There's no lack of groundbreaking television and it's remarkable how the industry has been able to take such significant leaps forward in terms of storytelling and the quality of content. A modern trend that's impossible to escape is every form of media's intense obsession with superheroes and comic book adaptations. Superhero properties are now everywhere, and every studio and streaming service want a piece of the trend.

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The television industry has recently figured out how to translate superheroes to television in a satisfying manner, but it's taken decades of troubleshooting. It's exciting to see masterful takes on the genre like The Boys or Doom Patrol, but there are also plenty of superhero projects that have crashed and burned harder than a Green Kryptonite-infected Superman.

Updated on July 27 by Renan Fontes: Superheroes showed have been around for quite some time now, but not on the level Marvel's been pushing recently. Phase 4 of the MCU has seen an uptick in superhero content, and that's saying something. With so many new shows to keep track of – from Ms. Marvel to She-Hulk – it's easy to forget all the lackluster superhero series that bombed right out the gate. They might have their fans, but Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and IMDb don't lie.

Jupiter's Legacy (2021)

1 Season, 8 Episodes

Netflix made a major power play to compete in the superhero game with their acquisition of multiple Mark Millar properties and the intention to build a larger universe, which is now left in serious doubt. Jupiter's Legacy was supposed to be the flagship program of Netflix's Millarverse, but it's only pushed audiences to superior content.

  • Average Tomatometer: 41%
  • IMDb Rating: 6.7
  • Metascore: 45

Jupiter's Legacy analyzes rich material like toxic family dynamics and destiny, but it needlessly stretches out its source material in a way that dilutes the premise. Additionally, Netflix's budget for Jupiter's Legacy was astronomical, yet it somehow looked wose than productions from a decade earlier.

Birds Of Prey (2002-2003)

1 Season, 13 Episodes

TV Birds Of Prey WB Clocktower

Birds of Prey is now a pillar of the DC Extended Universe due to Margot Robbie's iconic performance as Harley Quinn. Audiences are now ready for a Birds of Prey series, but the WB Network actually tried to explore this territory nearly two decades ago.

  • Average Tomatometer: 52%
  • IMDb Rating: 6.3
  • Metascore: 58

The WB's one-season Birds of Prey focuses on Oracle, Huntress, and Black Canary's efforts to patrol New Gotham. It's impressive to see something like this get tackled back in the early 2000s, while also taking big swings like the murder of Catwoman, but the show very much a product of its time and the network's teen demographic.

Inhumans (2017)

1 Season, 8 Episodes

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become such a well-oiled machine that it's now quite surprising when a property fails to connect. Inhumans was a vestige of Marvel's old TV division, but there were such high expectations for it that the pilot received IMAX theatrical screenings.

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  • Average Tomatometer: 11%
  • IMDb Rating: 4.9
  • Metascore: 27

The Inhumans are an important counterpoint to Marvel's mutants, but the more eccentric nature of the central characters and the show's production design immediately deterred audiences. Inhumans will hopefully enter the MCU at some point, but any hesitation likely stems from the bad taste Marvel's Inhumans left behind.

Automan (1983-1984)

1 Season, 13 Episodes (Only 12 Aired)

automan

The 1980s are full of zany television series high on camp that celebrate some especially ridiculous ideas. In that sense, Automan feels par for the course for '80s television and its perception of superheroes. The series features a computer genius and his artificially-created superhero companion, the Automatic Man.

  • Average Tomatometer: 83%
  • IMDb Rating: 6.8

Automan is remembered most for its TRON-like special effects, but not because they're impressive. All 13 episodes of Automan didn't even air on ABC and it remains a regrettable relic of its time.

The Cape (2011)

1 Season, 10 Episodes

The Cape is a 2011 NBC drama that went for a gritty vigilante aesthetic. An altruistic cop gets framed for murder, which pushes him into donning the identity of his son's favorite superhero, The Cape. The Cape mixes police procedural action with comic book tropes, but it's clear that NBC never had any faith in the program considering its final episode only aired online.

  • Average Tomatometer: 41%
  • IMDb Rating: 5.7
  • Metascore: 54

Oddly enough, The Cape's biggest cultural impact is that it's the impetus for Abed's "six seasons and a movie" mantra, which has gone on to define the fandom around the television gem Community.

Black Scorpion (2001)

1 Season, 22 Episodes

Black Scorpion on the SciFi Channel

Roger Corman is one of the most notable names when it comes to low-budget success stories in cinema. Corman crafted his own sensationalist vigilante crimefighter, Black Scorpion, who received two TV movies in the 1990s.

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  • Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 30%
  • IMDb Rating: 5.8
  • Metascore: 33

In 2001, Black Scorpion made the transition over to television, but the one-season endeavor never connected with audiences. It's encouraging to see a female-led superhero series, but Black Scorpion just feels like budget Batman in execution. There are some strong casting choices, like Adam West as recurring villain, Breathtaker, but the series is hardly essential viewing.

Manimal (1983)

1 Season, 8 Episodes

TV manimal

Glen A. Larson is responsible for some of the more ridiculous TV series of the 1980s, with Manimal quite possibly being one of his most popular endeavors, but not for the right reasons. Not unlike Animal Man, Manimal is an original superhero with the ability to turn into any animal, which he uses to fight crime.

  • Average Tomatometer: 22%
  • IMDb Rating: 6.4

Manimal is endlessly silly, which often comes at the expense of the suspense that its crimes try to create. Manimal didn't get past eight episodes on NBC, yet it's still remembered because of its ridiculous title and campy special effects.

Painkiller Jane (2007)

1 Season, 22 Episodes

Casting can often make or break a superhero project, but 2007's Painkiller Jane found an excellent lead in Terminator 3’s Kristanna Loken as the titular hero. Painkiller Jane is set in a futuristic setting where Lokan's Jane has self-healing powers that verge on immortality.

  • Average Tomatometer: 25%
  • IMDb Rating: 5.7
  • Metascore: 28

She uses this advantage to take on enhanced superhumans who threaten the world. Painkiller Jane is serviceable, but there are just so many other heroes with comparable powers and motivations who aren't restricted to episodic storytelling or a limited budget.

Heroes Reborn (2015-2016)

1 Season, 13 Episodes

NBC's Heroes was a revolutionary piece of television when it first debuted. At the time, an original superhero property on network television was a big deal and the first season showcased the universe's vast potential. Sadly, Heroes hit diminishing returns each subsequent season and went out with a whimper.

  • Average Tomatometer: 42%
  • IMDb Rating: 6.7
  • Metascore: 53

NBC attempted to return to this well in 2015 with Heroes Reborn, a new series that functioned as a continuation of the original. What was supposed to rejuvenate the property only underscored how much Heroes had lost its magic. The 13 episodes came and went with minimal fanfare.

Helstrom (2020)

1 Season, 10 Episodes

There used to be some distinction between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and their related television properties. These two worlds have since successfully merged together and Disney+ is now full of MCU shows that have helped drive Phase 4 to its upcoming conclusion.

  • Average Tomatometer: 27%
  • IMDb Rating: 6.7
  • Metascore: 40

Helstrom was one of the final series from Marvel Television’s old guard before this shift, which gave audiences zero faith that it'd develop into anything beyond a one-off anomaly. Helstrom's aim was to mesh horror and darker storytelling with superheroes, but it's a muddled mess lost in endless compromise.

NEXT: 10 Worst Superhero Shows, Ranked According To IMDb