Top 10 Best DC Comics TV Series of All Time

Adapted from a character in the famous Sandman comic series from Vertigo - an imprint of DC Comics, Lucifer has remarkably surpassed all DC Comics TV adaptations to become the top-ranked series in the Top 10 Best DC Comics TV Series of All Time.

Lucifer, also known as Satan - the king of demons, is portrayed in a completely new light in this series. Tired of ruling hell, Lucifer decides to take a break and visits the mortal world. Here, he confronts the 'bad guys' who harm the people he cares about, using his formidable powers as the embodiment of evil to punish wrongdoing.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2016 - Present
• Number of seasons: 5
• Production company: Fox
• Director: Tom Kapinos
• Stars: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro
• IMDb rating: 8.1

While The Flash stands out as the hottest TV series from DC Comics, attracting a diverse audience, including those unfamiliar with DC Comics, it features the famous superhero known for super-speed surpassing even the speed of light. The Flash, a member of the Justice League, stands alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more.

The TV adaptation of The Flash intertwines with Arrow, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow, creating a unique superhero TV universe. The success of The Flash stems from various factors: a captivating story, spectacular action from the lightning-fast hero, seamless collaboration of the CW superhero universe, intense and unpredictable plot twists. For these reasons, The Flash rightfully claims the third spot in the Top 10 Best DC Comics TV Series of All Time.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2014 - Present
• Number of seasons: 7
• Production company: CW
• Directors: Greg Berlanti, Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg
• Stars: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Tom Cavanagh
• IMDb rating: 7.7

Following closely after Lucifer is Preacher, also a series about demons, magic, adapted from the Vertigo comic series. Produced by the famous AMC network, known for Breaking Bad, Preacher is considered the TV series that best retains the essence of the comic in all DC Comics adaptations.

Preacher tells the story of a preacher bestowed with the power of Genesis - a hybrid entity of angel and demon. Alongside two companions, one of whom is a vampire, the preacher must confront both angels who want Genesis back and the local people's issues, especially those related to religious faith. Preacher is a series with a distinctive satirical and sarcastic tone, a show that is truly worth watching.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2016 - 2019
• Number of seasons: 4
• Production company: AMC
• Directors: Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
• Stars: Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun, Ruth Negga
• IMDb rating: 8.0

Gotham is an unexpected success from DC Comics. When the project first started, many were worried that DC was 'milking' Batman, but Gotham is a series about the crime-ridden city before Batman officially appears.

The main character of the show is Jim Gordon - the police officer who later helps Batman significantly. Gotham at this time is a city in ruins with criminal gangs, bizarre criminals with superpowers, conspiracies, schemes, power struggles, and terrifying secrets hidden behind them. Gotham has created its own uniqueness by showing viewers the past of iconic villains such as Jerome (predecessor of the Joker), Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, Hugo Strange... and most recently, The Court of Owls and the League of Assassins.

The series has many surprising and captivating elements, along with distinctive characters, a dark and violent presentation full of drama. For many viewers, Gotham is the best DC Comics adaptation, not including Vertigo adaptations, and certainly surpasses The Flash.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2014 - 2019
• Number of seasons: 5
• Production company: Fox
• Director: Bruno Heller
• Stars: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova
• IMDb rating: 7.8

iZombie is an incredibly big surprise as a small, less-promoted, Vertigo adaptation that audiences highly appreciate. The series revolves around Liv - a medical student turned into a zombie. She works at a police precinct's investigation office. This allows her to eat the brains of the dead to maintain her humanity, and the special thing is that with each brain she consumes, she gains the memories of its owner. With the help of her superiors and the detective force, she solves murder cases to silence the voices of the victims in her head. Perhaps the greatness of iZombie lies in unexpected situations, coupled with humor in a series that should be horror, bringing a fresh feel to the audience.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2015 - 2019
• Number of seasons: 5
• Production company: CW
• Directors: Diane Ruggiero, Rob Thomas
• Stars: Rose McIver, Malcolm Goodwin, Rahul Kohli
• IMDb rating: 7.8

Adventures of Superman is one of the oldest television series adapted from DC Comics. The series tells the story of the greatest superhero of all time: Superman. The show originated in the early Silver Age of comics, portraying Superman's adventures, his romance with Lois Lane, and his battles against villains and evildoers.

Despite being a classic black and white series, Adventures of Superman is highly praised, with George Reeves being one of the most successful actors to portray Superman, perhaps only second to Christopher Reeve in the later film series. George Reeves' success even typecast him in the role, making it impossible for him to find other roles afterward, and his tragic fate marked the beginning of the dreaded 'Superman curse' in Hollywood.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 1952-1958
• Number of seasons: 6
• Production company: Warner Bros. Television Distribute
• Director: Whitney Ellsworth
• Stars: George Reeves, Noel Neil, John Hamilton
• IMDb rating: 7.7

As the opening television series in the 'CW DC superhero television universe,' Arrow is a popular show featuring the superhero Arrow - a playboy billionaire who, after a shipwreck, finds himself stranded on Lian Yu for 5 years and returns as a highly skilled archer, fighting for justice.

The first two seasons of Arrow are highly praised for their darkness, violence, and intrigue. From season 3 onward, the Arrow team expands, facing more formidable enemies, and, most importantly, establishing connections between Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, forming a cohesive cinematic universe. Despite having less darkness, violence, and intrigue, Arrow remains one of the Top 10 TV series adapted from DC Comics of all time.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2012 - 2020
• Number of seasons: 8
• Production company: CW
• Directors: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
• Stars: Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards
• IMDb rating: 7.5

When we talk about Superman, we can't forget Batman, and the first and most famous Batman television series is Batman in 1966, starring Adam West. Not Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, or Ben Affleck, but Adam West's Batman is the closest to the original comic version.

In the Silver Age, Batman was not as dark as he is now. The Batman comics of that time were mainly for children, with bright colors, focusing on adventure, solving mysteries, and action. Adam West's portrayal of Batman not only had the most accurate costume but also brought an adventurous and humorous atmosphere to the screen. This made the plot elements of the show full of comic book vibes, very suitable for children.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 1966-1968
• Number of seasons: 3
• Production company: ABC
• Directors: William Dozier, Lorenzo Semple Jr.
• Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Neil Hamilton
• IMDb rating: 7.5

Another Superman-related series is Smallville, depicting the teenage years of Superman. Smallville is a series that is deeply connected to the childhood of the 90s generation in Vietnam, as it was broadcasted on VTV3. However, few know that the series ran until 2011 with a total of 10 seasons. The main setting of the series is the town of Smallville with vast cornfields - where the boy Clark Kent grows up and matures. In the later seasons, the show's setting transitions to Metropolis when Clark Kent starts working, where he encounters friends from the Justice League such as Flash, Aquaman, Arrow, and Cyborg. In the final season of Smallville, Clark Kent officially dons the costume and becomes Superman.
Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2001-2011
• Number of seasons: 10
• Production company: CW
• Creators: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
• Stars: Tom Welling, Allison Mack, Michael Rosenbaum
• IMDb rating: 7.5

And finally, ranking last in the Top 10 TV series adapted from DC Comics of all time, we have Constantine - a renowned character in the Hellblazer comic series from Vertigo. Constantine is an exceptionally unique character, a powerful sorcerer, a chain smoker, with enough magic and cunning to take on both demons and superheroes. Despite being a cunning and indifferent to life, Constantine is a lonely, crime-laden figure with an extremely dark past, a pariah that everyone avoids. Therefore, Constantine is a truly remarkable character with an enchanting magical and demonic storyline, but the TV series Constantine failed to fully convey that, resulting in low viewership ratings.

Fans tried to save the series with the #SaveConstantine campaign, but it seems it wasn't enough to rescue the show as, after Season 1, the producers decided not to continue. Nevertheless, Constantine is still a relatively good series with an intriguing magical theme. After being canceled, Constantine made another appearance as a guest in the CW's Arrow series, sparking hopes that Constantine will be repurchased by CW for a new season.

Details about the series:

• Year of production: 2014 - 2015
• Number of seasons: 1
• Production company: NBC
• Creators: David S. Goyer, Daniel Cerone
• Stars: Matt Ryan, Harold Perrineau, Angélica Celaya
• IMDb rating: 7.5