In addition to those that are part of the hugely successfulMCUandDCU, there are many other superhero TV shows that are criminally overlooked and deserve to be revisited. With the rise of the superhero genre to the forefront of pop culture consciousness, there has been huge interest in comic book stories on both the big and small screens. For example, theTV shows of the MCUhave achieved widespread success in terms of viewership and engagement.
However, outside of franchises like the MCU, the massively successfulDC animated universe of TV shows, and the Arrowverse, there haven’t been as many series to meet with the same success. For one reason or another, many superhero TV shows are criminally underrated or otherwise forgotten, despite being more than worthy of the same popularity afforded to mainstream Marvel or DC releases. With that in mind, here are 10 overlooked superhero TV shows that deserve a rewatch.
10 Best Comic Book TV Show Pilot Episodes, Ranked
The heroes and villains of comic books are perfectly suited to TV adaptations, but some comic book pilot episodes are far better than others.
Aired For: 1 Season (20 Episodes)
No Ordinary Familyfirst aired in September 2010, and ran for just one season before being canceled. Its story centers on the Powell family, a typical American family who gain superpowers after surviving a plane crash in the Amazon. Its first season introduced a handful of characters, including a supervillain known as The Watcher and the equally villainous Dr. Dayton King.
Starring Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, Kay Panabaker, and Jimmy Bennett as the Powell family,No Ordinary Familyalso featured Autumn Reeser, Romany Malco, Stephen Collins, and Josh Stewart in major roles.The show’s exploration of a traditional family dynamic with added superpowers seemingly took inspiration fromThe Incrediblesand various other superhero stories, lending itself perfectly to a television format. Despite a great cast and a solid premise,No Ordinary Familyfailed to achieve the recognition it deserved, leading to its premature cancelation.
9Mutant X Was Marvel’s Response To X-Men Rights Issues
Aired For: 3 Seasons (66 Episodes)
WhenMutant Xfirst aired in 2001,Fox’sX-Menmovie franchisehad only just begun, and Marvel did not own the rights to the iconic mutant heroes. As a result, Marvel Studios instead created a show unrelated to the comics of the same name. Instead, it focused on a group of new mutants who gained their powers through genetic engineering. The series ran for three seasons before coming to an abrupt end, finishing on an unresolved cliffhanger that has haunted fans ever since.
Mutant Xsimply didn’t get the attention or the recognition it deserved. In all but name, it was a live-action X-Men series with the backing of Marvel Studios, and should certainly have achieved greater success.Its innovative approach to its characters and storytelling was excellent, makingMutant Xone of the most criminally overlooked superhero TV shows of the ‘00s.
8Powers Was Held Back By A Limited Release
Aired For: 2 Seasons (20 Episodes)
In 2015, Sony Pictures Television createdPowersexclusively for the PlayStation Network. Based on the Image Comics (and later Marvel Comics) comic book series of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming,Powerswas met with mixed reviews upon release. After airing for two seasons, it was unceremoniously canceled in the summer of 2016.
Powerswas a show with massive potential, and it deserved far greater recognition.Critics praised the show’s excellent world-building and narrative innovations, and a stellar cast featuring Sharlto Copley, Susan Heyward, and Noah Taylor helped bolsterPowers’ presentation with capable star power. Unfortunately, being released exclusively for the PlayStation Network ultimately backfired, as the show’s limited release held it back from achieving any true success or widespread popularity. Despite having an interesting premise that put an interesting spin on the superhero genre,Powerswas severely overlooked.
7Gotham Was Overlooked Because Its Batman Was A Child
Aired For: 5 Seasons (100 Episodes)
WhenGothamwas first announced, the idea of a prequel series following the youth of Bruce Wayne, the rise of James Gordon, and the early careers of some of Batman’s most iconic enemies seemed an enticing prospect. However, many swiftly lost interest in the idea, as the show’s focus was not at all on Batman, but on the many supporting characters in his mythos, as well as a young Bruce Wayne. The hype surrounding the show failed to translate to mainstream success, after fiveseasons ofGotham, the show eventually ended.
In truth,Gothamdeserved far more attention than it received.Its innovative approach to Batman characters put an interesting spin on the character’s mythos, with a number of fascinating original additions to its story. Despite occasional missteps,Gotham’s best scenesproved exactly why the show is incredibly rewatchable, despite being overlooked by many for its lack of Batman.
6Gargoyles Remains An Underrated Gem
Aired For: 3 Seasons (78 Episodes)
Now hailed as a cult classic,Gargoylesmight not be traditional superhero fare, but it has all the hallmarks of the genre. The 1994 series followed a group of ancient nocturnal gargoyles reawakened in modern New York City, using their abilities to fight crime by night. The series, while aimed predominantly at a younger audience, featured some dark and complex themes that helped elevate it far beyond all expectations.
Sadly, Disney prematurely axed the show due to the misconception that it was too dark for children. However,Gargoyles’ willingness to embrace dark visuals saw it receive favorable comparisons toBatman: The Animated Series, and the show’s use of Shakespearean themes and innovative character arcs also helped to set it apart. Though it never received the attention it desperately deserved,Gargoyles’ continued popularity has earned the show its cult status, as well as a planned live-action reboot.
5Raising Dion Added Drama To The Superhero Genre
Aired For: 2 Seasons (17 Episodes)
Raising Dionis an often-overlooked entry into the superhero genre. As well as not belonging to an established franchise, the show, which first aired in 2019, took a decidedly different approach to its superpowered story. Instead of following a cast of heroes, it focused on a young mother attempting to keep her son, Dion, safe after he began to exhibit powerful abilities.
Raising Dionput a far more dramatic spin on a typical superhero story, instead exploring the human side of those with powers and the people around them.The show was praised for the performances of its actors, its general world-building, and its innovative take on the genre, but critical success did not help the show’s overall success.Raising Dionended after a two-season run, but its overall quality makes it more than worthy of a rewatch.
4Teen Titans Was Unfairly Dismissed As A Children’s Show
Aired For 5 Seasons (65 Episodes)
2003’sTeen Titansearned itself a five-season run that saw it achieve reasonable popularity, with many fans looking back fondly on the series. However, upon release, the show was marketed specifically toward a young audience, which did it a criminal disservice. Focusing on the exploits of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy, the show also adapted many other DC characters over its run.
As well as featuring many lesser-known characters and story arcs from DC Comics,Teen Titanswas a huge success in its day. It was among Cartoon Network’s most popular series and helped elevate its characters within pop culture as more recognized figures.Its dynamic storytelling and visuals combined with a solid sense of humor, madeTeen Titansan exceptional superhero TV showthat sadly faded into relative obscurity after its run concluded. Its spin-off,Teen Titans Go!, all but eclipsed its predecessor in pop culture consciousness.
3The Tick’s Live-Action Reboot Should Have Performed Much Better
Aired For: 2 Seasons (22 Episodes)
The Tick is a character who exists at the fringes of the superhero genre, simply because of the depth of the satire he embodies. Everything aboutThe Tickis set to lampoon the genre in almost every imaginable way, with a vein of humor running through every supporting character and narrative development. Ultimately, the depth of its spoofing has heldThe Tickback in many ways, but the 2016 reboot deserved to fare much better than it ultimately did.
After two previous attempts to adapt The Tick to the small screen, the 2016 series starring Peter Serafinowicz should have been far more successful. Unlike the 1994 and 2001 adaptations, the 2016 show was released at a time when superhero stories were at the forefront of most forms of entertainment.Despite the timeliness and clever writing ofThe Tick, the show was tragically overlooked.
2Doom Patrol’s Great Cast And Critical Acclaim Didn’t Translate To Success
Aired For: 4 Seasons (46 Episodes)
Doom Patrolis one of the most egregious examples of an overlooked comic book show in the history of the genre. Adapting the titular team of characters from DC Comics,Doom Patrolfeatured an exceptional cast featuring Brendan Fraser, Matt Bomer, Timothy Dalton, and Alan Tudyk, among many others. Despite critical success,Doom Patrolfailed to appeal to a wide audience, ending after a four-season run.
The tragedy ofDoom Patrolis that it achieved critical success in almost all metrics.It was praised for the performances of its cast, its innovative quirkiness, and unconventional narrative plotting, but the series never quite reached the levels of widespread popularity it deserved. As it went overlooked by many during its run, it remains an underrated superhero TV show after its cancellation. Even so, it’s one that thoroughly deserves to be rewatched.
1Legion Deserved So Much More Recognition Than It Got
Aired For: 3 Seasons (27 Episodes)
Despite being one of the more complex comic book characters to adapt to the screen, Legion is undoubtedly a powerful figure within the Marvel Universe. First airing in 2017, the character’s eponymous show earned considerable critical acclaim, running for three seasons before ending in 2019. Considering the show’s overwhelming critical plaudits, it’s safe to say that it was tragically overlooked by general audiences.
Legiontakes a mind-bending premise and brings it to life with visual originality in a way that pushes the boundaries of the superhero genre. As one of Marvel’s most complex mutants, adapting Legion to the screen came with many challenges, which the show was generally considered to have cleared by a considerable margin, thanks to extensive creativity and the talents of its cast. Sadly, it was incredibly overlooked, standing out among all the TV shows of theMCU, theDCU, and beyond as one of the most underrated superhero shows of all time.
