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Derek is the Training Lead for ScreenRant. Before his current position, he spent 20 years working in games, TV, and film while also writing for several entertainment sites.
Derek is also the co-host of three pop culture podcasts: Across the Omniverse, The Bad Batch, and Watch Men.
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Thanks to streaming, it seems like every classic TV series is available to watch at a moment's notice. And with Warner Brothers having its own streaming service with HBO Max, fans of the DC Universe may think that every DC show and movie is just sitting there for the world to enjoy. Sadly, that isn't the case.
While DC's most watchable movies are all on the streaming service, along with many of its animated features, a number of classic shows are missing. There are surely behind-the-scenes reasons that so many classic DC shows are missing from HBO Max, but the reasons remain a mystery to the masses. And while all of the Arrowverse is at least available on Netflix, other shows linger in a streaming limbo, waiting for their chance to shine again.
The Adventures Of Superman
The first superhero TV show in history, The Adventures of Superman set the standard for how a live-action Man of Steel should look. George Reeves' square jaw and fatherly demeanor introduced many a child to DC's premier superhero, turning them into lifelong fans of the character.
And while he may be the greatest live-action Superman, Reeves deserves the credit for shaping how the general audience imagined the first superhero until Cristopher Reeve flew in. And for anyone who grew up in the 1990s, the reruns of Adventures of Superman on Nick at Night helped cement this version in their minds forever.
While Adventures of Superman's stories and action may not match the levels we are used to today, the show still has an innocent elegance that makes it a joy to watch. It is especially surprising that the series wasn't added to HBO Max leading up to the release of James Gunn's Superman.
Wonder Woman
While Gal Gadot turned Wonder Woman into a box office star, it's hard to argue against Lynda Carter still being the iconic live-action version of the character. Carter played DC's famous Amazon for three seasons in the 1970s, and the show continues to carry pop culture weight to this day.
Carter's version of Wonder Woman came with an iconic theme song and the now classic spin to turn from Diana Prince into the Amazing Amazon. And even without the series being easily accessible, people continue to find and fall in love with Carter's take.
Sadly, seeing the Wonder Woman TV series isn't as easy as it could be. And considering how little live-action content there is for DC's most prominent female character, it's surprising that the show isn't currently available on HBO Max. Instead of getting to enjoy complete episodes, the masses are stuck watching gifs of Carter's Wonder Woman beating up Nazis.
Batman
Arguably the most loved live-action superhero series of all time, and perhaps the greatest live-action version of the Caped Crusader, the 1960's Batman series certainly left its mark on the world. Even 60 years later, people still know Robin's many "holy" exclamations, and the theme song is instantly recognizable. Strangely, the series is missing from HBO Max or any other streaming service.
Perhaps it is a diabolical plan hatched by Joker or Riddler, or it could just be something far more sinister. The 1960's Batman series was actually produced by 20th Century Fox, and Warner Bros. didn't buy the Kinsey National Company, which owned DC, until 1969, after the series ended.
Because of this, the rights to the Batman show have been hard to parse. It took years for WB and Fox to come to an agreement about physical media releases, and this same issue may be why the show isn't easily available on streaming.
Flash
Before Grant Gustin spent 9 seasons as the Scarlet Speedster, the kids of the 1990s had John Wesley Shipp speeding across the airwaves for a single season. The 1990 Flash series didn't last long, but it left a mark on comics fans, thanks in no small part to an amazing costume and special effects that, at the time, were unlike anything else on TV.
For die-hard Flash fans, it's hard to accept that the series isn't on a streaming service. Thankfully, it was released in HD and can be purchased, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the series is missing from HBO Max. Considering HBO Max can't get its hands on the Arrowverse, having the '90s Flash would at least give Warner Bros.' own service a live-action version of the Scarlet Speedster that people like.
Lois And Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman
It may be hard to believe now, but when Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman originally aired in 1993, people were shocked at how mature and even sexy the show was. The idea of live-action superheroes being more than just a campy joke was still pretty new; Tim Burton's Batman had only come out four years earlier, and most of the comic book movies that followed it were pretty goofy.
But Lois and Clark not only had people talking at the water cooler, a promotional image of Teri Hatcher wearing only Superman's cape was one of the most downloaded images from the early dial-up days of the internet. For reasons unknown, Lois and Clark's four seasons were available on HBO Max at one time, but vanished and hasn't shown up on any other streaming service since.
Created by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
Movie(s) Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder's Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold
Character(s) Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam
English (US) ·