The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest-grossing film franchise yet, with $22.93 billion in global box-office revenue. That's double the revenue of the next-popular Star Wars franchise. Marvel Studios has capitalized on the explosive popularity of movies such as Avengers: Endgame with spin-off shows for Disney+ that dive deep into the storylines of many of the main and supporting characters. 

With Moon Knight launching on March 30, it's a good time to catch up on the best Marvel shows, ranked by their Metascores.

Marvel's 616

Metascore: 84
Best for: Fans of going behind the scenes of big Hollywood blockbusters
Where to watch:

Seasons: 1

This docuseries features eight episodes that individually dive into a different part of what makes the Marvel machine so special and is directed by a different person, from David Gelb's exploration of the Japanese version of Spider-Man, to Andrew Rossi exploring the cosplay community, and Clay Jeter giving the artisans who draw the beloved characters the spotlight.

"The stories it chooses to tell turn out to be genuinely fascinating, whether you're a diehard Marvel fan or someone who has no idea what Marvel's 616 even means." — Caroline Framke, Variety

Legion

Metascore: 82
Best for: Fans of psychologically complex dramas and mind-bending visuals
Where to watch:

, Google Play, , iTunes,
Seasons: 3

Noah Hawley's three-season drama centers on Marvel Comics character David Haller, aka Legion (played here by Dan Stevens), who was diagnosed as a schizophrenic when he was a child, but is actually a mutant with many abilities. The show finds him living in a psychiatric facility where he learns there is more to him than mental illness. While he tries to learn to control his abilities, he has many forces chasing him, from the government, to the Shadow King.

"The most brazenly inventive series on TV." — Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture

WandaVision

Metascore: 77
Best for: Fans of classic sitcoms and both psychological and romantic drama
Where to watch: 

Seasons: 1

WandaVision is an interesting combination of such classic TV sitcoms as I Love Lucy, complete with occasional laugh tracks and Bewitched-inspired situations that gradually give way to more modern sitcom styles. However, the main characters are Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) of Avengers fame. Without giving too much away, the nine-episode show is a look into a post-Avengers film franchise world, with Wanda desperate to build a life with Vision. Although Marvel Television series (see Legion, above, and Jessica Jones, below) earned accolades, such as Emmy nominations, WandaVision marked Marvel Studios' first outing to see both critical and awards acclaim. (It picked up 23 Emmy noms, with three wins in 2021.) 

"A high-concept combination of paranoiac mystery and nostalgic pop-culture burlesque. Its two central characters are borrowed from the Avengers movies but they're in very different territory here, more reminiscent in some ways of the most distinctive of the earlier Marvel shows, FX's Legion." — Mike Hale, The New York Times

Jessica Jones

Metascore: 76
Best for: Fans of dark dramas centered on female protagonists
Where to watch:

, , Google Play, ,
Seasons: 3

Jessica Jones delves into the life of the superhero who walked away from saving the world after a tragedy. Krysten Ritter plays the eponymous character, an antihero who takes on a new life in New York City as a private investigator for people with special abilities while trying to deal with her own personal demons as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder. Netflix originally streamed three seasons before deciding to cancel the series. However, the final episode offered viewers some closure.

"Two mainstays of film noir are the tough-talking dame and the cynical private eye, and one of the pleasures of Marvel's Jessica Jones is that it unites both types in one thorny and fascinating character." — Maureen Ryan, Variety

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Metascore: 74
Best for: Fans of action and adventure mixed with sci-fi elements
Where to watch: 

, , Google Play, ,
Seasons: 7

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. could be considered a classic. It first premiered on primetime, broadcast television (on ABC) in 2013 and ran for seven seasons. Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), who was first seen debriefing and later recruiting Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) in Iron Man, is tasked with putting together a small team of super agents to investigate unusual occurrences (and Hydra, eventually). Many of the recruits are young, elite, and in need of training to develop their full potential.

"The series was originally set up as one that would play heavily within the continuity of Marvel Studios' movies. ... Now, it's almost completely walled off in its own corner of the Marvel Universe. And it's all the better for it." — Emily VanDerWerff, Vox

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Metascore: 74
Best for: Fans of action, science fiction, and adventure 
Where to watch: 

Seasons: 1 (so far)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier may be one of the most socially complex Marvel shows on Disney+. You'll find a continuation of what happens after Captain America (Chris Evans) turns over his shield to Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) at the end of Avengers: Endgame. However, there are other issues at hand regarding how Captain America should operate in the modern world. Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), is also dealing with complications, namely the trauma of fighting for decades, and they are joined by John Walker (Wyatt Russell), a newer agent. The six-episode first season stands on its own right now, though a second season was teased by the fact that the show entered into the drama series races at the Emmys, rather than the limited series ones.

"It was particularly satisfying to see this series create a Captain America for a new age — when so much of the nation's systemic racism is directly challenged." — Eric Deggans, NPR

Luke Cage

Metascore: 74
Best for: Action-drama fans
Where to watch: 

, , Google Play, iTunes,
Seasons: 2

Luke Cage follows the eponymous hero (played by Mike Colter) as he transforms into a super-soldier with bulletproof skin as a result of prison experimentation gone wrong. Cage is arguably one of the strongest of the Marvel superheroes and could probably go toe-to-toe with Captain America in a physical battle. Despite his superhuman strength, Cage wants to settle down to a quiet life in Harlem but gets pulled into saving the city during the two seasons of this drama series. 

"From the performances to the directing to the fight choreography, every nut and bolt of this narrative has been tightened down, and the narrative energy emits more spark." — Melanie McFarland, Salon

Loki

Metascore: 74
Best for: Fantasy fans who enjoy tales of time travel
Where to watch: 

Seasons: 1 (so far)

Loki consistently topped Nielsen ratings during its summer 2021 premiere. Perhaps it's Tom Hiddleston's performance as Loki that provides a seamless transition from Thor and the Avengers movies into the show. Owen Wilson also delivers a great performance as Agent Mobius, investigator of time criminals for the Time Variance Authority (TVA). The show gets off to an unusual start, with Loki getting arrested by the retro-feeling TVA for time travel. He has no choice but to work with Agent Mobius to find and capture variants of himself. However, the story slowly unfolds into something far more complex and interesting.

"If you're somehow new to this whole Marvel thing, I'd recommend Loki as the place to start. It's the best of what the superhero genre has to offer without all of the homework." — Andrew Webster, The Verge

Agent Carter

Metascore: 73
Best for: Fans of spy dramas set in the past
Where to watch: 

, , Google Play, iTunes,
Seasons: 2

Agent Carter takes place in the postwar era of 1946, following Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) as she deals with the loss of her great love, Steve Rogers aka Captain America. If that's not enough, she's secretly tasked to help clear Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) of treason for a great historical journey into the world of spies, intrigue, and secret missions for the secret Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). Some fans still lament the loss of this broadcast drama (it originally aired on ABC), but while it isn't delivering new episodes, at least you can watch the old ones over and over.

"Marvel and ABC finally get it right with this fun, entertaining period piece." — Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter

Daredevil

Metascore: 72
Best for: Fans of crime and legal dramas
Where to watch: 

, , Google Play, iTunes,
Seasons: 3

Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox, is Daredevil, a blind attorney who turns into a vigilante at night. His heightened senses make up for his inability to see, and he uses this ability to fight crime (of course). Critics and fans alike appreciate how tight the storyline is to the original Marvel character. Best of all, you can indulge in three seasons of thrilling action and adventure with Hell's Kitchen in New York City as the backdrop.

"Sure Daredevil is silly and hammy at times (a good man punches bad men while wearing his jimjams and a big sock on his head) but it scores high in every department and possesses a leading man (Charlie Cox) with the chops to hold it all together." — Chris Bennion, Independent