Missing Peacemaker? Check out these 10 under-the-radar superhero shows next
Add these all to your comic book TV show watch list.
James Gunn’s Peacemaker wrapped its (excellent!) second season last week, running just long enough to get us all used to having some fresh, wacky superhero action to watch every week. But thankfully, there are years of weird and outside-the-box superhero shows sitting on the shelf — outside the more obvious mega-hits like The Boys, The Flash or Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Which to be clear, those are great shows you should definitely watch. But if you’re looking for something to scratch that quirky superhero vibe itch that’s on the weirder end of the spectrum ala Peacemaker, there are plenty of other quirky superhero shows that check a lot of those boxes.
And heck, a few of them are even set in the DC universe, too.
So if you’re jonesing for a new series to fill that Peacemaker-sized hole in your watch list, here’s a great place to start.
Superhero TV shows to watch if you’re missing Peacemaker
Doom Patrol (HBO Max): Arguably the most obvious recommendation, this acclaimed but under-the-radar DC series launched on the aborted DC Universe streamings service, then slid onto HBO Max for its last season or two. Based on the DC comic of the same name, the series followed a rag-tag group of weird, misfit would-be heroes. It was dark, hilarious and featured an amazing cast led by Brendan Fraser and Matt Bomer. Easily the top recommendation on this list if you want something weird and Peacemaker-esque.
Legends of Tomorrow (Netflix): The goofy little misfit of the Arrowverse, Legends of Tomorrow was basically a bunch of C-list heroes across the DC universe teaming up to fly around on a spaceship time machine getting into all sorts of adventures. The show is an absolute blast, and it’s wild to think the Arrowverse had grown so successful that a weird little show like this could exist and flourish in the first place.
Powerless: This short-lived NBC workplace comedy ran for one season in 2017, and was basically The Office if it were set in the DC Comics universe. The cast was loaded, with Alan Tudyk, Vanessa Hudgens and Danny Pudi leading the ensemble. The show only made it 12 episodes, but it remains a fun little snapshot of how your average folks make it to work everyday in a superhero-filled world.
The Tick (Tubi): Yes, Amazon remade The Tick a few years ago, and that adaptation of the comic is also a lot of fun. But I grew up wearing out the DVDs of the 2001 original live action version of The Tick, which starred Patrick Warburton as the namesake bonehead superhero. It’s a wildly silly comedy set in a world of hapless superheroes, and epitomizes the risky kind of shows Fox was willing to roll the dice on in the network’s early days.
Constantine: Though Keanu Reeves’ big screen version of Constantine is likely the best-known, actor Matt Ryan has been playing the demon-hunting hero for years on the small screen. But before he joined Legends of Tomorrow as a recurring regular, he headlined one season of a Constantine solo show on NBC back in 2014. The show was a great little slice of DC horror, and if you can track it down, is still a compelling watch.
Powers: Based on the indie comic book of the same name from Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, the two-season run of Powers followed hard-boiled detectives in a world of superheroes. Think The Boys, just not quite as R-rated and bloody. The series was an original series on Playstation Network (yes, Playstation did original TV shows for a brief moment). It’s a bit hard to find these days, but still a fun, campy watch a decade later.
Gen V: Admittedly, this one isn’t all that much under-the-radar — though it is less-known than its mothership series, The Boys. This spinoff focuses on college-aged superheroes navigating the world of Vought, Homelander and all the chaos those superpowers bring to the table. Season 2 is wrapping up now, and seems to thread pretty directly into The Boys’ final season. If you enjoy shows like The Boys and Peacemaker, this one is well worth adding to the list if you’re not already watching.
Deadly Class (Roku Channel): This short-lived 2019 SYFY original series isn’t exactly a superhero show, but it’s based on an action-packed comic book, so it gets an honorable mention. Based on the Image Comics series of the same name, Deadly Class is set in the 1980s at a secret, deadly high school for assassins. The show only ran for one season, but was incredibly tight and compelling. A true hidden gem if you missed it on SYFY.
Jessica Jones (Disney Plus): Sure, Netflix fans are probably aware of this one, but if you’ve never made it past the Daredevil series this one is well worth digging up. The show starred Krysten Ritter as the super-powered detective Jessica Jones, and the first season has an absolutely terrifying performance from Doctor Who fan favorite David Tennant as Kilgrave. It ran for three seasons during Marvel’s street-level Netflix era, but all three seasons are now on Disney Plus.
Titans (HBO Max): The flagship series of the short-lived DC Universe streaming service, Titans eventually ended its four-season run on HBO Max. It was a bit (unintentionally) campy at times, but featured a ton of fan favorite DC heroes and villains, with players like Nightwing, Raven, Starfire, Superboy, Red Hood and more rolling in and out along the way. It’s basically a superhero TV show put through the Snyder-verse grim dark lens to the extreme, but if you’re looking for a dark DC show loaded with names you’ll recognize? This checks all the boxes.