It’s that time again! 2017 has had an astonishing number of superhero television shows that have hit the airwaves. This of course is good in some cases and unfortunately downright terrible in some others. From mystical martial artists to a rowdy group of teenagers to a team of time traveling legends, superhero shows are beginning to explore different genres of the spectrum, making them all the more interesting as time goes on (in some cases). While we have some stalwarts entries such as the Flash, Arrow, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. making a return, we also have some newer entries in the forms of Iron FistInhumans, and The Tick to name a few. As was the case last year, we’ll be sticking to superhero fare (not just based on comics or supernatural series) so entries such as Preacher, Lucifer, and The Walking Dead will not be included.

Note: This list includes all series that aired in the 2017 calendar year.

For more of the Best of 2017, check out Allison Keene's top 25 TV shows of the year, Chris Cabin’s top 25, Dave Trumbore's list of the best new animated series, and Emma Fraser's look at the best songs on TV.

15) Inhumans

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Image via ABC

Network: ABC

Status: Unknown (Though I hope it's dead forever.)

There is absolutely nothing redeeming about Inhumans. Given life on television since the Marvel Cinematic Universe was searching for their own “X-Men” (ironic of course as Disney will acquire the X-Men as part of a Fox acquisition), the Inhumans had been originally slated to have their own movie until Marvel realized that no one in their right mind would care about characters like “Triton” and “Gorgon.” A slapdash attempt at giving Black Bolt and company their own television series on ABC in the wake of an IMAX contract is a slap in the face to not only fans of the characters, but to fans of television in general. Sent out to die on Friday nights, the proceeding series drips with contempt for its viewers. The acting is atrocious on all levels, and it was clearly filmed on a shoestring budget (yet in Hawaii no less). These aspects alone wouldn’t make it the winner of worst superhero show this year, amazingly able to dethrone Iron Fist, but the clear message that no one gave any amount of care or respect into putting this together sure did. Just take a look at Gorgon’s “hooves” as they change from poorly CG’d animal feet into what can only be described as fuzzy boots, or the fact that they shaved Medusa’s head in the very first episode as a clear cost-saving measure. Not even a giant teleporting bulldog could save Inhumans from hitting the bottom of this list.

14) Iron Fist

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Image via Marvel/Netflix

Network: Netflix

Status: Renewed for Season 2

I hate this show. I hate it as a TV viewer but I hate Iron Fist so much more as a fan of the original source material. Arguably, everything that has come out of Marvel Studios, from Captain America: Winter Soldier to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ranges from mind blowing to simply “OK”, before Inhumans of course. Iron Fist manages to buck the trend delivering a poorly acted, poorly choreographed and sometimes outright offensive 13 episode series that actively makes you question what everyone involved with this was thinking. Finn Jones absolutely flounders as Danny Rand, a bland lifeless version of Tony Stark who has the ability to perform shoddy martial arts moves thanks to scenes that often comprise up to 57 cutaways. The series nightmarishly slogs along, reminding you of potential cool ideas, such as K’un L’un and an immortal dragon that Rand received his powers from, that you will absolutely never see. Burn this with fire and avoid at all costs.

13) Powerless

Image via NBC

Network: NBC

Status: Canceled

The very definition of “dead on arrival," even though Powerless had an interesting enough premise: watching the world of regular people working at Wayne Enterprises as they attempt to navigate a world of superheroes. Again though, while sound in concept, the execution left much to be desired with mostly flat punchlines and various references to the DC comics universe. Outside of the trappings of Wayne Enterprise and a few random appearances of Z-Listers such as the Crimson Fox, Powerless doesn’t manage to be much more than a limp version of the Office, never managing to find its voice. If not for Iron Fist dropping this past year, Powerless would have been the last entry in our rankings without a doubt. [Editor's Note: But it did have the best title sequence of the year!]

 

12) Arrow

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Image via The CW

Network: CW

Status: Unknown

Season 3 and 4 of Arrow really brought things to a new low, but the fifth seemed to turn things around, bringing the series back to the highs of the first two outings. Season 6, though, seems to be following in the path of the former rather than the latter. Having Oliver give up his post as the Green Arrow in order to not only be a father but also the mayor of Star City could be an interesting hook, but the show flounders with the problems that have always been in the background. It's especially noticeable as Arrow doesn't seem to know what to do with Thea, or how to meaningfully incorporate the Newbies. Not even bringing back Slade Wilson and introducing Black Siren is enough to save this troubled season. At least they participated in the amazing "Crisis on Earth-X" Crossover (though amazingly Felicity managed to almost ruin it by getting married to Oliver during someone else’s wedding! Come on girl!)

11) The Defenders

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Image via Netflix

Network: Netflix

Status: Unknown (Though each character will be getting another season of their individual solo series)

What a disappointment. The Defenders promised to unite the stars of the Marvel Netflix series together in the heart of New York City, and while it made good on that promise, it failed to capitalize on creating a credible and interesting threat. While it manages to avoid the pitfall of the “13 episode curse” by going with a more wieldy 8, it still comes across as somewhat monotonous. The character moments between Matt Murdock, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and yes even Danny Rand are where the show really shines, but these are few and far between (and come far too late in the season). More time is designated instead to Elektra and the Hand, causing the show to stutter and slowly move along to the next ninja fight (though you can hardly call them ninjas, as they never seem to wear that attire). If not for another series on this list, the Marvel Netflix shows for 2017 would pretty much be a wash.

10) Supergirl

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Image via CW

Network: CW

Status: Unknown

Supergirl is Supergirl. It’s fine. This season introduced Reign, a new villain who is a “worldkiller” sent from Krypton to Earth by a doomsday cult. Meanwhile, Kara is still struggling with her day to day life after as the loss of Mon-El in Season 2. Ultimately, Supergirl is a stalwart within a sea of superhero shows, not necessarily standing out, but not ever being terrible. Melissa Benoist still does a fantastic job of portraying “the Girl of Steel,” but we are hitting Smallville-levels of drama with the rest of the characters (I’m looking at you Jimmy Olsen and Lena Luthor).

9) Gotham

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Image via Fox

Network: Fox

Status: Unknown

Gotham continues to be the ultimate comic book television show guilty pleasure. While the “proto Batman” costume that Bruce now wears is about one of the most ridiculous looking things I’ve ever seen, the series manages to learn from previous mistakes while leaning into the crazier aspects of the city at large, which is surprising considering how bonkers the show has been to this point. Professor Pyg, a little-known Batman villain, is introduced this time around and brings some delicious ridiculousness our way. Fox’s prequel to the Batman universe continues with some decent character work as actors chew up the scenery. I mean, come on, how can you not have fun with a series that has R’as Al Ghul applying for diplomatic immunity in order to commit further super crimes?

8) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

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Image via ABC

Network: ABC

Status: Unknown (Though this seems like it could be the last season)

Now I won’t necessarily say “How the mighty have fallen” with this one but the fifth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn’t yet hit the highs of the fourth, that’s for sure. Taking a page from Battlestar Galactica, Agent Coulson and the gang now find themselves in the far future where the Earth has been destroyed, humanity is in shambles, and the remnants are ruled with an iron fist by the Kree. While the characters we’ve grown to know and love are still in full effect, with hilarious barbs and genuine character moments between one another, ultimately, the series feels claustrophobic in its new surroundings. Still, we’re super early into the fifth season so it may take some time to really get the engine revving -- stay tuned.

7) The Gifted

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Image via Fox

Network: Fox

Status: Unknown (Still too early for these muties)

What a surprising series. What could have been a vehicle for simply promoting the next movie in the X-Franchise, The Gifted manages to hammer home one of the key tenements of the X-Men: fear of the other. By focusing on lesser known X-characters such as Polaris, Blink, and Eclipse to name a few, The Gifted manages to convey the true feeling of being a mutant without leaning too heavily into the superheroic antics. While the Strucker twins are the main focus here (man, the Struckers really get around in all these universes as they were also in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! ... sort of), the show manages to deliver quite a few surprises along the way as well. On top of all this, the characters are legitimately interesting to follow, and show a variety of different perspectives from both the mutants and those who hate them.

6) Runaways

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Image via Hulu

Network: Hulu

Status: Unknown

Sometimes, sticking slavishly to parts of the source material can work for the best! As Hulu’s first Marvel television series, Runaways manages to bring the insanity of the comics to the small screen. While the premise alone -- a bunch of teenagers discovering a terrifying series about their parents -- doesn’t tread new ground, what does are the show's ties to the world of superheroics. The teenagers themselves happen to be half alien, allowing for super strength, fire gauntlets, and a pet velociraptor to name a few things. It’s amazing that Hulu managed to bring such otherworldly elements and make them work in this setting. The actors bring their A-game across the board, and were this a different year, I think this would have been higher up in the rankings overall. Give this one a shot.

5) The Tick

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Image via Amazon Studios

Network: Amazon

Status: Unknown (still halfway through its first season)

The Tick's second live action outing, this time on Amazon rather than Fox, manages to greatly outshine the original series with Patrick Warburton, taking a small budget and creating a hilarious adventure. Performances from Peter Serafinowicz as the titular character and Jackie Earle Haley as The Terror are just two of the comic characters who manage to deliver consistent belly laughs. Focusing on a smaller scope than most superhero series, The Tick has a lovable cast, and the show delivers fantastic character interactions that convey the inherent ridiculousness of the concept and the character designs. Our first real introduction to The Terror is probably one of the best comic book television moments of the year for its fantastic lunacy.

4) The Punisher

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Image via Netflix

Network: Netflix

Status: Renewed for Season 2

Sigh. I really wish I could have ranked The Punisher even higher, and I spent a lot of time debating whether it would make the top three of the list. Jon Bernthal returns to Netflix as Frank Castle, delivering a tour de force performance that should really be winning him some awards. The final three episodes of this season are some of the best episodes that Marvel Netflix has delivered period, it's just unfortunate that the season has so many episodes. When you can honestly make an argument that a series could drop five episodes or so and not miss a beat, then you know that the show definitely has some problems. Still, I come to praise Punisher, not to bury it, as it is far and away the top superhero show on Netflix to come out this year. I'm highly anticipating the second season, as Castle’s journey this time around managed to deliver a surprising message about post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and the effects of war.

3) Legends of Tomorrow

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Image via The CW

Network: CW

Status: Unknown

This series is pure, unadulterated fun. While the first season was something of a dud, the second season, and subsequently the third, really leaned hard into the misadventures of a motley crew of heroic time travelers in the Arrowverse. Time Traveling Vampires! Telepathic Gorillas! Resurrected Villains! Julius Caesar! Legends of Tomorrow manages to bring swashbuckling superheroics front and center while displaying more light hearted comedic moments than the Marvel Cinematic Universe at times. Standouts for this season include the utterly ridiculous and fun mid-season finale “Beebo, God of War” and the musical number, “Return of the Mack” that had fans buzzing. Legends is a testament to how a series manages to start from humble beginnings and turn into a successful crowd pleaser along the way by taking risks.

2) The Flash

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Image via The CW

Network: CW

Status: Unknown

What has Barry Allen done now?? Make some damn fine television, that’s what. Following a disastrous third season that focused on the dark and depressing Savitar, God of Speed, the fourth season of the CW’s highest-rated series manages to get back to its roots. Each episode is now a delightful romp, heavy on the fun and comedic aspects that really made the show what it was from the offset. The addition of the Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man, also adds a bit of spice to the series as the “bad boy” of the team, getting Barry drunk in one episode and blackmailing the mayor in another. Bonus points for this season finally not having a main villain that is a speedster, as the Thinker manages to add a new twist to Central City’s “Rogues Gallery.” While this season isn’t quite over yet, I’m looking forward to see where it winds up.

1) Legion

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Image via FX

Network: FX

Status: Renewed for Season 2

The sign of a really great movie or TV adaptation is one that can surpass its already great original source material. And let me tell you something, Legion does this in spades. Following the psychedelic adventures of David Haller (who may or may not be the son of Charles Xavier), FX’s Legion transports us to the past, the present, and the future inside David’s mind as he attempts to escape a shadowy organization while fighting a mental demon at the same time. Without giving away too many spoilers, Legion’s antagonist, the Shadow King, is easily one of the best villains in superhero television history (maybe even the movies if I’m being totally honest). While Legion does focus on mutants and heroic feats of a kind, this first season is able to captivate viewers by keeping us on our toes as we question what we're even watching at any given time. Are we watching the past or the future? Is this current storyline taking place in David’s mind or in the astral plane? What are his powers and is he truly a danger to mankind? Legion is a piece of art and I cannot wait for it to return for its second season.

Honorable Mention: "Crisis on Earth-X"

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Image via The CW

While not technically a series, but rather a crossover between all four of the currently running CW superhero shows (and which would have made a much better IMAX experience than Inhumans), "Crisis on Earth-X" managed to take all the strengths of each series and incorporate them into a four hour event that was easily the best superheroic television event this year. Even if you’re not a big fan of the individual series, it's worth it to give this one a try as it can be enjoyed by any fan of the genre.