It’s safe to say superheroes are here to stay. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure; long gone are the days when Superman was the poster child for super-powered protagonists in film and television, as he’s now become the exception and not the norm. For the past several years, there’s been a thirst for damaged antiheroes and criminals searching for redemption, and the HBO Max series Peacemaker delivers that hunger for a new kind of hero.
John Cena stars as the anguished superhero Peacemaker, and alongside his squad of equally tortured and cynical colleagues, they attempt to rid the world of evil with several mishaps along the way. Sprinkling slapstick comedy upon epic showdowns fought with grace and gore has become a common stable within superhero television shows as of late, and now that Peacemaker has ended its first season after a successful run, there are plenty more series about downtrodden heroes fighting to save the world. Even if they fail more than they win, it’s the effort that counts, right? As we await it’s now confirmed second season, here are nine more superhero series like Peacemaker to watch.
Legends of Tomorrow (2016-Present)
A couple of criminals and jaded heroes are tasked with saving the world in DC's Legends of Tomorrow. Recruited against their will by Rip Hunter, an agent from the future determined to stop the end of the world. The band of less than capable outlaws come together to travel through time in attempts to stop the man determined to terminate Earth itself. Working with the time masters organization, they cruise through disco, poodle skirts, and everything in between while attempting to save humankind. Of course, they stumble every which way as they jump through centuries and continuously come dangerously close to altering the timeline in ways they shouldn’t. Notably reuniting Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell as a team of mischievous criminals, the Prison Break stars steal every scene they’re in with killer one-liners and charisma.
The Tick (2016-2019)
Set in a painfully real world with deadpan humor, regular citizens both despise and welcome superheroes as they destroy their convenient stores and apartments all in the name of providing protection while pursuing glory. There’s never a dull moment in The Tick, and the series find the absurdity in every moment of being a superhero, from the tight, unflattering uniforms to the less than glamorous side effects. Griffin Newman stars as Arthur Everest, a paranoid, conspiracy theorist convinced that the world’s most notorious villain, the Terror, is alive despite wide reports that he’s been dead for years. Accountant by day and clumsy spy by night, he runs into the clueless yet powerful superhero, the Tick (Peter Serafinowicz), and together they track down the truth throughout the city while running into various bad guys sprouting lightning and vengeance. The third adaptation of the cult classic comic book series, this updated re-imagination of the characters is a breath of fresh air that pumps new lungs into the tired superhero genre.
Doom Patrol (2019-Present)
This is not a story about superheroes, but instead the damaged, lonely souls whose scars are also their powers that they reluctantly use in attempts to help those in need. Doom Patrol follows a group of recluses who hide in a mansion rather than join society, the squad of outsiders eventually answer the call to action and go on wild rescue missions across the world even though they’re often ridiculed and judged for their appearances. The crew of misfits features Brendan Fraser as Robotman, Jovian Wade as Cyborg, Matt Bomer as Negative Man, April Bowey as Elasti-Girl, and Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane. All unique in their own right, Guerrero is a bundle of dynamite as Jane thanks to the fact that she contains 64 different personas within her mind and can change on a dime without warning. Packed with hilarious fiascos that match Peacemaker in its gore and clumsiness, Doom Patrol is a fun, tragic look at the superheroes who could just as easily be the ones waiting to be rescued.
Invincible (2021-Present)
Do not be deceived by the first few minutes of Invincible. Reminiscent of Spider-Man as high schooler Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) discovers his newfound superhero powers after living in the shadow of his superhero father, Nolan/ Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). He is a bullied outcast at school but saves the world when the bell rings at 3:30 p.m. As Mark adjusts to his powers and dons the name Invincible, he juggles crushes, schoolwork, and very bad men. It sounds sweet and wholesome but be forewarned. There is plenty of guts and brains spilled amidst unbelievable amounts of carnage after a seemingly clean, PG-13 level first episode. Invincible is a bloody good time as Mark finds his ground within the superhero world, and Sandra Oh elevates the series to a whole new level by voicing his headstrong mother, Debbie. Chained to his pride, Nolan tries to cling onto his glory days while Mark speeds towards the future with deft force, and at the heart of the series is a complex relationship between father and son.
Jessica Jones (2015-2019)
The titular Jessica Jones is a jaded soul living in a dirty, irredeemable world. Played with irresistible cynicism by Krysten Ritter, Jessica is a hardened private investigator, and Jessica Jones is very much steeped in the neo-noir genre as she lurks within the shadows of New York City to catch cheating husbands while downing endless bottles of whiskey. A superhero equipped with superstrength, when her previous tormenter Kilgrave (David Tennant) rises from obscurity Jessica must begrudgingly access her powers for the greater good. Kilgrave is a master manipulator with a thirst for destruction, and Tennant is a terrifying menace that meets his match with Ritter’s Jones as the pair go head-to-head throughout Hell’s Kitchen. A thoughtful series about trauma, Jessica Jones revels in telling the story of one survivor's ascension into redemption.
Harley Quinn (2019-Present)
Kaley Cuoco embodies Harley Quinn perfectly even though she only provides the deviant character her voice in the HBO Max animated series, Harley Quinn. The antithesis to superheroes, the rambunctious Harley is getting over a very bad break-up with the Joker (Alan Tudyk) and wants nothing more than to join the elite and exclusive club of Gotham City's finest villains, the Legion of the Doom. In pursuit of her dream, she gathers a strange slew of misfit villains to serve as her co-conspirators while they commit various criminal acts, including her best friend Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), Clayface (Tudyk), Doctor Psycho (Tony Hale), King Shark (Ron Funches), Sy Borgman (Jason Alexander), in addition to the occasional help from Frank the Plant (J.B. Smooth). All the voice actors hail from comedy backgrounds, and they’re hilarious deliveries bleed through as Gotham's worst attempt to prove they’re the baddest of the bunch.
The Umbrella Academy (2019-Present)
There’s nothing more complicated than family, especially when you’re a family of superheroes. The Umbrella Academy follows the seven, grown-up Hargreeves children as they reunite after years of estrangement in order to stop the oncoming apocalypse. They’re messy, angry, and sometimes drunk, and together they’re not as unstoppable as you’d hope. Based upon the comic book series of the same name, The Umbrella Academy is a lighthearted, colorful superhero tale adorned with talking fish, musical montages, and sibling rivalry. Starring Elliot Page, Aidan Gallagher, Robert Sheehan, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver Lampman, and David Castañeda as the Hargreeves siblings, their incapability to succeed or do the right thing is what makes them so endearing, and it’s comforting to know that at the end of the world there’ll at least be a killer soundtrack courtesy of The Umbrella Academy.
Misfits (2009-2013)
Misfits is a gem of a superhero series that starred many talented young actors before they were famous. A gritty, coming-of-age story following various juvenile delinquents who couldn’t care less about their future, their community service goes awry when they’re caught up in a wild electrical storm that gifts them with superpowers. More of a burden than anything else, the group of teens struggles to adjust to their newfound powers while starring down adulthood amidst uncertain times. Starring Robert Sheehan, Iwan Rheon, Joseph Gilgun, Nathan Stewart-Jarret, Antonia Thomas, and Lauren Socha, they all exhibit extremely unusual powers and suddenly find themselves in a strange predicament of having to decide between good and evil. Arriving well before the superhero mania, Misfits is a proactive, imaginative series about growing up and the monsters kids face along the way.
The Boys (2019-Present)
The Boys is a revenge odyssey soaked in blood, satire, and social issues. In the series, modern-day America is adorned with several good-looking, noble superheroes trained to save the day. But in reality, The Seven, an elite group of super powered celebrity heroes who work for the corrupt Vought Corporation, are a vicious and villainous team of murderers who cause destruction behind closed doors but always smile for the cameras. This is where the Boys enter, an underground crew of vigilantes determined to reveal The Seven for what they truly are. Executive produced by the comedy duo Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the series stars Jack Quaid, Karl Urban, Anthony Starr, Chace Crawford, Erin Moriarty, Laz Alonso, Tome Kapon, and Karen Fukuhara as the various heroes and crooks who fight for the truth amidst lies and exploding heads.