The Marvel Cinematic Universe reached streaming in 2021 with WandaVision. It was an excellent start, but Marvel Studios—and now, the resurrected Marvel Television—has struggled to maintain that momentum.
Pushed into quantity over quality territory by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Marvel quickly realised that TV shows can't be made in the same way as movies. A shift from Head Writers to showrunners has been hugely beneficial, but even before that, we got some quality series that rank among the MCU's best stories.
Following the launch of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, we're sharing a revised, updated breakdown of the 10 best-reviewed live-action MCU TV shows, according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Something tells us you'll be surprised by how these compare.
To check out this ranking, click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below...
10. Agatha All Along - 84%
Critics Consensus: The marvelous Kathryn Hahn is backed up by a coven of memorable performers in this MCU spinoff that refreshingly concocts its own distinct brew.
What We Said: A spooky, scintillating, supernatural delight, Agatha All Along is a worthy successor to WandaVision and a showcase for the bewitching Kathryn Hahn as your new MCU favourite, Agatha Harkness.
With a predominantly female cast, the usual suspects were rooting for Agatha All Along to bomb. What they failed to take into account is the fact that this series came our way from Jac Schaeffer, the writer who set the bar so high for Marvel Television with WandaVision.
It's PG-13 horror, yes, but Hahn is a blast to spend time with as Agatha Harkness and the supporting cast is stellar, particularly Joe Locke's Billy Maximoff. It's another show that got fans talking, and the finale smartly ditched the MCU formula to prioritise the title character's story arc.
9. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier - 85%
Critics Consensus: Packed with blockbuster action and deft character beats, Falcon and the Winter Soldier proves itself worthy of Captain America's legacy with its globetrotting intrigue, mature social commentary, and the sparky rapport between stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan.
What We Said: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier brings the big screen blockbuster experience to Disney+ in a promising premiere that lays the groundwork for another Marvel Studios series, which defies expectations and takes its leads on a thrilling journey.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier generated mostly positive reviews. However, it was understandably criticised for its lack of direction with certain characters (the Flag Smashers) and some on-the-nose dialogue.
Despite that, this series effectively explored Sam Wilson's transformation into Captain America, all while establishing him as the new face of the MCU. Despite too much filler, it was a solid lead-in to Captain America: Brave New World and set up Bucky and John Walker for Thunderbolts*.
8. Moon Knight - 86%
Critics Consensus: Its entertainment value may wax and wane a bit, but Moon Knight ultimately settles into a mostly enjoyable -- and refreshingly weird -- spot in the MCU firmament.
What We Said: Oscar Isaac puts Moon Knight on the map in Marvel Studios' most daring TV show yet, ushering in an unmissable new era of storytelling in a series that, if it sticks the landing, could go down as a classic.
We hate to say it, but Moon Knight didn't quite manage to live up to expectations. There was nowhere near enough superhero action in the show, and the messy final couple of episodes pointed to those scenes in the asylum being heavily reshot.
Still, we loved Khonshu, and there's no denying that Oscar Isaac's trippy performance kept us hooked from start to finish. Again, the show would have benefited from more time spent with the costumed Moon Knight, but we did get a great cliffhanger and plenty of memorable scenes.
7. Daredevil: Born Again (Season 1) - 87%
Critics Consensus: Resurrecting Charlie Cox's Daredevil with his virtues intact -- namely Vincent D'Onofrio as his terrifying adversary -- Born Again is an ambitious and at times ungainly crime saga that marks a mature tonal shift for the MCU.
What We Said: A masterpiece of epic proportions, Daredevil: Born Again delivers a powerful, unmissable take on the Man Without Fear. Putting street-level heroics on the map in a way that promises to change the MCU forever, the show is sublime superhero storytelling.
Daredevil: Born Again has its detractors, but given everything it went through to reach our screens, we think Marvel Television 100% delivered. Tonal inconsistencies aside (you can thank the overhaul for that), Marvel Studios delivered a phenomenal take on the Man Without Fear here.
With a killer premiere and final two episodes, the show overcame any shortcomings from the previous creative team and allowed its stellar cast to shine. Once again, Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio were magnificent, and this was a worthy follow-up to the Netflix era thanks to them.
6. Wonder Man - 91%
Critics Consensus: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Wonder Man, turning in a sly performance alongside an equally wonderful Ben Kingsley in this low-stakes superhero fare that boasts high-hearted personal drama as its winning factor.
What We Said: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II steals the show in this delightfully original two-hander about friendship, acting, and being true to yourself. Wonder Man is the cure to superhero fatigue and the most original MCU TV series since WandaVision.
Wonder Man was the cure for so-called superhero fatigue, with a fresh, bold, and unexpected approach to the genre, which came at the perfect time. Far from your typical MCU TV show, it was as subversive and brilliant as the series that kicked off this streaming era in 2021: WandaVision.
Beautifully acted by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, it's a story about friendship, the love of one's craft, self-acceptance, and, of course, superpowers. Fortunately, this won't be the last we see of Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery in the MCU, as Season 2 is coming.
5. Hawkeye - 92%
Critics Consensus: Hawkeye starts slowly, but the street-level action is a refreshing change of pace for the MCU -- and the chemistry between its leads sparkles even when the plot lags.
What We Said: Marvel Studios is once again sleigh-in' it with Hawkeye, an unmissable Christmastime team-up bringing holiday cheer to the MCU with top tier storytelling delivered in the Mighty Marvel Manner & a bold, brilliant new hero in Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop.
Hawkeye ended up massively exceeding expectations, and the friendship between Clint Barton and Kate Bishop was another of those MCU relationships that it was a delight to get caught up in (and we remain hopeful that it will be revisited in a much-needed Season 2).
The Kingpin's debut was a welcome surprise, while the Christmas setting also felt like something new from Marvel Studios. Swordmaster's arc was a tad disappointing, but that's our only gripe for a show which gave us the MCU's Wilson Fisk and a great new hero in Kate.
4. Loki (Season 1) - 92%
Critics Consensus: A delightful diversion from the MCU as we know it, Loki successfully sees star Tom Hiddleston leap from beloved villain to endearing antihero -- with a little help from Owen Wilson -- in a series that's as off-kilter, charming, and vaguely dangerous as the demigod himself.
What We Said: Nothing can prepare you for Loki, a mind-bending dive into the Marvel Multiverse that takes everything you thought you knew about the MCU and turns it on its head for one of the most ambitious, craziest stories Marvel Studios has ever told.
Loki Season 1 was a superb six episodes of television, taking the God of Mischief—a version who was still every bit the villain—on a journey that deepened both the character and the Multiverse Saga's lore. Along the way, we got to explore the TVA and even met the MCU's next Thanos.
It's a shame things didn't work out with Kang because Loki did a phenomenal job of setting him up as a new big bad. Season 2 was also excellent, but this first batch of episodes deserves its place here as one of the MCU's best TV shows.
3. WandaVision - 92%
Critics Consensus: Part loving homage to TV history, part off-kilter mystery, WandaVision is a wonderfully weird and strikingly bold step into the small screen for the MCU - and a perfect showcase for Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany.
What We Said: A love letter to sitcoms and the perfect show to bring us back into the MCU, WandaVision is Marvel's most exciting project yet, with an unmissable, Emmy-worthy performance from Elizabeth Olsen.
What a way for Marvel Studios to kick off its streaming projects. An argument could be made that the theories surrounding this show, such as Mephisto being the big bad, got out of hand and somewhat lessened the experience, especially when they didn't pay off as hoped.
Putting that aside, it was a blast speculating each week and seeing the mystery in Westview unfurl; emotional, action-packed, and compelling, this show was superb, though we do wish they hadn't wasted Pietro. Regardless, many could argue this was Marvel Television at its best.
2. Daredevil: Born Again (Season 2) - 95%
Critics Consensus: Daredevil: Born Again imbues its second season with rich substance thanks to devilishly good performances, punchier narrative momentum, and well-timed themes befitting this daring crusader.
What We Said: A brutal, relentless tour-de-force, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is a Marvel masterstroke that sees Charlie Cox take the Man Without Fear to unprecedented heights, delivering the definitive take on Daredevil.
We're aware that, as of now, most of you reading this will have only seen the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 premiere. However, having watched the entirety of this season, we can assure you that the best is yet to come as the Mayor Fisk storyline reaches its jaw-dropping conclusion.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 featured two conflicting visions thanks to a creative overhaul, but with Dario Scardapane now fully in charge, the story and action are firing on all cylinders. Honestly, the finale might be one of the best hours of television we've ever seen.
1. Ms. Marvel - 98%
Critics Consensus: Ms. Marvel is a genuinely fresh addition to the MCU -- both stylistically and substantively -- with Iman Vellani ably powering proceedings with her super-sized charisma.
What We Said: Iman Vellani establishes herself as an immense talent in Ms. Marvel, a culturally rich and diverse new entry into the MCU that adds some incredible new characters and explores unexpected sides of this world. Prepare to meet your new favourite superhero.
There's no denying that there was a fairly sharp decline in quality in Ms. Marvel's third, fourth, and fifth episodes, but they were still very good, and the first, second, and sixth chapters were among the best hours of television we've seen from Marvel Studios.
Iman Vellani is a megastar, we're in love with her family, and she was a highlight in the largely underwhelming The Marvels. Should her powers have been changed so drastically? That remains up for debate, but we'd say it was a pretty significant misstep in an otherwise great series.