Superheroes have never been more popular, with a whole slew of DC TV series airing throughout the year. But how do these shows actually compare to one another? It's difficult to do a like-for-like comparison, simply because viewing figures aren't available for streaming series like the Marvel Netflix shows, or DC Universe's Titans. Besides, viewing figures in themselves aren't enough anyway; Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is known to have lower viewing figures, but a strong DVR performance and a committed fanbase.
To get a true sense of popularity, you need to look at more than just viewer numbers. Parrot Analytics, a data science company who measure audience demand for TV content by assessing how viewers interact with a brand online, measure audience demand, engagement, and viewership, assessed through everything from global file-sharing and peer-to-peer traffic to social media activity. They've spoken exclusively to Screen Rant, identifying the US' top 20 superhero shows of 2018 in of sheer demand.
Related: All Marvel Netflix Shows Have Been Losing Viewers For Years
There are certainly some surprises on this list of the most popular superhero shows of 2018 - a couple of series appear that haven't been airing for years, while Marvel's a much-improved second season. But what's most striking is the sheer range and diversity of the superhero genre, with everything from comedy animations to dark, cerebral dramas.
20. Smallville
Surprisingly, the 20th slot goes to a show that hasn't aired since 2011 - but is still evidently very popular indeed. Alison Mack as Clark's friend Chloe Sullivan. In many ways, Smallville was the precursor of the modern DCTV era, introducing characters like Green Arrow and setting up the "before they were heroes" approach used by both Gotham and Krypton. According to Parrot Analytics, Smallville remains one of the most in-demand superhero TV shows in the United States, which perhaps explains why the recent Arrowverse "Elseworlds" crossover referenced the series.
19. Krypton
The latest Superman prequel series is Syfy's Emmett J. Scanlan as Lobo, the ruthless bounty hunter who's a match for any Kryptonian. In spite of the high-profile addition of Lobo, Krypton still ranks fairly low on this list, suggesting it hasn't got the traction of other "origin story" shows like Gotham.
18. Runaways
Every teenager goes through a period when they imagine their parents are evil - but the stars of Marvel's Runaways discovered their parents really are supervillains. The Marvel/Hulu TV series is aimed at a very specific young-adult demographic, which perhaps explains why it's so low down on this list. It's based on Brian K. Vaughan's iconic comic book series, with the first season running from November 2017 through to January 2018; Hulu took a different approach with Runaways season 2, dropping the whole series at once in December. Season 2 ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, a sure sign that Marvel believes Hulu will renew Runaways for a third season.
Related: Runaways Season 3 Story: Everything We Know
17. The Punisher
At first glance, it's something of a surprise to see even the cast don't believe there'll be a season 3.
16. Luke Cage
Marvel will be disappointed to see Marvel can't use any of their canceled Netflix projects elsewhere for the next two years, by which time demand for Luke Cage will have dropped further.
15. The Gifted
Matt Nix's The Gifted is loosely inspired by the X-Men's "Days of Future Past" timeline, and it's produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Marvel Television. In this series, mutant-human conflict is coming to a boil, and the X-Men have long since disappeared. The Gifted focuses on second- and third-tier X-Men like Polaris (Emma Dumont), Thunderbird (Blair Redford), and Blink (Jamie Chung). Sadly, The Gifted's appeal seems to be relatively limited, possibly because it lacks A-list X-Men like Cyclops and Wolverine. Season 1 launched in October 2017 and came to an explosive finale in January 2018; the second season launched in September, with the Mutant Underground torn apart and turning against one another.
Page 2 of 3: #14-#7 Most Popular Superhero TV Shows Of 2018
14. Teen Titans Go!
The Teen Titans brand seems to be one of DC's strongest, and DC Television will be pleased to see this animated comedy ranking in the top 20 superhero TV shows. Teen Titans Go! launched back in 2013, and airs on the Cartoon Network; no doubt demand has increased off the back of the Teen Titans Go! To The Movies feature film, which was released in July last year.
Related: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies: 100+ Hidden Easter Eggs
13. Jessica Jones
Next up is another of the Marvel Netflix shows, season 2 wasn't as well-received, lacking the psychological edge of the first season. Netflix renewed Jessica Jones for a third season, which is due to air later this year. Given the Marvel/Netflix partnership seems to be coming to an end, it's generally assumed this season will be the last.
12. Cloak & Dagger
Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt star in Marvel's the best-connected MCU TV show, building on the rich mythology that's been established by both the movies and the various TV series. The first season aired from June to August 2018, and a second season is due sometime in the spring.
11. Legion
It's exciting to see Noah Hawley's the Shadow King. Season 2 ran from April to June 2018, and a third season is in the works.
