12 Best TV Shows Like Peacemaker

Out of all the characters from “The Suicide Squad,” it’s pretty astonishing that the one to have the most enduring cultural impact — aside from Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn — is Peacemaker (John Cena). That film’s director, James Gunn, spearheaded the character’s own self-titled HBO Max original series, in which he tries to break the cycle of toxic masculinity he was born into. The first season of “Peacemaker” was well-received, and Looper’s positive review of the show’s second outing proves that Gunn hasn’t lost his step even after venturing into making a “Superman” film (that also featured a Peacemaker cameo, by the way). 

Gunn clearly has a soft spot for the mercenary and would-be superhero, so who knows what the future could hold for him? There could be more TV seasons to come or maybe he’ll return to the big screen in some manner. Either way, you may need something to tide you over until he returns to dole out peace by any means necessary. If you’re looking for action-packed (and excessively violent) TV series that are also seasoned with ample humor, here are the shows like “Peacemaker” you need to add to your watchlist. 

Anyone invested in the future of the new DC Universe will find a lot to enjoy on “Creature Commandos.” It’s the first official installment of the DCU (despite referencing things from “The Suicide Squad” like Rick Flag Jr.’s death), and like most things made by James Gunn, it’s bloody and hilarious all at the same time. 

The first season sees Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) assemble a team of monsters for a covert mission to take out Princess Ilana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova), the leader of Pokolistan. Her death is needed to avoid catastrophe, but not everything might be as it seems. That’s actually a good descriptor for the monstrous team as well, as each episode focuses on a member and showcases how they came to be incarcerated in the first place. Most of the time, it’s a simple misunderstanding, as is the case with Weasel’s (Sean Gunn) tragic installment. 

“Creature Commandos” follows in the footsteps of previous superhero projects under Gunn, like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Suicide Squad,” and, yes, “Peacemaker,” in that it’s about a group of violent misfits who create their own family with one another. There’s humor, but Gunn also knows how to hit viewers right in the feels. 

“Peacemaker” absolutely has political undertones, as seen when Peacemaker himself starts spouting conspiracy theories about other superheroes. While it keeps real-world ideologies close to the chest, the same can’t be said for “The Boys,” which might be the most on-the-nose political satire of our times. 

“The Boys” referencing current events is not a bad thing, however. Characters also spout a lot about conspiracies, and the ending of “The Boys” Season 4, with Homelander (Antony Starr) becoming the de facto president, can’t help but invoke real-world parallels, especially once he marks anyone who’s against him as an enemy of the state. 

But “The Boys” isn’t just a commentary on politics; it also critiques society’s current fascination with superhero media as a whole. Yes, the show has real heroes, but there’s also a media empire that makes them star in their own cinematic franchises, allowing it to poke fun at Hollywood and its reliance on this genre. Yet “The Boys” itself has become a brand all on its own, with spinoffs galore. To quote another superhero franchise, you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. 

Given her cultural footprint, it’s hard to believe that Harley Quinn has only been around since the 1990s, when she was first introduced on “Batman: The Animated Series.” She’s gone on to appear in numerous animated shows and movies, live-action films, and video games, so it seems inevitable that she would spearhead her own series, appropriately titled “Harley Quinn.”

Like “Peacemaker,” it takes the titular character (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) into profane territory. Unlike “Batman: The Animated Series,” this show definitely isn’t made for kids, as Harley regularly swears and ensures that bad guys meet bloody ends. However, the show isn’t violent for violence’s sake, and when you dive deeper into her romantic relationship with Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), it can get downright sweet. The show makes the excellent decision to separate Harley from Joker (Alan Tudyk) early on, so that it can really examine what makes this character tick when she’s away from the villain with whom she’s forever linked.

The result is one of the best versions of Harley put on the screen, in a show that captures her chaotic energy. She can be a villain, anti-hero, or just plain hero, as long as she does it her way. 

Not all comic book adaptations have to involve superheroes. “Happy!” is based on a four-part comic series from Grant Morrison that follows ex-cop Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni), who moonlights as a hitman and teams up with a floating blue unicorn named Happy (voiced by Patton Oswalt). It turns out Happy was sent by his estranged daughter, who’s been kidnapped, and it’s up to the unlikely duo to rescue her. 

“Happy!” exists in the same vein as “Peacemaker,” in which both protagonists are people you probably wouldn’t expect to do much good in their lives. Both Nick and Peacemaker have made plenty of mistakes, but that doesn’t mean redemption is impossible. It just means they have to work a little harder through their vices to ensure a little light can shine in a dark world. 

Plus both shows are super weird. “Peacemaker” Season 1 involves a conspiracy around butterfly-like aliens. Extraterrestrial beings also factor into “Happy!” as well as ancient gods that are able to possess human bodies. Sadly, Syfy canceled “Happy!” after only two seasons, although there were enough wacky ideas to ensure the series ran for a long time despite the limited source material. It’s still worth watching if for no other reason than to see Jeff Goldblum play God.

One thing that makes Peacemaker fascinating as a character is his inherent hypocrisy. In “The Suicide Squad,” he states, “I cherish peace with all of my heart. I don’t care how many men, women and children I kill to get it.” He idealizes peace but is clearly willing to go to war to attain it. It’s not entirely dissimilar to the character of Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) on “Preacher.”

The AMC series, based on the comics by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, sees Jesse, a preacher by trade, attain new, god-like powers. While a religious man, he experiences a crisis of faith and goes on a journey to better understand his abilities, and he’s not above breaking a few commandments if sinister forces cross his path. In both shows, there’s a protagonist who wants to do what’s right. They’re trying to be a good person at heart, but they keep getting drawn into battles larger than themselves that require them to compromise who they are (or perhaps show who they really are deep down). 

That’s far from the only similarities, as “Peacemaker” and “Preacher” both love gratuitous violence and dark humor. But if you want an action show with a bit more on its mind than just butterfly aliens, “Preacher” is the way to go. 

Peacemaker’s a bad dude sometimes, but he’s still an improvement over his father — an unabashed white supremacist who made his two sons fight when they were children, resulting in Peacemaker killing his brother. There’s the lingering question as to whether bad people can change, which is also at the heart of “Barry,” where Bill Hader plays the titular hitman who discovers a love for acting and wants to leave his violent past behind to pursue a simpler life. 

Throughout the show’s four seasons, there’s the question of whether Barry can ever move past what he’s done. In fact, one “Barry” scene went too far and had some fans thinking he was beyond redemption. But just because there’s not a literal superhero at the forefront doesn’t mean there isn’t some stellar action. The motorcycle chase and shootout in Season 3, Episode 6, “710N,” is one of the most thrilling set pieces ever seen on a TV show.

“Barry” isn’t just a rumination on whether people can change. It also dissects Hollywood, with Sally (Sarah Goldberg) — who has a tumultuous relationship with Barry — getting her own show off the ground only for it to be canceled after it doesn’t reach its target audience. “Barry” offers a little something for everyone, whether you want drama, comedy, or action, which often occur within mere minutes of one another. 

If you thought Peacemaker had some daddy issues, just wait until you see Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), aka Invincible. His Prime Video series finds Mark developing incredible powers in high school and getting to fight alongside his father, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). However, his dad’s ulterior motive is to prepare Earth for the arrival of the Viltrumite Empire, which plans to conquer the planet. 

After that villainous reveal, complete with the utter destruction of Chicago, Mark has to work to convince the globe that he’s not his father — he grew up on Earth, all of his friends are human, and he wants to protect them. Of course, the Viltrumites are far from the only villainous force on the series. From aliens to alternate universes, “Invincible” runs the gamut of comic book plots to keep audiences guessing as to what’s going to happen next. 

While the show is animated, that definitely doesn’t mean it’s for kids. The fight scenes can be absolutely brutal, especially the Season 3 bout between Invincible and Conquest (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Buildings topple and innocent bystanders are killed by the thousands. But if you have an appetite for graphic violence that even puts “Peacemaker” to shame, “Invincible” shouldn’t be ignored. 

Not every superhero can be a paragon of justice and virtue like Superman. Many grapple with their own flaws and feelings of self-doubt, and that gets explored wonderfully on “Doom Patrol.” The series follows a group of extraordinarily gifted individuals who suffered immensely to get their abilities, and in most cases, those powers aren’t all that great to begin with. Just take a look at Rita Farr (April Bowlby), who has the power of elasticity but also has difficulty maintaining a solid shape and can turn into mush if she doesn’t concentrate enough.

Given their “rough around the edges” personalities, the Doom Patrol would fit right at home in the world of Peacemaker. Despite their (usually) pleasant nature, the team still feels the need to hide from the world. They may be brash, but that just lends itself to the more comedic nature of the show, compared to other DC offerings like “Titans.” In fact, Mr. Nobody (Alan Tudyk) possesses omnipresence and is aware he’s in a TV show, meaning he can break the fourth wall. Humor and grossness aside, the best “Doom Patrol” episodes have a surprising amount of heart, proving that there’s a place for everyone in this world — even if they have a tendency to become amorphous blobs every now and then.

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any iteration of “The Tick.” The titular blue hero got his own cartoon in the 1990s, making him one of the best animated heroes of that era. He had a short-lived sitcom in 2001 that only lasted nine episodes, but featured some pitch-perfect casting with Patrick Warburton as the Tick. Finally, Prime Video tried to revive the character, played by Peter Serafinowicz this time, in 2016, which outlived its predecessor with two seasons instead of one.

Perhaps the reason the character’s been so enduring is that he’s sort of the Deadpool prototype. The episodes lampoon superhero tropes, and the Tick himself is unapologetically goofy. He earnestly wants to save the day but often has zero idea where to start. “The Tick,” particularly the more recent 2016 show, is for people who love superhero media and don’t mind something a little off-the-wall that doesn’t take itself too seriously. 

“The Tick” feels like an antidote to an oversaturation of superhero media. Whereas DC shows like “Peacemaker” and anything that exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have to connect to other projects, “The Tick” is just its own thing. You get in, enjoy 25 minutes of nonsense, and get out. Maybe in another 15 years, there will be another “Tick” show that gets canceled far too soon. 

What happens when the wrong people obtain superpowers? That’s the central conceit of “Misfits,” an original science fiction story about a group of delinquents performing community service. During a thunderstorm, they all acquire supernatural abilities, while their probation officer only goes insane. After killing him in self-defense, the group needs to stick together and figure out how to use their powers to hide the body and avoid any more trouble with the law.

Similar to all these other shows like “Peacemaker,” “Misfits” is about exactly what the title suggests — misfits and outcasts. The core characters may have special powers, but that doesn’t mean everything comes easily to them now. They still have rough home lives to navigate in addition to myriad threats that emerge over the course of five seasons. 

There’s more to these characters than merely being criminals. That’s explored through the powers they each receive, which correlate to something about their personalities, like Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) being able to turn back time after he has something from his own past he’s trying to escape. This allows “Misfits” to remain more character-centric and dive deep into why they all wound up doing community service in the first place.

When you think of Marvel TV shows, series like “WandaVision” and “Loki” probably come to mind. While they explore characters in more depth compared to the films, they still have to maintain the same tone as the PG-13 films for the most part. But anyone tuning into “Hit-Monkey” expecting the same thing is in for a wild ride, as the animated series showcases a much bloodier side of what Marvel’s capable of.

In case there’s any confusion from the title, “Hit-Monkey” is about a Japanese macaque whose family gets murdered by assassins. Seeking revenge, the macaque, named simply Monkey (Fred Tatasciore), seeks mentorship from the ghost of another assassin, Bryce Fowler (Jason Sudeikis). What follows is a blood-drenched journey through Japan’s criminal underworld.

Revenge stories are a dime a dozen, but “Hit-Monkey” differentiates itself from the pack in part thanks to its unique characters. There’s also the stellar animation style, which seems derived from anime at times, as well as a willingness to utilize dark humor. Sudeikis as Bryce is a particular standout, since he can actually talk and is more than happy to comment on the ridiculousness inherent in a monkey assassin.

It’s one thing to have supernatural abilities or equipment and feel a responsibility to save the world. It’s another thing entirely when you’re just an average guy who gets thrust into an epic adventure. That’s the case with “Future Man,” which sees Josh Futterman (Josh Hutcherson), a lowly janitor in his time, get recruited to stop a war in the future because he’s really good at a video game. It’s basically “The Last Starfighter” with way more fart jokes. 

It may not be about superheroes per se, but “Future Man” is similar to “Peacemaker” in that they both blend action and comedy. Furthermore, they’re both about the main characters realizing their true potential. Josh is aimless in life until time travel arrives at his doorstep, and Peacemaker knows he can make something for himself by stepping out of his father’s shadow. 

Sadly, “Future Man” got pulled from its original streaming service, Hulu. You can still buy episodes on platforms like YouTube, which makes it slightly easier to access than the numerous streaming shows seemingly wiped from existence entirely. But when you’re looking for shows like “Peacemaker” to binge-watch, it’s worth the investment.