Why Marvel TV Needs to Catch Up to DC TV

NOTE: Before you freak out too hard, this feature is part two of a two-part series. The other part examines the opposite side: Why DC TV Needs to Catch Up to Marvel TV.

It’s hard to believe just how far Marvel TV has come in the three and half years since Agents of SHIELD premiered on the airwaves. In that time, we’ve seen significant growth in Marvel TV’s ability to tell compelling stories in both broadcast and streaming service format, and enjoyed even stronger connections to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And yet, even as Marvel TV has found great footing in the last few years, there are some drawbacks to its approach that have kept it lagging behind DC Comics TV in some key ways. Here’s Why Marvel TV Needs to Catch Up to DC TV.

Animated Series & Features

Few fans would argue that DC has succeeded on the animated front in a way Marvel has not. Both had great animated series in the ’90s (Batman: TAS, Superman: TAS, X-Men: TAS, Spider-Man: TAS) – but in 21st century, DC has led the way with series like Justice League Unlimited, Young Justice, several Batman series, as well as the steady lineup of animated features, which have earned their own fanbase.

Marvel has been trying to improve its animated division by synching it with the Marvel Cinematic Universe; but in terms of offering fans big animated feature “events,” Marvel has been lagging – and none of its series have achieved the level of visibility, status, and fan reverie like DC’s have. 

With a fanbase that enjoys the benefits of animated storytelling as much as live-action, Marvel needs to put more focus on that front. 

Broadcast Universe

Marvel is going to redefine “event TV” in 2017, thanks to its Defenders Netflix miniseries (teaming the four Marvel Netflix series together), and the launch of the Inhumans TV series in the fall, with a feature-length premiere in IMAX theaters. 

However, while Marvel has tried to push into bold new avenues like Netflix and IMAX, it’s overlooked a basic step that DC has embraced and run with: building a solid block of primetime network programming. 

DC’s “Flarrowverse” block appeals to a wide demographic of viewers – including kids. Marvel TV, on the other hand, has pushed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. back to a 10pm slot, and the Marvel Netflix shows are absolutely not what one would call “family friendly.” 

Considering the lighter nature of MCU movies, Marvel TV could stand to have its own primetime-friendly block of shows. 

Bigger Heroes

DC TV has slowly but surely broken down and added bigger and bigger names from to its TV universe. Where once we only had “The Hood” (not even a proper “Green Arrow”), we now have Green Arrow, Flash, Supergirl, Superman, Black Canary (I & II), The Atom, Hawkman, Hawkgirl… the list of DC superheroes goes on. 

Meanwhile, Marvel TV has only committed to exploring lesser-known or obscure characters (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage); inventing new ones as experiments (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); or recycling those characters that didn’t work in feature-film format (Daredevil, Punisher).  

Given how the MCU is more interconnected than DC TV and movies, it should follow that there’s less risk involved with giving big characters a start in TV series. The problem here is one of studio politics: it’s widely known that Marvel TV and movie divisions don’t play as nicely as they should, making it hard to grow a character from TV to movie star.  That’s a schism that needs to be bridged soon; the MCU should be an equal playing field, where TV gets proper consideration as the major force in entertainment today.  

Better New Talent

Marvel TV’s stars are (for the most part) older talents that have long resumes in the industry, but get second-act breakouts via their Marvel shows (Tarantino style). That list includes Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Krysten Ritter, and Mike Coulter – or whatever talent Marvel could pluck from HBO (Finn Jones, Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll). 

Meanwhile, DC TV’s squad of Flarrowverse heroes spotlight fresh new talent with much shorter resumes, including Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Melissa Benoist, Caity Lotz, Emily Bett Rickards, etc. Even though veteran actors like Paul Blackthorne, Victor Garber, Dominic Purcell, Tom Cavanagh and Jesse L. Martin are there to bolster things, DC TV has broken more new young stars than Marvel has. 

Marvel TV has some prestigious talent in its lineup, but the MCU long game is one of young talent to grow with. Maybe it’ll take some different series concepts, but Marvel TV could afford a few more fresh young faces.