6 Marvel Characters Who Could Support a Traditional TV Show
Word came down last week that Marvel is scrapping most of the work done on the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again TV show, and that they’re looking to make TV shows more like classic TV productions. This is both dismaying and uplifting news. On the one hand, I’m sorry to hear about any problems at Marvel Studios. On the other hand, I’m all for them doing what needs to be done to put out the best possible product.
I have enjoyed pretty much all of the Marvel Disney+ shows so far, with few exceptions. But it’s interesting to learn that Marvel leaned into making the shows like movies instead of making the shows like shows. That explains a lot. And it’ll be interesting to see Marvel make their shows more like traditional shows, with showrunners, pilots and planned seasons going forward. To that end, why don’t I stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong and offer some suggestions? Marvel has a whole host of characters and teams that haven’t been used yet, and who I think could make for a fun, multi-season, traditional TV show.
Join me after the jump for all the characters I think could support their own multi-season TV show, without the need to tie into the movies.
6. Ms. Marvel
So yeah, some entries on this list are going to just be continuations of the existing shows. And I know that Ms. Marvel is going to appear in the upcoming The Marvels sequel next month. But the foundation of the show, of Kamala Khan struggling to balance her life as a teen superhero with her family life, school life and religious life, is perfect for a multi-season TV show. This character was made for this sort of adaptation, and the first season of her show made that abundantly clear. Kamala has her family, her friends, her school, her mosque, her community, her powers; all that stuff is perfectly set up and ready to go. Just have her come back from space at the end of The Marvels and start season 2 where that leaves off, and just make a traditional show. She can fight all manner of villains on the streets of Jersey City. She can juggle boys and religion and school. She can be a superhero fantastic. Should be a blast!
5. She-Hulk
I don’t care what anyone else says, I loved She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. It’s probably my favorite of the Disney+ shows. It accomplished exactly what it set out to do, while having fun and really using the character. It’s also the most like a sitcom already, and had some showrunner input, more so than the other shows, apparently. So it speaks well to continuing this show with more seasons under a traditional television production format. Personally, I would love for She-Hulk to show up as a future member of the MCU Avengers, but I’d be willing to sacrifice that for an ongoing, seasons-long TV show. She can still lend a hand in Secret Wars from her TV show.
4. Leapfrog
Yeah, Leapfrog from the She-Hulk show. I think he could make for a solid TV protagonist. You’ve already got the actor, the costume and his whole deal. He could be a spin-off. It would be a show about a really crappy dude trying to make his way in the street-level criminal underworld of the MCU. And either he gets really bad, or maybe he slowly becomes a good guy. He starts out as crappy a person as he was in She-Hulk, and then goes through some interesting character growth. And there’s always the humor of being a frog-based superhero. That never has to go away.
3. Heroes for Hire
They’re bringing back Netflix Daredevil for a new show. They’re leaning into Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. There is absolutely no reason why Marvel and Disney can’t just bring back al the Netflix Defenders characters for more content. And Heroes for Hire would be perfect. Luke Cage, Danny Rand, Misty Knight and Colleen Wing can take to the streets of New York City to be heroes in a way the Avengers can’t. They would make for a great ensemble, and could include all manner of guest appearances and crossovers, if needed. But there’s so much for episodes-of-the-week to take on, while seeding larger narratives. It’s all right there in front of Marvel, they just need to capitalize.
2. Squirrel Girl
I am still salty that we never got the amazing Milana Vayntrub as a live action Squirrel Girl in that scrapped New Warriors TV show. Personally, I think the 36-year-old actor could still pull it off. But even if Marvel insists on casting younger, I think a Squirrel Girl TV show would be excellent! The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl comic book series from a few years ago lays a perfect foundation for a Squirrel Girl TV show: send her to college, give her a fun supporting cast, and just get squirrely with it. She can fight low level bad guys, she can have the occasional high profile guest appearance, she can be really funny. It’ll be cute and fun and an all around good time!
1. Captain America
I’m gonna swing for the fences with my number one choice. Following The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and even with Captain America 4 coming to theaters next year, I think Sam Wilson as Captain America could sustain a multi-season TV show. Make it an action spy show like Homeland or Jack Ryan. Make it really tense, dealing with geopolitical affairs, but on a superhero level. Have fun with it! Explore issues of race, nationality, insurrection, toppling governments and all that good, political spy-thriller stuff. All while Anthony Mackie struggles to balance having a life with his duties as a larger-than-life figure. He was just in that Twisted Metal show (which I haven’t seen yet), so Mackie is not above taking TV gigs. He would be great in an ongoing spy thriller, suiting up as Captain America and fighting international bad guys!
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Posted on October 18, 2023, in Lists of Six!, Marvel, Television and tagged Marvel Cinematic Universe, MCU. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.








Fraction/Aja Immortal Iron Fist surely?
For sure that would be season 2 of Heroes for Hire.