Joss Whedon: His TV Shows Ranked From Worst To Best

Joss Whedon's phenomenally successful adaptation of The Avengers had that big budget sheen and a suitably intergalactic plot, but beneath its dazzling exterior it proved that the writer-director hasn't forgotten his television roots. The one-liners, the clever banter, the death of a beloved character: all are hallmarks of famous Whedon TV shows of the past and present. While the internet whips itself into a frenzy with every titbit from Whedon's future project, that little matter of The Avengers 2, we thought we'd take a moment to look back at his past. Of course, it's not that simple, as we'll also be ranking Whedon's television series from worst to best. He rarely totally misfires, so it's the competition for the top spot which is particularly fierce. Note that only his live-action shows are eligible for the article, so the few animated projects in which he's had a hand (such as the ill-fated Buffy cartoon) won't be included. Spoilers follow, so Whedonites, be prepared to relive those character deaths all over again.

Honourable Mention: Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog can't really be considered a television show, since it's roughly forty-five minutes in its entirety and was intentionally released as a webseries, but this hasn't stopped IMDB listing it as a TV miniseries. It would be sad to pass up the opportunity to discuss it, so Dr Horrible has landed an honourable mention. The series is ostensibly a compilation of the video diaries of supervillain Dr Horrible, who's too tongue-tied to admit he's in love with girl-next-door Penny and can't stomach the evildoing which might win him a place in the League of Evil. It balances these diaries with the more familiar TV drama format, except that it's also a musical. Throw in the fact that the central trio of Dr Horrible, Penny and arrogant superhero Captain Hammer are played by Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day and Nathan Fillion respectively and you have a recipe for a kitschy success story. For such a bizarre premise, Dr Horrible is emotionally draining, due in equal parts to the excellent performance of Neil Patrick Harris and the fantastic music. In the space of those forty-five minutes, the series jumps from zany and exaggerated to dark and somewhat uncomfortable, but neither Harris nor the frequent bursting into song ever feel out of place. Complete your Dr Horrible experience with the 'Making Of' featurette, which confirms that the series was both a lot of fun for everyone involved and incredibly well thought out.