6 Best Marvel TV Shows That You Probably Missed

Marvel is best known for its vibrant comics and successful cinematic projects, with the MCU showing just how well the superhero studio can perform on the big screen. However, there have also been some huge TV shows, particularly in recent years, yet these underrated hits have flown so far under the radar that you’ve likely never even heard of them.
In an attempt to expand the ongoing universe, Marvel has been adding more and more televised projects to their library, with some of the best MCU characters being introduced through Disney+ shows. It isn’t only their recent series that have been good though, as X-Men: The Animated Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, and 2015’s Daredevil are all certified hits.
Throughout numerous different eras, Marvel has always managed to produce some quality TV shows, but given how big the franchise is, others naturally get forgotten about. Sadly, while these superhero shows aren’t perfect, they deserve far more recognition, as most fans probably missed them despite each one having plenty to admire.
Blade: The Series
A Blade reboot has been talked about for some time, with fans desperate to see Mahershala Ali’s movie move forward since the original trilogy concluded over two decades ago. However, many viewers may be completely unaware that a TV show happened back in 2006, and despite its undeniable flaws, there was a stylistic charm to this series.
Sticky Fingaz did a surprisingly good job of playing the titular character, given how iconic Wesley Snipes’ version is, and the show also explored some unique concepts throughout its 12 episodes. Unfortunately, the dialogue doesn’t hold up too well 19 years later, and the different take on the vampire slayer will undoubtedly divide loyal Blade fans.
Still, this forgotten show has more positives than negatives, and it feels bizarre that it’s so obscure. With the MCU’s Blade movie continuing to be delayed year after year, it’s certainly worth checking out 2006’s show if you haven’t seen it already, which will hopefully satisfy your vampire-killing appetite for a while, at least until the next Blade 4 production update.
The Avengers: United They Stand
The Avengers are one of the biggest superhero teams around these days, and while MCU fans may be used to a certain line-up, the group looked rather different in 1999’s The Avengers: United They Stand. In this niche series, Hawkeye is the only member who appears in both the animated show and the MCU’s initial squad.
Instead, Ant-Man, Wasp, Wonder Man, Scarlett Witch, Vision, Falcon, and Tigra make up this iteration of the Avengers, who have pretty good chemistry. The project also gives some often underappreciated villains the spotlight and makes the most of its limited runtime to create a decent story that so many people sadly missed.
By no means is it a masterpiece, and time probably hasn’t been the friend of The Avengers: United They Stand, but it still beats a lot of other animated projects coming out at the time. Compared to modern Avengers content, this feels relatively dated, but for the time, The Avengers: United They Stand was a solid outing that deserves more love.
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
As Marvel’s most iconic character, Spider-Man has so many great shows that are still frequently talked about. The ’90s series gets plenty of praise; The Spectacular Spider-Man is a fan favorite, Ultimate Spider-Man remains popular, and most recently, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was renewed for season 2, highlighting just how many great pieces of Spider-Man TV are out there.
Cruelly, there’s one that always gets overlooked though — Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. It was a pioneer when it comes to Spider-Man on TV, as the ’80s series is one of the earliest iterations of the web-slinger ever adapted from comics, and it certainly isn’t like anything that comes out today.
Firestar and Iceman were two of the project’s most prominent characters, yet they have faded into obscurity in 21st-century Marvel productions. Likewise, while famous Spider-Man rogues like Green Goblin and Sandman appeared alongside Loki, the series used antagonists that have been completely forgotten about these days.
It’s safe to say Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends followed a truly unique part of the character’s journey, but had it not been for this well-made, original concept, the fan favorite superhero could have turned out very differently from the one so many people have grown to love.
Guardians of the Galaxy
When James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy hit screens in 2014, it turned these semi-popular comic book misfits into major stars, and the rest is history. The 2017 sequel was great, and GOTG Vol. 3 became a sci-fi masterpiece that ended up being the best of the bunch, but between the movie trilogy’s huge success, an animated show slipped under the radar.
Releasing just one year after the first movie, Guardians of the Galaxy’s animated series ran for two seasons, providing some great versions of these beloved characters. The squad’s usual charm and humor are there, as is the emotional storytelling and captivating conflict that make this group extremely fun to watch, hence why it’s so surprising that barely anyone has seen this underrated adventure.
Not only are all the classic supporting characters involved, but the 2015 GOTG show also has legendary voice actors like Troy Baker, Tara Strong, and John DiMaggio involved, while Lee Pace and Seth Green even reprise their MCU roles. For Guardians of the Galaxy fans, this is a must-watch, and I’m still hoping for a remake or continuation at some point.
Hit-Monkey
When Hit-Monkey debuted back in 2021, it felt like the type of series that would take off, and to some degree, it did. Hulu picked it up for a second season, and the reviews were strong across the board, yet very few people seemed to acknowledge that it was actually a Marvel project.
Despite premiering on Hulu, it didn’t seem to get the same advertising or branding as other Marvel shows coming out at the time, mainly because most of the others tied directly into the MCU. As a result, Hit-Monkey felt like a unique animated show that was getting great write-ups, yet it didn’t really break into the mainstream superhero market.
It has yet to be renewed for season 3 despite most viewers seemingly enjoying the story, and while no reason has been given for its uncertain status, low viewership seems to be the most likely cause. Therefore, it’s safe to say Hit-Monkey is easily one of Marvel’s most slept-on shows of all time, and it’s hard to fathom why this series isn’t bigger.
Legion
Legion is a three-season masterpiece that seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye, meaning you almost certainly haven’t seen it. Despite featuring big names like Aubrey Plaza, John Hamm, and Hamish Linklater, alongside sitting at a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score, it appears as though most Marvel fans missed Legion’s incredible run.
The psychological drama focuses on a mutant who believes he suffers from mental illness, with specialists helping him explore the truth about the powers and the conflicts going on within his mind. Such a fascinating concept looked destined to thrive, but despite its best efforts, Legion’s viewership steadily declined over the course of three seasons in spite of its quality.
Competing with juggernauts like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones certainly didn’t help and explains why this show may have been missed by so many. However, it is certainly still worth checking out if you’re a fan of Marvel’s less traditional stories, and you certainly won’t be disappointed by this underrated gem.