Collider has published a list of superhero television series aimed squarely at adult audiences rather than children, reflecting how the genre has expanded beyond family-friendly cartoons into more violent, mature storytelling. The piece argues that viewers who grew up on gentler fare like Batman: The Animated Series have since embraced darker, R-rated interpretations of costumed heroes, which have proven commercially successful for the networks and streamers behind them.

Among the shows highlighted are HBO's Watchmen (2019), a one-season sequel to Alan Moore's graphic novel starring Regina King as a detective with hidden ties to outlawed vigilantes; Doom Patrol (2019–2023), an HBO Max series about a team of misfit superhumans led by Timothy Dalton's character, noted for its adult language and violence across four seasons; and Netflix's The Punisher (2017–2019), starring Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, a former Marine who wages a brutal revenge campaign after his family is killed.