Superhero shows have been a fan favorite for decades, from the classic Smallville in the 2000s to Netflix's shows about the Defenders to the CW's Arrowverse. However, 2022 was an intense year in this area, with TV shows that are already modern classics.
On the one hand, Disney+ shows from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are thriving, but on the other one, there has been a wave of new and exciting shows that bring refreshing perspectives to the genre. From The Sandman to The Boys, 2022 was a terrific year for superhero fans.
10 Superman & Lois Shows Superman As A Family Man
Superman & Lois follows Clark and Lois as they raise their children, Jonathan and Jordan, while trying to balance family life with Superman's superhero life. Tyler Hoechlin had already appeared as Superman in Supergirl and reprised his role for this show.
The series takes a lot from the charm of Smallville, with the family returning to the small town to spend more time with family. However, as good as the show is, it pales in comparison to other superhero shows currently airing, primarily because of how disappointing it was that Superman & Lois wasn't a part of the Arrowverse.
9 DC's Legends of Tomorrow Is The Funniest Superhero Show
Known as one of the most chaotic shows on television, DC's Legends of Tomorrow released its last and seventh season in 2022. The show focuses mainly on Sara Lance, aka the White Canary, as she and the rest of the team go to several places in time trying to fix the timeline.
What made Legends of Tomorrow such a good show was the fact that it didn't take itself seriously. A mixture of humor, science fiction, supernatural, and chaotic battle scenes, this show had a charming cast of characters, mostly recycled from other Arrowverse shows. However, this show eventually failed to provide a consistent plot, and its quality diminished accordingly.
8 Doom Patrol's Dark Humor Makes It Stand Out
Doom Patrol centers around one of the weirdest superhero teams of DC Comics. The group, created by superheroes who received their abilities through tragic events, confront several different villains with the help of the Chief, who protects them from the outside world.
This show's fourth season just premiered early in December. Although this season is halfway through, the series has received an incredible approval rate. Its excellent mix of dark humor, heartwarming moments, and tragic stories prove it's an astonishing adaptation of the source material comics.
7 Moon Knight Expands The MCU
One of Disney+ shows from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Moon Knight introduces one of the greatest heroes of 2022, the Avatar of the Egyptian god Khonshu. Moon Knight, or Marc Spector, lives with dissociative personality disorder, and he has to work together with his other personality, Steven Grant, to stop Arthur Harrow from bringing to live Ammit.
People loved Moon Knight mainly because it's one of the darkest shows of the MCU. However, because of Disney's PG-13 policy, the show didn't reach its full potential. Surely, such a psychological thriller deserved to include more mature subjects and graphic scenes.
6 She-Hulk: Attorney At Law Made Superhero Fiction Feminist
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law brought to the MCU Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk. This superhero story starts when she's exposed to Bruce's blood and gamma radiation, turning into a Hulk herself. The show follows this character as she tries to balance her personal and professional life and her superhero persona.
She-Hulk is incredibly funny and introduces a new and refreshing perspective to the MCU. The show breaks the fourth wall, criticizes Marvel's predictable formula, touches on subjects like sex and romance (often forgotten by the MCU), and provides a raw and unapologetic criticism of sexism. Unfortunately, its terrible CGI didn't allow She-Hulk to rank higher among superhero shows.
5 Peacemaker Showcases James Gunn's Writing Talent
Set after the events of The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker focuses on Christopher Smith, an aggressively nationalist antihero working with A.R.G.U.S. John Cena portrays Peacemaker, who deals with an alien threat on Earth. Additionally, the series delves into Smith's character development, especially his abusive relationship with his father.
Peacemaker was widely acclaimed for its humor, goofy perspective on vigilantism, and John Cena's flawless performance. However, its facetious nature didn't conquer everyone. Some fans believe that Gunn thought too outside the box for this show.
4 The Sandman Portrays Another Type Of Superheroes
Netflix's adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman was definitely one of the best Netflix shows of the year. It centers around Morpheus after being kidnaped for a century. The god then goes on a journey to recover his sand, ruby, and helm to heal the realm of dreams.
Originally a DC publication, The Sandman stands out among other superhero shows because of the morally ambiguous nature of almost every character in the show. The series portrays complex and interesting characters at the same time that it explores what really defines good and evil.
3 Ms. Marvel Introduced Mutants To The MCU
One of the best Disney+ show from the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, Ms. Marvel does a great job of combining humor, action, and an accurate and interesting insight into Pakistani culture. The show follows Kamala Khan as she understands the nature of her newly found powers and creates a deeper connection to her family's past.
Fans had been asking Marvel Studios to include more diverse female characters, and with this show, Disney truly delivered. Iman Vellani does a fantastic job of portraying the teenage superhero, bringing a new and refreshing character to the MCU. On top of that, the show brought a new mutant to this universe, which completely hyped Marvel fans.
2 Harley Quinn Makes For A Great Batman Satire
One of the best shows to watch on the HBO streaming site, Harley Quinn is an animated series that centers around the life of Harley Quinn as she copes with her breakup with the Joker. The third season was released in 2022, and it follows Harley while she navigates her new relationship with Poison Ivy and discovers she isn't as much of a villain as she always thought.
Harley Quinn brings a new and interesting perspective to superhero shows, mainly because the series is mostly about villains and antiheroes. While the show has a dark and cynical sense of humor, it also questions what it really means to be a hero in such a chaotic and messed-up society.
1 Fans Love Everything About The Boys
In a world where superheroes work for a corrupt corporation known as Vought International, a group of vigilantes wants to bring them down. The Boys features the conflict between the Seven, a corrupted parody of the Justice League, and the Boys, a CIA-sponsored group that wants superheroes to stop abusing their abilities.
The Boys' realistic approach to superheroes is refreshing after many epic black-and-white stories. Both the Boys and the Seven are deeply flawed characters that serve as an excuse for Garth Ennis's love for shock value. The use of sensationalist topics, complex characters, and dark humor in The Boys proved to be a winning combination, as this is definitely the most popular superhero series of 2022.