Top 5 Best Superhero TV Shows

Before we begin I would like to enlighten the fact that this article is purely made of my own thoughts and opinions. Since 2012 when DC’s hit series “Arrow” made their debut, several series have risen from their comic book origin stories and onto the TV screen. All these TV series have grown and changed to fit their audiences and each is amazing in their own special way. Today I am going to share with you my top 5 picks of the best of the best superhero stories.

5 - Gotham

Gotham follows in the footstep of a rising detective James Gordon who is a huge factor in the later time of the Batman. This show reveals the life of young Bruce Wayne, who becomes an orphan when his billionaire parents Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered. Gordon becomes a friend to young Bruce as he finds his way toward becoming the iconic caped crusader. This show gives light to the origin of several villains of Batman and how they came to be conduits of crime. It is refreshing to see a young Jim Gordon fighting crime with honor and respect while villains find out who they truly are. I find the show also has a darker side to it when compared to shows like Supergirl or the Flash which adds variety to episodes. It’s much more violent than its peers and adds a sense of fear for the characters introduced into the show. But the thing about it is, many characters have a thing called “plot armor”. Since these characters appear in Batman’s story, they cannot be killed off due to the show being a prequel.

4 - The Flash

At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Orphaned Barry finds himself in the custody of Detective Joe West. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learning the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession - a particle accelerator, a world-changing invention - causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent. The show is actually very upbeat ironically from Barry’s terrible history. This is what makes the show different from the others. The show shows great character development and has a good end goal in mind that always grabs your attention. But on that subject, it happens to lack a true purpose. Yes, there is always the main villain of the season, but in every episode, they introduce new ones who are defeated and we never see again. This doesn’t really add any emotion to the show as if the character's lives are in danger. Overall, this show has great action scenes and great and interesting villains and characters.

3 - Arrow

Spoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow. He returns to Star City determined to put things right. Arrow was the spark that lit the fire that inspired all the DC superhero shows. This show is the longest running series of the DC universe and there is a reason for that. The show is just simply brilliant. Since the beginning, the show has brought in dozens of valuable characters that influence the drive of the story in a refreshing way. Mix this with amazing storytelling and jaw-dropping actions scenes and you have Arrow, making it to number three.

2 - Marvel’s Daredevil

The first in a planned series of shows detailing the Marvel universe, "Daredevil" follows Matt Murdock, an attorney by day and vigilante by night. Blinded in an accident as a child, Murdock uses his heightened senses as Daredevil to fight crime on the streets of New York after the sun goes down. While Murdock's day job requires him to believe in the criminal justice system, his alter ego does not follow suit, leading him to take the law into his own hands to protect his Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and the surrounding communities. This was the first of the Marvel series shown on Netflix, which was an amazing aspect being able to binge watch all the season’s episodes on your own time. The show itself is dark. Even more so than Gotham by a long shot. The show is full of very detailed visuals that are not meant for those with a weak stomach. The story is full of dark turns and unexpected plot twists. The action scenes on their own need a reward. In my opinion, the several Marvel series action scenes wipe the floor with DC’s shows like Arrow or the Flash. They are all one take, which immerses you in the fight and has no cuts so you can feel just how long it is. It also makes you respect the actors for how long it took them to choreograph the fights and to get it all in one take.

1- Marvel’s Punisher

Last but certainly not least, The Punisher. After the murder of his family, a former marine, Frank Castle becomes the vigilante known as “The Punisher” to exact revenge on those who wronged them. Much like Daredevil, this show is quite similar. The action scenes are set up the same way, but the way they fight is their own. Frank Castle is trained to use just about any firearm in his arsenal to fight and he is extremely dangerous at hand to hand combat. In the world that Marvel created Daredevil and Punisher are equally just as skilled. But the reason Punisher is in the number one spot is due to the gripping story. It hooks you almost instantly and pulls you in and you don’t want it to let go. It has such a strong plot that you feel emotionally connected to the characters. Unlike DC shows, in this, these characters can actually die and you feel as if they’re not invincible. But my favorite aspect about the Punisher is that he represents the USMC due to his time as a Marine and he doesn’t have enhanced senses or super speed. It’s just Frank and keen instincts.