As we’re in the midst of watching the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe series on Disney Plus (Loki), it seemed like a fun project to rank all the completed Marvel shows from worst to first. A few ground rules.
- This only includes live-action series.
- No international shows are included (skipping Japan’s Spider-Man series from 1978-79).
- This is not limited to just the MCU shows.
- Loki is not included because the show is in the middle of its first season.
This leaves us with a surprising 19 shows to rank! I’m guessing that at least some of these will be unfamiliar to just about every reader. On to the list!
The Oldies
19. The Amazing Spider-Man (2 Seasons - 1977-79)
18. The Incredible Hulk (5 Seasons - 1977-82)
OK, it may not be entirely fair, but I’m lumping these two ‘classic’ Marvel shows together. It’s tough to compare them to the more modern shows listed below. From the poor production values, special effects, and generally laughable writing, these two just have to bring up the rear of the list. That said, The Incredible Hulk was one of my favorite shows as a kid (which I know dates me more than a bit).
17. Inhumans (1 Season - 2017) - So incredibly forgettable. It probably didn’t help that it focused on characters that most casual comic book fans had never heard of before. In general, it was just very lackluster.
16. Blade (1 Season - 2006) - Did you know Blade was a Marvel character? Well, don’t forget it, since there is an upcoming Blade movie that will fit into the MCU and could release in 2023. The TV show picked up the story from Blade: Trinity (2004) but didn’t click with audiences and was not renewed for a second season on Spike TV.
15. Iron Fist (2 Seasons - 2017-18) - This is the first mention of any of the Netflix Marvel shows, and honestly it was the weakest of the bunch. Like most critics and audiences, I just didn’t find the show very compelling. I also felt the casting of the main character didn’t quite mesh with the character. One pretty strong miss for Netflix on this one.
The Teen Shows
14. The Gifted (2 Seasons - 2017-19)
13. Cloak and Dagger (2 Seasons - 2018-19)
12. Runaways (2 Seasons - 2017-19)
Here’s our next logical grouping. These three shows were really more teen-focused, in comparison to the rest of the shows on the list. Maybe I’m just out of the demographic, but none of these shows grabbed my attention, so they fall here in the lower portion of our list.
11. Helstrom (1 Season - 2020) - Another show that you might not expect to have anything to do with Marvel. It’s listed as being in the MCU by some sites, but is more on the Blade side of things, than most other MCU content. Is it good? That’s kind of hard to say. I found it mostly entertaining, but don’t have any issues if this was just a one-season-and-done series for Hulu.
10. Legion (3 Seasons - 2017-19) - Trippy. So, very trippy. Legion falls in the X-Men arena, as the characters are all mutants. Until the X-Men make their debut in the MCU, mutants are still an unknown quantity. I doubt that Legion will become part of the MCU, but it is a very interesting and strange show. It didn’t entirely grab me, but it gets points from me for taking a real risk in terms of a superhero show.
9. Agent Carter (2 Seasons - 2015-16) - An offshoot of both Captain America and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. this show lets viewers get to know Peggy Carter and what she did with her career, following the presumed death of Steve Rogers during WWII. The character has the distinction of actually appearing in 5 MCU movies, along with 2 series. The show was a more grounded story, with Carter becoming one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D.
8. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (7 Seasons - 2013-20) - This brings us to the longest-running series in the Marvel franchise. Note that while the characters from both Agent Carter and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. appear in various official MCU movies, the series has veered outside of the official timeline. So, it appears that these are standalone series whose events are not part of the official MCU storyline. This series had its ups and downs but was in general pretty solid.
Netflix Takes Center Stage
7. The Defenders (1 Season - 2017)
6. The Punisher (2 Seasons - 2017-19)
5. Daredevil (3 Seasons - 2015-18)
4. Luke Cage (2 Seasons - 2016-18)
3. Jessica Jones (3 Seasons - 2015-19)
Now we get a number of Netflix Marvel shows that have now been said to be outside the official MCU, but that really hit a chord with viewers and critics alike (some more than others). While Iron Fist was a letdown, each of these shows delivered to varying degrees. Jessica Jones in particular was an excellent series. Honestly, I enjoyed each of these somewhat more grounded superhero shows, including the short team-up in The Defenders. These are all marked by solid writing and acting, strong production values, and entertaining stories. All are worth a watch or a binge.
The Disney Plus Shows Arrive
2. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (1 Season - 2021) - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FWS) fits right into the Captain America storyline with our two main characters coming to grips with their roles in a world without Steve Rogers and after the events of Infinity War and Endgame. Strong acting, plenty of action, and the status of an official MCU storyline make this show a very entertaining entry into the franchise. It is also being used to set up stories that will be picked up in future MCU movies or other shows. In particular, if you enjoyed Captain America: Winter Soldier or Civil War, give this series a shot.
1. WandaVision (1 Season - 2021) - And we’re at Number 1! With the possible exception of Legion, WandaVision is the strangest and most innovative series on this list. Being the first MCU show on Disney Plus, viewers were understandably confused after the first episode or two. But, the slow build was well worth embracing the oddness and uncertainty of what we were watching. Like FWS this show also plays an important role in moving various MCU storylines forward in between movie releases. This is expected to lead directly into the next Doctor Strange film. More strong acting, creative direction, and good writing highlight this show.
