Welcome back to the Comic Book TV Power Rankings.
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So, is he dead or not? Either way, it’s ratings gold, as over 13 million people watched several cast members die that no one’s talking about because one other cast member maybe died on The Walking Dead this week. Perhaps more impressive, though, is that last week’s episode, on repeat just before the new one aired, was the #12 highest rated program in key demographics on cable last week. Getting that kind of staying power out of your reruns is fairly incredible.
The Flash, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Gotham all had highly reviewed episodes this week, with many (myself included) calling it the best episode of S.H.I.E.L.D. yet. All three of those programs continue to see huge increases in the Live+3 and Live+7 delayed viewing ratings, as does Heroes Reborn, which is now more than halfway through its run.
Supergirl had a monster debut, and we’ll be watching closely to see what it can do this week in its follow-up.
Focusing on the criteria of ratings, fan feedback, and critical response, plus a bit of our own expert knowledge of intangibles from interviews, set visits, and more, we present to you the ComicBook.com Comic Book TV Power Rankings. We’ll be updating these throughout the season. Bear in mind a couple of caveats: 1, we’re only including shows on the air in Fall 2015 in this initial set. That means that while there are some really incredible comic book shows coming back this spring, they’re not on this list. This isn’t the NFL, and not all the teams start (or play) at the same time. The good news is, once this gets working, it’ll eventually add on those spring returning and new series, and be a year-round ranking of all things comic book TV. Check back each Sunday for a new edition.
1) The Walking Dead – Even
That was certainly the most talked about episode of The Walking Dead this season, maybe even of the last couple years. We might not get the answer to the question everyone is asking: did Glenn survive – tonight, but you can bet they’ll have a very small drop-off, if any this week as everyone tunes in to see.
Once again, TWD has established itself back atop the rankings as a powerhouse.
2) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Up 2
A round of applause to Elizabeth Henstridge, Agent Jemma Simmons, for an absolutely incredible performance. This episode should absolutely be submitted to the Emmys, that’s for sure.
An established show willing to take the kind of risk needed to do an episode that has large swathes of silence, only two people (or even one) in the grand majority, and yet somehow still massively advances the story has to be commended. This was a perfect episode, and launched S.H.I.E.L.D. back into the conversation and contention for the top spot in the rankings.
3) Supergirl – Up 6
We knew Supergirl was good, and we knew it’d do well in its premiere, but we didn’t know it would do that well. With a staggering 18 million viewers in Live+3, it’s safe to say if you want to talk to someone about Supergirl, they’ve probably seen it.
It also happened to be pretty good, with solid reviews and a lot of hope from critics and fans alike for what’s to come.
4) The Flash – Down 1
Some fans and critics were less-than-impressed with the episode that largely felt like a prequel to spin-off Legends of Tomorrow, until that last minute or so.
King Shark? Seriously? Yes, seriously, and it was an awesome minute.
Here’s the thing about The Flash: a mediocre episode for this series is still better than almost everything on TV. Also, while this slid a spot, it actually leapfrogged our next show, so it’s kind of like going up one, if you want to look at it that way.
5) Gotham – Down 3
That was one crazy, eventful episode of Gotham this week, and Galavan’s mastery of manipulation was on display. Gordon is just getting pulled every which way, and there’s a sense of foreboding around him – something’s going to happen there soon.
Of course, the biggest moment of the episode belonged to Ed Nygma, who took a giant step towards his villainous fate.
Unless, of course, you consider the capper scene, which introduced Indian Hill and the idea of some of the more monstrous villains in Gotham’s gallery now being able to come to the show. This is still the biggest turn around for a show this year, no question.
6) Arrow – Even
A perfectly fine episode, with some really amazing acting, especially in those quiet Oliver and Captain Lance scenes.
But come on, aren’t we just treading water until Constantine arrives this week? Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.
7) Jessica Jones – Even
That trailer, and David Tenant’s interpretation of Kilgrave is still giving me the willies.
The first seven episodes are slowly being disseminated out to press, and getting simply rave reviews, with critics saying it’s not just an incredible show, but an incredibly important one. This could be the future of Marvel TV and superhero shows we’re about to see here – out this month!
8) Heroes Reborn – Down 3
This show continues to get pretty good to good reviews, and there are a lot of people watching it, especially on delay.
So why isn’t anyone talking about it? There’s just no social media buzz, no conversations, no big questions about the major mysteries of the show, nothing. If it can’t generate that, this franchise’s comeback will only live for this one season, and we doubt it can be reborn again.
9) iZombie – Down 1
It was actually a great episode again this week. This show continues to juggle comedy, heavily emotional drama, and a good two or three major mysteries on top of its fun “let’s see what kind of crazy acting job Rose McIver can do this week” general premise.
Unfortunately, its ratings aren’t awesome. They’re still acceptable for The CW, but it needs a push. Tell a friend, binge watch the first season on Netflix, and just give this show the chance it deserves. Ratings and renewal watchers are split on this one, with some saying it’s still good to go for a renewal, and some saying it’s now on the fence.
Notes and Housekeeping
Spring Shows to keep an eye on: Lucifer,ย Marvel’s Agent Carter, Legends of Tomorrow, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Powers, Other notable future shows (no timeline): Outcast, Preacher, many more.
Biggest Jump: Supergirl up 6 spots!
Next Week’s One to Watch: Supergirl – can it keep up that amazing start? And Arrow as John Constantine comes to visit!
