Caped crusaders aren’t always the valiant, bad-guy-busting greats that have been consistently showcased since the superhero genre made an appearance. In the past decade or so, some superheroes have lost their PG factor and have turned into TV-MA gold, delivering bloody trauma and insane amounts of violence. While the superhero genre is rife with awesome shows perfect for kids to enjoy, there are also quite a few series that are absolutely too disturbing and should never be seen by children.
Some prime disturbing watches from the vast realm of superhero shows are The Punisher, which showcases a vigilante fueled by nothing but anger and vengeance, and the mature animated series Spawn, which features a hellish protagonist that doesn’t hold back while fighting crime. These two series, as well as the rest on this list, are part of the superhero genre but are in no way series to watch during a family sit-down.
10
‘Misfits’ (2009–2013)
This British sci-fi series is one filled with crude, but hilarious moments that can also stun an entire crowd. Misfits follows a group of delinquents sentenced to community service, who, in the process of serving their time, gain superpowers ranging from invisibility to immortality.
Misfits is filled with crazy, fun events that would captivate any audience. While the series is extremely entertaining as it focuses on a group of young superpowered offenders, the show doesn’t fear pushing boundaries and leaning into disturbing territory. The series doesn’t feature a group of kids gaining superpowers and going out to save the world; they mostly just use their abilities for absurd or selfish purposes and often in a crass manner. Misfits is an epic ride, but with it being filled with intense dark humor, shocking smut that showcases a lot of bodily fluids, and intense and violent moments, the series is definitely too disturbing for children’s eyes.
9
‘Harley Quinn’ (2019–present)
Animation doesn’t necessarily mean for kids only, and Harley Quinn is definitely not meant for children’s curious eyes. The animated series centers around Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco), after she finally figures out that the Joker (Alan Tudyk) was never worth it. Thus, her chaotic life ensues without her psychotic villainous boo, filled with fun, extreme violence, and a journey of self-discovery.
Harley Quinn is a supercharged Rated- R series that features bright colors and hilarity. The adult animated superhero show is a riot of dark humor, extreme violence, and intense profanity. Standing as a parody series that showcases some of DC’s most treasured characters, Harley Quinn takes outrageousness and pure absurdity to the next level, a level that can border on extremely disturbing, even for adults. With heads that explode and blood splatter galore, along with pretty graphic sexual moments, Harley Quinn is an animated series that should not be played in front of children, but is an insanely great time for adults.
8
‘Watchmen’ (2019)
This HBO series is a remix/sequel of the popular graphic novel of the same name, and showcases just as many dark and adult-oriented moments as the original story. Watchmen is set in an alternate America, where any masked vigilantes that roam the streets are considered outlaws.
From the very first episode, with its haunting depiction of a real historical event—the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre—it was evident that Watchmen wasn’t going to pull any punches. The show delves into harsh topics ranging from racism to trauma, and portrays violence so brutal that it can stun an audience. Of course, for those of the appropriate age, Watchmen would definitely be considered as an ambitious and completely brilliant series, but due to the show’s unflinching dedication to detail in its depiction of disturbing topics, as well as its complex plot, Watchmen stands as a series that firmly sits in the category of too disturbing for children.
7
‘The Punisher’ (2017–2019)
While most Marvel characters have their own brand of violence when it comes to defeating bad guys, this headliner often takes it to the extreme. The Punisher stars Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) as a vigilante driven by the murder of his family.
The Punisher is host to bloody acts of violence, gun battles, and tons of realistic gore. For adults, the show is truly cathartic and gripping, especially for those who are fans of gritty crime dramas, but its portrayal of heroism is kind of terrifying. Unlike many other Marvel depictions, which can sometimes get a bit cartoonish, The Punisher takes a more raw and unflinching approach, portraying the ‘hero’s’ victims as agonizingly human—begging, sobbing, and bloodied within an inch of their lives. The series, although captivating, is extremely intense and disturbingly violent, and when on screen, there should definitely be no kids present.
6
‘Preacher’ (2016–2019)
This AMC series is a crazy cocktail of dark humor, sacrilege, and extreme and epic violence. Preacher follows a small-town preacher, Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), who gets possessed by a mysterious power called Genesis, which gives him the ultra-power of the voice of God. With the intention of literally finding God, Preacher sets out on the road with his kickbutt ex-girlfriend, Tulip (Ruth Negga), and Irish vampire Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun)—encountering all manners of monsters and freaks along the way.
Preacher is for fans who love pure anti-hero gold. The series is a thrilling one that often takes it to disturbing extremes when it comes to its story. From grotesque beings to multiple taboo themes, Preacher is a wild mix of explicit scenes, sexual perversions, and haunting torture. While the series can be gloriously entertaining, even some adults can’t handle the wild ride that is Preacher, making it no good for kids’ innocent eyes.
5
‘Peacemaker’ (2022–present)
Peacemaker may be one of DC’s best and most hilarious shows, but it stands as something that is in no way suitable for children. The show centers around the aftermath of the events of the Rated-R film The Suicide Squad, focusing on self-proclaimed hero, Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (John Cena), who “loves peace so much he’s willing to kill for it.”
Peacemaker is a mess, but for adults, it’s definitely a hilariously entertaining one. The series, even with its outrageous comedy, is quite deep, wielding an emotional depth that can move any adult viewer. The series gains the title of disturbing due to the pure mayhem of gore, violence, sexual content, and outrageous profanity. Things like Nazi supervillains, toxic abusive situations, and depictions of the raw ugliness of relationships can be seen throughout the comedic series. While the show is a brilliant balance of ridiculousness and emotional depth, the crude, shocking, and often grotesque moments—like burrowing alien parasites—lead Peacemaker to stand as a series that is absolutely too disturbing for kids.
4
‘Invincible’ (202 1–present)
This Amazon animated series might be a cartoon, but it is well-known for its gory brutality. Based on Robert Kirkman’s comic, Invincible follows the young teen Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), who at last gains the powers he inherited from his superhero father Nolan, a.k.a. Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), only for things to quickly go downhill from there.
Invincible is quite the thrilling watch for both older teens and adults. It’s an exciting watch with an interesting story that hooks its audience from the very first episode, thanks in part to the shocking blood-soaked mess that kicks off the mysterious plot. The show doesn’t shy away from the realism that heroes are much stronger than normal people, and when they choose to be villains, well, humans become rather squishable when needing to prove a point. The violence is graphic, and the themes range from harsh parental betrayal to acts of genocide. Invincible may be a fantastically colorful and fun watch, but in no way is it okay for young children to sit through.
3
‘Spawn’ (1997–1999)
Spawn is a groundbreaking-animated series that stands as one of the darkest and most disturbing shows to come out of the late 90s. The series follows a murdered government assassin, Al Simmons/Spawn (Keith David), as he makes a deal with the devil to return to Earth, where he comes back as a hellspawn and fights crime.
The HBO cartoon is in no way for the faint of heart. For adults—especially fans of the comic series it’s based on— it’s an uncompromising adaptation that delivers a captivating but extremely mature storytelling. Spawn is pretty much a hard-rated R-rated horror/noir cartoon that is specifically marketed towards adults rather than kids. The series is rather bleak and gritty, featuring dark, haunting alleys, violence, drug abuse, and overall human depravity. Not even Batman can hold a candle to the darkness that is Spawn, as he is a protagonist who doesn’t shy away from doing brutal bodily harm to his opponents. Spawn is definitely an entertaining and fascinating series for adults, but it stands as pure nightmare fuel for any child who takes a peek.
2
‘Gen V’ (2023–present)
This Prime Video sci-fi series is highly anticipated, with its second season set to arrive September 17, 2025. Gen V is the spin-off of the iconic series The Boys, and follows the young students on the campus of Godolkin University as they compete to become a part of the brilliant Seven, only to find something shady is unfolding behind the scenes.
While Gen V features quite a bit of college teen drama, it also delivers tons of explicit and gory, jaw-dropping moments that can stun even the most seasoned superhero fans. In classic The Boys form, Gen V is a bloody mess, with a touch of graphic and outrageous sexual content. Most of the scenes within the series are just as traumatic as it is entertaining. The show complements its parent series quite nicely, and is honestly a brilliant watch, but with its moments of mutilation and pure body horror, Gen V can be just as disturbing for adults as it is likely to be for children.
1
‘The Boys’ (2019–present)
The Boys is a standout superhero series that is just as captivating as it is horrifyingly disturbing. The near-psychopathic Amazon series centers around a group of vigilantes, “the Boys,” as they aim to take down the corrupt heroes and the entire organization that funds them.
The Boys excels at delivering an unmatched shock factor. From the very first episode, where blood is splattered, the show embraces its unflinching and unapologetically brutal tone, setting itself apart from the norm of the superhero genre. Even for adults, The Boys is a hard watch, despite the undertones of comedy and interesting story. It’s a thrilling series that is darkly hilarious and wields a surprising amount of depth. From intense sexual content and extreme profanity to sexual violence and drug use, The Boys is no simple watch, and if viewed by a child or even a younger teen, it’ll likely be the cause of many disturbing nightmares.
The Boys
- Release Date
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July 25, 2019
- Showrunner
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Eric Kripke
