The 10 Best Live-Action Comic Book TV Shows Of The 1990s, Ranked

The late 2000s changed everything for comic book movies and TV shows, as the world entered the golden age of programming for the genre. From "Legion" to "The Boys" and "The Penguin," you would be spoiled for choice to pick the best TV shows based on comics now, but what about the time before the big boom? What about the 1990s?

It might seem like a period of famine rather than feast in retrospect, but there were a number of live-action comic book TV shows released in the same decade as the "Macarena" and Tamagotchi. You had "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," "The Flash," and even "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" to name but a few. Do these series hold up like their modern successors, though? Eh, probably not, but there's still a goofy charm to them that makes them fall firmly into the so-bad-it's-good category of entertainment. After all, they could be worse; they could be "Inhumans" or "Iron Fist," and no one needs that.

So, let's put on the bomber jackets, plug in our dial-up modems, and take a walk down memory lane to remember the best (or the least-worst) live-action comic book shows of the '90s. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and shake your head at all the ridiculousness that this decade had to offer, because it was quite the time to be alive. But hey, at least the shows weren't getting canceled all willy-nilly for the most arbitrary reasons like now, right?

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were all named after Renaissance artists, but 1997's "Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation" doesn't exactly deserve to be hung in the Louvre. The costumes are cheaper than a week-old gas station hot dog, while the production recycles so many shots that it might win an award from an environmental organization. However, the show does something that the film series failed to do at the time: take risks.

"Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation" introduces a fifth Ninja Turtle to the group: Venus de Milo. Venus plays a major role on the show, as she uses her special powers to defeat Shredder and the Foot Clan. Essentially, this paves the way for new villains — the Rank — to become the main antagonists of this 26-episode series. Not only do the Turtles need to unite against these new dragon baddies, but Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo must also build a relationship with the sister they never knew they had in Venus.

While "Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation" screams '90s in every single way and isn't fondly remembered by the fandom, it separates itself from the movies and other series by attempting to be something different. It expands the lore and introduces Venus as a main character, who paved the way for another female Turtle, Jennika, to become a part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If those are its sole contributions to the franchise, they're decent enough to be recognized and appreciated.

Fun fact: John Hughes' 1985 teen fantasy film "Weird Science" was loosely based on Al Feldstein's "Made of the Future" comic that appeared in the "Weird Science" magazine. Most people remember the popular film and how it became a defining '80s teen movie, but how many recall the television series from the 1990s?

"Weird Science" aired for five seasons from 1994 to 1998. In this version, John Asher and Michael Manasseri play Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnelly respectively, while Vanessa Angel portrays Lisa. The series follows a similar premise to the movie, as the geeky pair of Gary and Wyatt turn into digital Frankensteins and conjure up Lisa, who is able to grant their wishes. Due to the series format, the show is able to turn every episode into a full exploration of Gary and Wyatt's wishes, even though Lisa doesn't always give them exactly what they want.

For anyone who enjoys the film, the "Weird Science" TV show is a must-watch occasion. Yeah, it doesn't have the sharp writing of Hughes behind it, but it's a comforting and fun watch for the viewers who liked the original movie's shenanigans. If you only happen to watch one episode, check out season 5's "I Dream of Gene," which features Bruce Campbell as a rival genie to Lisa; it's downright hilarious and pure comedy gold. Let's pray that Universal's planned remake of "Weird Science" never happens, though, and we're left with only the memories of the movie and TV show.

Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Timecop" ticks all the boxes as a certified '90s classic. Ridiculous story? Check. Action for the sake of action? Check. JCVD sporting a glorious mullet? Double check. The film based on the Dark Horse Comics story turned a tidy profit too, raking in over $100 million from a $28 million budget.

In 1997, the "Timecop" TV show arrived, courtesy of Mark Verheiden who had written the original comic and screenplay for the movie. In addition to having Verheiden on board, the series also featured scripts written by Alfred Gough and Miles Miller, who would go on to create "Smallville." Yet, this "Timecop" story didn't follow JCVD's character from the film, Max Walker; instead, it centers around a new character Jack Logan (Ted King), who also needs to travel through time to stop the various baddies.

"Timecop" isn't what anyone would have called a hit at the time. In fact, it only aired nine episodes before the plug was pulled — with network execs not even allowing the first season to wrap up. Although, for '90s sci-fi TV, it delivers a welcome combination of good action and compelling stories (as well as a Brad Fiedel theme song), as Logan needs to go back to different and unexpected time periods, including the eras where Jack the Ripper and Al Capone ran rampant. "Timecop" also turned out to be a big break for Ted King, who would go on to play Andy Trudeau in "Charmed" a short while thereafter.

Fans may remember 2010's "Human Target" TV show, which stars Mark Valley as Christopher Chance, but there was also a short-lived series in 1992, which features musician Rick Springfield in the titular role. Here's the thing, though, the 1990s live-action comic book TV show is actually more in line with the source material from DC than the 2010s series. In this version, Springfield's Chance uses makeup and tech to turn his appearance into that of his endangered clients — hence the human target aspect of the title — while Valley's character is more like a bodyguard.

The show only aired for seven episodes, with many critics and fans not buying into it due to its more serious tone. Remember, at the time, the major reference points for DC series were 1966's "Batman" and 1990's "The Flash" (a show that "Human Target" showrunners Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo also developed), which are far more lighthearted than "Human Target," so this probably felt akin to discovering the Snyderverse in the '90s.

In 1992, though, "Human Target" was the closest thing to the original "Mission: Impossible" TV show. There's an element of mystery in every episode, as Chance disappears into disguise and often has to uncover who is behind the assassination attempts and what is their reasoning for it. Even though the show only ran for a brief period, it still managed to feature cameos from the likes of David Carradine, R. Lee Ermey, and John Wesley Shipp.

In the '80s, "Swamp Thing" received two live-action films — one good one from Wes Craven and one not-so-good one from Jim Wynorski — so it's unsurprising that the decision was taken to turn it into a television show in 1990. Dick Durock, who played the monster from the bayou in the movies, returned to the much-improved suit for the three-season series that aimed to be more serious in tone than the last film, "The Return of Swamp Thing." While it pales in comparison to 2019's "Swamp Thing" that was canceled so quickly, it's certainly better than most people give it credit for.

The show chooses to play out more like a traditional superhero affair, rather than be an existential crisis wrapped in the body horror genre like Alan Moore's comic book run, but it also allows itself to veer off into the supernatural and weird realm. There are a few episodes dedicated to the topics of voodoo and mutations, especially as the villainous Anton Arcane (Mark Lindsay Chapman) does everything in his power to figure out how Swamp Thing exists, but more importantly, the series remains wildly entertaining at all times. Even Entertainment Weekly agreed, writing in 1990, "With funny villains, agreeably bad special effects, and Durock's eerily unsettling makeup, it's easy to see why 'Swamp Thing' has already attracted a solid cult audience."

Before Grant Gustin's Barry Allen suited up as the Scarlet Speedster in "The Flash," there was the '90s show of the same name, starring John Wesley Shipp as the titular hero. Although, most fans should know this, as there were several references made to the series in The CW's Arrowverse, including the perfect casting of Shipp as Henry Allen and various other roles.

In 1990, "The Flash" felt huge. The production looked larger than life, and quite unlike anything else on television at the time — it came across as more cinematic than cheap, which was a rarity for the era. CBS also had big plans for the show, but it didn't exactly help its cause by shuffling it around the schedule, resulting in the series receiving the axe after a 22-episode season when it deserved a much lengthier run than that.

Still, this doesn't take away from what "The Flash" achieved for its time. Shipp proves to be outstanding as Barry, who struggles to strike a balance between his superhero activities, his work as a forensic scientist at the Central City Police Department, and his personal life. Special mention also needs to go out to Mark Hamill as the villainous and demented Trickster who also reprised his role in 2014's "The Flash." Who knew that this character would effectively be seen as a trial run before he was cast as the Joker in "Batman: The Animated Series"?

Was 1998's long-forgotten "Crow" TV show as good as the 1994 film starring the late Brandon Lee? No, but "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" is arguably the best live-action adaptation of anything related to the comic book since then. In this series, Mark Dacascos plays the role of Eric Draven, who comes back to life after he and his fiancée, Shelly Webster (Sabine Karsenti), were murdered by thugs. For Eric, his mission remains clear: he needs to make things right before he can join Shelly in the Land of the Dead.

While "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" follows a similar story beat to the film, it also expands the narrative further, showcasing more of who Eric and Shelly were before they died. Of course, the show has the luxury of time and breathing room, so it's able to flesh them out far more than what the movie did. At the same time, the series also introduces more characters, such as Hannah Foster (Bobbie Phillips), another individual who dies and returns from the grave for revenge.

Not only does Dacascos share a striking resemblance to Lee, but he also embodies the complex range of emotions that Eric possesses in the original film. Yeah, "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" isn't as violent or poignant as Alex Proyas' feature film, but it's a darn masterpiece next to the meandering sequels or the shockingly bad 2024 reboot.

Superman fans had it bad in the '90s. After 1987's "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" burned our eyes and hit the bottom of the creative barrel, it wasn't like anyone was scrambling to bring the Man of Steel back onto the big screen anytime soon. Bless Nicolas Cage and Tim Burton for trying to do something with the failed "Superman Lives," which is still one of the canceled DC movies we still want to see. What fans did have, though, was 1993's "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," starring Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain as the titular characters.

Now, not much was expected of this show, especially since it was Superman on TV, but "Lois & Clark" surprised even its greatest doubters over four seasons. The show doesn't skimp on the action, but it invests a lot of effort into the dynamics of Lois and Clark's personal and professional relationship, as well as giving adequate story time to all the important characters from the Daily Planet and Metropolis. It was both a superhero show and rom-com — something that not many adaptations of the Big Blue Boy Scout are able to capture.

Sure, "Lois & Clark" was eclipsed as a Superman show by both "Smallville" and "Superman & Lois," but no one expected such a thoughtful and well-written live-action comic book TV show in the 1990s quite like this one.

Anyone who read Archie Comics, especially the early adventures of Sabrina, knows that the comics value comedy over everything else. Despite Sabrina being a witch, the story's intention isn't to spook but to entertain the audience. The same holds true for 1996's sitcom "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," which stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman (interestingly, the role of Sabrina nearly went to Natasha Lyonne). The premise is simple: the 16-year-old Sabrina discovers she's a witch, so she learns how to navigate her newfound powers from her aunts, Hilda (Caroline Rhea) and Zelda (Beth Broderick), while also trying to handle the ups and downs of high school life.

While Sabrina almost always finds herself in hilarious situations — both at home and with her friends — the true star of the show is the black cat Salem Saberhagen (Nick Bakay), who's actually a witch sentenced to be a feline because of his previous ploy to take over the world. Whether it's the adorable outfits worn by Salem (which he hates), or his countless meme-able moments, he adds a purr-fection to this series that remains unmatched.

"Sabrina the Teenage Witch" aired for seven seasons and received a few TV movies over the years. The show also featured notable guest stars, such as Dick Van Dyke, Raquel Welch, and Debbie Harry from Blondie.

You know how people say, "They don't make TV like they used to"? Well, that's true when you consider a program like "Tales from the Crypt," based on the EC Comics series. From the opening theme composed by Danny Elfman to the creepy Cryptkeeper serving as the host of the horror anthology series, each episode of this show proves to be a treat for fans of the menacing and macabre. In addition to this, the stories had the breadth and room to go as far as they wanted, since it was an HBO show and not confined to regular network television standards.

What also made "Tales from the Crypt" stand out is how it attracted a wealth of Hollywood talent to appear in the episodes. The likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Catherine O'Hara, Brad Dourif, Demi Moore, and Joe Pesci all showed up at some point in the series, making it even tougher to pick the best "Tales from the Crypt" episodes. 

Technically speaking, "Tales from the Crypt" started in 1989, but since the majority of its seven-season run took place in the '90s, we have decided to include it on this list. Also, how can anyone disagree with its final ranking here? It's a timeless piece of television, boils and ghouls!