Dying for more ‘Watchmen’? Binge these addictive superhero TV shows instead
We’re living in the golden age of superhero television. There have never been more high quality options for superhero TV shows, from HBO’s Watchmen to Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy. With comic book adaptations growing more popular with every passing year, there is hardly a channel or streaming service that doesn’t have some kind of comic book show on its slate of offerings.
This is also the golden age for binge-watching. Between the accessibility of streaming services and the boredom spawned by pandemic lockdowns, fans have found it easier than ever to blast through entire series in one sitting. So, if you’ve just binged your way through Watchmen and need new TV shows to sustain your superhero habit, we’ve got you covered. Here are some superhero shows for fans of Watchmen to check out next.
The Boys
Amazon Prime’s The Boys is based on a comic of the same name created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Much like Watchmen, The Boys attempts to thwart the expectations that come with typical superhero TV shows.
In the world of The Boys, superheroes are managed by Vought Industries. People with powers populate the Earth, but if they want to don a latex suit with a cape, they need to obtain a licensing deal from Vought. Unfortunately for the average citizens of the world, Vought is more concerned with sensationalizing battles and selling merchandise than saving lives.
The Boys is not a family-friendly affair. The show doesn’t shy away from the destruction super powers can have on the real world and the ordinary people who occupy it. In fact, one of the biggest criticisms of the show is that it seems to revel in its gory depictions. Despite that, The Boys is smart, snappy, and funny. It should land near the top of your must-watch list.
Daredevil
Marvel kicked off the golden age of superhero media, and their partnership with Netflix back in 2015 produced some of the best shows in the genre. Daredevil was the first of many Marvel shows on the streaming platform, and it remains one of the best the two studios ever made.
While TV shows like Watchmen and The Boys focus on teams of heroes and worldwide events, Daredevil tells a smaller story. Matt Murdock works as a lawyer by day, but by night he fights criminals in the underbelly of Hell’s Kitchen.
Daredevil boasts some of the best-choreographed live-action fight scenes in any piece of superhero media. The show was cancelled after its third season when Marvel reclaimed the rights to its characters from Netflix, but it’s still more than worth the watch – especially because the Netflix version of the character might soon make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Invincible
Amazon Prime is perfecting the superhero genre. Invincible, based on Robert Kirkman’s comic series, is without a doubt the best superhero show available. It may be animated with a comic book art style, but it is, if anything, darker than The Boys.
Invincible is the story of Mark Grayson. He lives in a world populated with heroes, villains, robots, and aliens. His father is Omni-Man, a clear Superman parallel who comes from the planet Viltrumite. When Mark starts developing the same powers as his father, he quickly realizes that being a hero doesn’t mean what he once thought.
Invincible perfects the best parts of the superhero genre. It functions as an origin story, a high-intensity thriller, and a shocking tragedy. The show recently concluded its phenomenal first season, and it’s been renewed for at least two more – with Robert Kirkman claiming to have material for at least seven. If you dive into just one of these TV shows after tearing through Watchmen, it should be Invincible.
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What other TV shows would you recommend to someone who enjoyed Watchmen? Let us know in the comments!
