When the Marvel Cinematic Universe decided to expand into TV series, fans were thrilled. The Disney+ streaming service opened up a whole new lane of characters and worlds of the MCU that could either be introduced or further explored in long-form between films. While things started off strong with breakout hit success of WandaVision, the MCU Disney+ series quickly waned in quality, and often dovetailed between big highs (like Loki) and some of the worst lows the franchise has ever suffered (Secret Invasion).
So how to rank the marvel Disney+ series? Obviously the top picks tend to be pretty universal, but it’s when you get into the middle-to-lower end of the list that the real debate begins. And now that Agatha All Along has completed its run and made a lot of doubters eat crow, this rankings debate is only going to get that much tougher!
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NOTE: This list is for Disney+ series that are considered canon to the MCU – which means X-Men ’97 is not open for consideration (at least right now).
11. Secret Invasion
Is there any real debate about this one? Secret Invasion is rightly hailed as the worst piece of content that Marvel Studios has ever released – because it is. The show bumbled one of the most famous modern Marvel crossover events; wasted an actor like Samuel L. Jackson; was as bland and uninteresting misfire in the action-espionage genre; and had one of the most ridiculous finale and “boss battles” ever, with Emilia Clarke’s G’iah becoming the most over-powered being in the entire MCU. By the time The Marvels hit theaters, it was clear that Secret Invasion was being paved-over. The viewership returns also made it clear: This belongs at the bottom of the list – and so do its AI-generated opening credits.
10. Echo
It’s crazy to think that we started off 2024 with Echo, because that’s all the show feels like at this point: an echo of something half-remembered. Series star Alaqua Cox did well in her solo spinoff, but this series felt mishandled and slapdash from top to bottom, creatively – a victim of the changing tides in Disney’s board room. Part MCU, part Marvel Netflix revival – kind of connected to Hawkeye and i, but not necessarily building to anything relevant or major – touting a new “Marvel Spolight” banner that’s still unclear in its intention of viability… There was a reason why Echo is the only live-action binge-watch release in the lineup: Marvel Studios wanted to get through with it as quickly as possible.
9. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will always be infamous for the way it took the creative novelty and promise of WanaVision and quickly squandered it by delivering a lower-tier imitation of an MCU movie. The series cemented so many of the negative staples of MCU Disney+ series – including the disappointing boss battle finale, and disappointing “development” of essentially serving to debut new character costumes and/or transformations. Worst yet, TFATWS has had some of the lowest payoff in the MCU since its run back in 2021 – but admittedly that could finally change next year with the release of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts.
8. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
As we start to get into the more contentious section of the rankings: Like Echo, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law had a strong central lead in Tatiana Maslany, but was also kind of slapdash in its execution. Not only did fans notice, the makers of the show clearly noticed too, because they made the “joke” of getting meta about it in the finale episode, where the AI known as K.E.V.I.N. [Feige] was revealed to be behind the fourth wall, pulling the strings of MCU storytelling. K.E.V.I.N. was up in arms about She-Hulk pushing the budget with its attempt at a long-form story using a CGI Hulk character – a gamble that yielded very mixed results. Still, She-Hulk gets points for introducing some fun characters (Madisynn!) and storylines to the MCU – as well as being the first true episodic TV procedural the franchise has ever done.
7. What If…?
Marvel’s What If…? has been something of a dark horse, coming out in the post-pandemic era of 2021 with a divisive first season. However, over time, MCU fans both young and old have engaged with the series, and by the time Season 2 was released in 2023, fans seemed to overwhelmingly embrace the show. Now Season 3 of What If…? is set to be another fun mini-event to end 2024, and the show has earned the respect of being one of the more fun executions of the Marvel Multiverse concept.
6. Moon Knight
Marvel’s Moon Knight was another unfortunate product of the oversaturated era of MCU product pushed out by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. It had the hokey final boss battle, and some weird twists, but what distinguishes Moon Knight more so than other Marvel Disney+ shows is the leadin performance by Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector / Steven Grant / Jack Lockley / Moon Knight / Mr. Knight. Just looking back at that list of variations on the character should tell you the scope of what Isaac delivered – one of the finest performances in the whole MCU.
5. Ms. Marvel
Like Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel rose above the production woes and truncated timelines of the Marvel Disney+ tidal wave by locking down the right lead performer to carry the series. Iman Vellani became an instant star; Ms. Marvel became a cultural gem, and the series has been one of the few Disney+ shows that has actually been relevant to one of the Multiverse Saga films. The fact that Vellani has made the jump from unknown, to TV star, to movie star (and comic creator!) is the kind of story that MCU fan dreams are made of. And, for what it’s worth, Ms. Marvel was just plain fun, something the MCU has sorely been missing.
4. Agatha All Along
Who knew? When MCU fans learned we were getting a WandaVision spinoff about Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), most were skeptical – and rightly so. But like any good (or bad) witch, Agatha bested the long odds and cast a spell over MCU fans. Again: the right performers were put in place to sail the ship to promising new shores, which included an expanded understanding of the MCU mystical world, a fan-favorite character’s MCU debut (Wiccan), and the fan-favored casting of Aubrey Plaza as Marvel’s death. With Agatha All Along setting up Scarlet Witch’s return and another Young Avenger’s imminent debut (Tommy Maximoff), the series ended up be more relevant than we ever would’ve guessed.
3. Hawkeye
No one was begging for a series centered around Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton/Hawkeye – but the series has gone on to become a sort of quasi-pioneer of the idea that even the most unlikely supporting characters in a franchise can become the center of really great screen stories, if handled correctly, creatively – and if you put talented character actors in the lead slots. There was a lot to love about Hawkeye – the playful tone of the show (Track Suit Mafia for life! Yelena mac-n-cheese!); the smart backstory filled in for both Kate Bishop and Clint’s time as “Ronan”; the introduction (Echo) or re-introduction (Kingpin) of exciting characters; and (at the time) the start of an actual interconnected story arc running through MCU Disney+ series (Kingpin’s return and his chess-like machinations to secure underworld power and political influence). All of that aside, though, Hawkeye stars Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld had the kind of onscreen chemistry that most actors only wish they could create. It was priceless, and the Christmas season setting makes Hawkeye an easy annual rewatch.
2. WandaVision
The show that launched the Marvel Disney+ wave still holds its crown as one of the best to do it – and that is, admittedly, getting a bit depressing as the years roll on. Still, WanaVision befuddled MCU fans with its initial stylistic flourishes (re-creating classic decades of television sitcoms) and ominous mystery (the Westview Hex), while the performances of Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda), Paul Bettany (Vision), Kathyrn Hahn (Agatha) and others hinted that Marvel TV could function on a prestige level. The fandom buzz never died down, and each week it aired WandaVision was THE topic of water cooler discussion – even when it Bohnered us. WandaVision may have ended on the now-infamous trope of a hero vs. mirrored villain(s) finale, but for most of its episodes the show was a refreshing reminder that the MCU can get weird in the most wonderful ways, and fans will eat it up. It’s too bad the creative bend didn’t get applied to more of these Disney+ series…
1. Loki
Loki is at the top of the list because of many of the very same reasons that WandaVision is – an excellent creative team, great stylistic flourishes, strong ensemble of performers (Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Jonathan Majors), a juicy air of mystery – and even some big revelations about the Marvel Multiverse and the new big bad of the franchise (Kang). However, WandaVision was a one-and-done, while Loki managed to sustain (most of) its greatness across two seasons – including two of the best seasonal finales that we’ve seen from these shows. Loki also managed to be very relevant tie-in with what was happening in the MCU movies, without needing heavy-handed crossovers. It’s the example that future MCU Disney+ series should learn from.
What is your favorite Marvel Disney+ series? Let us know in the comments! The Marvel Disney+ series continue with What If…? Season 3 in December; Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man premieres on January 29, 2025, Daredevil: Born Again premieres on March 4, 2025, Ironheart on June 24, 2025, Eyes of Wakanda on August 6, 2025, Marvel Zombies on October 3, 2025, and Wonder Man in December of 2025.