pull off the glasses, rip open the shirt and leap into the sky....
My Top Ten FAVE SUPERHERO TV Shows....
10. MISFITS OF SCIENCE (1985) The Doom Patrol saving the world from an ice cream truck lol. A single season kooky fun adventure show mostly famous for stunt casting the cutie girl from the Dancing in the Dark music video... I wonder what ever happened to her? A lost gem that deserves a dvd release.
09. STREET HAWK (1985) The man, the machine, the Tangerine Dream soundtrack!!! Some very slick night time cinematography and a cool soundtrack elevates this above much of the standard tv fare of the time, but sadly this show did not get the ratings and was cancelled after only 13 fun episodes. But it did get a loving dvd release from Shout Factory.
08. LEGENDS OF TOMORROW (2016-present) The screw-ups of DC Comics unite to protect the Timeline! I went in hoping for a Justice League show but got something completely unexpected... a show that embraces the wackier, goofier, sillier side of DC comic books but never treats it like camp and never loses respect for the characters or source material.
07. DAREDEVIL (2015-1018) Dark. Brooding. Bloody. It's Frank Miller time! A slow burn character drama that dives deep into Daredevil lore with marathon explosions of violence. Like all Netflix Marvel shows, it has commitment issues when it comes to fully embracing its comic book world, but DD is by far the best executed series of the bunch.
06. SUPERGIRL (2015-present) A super hero show with a social justice agenda... some hate it, I applaud it. It's execution is often awkward or does not go far enough, but at least it tries. But in the end, it is the characters and their relationships is what keeps me tuning in every week. I am a sworn life long fan to the Superman mythos, and this show is a more than worthy addition to the ever growing legend.
05. THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO (1981-83) One of the most catchy tv theme songs that actually became a billboard hit! William Katt plays a very liberal special ed teacher, who after receiving a super suit from aliens (and then losing the instruction book) teams up with a right wing FBI agent played by tv legend Robert Culp; together they embark on weekly episodes filled with social and political satire and commentary. Though as a kid, all I picked up on was fumbling fun super heroics lol.
04. ARROW (2012-present) The show that launched a massive shared tv universe! The best stunt action show on televsion hands down! What they accomplish every week on a tv budget is mindblowing. Over the last seven seasons the show has evolved and expanded from a lone vigelante revenge show to a full on comic book team show. His name is Oliver Queen and he has not failed his city!
03. SMALLVILLE (2001-2011) No flights. No tights. Despite these restrictions and many seasons of rollercoaster quality, this show has remained dear to me. It showcased the live action premeire of many DC heroes and delved deeper into Superman mythology than any incarnation before or since. It featured a Metropolis lifted right out of the comic books, the most perfect Lois Lane to date, and the legendary romance of Lois and Clark was deftly dealt with and stole my heart!
02. THE FLASH (2014-present) The most comic booky show EVER! Superpowers! Masks! Capes! Rogues! Perhaps the most likeable cast of all the Arrowverse shows, I keep tuning in because I love hanging with these characters, who in turn all respect and support each other rather than similar shows where the heroes all keep secrets from each other. It is just such a FUN show that clearly loves and embraces it comic book origins.
01. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Faster! Stronger! Better! Seeing this at age five or six, it was like seeing a comic book brought to life before my wee little eyes! And not only was the hero bionic, but he was an ASTRONAUT!!!! The greatest job in the univese!!!! Lee Majors became my first hero after my only my father. I had the toys. I ran slo-mo with my friends in the school yard! I was a member of the fan club. I had an autographed picture! I was and am, a huge bionic fan! And while I never had a cool leisure suit, I did preordered the Times Life collection the first hour it went for sale online. I have watched every episode multiple times, and unlike many childhood shows that do not survive the transition to adult sensibilities, this series still makes me smile and cheer. Some heroes never die.