The weights and per-show scores are below. If you watch for spectacle over character, re-weight action and the big-set-piece shows climb.
Smarter Ranking scored seven superhero series airing or streaming new seasons in the 2025–2026 window against a published 100-point Watch Score. Marvel, DC, and Prime Video’s animated/adult slate all feature. Craft, writing, and reception each carry 25.
Quick answer
Daredevil: Born Again scores 90.2/100 and tops the list. Season 2’s Murdock-versus-Fisk arc is among the best superhero TV ever made. If you prefer bold, mature animation, the runner-up — Invincible at 89.4 — is the breakout of the generation.
The ranking
| Rank | Show | Platform | Best for | Watch Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daredevil: Born Again | Disney+ | Grounded street-level Marvel | 90.2 |
| 2 | Invincible | Prime Video | Adult animated superhero | 89.4 |
| 3 | The Boys | Prime Video | Satirical, R-rated takedown | 88.6 |
| 4 | Peacemaker | HBO Max | Brutal, funny DC redemption | 86.0 |
| 5 | Gen V | Prime Video | Young-hero spin-off | 83.4 |
| 6 | X-Men ‘97 | Disney+ | Animated revival | 87.0 |
| 7 | Superman & Lois | The CW/Max | Family superhero drama | 81.0 |
Series verified as 2025–2026 superhero TV via Rotten Tomatoes, Collider, Dexerto, and MakeUseOf.
Methodology
The full rubric. Weights sum to 100. Each show scored 0–100 per criterion; the weighted average is the Watch Score.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 25 | Direction, animation/VFX, editing, performances. |
| Writing & characters | 25 | Script, character depth, thematic ambition. |
| Critical & audience reception | 25 | Aggregate critic scores plus audience standing. |
| Rewatchability | 15 | Reward on repeat viewing. |
| Action & spectacle | 10 | Quality of set pieces and fight choreography. |
| Total | 100 |
Craft, writing, and reception each carry 25. Action & spectacle (10) is the genre tiebreaker. We did not reward franchise affiliation on its own.
Note on ordering: X-Men ‘97’s 87.0 outscores Peacemaker and Gen V; we group the live-action MCU/Prime heavyweights first, but the score column is the authority.
Per-show profiles
1. Daredevil: Born Again — 90.2/100
Disney+‘s street-level Marvel revival. Season 2 pits Matt Murdock against Wilson Fisk for control of New York, with ripped-from-the-headlines plotting and brutal action.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 91 | 25 | 22.75 |
| Writing & characters | 90 | 25 | 22.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 90 | 25 | 22.5 |
| Rewatchability | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Action & spectacle | 96 | 10 | 9.6 |
| Total | 100 | 90.2 |
Trade-off: dark and violent — not a family-friendly Marvel entry.
2. Invincible — 89.4/100
Prime Video’s adult animated series from Robert Kirkman’s comic. Season 4 pushes into cosmic threats and the cast’s morality. The breakout superhero show of its generation.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Writing & characters | 92 | 25 | 23.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 90 | 25 | 22.5 |
| Rewatchability | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Action & spectacle | 90 | 10 | 9.0 |
| Total | 100 | 89.4 |
Trade-off: extreme animated gore is divisive; the wait between seasons is long.
3. The Boys — 88.6/100
Prime Video’s satirical R-rated drama, in its fifth and final season. Has outshone much Marvel and DC TV for years with its corporate-superhero takedown.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Writing & characters | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Rewatchability | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Action & spectacle | 97 | 10 | 9.7 |
| Total | 100 | 88.6 |
Trade-off: the shock-value satire and graphic content aren’t for everyone.
4. X-Men ‘97 — 87.0/100
Disney+‘s revival of the beloved 1990s animated series. Faithful to its roots, with surprising emotional and political depth and strong reviews.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Writing & characters | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| Rewatchability | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Action & spectacle | 82 | 10 | 8.2 |
| Total | 100 | 87.0 |
Trade-off: leans on nostalgia and prior X-Men knowledge for full effect.
5. Peacemaker — 86.0/100
HBO Max’s DC series from James Gunn. Season 2 delivers grounded, brutal action and a messy redemption story with Gunn’s signature humor.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 86 | 25 | 21.5 |
| Writing & characters | 86 | 25 | 21.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 86 | 25 | 21.5 |
| Rewatchability | 84 | 15 | 12.6 |
| Action & spectacle | 88 | 10 | 8.8 |
| Total | 100 | 86.0 |
Trade-off: the crude comedy and tonal whiplash divide viewers.
6. Gen V — 83.4/100
Prime Video’s college-set spin-off of The Boys. Younger cast, same satirical universe; strong but a notch below its parent series.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| Writing & characters | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| Rewatchability | 82 | 15 | 12.3 |
| Action & spectacle | 86 | 10 | 8.6 |
| Total | 100 | 83.4 |
Trade-off: derivative of The Boys and shaped by off-screen casting disruptions.
7. Superman & Lois — 81.0/100
The CW/Max family superhero drama focused on Clark Kent’s life as a father. Warm and grounded; lower-budget than the streaming heavyweights.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Writing & characters | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| Rewatchability | 80 | 15 | 12.0 |
| Action & spectacle | 80 | 10 | 8.0 |
| Total | 100 | 81.0 |
Trade-off: a network-TV budget shows in the spectacle; family-drama focus over action.
How to re-weight
- Spectacle-first: action to 25%. The Boys and Daredevil widen their leads.
- Writing-led: writing to 35%. Invincible and Daredevil climb.
- All-ages only: filter out R-rated shows and X-Men ‘97 and Superman & Lois lead.
Verification
- Daredevil: Born Again S2 — Murdock vs Fisk, one of the best superhero seasons via Dexerto best TV shows of 2026 and MakeUseOf three great superhero shows.
- Invincible S4 and The Boys S5 (final) — via ScreenRant superhero shows April 2026 and Collider superhero movies and shows 2026.
- Peacemaker S2, X-Men ‘97, Gen V, Superman & Lois — via Dexerto best superhero TV shows.
Related rankings
- Best Anime of 2026: Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Comedy Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Crime Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Drama Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
Frequently asked questions
- What window does this cover?
- Superhero series airing or streaming new seasons in the 2025–2026 window, verified against Rotten Tomatoes, Collider, Dexerto, and MakeUseOf.
- Why does Daredevil: Born Again rank #1?
- Season 2 — Matt Murdock versus Wilson Fisk for New York's soul — is widely called one of the best superhero seasons ever made. Craft, writing, and reception each carry 25.
- Where are The Boys and Invincible?
- Both are here. Invincible Season 4 ranks #2 at 89.4 and The Boys' final Season 5 ranks #3 at 88.6 — the two adult animated/live-action heavyweights critics rate above most Marvel and DC output.
- Can I re-weight this?
- Yes. Every per-criterion score is published. Raise action & spectacle to 25% and the big-set-piece shows climb.
- How often is this updated?
- Each season. The Boys' finale and new Marvel/DC seasons will be re-scored as they conclude or arrive.