19. Marvel’s Hit-Monkey (Hulu: 2021)

Based on the comics by Daniel Way and Dalibor Talajić, Marvel’s Hit-Monkey is an exceptional action adventure that offers more than jokes and attitude. A gun-wielding, snappily dressed Japanese snow monkey (Fred Tatasciore) and his spectral assassin mentor (Jason Sudekis) are united over shared loss, and both struggle with whether they want revenge or redemption. The anime-style violence is graphic but not without consequence; death is never just a punchline. Will Speck and Josh Gordon, who created the series for Hulu, seamlessly fit the monkey’s story within the larger Marvel universe. The formidable adversaries he faces off against include Daredevil and Wolverine villains, such as Silver Samurai (Noshir Dalal) and the delightfully wicked Lady Bullseye (Reiko M. Aylesworth, in a scene-stealing performance). While the first season stands on it own, Speck and Gordon set up intriguing possibilities for the monkey’s future adventures. [Stephen Robinson]