1) Daredevil Season 1
The Flash may represent the ultimate in good old-fashioned comic book fun, but Daredevil takes the genre to an entire new level. When Marvel first announced plans to produce shows through Netflix, it’s fair to say a few among us were sceptical, especially as the first program would be based on one of the worst superhero films in recent memory. We’re talking Velma from Scooby-Doo levels of scepticism here, guys.
Fortunately, we had nothing to worry about. Not only did Daredevil live up to the hype, it somehow managed to defy all expectations, becoming the most popular original Netflix show of all-time. What’s even more impressive is that Daredevil somehow managed to be better than the vast majority of the Marvel movies, despite the famous casts and budgets that could feed entire countries.
Daredevil is the perfect example of how to approach superheroics in a grounded, realistic fashion that genuinely appeals to adults. Not once are the audience talked down to and often, the show feels more like a HBO crime or courtroom drama than a program that shares a world with super soldiers and hammer-wielding gods. Sure, there are occasional references to the Marvel Universe, but these are woven seamlessly into the narrative, which thankfully takes precedence over cheap cameos or throwaway mentions.
It may not sound like it on paper, but the story of a blind lawyer seeking his own brand of justice is the perfect comic book TV show for people who don’t like superheroes. And for those who do? Us geeks have never had it so good.