It used to be that Netflix was the place to find the best Marvel TV shows but now that Diseny Plus is here and has established itself as a streaming giant, we now have a ton more Marvel TV shows to, well, Marvel at.
While we wait for the likes of She-Hulk, the likes of WandaVision and Hawkeye have proven that Marvel has still got what it takes to make amazing shows.
Currently there are two types of Marvel TV show: the ones that do and the ones that don’t share the connective tissue with the Daredevils (and Netflix) of the world.
Fox, as well as ABC, have been sporadic in their approach to its Marvel TV shows. They have managed to tempt illustrious TV show alumni, such as Noah Hawley with his subversive Legion, and gone for a Young Adult audience with the likes of Cloak and Dagger.
Then there’s the TV show that perhaps has the biggest link to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the best Avengers characters – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. A show that has managed to improve season by season, culminating in a thrilling finale.
Below is a list of the 14 best Marvel TV shows (the live-action ones) to grace our screens – sorry Defenders and Iron Fist fans, but they just weren’t good enough for this list – now it’s your job to choose which order they should be in, so don’t forget to upvote your favourites and use your (super)power to downvote those that just didn’t hit the mark.
And if we’ve missed your must watch, let us know in the comments below
The best Marvel TV shows
1. Daredevil
It wasn’t going to be hard to surpass Ben Affleck in that woeful Daredevil movie (and, no, the extended cut does nothing to better the film), but the TV show of Daredevil did that and so much more. Charlie Cox is brilliant and brooding as Max Murdoch, the blind lawyer cum vigilante. Couple this with a likeable supporting cast and one of the best villains to ever grace a screen – Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin – and what you have are three sumptious, blood-soaked series. And those long camera takes will go down as some of the best shots to ever grace our small screens.
2. Loki
Loki is a another Disney Plus classic. It start off a little bit slow, with the first two episodes packed with exposition but after that it’s a frenetic, mind-bending tale. We catch up with Loki after he stole the tesseract and, well, his actions have cause ripples in the Marvel timeline and he’s been told that he needs to help fix things. But all is not as it seems.
3. WandaVision
And there was you thinking that Legion was trippy! WandaVision is an absolute blast. While it is still streaming right now, the first few episodes are a joy and deserving of being on this list. Don’t go in thinking this is one that is just like the movies, it’s not. It’s its own thing and takes some getting used to.
4. The Punisher
The Punisher shouldn’t be as good as it is. The character is pretty one note – a vigilante army vet whose family have been massacred – and, well, lacking in super powers. But the first season of The Punisher paints a bleak, vivid portrayal of the character with Jon Bernthal adding much-needed gravitas to Frank Castle. The show is peppered with extreme violence, which keeps the hardcore fans happy but it’s the quieter moments of the show that work best.
5. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D
The first Marvel TV show is something that began inherently tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – as Agent Coulson made the unlikely jump to the small screen (given, you know, what happened). The original premise was meant to be about the people behind the superheroes, the ones who had to clear up the mess and bring a little bit of balance back to the world. But the show soon span away from this, creating its own superheroes and, despite a dip after season 2, is six seasons in and still going strong and has followed the space-based continuity of the movies.
6. Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones’ third and final season is now available on Netflix – and while it’s a fitting end to the character, it’s a sad coda that represents the end of Netflix’s love affair with Marvel. But let’s not mourn, as what’s left are three fantastic seasons charting the tale of super(hero) sleuth Jones, where she battles demons from her childhood, demons from the bottle and whatever other demons get in her way. While the arrival of David Tennant as Kilgrave in the first season isn’t bettered, Krystan Ritter as the titular character is just sensational.