WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Titans and Doom Patrol, now streaming on DC Universe.

One of the biggest criticisms levied against the DC Extended Universe was that it was simply too dark. Naysayers didn't believe superhero movies were meant to be so bleak, and it's become obvious through movies like Shazam!, Aquaman and Wonder Woman that Warner Bros. has recalibrated and is aiming for more lighthearted stories.

In stark contrast, however, the DC Universe has totally taken the grim, gritty concept and run with it, shaping stories intended for mature audiences. But for those who think it might dial things back a bit, rest assured, the streaming service continues to pride itself on being the darkest when it comes to superhero TV.

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This first became evident when the Titans trailer debuted and we saw Brenton Thwaites' Robin dropping that "F--- Batman!" line. From there, once the show aired, we'd be treated to a barrage of brutal violence, profanity, blood, gore and some pretty steamy sex scenes. It became clear this was for the R-rated crowd and, with Curran Walters' Jason Todd signing on as a regular for Season 2, don't expect this to slow down. In short, Titans is only going to get darker, and, honestly, the reception to the first season really highlights how well this approach worked.

It was a character-driven series with few complaints, even though many initially thought it should have been a heroic, inspirational adventure like the comics. The DCU really understood the essence of these characters and repurposed them for a very macabre tale that even had Batman going off the hinges, but, ultimately, everything felt organic and fit well in this universe. What cemented how dark this show was, though, was the retcon to Hawk and Dove's origins, where we saw Hank and Don Hall being subjected to sexual abuse by a football coach as kids, which led to anger problems and tragic superhero careers.

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As if to remind the audience how well it can pull off such disturbing stories, the DCU doubles down via Doom Patrol. It has everything that makes Titans R-rated, and arguably gets darker and darker as the dysfunctional heroes try to find Niles Caulder. From the infidelities of Cliff Steele (Robotman) to the fractured psyche of the aggressive Jane and Rita Farr being sexually preyed upon in Hollywood, these stories aren't for the faint of heart. The latest episode, "Jane Patrol," reiterates this when Jane's origin is unveiled, sticking close to the comics where she was sexually molested as a child, too.

Bloodshed is one thing, but child abuse angles are as risky as you can get, and not something you'd usually find in superhero shows. Nonetheless, the DCU handles these stories with sensitivity, as seen in the emotive performances from Diane Guerrero's Jane and Alan Ritchson's Hawk. These powerful depictions allowed the issues to resonate deeply and remind us even heroes are faced with terrible backgrounds, which can lead to depression, suicide, anger issues and other personal crises.

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These are all arcs the Arrowverse, Fox (with its sombre stories in Gotham) and other streaming services like Hulu, Freeform and Netflix (with its array of grounded Marvel shows) can't hold a candle to. Even at their darkest, they're no match for what the DCU is doing. It's not something we'll recommend for the DC filmverse, but for these TV series and upcoming ones like Swamp Thing, the evidence is there. The darker it goes, the better the content.