The superhero genre in media was said to be discovered in the mid-1930s and was popularized by comic books. Though it’s been a continuously popular theme since then, Marvel and DC have made superheroes even more prevalent in television and film over the past 20 years.
Disney Plus is set to launch a few different television series that will star some major Marvel Cinematic Universe characters, including Wandavision, Loki, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. DC is seeing success with HBO Max’s animated Harley Quinn series and has plans to partner with HBO for other DC television shows. Until their release, there are plenty of highly-rated shows for fans to get their fill of super-powered fun.
Arrow - 7.5
Oliver Queen lived a spoiled life in the lap of luxury until he became lost at sea on his father's yacht. Missing for five years, Oliver returns home a changed man determined to clean up the city as a hooded hero, armed with a bow and arrow.
First premiering on the CW in 2012, Arrow stars Stephen Amell as the classic DC hero, the Green Arrow. In 2019, the network announced that its eighth season would be the last but it did spark an entire Arrowverse of shows.
The Flash – 7.7
Another CW show about crimefighting heroes, The Flash stars Grant Guston as Barry Allen - a forensic scientist that is involved in a terrible accident that leaves him with an incredible gift that he never expected.
After being struck by lightning, Barry falls into a coma and wakes up nine later with the power of super speed. The show premiered in 2014, and its seventh season is rumored to begin in January of 2021.
Titans – 7.7
A darker take on the DC Universe's Teen Titans characters, Titans follows a group of young superheroes that team up to fight against the forces of evil, including long-time antagonist, Deathstroke.
Titans stars Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales lead, Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson aka Robin/Nightwing. The series made its debut in 2018 and has reportedly been renewed for a third season.
Gotham – 7.8
Between the various cartoons, Tim Burton's Batman, Christopher Nolan’s films, and the recent additions to the DCEU, there have been a lot of interpretations of the masked vigilante. Gotham goes back a little bit further than most iterations of the franchise, though.
A Batman-themed prequel, Gotham centers around a young Detective James Gordon and his work to save his city from the depths of its own corruption.
Jessica Jones – 7.9
A gritty, neo-noir, crime drama, Netflix's Jessica Jones stars Krysten Ritter as the super-powered private investigator with a dark past. A functioning alcoholic and ravaged with PTSD, Jessica struggles to hold her life together while fighting against the bad guys to help those in need of protection.
The series ran for three seasons and was praised specifically for David Tennant's superior performance as Killgrave and Ritter's work as Jones.
Misfits – 8.2
A group of juvenile delinquents forced into community service find that they have new and strange superpowers after being struck by lightning. A British comedy series that premiered in 2009 and ran until 2013, Misfits is a fun and playful look into the superhero genre.
Some of its stars would go on to be bigger name actors, including Games Of Thrones villain Iwan Rheon, and The Umbrella Academy's Nathan Sheehan.
Legion – 8.3
Diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young boy, David was treated like a mental patient his entire life, until one day he realized that the voices in his head may not be "just in his head" at all.
They might be real, and they might come with incredible power. Based on Marvel Comics, Legion aired on FX for three seasons. It starred Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, and Parks and Recreation actress Aubrey Plaza.
The Punisher – 8.5
Frank Castle is an ex-marine with a need for vengeance in Netflix's hit series. After the murder of his wife and children, Frank reinvents himself as The Punisher - a vigilante who makes sure that criminals get exactly what they deserve.
Starring Jon Bernthal, best known by his role as Shane in The Walking Dead, The Punisher is a dark and violent look into the life of one of the more vicious heroes in Marvel history.
Daredevil – 8.6
A blind lawyer with super heightened senses moonlights as a crime-fighting superhero nicknamed the Daredevil in Hell's Kitchen, New York. Matt Murdock first appeared in Marvel comics in 1964.
Ben Affleck brought the character to the big screen in 2003, but the film failed to impress audiences and critics. Netflix took a chance on the character and Daredevil premiered in 2015. It exists in the same universe as Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.
The Boys – 8.7
Based on a graphic novel that is in many ways a parody of the superhero genre, The Boys is set in a world where superheroes are monetized, branded, and treated like celebrities...and not all of them are very nice. So-called heroes abuse their power and position, yet society still loves them.
That's where the Boys come in - a rogue group determined to balance the scales and expose the heroes and the company that covers up their foul play.