Comic book crime-fighters are all the rage these days. Audiences can't go five minutes without DC or Marvel putting out a movie, TV show, or video game about these costumed exploits. Some people talk about superhero fatigue, wondering when consumers will tire of these colorful adventures, but that doesn't seem to have set in yet.
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For some TV shows, however, superhero fatigue was there from the start. Even if they managed to stay on the air, these series faced an uphill battle in the public consciousness. For whatever reason, they faded from memory more rapidly than their peers, which is never healthy in a crowded market. So many successful superhero products are out there, but this makes it that much harder for failures to stand out.
10 Shazam!
Even after the surprisingly successful film, Shazam (formerly Captain Marvel) isn't exactly a mainstream DC hero. This makes it all the more shocking that 1974's Shazam! was a hit for CBS. It went on for three seasons and birthed another show about an Egyptian-themed heroine named Isis. So, why isn't it remembered?
Well, despite its admirable production values, it's one of those series that's insanely corny, complete with episodic lessons for kids. Sadly, though, it never attained the staying power of similarly cheesy works like the 1960s Batman show. In addition, the studio's classless treatment of the lead actor (and the ensuing lawsuit) caused a few financial struggles that might have motivated its cancellation. If it had gone on longer, then it could have stayed in the cultural zeitgeist.
9 The Incredible Hulk
Many modern audiences know the Hulk as the musclebound goof with a temper in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He's also one of the only Avengers to not get a slew of solo sequels. Despite that, he was among the first of these heroes to get his own live-action TV show.
It's funny to think that this 1977 series went on for four seasons, infinitely more successful than similar attempts with Thor and Spider-Man at the time. This led bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno to become synonymous with the character for decades; he even voiced the green rage monster in several projects afterwards. Sadly, with the Hulk become a clownish CG creation (and with Marvel pushing Ferrigno out), it seems this show's legacy is starting to fade.
8 The Zeta Project
This spinoff of a spinoff was so insignificant in the greater DC Animated Universe that even hardcore fans may not know it exists. Originating in Batman Beyond, Zeta was a government robot who went against his infiltration and assassination programming. He eventually left Gotham and pursued heroics in another city with the help of a street-smart sidekick.
Considering that cliched setup, it's not surprising that the interest simply wasn't there for The Zeta Project. The creators tried to salvage it with another Batman Beyond crossover, but it did little good. The higher-ups whacked this bot after one season.
7 Avengers: United They Stand
Before they were the biggest money-makers in the superhero business, the Avengers were the poor man's Justice League. Characters like Falcon and Vision aren't A-tier superheroes even now. Try making a show about these C-listers back in 1999.
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This makes it all the more ironic that the creators' main goal was to sell toys. Yes, these Avengers have high-tech power armor to promote a line of action figures, making them look more designed than the Injustice characters. Tragically, their costumes are the most interesting thing about them, as these Avengers' personalities are five flavors of bland. If kids didn't care before, this didn't change their minds. In the end, they neither watched the show nor bought the toys.
6 Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Shaky foundations rarely bode well. Though the creators initially conceived this MTV effort as an Ultimate Spider-Man show, the studio ordered them to retrofit it into a sequel to the recent Sam Raimi film. The result was a series that, while accomplished in its own right, didn't meet either goal.
This presents a darker vision for the Spider-Man mythos, almost neo-noir in its atmosphere. Unfortunately, that means it wasn't as marketable to kids. On the other hand, it still adhered to the quirky everyman charm of the characters, so it didn't have the weird, cynical appeal of other MTV shows at the time, leading to its inevitable cancellation after one season. Look at the long history of Spider-Man movies and TV shows, and it's easy to forget such a short-lived attempt.
5 Dial M For Monkey & The Justice Friends
These were originally part of Dexter's Laboratory. The show would cut away from its titular boy genius and focus on either his experimental monkey or a pack of Avengers-esque roommates. Obviously, these were satirical, poking fun at superhero teams and spoofing spy flicks.
Sadly, the later seasons axed these segments. In addition, said seasons were more commercialized than previous ones. Anyone who tuned into Dexter's Lab would likely see its central characters and no one else. These extra adventures — once central to the show's identity —were effectively excised from its legacy.
4 Birds Of Prey
These antiheroines can't catch a break. Not only did their asinine movie flop, but their TV series only lasted for thirteen episodes. It's easy to see why, though. Everything about 2002's Birds of Prey reeks of that early-2000s "edginess" that permeated entertainment back then. It even has the black leather trench coats, Matrix-style fight scenes, and a mopey rock song as its theme.
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The series comes off as a relic. It's consumed by these trite elements, and neither the story nor the characters are engaging enough to rise above these clichés. Basically, the show never gives audiences a reason to look back, so why should they?
3 X-Men: Evolution
This show has always lived in the shadow of its predecessor. Sure, it got four seasons, but what do many people picture when they think of X-Men TV shows? That's right, the 90s animated series. After all, it brings the tone, aesthetic, and characterization of the classic comics to life.
X-Men: Evolution updates the formula, making many of its characters into high-schoolers and tying mutation and prejudice into puberty and other youth problems. This rubbed some fans the wrong way. Of course, serialized storytelling in a kids show also didn't help. With these elements working against it, this evolution seemed doomed from the start.
2 Krypto The Superdog
It was a bizarre move by Paul Dini and Alan Burnett to follow their work on the DCAU with this: a show about DC superheroes' pets. With those names comes the same high-flying adventure that fans had come to expect, albeit more lighthearted with a sprinkle of self-awareness. Despite these strengths, Krypto failed to achieve the all-ages popularity of other superhero series.
To outsiders, it just looked like a cutesy preschool show about a bunch of costumed pets. Why would anyone watch it, let alone let it live beyond two seasons? However, who knows? Maybe Dwayne Johnson is currently watching it religiously for research.
1 Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Released back in 2011, this show was meant to capitalize on the Green Lantern movie that same year. That's a problem when the film in question turned into a critical and commercial flop.
Sure, the show's plot and characters were entirely disconnected, and it received praise from those select few fans who watched it. Unfortunately, the damage was done. The series came and went after one season. Now, the most that anyone remembers about the Green Lantern during that time are the countless jokes in Deadpool. Talk about adding insult to injury. Hopefully, the upcoming HBO Max series will fare better.