A look at the major Spider-Man television series, from worst to best, and what makes each show unique and special.
It took only five years after Spider-Man 's first comic book appearance before television shows were produced starring the iconic Webslinger , one of the most beloved superheroes of all time.
Without a doubt, Spider-Man has one of the largest, most fascinating television legacies, both in live-action and in animation. After all, this legacy boasts both pillars of superhero media history and some unique experiments. Keeping that in mind, it's actually pretty difficult to rank the large number of Spider-Man shows, as most have brought something new and unique to the table. Likewise, the spectrum of Spider-Man shows produced over the years is nearly as vast as the Spider-Verse itself.
While some projects have leaned into more kid-friendly, Saturday morning cartoon territory, others have gone for more unique executions with serialized drama or unique visual mediums. Case in point, Sony and Amazon's brand-new Spider-Noir series is undoubtedly one of the darkest television takes on Spider-Man we've seen yet.
Now that Nicolas Cage's Spider-Noir has just joined the ever-expanding lineup of Spider-Man television adaptations, now feels like as good a time as any to try and rank every major Spider-Man television series from worst to best. The list begins with Spidey and His Amazing Friends, a Disney Junior series designed for very young audiences that introduces preschool viewers to Spider-Man through simplified adventures featuring Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy's Ghost-Spider, and Peter Parker.
While it's a great way for adult fans of Spider-Man to get their kids interested in the Webslinger, the series lacks depth and has repetitive stories with minimal action. Next up is the 1978 live-action Spider-Man series, which is one of the strangest and most unique Spider-Man adaptations ever made. Produced in Japan by Toei, the series offered a significant re-imagining of Spider-Man's entire lore and mythology, particularly by giving him a giant mech called Leopardon.
Additionally, this version of Spider-Man was a motorcycle racer named Takuya Yamashiro who gets his powers from Garia, an alien from the Planet Spider. The classic concept of a hero piloting a giant mech to fight giant monsters very much began with this Spider-Man series, becoming a foundational predecessor for future shows like Super Sentai, Power Rangers, and beyond with more tokusatsu shows from Toei.
However, 1978's Spider-Man series barely resembles the comics, making it one of the least faithful Spider-Man shows to ever exist. Marvel's Spider-Man, which aired from 2017, had the unfortunate job of following 2012's Ultimate Spider-Man and its four-season run while also competing with growing expectations created by the MCU with Tom Holland's debut as Spider-Man in 2016's Captain America: Civil War.
The series feels rather lacking in heart, with not nearly as much energy in the animation compared to other Spider-Man shows. It did feature some interesting ideas and more recent concepts from the comics, like Spider-Island, Doc Ock's Superior Spider-Man, and even Disney's Worldwide Engineering Brigade at Avengers Campus.
However, it still struggled to maintain a strong identity overall. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, which aired in 1981, remains a key nostalgia show for many Marvel fans. The inspiration for the title and having a trio of lead heroes for the aforementioned and more recent Disney Junior series, 1981's Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends teamed Spider-Man with Iceman and Firestar, one of the biggest on-screen superhero crossovers at the time.
Although it's still a key piece of Spider-Man's cinematic legacy, it's pretty dated by modern standards with simpler writing and fairly basic villains. That said, it still has some fun charm. 1978's solo Spider-Man animated series is often overshadowed by Amazing Friends, however the focus on Peter Parker alone arguably makes for a moderately stronger Spider-Man series.
Other Spider-Man shows offered higher quality and a lot more cultural significance, however this series still has its own unique charm and offers a fresh take on the character. In the end, ranking every major Spider-Man television series is a difficult task, as most have brought something new and unique to the table.
However, by looking at the list, it's clear that some shows stand out more than others, and that's what makes the legacy of Spider-Man so fascinating. The list of shows is a reminder that the Spider-Verse is vast and ever-expanding, with new shows and adaptations being released all the time. And with the ever-growing lineup of Spider-Man television adaptations, it's clear that the Webslinger's legacy will continue to grow and evolve for years to come
Spider-Man Television Ranking Legacy Superhero Webslinger
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