Look out, here comes Daredevil, the Man Without Fear! Seven years after the Netflix series ended with its third season, Daredevil: Born Again brings back stars Charlie Cox and Vincent DOnofrio, this time for Disney+.Daredevils journey from star of a canceled, violent Netflix series to new entry completely in the Marvel Cinematic Universe highlights the strange case of Marvel shows. Although Marvel has been a constant presence on television since the cartoons of the 1960s, the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe reinvigorated public interest in the characters.Yet, while the movies boasted a shared universe, in which Captain America can drop by Asgard (albeit as a Loki projection) in Thor: The Dark World, the TV shows were strangely sequestered. Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones lived on Netflix. Cloak & Dagger and Runaways stayed on Freeform. Characters from the movies got spun off into shows on Disney+.However, with Born Again bringing the Netflix series back, its time to look at all of the shows produced under the Marvel Cinematic Universe banner mostly. A few shows that came out during the MCU era fall a bit outside the scope of this list. Legion and Gifted both deal with the X-Men, but they dont even wink at the MCU and instead tell their own idiosyncratic stories. Likewise, the animated series Spidey and His Amazing Spider-Friends, Hit-Monkey, and M.O.D.O.K. might have some overlap with characters that appear in the MCU, but they have radically different takes and dont even acknowledge the multiverse like shows that are on this list.Even cutting out those shows leaves a ton of superhero action left to cover, some better than others. So lets dive into the world of Marvel heroes that have been forever changed by the MCU.28. InhumansPerhaps the least essential creation of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, the Inhumans work best as supporting characters within the Fantastic Four franchise. A messy royal family who support eugenics, the Inhumans are hardly the most likable characters from the House of Ideas. Yet, back when the X-Men adaptation rights were with 20th Century Fox instead of Disney/Marvel, then Marvel chief Ike Perlmutter pushed the Inhumans as replacements for the mutants.To that end Perlmutter advocated an Inhumans movie, something that Kevin Feige resisted as much as he could, bumping the project to a short ABC miniseries. And what a terrible miniseries it was. Despite some likable actors such as Anson Mount and Ken Leung, Inhumans never justified its own existence. When Medusa (Serinda Swan), a character with the cool power of long hair she can control, gets her head shaved at the start of the series, smart people forgot about Inhuamans until Black Bolts delightful death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.27. Marvels RunawaysHeres the thing about the Runaways: they have to run away. By issue #2 of the acclaimed comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the primary teens had escaped from home, upon learning that their parents were supervillains. For some reason, the television adaptation kept the kids in the house for almost the entirety of the series. Even when the kids officially left home, they kept breaking into one anothers houses for one reason or another.Without actually much running away and with superpower usage limited by television budgets, Runaways only had generic teen angst let to portray. It portrayed the angst ably, but covered the same ground that other shows had done first and better, leaving us viewers wondering why anyone even bothered making Runaways.26. HelstromThe best shows on this list figure out a way to take concepts from Marvel Comics and translate them to the medium of television. The worst get that balance wrong, hoping that the slightest gestures at one end can make up for deficiancies on the other. Case in point, the supernatural crime series Helstrom, starring Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon as Daimon and Ana Helstrom.In the comics, Daimon and Satana Hellstrom are the literal children of Satan and a human woman, who struggle to make sense of their conflicting heritages. The television show turns the two into children of a demon-possessed serial killer and send them to investigate spiritual mysteries, not unlike Supernatural or Lucifer (a show that does a much better job adapting a comic book to procedural television). The result is a show that trades in tired tv tropes that its occasional concessions to the comics cannot overcome.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!25. Secret InvasionThe most damning thing that anyone can say about Secret Invasion is that it doesnt matter at all. You could skip it and not be confused at all when Nick Fury shows up again in The Marvels, seemingly unfazed by what happened in his own show a show that included the deaths of strong supporting characters Maria Hill and Talos and revealed that Fury had a wife who was a Skrull.Frankly, those who skipped Secret Invasion were probably the happiest with the show. Despite strong work from the reliably great Samuel L. Jackson and Olivia Colman being Olivia Colman, the show couldnt decide if it was a sci-fi show about aliens, a spy thriller, or a political satire, resulting in a forgettable, sloppy mess.24. The DefendersAs this list will show, the Netflix Marvel series were a mixed bag, never able to balance the superheroics of the characters with the more grounded tone the shows wanted to achieve. Its fitting, then, that the crossover miniseries The Defenders exemplifies all of the other shows problems.The eight-episode mini wisely builds out of Daredevil, the strongest of the Netflix shows, with a plot that involves Hand ninjas trying to gain control of a super weapon called Black Sky, which turns out to be Daredevils girlfriend Elektra. As much as the Hand leader Alexandria, played by a disinterested Sigourney Weaver, talks about the end of the world, The Defenders feels shockingly tiny, mostly a bunch of people in business suits having conversations in officers.23. Iron FistLike The Defenders, Iron Fist also confuses conversations in office buildings with compelling genre television. Somehow, a comic book series about a young man who becomes kung fu master after thrusting his hands into a dragons heart transformed into a show about corporate intrigue. Then again, given star Finn Joness nothing of a take on the main character Danny Rand, maybe producers didnt have faith that he could carry the action scenes.The shows second season benefits from a change in showrunner and more of a focus on the strong supporting cast, which includes an outstanding turn by Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing. However, it was too little too late, and very people even cared enough to tune in for a second season. 22. EchoUnlike the aforementioned Helstrom siblings, at least Maya Lopez had a strong MCU showing before getting spun off into her own miniseries Echo. As portrayed by Alaqua Cox, Lopez made for a compelling antagonist to Clint Barton in Hawkeye. But Mayas connection to Wilson Fisk, which does exist in the Daredevil comics in which she debuted, overshadowed the character, making her feel like a supporting character in her own show.Then again, theres not much to the show itself. Despite gathering some of the best Native actors working today (including most of the cast of the far superior Reservation Dogs), Echo drags across its five episodes, biding time until Maya can finally face off with Fisk. At least creative leads Marion Dayre, Amy Rardin, and Sydney Freeland work in enough underseen elements of Choctaw culture to give Echo some flavor it would otherwise lack.21. She-Hulk: Attorney at LawEasily the most divisive show on this list, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will certainly rank much higher for some and perhaps even lower for others. No one would place the show in the middle. On one hand, the strong reactions speak to the shows willingness to break the MCU model, something to be applauded. Harnessing the irreverent humor of writer and artist John Byrnes comic run, She-Hulk stars Tatiana Maslany in a self-aware legal comedy.However, the shows success relies entirely on how much the audience finds the jokes actually funny. If watching She-Hulk twerk with Megan Thee Stallion is the height of comedy, then you probably enjoyed the show. If the series felt like watching the charming Maslany try to sell sub-UCB improv, then everything about the show including the terrible effects and awkward MCU connections felt like a drag.20. Cloak and DaggerCloak and DaggerThe television adaptation, starring Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt, ditches the costumes and instead plays up the teen drama. As a result, the show works as a melodrama with supernatural elements, gaining a solid following across its two seasons. Fans of weird Marvel characters might be disappointed with the series downplaying of the superhero aspects, but those who wanted off-kilter YA tales were pleased.19. I Am GrootKids love Groot, so what would be better than a kids series about baby Groot getting into misadventures? I Am Groot is beautifully animated and each shows six-minute runtime meant that the adventures had to stay small and focused.And yet, even members of the target demographic get bored after one or two episodes. Ten episodes of the series feel like far too many, especially in the second season, which adds characters like the Watcher and alienates young children even more.18. Marvels What If?What If? might be the most perfect adaptation of a comic book series. Like the long-running comic series, What If? features alternate reality versions of familiar characters, playing out various thought experiments. And like the comic series, What If? was occasionally interesting and mostly dull.Which isnt to say that the entire show was a waste of time. What If? gave us one more chance to see/hear Chadwick Boseman as TChalla and the series recently featured Storm in her Asgardian armor, a fan favorite from the comics. Moreover, Jeffrey Wright proved to be the ideal person to voice the all-powerful Watcher, thanks to his ability to keep tongue in cheek without sacrificing gravitas. Still, its hard to believe that anyone remembers the episodes as soon as the credits roll.17. Moon KnightOnes enjoyment of Moon Knight might depend entirely on ones feelings about Oscar Isaac. For those who like Isaac, but see the actors limitations, then Moon Knight drags every time he deploys his goofy English accent to portray Steven Grant, and depictions of his alternate (and American) identity Marc Spector didnt help things. By the time the show ended with a television CG equivalent of a kaiju battle, Moon Knight was a lost cause.Yet, for those who love everything that Isaacs handing out, Moon Knight is a lot of fun. The series wisely adapts the great Moon Knight run by Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood, combining psychological exploration with archeological adventure. Even better, May Calamawy steals every single scene shes in as Layla El-Faouly, leaving us still clamoring for more Silver Scarab.16. Luke CageThe tragedy of the Neftlix Marvel shows is that they could have been really, really good. Luke Cage brims with potential, thanks to a captivating performance by Mike Colter in the lead and ambitious storytelling from showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker, who did not shy away from the social relevance of the characters. Add in ringers such as Mahershala Ali and Alfre Woodard as villains, and Luke Cage was set to match Daredevil for excitement and intensity.Yet, the Netflix shows were mired by some requirement instituted by Marvel, most notably a mandatory minimum of 13 episodes per season. As a result, most of the Netflix shows felt oddly paced, none worse than Luke Cage. The electric charge of the first season fizzled out, even before the show unwisely killed off Alis character and replaced him with the much sillier Diamondback (Erik LaRay Harvey). Coming out of The Defenders, the show lost any direction, saddling the series with uninspired team ups and a generic mystery plot.15. The PunisherThe Punisher might be one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Universe, but hes not one of the richest. The entire appeal of the Punisher comes from the misery of watching broken man Frank Castle inflict all manner of pain on the worst of the worst. So its remarkable that the MCU has wrung two seasons of compelling television out of the character and that were excited to see the Punisher return for Daredevil: Born Again.A lot of the shows success can be attributed to Jon Bernthal, who first played the character in Daredevil. Bernthal finds empathy for Castle, ensuring that he feels human, even when he goes to incredibly dark lengths in his war on crime. Then again, the show didnt always match Bernthals efforts, too often falling back into the standard doom and gloom of the Punishers world. That said, it does have Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Franks usual sidekick Microchip, which will probably come up with some wacky multiverse shenanigans in the Fantastic Four.14. The Falcon and the Winter SoldierAt times, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier pays off the promise of the MCU shows. Where the movies have to tell big stories that leave little room for proper character development, the shows could take their time and flesh out the person behind the mask. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, intended to be the first of the Disney+ series, devotes its best parts to Sam Wilson wrestling with the idea of becoming the next Captain America and to Bucky dealing with the fallout of his crimes as the Winter Soldier.And yet, the show doesnt seem to trust the characters enough to really focus on them. Instead, it borrows from excellent Mark Gruenwald-written Captain America comics from the 1980s to tell a thriller dealing with refugees from the Blip who call themselves the Flag Smashers. Throw in Wyatt Russell as an unstable new Captain America, and theres very little room left over for character growth. Still, the stuff thats there is pretty compelling, and the series ends with Sam fully grown into the Captain America role.13. Jessica JonesNowhere was the 13-episode requirement of the Netflix shows felt more keenly than midway through the first season of Jessica Jones. The series had a fantastic hook, with a perfectly cast Krysten Ritter as the acerbic private investigator facing off against David Tennant as Kilgrave, the mind-controlling Purple Man. And yet, all of the tension dissipated midway through the first season, when a subplot involving Jessicas best pal and an unstable cop took the center stage while Jones and Kilgrave bided their time.Jessica Jones settled into a better rhythm for its second and third seasons, and Ritter remained strong throughout. But without Tennants Kilgrave as the main villain, those later seasons feel solid if unremarkable. Still, thats all a testament to what a remarkable show Jessica Jones was with Kilgrave as the antagonist, adding a level true menace to the procedural structure and adding true pathos to Ritters disaffected exterior.12. Agatha All AlongFor its first few episodes Agatha All Along felt like Marvel at its least essential. The draw to the series seemed to be watching the always-delightful Kathryn Hahn pal around with other great actors, including Patti LuPone, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, and Debra Jo Rupp as back-biting witches, alongside Joe Locke as a mysterious magic user mostly just called Teen and Aubrey Plaza as a flirtatious enemy.But by the time that the second half of the season kicks in, Agatha All Along finds surprising pathos. Its not just the depths to Agathas backstory, but especially a Doctor Who style twist to LuPones time-displaced witch and a tale of displacement and found family with the Teen. What began as a lackluster spin-off became a starting point for one of the Young Avengers, giving the MCU a shared universe boost that once was the franchises calling card.11. Agents of SHIELDIts hard to judge Agents of SHIELD for what it was, not what it could have been. Agents of SHIELD debuted at the height of Marvel mania, promising more MCU action by following fan-favorite Phil Coulson and his secret agents as they do superhero espionage. Yet, that first season quickly revealed itself as a pretty by-the-numbers procedural with only the slightest MCU trappings. When the movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier ended by completely recreating SHIELD, it seemed like the series would find its footing in season two, but that didnt happen either.And yet, once expectations fell away (and, frankly, a lot of people stopped watching), Agents of SHIELD got room to breathe. Its likable ensemble cast settled into their roles and the show got room to be more experimental and fun. Kree soldiers, Ghost Rider, and actual supervillains became part of the story. The less that people paid attention to Agents of SHIELD, the more it got to be itself, and the show was better for it.10. Werewolf by NightBy this point, readers have certainly noticed a reoccurring complaint across this list, that some shows waste even good ideas because they stretch their stories across too many episodes. The first of two specials created for Disney+, Werewolf by Night fills every one of its 53 minutes with delightful detail, not wasting a second.Directed by composer turned first-time filmmaker Michael Giacchino, Werewolf by Night pairs Gael Garca Bernal at his most lovable with a flinty Laura Donnelly, the former playing a good man cursed with lycanthropy and the latter the unwilling scion of monster hunters. Giacchino channels the gothic thrills of Universal Horror and even manages to put Man-Thing on screen without generating any guffaws. By the time Werewolf by Night ends, were still hungry for more, a rarity among MCU shows.9. Agent CarterObviously, Agent Carter isnt the best show on this list. But Agent Carter does the best job at translating the Marvel Universe to television. The series spun-off Hayley Atwells scene-stealing Peggy Carter from Captain America: The First Avenger and lets her be so much more than the long-lost girlfriend of Steve Rogers.Even better, the World War II setting protected Agent Carter from the expectations that hobbled Agents of SHIELD, letting it play in its own corner of the universe. Yes, Edwin Jarvis and Howard Stark show up, but Agent Carter mostly got to be a high-energy spy show. The fact that it lasted just two seasons proves that Marvel didnt always know what to do with its shows.8. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-ManGiven all of the changes that the show experienced in pre-production, given its cast overstuffed with Marvel supporting characters, its remarkable that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man managed to be as breezy and fresh as it is. Showrunner Jeff Trammell remixes over-familiar story beats to give us a modern-day take on Peter Parker, unlike any version seen in movies, comics, or television.All of the changes work. Perennial B-list villain Tombstone gets a tragic arc, Harry feels like proper 2024 rich boy, and Colman Domingo gives us one of the most compelling takes on Norman Osborn ever seen. The entire show comes via stylized animation that recalls both the Spider-Verse films and Steve Ditkos pop art, capturing the timeless quality of Spider-Man.7. HawkeyeNo one in their right mind would pick Clint Barton as their favorite Avenger. Although played well by Jeremy Renner, he could never shake the fact that he was just a normal guy with bows and arrows among gods. Avengers: Age of Ultron effectively turned Clints weaknesses as strengths, but no one expected him to carry a television series.Hawkeye works, in part, because he doesnt have to carry it. The MCU gets a shot in the arm by adding Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, a rich girl who takes up the mantle of Hawkeye. Bishops tangled life, which includes a dashing Tony Dalton as a potential villain and a cameo by Florence Pugh as the White Widow, pairs nicely with Clints domestic stress. Plus, the series uses its Christmas setting and gives us Rogers: The Musical. What more could you want?6. LokiIf Loki didnt come back for a second season, it would have ranked much lower. The first series gave fans more of the MCUs first real breakout Tom Hiddleston and paired him with the only person he could love, a variation of himself called Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) as well as a perfectly-cast Owen Wilson as company man Mobius. M. Mobius. Fun, yes, but the multiverse shenanigans muted the shows emotional stakes.To the shock of everyone, Lokis second season did the exact opposite, amping up the emotional power by leaning into the multiversal elements. Even adding Jonathan Majors, then burdened with scandal and failed franchise plans, doesnt slow things down, as the second show combines the end of all realities as an existential crisis for the God of Lies. The show sticks the landing, giving Loki something so rare among Marvel characters: a proper ending.5. Ms. MarvelAfter Avengers: Endgame, Marvel hoped that younger characters could fill the gaps left by Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. The execution of these new characters has been hit or miss, but Marvel absolutely scored a home run when they got Iman Vellani to play Kamala Khan, the fangirl who becomes superhero Ms. Marvel.The idea of making a Marvel superfan into a superhero could be self-congratulatory, but Villani plays it with such a lack of guile that no one feels upset. Grounded by a great ensemble cast playing her friends and family, Ms. Marvel takes surprising chances, from the pop art look of the first two episodes to an episode that depicts the Partition of India to an unexpected X-Men twist. Ms. Marvel could be the future of MCU, if only the franchise would let her lead.4. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday SpecialLeaving aside the fact that the only holiday celebrated in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is Christmas, its hard to imagine a more perfect use of the MCUs Disney+ connection. After two movies and supporting parts in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the Guardians of the Galaxy had become some of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Universe, and that affection helps us forgive some of the clunky setups in the special.Even better, the Holiday Special shows off what James Gunn does best, finding an unexpected genuine pathos in what seems like a goofy, somewhat metatextual tale, in which Mantis and Drax kidnap Kevin Bacon to give Starlord some Christmas cheer. And, of course, it has a killer soundtrack.3. DaredevilDaredevil isnt exempt from the problems that plagued the other Netflix series. The second season in particular sags under the weight of too many plots and characters, and even the mostly-great first season spends way too much time with Matt Murdock recovering from his injuries. But when Daredevil is working, its among the best in superhero television.The show establishes itself within its first three episodes. We meet Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, an endlessly charming man whose tragic history and complicated Catholicism drive him to dress up as a devil and pummel baddies. Hes matched by the Kingpin of Crime Wilson Fisk, whom Vincent DOnofrio plays as a hurt child in the body of a massive killer. The electricity between the two powered the series not just through its low points, but through seven years after its cancelation, making Daredevil: Born Again the most anticipated show of the year.2. X-Men 97X-Men 97 didnt have to be this good. It could have just brought back the characters and cast from the 90s show and make us all feel like kids again. It could have been fantasy escapism, letting us grown ups ignore the problems in the real world.X-Men 97 does the exact opposite. Yes, we have the same characters from the 90s show, many of whom have the same voice actors. And yes, the series continues to adapt stories from the incredibly popular but artistically questionable X-Men comics of the era. But the series leans hard into our current situation, making the mutant as minority metaphor more explicit than ever before and offering a thrilling vision of resistance.1. WandaVisionFor a minute, it seemed like Marvel television would be something truly special. Intended to air after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision ended up making it to Disney+ first and announced itself as the ideal television adaptation. For its first two thirds, WandaVision took favorites from the MCU, namely Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as her robot husband Vision, and put them in riffs on classic television.One could argue that the drops in quality toward the end, when the television aspect falls away and traditional Marvel heroics take over. But the show does an excellent job weaving larger universe mystery throughout those early episodes, earning its big ending. Plus, the show wisely balances Wandas CGI off against Agatha with Vision having a deep conversation with himself. By the time it finished, WandaVision set a standard no other MCU show has been able to match. Yet.