The world has never been more in love with the Marvel Universe. Everything revolves around the Avengers, especially after the last few blockbusters. But how did this happen? If we have to be honest, it didn’t happen all at once. Marvel has been consolidating its empire since 2008, but we can’t forget the first comic book TV adaptations that made us fall in love with our favorite superheroes since the 1960s. Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and Iron Man are unforgettable musts.
In an industry that’s always looking to innovate, Marvel has been putting a lot of money into producing quality TV shows to broadcast on popular streaming platforms like Netflix and ABC. The company has brought some of the most inspirational, entertaining, and strongest characters to our screens in different shows such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Daredevil.
However, this article is not here to give you the full details of the company’s work. It’s a list of the most successful Marvel TV shows you should watch to keep up with its new entries and old gems!
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#1 Loki
2021-Present | 1 season
Starring Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Wunmi Mosaku
Marvel fans were stunned when it was announced that Tom Hiddleston would reprise his role as the God of Mischief and headline a Disney+ series set after Avengers: Endgame. This Marvel TV series has been a favorite of critics and fans alike, who enjoyed the music, acting, and striking visuals. The show is written by Michael Waldron, who also worked on Rick & Morty.
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67points
#2 WandaVision
2021 | 1 season
Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Debra Jo Rupp
WandaVision, set three weeks after the events of Avengers: Endgame, blends the style of classic sitcoms with the Marvel Universe. Wanda and Vision, two Avengers, are living an idyllic life in New Jersey while trying to conceal their true identities. But as life goes on, they start to suspect things are not as they seem.
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64points
#3 Hawkeye
2021 | 1 season
Starring Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfield, and Tony Dalton
If you’re looking for the next Marvel show to watch, we’ve got great news: the new Hawkeye series is available on Disney+! The series follows Clint Barton one year after the events of Avengers: Endgame when he partners with Kate Bishop to confront enemies from his past as the Ronin. A spin-off series, Echo, focusing on Cox’s character Echo, is in development.
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59points
#4 Daredevil
2015-2018 | 3 seasons
Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, and Elden Henson
Daredevil is the first of four Netflix series that bring Marvel’s street-level heroes together to form The Defenders. The action is brutal and often bloody, yet the show touches on the humanity of each character. Daredevil is a blind vigilante struggling with his morals and role as a protector of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Season 2 introduces Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, who would go on to receive his own solo series on Netflix.
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56points
#5 Jessica Jones
2015-2019 | 3 seasons
Starring Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, and Eka Darville
Krysten Ritter stars in this Netflix original series Jessica Jones as a former superhero who opens her own detective agency. Jessica Jones is harsh and sarcastic, but she’s not without her vulnerabilities. And for once, we get to see a female character who isn’t defined by her romantic relationships. This series takes a darker tone than most of the MCU, but it has a compelling protagonist and some of the best writing we’ve seen for a Marvel series.
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55points
#6 The Punisher
2017-2019 | 2 seasons
Starring Jon Bernthal, Ben Barnes, and Amber Rose Revah
In the wake of his family’s murder, Frank Castle becomes The Punisher, a vigilante who fights crime by any means necessary. The show is a dark character study about a troubled veteran who struggles to find his place in the world after losing everything. A gritty, grounded series that doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics like PTSD and gun violence, and has a lot more to offer than just entertaining action sequences.
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53points
#7 X-Men: The Animated Series (1992 - 1997)
1992-1997 | 5 seasons
Starring George Buza, Alyson Court, and Catherine Disher
A huge success that ran for five seasons, with 76 episodes in total. The series was set in the same continuity as the X-Men comics of the time and featured stories based on the classic comics arcs such as Days of Future Past, The Phoenix Saga and Dark Phoenix Saga. X-Men: The Animated Series is notable for its voice cast, including Cal Dodd, George Buza, and Cedric Smith as Wolverine, Beast, and Professor X, respectively.
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49points
#8 Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
2013-2020 | 7 seasons
Starring Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, and Chloe Bennet
Phil Coulson leads a team of highly skilled agents in the global law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. on missions to apprehend threats to world safety. This spin-off has been a huge success and has proven itself a worthy successor to many Avengers movies by being action-packed, funny, and thrilling.
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49points
#9 The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
2021 | 1 season
Starring Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, and Wyatt Russell
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is a short six-episode series that premiered on Disney+ in 2021, starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan. Six months after being handed the mantle of Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Falcon teams up with the Winter Soldier for a new adventure that will test their abilities, as well as their patience.
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48points
#10 Agent Carter
2015-2016 | 2 seasons
Starring Hayley Atwell, James D’Arcy, and Enver Gjokaj
A spin-off from The First Avenger focusing on Peggy Carter in 1946, shortly after the end of World War II. Peggy Carter now leads a double life, trying to balance her job as a secret agent and her daily routine as a single woman in the 1940s. Agent Carter is a spy drama with romantic overtones that really does Peggy justice.
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48points
#11 What If…?
2021-Present | 1 season
Starring Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hayley Atwell
What If...? is the animated series that explores alternate realities within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series is based on the comic book series of the same name, which asks what would happen if a major event in Marvel history played out differently. This animated show features many of the stars of the MCU reprising their roles for a new take on events, including Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger.
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46points
#12 The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)
2008-2009 | 2 seasons
Starring Josh Keaton, Benjamin Diskin, and James Arnold Taylor
The Spectacular Spider-Man is a fantastic Marvel show that ended too soon. Although the series was initially supposed to run for five seasons, it was canceled after two seasons due to a legal dispute between Sony Pictures Television and Disney. Despite this, The Spectacular Spider-Man was praised for its exploration of mature themes, stellar voice cast, faithful portrayals of the characters’ personalities and relationships, and clever writing that paid homage to classic storylines from the comics.
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43points
#13 Spider-Man (1994)
#10 Spider-Man
1994-1998 | 5 seasons
Starring Christopher Daniel Barnes, Sara Ballantine, and Roscoe Lee Browne
We may be at peak Marvel right now, but let’s not forget the old gems. Spider-Man was a critical success and a commercial blockbuster, becoming the highest-rated and most popular children’s television show in America. It received rave reviews for the faithfulness to the source material, the compelling storyline, and the deep focus on the main character’s personal life, motivations, and struggles.
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42points
#14 The Defenders
2017 | 1 season
Starring Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones
Here we are with The Defenders, a crossover that brings together four Marvel shows: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. It’s the story of four solitary vigilantes, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they might be stronger when teamed together. With its sharp writing, The Defenders gave each hero their own moment to shine.
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41points
#15 Moon Knight
2022-Present | 1 season
Starring Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, and Ethan Hawke
Moon Knight isn’t a household name, but like other Netflix Marvel heroes, he has built a dedicated fanbase. The character is the alter ego of Marc Spector, an elite mercenary with dissociative identity disorder who was left for dead in the desert after being betrayed by his partner. Spector is saved by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu and becomes a fighter with expert martial arts skills and supernatural powers.
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41points
#16 Luke Cage
2016-2018 | 2 seasons
Starring Mike Colter, Simone Missick, and Theo Rossi
After an experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, former convict Luke Cage tries to rebuild his life and reintegrate into modern-day New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city, forcing him to confront crime, corruption, and a past he had tried so hard to bury.
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39points
#17 The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010 - 2012)
2010-2012 | 2 seasons
Starring Brian Bloom, Chris Cox, and Jennifer Hale
After a mass S.H.I.E.L.D. prison breakout, orchestrated by a familiar face, The Avengers must battle the world’s most dangerous supervillains and criminal organizations. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is an action-packed, epic animated adventure featuring all your favorite Marvel superheroes. If you haven’t seen it yet, we highly recommend checking it out!
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38points
#18 Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man (2012)
2012-2017 | 4 seasons
Starring Drake Bell, Dee Bradley Baker, and Ogie Banks
For one year, Peter Parker has held the mantle of Spider-Man, saving lives and fighting supervillains. But he is still in the process of learning how to be a true superhero. Nick Fury offers Peter a chance to train with a team of young heroes and become The Ultimate Spider-Man. With a different approach from other series, this time Spider-Man breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the audience.
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35points
#19 Wolverine And The X-Men (2009)
2009 | 1 season
Starring Steve Blum, Jim Ward, and Nolan North
The X-Men have a long, proud history of cartoon adaptations even before today’s modern Marvel Animated Universe, but none are quite as ambitious as Wolverine and the X-Men. With over 3,500,000 viewers, the Nicktoons premiere of this show garnered one of the network’s highest ratings ever.
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34points
#20 Spider-Man (1967)
1981-1982 | 1 season
Starring Ted Schwartz, Linda Gary, and Mona Marshall
Spider-Man has been a cultural icon for 60 years. That’s an incredibly long time for a character to be around! The 1980s series is the second television adaptation of the comics. It follows Peter trying to balance his secret life of crimefighting with his responsibilities as a university student, a part-time photographer, and caring for his dear aunt May.
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34points