Titans is one of DC's most popular live-action series in over a decade. It's not only aired on HBO Max, but an edited version of the series has also found its way onto TNT, one of the biggest cable networks in America. Fans have found joy in watching Dick Grayson's journey from being a cop who's running away from his past to becoming Nightwing and leading an entire super-team on his own.
But DC's had plenty of other quality superhero shows over the years. Titans can seem a bit dark, and it's certainly offputting watching a Batman who is so different from his usual screen portrayals. For people turned off by that, there are tons of other DC series for them to give at least an episode or two of their time.
10 Supergirl Puts The Maid Of Might In The Center Role
Supergirl was the third show developed by the crew responsible for the CW-verse shows, and it came out right after The Flash. In this universe, Kara Danvers has never attempted to be Supergirl, until she needs to in order to stop a plane crash from killing her adopted sister. Thrust into the role of Supergirl, Kara becomes the protector of National City against everything from alien invasions to secret organizations. Supergirl can be a bit saccharine but it’s still a solid television outing from the CW.
9 Arrow Began The New Era Of Superhero Shows On Television
Debuting a year after Smallville came to an end, Arrow started a new era of superhero shows that would eventually result in an entire universe for the CW. The story featured the beginning of Green Arrow's story, as well as an origin story for Star City. Though it was a much darker take on Green Arrow than long-time comic fans were used to, it was still unlike anything else that was on television at the time. And while some of its later seasons weren’t as strong, seasons 1 and 2 as well as seasons 5 and 8 are some of the best superhero television ever made.
8 Even Without Batman Gotham Was Still A Faithful Take On The City
For whatever reason, an actual Batman live-action series is still off-limits. But that didn’t stop FOX from creating the series Gotham, which premiered in 2014. The show focused on a young Commissioner Gordon, who was trying to get the city of Gotham under control after the Waynes's brutal murder.
Though this series is just supposed to be a prequel series for Batman, that didn’t stop multiple Batman rogues from making appearances. FOX’s higher budget presented a truly gothic, updated version of Gotham City that was so good it ran for five seasons even without the Dark Knight's presence.
7 Black Lightning Presented A Different Vibe Than Any Other CW Superhero Series
The CW took more risks every year their series were successful. After Legends of Tomorrow, their next step was creating a series based on the first black superhero for DC Comics, Black Lightning. While the CW's many series were gradually starting to suffer in quality by this point, Black Lightning had no such problems. Filmed separately from the other series, and with a different set of show-runners, Black Lightning had a unique vibe, and it gave black comic fans the chance to see themselves as the heroes (and main villains) of the story for once.
6 Swamp Thing Was A Quality Series That Lasted Only A Year
Swamp Thing was one of the four series that were initially hyped up to be part of DC’s DC Universe digital service. Alongside Titans, Young Justice, Harley Quinn, Stargirl, and Doom Patrol, it was meant to be one of the major drivers to the platform. The story focused on Abby Arcane, who comes back to her hometown and gets to know biologist Alec Holland before he is mysteriously murdered. As Abby looks into the crime, she eventually meets a certain monster dwelling in the swamp and reminds her a lot of Holland. For whatever reason, despite the positive reviews of this series, it ran for a ten-episode season before being canceled.
5 Legends of Tomorrow Features Heroes Saving All Of Time... From Their Worst Mistakes
Legends of Tomorrow is one of the most polarizing CW series. Either people dislike it for being too silly for a superhero series, or they love it for its irreverent humor and handling of superheroes and time travel, both absurd concepts. The series focuses on Rip Hunter traveling through time and collecting a bunch of characters, asking them to work together with him to help him stop Vandal Savage. But this straightforward concept goes off the rails after they stop Savage, and they spend the next several seasons fixing the messes they created throughout time.
4 Doom Patrol Has The Most Eclectic-Yet-Lovable Superhero Cast In All Of Superheroedom
Doom Patrol was another DC Universe streaming series that came out in early 2019. The series mostly relies on the classic cast of Elasti-Girl, Negative Man, and Robotman, but blends in a few other characters from Doom Patrol history to make the show. Doom Patrol is over-the-top from moment one, but it also happens to nail every emotion and makes its characters relatable.
Viewers want to follow them on their journey, and hopefully watch them overcome the things holding them back. The series is three seasons in with a fourth confirmed, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
3 Stargirl Creates A New Generation Of Justice Society Heroes
Stargirl was another series that was meant to release solely for the DC Universe app, though eventually it was aired on the CW as well. The series is set around Courtney Whitmore, a young girl who discovers Starman’s cosmic staff. Her stepfather once worked alongside Starman as his sidekick with the Justice Society of America. But the original Justice Society fell in a battle against the Injustice Society, leaving the world without heroes. But Courtney works to try and reform the Justice Society with a new generation of heroes.
2 Superman & Lois Finally Gives Fans An Actually Good Superman Again
Superman and Lois takes the perfect casting of Superman and Lois Lane from the Supergirl television series and finally does something with them. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch were perfectly cast as a newer generation's Lois and Clark, and this new series places both in Smallville with their sons. This show presents as classic a Superman story as anyone could ever hope. It's a Superman series with the optimism and hope that people would expect for the character. The show is perhaps the most welcome change of pace from the new generation of CW superhero shows and manages to exude gravitas without veering into melodrama.
1 Watchmen Is Only A Single Season But It Never Misses A Step
When HBO decided to do a television series based on Watchmen, it felt like a terrible idea. No one could have guessed it would have been one of the best sequel series from a different creator ever. The show is still set within the same universe as the comics, as Rorschach’s writings about the truth behind the Ozymandias incident have made it out into the world. Watchmen focuses on racial violence within the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a white supremacist group begins attacking minorities after discovering Rorschach’s version of the truth. Though this only ran a single season, it’s still one of the best seasons of superhero television ever made.