DC: All 5 Superman shows ranked from worst to best

5. Superman (1948)

Superman (1948) was a 15-part serial that starred Kirk Alyn as the Man of Steel. It was one of the first live-action adaptations of the Superman character and was released at a time when superhero movies or shows were not yet mainstream. While it was not as popular as later adaptations, such as Christopher Reeve’s Superman or Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, it is still a notable moment in Superman’s history.

Compared to other classic superhero shows like Adam West’s Batman (1966), Superman (1948) is not as memorable or well-known. However, it still played an important role in establishing the character’s popularity and introducing him to a wider audience. The show’s portrayal of Superman was faithful to the comics of the time and set the tone for later adaptations.

The show was produced on a modest budget compared to the budgets superhero shows are given today, which limited the special effects and production values and is perhaps one of the reasons it doesn’t hold up as well today. Nevertheless, it featured exciting action sequences and thrilling cliffhangers that kept audiences coming back for more and helped the Man of Steel make a jump from the comics to live-action.

While Superman (1948) may not be as well-remembered as other classic superhero adaptations, it is still an important part of the character’s history. It introduced Superman to a wider audience and set the tone for future adaptations, and without it, there’s no telling whether the character would have gone on to appear in the other shows on this list. For lack of a better phrase, Superman (1948) walked so those who followed could fly.