The heroes and villains of the Marvel world have been so commonly associated with the silver screen that it might be forgivable if you happened to forget that they also made a name for themselves on the small screen, too. Or at least it would have been forgivable if Marvel Studios hadn't been dominating the TV world in recent years due to the expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the Disney Plus streaming service.
Yes, the debut of the Multiverse Saga allowed the MCU to utilize the long-form storytelling format to benefit the introduction of newer characters, build more vivid worlds, and spotlight some franchise favorites who never got enough focus in the movies. And it's safe to say that it has opened up a whole new world for fans, from the highs of WandaVision to the lows of Secret Invasion.
But the truth is that Marvel characters have been making a name for themselves on television for years. And with that in mind, let's dive into the annals to see if we can determined what the greatest Marvel show of all time truly is. Does that honor belong to the classics of The Incredible Hulk era, the gritty and grounded Marvel Netflix shows, or is it really owned by the more recent MCU Disney Plus fare? Let's find out!
30. Helstrom
It's strange looking back on Helstrom's ever-so-brief existence. The last of the Marvel shows produced for Marvel Television and Hulu, it was initially set to be a part of the Adventure into Fear franchise that ultimately went nowhere because Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios. But, for better or for worse, Helstrom was released on Disney Plus in October 2020 (just ahead of the MCU shows' debut the next year) and, well, there wasn't much traction.
It's hard to get people excited for a universe that was over before it even began but even the early rumblings that Helstrom might be set in the MCU (it wasn't) couldn't get people excited for this one. The show was something of a modern reinvention of Daimon and Ana Hellstrom in which the siblings teamed up to become hunters, taking down some of humanity's greatest evils.
It wasn't well-received, with criticism geared towards its bland plot and characters. It's hard to argue with that but Helstrom was dealt a bad hand by the situation it was in so it never really had a chance to find its footing. But alas, WandaVision came along just a few months after its debut and the MCU's TV era had well and truly begun,
29. Blade: The Series
The Blade movies may have been extremely popular, but Blade: The Series had the misfortune of existing at a time when superheroes weren't having much luck on TV. The mid-2000s weren't particularly kind to the genre on the small screen, so this one ended up going the way of Birds of Prey and Painkiller Jane in that it lasted just one season.
The show also had the misfortune of carrying on the story of the film saga without its cast. Kirk Jones took over from Wesley Snipes as the titular vampire hunter and he did a solid job with a very difficult task. Not only was he believable as the character, he was badass. I remember seeing those first teasers, and wanting to see more!
The series itself was a bit of a mixed bag. From a narrative standpoint, it didn't really come close to the movies, but it did have some great action sequences that are still fun to watch today. Honestly, I think Blade just needed some time to find its footing. It's unfortunate that the network didn't give it another season.
28. Inhumans
The hype surrounding Marvel's Inhumans was real. It was a show that was, at the time, considered to be a part of the MCU, replacing Marvel Studios' planned movie. But its debut on ABC didn't prevent it from getting the theatrical treatment, premiering on IMAX screens almost a whole month before its network TV premiere. Unfortunately, it didn't work out how anyone had hoped.
The show was about the Inhumans in name only as there were some major departures from the source material, resulting in a heap of negative reviews from both fans and critics. The low ratings it garnered also meant that it never continued beyond its initial eight-episode run.
It's a shame that the stars didn't align here as there was real excitement about the prospect of the Inhumans appearing on-screen, as well as potentially joining the MCU. Anson Mount was also very compelling as the unique version of Black Bolt, making us all long for a more comic-accurate adaptation - which we finally saw briefly in a Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cameo.
But it's hard to argue with the reviews; Inhumans was a major misfire that has left the on-screen futures of its characters at something of an awkward place. Years later and Marvel Studios have yet to welcome the species into the MCU.
27. Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion had everything going for it. It was based on one of Marvel Comics' most iconic storylines (and we know how well the MCU usually adapts those) and it was the long overdue starring role for Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. But to say that it just didn't come together would be an understatement.
One of the show's biggest issues was its pacing. Even though it was only six episodes, it felt so much longer than it actually was, as scenes would drag on unnecessarily, the villain (Gravik) would deliver lengthy monologues, and very little would actually happen for long periods of time. And as badass as he is, this was a threat that was too big for just Nick Fury, so the poor writing around why the Avengers couldn't intervene never felt credible.
The show also drew criticism for making some irreversible story decisions for no reason that retroactively hurt the MCU as a whole. And then there was the lack of focus on Olivia Colman's Sonya Farlsworth - who was definitely the best thing about it. Oh yeah, and the CGI-heavy battle at the end just resulted in the momentum that it did build completely falling apart.
Secret Invasion had so much potential and it certainly realized that on occasion, but the show never lived up to expectations. In many ways, it's considered the MCU's biggest failure, with that finale in particular being widely regarded as the worst installment in the whole franchise.
26. The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man might now refer to the underrated Andrew Garfield-led Spider-Man movie franchise but once upon a time it referred to a 1977 CBS TV series centered around the character. With Nicholas Hammond in the lead role, the show was the first ever superhero drama series based on a Marvel Comics character, so it seems pretty fitting that they went with Spidey.
However, there were some issues with the show. For starters, the suit wasn't very good. Yes, it was the '70s, but neither it nor the production values have aged as well as other superhero shows of the time like Wonder Woman. It was also a frustrating watch for comic book fans, as it completely overlooked the source material - especially in its second season, as CBS attempted to appeal to older audiences. It was an attempt to make the show more grounded, less supernatural, and more of a procedural. But like many '70s shows, the attempts to modernize programs back then have ultimately dated them by today's standards.
From the lack of notable villains to the fact that it just never really got a chance to get off the ground, The Amazing Spider-Man is an all-but forgotten piece of history. It didn't change the game in the way that, say, Batman or Wonder Woman did, but it is an entertaining enough watch if you overlook the fact that it tries to ignore the comics. Nicholas Hammond also does a great job at playing Peter Parker.
25. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
Marvel Studios never tried anything quite as different as She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. The MCU series was part-time sitcom, part-time superhero adventure, and all-time fun. Well, most of the time.
Tatiana Maslany was incredibly charismatic with her lead performance as Jennifer Walters, a.k.a. the woman who would be Hulk. It also found some unique and interesting ways to maintain its MCU connection while doing something different, and that involved bringing back faces such as Wong, The Abomination, and even Daredevil.
She-Hulk tried something different and succeeded in doing so. It might have made more sense as a network TV series (comedies still feel really odd on streamers) but the show mostly made it work for the most part, delivering laughs, some entertaining story beats, and a thoughtful exploration of what a day in the life of She-Hulk is like.
The show only struggles when it tries to fit into the MCU (as not all of the characters feel like themselves when it does) and not all of the laughs land as they are meant to. The CGI, though significantly better than the first trailer suggested, still falters on more than one occasion. And although it spends most of its run at a very good standard, it feels like it's often just one step or two away from greatness - only truly reaching it on occasions like Jen's meaningful monologue or the Daredevil episode.
Nevertheless, fams are still holding out hope for a She-Hulk return someday.
24. Iron Fist
Iron Fist was the last of the original batch of Marvel Netflix shows designed to set the stage for eventual team-up The Defenders. It was also the worst-received, with audiences not really taking to the more grounded interpretation of Danny Rand and the lore revolving around the Iron Fist. Its biggest issue was pacing, as it resulted in multiple episodes feeling drawn-out.
This was the first real stumble for the Netflix shows, which had been consistent up until this point. I personally don't feel like it was that big of a stumble, as the show was still highly entertaining and they tried to do some interesting things throughout that first season. Unfortunately, it just had a bit too much pressure on it as it was the last solo title prior to The Defenders, which also suffered from the same issues.
In Iron Fist's defense, the creative team actually listened to fans' concerns and produced a much stronger second season. History doesn't remind us of that enough, but season 2 was actually much tighter and more entertaining than a lot of the other installments in the Marvel Netflix shared universe. And we don't give Finn Jones enough credit for doing a great job as the title character.
23. Runaways
The late 2010s saw a number of Marvel Television properties end up on various networks and streamers outside of Netflix. One was the incredibly underrated Runaways, which streamed three seasons on Hulu betweem 2017 and 2019. The show was based on the Runaways characters from the comics, who are a group of gifted teenagers that team up to take on their parents, all of whom are part of an evil supervillain faction known as The Pride.
Runaways wasn't reinventing the wheel but what it did have was heart, and plenty of it. Its ensemble cast was very much its guiding light, with the chemistry between young actors Rhenzy Feliz, Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner, Ariela Barer, Gregg Sulkin, and Allegra Acosta providing plenty of beauty throughout its three-season run.
I genuinely think this show had much more to give as it still felt like it was only scratching the surface of its potential when it ended its run. But it is an endearing part of the Marvel TV bracket looked back upon fondly (albeit not fondly enough).
22. The Gifted
Speaking of shows with unrealized potential, The Gifted felt like it was building up to brilliance before it was cancelled by Fox after just two seasons. An honorary spinoff of the X-Men franchise, the series was set in an alternate universe where the X-Men themselves had disappeared and focused on a family on the run, desperate to protect their mutant children from the discriminatory government.
If you've read the X-Men comics, you'll be familiar with storylines like this, which is part of what made The Gifted so intriguing to watch. Yes, it felt a bit like it belonged in the early 2000s era of "we can't do superheroes on TV so here have a family drama based on the comics instead" but it worked remarkably well all things considered. Its characters were also well-developed, making you root for them as they evaded the government.
The Gifted needed more time to grow into the juggernaut that it could have been, but it was still a compelling watch throughout its two-season run.
21. The Defenders
The first phase of Marvel's Netflix shared universe was all building towards the arrival of The Defenders, a crossover of all four of the shows within it that would bring each of the title heroes together. This was the Avengers of the small screen.
The Defenders didn't quite pack the emphatic punch fans were hoping it would. While it was great to see Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist all share the screen for the first time (and the same goes for each of their respective actors), the show suffered from a number of issues that had begun to plague some of the more recent of the Netflix shows at a time.
Its biggest hindrance was the pacing. Even though it had a neat episode count of just eight episodes (the smallest in the whole Marvel Netflix catalog), it somehow managed to feel a good bit longer than that. That might have something to do with the fact that they were up against The Hand again, who had become a recurring thorn in both Iron Fist and Daredevil's sides. It also struggled with the fact that it felt more TV-like, which is in stark contrast to all of the other shows' incredibly cinematic feels.
Nevertheless, the performances were reliably great and the fight choreography was once again of an incredibly high standard, making for some jaw-dropping sequences. The Defenders was, on a whole, an unforgettable experience that truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment. That, more than anything, made it worth the watch.
20. Ironheart
Ironheart was dealt a bad hand by Marvel Studios. It was originally envisioned, produced, and filmed during the initial wave of MCU Disney Plus shows, where everybody got their own miniseries that would ultimately become important to the movies. Then it was held back for three years while the studio evolved, placing more of a focus on ongoing Marvel TV shows instead, isolating projects from the wider MCU and allowing for multiple seasons.
When it finally did release, it became clear that there was nothing to worry about with this one. Dominique Thorne's return as Riri Williams was well worth the wait as her committed performance highlights the complexities of the character, while also showcasing the emotional struggles that she has endured. Riri is dealing with the pressure of having all the same talents as Iron Man without any of the funding - all while juggling the residual grief of losing her fathers and her best friend - and that leads her down some unexpectedly dark roads.
Ironheart does struggle from pacing issues on occasion which its release format - two shorter binges of three episodes each - mostly allowed it to sidestep. That suggests that it could probably have been an episode shorter, but it generally delivers on the character journeys and the supersuit showdowns. It also features one of the most pivotal moments in the entire Multiverse Saga, which potentially makes it all the more important to the MCU's future than we initially thought.
19. The Punisher
Jon Bernthal's arrival as Frank Castle in the second season of Daredevil created another layer of intrigue in the complex shared universe that the Netflix shows were building. He was a wild card that was technically on the same side as The Man Without Fear but intent on doing things his own way; even if that meant killing Daredevil himself. It was also the beginning of the shared universe's second phase, introducing another Marvel character who would go on to headline his own show.
Needless to say, anticipation was high for The Punisher. Not only would Bernthal return as Frank Castle, Deborah Ann Woll would reprise her Daredevil role as Karen Page. It was a thrill to see the two share the screen together in what would unsurprisingly be a gritty, bloody, and compelling first season.
In many ways, The Punisher was exactly what you'd expect it to be; a violent, tense action thriller full of complicated character journeys. However, as the Netflix shows were beginning to run out of stream at this point, it suffered from some of the same issues which hampered some of the shared universe's most recent outings at the time, such as pacing issues. Some of the character work, particularly in the second season, also let it down, preventing it from reaching the heights of Daredevil and Jessica Jones' first seasons.
Bernthal was incredible and it was proof that The Punisher is the definitive role of his career. We're so glad that he finally got the chance to return to the role after this, eventually resurfacing in Daredevil: Born Again, The Punisher: One Last Kill, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
18. Cloak and Dagger
Another underrated series from the Marvel TV days, Cloak and Dagger ran for two seasons on Freeform between 2018 and 2019. It too was loosely set in the MCU, acknowledging some of the events that transpired in the movies, while also focusing primarily on its own characters and storylines.
The titular duo, real names Tandy and Tyrone, were imbued with superpowers after a Roxxon accident, uniting them in the process. They had their differences, but their gifts bonded them in a way that few others could understand them and it soon led them to realize that their power levels grew whenever they were together.
While the show did bite off more than it could chew on occasion, it produced some remarkably thought-provoking stories that elevated the superhero TV genre at the time. It also had just enough balance between superhero fun and seriousness to pull off its premise, while Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph did a phenomenal job with their engaging performances.
Again, this show was capable of more had it been given the chance.
17. The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk might have been made by Universal Television for CBS but it became the most popular series based on a Marvel Comics character for a very long time. It fared much better than The Amazing Spider-Man series and is credited for turning the Hulk into a mainstream sensation as it entertained audiences weekly between 1977 and 1982, producing 80 episodes across five seasons - which was a huge deal at the time.
Sure, it was a product of its time with some outdated storylines and '70s production values but with the way in which it managed to tell intricate stories about the duality of David Banner (not Bruce, interestingly enough) and his green alter-ego was very impressive for the time. Bill Bixby delivered a compelling and nuanced performance as David, while Lou Ferringo was absolutely terrifying as the Hulk. And watching these two get up to some absolutely wild adventures made the show a blast.
It also flew the superhero TV flag at a time when there was so few of them, so who knows where the genre - and the Hulk - would be today without it.
16. The Falcon and the Winter Solider
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was actually supposed to be the first of the Marvel Studios Disney Plus shows but some delays resulted in it getting pushed to second. Coming just weeks after WandaVision, the show had a tough task to live up to those high expectations, but it mostly pulled it off.
The show's greatest strength lies in the chemistry between leads Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, as their characters' back-and-forth very much elevates some of those earlier episodes that don't quite come together as well as some of the subsequent ones do. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes are beloved characters within the MCU franchise, and they share a best friend, but they don't get on very well, and that sells the concept of the show well - as does the idea of Steve Rogers' successor as Captain America.
Even with a slow start, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier goes from strength-to-strength the longer that it goes on, producing a compelling tale that spotlights important issue-led storylines and remarkable performances. Seeing Sam's journey to becoming Captain America pay off was a fulfilling moment for fans, as was seeing Bucky address his own trauma from years as the Winter Soldier.
The show also features some of the best fight choreography in all of the MCU. Period.
15. Luke Cage
Luke Cage was the third of the Marvel shows produced for Netflix on the road to The Defenders and it was hoped that it would follow in the footsteps of the critically and commercially successful Daredevil and Jessica Jones. For the most part, it succeeded on that front, producing another solid entry in a shared universe that was flourishing at the time.
Mike Colter played the titular character and he was fantastic in the role. That character had incredibly tough skin and superhuman strength, so he decided to use that to clear his name and protect Harlem. It made for a compelling tale, and the show differentiated itself from its predecessors well, with Luke's attempt to escape his past as a convict giving him a strong motivation.
The series delivered on what it promised, introducing Luke Cage with a bigger bang than even he made when he burst through all those walls and doors. It did struggle with some pacing issues and occasionally got bogged down with a slightly bloated narrative, but all in all, it was another engaging installment in the Marvel Netflix saga that could have found a much stronger footing if it had been allowed to continue for that originally-planned third season.
14. Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel was once the show that felt like it was never going to arrive (as it kept getting moved around the Disney Plus release calendar) but it ultimately proved to be worth the wait, introducing fans to one of the MCU's most exciting new superheroes: Kamala Khan.
The character is a major one as she became Marvel Comics' first Muslim superhero, so headlining her own series is a huge deal, especially for newcomer Iman Vellani who brought her to life. And that's a pretty appropriate way of putting it, because Vellani brought her to life, delivering an electric, contagious leading performance that just drew you into Kamala's world and made you want to stay a while.
Ms. Marvel benefits from its light-hearted tone. This outlandish storyline involving superheroes and ancient bangles is happening through Kamala's eyes, so it's only fitting that we see what she sees. She wants to be a superhero like her hero Carol Danvers, so actually becoming one is out-of-this-world for her, and the show does a wonderful job of capturing that.
While its villains weren't the greatest, Ms. Marvel successfully introduced us to its title hero in a way that made us want to see more of her, all while appreciating the history it told us and the characters we met along the way.
13. Echo
The first ever series under Marvel Studios' new Marvel Spotlight banner, Echo is a standalone tale focused on Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo. It isn't the first time we met the character as she debuted in Hawkeye, which technically makes this five-part drama a spinoff, but it is a welcome step forward for representation as Maya is one of the few deaf characters in a major franchise like the MCU.
The series explored Maya's backstory, as she returned to her hometown of Tamaha, Oklahoma, on business. However, while there, she inevitably found herself confronting her past, reconnecting with her Native American roots, and reuniting with family members she was determined to avoid. It all made Echo an emotional series that thrived due to its focus on character over plot.
It also saw the return of Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin as the show developed the complex relationship between him and Maya, producing incredible performances from both him and Alaqua Cox.
Speaking of Cox, she is a star; thriving under the spotlight and carrying Echo through all of its twists and turns. It all ensured that the series not only justified its own existence without a single nod or reference to the Multiverse Saga, it highlighted what can be accomplished with a stripped-back human narrative and a spotlight on the right character.
Echo wasn't just a surprise; it was amazing.
12. Wonder Man
Marvel Studios' answer to The Studio was a show that nobody saw coming. When the Marvel TV brand pivoted from miniseries tied directly to the movies to ongoing TV shows, it was multi-season projects like Daredevil: Born Again that were right at home. A miniseries created under the Marvel Spotlight brand should have been something of a fish out of water as the studio didn't know what to do with it or where to put it as the landscape had simply changed between its production and its arrival.
To call Wonder Man a surprise would be an understatement. The series starred Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as aspiring actor Simon Williams, who forms an unlikely friendship with Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kinsgley) as the two audition for the lead role in a remake of the fictional Wonder Man movie. The result is an oddly heartwarming, delightful dramedy in which two characters worlds apart from each other find common ground. The chemistry between the two performers is what makes the Disney Plus series tick while the light-hearted, fun approach to the story makes it feel very non-superhero.
Wonder Man is different, and that's why it works. And considering that it's returning for a second season, it worked very well. Not bad for a relic from a previous Marvel TV era that defied just about every expectation in front of it. Not bad at all.
11. Legion
One of the last shows based on a Marvel character to actually air on television, Legion fared significantly better than most of the others on this list. That might have something to do with its ties to the X-Men franchise or the fact that it was on FX instead of one of the big five networks, but regardless, it had a pretty straightforward run of three seasons - telling a story that was anything but straightforward.
Where to begin with the complexities involved in Legion's storytelling? Let's start with the main character, David Haller, who is the mutant son of Charles Xavier diagnosed with schizophrenia. Throughout the course of the first season, Haller realized that there was more to his story than he thought and eventually came to terms with his abilities, all against the backdrop of a mental health facility. Dan Stevens was mesmerizing to watch in the role while the writing, particularly how well it used the unreliable narrator device to highlight Haller's POV of the world, was absolutely exquisite.
Legion had a pretty short run but it told one heck of a story and it deserves far more recognition for doing so. This was a show that pushed boundaries and made us think in a way that few of the shows on this list really have. And that should not be forgotten about.
10. Moon Knight
To call Moon Knight a surprise would be to undersell just how good it is.
The Marvel Studios series premiered on Disney Plus in early 2022, coming after the first batch of MCU shows, and it sold itself incredibly well right out of the gate. It all had to do with Oscar Isaac's captivating performance as he played Marc Spector, a man struggling with dissociative identity disorder, battling a second personality and an ancient moon god all within his body at the same time.
The show was different from anything else Marvel Studios had produced at the time and that's exactly why it worked. It wasn't tied to any of the other titles in the MCU - in fact, it operated as though they don't exist - and that gave it more freedom to do its own thing. And when that involves introducing a whole new mythology involving different gods, warriors, and lore, that's probably for the best.
From the visual grandeur to getting to know Marc Spector, Steven Grant, and Khonshu, Moon Knight proved to be an unforgettable experience that left audiences thrilled in the best kind of way. The fight choreography was great too, as was the larger-than-life portrayal of Moon Knight himself; making for a triumphant live-action debut for the one Marvel character MCU fans were ready for.
9. Daredevil: Born Again
Nearly a decade after he first burst onto our screens in Netflix's Daredevil, Charlie Cox returned on a full-time basis in long-awaited Disney Plus revival Daredevil: Born Again. The series restored the characters, elements, and plotlines from the entire Marvel Netflix saga while also introducing a new storyline for Matt Murdock and his longtime rival Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin.
I'll admit that the first season is a bit of a mixed bag. A previous vision for the show had it serving as a complete reboot with a new format and new tone until Marvel scrapped that and repurposed it as a sequel to the previous show. The original footage, however, couldn't be scrapped and so new showrunner Dario Scardapane tried to work some magic and Frankenstein two different visions of the show together. By the end of the first season, we reached outstanding territory (even if it was a bit of a struggle along the way).
The second season, however, is easily one of the best seasons of television that any Marvel show has ever produced. Fidning its footing between the old and the new, it's a spiritual successor to the Netflix show, recapturing that grit through the ongoing power struggle between Murdock and Fisk while also placing a greater focus on some of the biggest fan-favorite characters from the original show (like Karen Page and Bullseye). The fourth, fifth, and eighth episodes are widely considered some of the best Marvel TV of all time. And considering that we had waited years for a Daredevil sequel, it's pretty safe to say that it has lived up to expectations... even if it took a while to get there.
8. Jessica Jones
I'll admit that Jessica Jones was a tough one to find a spot for on this list. Its first season is at the very peak of the comic book television genre, but its other two seasons don't come close to that level of excellence, making the majority of its run a little underwhelming.
The show starts Kysten Ritter as the private investigator with a troubled backstory of her own. Jessica Jones was once a superhero but that ultimately ended in a death, which forced her to leave the heroics behind. However, when her archenemy Kilgrave, chillingly played by David Tennant, resurfaces, she must use her abilities, intelligence, and detective skills to overcome him once and for all.
Jessica Jones was part of the Marvel shows that streamed on Netflix and while its run wasn't as consistent as Daredevil's, that first season is arguably the best of the whole shared universe. It's unfortunate that it wasn't able to capitalize on that momentum, because even when the subsequent seasons were good, they weren't on the level of the first.
Nevertheless, the show remains a compelling watch throughout all of its run, and it's worth it alone for Krysten Ritter's complex performance. And again, if you haven't seen it, watch that first season. It's incredible.
7. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Of all the shows on this list, none fought to stay on the air quite like Marvel's Agents of SHIELD did. It was one of the very first superhero shows of the modern day and yet it was very much an underdog in the genre. Nevertheless, it pulled it off, sticking around for seven glorious seasons.
Spun out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it saw Clark Gregg reprise his role from the few MCU movies as Agent Phil Coulson, who led his team of agents on an abundance of adventures that expanded the universe around them in ways that the movies could not. While the Marvel Studios era has attempted to retroactively write SHIELD out of canon, fans still look back on it fondly as a deserving chapter in that story.
The Marvel Studios shows could learn a thing or two from Agents of SHIELD, as it was constricted by the network television medium, which meant that it never suffered from the pacing problems that some of the Disney Plus shows have. Each episode was tight, concise, and just a lot of fun. And even though it went a little off the rails a few times throughout its run, it was an entertaining - and underappreciated - gem of the superhero TV era.
6. Hawkeye
When I tell you this one was a surprise.
Marvel's Hawkeye was undoubtedly one of the least-anticipated MCU shows from the first batch of Disney Plus originals. It's not that fans weren't interested in it; it's that the Hawkeye character had never really been given the spotlight he deserved to make him as well-rounded a character as some of his fellow Avengers, so it was hard to know what to expect from this one. What we didn't expect, though, was this epic adventure.
The show was led by both Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton and Hailee Steinfeld, who played burgeoning superhero Kate Bishop. Kate is a big Hawkeye fan and is determined to follow in his footsteps... literally as she ended up involved in a murder mystery which the reluctant Avenger helped her solve. This provided the show with the unique opportunity of becoming a holiday buddy comedy and it ran with that, offering up plenty of laughs and gasps along the way.
Renner and Steinfeld make for a pretty perfect duo on-screen, as the scenes between Clint and Kate were easily among Hawkeye's best. The show also benefited from some wicked action scenes, surprise cameos, and a festive setting; all of which made it the perfect Christmas gift in 2021. The icing on the cake was the fact that, beneath all of those laughs, there was some really nuanced storytelling that finally placed the focus on Hawkeye in a way that fans were longing for.
The gift that just kept on giving, Hawkeye was a truly pleasant surprise.
5. Loki
Marvel Studios' Loki was probably the most anticipated of the MCU shows designed for Disney Plus because it centred on everyone's favorite trickster. Tom Hiddleston returned as the Avengers: Endgame version of the former villain in a series that can only be described as very different from what we were expecting.
Loki is a science fiction series focused on the dangers of time-travel. It's a thriller that expands its core character in a way that the movies couldn't, allowing Tom Hiddleston to deliver some of his finest work as the God of Mischief. It's also one of the most pivotal shows in the MCU's Multiverse saga, exploring the time travel lore in much greater detail and setting the stage for the arrival of new villain Kang the Conqueror.
Its first season struggled a little due to its reliance on long-winded monologues, but its second is a masterpiece. One of the MCU's most visually-stunning titles, Loki is a thrill-ride that makes you question everything you thought you knew about time itself, taking the MCU into uncharted territory and gifting it with some of its finest hours yet.
In an era where the MCU has been struggling to find itself again, Loki is the beacon of light guiding it back home.
4. Agatha All Along
Another surprise from the Disney Plus front, Agatha All Along is the first of two WandaVision spinoffs and that right there should have told you all you needed to know about it. Kathryn Hahn returns to reprise her role as the villainous and sarcastic Agatha Harkness, who no longer has her immense powers and must resign herself to a life of normality in Westview. That is until the mysterious Teen shows up with a promise to restore that magic on the Witches' Road.
Agatha All Along wasn't a surprise because of its inherently talented cast - we knew they were going to be amazing - it was a surprise because it found purpose at a time when a lot of Marvel fans were questioning the existence of almost every major MCU show. It then used that utterly brilliant cast, which featured the likes of Patti LuPone, Sasheer Zamata, Debra Jo-Rupp, Ali Ahn and Heartstopper breakout Joe Locke, to deliver one of the most unexpectedly thrilling stories in recent MCU memory - and it did that by spotlighting the relatively unexplored magical corner of the franchise.
Marvel Television is at its best when there is a central mystery to focus on, and Agatha All Along is the perfect example of that. At a time when too many streaming shows were focused on being six-part movies, Agatha never forgot that it was a TV show at its core. It had a purpose from the very beginning and was able to use its format to tell that story, unravelling its mystery one thrilling episode at a time, taking us Down, Down, Down the Witches' Road every glorious step of the way.
3. Agent Carter
Oh Agent Carter, how we miss you so.
Debuting on ABC in 2015, Agent Carter was positioned as a prequel to the Marvel Cinematic Universe but a sequel to one of its earliest entries. Taking place in the aftermath of Captain America: The First Avenger, the show saw Peggy Carter attempt to find her way in the world after losing her beloved Steve Rogers; a world that was highly patriarchal and wouldn't give her the opportunities she deserved. But you know Peg, always willing to prove why those around her are wrong - which she did, time and time again.
The first season of Agent Carter is magnificent. Truly. A masterclass in storytelling, it benefits from taking a spy thriller approach, automatically distancing itself from the heroics that the MCU is known for. It makes for a compelling central premise as Peggy attempts to clear Howard Stark's name and take down Leviathan. That, against the backdrop of 1940s New York, imbued it with a sense of nostalgia that you don't see on network television these days. The show was beautiful, aesthetically pleasing indeed, but beautiful in so many other ways.
Hayley Atwell is a revelation in the MCU and her performance here was undoubtedly her finest. The show deserved so much more than just two seasons to showcase it, but we're so thankful we got to experience them.
Peggy ensured that we all knew her value, and we love her for it.
2. Daredevil
The Man Without Fear took center stage in Netflix's Daredevil in 2015. Little did the streamer or Marvel Television know then that this would become the definitive adaptation of the character and successfully launch a shared universe in the process.
Daredevil was nothing like its Marvel Studios counterparts on the big screen or Marvel TV counterparts on the small one. It was set in a world that could have been loosely seen as the MCU but one that was very much its own thing. It was dark, gritty, and compelling in a way that set it apart from every other show in its genre.
That first season, which charted the saga between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, was nothing short of spectacular, with Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio delivering absolutely astounding performances. Daredevil was always an intense watch but one that you couldn't - and didn't want to! - draw your eyes away from.
It also enjoyed the most successful run of the Netflix shows, delivering three seasons which all maintained the high standard it began with. The show was a work of art, perfection, and we're all so very glad that it existed.
Needless to say, having the cast return for Daredevil: Born Again has been a dream come true for so many Marvel fans. This story was such a high standard that three seasons always felt like too short of a run for it. But man oh man, what a perfect run it was!
1. WandaVision
To say that the era of Marvel Studios Disney Plus shows started strong would be an understatement.
When WandaVision premiered on the streaming service in 2021, we couldn't have known the emotional rollercoaster that would await us. We didn't know, for the show kept us guessing, asking, and scratching our heads for weeks as its central mystery unfolded in an environment that was both charming and eerie at the same time. It was witchcraft, I tell you!
Turns out it actually was witchcraft. WandaVision may have revolved around Wanda Maximoff and Vision living a joyously cheery life like your favorite sitcoms from all of the decades, but the comedy was a front for one of the small screen's most powerful portrayals of grief. In reality, Wanda was living in a fantasy, unable to process the fact that her beloved Vision had been taken from her so cruelly. She wanted peace and happiness, but at the cost of her unearthly powers growing out of control.
Excuse the pun, but WandaVision is quite literally a marvel to behold. The nine-episode series pays tribute to some of TV's greatest sitcoms with an incredibly profound tale at its heart. Led by a stunning performance from Elizabeth Olsen, and equally impressive work from Paul Bettany and Kathryn Hahn, it's no surprise that the show brought Marvel Studios its first Emmys.
A rare example of the perfect blend, it is without question the greatest Marvel series of all time.
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