Television series
Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
- Science fiction
- Light-hearted
Stan Lee hosts a reality competition where contestants create original superheroes and compete in physical and creative challenges. It's earnest wish-fulfilment television—part superhero origin story, part game show, entirely sincere about the power of comic-book heroism. Perfect for anyone who's ever wanted to design their own cape.
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The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On2022
Reality dating show with genuine emotional stakes and character development. Contestants face real moral dilemmas about commitment, jealousy, and self-knowledge. Wildly entertaining and occasionally moving.
But The premise is tabloid-style relationship drama. If you find the premise exploitative or just exhausting, no amount of execution will change your mind.
RuPaul's Drag Race2009
Competition show that celebrates creativity, transformation, and resilience. The challenges are absurd and thrilling, the competitors are extraordinary, and the judges' critiques are sharpened by genuine affection.
But It's campy and arch. Some people find that register exhausting, even (or especially) when it's well-executed.
The Great British Bake Off2010
Competition with genuine warmth and no cruelty. Contestants are ordinary people attempting extraordinary feats. You'll learn to care about strangers and their soggy bottoms with surprising depth.
But The stakes feel low by design. If you need high-drama elimination sequences and betrayal, this gentleness might feel slow.
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The Middleman2008
Both are sincere homages to the Stan Lee universe. One builds superheroes, one inhabits them. Both understand that comic-book logic—villainy, heroism, transformation—works because it means something.
Cartoon about a temp worker recruited into a secret organization fighting comic-book-style threats. It's pitch-perfect pastiche—loving tribute to Stan Lee's voice without mockery. Genuinely funny and formally inventive.
But Cancelled after one season. The ending is unresolved, and the style (rapid-fire references, earnest goofiness) can feel wearing if you're not in the exact right mood for it.
More like this (8)
Project Runway2004
Fashion designers create original garments under time pressure with limited resources. The constraints breed genuine creativity, and you'll develop real taste watching experts solve problems.
But Early seasons have a meanness that some find bracing and others find tedious. The early judges are dismissive rather than instructive.
Making It2018
Craft competition hosted by Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler. Contestants build things—furniture, sculptures, installations—on a scale that's genuinely impressive. The hosts are warm and funny without undermining the makers.
But It only lasted two seasons. If you fall in love with the format, you're buying a very short book.
MasterChef Australia2009
Cooking competition that treats contestants as talented amateurs, not celebrities or victims. The bar is high, the challenges are reasonable, and the judges actually taste and discuss the food.
But It's Australian and polished in ways that can feel slick. Some prefer messier, more chaotic competition shows.
Nailed It!2018
Home bakers attempt complicated recipes from fancy magazines. The comedy comes from the gap between ambition and execution, not from judges mocking contestants. Surprisingly heartwarming.
But The premise is people failing at things. If you need success and competence to stay engaged, this format won't work for you.
The Repair Shop2017
Artisans restore broken objects with care and expertise. Each episode is a small miracle—damage reversed, history preserved. It's meditative and deeply satisfying.
But It's slow and quiet. There's no jeopardy, no elimination, no twist. If you need momentum and stakes, this is very gentle.
Forged in Fire2015
Blacksmiths make functional weapons under time pressure. You'll learn about metallurgy and craftsmanship, and the finished blades are genuinely beautiful objects. The host is enthusiastic without being ironic.
But It's repetitive—same format, same challenges, same judging criteria every week. After a few episodes, the formula can feel thin.
Defending Jacob2020
Both feature transformation: a civilian becoming a hero versus a hero (parent) discovering they might have failed. Who Wants to Be a Superhero assumes goodness; Defending Jacob questions it.
Limited series about a parent defending their son against a murder accusation. It's a character study dressed as a thriller. The family dynamics are complex and unsettling—every choice feels earned.
But It's dark and morally ambiguous. No one is simply good or evil. If you watch to feel reassured about justice or parental love, this will disappoint you.
The Larry Sanders Show1992
Both examine the machinery of entertainment and what it means to perform a version of yourself. Who Wants to Be a Superhero asks 'what superhero would you be?' Larry Sanders asks 'who are you when the spotlight is on?'—and finds the gap between those selves is where the real story lives.
Behind-the-scenes comedy about a late-night talk show. Every character is recognizably human and flawed. The writing is sharp and humane. It influenced every workplace comedy that followed.
But It's 1990s showbiz, which means it's dated and narrow in focus. The comedy is character-driven and subtle. If you need broad jokes and big premises, it might feel slight.
People
Cast
Writing
- Scott SatinCreator
- Stan LeeCreator