Marvel Shows in Order (2026)

By Omar Haddad · Updated October 21, 2026

Our list covers every show, live action and animated. They came from different studios and channels, so they are far from equally tied to the films, and knowing which era a show belongs to tells you how much it matters.

Marvel shows in order at a glance

Here is the whole list split into the four groups that make the most sense for viewers. The first three groups follow the MCU story; the last one gathers shows that sit in their own corner.

Marvel series in chronological order: how the timeline works

Story order puts Marvel's Agent Carter at the top because it is set right after the Second World War, following Peggy Carter once Steve Rogers is gone. Next is Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which begins shortly after The Avengers. The I Am Groot shorts slip in early because they follow a young Groot during the first Guardians days.

The Netflix shows come next, all set in a New York still recovering from the Battle of New York. Inhumans, Runaways and Cloak & Dagger follow, with stories that begin in 2017 and 2018, and Helstrom, set in 2020, comes just before Loki. Loki and What If...? open the Disney+ group because both take place largely outside the normal flow of time, so they fit at the start rather than in the middle.

A couple of placements look odd at first. Eyes of Wakanda is an animated anthology that jumps around Wakandan history, so its spot in the list is a compromise rather than a single date. From Secret Invasion onward, the series follow the present-day MCU closely, ending with Wonder Man and VisionQuest.

Four eras of Marvel television

The ABC era. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter and Inhumans (which our list places right after the Netflix shows) nod to the films from time to time, but the films rarely return the favor.

The Netflix street-level shows. These are grounded, violent and tightly linked to each other, with only passing nods to the Avengers. They feel like one long crime saga split across six titles.

The other channels. Runaways, Cloak & Dagger, Helstrom and the adult animated M.O.D.O.K. and Hit-Monkey aired on Hulu and Freeform, while Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is a family cartoon. All of these are side stories you can enjoy in any order.

The Disney+ era. From WandaVision onward, series are made alongside the films, and the movies build on them directly. This is the group that matters most if you follow the big-screen story.

The Disney+ shows that matter for the movies

If you want only the series that feed the films, start with these:

• WandaVision, before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
• Loki, the clearest guide to the multiverse and the Time Variance Authority
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, for Sam Wilson taking up the shield
• Hawkeye, which introduces Kate Bishop and leads into Echo
• Ms. Marvel, before The Marvels

That set covers almost everything a film viewer needs. Add Agatha All Along if you liked WandaVision, and Daredevil: Born Again if you liked the Netflix block. Loki is the one to prioritize if time is short, because the multiverse ideas it sets up run through the rest of the saga.

How to watch Daredevil and the Defenders

The Netflix shows work best as one connected block:

1. Start with Marvel's Daredevil, seasons one and two.
2. Watch Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, the first season of each.
3. Bring the four heroes together in Marvel's The Defenders.
4. Follow with The Punisher, which spins out of the second season of Daredevil.
5. Finish with the later seasons of each show, including the final season of Daredevil.

Daredevil: Born Again picks up Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk in the Disney+ era, so finishing the Netflix block first gives it much more weight.

How many Marvel shows are there, and how long would it take?

Our list counts every Marvel show, upcoming ones included. The length varies wildly. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ran for several seasons on network TV, while the Disney+ series are mostly single seasons of short episode runs, and I Am Groot is a set of shorts you can watch over lunch.

That difference matters for planning. One network series can take as long as half a dozen Disney+ shows. If you want a realistic schedule, our Marvel marathon plan builds one around the titles you pick.

Which shows are canon, and which are separate

All the live-action series on this list are set in the MCU, but the films mostly ignore the pre-Disney+ ones. Some animated shows go further and live in their own continuity:

• What If...? explores alternate versions of familiar stories.
• X-Men '97 continues the classic X-Men cartoon in its own universe.
• Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man retells Peter Parker's early days in a different version of events.
• Marvel Zombies imagines a reality overrun by the undead.

These are optional for the main story. Watch them because they sound fun, not because the films need them.

Common mistakes

Assuming every show is required. Most pre-Disney+ series have no effect on the films. Watch them because they appeal to you, not out of duty.

Starting with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a beginner. It is long and works much better once you know the early films. If you are new, the Marvel watch order for beginners is a smarter entry point.

Watching shows long before their films. Many Disney+ series land right after a specific movie. Our Marvel release order puts every show next to the films around it, which is the easiest way to avoid spoilers.