There’s a variety of superhero TV shows out there, and there are some that deserve another season, whether they were canceled too soon or not. Superhero TV shows are quite popular, and some have been so good that they have made it to the list of the best TV shows of all time.
However, there have also been many superhero shows that didn’t get the support they deserved. The connected universes of Marvel and DC have dominated the superhero genre in both film and TV, but in the latter, there has been space for superhero shows from other worlds as well. With such a prolific and popular genre, some superhero shows were cut short and deserved, at least, one more season.
The Tick
Two Seasons
The Tick is a live-action TV show based on the comic book character of the same name by Ben Edlund. Released on Prime Video, The Tick became one of the streamer’s best and most underrated TV shows, and unfortunately, it was only around for two seasons. The Tick, then, focuses on the title superhero, played by Peter Serafinowicz.
The Tick is nigh-invulnerable, wears a blue tick suit, and battles crime in the City. The Tick is later joined by Arthur (Griffin Newman), a nervous, mild-mannered man who becomes his sidekick, and together, they face a supervillain who was believed to have been dead.
Despite its great critical reception, The Tick didn’t reach a wide audience, and it ended after two seasons. The Tick is unlike most superheroes, and he deserved much better.
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
One Season
Green Lantern: The Animated Series was developed by Bruce Timm, Giancarlo Volpe, and Jim Krieg, and it aired on Cartoon Network from 2011 to 2013. Green Lantern: The Animated Series tells the adventures of Hal Jordan, the title Green Lantern (voiced by Josh Keaton), and his partner, Kilowog (Kevin Michael Richardson).
Despite getting positive reviews, Green Lantern: The Animated Series was canceled after just one season due to poor toy sales as a result of the bad performance and reception of the live-action Green Lantern movie. The show ended up being collateral damage despite being a lot better than the movie, and as such, it deserves another chance.
Young Justice
Four Seasons
Young Justice is an animated TV show developed by Brandon Vietty and Greg Weisman, and based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. Young Justice follows the title team, formed by young sidekicks looking to make a name for themselves: Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Artemis.
These characters operate as covert agents under the guidance of the Justice League, who are mostly kept in the background, so the focus can go to the young characters. Young Justice was a critical success, but it was basically canceled due to poor toy sales.
Young Justice did come back years later thanks to a fan campaign to #SaveYoungJustice. Season 3 came out on the short-lived DC Universe streaming service, whereas season 4 came out on HBO Max. Young Justice was technically not canceled again, but season 4 has yet to happen.
Swamp Thing
One Season
Swamp Thing is a live-action superhero horror show developed by Gary Dauberman and Mark Verheiden, and based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Swamp Thing follows Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed), a CDC doctor who returns to her hometown of Marais, Louisiana, to investigate a life-threatening epidemic.
Abby bonds with disgraced scientist Alec Holland (Andy Bean), and after his tragic death, Abby discovers the mysteries of the swamp: a monster living in it and with a close link to Holland. Swamp Thing received positive reviews and praise for its practical effects and horror elements, but was canceled shortly after its premiere.
The reason for Swamp Thing’s cancellation was creative differences with DC Universe’s parent company, which also led to its only season being shortened. Swamp Thing had a lot of potential, especially thanks to its horror tone, and it would have been great to see how far it could have gone.
Constantine
One Season
Another live-action DC Comics show that ended way too soon is Constantine, developed by Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer. Constantine focused on the title character, demon hunter and master of the occult, John Constantine (Matt Ryan), as he struggled with his past demons while protecting the innocent from supernatural threats.
Despite positive reviews and gathering a loyal audience, NBC refused to renew the show for a second season. Although Ryan’s Constantine went on to appear in the Arrowverse franchise, Constantine’s audience was left wondering what else could have been out there for the character in his own show.
Wolverine and the X-Men
One Season
Wolverine and the X-Men is an animated TV series developed by Craig Kyle and Greg Johnson. Wolverine and the X-Men sees the title team of mutants disbanding after an explosion leads to the disappearance of Charles Xavier and Jean Grey. A year later, a government-supported organization begins capturing mutants.
This leads to Wolverine and Beast teaming up and resolving to reunite the X-Men. Despite such an intriguing premise and the appearance of popular and beloved Marvel Comics characters, Wolverine and the X-Men was canceled due to financial problems, leaving the story of Wolverine and his fellow mutants incomplete.
Jessica Jones
Three Seasons
Jessica Jones was the second Netflix Marvel show, right after Daredevil, and it’s also one of the most underrated live-action Marvel shows. Developed by Melissa Rosenberg, Jessica Jones focused on the title character (played by Krysten Ritter), a former superhero who, due to a lot of trauma, became a private investigator and developed an alcohol-use disorder.
Jessica takes a variety of cases, but when the terrifying villain Kilgrave (David Tennant) shows signs of returning, Jessica has to confront her traumatic past to stop Kilgrave once and for all. Jessica Jones was darker and emotionally heavier than other Marvel shows, which, along with its themes and performances, led to its success.
Jessica Jones was canceled after three seasons, and what makes it deserve at least one more season is that the show ended in a sort of cliffhanger, as Jessica was finally starting to open up and live her life, and it would have been great to see what was next for her.
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
Two Seasons
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is an animated show developed by Ciro Nieli, Joshua Fine, and Christopher Yost. Based on the title team, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes sees these heroes reuniting following a mass prison breakout at the Vault, the Cube, and the Big House. Forming the team are Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, Wasp, Black Panther, and Hawkeye.
In the process, the Avengers battle various villains, such as Kang the Conqueror and Baron Zemo. Despite a positive reception from critics and general audiences, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes wasn’t renewed for a third season, with the show’s creators later sharing what a third season could have been like, and it would have been amazing.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Two Seasons
One of the best and most popular animated Marvel TV shows is The Spectacular Spider-Man, developed by Victor Cook and Greg Weisman. The Spectacular Spider-Man followed Peter Parker during his high school years, as he did his best to balance his responsibilities as a high schooler, his personal life, and his superhero life as Spider-Man.
The Spectacular Spider-Man has received a lot of praise from critics and fans of the character, and it’s widely considered the character’s finest adaptation. The show was unfairly canceled after two seasons for reasons unrelated to its quality and reception, and fans have demanded a third season or a reboot.
Moon Knight
One Season
Moon Knight is a live-action TV show and part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Created by Jeremy Slater, Moon Knight follows Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac), a man with dissociative identity disorder, whose identities are completely different characters from each other. Spector is the avatar of the Egyptian deity Khonshu, and as such, he becomes the vigilante Moon Knight.
Moon Knight is one of the best MCU TV shows to date, and it ended on a very interesting cliffhanger as another identity of Spector was revealed. However, Moon Knight wasn’t renewed for a second season and is being considered a miniseries, and at the time of writing, there are no plans for a second season or for Moon Knight’s return in other MCU projects.
