I really love my superhero shows. I can’t keep track of them all though, and some I’ve dropped because they weren’t terribly interesting to me (Gotham), or got horrible (I dropped Arrow last season, and haven’t followed it since). But since the TV seasons are over, I’ve decided to rank what I saw.
1. Legion
This show is good. Really, really good, and transcends the genre. I believe it is probably one of the best shows on TV period this year. Everything from the writing, gorgeous cinematography you’d never expect to see outside theaters, soundtrack, unbelievably clever editing, and fantastic acting (Aubrey Plaza and Dan Stevens absolutely killed it, but everyone was great). So much stuff in this show is super subtle. Like how they play with aspect ratios, in a way that means something. I’ll be recommending this season to anyone and everyone for pretty much ever.
2. Agents of SHIELD
After a rocky first season (seriously, just grind through it, it really does get better), this show has been nonstop off the rails crazy in the best possible superhero way. It has no business being as good a show as it does, but every season finale leaves you wondering how could they possibly top this… And then they go do it next season. The transition into splitting the long season into ‘pods’ or mini-arcs that fall within the larger narrative is absolute genius, keeps the show fresh, and the viewers on their feet.
3. The Flash
The first season was the best Flash I could have hoped to see in live action. The second was also fantastic. But this one, while I still enjoyed it, some cracks in the formula started widening. We don’t really need another super speedster who is faster and better than Barry with the speedforce and whose true dark identity isn’t revealed until the back half of the season. Get a running arc with him battling his Rogues. They don’t have to even fight him head on (which is really the worst way to fight the Flash). Just be one step ahead like the clever bastards they are.
4. Luke Cage
I really, really loved the first half of this series. I loved the style, themes, sound and direction it was going. Hell, it even had him in his classic ‘bracers and tiara’ look once and made it believable. Which blew me away. Then something happened in the middle and it just kinda petered out into “meh, this wasn’t as good as it started out as” territory. When you fight Luke Cage, it isn’t about damaging him physically, it’s about damaging him and fighting in a myriad of other ways where his invincible skin can’t help. The show kinda forgot that.
5. Legends of Tomorrow
This show is pure camp. Good or bad, that’s what it is. I enjoyed it, but I’ll be the first to admit it’s definitely a ‘guilty pleasure’ kind of show. It’s pretty much Doctor Who with superheroes at this point.
6. Supergirl
Very close for me between Supergirl or Legends of Tomorrow in terms of the 5 or 6 slot. LoT beats this show out because it doesn’t try to get preachy with the ‘rah rah girl power’. Also, I know it’s Supergirl’s show, but the show has no business whatsoever trying to make the claim she’s better in every way than he is. None. Nevermind multiple times in the last episode. That really leaves a sour taste in the mouth of anyone who actually likes Superman.
7. Iron Fist
Screw this show. Go watch Into the Badlands for an example of what it should have been like and to get your badass martial arts television fix. This show should have been epic martial arts master fighting ninjas on New York rooftops with a sweet old school martial arts retro style theme. Not some corporate drama with a somewhat superpowered character side story. Iron Fist upset me because he’s one of my favorite superheroes, and with the quality that the rest of the Netflix Marvel shows have had, I was expecting the same level of love and care given to the series. Haha was I wrong. Can they even salvage it? I dunno. Guess we’ll see how the Defenders go with him.
I didn’t watch this season of Arrow, or Gotham, so I couldn’t possibly comment on them. I hear Arrow was better this season than last, but that is a damn low bar to walk over. I’ll probably watch it on Netflix or something later on if I get bored. And I’ve heard literally nothing about Gotham.
