Every Marvel show ranked from worst to best

Have you ever asked yourself what the best Marvel show is? Of course you have. Why else would you click this link? Still, it’s a good question.

After all, in the four years since Disney+ launched, we’ve had 13 different superhero shows (and two holiday specials), and the quality (much like the Marvel movies) has been all over the place. Some have been brilliant, many middling, while a scant few have been so bad you wonder if Kevin Feige released them as a dare. 

However, as the MCU’s small screen empire shows no sign of slowing down (just check out the upcoming Marvel projects if you don’t believe us), we thought it was time to sit down and work out which of these Marvel offerings is the best. To put this list together, we consulted the biggest Marvel zombie on the team (me) and hashed out a list with the editors until we had something everyone was happy with… then I threw that list away because it was wrong and put together the one you can read below. 

Oh, and we haven’t included the Marvel Netflix shows for the record. That’s not because we don’t like them but because they exist in the “nether zone of canonicity.” Now, some will claim that this is a phrase I invented to save myself some work. However, nothing could be further from the truth, and to prove it, here’s the cliff notes version: Daredevil would be in the top 5, Jessica Jones would be in the top 8, Luke Cage probably 10th, Defenders maybe 12th, and Iron Fist? Well, I’d probably forget to put it on the list and haphazardly add it after receiving an angry email from a reader called Finn. 

15. Secret Invasion

Disney+

• Release date: June 21, 2023
• Genre: Sci-fi thriller
• Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 6 episodes

What it’s about: Nick Fury and his shapeshifting alien buddy Talos work together to expose a Skrull plot to take over the planet.

What we think: Easily the worst show in the MCU canon, Secret Invasion is a banal and bland series that fails to live up to its incredible premise. Its greatest crime, however, is wasting the talent of its prodigious cast (Olivia Colman can do no wrong) and killing off fan-favorite characters like Talos and Maria Hill. Honestly, I’d rather give a Flerken its worm medicine than sit through this again.

Read our full Secret Invasion review here. (Deputy Editor’s note: I regret this score)

14. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Disney+

• Release date: March 19, 2021
• Genre: Political thriller
• Cast: Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Daniel Brühl
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 6 episodes

What it’s about: As Sam Wilson wrestles with the pressure of becoming the new Captain America, a group of terrorists known as the Flag Smashers – who think the world was better during The Blip – plot to bring down the world’s governments. 

What we think: While the plot of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is, for the most part, as exciting as mixing wallpaper paste, it’s nowhere near as bad as Secret Invasion. The series’ biggest strength is Mackie and Stan’s engaging chemistry, and it’s fun to see the pair snipe at each other.

Similarly, Wyatt Russell makes for an engaging anti-Cap, while Daniel Brühl’s dance moves enchanted the internet for a day or two. Sadly, the frustratingly confused story and questionable politics mar what could have been an otherwise enjoyable double act. Let’s hope Captain America: New World Order is better.

13. What If…? Seasons 1-3

Disney+

Release date: August 11, 2021
Genre: Action-adventure
Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Hayley Atwell, Benedict Cumberbatch
Regions: Everywhere
How long is it? 26 episodes

What it’s about: An anthology series set within the wider Marvel multiverse, What If…? tells hypothetical stories about different variants of our favorite Marvel characters. 

What we think: What If…? was a great idea let down by two big problems. The first was that the cel-shaded animation used on the characters looked stiff and awkward. It’s a shame because the background and action could be spectacular… but you wouldn’t know that by looking at the character models. 

The second issue was more existential. What If, by its very nature, was tangential to the events happening in the Sacred Timeline, and that meant it was always a difficult show to care about, especially with so much other MCU material to get through.

It’s a shame because the series had some great moments – What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands? might be the best Doctor Strange story the MCU has ever told – but this just didn’t cut through with people. 

12. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Disney+

• Release date: November 25, 2022 
• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 42 minutes

What it’s about: When Star lord falls into a deep depression, his teammates decide to cheer him up by celebrating the Earth holiday Christmas… and kidnapping Kevin Bacon. 

What we think: The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a bit like a present at the bottom of your Christmas stocking. You’re glad you have it, but it’s not the thing you remember about the holidays. Tortured metaphors aside, The Guardians Holiday Special is precisely what you’d expect from a James Gunn Christmas movie. 

It’s fun, frantic, and wildly irreverent, plus you get some great songs. The problem is it’s just a bit disposable. The Guardians movies have always been silly, but there’s an emotional core to them, and this doesn’t have that same complexity; it’s just an excuse for Drax and Mantis to have some hijinks. So while you’ll be entertained, you’re not going to remember it come January.

Read our The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special review here.

11. Echo

Disney+

• Release date: January 9, 2024
• Genre: Crime
• Cast: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Vincent D’Onofrio
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 5 episodes

What it’s about: Following her attempted assassination of Wilson Fisk, Echo flees back to her hometown in Oklahoma. However, Maya Lopez, aka Echo, soon learns why if you come for the king, you’d better not miss. 

What we think: A refreshing change of pace for the MCU, Echo was a violent and dark crime story that explored parts of Earth-616 we’ve never seen before (who knew there was more to America than New York City). 

The star of the show was Alaqua Cox, who managed to make Maya tough and vulnerable at the same time. Sadly, if I had one complaint, it would be that the series became less grounded as it went along, and Echo worked much better when it was less fantastical.

Read our Echo review here.

10. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Disney+

• Release date: August 18, 2022
• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Tatiana Maslany, Jameela Jamil, Mark Ruffalo
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 9 episodes

What it’s about: After receiving an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner, Jennifer Walters is transformed into the savage She-Hulk. Now a superstrong jade giant, Jen tries to return to her day job as a lawyer, but the world won’t let her.

What we think: Don’t listen to the haters. She-Hulk is a fun and irreverent comedy (Deputy editor’s note: Is it?) that punctures the pomposity of the superhero genre, and in that regard, it’s the perfect adaptation of the Dan Slott comics that inspired it. 

Beyond that, Tatiana Maslany was brilliant as the neurotic Jen and confident Shulk, and we even got to see a different side of Daredevil. Sadly, the show lacked any real stakes, and as such, if you’re not into the comedy, it can feel a bit lightweight and throwaway. Still, I liked its tongue-in-cheek approach to superheroes, and I wouldn’t say no to a second season. 

Check out our She-Hulk review here.

9. Moon Knight

Disney+

• Release date: March 30, 2022
• Genre: Action-adventure
• Cast: Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, Karim El Hakim, Ethan Hawke
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 6 episodes

What it’s about: When museum worker Stephen Grant starts blacking out and waking up in strange places, he’s shocked to learn he shares his body with the mercenary Marc Spector. What’s even stranger is that Marc is the avatar of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Yeah, it’s an odd one. 

What we think: Weird and Wonderful Moon Knight wasn’t always the most coherent story, but it took some big swings, and I liked it. Oscar Isaac brought his A-game to the MCU, delivering not one but two incredible performances that had to walk the fine line between being funny and frightening. 

Sadly, while there were a few nice set pieces, I was a little disappointed by some of the story decisions. This meant we’d regularly cut away from the action just as it was getting good. But hey, at least Ethan Hawke was brilliant, and we can’t take that away from Moon Knight. 

8. Werewolf by Night

Disney+

• Release date: October 7, 2022
• Genre: Horror
• Cast: Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 52 minutes

What it’s about: Five Marvel monster hunters are tasked with tracking down a dangerous creature at Bloodstone Manor. Whoever kills the beast can claim the Bloodstone, a mystical gem that gives the bearer great power. 

What we think: The supernatural side of the MCU has always felt a little underdeveloped, especially considering the wealth of material that could be adapted from the comics. Werewolf by Night then serves as a devious gothic love letter to Marvel’s more monstrous side. It’s basically a Universal monster movie with superhero fairy dust sprinkled on it, and if that doesn’t convince you to watch it, I don’t know what will. Now give us Blade! 

Read our full Werewolf by Night review here.

7. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Disney+

• Release date: January 29, 2025
• Genre: Coming-of-age
• Cast: Hudson Thames, Colman Domingo, Eugene Byrd
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 10 episodes

What it’s about: Set in an alternate reality where Peter Parker never met Tony Stark, this animated show documents Spidey’s earliest adventures in the MCU. 

What we think: While we’ve only seen two episodes at the time of writing Your Friendly Neighborhood, Spider-Man is off to a strong start. The animation leaves a little to be desired, but the show is a clear love letter to the Wallcrawler, and as a Spider-Man fan I had a great time spotting all the Easter eggs and nods to my favorite comics.

More importantly, though, it’s clear those writing YFNSM have a good grasp of who Peter Parker is as a character, and their first priority is telling a good Spider-Man story instead of setting up the next chapter in the MCU. Also, the theme song slaps (as the kids would say).

6. Hawkeye

Disney+

• Release date: November 24, 2021
• Genre: Action Comedy
• Cast: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Tony Dalton
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 6 episodes

What it’s about: Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Clint Barton tries to settle back into family life. Yet his past crimes as Ronin come back to haunt him when a case of mistaken identity leads the criminal underworld to presume that the young archer Kate Bishop was under the ninja’s hood.

What we think: After a few bombastic offerings from Disney+, Hawkeye was a much-needed change of pace. This street-level story was a festive treat that managed to flesh out the relatively underdeveloped Hawkeye in a way that felt organic to the character we’d met in the Avengers movies. 

What’s really impressive about Hawkeye is its tonal balance; it’s a funny show that takes itself seriously, so the action set pieces and smaller, more humorous character moments never feel awkward next to each other. Best of all, though, this show gave us Kate Bishop, a fan-favorite character who people have wanted for years, and it brought back arguably the most terrifying crime boss, Wilson Fisk.

5. Ms. Marvel

• Release date: June 8, 2022
• Genre: Coming-of-age comedy
• Cast: Iman Vellani, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 6 episodes

What it’s about: Kamala Khan dreams of becoming a superhero like her idol, Captain Marvel. But when a chance encounter with a magical bangle unlocks her latent powers, Kamala learns superheroing isn’t as easy as she imagined. 

What we think: There was a lot of pressure to get Kamal Khan right, and (for the most part) her introduction to the MCU was a masterstroke. The show managed to channel the same charming and adventurous spirit as G. Willow Wilson’s earliest work on the character, even while making changes to her origin and powers. 

Unarguably, though, the show’s greatest strength was its lead actor, Iman Velani, who shared Kamala’s boundless enthusiasm for superheroes. In all honesty, Velani is perfect, and her performance is up there in the pantheon of impeccable superhero casting decisions, with JK Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson and Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark. If I had any notes, it would be that the villains sucked. 

4. Agatha All Along

Disney+

• Release date: September 18, 2024,
• Genre: Fantasy
• Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Debra Jo Rupp, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 6 episodes

What it’s about: When a young warlock unlocks Agatha Harkness’s memories, she and her new ward must recruit a coven of witches to travel the Witch’s Road, which will supposedly grant their heart’s desires. 

What we think: A dark fantasy Agatha All Along is a wicked little show that balances a cutting sense of humor with a suitably spooky story about motherhood, love, and death (cheery). The show’s real strength was the surprisingly touching connection between Hahn’s titular witch and Joe Locke’s Teen. Their relationship kept the show interesting and grounded in what could have been an otherwise outlandish show. Best of all, we got another Marvel bop from it!

3. WandaVision

Disney+

• Release date: January 15, 2021
• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 9 episodes

What it’s about: Following the events of Endgame, Wanda Maximoff has constructed an idyllic life for herself and Visiobn based on the TV shows she watched as a kid. However, it soon becomes clear that not everyone in Westview is a willing participant in Wanda’s nirvana, and dark forces are plotting against the Scarlet Witch. 

What we think: Marvel’s first TV show needed to prove there was space for the MCU on TV, and boy, oh boy, did WandaVision do that. This bold and ambitious series enchanted viewers worldwide with its intriguing mystery and lovable characters. Best of all, it never forgot that it was parodying sitcoms and tried its best to be funny throughout, only occasionally undercutting that humor with a foreboding line or two, which foreshadowed its exciting (if slightly CGI-dependent) finale.

2. Loki Seasons 1 and 2

Disney+

• Release date: June 9, 2021 (Season 1), October 5, 2023 (Season 2) 
• Genre: Action-adventure
• Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 12 episodes

What it’s about: After the Avengers’ Time Heist, an alternate version of Loki is sent to the Time Variance Authority to be pruned. Before he can be erased from existence, however, the God of Mischief is recruited by Mobius M. Mobius to help protect reality from another dangerous Loki variant, and things just get crazier from there.

What we think: A mind-bending and compelling series about the redemptive power of friendship and connection, we’ve grouped both seasons of Loki together because there’s not much between them, to be honest. Season 1’s worldbuilding and character work is impeccable.

Season 2 builds on that groundwork to give the God of Mischief’s story what’s arguably the most satisfying conclusion since Tony Stark snapped Thanos out of existence. It can be a little messy at times (such is the nature of time travel stories), but its brilliance, like Loki’s glorious purpose, cannot be denied. 

1. X-Men ’97

Disney+

• Release date: March 20, 2024
• Genre: Action-adventure
• Cast: Ray Chase, Jennifer Hale, Alison Sealy-Smith, Cal Dodd, J. P. Karliak, Lenore Zann, George Buza, A. J. LoCascio
• Regions: Everywhere
• How long is it? 10 episodes

What it’s about: After Charles Xavier leaves the Earth and his merry band of mutants behind, the X-Men continue to protect humanity and mutants from evildoers and ne’er-do-wells.

What we think: The X-Men might not be part of the Scared Timeline just yet, but their first MCU outing has proven just how much Charles Xacvier’s merry mutants have to offer the most remarkable cinematic universe ever created. X-Men ’97 is a tour-de-force adaptation of some of the greatest X-Men stories ever told. 

That’s not what makes it so impressive, though; anyone can adapt a comic book that’s already been written (well, anyone except Zack Snyder). What makes it so bloody brilliant is that despite telling lofty tales about bigotry, prejudice, and even genocide (yeah, they’re not pulling their punches), ’97 manages to stay a character-focused drama first and foremost. As exciting as it is, the action is just window dressing for everything else. 

Looking for more hot takes? We’ve done a ranking of the best superhero movies ever made and the best superhero games. If that’s not enough to sate your Galactus-sized appetite for Marvel content, we’ve also got articles breaking down everything you need to know about Thunderbolts, the Fantastic Four: First Steps, and even Avengers: Doomsday!