3 Years Later, Alan Ritchson’s 4-Season Action Series Still Doesn’t Get The Respect It Deserved

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As a huge action fan, I was thrilled to see Alan Ritchson finally get the recognition he deserves with his role as Reacher – it really cemented him as an action star! But looking back, I feel like his work on Titans didn’t get enough credit while the show was airing. Honestly, DC’s tried so many different TV shows over the years, and they’ve all been so wildly different in how they approached the tone and style.

I’ve seen a lot of superhero shows, from lighthearted fun to really gritty dramas, and Legends of Tomorrow is a perfect example of one that started silly and got surprisingly serious. But honestly, not every great comic book team gets the recognition it deserves on TV, and there’s one seriously underrated group that really proves that point.

Before landing the lead role of Reacher in the popular Prime Video series, Alan Ritchson was a star on the superhero show Titans, which aired from 2018 to 2023. Titans is a fantastic show that doesn’t get enough recognition and shouldn’t be remembered simply as something Ritchson did before becoming famous.

DC’s Titans Series Was Impeccably Cast (& Ritchson Is A Great Example)

Titans was an action-packed sci-fi series inspired by the often-overlooked DC superhero team, the Teen Titans. Created by Akiva Goldsman, Greg Berlanti, and Geoff Johns, the show followed Dick Grayson, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Jason Todd, and a variety of other less famous heroes. Among them was Hank Hall, played by Alan Ritchson, who went by the name Hawk.

In the comics, Hawk possesses incredible strength and often clashes with his calmer brother, Don Hall, known as Dove. While Alan Ritchson wasn’t a famous action star at the time he was cast, Titans brilliantly showcased his strong physical presence, a quality that would later become apparent in his role as Reacher.

The casting for Titans was exceptional across the board, with actors like Anna Diop as Starfire and Minka Kelly as Dawn Granger perfectly suited to their roles. It’s rare to find a show with so many main characters – over a dozen! – where every actor delivers a strong performance. On Titans, the characters Hawk and Dawn team up to fight crime.

Unlike what many expected from a Teen Titans show, Titans wasn’t afraid to be dark and intense. It was a gritty series filled with a somber mood and graphic violence, which reviewers often pointed out as a surprising element.

Despite Its Flaws, Titans Got A Lot Right

Working on Titans was excellent preparation for Ritchson’s role in Reacher, since both shows feature intense and violent scenes. While Titans‘ gritty atmosphere didn’t always fit with its bright costumes and unusual storyline, the show was still successful in many ways.

As a fan, I really think Titans got so much right! They perfectly captured the relationships between characters like Nightwing and Barbara Gordon, making their team dynamic feel authentic – even when they were clashing. Plus, the villains were genuinely compelling, which really earned the show’s darker vibe and helped it stand out from all the other superhero shows on TV.

As the show went on, reviews of Titans improved. The first season received criticism for being too violent and moving slowly, with many reviewers pointing out that it took a while for the team to come together. It’s true that the initial episodes did spend a lot of time on this process.

Despite a somewhat mixed start—season 1 received a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—Titans steadily improved. Season 2 saw a slight increase to 81%, but it was season 3 that really turned things around, earning a perfect 100% critical rating and significantly boosting the show’s overall reputation.

Even though Joe Ritchson departed Titans after its third season, the show continued to be well-received, and season 4 actually maintained a perfect 100% audience score. However, Titans had a bit of a changing address, starting on the DC Universe for its first two seasons before moving to HBOMax for seasons three and four.

Not All Of Titans’ Big Swings Paid Off, But It Deserves Credit For Trying

Despite ending in May 2023, Titans bravely attempted a fresh and unique take on the DC universe. With so many superhero shows available today – like The Boys and the MCU – it’s hard to stand out, but Titans compensated for that with its bold approach.

Facing stiff competition from numerous other superhero shows, Titans wasn’t afraid to take risks. Some of those risks, like killing off iconic villains such as the Joker and Lex Luthor, were particularly memorable—and controversial. While not every attempt succeeded, Titans still stands out as a bold and ambitious entry in the superhero television landscape.

Though its lead actor later found success in other, highly-rated shows, Titans still holds a unique place in the history of DC’s television adaptations. The series was bold and took chances, which ultimately helped launch Alan Ritchson’s career before he became known for Reacher, and it should be recognized for that willingness to try something different.

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2026-04-03 01:09