the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon (of 'does whatever a spider can,' fame) and the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno The Incredible Hulk series; all of which just fell outside our selection. Turns out there's one super-villain that can't be beaten: The capricious TV critic!
20. He-Man & The Masters of the Universe (CBS/ITV, 1983-1985)
'By the power of Grayskull!' The biggest, daftest cartoon of the Eighties was this fantasy romp based on a Mattel toy range. When helmet-haired, muscle-bound Prince Adam held aloft his sword and uttered the magic words, he transformed into the universe's most powerful human and foiled the evil plans of cackling villain Skeletor. It spawned literal sister series, She-Ra: Princess of Power, plus films, reboots and even more toys. Ker-ching.
19. Moon Knight (Disney+, 2022)
If you can overlook leading man Oscar Isaac's creaky Cockney tones, which creep into Dick Van Dyke territory, there is much to enjoy in this tragicomic Marvel miniseries. As a mercenary with dissociative identity disorder, Isaac had a ball giving each alter ego a different personality (and accent) as he unravelled a mystery involving nocturnal warriors and Egyptian gods. Wild, weird and witty. Cor blimey, Mary Poppins.
18. Wonder Woman (ABC/CBS/BBC One, 1975-1979)
'All the world is waiting for you / And the power z you possess / In your satin tights / Fighting for your rights / And the old red, white and blue.' It's since had a Hollywood reboot – hasn't everything? – but the DC Comics adaptation about an Amazonian princess coming to America is a true cult classic. Lynda Carter became a pop culture icon as the feminist heroine, battling crime with her bullet-deflecting bracelets and golden lasso. Huge fun and just camp enough.
17. The Thundermans (Nickelodeon, 2013-2018)
This surprisingly sophisticated teen-com followed the titular superpowered family as they attempted to live a normal existence in the fictional city of Hiddenville. While the parents struggled not to use their powers, their wisecracking children enjoyed exploring theirs – or, in the case of son Max, dreamed of becoming an evil supervillain – complete with a sassy talking rabbit.
16. Daredevil (Netflix, 2015-2018)
British actor Charlie Cox excelled as blind New York lawyer Matt Murdock, who used his heightened senses to lead a double life as a masked vigilante. His nocturnal crusade set him on a collision course with crime lord Wilson Fisk (a skin-crawlingly creepy Vincent D'Onofrio). The bruising combat scenes, memorably a pulverising corridor fight, were widely acclaimed. It was recently resurrected for Disney+ sequel series Daredevil: Born Again.
15. Preacher (AMC/Amazon Prime Video, 2016-2019)
A trio of Britons led this western-style comic book adaptation. Dominic Cooper starred as Texan preacher Jesse Custer, who was infused with a supernatural gift during a crisis of faith. He sets out on a quest to understand his new-found cosmic powers, joined by gun-toting ex-girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga) and vagabond Irish vampire Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun). Gleefully gory, it blended horror with humour to hugely entertaining effect.
14. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (CBS/BBC One, 1987-1996)
It was conceived as a superhero parody but soon took on a life of its own. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo – a Renaissance-named quartet of anthropomorphic turtle brothers, trained in ninjutsu (still with us?) – became 'heroes in a half-shell' by fighting evil from the sewers of New York City. The cartoon became a playground phenomenon, birthing a turtle-powered franchise of comics, films, games, toys and even breakfast cereal. Cowabunga indeed.
13. Agent Carter (ABC/Fox UK, 2015-2016)
The Marvel universe did period drama – and did it jolly well – in this stylishly rendered series about Captain America's love interest. Our own Hayley Atwell was winningly charismatic as all-action spy Peggy Carter, battling baddies and post-war sexism at the Strategic Scientific Reserve. A perky, pulpy romp with a knowing wink and pleasing Britishisms ('Crikey O'Reilly!' was among her catchphrases).
12. Jessica Jones (Netflix, 2015-2019)
The most noirish of the first wave of Marvel series, this brooding, slow-burn thriller followed a traumatised ex-superhero, superbly played by Breaking Bad's Krysten Ritter. Hard-drinking Jessica Jones fought her demons by working as a private eye in Hell's Kitchen. Our sardonic anti-heroine faced off against a worthy foe in David Tennant's monstrous, mind-controlling Kilgrave.
11. Super Gran (ITV, 1985-1987)
Is there nothing she cannae do? Like a Beano comic strip come to life, this Tyne Tees caper saw a sweet old lady (Gudrun Ure) acquire superpowers when zapped by a magic ray. As she kept the town of Chisleton safe from villainous Scunner Campbell (Iain Cuthbertson), the series was sold worldwide and won an Emmy. A gallery of guest stars included Billy Connolly, George Best and Barbara Windsor. It just edges out SuperTed, Bananaman and Danger Mouse in our 'quintessentially British children's TV parody' slot.
10. Heroes (NBC/BBC Two, 2006-2010)
'Save the cheerleader, save the world.' Creator Tim Kring's pre-Marvel, post-Lost fantasy yarn was impossibly exciting when it first touched down on our screens. As a seemingly ordinary group of civilians slowly became aware of their special abilities, it delivered globe-straddling, comic book-style thrills. Later series got too wrapped up in mystical mumbo-jumbo and its own mythology but for a while back there, Heroes was ambitious, blockbuster television.
9. The Penguin (HBO/Sky Atlantic, 2024-present)
Arguably this dark psycho-drama doesn't quite qualify because its anti-hero is technically a baddie. But the show's sheer quality means we've turned a blind eye. A Sopranos-esque mob saga stars Colin Farrell, near-unrecognisable under heavy prosthetics, as disfigured gangster Oz Cobb on his rise through Gotham City's criminal underworld. Fox drama Gotham – another Batman prequel, this time starring Ben McKenzie as a young Chief Gordon – isn't half bad either.
8. Misfits (E4, 2009-2013)
This very British riff on the genre began with a group of gobby young offenders doing community service. When stuck outdoors during a strange electrical storm, they acquired a supernatural power apiece. Think X-Men with an Asbo. Howard Overman's scripts fizzed with street humour, while the bright young cast – Iwan Rheon, Antonia Thomas, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Lauren Socha and scene-stealer Robert Sheehan – would go on to bigger things.
7. WandaVision (Disney+, 2021)
Marvel's first Disney+ series was unexpectedly eccentric and an utter delight. Witchy Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and android Vision (Paul Bettany) were the Avengers-turned-homemakers, trying to conceal their true natures while living in a sitcom-style suburban idyll. Each episode paid loving homage to TV history, slowly peeling back the couple's domestic bliss to expose the darker truths beneath. A love story wrapped in a David Lynchian mystery, this was a thoughtful exploration of grief and nostalgia.
6. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (ABC/BBC One, 1993-1997)
This sparky screwball-style spin on the Man of Steel made stars out of Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher, who were hugely charming as Daily Planet colleagues Clark Kent and Lois Lane. The pair's will-they-or-won't-they romance provided the backdrop to Clark secretly donning the costume to fight for justice. Airing at Saturday teatimes in the pre-Strictly era, it united the generations. As Superman TV series go, it eclipses teen prequel Smallville, which ran for a few series too long and lost its way.
5. Watchmen (HBO/Sky Atlantic, 2019)
Alan Moore's graphic novel masterpiece is traditionally described as 'unfilmable', so Lost creator Damon Lindelof called his miniseries a 'remix'. Smart, cinematic and endlessly surprising, his wild reimagining dropped the masked vigilantes into present-day Oklahoma. A cast led by Regina King, Don Johnson and Jeremy Irons served up a boiling brew of racial tension and dystopian chaos. Defying expectations of a comic book adaptation, this was bold, bravura TV.
4. Supacell (Netflix, 2024-present)
The newest UK entry on our list transcended superhero tropes to become something truly ingenious. Created by musician and director Rapman, the distinctive drama saw five South Londoners suddenly develop supernatural abilities. Their contrasting reactions to their newfound powers were compelling. Raising awareness of sickle cell disease while acting as a metaphor for black Britishness, this was supa-smart social commentary.
3. The Boys (Amazon Prime Video, 2019-present)
Incongruously, one of Amazon's biggest hits is this near-the-knuckle, anti-capitalist twist on the familiar superhero formula. A welcome antidote to dark origin stories and cinematic pomposity, The Boys is like Marvel's lippy teenage brother, with a taste for ultra-violence and transgressive sex scenes. Pitting the commercialised 'Supes' against a band of black ops vigilantes, it's a nihilistic satire with plenty to say about institutional corruption and corporate America. And it usually says it in luridly vulgar language. In Antony Starr's sociopathic Homelander, it also boasts one of the best villains on TV.
2. Legion (FX/Fox UK, 2017-2019)
Writer Noah Hawley, who masterminded the award-winning Fargo anthology and the upcoming Alien: Earth, is one of the most boundary-busting showrunners on TV. His 'anti-Marvel Marvel series' was built around a stunning star turn from Downton Abbey alumnus Dan Stevens as the schizophrenic son of X-Men leader Charles Xavier. Imprisoned in a psychiatric facility, he tried to control his mutant powers and fight the sinister forces who wished to harness them. Dramatising the inner workings of the human mind, it was visually dazzling and utterly unique.
1. Batman (ABC/ITV, 1966-1968)
Holy top spot, Batman! Nowadays the Caped Crusader is a brooding, traumatised creature of the night. Once upon a time, he was actually fun. Starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as sidekick Robin, this swinging Sixties crime caper followed the Dynamic Duo as they defended Gotham City from a rogue's gallery of camp supervillains. With hammy performances, tongue-in-cheek humour, a killer theme song and shameless cliffhangers, it gleefully embraced its comic book origins, coming to define the genre for the next three decades. Its only rival in the TV Batverse is Nineties modernisation, Batman: The Animated Series. Ker-pow!
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