Many great action series feature the best TV show battle scenes, and modern fight choreography has been getting faster and more engaging than ever. Whether they're live-action or animated, these TV series utilize fight sequences that keep the audience guessing and provide plenty of dynamic movements, often making them lauded as the most successful within the action genre. However, these fights only land on the viewer and are treated as impactful parts of the story if audiences care about the characters and if the fight sequences work to drive the plot forward.

When TV battle scenes aren't accurate to real life, this can take the viewer out of the story, but this isn't the most important piece of an action series. Many audience aren't familiar with the ins and outs of technical aspects and are most concerned with whether or not the visuals are compelling. Fight scenes don't necessarily have to be overtly graphic or bloody to have an impact on the audience. A lot can be achieved by using what the viewer doesn't see to the series' advantage, letting the audience imagine the worst of the violence.

10 Banshee (2013–2016)

A skilled and dangerous thief cons his way into the police force of a small town

Fans of The Boys will likely recognize the star of Banshee, Anthony Starr, as he also plays the iconic villain, Homelander, in the Prime TV series. However, he plays someone completely different in Banshee. His character, Lucas Hood, is a criminal who assumes the identity of a local sheriff in a small town in Pennsylvania, and his past and future quickly clash as he tries to build a life there. One of the biggest issues throughout the seasons is Hood's history with Rabbit, a crime lord, and the local mobster Kai Proctor.

Hood's involvement in the pivotal fight scenes throughout is a facet of the show that never changes.

Hood never has a shortage of enemies in Banshee, and as the seasons progressed, the series only grew in critical and audience estimation. However, Hood's involvement in the pivotal fight scenes throughout is a facet of the show that never changes. In both his role as the sheriff and his secret life of crime, Hood uses his considerable fighting skills, which Banshee elevates with the dichotomy between the many layers of the town. The secret underworld of criminals, the lies, and the budding relationships between characters make the fight scenes all the more engaging.

9 Warrior (2019–2023)

Warrior lives up to the legacy of its iconic ideator

The critically acclaimed series Warrior has been getting a second life on streaming after being added to Netflix, exposing new viewers to the action-packed and brilliantly crafted show. Warrior uses martial arts in its fight choreography and is based on an overlooked treatment written by Bruce Lee and produced by his daughter, Shannon Lee. Set in San Francisco in the late 1800s, Warrior explores the organized crime underground of Chinatown during this era and the martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji).

There are many reasons why Warrior season 4 needs to happen, but it's been confirmed that there won't be a fourth outing of the beloved series. Fortunately, there are plenty of incredible moments to look back on throughout Warrior's three seasons, and the fight scenes never leave the audience disappointed. Warrior has been compared to other period dramas like Peaky Blinders, but the series distinguishes itself through the faithfully adapted martial arts sequences.

8 Into The Badlands (2015–2019)

This material arts drama is set after the apocalypse

Blending the best of the sci-fi, martial arts, and post-apocalyptic genres, Into the Badlands has something for all audiences and will leave the viewer breathless. The conceit of the series sees technology and weaponry have regressed to ancient times despite taking place in the future, which means that traditional styles of combat are back with a vengeance. When this combat is shown onscreen in Into the Badlands, it's overwhelmingly considered the strongest part of the series.

The visual style and cinematography of Into the Badlands all work in harmony to elevate the fight sequences that the actors deliver brilliantly.

Into the Badlands is one of the best post-apocalyptic TV shows because it effectively distinguishes itself from the other offerings within the genre. It's refreshing to see a show that delves into the depths of a post-apocalyptic world while also being in conversation with the themes and aesthetics of a period drama. The visual style and cinematography of Into the Badlands all work in harmony to elevate the fight sequences that the actors deliver brilliantly.

7 Reacher (2022–Present)

The latest adaptation of the beloved book series is the best

Alan Ritchson has successfully embodied the iconic action character, Jack Reacher, in Amazon Prime Video's series based on the book series by Lee Child. The Jack Reacher books have been being published since the late 1990s, but all other screen iterations of the story have paled in comparison to the books until Reacher. While a large part of this is because of Ritchson's performance, it's also because of the way the creative team has adapted the stories.

Reacher's imposing stature and innovative fighting style ensure that none of the fight scenes grow repetitive. Due to his powerful build and significant abilities, Reacher often sees its titular character take on multiple assailants at once and use his environment to his advantage. Additionally, Reacher is far from the only individual to be at the center of a battle sequence. A key part of Reacher is that every member of Reacher's team can hold their own and bring their special skills to the table.

6 The Gentlemen (2024–Present)

Guy Ritchie's comedy action series delivers drama and combat

A loose spinoff of Guy Ritchie's action-comedy film of the same name from 2019, The Gentlemen stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario as Eddie and Susie. The characters represent two sides of an underground criminal organization in England, and Susie is Eddie's introduction to how business is conducted in her world. Though Eddie had an aristocratic upbringing, he's a trained soldier and well-versed in how to handle physical confrontation, which he quickly proves throughout the season.

Like all of Ritchie's work, The Gentlemen is edited and choreographed to the beat of the music and has a rhythm to it that keeps the momentum flowing until the conclusion of a scene.

Like all of Ritchie's work, The Gentlemen is edited and choreographed to the beat of the music and has a rhythm to it that keeps the momentum flowing until the conclusion of a scene. As the conflict builds and the plot grows more convoluted, The Gentlemen is grounded by the battles between characters, as the audience knows that by the end of the sequence, one of the characters will come out on top. Ritchie proved that he's just as capable of tackling action for television as he is for film.

5 The Night Agent (2023–Present)

The espionage genre is brought to exciting new heights in The Night Agent

The Night Agent hit nearly one billion hours streamed on Netflix when the series first premiered, and as the show gears up for season 2, this creates a lot of pressure. However, if the series continues with the precedent set by season 1, it should be able to keep a high number of its viewers. While the chemistry between Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan as Peter and Rose was a large part of The Night Agent's success, the action the characters were in the thick of was also instrumental in its popularity.

Based on the novel of the same name by Matthew Quirk, The Night Agent primarily follows Peter as he is thrown into a web of lies and deception that goes all the way to the top of the U.S. government. The story moves just as quickly as the action in The Night Agent, as the series had a lot of material to cover, but the show never loses its substance. Peter's quick-witted maneuvers and ability to prove himself in pivotal moments make it easy for the audience to root for him.

4 The Boys (2019–Present)

This satirical superhero series pokes fun at the genre with its gore

Since 2019, The Boys has been revered as one of the best takes on the superhero genre on TV, as the series lovingly pokes fun at the tropes and pitfalls of these stories. Eric Kripke, the creator of Supernatural, is also the mind behind The Boys, which derives its narrative from the comic book series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. In the series, the superheroes of the world are extremely overpowered, forcing the characters who oppose them to look for creative measures to even the playing field.

Even though many of the battles in The Boys end in devastation and destruction, as one side has more deadly abilities, this hasn't stopped the series from helping its characters get even. Every season of The Boys has been singled out for its action, but it's the relationships between characters that drive the individuals in the series to take on the supes. Starting in season 1, when Hughie (Jack Quaid) first attempted to expose The Seven, The Boys has seen its characters grow even more determined to get even.

3 Fallout (2024–Present)

One of the best video game adaptations of the 21st century

Much like the video game it's based on, Fallout has made a name for itself through the intensity of the fighting and the fast-paced world the characters live in. Starring Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, and Aaron Moten as three characters who embody different niches of the Fallout universe, the series sees their paths slowly intersect as the race to save the world and return order and safety to Earth rages in the wake of the nuclear holocaust. In each corner of the world, a different threat lies waiting, whether man-made or a mutation of nature.

Purnell's Lucy serves as the clearest protagonist in the series, and much of the story tracks her development and acceptance that the world is not the friendly place she was raised to believe in. Though she was trained in combat and is inherently resourceful, Lucy becomes a true fighter when she starts looking out for herself and becomes willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. Whether the characters are fighting each other or themselves, there's always something lurking around the corner in Fallout.

2 The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

Netflix's off-beat action-comedy doesn't pull any punches

The Netflix series The Umbrella Academy has a lot in common with the comic series it's based on, as the stylization of the world and the action sequences feel otherworldly. The Umbrella Academy recently concluded its fourth and final season, and while it's sad to say goodbye to the thrilling series, it reached a satisfying end. Following the lives of a group of superpowered siblings, The Umbrella Academy sends its ensemble cast on many complicated adventures, but it's always easy to follow the iconic fight scenes.

The Umbrella Academy uses its CGI and visual effects to full advantage during the battles, making the conflicts between the differently powered individuals clash beautifully.

The Umbrella Academy uses its CGI and visual effects to full advantage during the battles, making the conflicts between the differently powered individuals clash beautifully. It helps that the emotional thrust of The Umbrella Academy remains strong throughout its four seasons, making the audience care deeply about the siblings and their bond. Even as time, space, and parallel universes come into play, nothing can prevent the Hargreeves from finding their way back to each other.

1 Invincible (2021–Present)

This animated series has some of the best fight scenes on TV

As audiences wait for the next installment of Invincible, revisiting the best fight scenes and epic battles throughout the first two seasons is a great way to prepare for season 3. Invincible is a great example of a series that lends itself perfectly to animation, as live-action would struggle to capture the intricacies of the moments that the animators bring to life so well. While it's mostly the fights that look best in animation, there are also quieter moments that Invincible makes gorgeous.

Though there aren't physical people involved in the fight choreography in Invincible, this opens the door for more graphic violence and gore, which Invincible takes full advantage of. The superhero series isn't for the faint of heart, as it tackles serious and devastating subjects. The characters grapple with the implications of their actions and powers, even as they use them to help people and cause destruction in equal measure. Many more tough decisions lay ahead for Mark in Invincible season 3.

Invincible season 3 will premiere on Prime Video on Thursday, February 6th, 2025 (via Collider).