Admit it! Most of us have spent our childhood reading superhero comics from DC and Marvel. Moreover, we have also adored the interesting animation series featuring our favorite superheroes such as Batman, Superman, Spiderman, X-Men, Iron Man and much more.
Those were the golden days of my life when the only concern was to make sure I watch the next episode of my favorite shows based on comic book characters. However, with time the trends changed and with that my taste of watching or reading also changed. Being said that, I would admit that the craving for more from these superhero characters never declined.
DC is ready for DC Live-Action Movies Universe with Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice, but they have a decent TV Series on DC Superheroes. Marvel already doing great in their cinematic Universe and their TV Series are also getting a great response.
Today, those comic book issues have declined and the animation industry has taken a drastic leap that I couldn’t fancy my superheroes saving the city. However, all that has changed now with some new Live action TV series being telecast across different US TV channels featuring the likes of Superman, Green Arrow, Flash, Batman etc.
Although the story-lines may be intense with lots of drama, these series are worth watching because of its two main factors:
- They are live-action with real actors portraying the characters
- They are bringing a whole new plot/story-line suited for this era.
So, without wasting any more time, let’s check out these amazing intense Superhero themed TV series from least Best to best.
Best Live-Action Superhero TV Series
11. Titans
Titans is the latest addition to the list of best Live-Action Superhero TV Shows based on DC and Marvel. Titans is a DC show based on the characters of Teen Titans.
Titans stars all the Teen Titan characters and also many other characters from the Batman franchise, including Bruce Wayne.
10. Smallville
All of us have read and watched the life of Superman as Superman, but we never focused on his teenage life or life before he became the Man of Steel. Smallville is a TV series that features the life of Kal-El as the young Clark Kent in Smallville before he moves to Metropolis. The series focuses on how Clark Kent gets control over his superpowers while keeping a low profile at school. Smallville also features some of his heroics when he saves his small town and occasionally Metropolis during some unusual events.
9. Legends of Tomorrow
The CW TV Network’s Legends of Tomorrow is the latest TV series on the list originally released in January 2016. The series follows the plot, where Rip Hunter travels back in time to the current era in order to form a team of heroes and villains, who will stop Vandal Savage from destroying the world and the time itself. The series features a superhero and super villain’s team comprising of Atom, Firestorm, White Canary, Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Rip Hunter, Captain Cold, etc, who form “Legends of Tomorrow”. All new CW Shows including Flash are linked to Arrow or you can say that Arrow introduced all the characters of Legends of Tomorrow.
8. Agent Carter
Inspired by the film Captain America: The First Avenger, and adapted from the short film of the same name, Marvel’s Agent Carter is a TV series based on the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter, the love interest of Captain America. The series follows the life of Peggy Carter as Agent Carter after the apparent death of Steve Rogers aka Captain America, where she tries to balance her life as a secret agent at Strategic Scientific Reserve. Despite her exquisite talent as a worthy agent, she is often despised by her boss and colleagues because of being a woman. As the story is set in the 1940s, the series also shows the challenges and hardships that a single woman goes through, when she tries to set her own career path.
7. Jessica Jones
Netflix original’s Jessica Jones is an American TV series based on the Marvel Universe character of the same name. It shares the same continuity as the other TV series and movies currently running in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series features the life of Jessica Jones after an end to her superhero career. In the series, she runs a detective agency, Alias Investigations, where she solves crimes.
6. Supergirl
Supergirl, as the name suggests, is a superhero-themed TV series based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El, who later becomes Supergirl using her powers similar to her cousin Superman. Kara is sent to the Earth before her cousin Kal-El aka Superman as a protector to the young Kal-El. However, destiny plays her part and Kara’s ship is forced into a Phantom Zone, where she is trapped for 24 years. By the time, she gets out of the Phantom Zone and reaches Earth; Kal-El is all grown up and has become Superman while she remains a 13-year old girl. Although she prefers a normal life hiding her superpowers, when she is all grown up, an event persuades her to use her superpowers to save her sister by preventing a plane crash. This is when she decides to follow her cousin’s footsteps to save her city and becomes Supergirl. The series follows her heroics as Supergirl.
5. Agents of Shield
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is an American TV series based on the plot after the First Avengers movies released in 2012. Lead by Phil Coulson, S.H.I.E.L.D (Strategic, Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) is a fictional spy agency set in Marvel Universe that prevents any kind of threat or danger to the world solving unusual cases and warding off enemy groups such as Hydra or Inhumans. The series shares the same continuity as the films and other TV Series based on Marvel comics.
4. Arrow
Arrow is an American TV series featuring the Green Arrow as Star City’s vigilante, who is on a mission to punish those who have failed his city. Unlike other TV series, Arrow follows two different stories in parallel portraying the life of Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow. One story follows the present time, where he lives the dual life as Oliver Queen, the billionaire playboy of Star City, and Green Arrow, a green hooded vigilante fighting off criminals aided by his friends. Whereas, the second story is set mostly in flashbacks, following the 5 years of Oliver’s life, while he was stranded on an island.
3. Gotham
Gotham is a TV series set in the city of Gotham before the transformation of Bruce Wayne as Batman. The story begins from the alley shooting that kills both Bruce’s parents. While the series mainly follows the story of Detective James Gordon, who starts investigating the killing of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Gotham also features the teenage life of Bruce Wayne. Although originally conceived to be Detective Gordon’s early days at GCPD, the series also tells us the origin stories of several Batman villains such as the Penguin, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, the Scarecrow, Hugo Strange and ultimately the Joker.
Also Read : Best DC Comics Animated Justice League Movies
2. The Flash
CW TV Show The Flash is based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen aka Flash, The Flash is an American Television series aired on CW. The series is actually a spin-off of another popular TV show, Arrow and follows the story about Barry Allen, who after struck by a deadly lightning gains super-human speed. After covering the back story of Barry Allen’s journey to becoming Flash, the series follows his heroics as The Flash fighting off the criminals, including those who have also gained superhuman abilities.
1. Daredevil
Netflix original’s Daredevil Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, Daredevil is a web television series featuring the heroics of Matt Murdock, who despite being blind uses his heightened senses to fight crime at night in New York as his superhero avatar, the Daredevil. Like every other series based on Marvel Comics, Daredevil also follows the similar storylines and continuity adapted by the other films and series in Marvel Cinematic Universe.
