Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Superheroes seemingly always found themselves saving the day on the big screen. But with the rise of streaming, both networks and streaming services have taken the massive success of blockbusters and adapted them for the small screen. Lifting characters from the comics themselves or crafting brand-new stories, television has become the new go-to for action-packed hero stories.
From expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a serialized format to exploring a new adaptation of one of Batman’s greatest foes, long-form storytelling has become the latest and greatest way to bring superheroes to life. When these 10 series were announced, there was always an inkling of hope that they would resonate. Needless to say, they defied that and became masterpieces.
10 ‘Legion’ (2017-2019)
Imagine being an offshoot of Marvel during the rise of the MCU and not being officially canon. There’s no way to survive, right? Wrong. For three seasons, Noah Hawley’s Legion pushed the bounds of Marvel Comics for a surrealist psychological thriller posing as a superhero series. Starring Dan Stevens, Dan Haller is a mutant diagnosed with schizophrenia as he attempts to control his powers and combat the sinister forces trying to control him. Despite not being the most recognizable Marvel character, Legion proved that, with a strong vision and a unique approach, any character could be used for an extraordinary premise.
A visual masterpiece, Legion used brilliantly compelling characters amongst trippy sequences to create an underrated hit. Stevens is at his best in the lead, proving he can reach beyond period dramas. By exploring the psychological effects of humans and mutants, Legion touches upon important topics while audiences are watching a superhero series. The pacing is strong, and the acting is incredible. In a time when Disney has dominated the superhero market, Legion was ahead of its time. There’s got to be a timeline in which Dan Haller can appear, right?
9 ‘Invincible’ (2021-Present)
Many superhero fans became superhero fans as kids watching animated series. Some eventually graduate beyond those shows, but every now and again, there’s a desire for nostalgia. But what if you don’t want those kids shows? Luckily for you, Invincible brings you the nostalgia-tinged superhero animation style through an adult lens. Created by Robert Kirkman, the Prime Video series is based on the Image Comics series of the same name. The series follows teenager Mark Grayson as he transforms into a superhero under the guidance of his father, Nolan Grayson, aka Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on the planet. Struggling between his personal life and superhero duties, Mark is forced to prove he can be the hero his father is, while questioning his role in the world.
With a main voice cast of Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and J.K. Simmons alongside an array of all-star celebrities in cameo and recurring roles, Invincible has become the superhero animated series you didn’t know you wanted but always knew you needed. Invincible is a bloody adventure with a nuanced story that bridges the gap from nostalgia to present obsessions. Kirkman brings a thought-provoking and transfixing story alongside the action you adore. Superheroes need some vulnerability, and Invincible is proof.
8 ‘Loki’ (2021-2023)
Listen, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been growing bigger and better over the years, especially once they raked in that Disney money. One of the easiest and most common science fiction mechanics for expanding a cinematic universe is continuity across alternate dimensions and timelines. To help introduce this concept, the MCU chose Tom Hiddleston’s Loki as the beacon for its newfound obsession. Instead of just being a bridge to future films, Loki became a resounding smash hit, establishing the entire future of the MCU. Introducing Marvel fans to the Time Variance Authority, lovingly known as the TVA, an alternate version of Loki is given a choice: face being erased from existence due to being a “time variant,” or help fix the timeline and stop the greater threat. Crafting his own crime thriller as he travels through time and meets his other versions, Loki embarks on an extraordinary mission that spans across two incredible seasons.
Loki gave its titular character even more humanity than we saw in the various films. Hiddleston brought a nuanced performance, working extraordinarily well with the vast ensemble that included Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, Ke Huy Quan as O.B., and the newest MCU favorite, Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie, aka Lady Loki. The leap from villain to antihero showed that the MCU’s expansion into television was not only worthwhile but exceptionally necessary for its longevity. By giving its characters more time to shine, Loki set the standard of how Disney+ series can and should be.
7 ‘The Boys’ (2019-Present)
Now listen, there was always a strong possibility that The Boys was going to become a legendary series, but there was also that glimmer of doubt. Based on the comic book series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, the Prime Video adaptation was rightly satirical and overtly graphic. It was not going to be everybody’s cup of tea. But for those superhero lovers, The Boys is utterly perfect. The series follows the team of vigilantes as they combat the Supes who abuse their powers for personal gain while working for the powerful Vought International. While the public views them as heroes, corruption lurks behind the scenes. Featuring a standout ensemble cast, The Boys packed a punch that shaped the future of what audiences want from a superhero series.
The Boys broke out as a smash hit early on, thanks in part to the larger-than-life characters. Perhaps, aside from Jack Quaid’s Hughie at the start, there’s not a single character who isn’t objectively flawed in some way, and that’s what makes the series such a fascinating watch. It’s not even moral ambiguity. The Boys thrives on exposing the worst in our hero complex by revealing the complexities of our societal pitfalls. A remarkably ambitious series that is wickedly smart and viscerally raw, The Boys’ band of merry antiheroes and villains has changed the landscape of the genre. As we embark on our final season next year, we can only hope that Antony Starr’s Homelander gets what’s coming to him. And if he doesn’t, perhaps that’s the truest ending — a reflection on our world today.
6 ‘Agatha All Along’ (2024)
As entertainment lovers, we know that a great performer can elevate a character to unimaginable heights. Little did anyone know that Kathryn Hahn’s secondary character on WandaVision would become an instant classic, perfect for a spin-off. As the prime adversary of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, Agatha Harkness found herself as the protagonist of her own story. Three years after being trapped under a magical spell, Agatha escapes with the help of a mysterious teenager who wishes to face the trials of the legendary Witches’ Road. Without her powers, Agatha creates a new coven as they go down the Road while battling a wealth of old enemies.
Bringing witchcraft to the forefront of the MCU, Agatha All Along had great expectations. Fans knew that Hahn would deliver, but would the series be at the same caliber? Thankfully, with showrunner Jac Schaeffer and a wonderful cast of witches, including Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, and Patti LuPone, Agatha All Along was simply sensational. What made the series even better was the metaphorical connection to witches as outcasts, just as queer people experience similar marginalization. The show was a queer explosion that blended perfectly into the MCU. The series was inherently camp, and we loved it for everyone involved. Though this chapter may be done (though Hahn has been giving us hope it isn’t!), the legacy of the series lingers on.
5 ‘Sense8’ (2015-2018)
Not all heroes wear capes — just ask the heroes at the center of the boldly ambitious Sense8. Created by J. Michael Straczynski and the Wachowskis, the Netflix series followed the psychic connection between eight strangers from various walks of life, born into the same cluster of sensates, across different parts of the planet. Mentally and emotionally linked human beings, the eight — Capheus (Aml Ameen in Season 1, Toby Onwumere in Season 2), Sun (Bae Doona), Nomi (Jamie Clayton), Kala (Tina Desai), Riley (Tuppence Middleton), Wolfgang (Max Riemelt), Lito (Miguel Ángel Silvestre), and Will (Brian J. Smith) — attempt to live their everyday lives while navigating the sinister Biologic Preservation Organization (BPO) and Whispers (Terrence Mann) trying to hunt them down.
Navigating the globe while exploring themes of identity, sexuality, gender, and politics, Sense8 was an atypical superhero series. A visually triumphant series brought to life through pristine storytelling, Sense8 arrived well before it was destined to be appreciated. What Sense8 did exceptionally well was character development through raw relationship-building. Whether they are forging their own paths in their individual story or blending the worlds through their connections, Sense8 was the little show that could. And did. Sadly, the show was canceled before it was meant to end, though its final movie did its best to wrap up the story in a fan service kind of way.
4 ‘Watchmen’ (2019)
No offense to Zack Snyder’s film, but when HBO and Damon Lindelof brought Watchmen to life in 2019, the definitive live-action adaptation was solidified. Created as a sequel series to the 1986 DC Comics series, Watchmen defied the norms of superhero dramas by holding up a mirror to society through its exploration of a remixed history. Using the events of the Tulsa massacre as its central theme, Watchmen brought an alternate history of the 20th century, where heroes-turned-vigilantes became outlawed due to their violent methods. The series utilized many beloved characters to expose themes of systematic racism, white supremacy, intergenerational trauma, and the struggle for racial justice.
Watchmen is a visceral series that keeps you engaged in its limited series run. Led by a strong cast including Regina King, Tim Blake Nelson, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, and Don Johnson, Watchmen struck the right balance between an intriguing superhero story and a powerful reflection on society, resonating more than most comic book series. Within its cultural context, Watchmen went beyond a superhero show, establishing an identity of its own.
3 ‘The Penguin’ (2024)
Let’s all just take a second to remember that, underneath those extraordinary prosthetics, is Colin Farrell. That’s right, the infamous Irish actor transformed into Oswald “Oz” Cobb without hesitation, creating one of the most dynamic characters on screen. The Penguin, a spin-off of the 2022 film The Batman, brought viewers into Gotham City’s criminal underworld as the city struggles in the aftermath of a major disaster, and Oz goes on a ruthless quest to fill the power vacuum left by the death of crime boss Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong). Meanwhile, Oz develops a dangerous rivalry with the presumed psychopathic serial killer Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti), Carmine Falcone’s daughter. A crime thriller that uses one of the most prolific Batman villains as its entry point, The Penguin’s ability to stand on its own without DC Comics bogging it down made it an instant masterpiece.
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Was Oz a villain, or was he an antihero in this story? Breaking outside the titular character’s norms and expanding his history to new places, The Penguin proved that with a strong vision, even the most notorious characters can go to unimaginable places. The premise sounded ridiculous, but with Lauren LeFranc’s guidance and sensational acting from Farrell, Millioti, Rhenzy Feliz, and Deidre O’Connell, The Penguin defied the odds. It was a compelling and psychologically gnarly series that has had fans begging for more. Will there be more? It’s likely not in the cards, but stranger things have happened!
2 ‘Gen V’ (2023-Present)
Before you get your panties in a twist, yes, Gen V is ranked higher than The Boys on this list. The reason is that the bar was set so high for the spin-off that it had to be near perfection for fans to admire it as much as its predecessor. Luckily, hot take: Gen V might actually be better than The Boys. Set between seasons of The Boys, the series brings fans to Godolkin University School of Crimefighting, where young Supes push their moral boundaries as they compete for the university’s top ranking and a chance to join The Seven. As the young heroes uncover the dark secrets that keep the school afloat, they must decide what kind of hero they ultimately want to be.
Wonderfully bloody and rightly chaotic, Gen V marries the antics of a college comedy with the action of a high-octane superhero flick for a resounding good time. What Gen V does remarkably well is expand on the themes of The Boys while establishing itselfas its own entity. With an impressive cast, led by Jaz Sinclair as Marie Moreau, Gen V not only mapped out the final steps of The Boys but also solidified itself as the franchise’s future. And let’s just say, the future is quite bright.
1 ‘WandaVision’ (2021)
Many MCU fans were curious about what it meant to see some well-established characters dropped onto Disney+ for serialized stories. Was it expanding upon the greater arc? Was it simply exploiting the Marvel characters to get people to buy into the fledgling streaming service? The stakes were high for WandaVision. Created by Jac Schaeffer, the result was nothing short of a phenomenon. Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the series followed Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) as they live an idyllic suburban life in Westview, New Jersey. As their reality shifts through decades of sitcom homages and television tropes, the couple attempts to conceal their true nature as a spell is cast over the entire town.
Reminding audiences that not all superhero stories require non-stop fight sequences, WandaVision’s unique approach set the cogs in motion as to how MCU characters can continue to live beyond the big screen. The premise was brilliant, especially for fans of television. If you understood the references, it was a series of Easter eggs. If you simply wanted to see how the movies connected to the series, you were covered. But the moment WandaVision officially made its mark was the glorious twist that revealed nosy neighbor Agnes was Agatha Harkness all along. Whether you view it as a superhero series or a singular drama, WandaVision broke the rules and became appointment viewing during lockdown. WandaVision became the perfect showcase of what the MCU could do. Yes, not every series that followed was as strong, but the runway was open for takeoff.
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WandaVision
Adventure
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Release Date 2021 – 2021-00-00
Showrunner Jac Schaeffer
Directors Matt Shakman
Writers Jac Schaeffer
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Genres Adventure, Drama, Action, Superhero
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