(Our apologies to the excellent ‘90sX-Menanimated show, as well as the less excellent 2006Bladeseries.)
Here, we rank the best, worst, and wildest of Marvel TV.
25.Inhumans
Inhumansnever stood a chance.
Marvel TV shows, ranked.Chuck Zlotnick/Disney+; MYLES ARONOWITZ/NETFLIX; courtesy of Marvel Studios; courtesy of Marvel Studios
The crowd was…well, let’s just say, not that enthused by what they saw.
Marvel Television should’ve listened.
When the show finally aired later that year, it fizzled fast.
Marvel/ABC
(Lockjaw on anAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.budget isn’t it.)
But then it’s also one of the only homophobic superhero shows in recent memory.
Gay geek Twitter was not having it.
David Giesbrecht/Netflix
The illusion of television-making was broken, and the second season didn’t do much to improve that.
Thus, the Marvel TV era ended with a whimper.
What should have been an explosive,Avengers-level event, instead, landed with a thud.
Katie Yu/Hulu
(It’s still better thanIron Fist,though.)
And just whenRunawayswas getting good in season 3 ThatCloak & Daggercrossover!
Magic!Elizabeth Hurleyas Morgan le Fay!
Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, and Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock in ‘The Defenders.'.Jessica Miglio/Netflix
Classic case of too little, too late.
Sydney Bucksbaum
20.Moon Knight
Moon Knightshould’ve beenOscar Isaac’s Marvel redemption arc.
So when Isaac joined the MCU withMoon Knight, his casting was met with near-universal relief.
Greg Lewis/Hulu
But whenMoon Knightfinally landed on Disney+, the actual series was… meh.
But the show itself is muddled by unclear stakes and messy mythology.
If the show returns for a second season, here’s hoping the next phase shines a little brighter.
Oscar Isaac in ‘Moon Knight’.Csaba Aknay/Marvel Studios
But whenSecret Invasionfinally premiered, it failed to live up to its potential.
Its lackluster finale relied too much on a CG-filled fistfight and boring standoff in a hospital hallway.
But, hey, at least we gotJulia Louis-Dreyfusin the MCU andZemo dancing, right?
Marvel Studios
Chancellor Agard
17.What If…?
The MCU’s first animated series took a big swing and itmostlypaid off.
The animation was beautiful, and the stories were unpredictable.
Marvel Studios
Sydney Bucksbaum
16.The Punisher
It’s not what you think.
Compared to full TV series with hundreds of hours, it’s basically apples to oranges.
But thisdelightful and festive specialfrom writer-director James Gunn is a feel-good adventure from start to finish.
Peggy Carter, a.k.a. Captain Carter, in ‘What If…?'.Marvel Studios
Sydney Bucksbaum
14.Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
What a good fighter this show was.
as we knew it).
Jessica Miglio/Netflix
It’s also a semi-whodunnit withKnives Out-level kooky characters (who’s the werewolf among them?
), while still being PG-13 (well, TV-14).
Remember those Marvel “one-shots” that came with the DVD release?
Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista’ in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’.Jessica Miglio/Marvel Studios
This is the meatier successor.
Let this be the start of more standalone offshoots that go for the unexpected.
Devan Coggan
11.Cloak & Dagger
Where Hulu’sRunawaysstumbled, Freeform’sCloak & Daggersoared.
Matthias Clamer/ABC
There was so much to love about the two short seasons ofCloak & Dagger(canceled too soon!
), but the sweet, blossoming relationship and winning partnership between Tandy and Tyrone was the real prize.
Here, the mutant-hunting Sentinels weren’t depicted as giant robots, but rather as terrifyingly human ICE agents.
Marvel Studios
Plus, this is the show that introduced us toMadisynn.
And with a complex hero came a complex villain.
(Vincent D’Onofriohas come to define the role of Wilson Fisk with his imposing, ever-evolving performance.
Myles Aronowitz/Netflix
The character is his now.
We don’t make the rules.)
Therefore,Lokiis simultaneously a return to the trickster god’s villainous roots and an expansion of his horizons.
Alfonso Bresciani/Freeform
We can’t wait to see what new surprises are in store for season 2.
Christian Holub
6.Agent Carter
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has never been more fun or more stylish.
The entire show crackles with energy, from the slick 1940s fashion to the eclectic supporting characters.
Ryan Green/FOX
(James D’Arcy’s stoic Jarvis andDominic Cooper’s philandering Howard Stark are particular highlights.)
Devan Coggan
5.Ms.
(It helps that her predecessor Carol Danvers has in turn become the definitive version of Captain Marvel.)
Tatiana Maslany on ‘She Hulk: Attorney at Law’.Marvel Studios
In fact, theMs.
But this icon is definitely here to stay in the MCU.
Lucky the Pizza Dog!Florence Pughshoveling down boxed mac ‘n cheese!
Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) come face-to-face in Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ series.Patrick Harbron/Netflix
Together, Renner and Steinfeld have a crackling odd-couple chemistry, makingHawkeyeone of Disney+’s most delightful shows yet.
Devan Coggan
3.Jessica Jones
Jessica Joneswas by far the most consistent of the Marvel-Netflix shows.
But by dedicating its whole aesthetic to the exploration of mental powers,Legioncame up with riotously entertaining scenes.
Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in ‘Loki.'.Marvel Studios
That’s already a recipe for success.
Plus,WandaVisiongave us “Agatha All Along,” which is reason enough to earn this No.
Bless you,Kathryn Hahn.
Adam Rose/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images
Sydney Bucksbaum
Related content:
Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in ‘Ms. Marvel’.Marvel Studios
Hailee Steinfeld and Jeremy Renner on ‘Hawkeye’.Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios
David Giesbrecht/Netflix
Chris Large/FX
Marvel Studios
