Here are the best animated and cinematic TV shows from DC Comics

2019 is turning into superhero insanity with DC rolling out new and refreshing content for TV series both in animated and especially in the cinematic universe. Here’s a list of best TV shows that DC is offering right now.

→ You can easily find all these on DC’s streaming service too, which costs $74.99 annually, or $7.99 monthly.

Here are some of the best TV shows produced by DC comics over the years, with both the Animated and Cinematic categories included.

Best DC Comics TV shows

Young Justice

Young Justice: Outsiders | Official Comic-Con Trailer | DC Universe | The Ultimate Membership
  • IMDb: 8.7/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream link: Amazon| Netflix
  • Season: Season 1 (2010) – Season 3 (2019)

A massive hit, Young Justice serves as a counterpart to the adult Justice League (the animated series) which came in the early 2000s.  A lot of the original characters have been altered minutely to give the show a fresh feel.

One this is certain, DC Universe finally got it right with this series. We are introduced to our iconic Justice League superheroes with their sidekicks, Superboy, Wally West, Aqualad, Dick Grayson, Miss Martian, Artemis, Wonder Girl and many more.

With an intricate plot and multi-faceted storylines, Young Justice hits the sweet spot. Dialogues are very thought-provoking and intelligently written. There has been a thoughtful execution, especially in building the complexity and depth of the characters. You will explore deep emotions and humor combined seamlessly in many characters and scenes. Each episode will make you feel much more connected to the teens.

Now that the show is making a much-awaited comeback after 6 long years, the excitement of the fans is truly palpable.

The Flash

The Flash | Extended Trailer | The CW
  • IMDb: 7.9/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
  • Buy/Rent link
  • Buy/Rent/Stream link: Amazon
  • Season: Season 1 (2014) – Season 5 (2019)

The premise of Flash the series remains unchanged, Barry Allen, our famous comic-book character is struck by lightning caused by a particle accelerator explosion. Nine years later, Barry wakes up and finds himself in Star Labs.

As he resumes normalcy, he discovers a superpower that makes him the fastest man alive, thus The Flash is born. You can also look forward to new characters in this series including Harrison Wells the mastermind behind STAR labs, Caitlin Snow a neurotic scientist, Cisco a sarcastic tech expert who comes up with each villain’s super name, Iris West a journalist and her foster father Joe West who is a detective.

In each episode, The Flash teams up with the STAR lab members to stop new Metahumans from destroying the planet.

Great special effects and  CGI featuring monsters like Gorilla Grodd, Weather Wizard, Heatwave and many more make this an exceptional show. Despite all the goodness of this show, it has also faced some flak for excessive drama and overly long episodes.

Overall the flash is a must watch at least for the first three seasons. You will enjoy watching the speedster as his character grows and develops to create one of the coolest superhero scenes ever seen on the TV.

Justice League Animated

Justice League: The Animated Series | Opening Theme | 1080p 【HD】  Bluray :)
  • IMDb: 8.6/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream linkAmazon
  • Season: Season 1 (2001) – Season 5 (2004)

Justice League is a team of Superheroes in the DC Universe and this TV series aired in the early 2000s is full of action, adventure, and great storytelling. The League consists of its founding members Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Aquaman, and Green Lantern.

This show has been an essential part of every 90s kid’s life, especially the opening theme by Lolita Ritmanis that we waited for with bated breath.  DC has really turned this show into a legacy piece. A lot of effort has gone into the animation and character development of the superheroes and their civil personalities.

The series is divided into two parts, first aired from 2001 to 2004 was named Justice League animated and then continued from 2004 to 2006 by the name Justice League unlimited.

One of the best DC shows made by Warner Bros, this show is an all-time classic for Justice League fans.

Titans

Titans | Official Trailer | Netflix
  • IMDb: 8.1/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream linkNetflix
  • Season: Season 1 (2018)

Gone are the days when Titans dealt with teen drama while trying to save the world. They have grown up to the reality of a dark world filled with much anger and violence.

Titans retain some of the original character traits though.  The series kicks off with Dick Grayson getting tired of Batman. As a result, he starts working alone as a detective in Detroit. This Dick Grayson is a proper millennial, especially in his attempts to get rid of Bruce.

But it looks like Season 1 is constructed around Raven, one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe. Raven makes her way towards Grayson thanks to visions of a circus boy who resembles him. Another Titan character, Starfire, has lost her memory and is desperately trying to remember her past. Eventually, Grayson agrees to help Raven with his buddies, Hawk and Dove and so the series goes.  Overall, Titans series is full of action-packed scenes with beautifully done CGI and is surely a must watch.

Batman: The Animated Series

Batman the Animated Series Blu-ray trailer
  • IMDb: 8.9/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream linkAmazon
  • Season: Season 1 (1992) – Season 4 (1995)

Batman: The Animated Series took the DC comic universe to a whole new level, It was loved by all and its concept was also way ahead of its time. Everything about this series was done with the intention of telling a good story. A childhood favorite, the dark theme of Gotham City definitely gave this show a thrilling feel.

Batman: The Animated Series has a great lineup of many iconic heroes and villains and every voice actor has done an outstanding job. The animation is absolutely amazing as the characters look great and the setting of Gotham City is executed flawlessly.

This show is not about Batman alone. There are various side-characters who play a crucial role in making this series a huge success. Many of Batman’s rivals like the Joker, Ra’s al Ghul, Harley Quinn, Two-face and Penguin have become all time favorite villains.

An essential watch for superhero fans, this show will take you on a nostalgia trip with its thrilling action and immersive plot.

Arrow

Arrow (CW) Trailer
  • IMDb: 7.7/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream linkAmazon|Netflix
  • Season: Season 1 (2012) – Season 7 (2019)

A young billionaire makes his return to his dark city after an exile from a deserted island. Now, he is well versed in the art of archery and ready to take on the good fight. He decides to clean up the city by fighting criminals and corporate corruption while keeping his original identity as Oliver Queen hidden.

Find the story somewhat familiar with another popular DC character? DC gets away with Arrow because unlike Batman, he kills his enemies without a drop of mercy.  There are times when you will feel Oliver is just lashing out like a teenager. But it must be difficult to maintain a dual identity and fortunately, the villains get the worst of the kickback.

However, while season 1 and 2 were extremely promising, the following seasons did not impress. Season 5 made an interesting comeback but it still has some mixed reviews. Repeating the same plot over and over again is not the right approach for this show.

Krypton

KRYPTON Official Trailer (2018) Superman Prequel TV Show HD
  • IMDb: 7.1/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 61%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream link:Amazon
  • Season: Season 1 (2018)

Seg El, the grandfather of Earth’s legendary superhero Kal El aka Superman is introduced in  Krypton.

The show starts off with little Seg El in watching a trial followed by the execution of his grandfather Val El for suggesting that planet Krypton is not the only planet with life. Furthermore, Val El warns of a greater threat approaching Krypton. All of this sets the premise for the show.

As time passes, Seg El, who is now a teenager encounters a man from earth Adam Strange. Strange claims that he is from the future from another planet and lets him know that his grandson is one of the greatest heroes in the universe. He then provides him with the crystal of house El which has the symbol of HOPE on it. Seg El then sets off on a journey to do right by his planet and his grandson.

Don’t expect to see Superman in Krypton. The show carries its own identity with different characters and a compelling storyline which make it an interesting watch.

Gotham

Gotham - Season 1 Preview
  • IMDb: 7.9/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream linkAmazon|Netflix
  • Season: Season 1 (2014) – Season 5 (2019)

Gotham is an ode to all the canon characters in Batman. This pre-Batman show weaves a compelling storyline consisting of characters who you’ll absolutely love especially James Gordon. You will also witness individual stories of all the iconic villains like Joker, Penguin, Scarecrow, Riddler and many more. Season 1 starts off with Gordon investigating the death of the Waynes and trying to get them justice. Season 2, on the other hand, is brutal. While Little Bruce Wayne is being raised to be the future Batman, Gotham is raising the most notorious future villains who will wreak havoc in the city.

This series has its own take at the Batman Univers. Certain characters are introduced differently than the comics. It may look like Gotham and feel like it too, but its a brutal playground till Batman enters making this show one hell of a watch.

Doom Patrol

Doom Patrol | Extended Trailer | DC Universe | The Ultimate Membership
  • IMDb: 8.4/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream link: N/A
  • Season: Season 1 (2018)

Doom Patrol brings a group of unconventional people who’ve faced a horrible episode in their life that gave them special abilities. This odd set is brought together by Chief or Niles Caulder to serve a meaningful purpose in life. The series focuses on the dark backstories of these people and how will they come together in order to defeat their common enemy.

Some of the characters were introduced in DC’c Titans in a crossover, but the makers believed that these bunch of misfits could carry a show of their own to success. The said bunch consists of Crazy Jane, Robotman, Elastic-Girl, Negative Man, and Cyborg.

One of the best thing about the series is that it does not hold back at all. Much of the storytelling and portrayal of the characters are inspired by the Doom patrol comics but the show can still hold its own perfectly well.

DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow

DC
  • IMDb: 6.9/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream link: Amazon
  • Season: Season 1 (2016) – Season 4 (2019)

Legends Of Tomorrow is a potent combination of a supervillain, time travel and an unconventional set of heroes. Most of them have already been introduced in Flash and Arrow.

The show also introduces Rip Hunter who travels from the future in order to assemble a team of superheroes to stop Immortal Vandal Savage. The team consists of the Atom, Black Canary, Captian Cold and Heatwave, Firestorm,  and the duo Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Overall, DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow is a new take on familiar characters and villains, making it a truly interesting watch.

Constantine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Om-D0CxI4A

  • IMDb: 7.6/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
  • Buy/Rent/Stream link: Amazon
  • Season: Season 1 (2014)

In Constantine, we have a DC anti-hero who struggles with his own sins and protects humanity from evil supernatural demons. This character is kind of a legend in the comics as Batman himself approached him to defeat a magical threat that could destroy the planet.

Matt Ryan has done a fantastic job in this one as he portrays the character exactly like the Hellblazer comics by DC. The series starts with John helping his old friend’s daughter by giving her protection from a demon who was tormenting her. We also get a good look at the helmet of Doctor Fate in the very first episode itself.

Even though Constantine received immense love from the audience it was not renewed for the next season. But he makes a comeback in DC’s Legends of tomorrow Season 4 which was released in 2018.  There are rumors about Constantine returning for another season with a fresh take on the storyline along with new characters.

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That’s all.

Which one is your favorite of the bunch, and why?

Did we miss out any cool TV series from DC comics above? If yes, do give us a shout via the comments section below.

Posted by
Rose

A helpful heart with a writer's soul and a serious case of nerdy brains. Pleased to meet you and welcome to my realm <3