Superheroes have never been more popular, with a whole slew of Marvel and DC TV series airing throughout the year. But how do these shows actually compare to one another? It's difficult to do a like-for-like comparison, simply because viewing figures aren't available for streaming series like the Marvel Netflix shows, or DC Universe's Titans. Besides, viewing figures in themselves aren't enough anyway; Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is known to have lower viewing figures, but a strong DVR performance and a committed fanbase.
To get a true sense of popularity, you need to look at more than just viewer numbers. Parrot Analytics, a data science company who measure audience demand for TV content by assessing how viewers interact with a brand online, measure audience demand, engagement, and viewership, assessed through everything from global file-sharing and peer-to-peer traffic to social media activity. They've spoken exclusively to Screen Rant, identifying the US' top 20 superhero shows of 2018 in terms of sheer demand.
Related: All Marvel Netflix Shows Have Been Losing Viewers For Years
There are certainly some surprises on this list of the most popular superhero shows of 2018 - a couple of series appear that haven't been airing for years, while Marvel's Iron Fist is conspicuously absent in spite of a much-improved second season. But what's most striking is the sheer range and diversity of the superhero genre, with everything from comedy animations to dark, cerebral dramas.
20. Smallville
Surprisingly, the 20th slot goes to a show that hasn't aired since 2011 - but is still evidently very popular indeed. Smallville was developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and was an origin story for Superman that focused on the young Clark Kent's life in high school. The show operated under a strict "no tights, no flights" rule, reducing Superman to the bare essentials and exploring just how the Boy of Steel learned to use his powers. It starred Tom Welling as Clark Kent, Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang, Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, and the now-controversial Alison Mack as Clark's friend Chloe Sullivan. In many ways, Smallville was the precursor of the modern DCTV era, introducing characters like Green Arrow and setting up the "before they were heroes" approach used by both Gotham and Krypton. According to Parrot Analytics, Smallville remains one of the most in-demand superhero TV shows in the United States, which perhaps explains why the recent Arrowverse "Elseworlds" crossover referenced the series.
19. Krypton
The latest Superman prequel series is Syfy's Krypton, which explores the Kryptonian heritage of the Man of Steel. The first season premiered in March 2018, consisting of ten episodes, and came to a dramatic close when Superman's ancestor Seg-El sacrificed himself to trap Brainiac in the Phantom Zone. Seg-El's act meant General Zod could finish what he came through time to do; make Krypton kneel before Zod. To the delight of comic book fans, Krypton season 2 is set to introduce Emmett J. Scanlan as Lobo, the ruthless bounty hunter who's a match for any Kryptonian. In spite of the high-profile addition of Lobo, Krypton still ranks fairly low on this list, suggesting it hasn't got the traction of other "origin story" shows like Gotham.
18. Runaways
Every teenager goes through a period when they imagine their parents are evil - but the stars of Marvel's Runaways discovered their parents really are supervillains. The Marvel/Hulu TV series is aimed at a very specific young-adult demographic, which perhaps explains why it's so low down on this list. It's based on Brian K. Vaughan's iconic comic book series, with the first season running from November 2017 through to January 2018; Hulu took a different approach with Runaways season 2, dropping the whole series at once in December. Season 2 ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, a sure sign that Marvel believes Hulu will renew Runaways for a third season.
Related: Runaways Season 3 Story: Everything We Know
17. The Punisher
At first glance, it's something of a surprise to see The Punisher ranked as low as 17th place on this list; Jon Bernthal is widely viewed as the best incarnation of Frank Castle to date, and both the first and second seasons have met with popular and critical acclaim. But it's important to remember that, unlike most of the shows that rank higher in Parrot Analytics' data, no episodes of The Punisher were actually released in 2018. In fact, the promotional campaign for season 2 was only in its early days in December, and excitement was sadly blunted by the fact the relationship between Marvel and Netflix seems to be breaking down; even the cast don't believe there'll be a season 3.
16. Luke Cage
Marvel will be disappointed to see Luke Cage so low in terms of audience demand. Starring Mike Colter as the "bulletproof black guy," the first season of Luke Cage dropped on Netflix in 2016, and met to a largely favorable response from fans and critics alike. Luke Cage season 2 was released in June 2018, ending on a cliffhanger in which Harlem's Hero actually became a crime boss in a wrong-headed attempt to protect his neighborhood. Unfortunately that cliffhanger will probably never be resolved; Luke Cage was canceled by Netflix due to declining viewing figures and creative differences between the streaming giant and Marvel Television. The latest reports suggest Marvel can't use any of their canceled Netflix projects elsewhere for the next two years, by which time demand for Luke Cage will have dropped further.
15. The Gifted
Matt Nix's The Gifted is loosely inspired by the X-Men's "Days of Future Past" timeline, and it's produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Marvel Television. In this series, mutant-human conflict is coming to a boil, and the X-Men have long since disappeared. The Gifted focuses on second- and third-tier X-Men like Polaris (Emma Dumont), Thunderbird (Blair Redford), and Blink (Jamie Chung). Sadly, The Gifted's appeal seems to be relatively limited, possibly because it lacks A-list X-Men like Cyclops and Wolverine. Season 1 launched in October 2017 and came to an explosive finale in January 2018; the second season launched in September, with the Mutant Underground torn apart and turning against one another.
Page 2 of 3: #14-#7 Most Popular Superhero TV Shows Of 2018
14. Teen Titans Go!
The Teen Titans brand seems to be one of DC's strongest, and DC Television will be pleased to see this animated comedy ranking in the top 20 superhero TV shows. Teen Titans Go! launched back in 2013, and airs on the Cartoon Network; no doubt demand has increased off the back of the Teen Titans Go! To The Movies feature film, which was released in July last year.
Related: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies: 100+ Hidden Easter Eggs
13. Jessica Jones
Next up is another of the Marvel Netflix shows, Jessica Jones, and it's a little surprising to see it so low down on the rankings. The first season of Jessica Jones aired in 2016, with stunning performances from both star Krysten Ritter and David Tennant, who played the sociopathic Kilgrave. Unfortunately, demand for the Marvel Netflix series seems to have been declining, and there was just too big a gap between season 1 and the second season, which released last year. Worse still, season 2 wasn't as well-received, lacking the psychological edge of the first season. Netflix renewed Jessica Jones for a third season, which is due to air later this year. Given the Marvel/Netflix partnership seems to be coming to an end, it's generally assumed this season will be the last.
12. Cloak & Dagger
Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt star in Marvel's Cloak & Dagger, a young-adult superhero TV series set in New Orleans. This show is a little more topical than Runaways; a major subplot in season 1 was Cloak's desire to get justice after a cop shot his brother, while Dagger was almost a victim of a sexual assault. Like the Marvel Netflix shows, Cloak & Dagger makes the most of its location, with showrunner Joe Pokaski making New Orleans as much a character as the stars. It's easily the best-connected MCU TV show, building on the rich mythology that's been established by both the movies and the various TV series. The first season aired from June to August 2018, and a second season is due sometime in the spring.
11. Legion
It's exciting to see Noah Hawley's Legion so high on this list, given it's a superhero show like no other; Legion is a smart and cerebral series, one that delights in subverting viewers' expectations. It views the world through the eyes of protagonist David Haller (Dan Stevens), a mutant who was committed to an asylum due to suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. The first season aired in 2017, and revealed that David wasn't as insane as everybody thought; instead, he was plagued by the ruthless psychic entity known as the Shadow King. Season 2 ran from April to June 2018, and a third season is in the works.
10. Black Lightning
The CW's DCTV shows all rank high in Parrot Analytics' data, and Black Lightning - the latest DC superhero series - comes in at tenth place. Black Lightning stars Cress Williams as the titular hero, and there are thematic similarities between the show and Marvel's Luke Cage; both series confront real-world issues of racism and racial identity head-on, and combine superhero action with real-world plots. A "family" theme makes Black Lightning fresh and distinctive, though, and Nafessa Williams' Thunder has been praised for being the first black lesbian superhero on TV. Season 1 aired in early 2018, with season 2 launching in October and still ongoing.
9. Teen Titans
It's time for another surprise; the classic Teen Titans TV series - which ran from 2003 through to 2006 - is still in the top 20 in-demand superhero TV shows. This is generally viewed as one of the best-animated superhero series in the last 20 years, with fans and critics alike praising it for its rich character development and serious themes. It's possible Teen Titans has jumped up the rankings a little because, after five years' absence on Cartoon Network, reruns began again in August 2017 and continued through 2018. What makes this particularly interesting, though, is that Teen Titans ranks so much higher in Parrot Analytics' data than its successor, Teen Titans Go! - even though the latter was supported by a feature film in 2018. Perhaps the film's post-credits scene helped.
Related: All 25 DC Movies & TV Shows Coming In 2019
8. Daredevil
Unsurprisingly, Daredevil is the highest-ranking Marvel Netflix TV series. This was the flagship series back in 2015, and after three seasons it's still the one with the best reputation. Daredevil has a phenomenal cast, most notably including Charlie Cox as Daredevil and Vincent D'Onofrio as his nemesis the Kingpin, and it's been used to introduce iconic Marvel characters such as the Punisher, Elektra, and Bullseye. The much-anticipated third season finally dropped on Netflix in 2018 to popular and critical acclaim. The relationship between Marvel Television and Netflix seems to be coming to an end, however, and the streaming giant canceled Daredevil shortly after season 3 came out.
7. Legends of Tomorrow
The craziest of The CW's Arrowverse TV series, Legends of Tomorrow is a cosmic adventure that sees a group of heroes banding together to protect the timeline against terrible threats. Season 3 ran through early 2018, with the team discovering that they had caused anachronisms throughout history, and battling to put them right before a demonic being could be released; season 4 premiered in October, and is still ongoing. Like many time travel shows, Legends of Tomorrow rejoices in its ability to reinvent itself, switching from supernatural horror to geeky sci-fi comedy at breakneck speed.
Page 3 of 3: The Top 6 Most Popular Superhero Shows Of 2018
6. Gotham
Fox's Batman prequel TV series, Gotham was originally intended to focus only on James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as he rose through the ranks of the Gotham City Police Department. It's increasingly become an origin story for both Batman (with David Mazouz playing the young Bruce Wayne) and assorted members of his rogues' gallery. Season 4 ran through early 2018, with Bruce Wayne now patrolling the streets as a masked vigilante, but he wasn't able to protect Gotham from the threat of Ra's al Ghul and the League of Shadows. The fifth (and final) season of Gotham kicked off in September, and is still ongoing; it's based on the popular "No Man's Land" arc from the comics, with the various Bat-villains dividing Gotham City between them.
5. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The highest-ranking Marvel TV series in Parrot Analytics' data, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. really is Marvel's flagship show. The series launched back in 2013, with Clark Gregg reprising his role as the resurrected Phil Coulson and Chloe Bennet stepping in as a hacker who was ultimately revealed to be an Inhuman, and has become S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top superhero - Quake. Recent seasons have been given a later timeslot, allowing S.H.I.E.L.D. to take on a darker and more sophisticated tone, and it appears to be flourishing. Season 5 launched in December 2017, and ran through to May 2018, even crossing over with Avengers: Infinity War - although, to the surprise of viewers, it completely ignored the snap. An abbreviated sixth season will air later this year, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has already been renewed for a seventh season - in itself an indication of ABC's confidence in the show.
Related: Every Loose Plot Thread Agents of SHIELD Has Left For Seasons 6 and 7
4. Arrow
In 2012, writer/producers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg made history when they launched Arrow, starring Stephen Amell as the man who would become Green Arrow. It was an incredible success, becoming the first in a whole range of superhero TV shows collectively known as the Arrowverse. According to Parrot Analytics, Arrow is still one of the most in-demand superhero series out there, which is pretty remarkable given 2018 saw the tail-end of its sixth season and the launch of its seventh. Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman may be DC's Trinity in the comics, but Amell's Green Arrow is superhero royalty on the small screen.
3. Supergirl
In third place is Supergirl, originally developed for CBS but now airing on The CW alongside the Arrowverse shows. Starring Melissa Benoist as the Girl of Steel, Supergirl is known for its sharp political edge and social commentary; the current season is exploring everything from anti-immigrant prejudice to the rise of fake news and right-wing activism. According to Parrot Analytics, that makes the show very popular indeed, with demand for Supergirl outstripping Arrowverse shows Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. Season 3 ran through to July 2018, while season 4 launched in October and is still ongoing. As with all the Arrowverse, demand for Supergirl peaked in November for the mid-season finale and the latest Arrowverse crossover event, "Elseworlds."
2. Titans
The first new series to stream on the DC Universe app, Titans is a dark and atmospheric drama starring Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Anna Diop as Starfire, Teagan Croft as Raven, and Ryan Potter as Beast Boy. Parrot Analytics do stress that the show's placement in this ranking may be a little controversial; they only started measuring demand for Titans on October 7, meaning they're taking a demand average for just 55 days, rather than the full 365 days for the other series. Demand will settle to a baseline over the next few months, and its position will likely shift down a little. For all that's the case, though, Parrot pointed out that Titans became more popular as the first season went on; there was clearly a strong positive response to the first DC Universe show.
It's interesting to note that no less than three Teen Titans-related series appeared in the top 20, including one animated show that ended back in 2006. That suggests the Teen Titans are one of DC's biggest brands, perhaps reflecting decades of popular adaptations for the small screen. A contributing factor may well be that the franchise is closely linked to all the other DC top-tier heroes, with connections to Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. DC was most definitely wise to focus on Titans when they launched DC Universe last year.
Related: What To Expect From DC's Titans Season 2
1. The Flash
The top slot goes to The Flash, which launched back in 2014 and is currently in its fifth season. There's a sense in which this shouldn't be a surprise; when The Flash first began, the pilot became the second-most-watched premiere in the history of The CW (after The Vampire Diaries in 2009). It stars Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, the "Fastest Man Alive," and Candice Patton as his beloved Iris. Season 4 introduced a new hero into Team Flash, Hartley Sawyer's Elongated Man, a detective with an incredibly malleable body, and ran through to early 2018. The current season, which kicked off in October and is still ongoing, has introduced Jessica Parker Kennedy as Barry and Iris' daughter Nora, a.k.a. XS, who has traveled back in time from the future to team up with her dad. According to Parrot Analytics, The Flash is going from strength to strength, so it will be thrilling to see how the show fares in 2019.