Summary

• Ben 10 has had a total of five animated shows featuring the titular hero and his alien alter-egos, but not every show has been a success.
• The original Ben 10 series from 2005 was a hit with young viewers and ranks among the best Cartoon Network shows.
• The most recent entry, Ben 10 (2016), serving as a reboot, was the least good, with a low rating and a lack of coherence compared to the original.

Figuring out the best Ben 10 series can be tough since there have been animated shows featuring the titular hero and his alien alter-egos, to mixed results. The original Ben 10 first aired in 2005 on Cartoon Network and immediately became a hit with young viewers who loved the idea of a kid hero who could transform into a variety of super-powered aliens. Along with his cousin Gwen, his grandpa Max, and some friends who appear in later series, Ben Tennyson uses the power of the Omnitrix to save the universe from evil forces time and time again.

While the original ranks among the best Cartoon Network shows, not every incarnation of Ben 10 was created equally, and some struggled to fully capture the spirit of the first outing. From the initial animated series from 2005 to the sequels that follow a 15-year-old Ben, and eventually, the reboot that wrapped up in 2021, there have been a total of 416 episodes sharing the adventures of the incredibly adaptable hero across five Ben 10 shows. The quality of these shows and episodes was up and down but the character has remained popular for decades.

5 Ben 10 (2016-2021)

The Ben 10 Reboot Struggled

The most recent entry to the Ben 10 animated shows is also, unfortunately, the one that ranks the lowest. Serving as a reboot to the franchise, this series earned a rating of just 2.8 on IMDb, significantly less than any other entry. In many ways that lines up because this version of the show doesn't follow long-form storytelling and was out to make an episodic rehash of the original. It also takes the animation and style in a new direction that feels more childish, and while it is a kid's show, it loses some of the edge and creativity from the original. It feels like it was aimed at a younger audience than the original.

The series jumps into Ben's adventures with the Omnitrix and assumes the audience understands the events that led up to young Tennyson being bound to the alien watch. Even for audiences who are familiar, the series misses important context and story beats like understanding Ben is trapped with the Omnitrix and can't remove it. More about the watch and each alien is revealed throughout the series' extended run, and characters who were made popular in the original and sequel series' do eventually appear, but the timeline isn't as linear as the other shows, and it doesn't feel like it has the same heart or purpose as the original show. Despite these issues, the show was popular enough to last for more than 150 episodes.

4 Ben 10: Omniverse (2012-2014)

The Final Series In The Original Continuity

Ben 10: Omniverse serves as the final entry in Ben's original storyline that started in 2005 with the first series. The art style here is unique from earlier entries and appears to be a middle ground to the style of the 2016 reboot and the earlier shows. Ben's cousin Gwen and his enemy-turned-ally Kevin Levin leave the team to go to college and Ben continues to fight the forces of evil with an alien Plumber by the name of Rook Blonko. This series ran for a total of 80 episodes from 2012 to 2014 and earned solid reviews from fans and critics.

In the final episode of Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, Ben meets the Omnitrix's creator, who replaces his Ultimatrix with a new and improved Omnitrix, revealing the original was a prototype. The new Omnitrix has the ability to transform into more than a million different alien species including every previous alien from the other series'. Ben then goes on a series of adventures that pit him against a dangerous nemesis named Khyber, who wields the Nemetrix, a device that allows him to transform into the strongest predators throughout the galaxy. Other familiar faces appear throughout Ben 10: Omniverse, which is a nice callback.

This series had the tall task of concluding a long, overarching story that spans several shows before it. Despite how difficult that can be, the series wraps up the story well. Ben 10: Omniverse being broken up into "arcs" made for an interesting way to tell a story that gave the overall series a stronger flow to it than a lot of similar animated series.

3 Ben 10: Alien Force (2008-2010)

A Teenage Ben Leaps Into Action

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien continues the adventure from the original series with a 15-year-old Ben Tennyson. After Ben is able to remove the Omnitrix and start living a normal life, he is pulled back into life as a hero, as he needs to rescue his Grandpa Max with the help of cousin Gwen and the reformed Kevin. This series had the shortest run of episodes with just 46 released. With Grandpa Max kidnapped, Ben decides to wield the Omnitrix again. Due to his slightly older age, the Omnitrix reboots and grants him the ability to access a new set of alien species with brand-new powers.

The main antagonist in this series is an alien species known as the Highbreed, who are obsessed with wiping out other life. The series is a marked step up in maturity and themes with the story involving deaths and more complex narratives than the original series, which helped take the franchise into a new age that grew along with its audience. Those themes not only allowed this iteration of Ben 10 to stand out as different but it also found success in of accolades. Ben 10: Ultimate Alien was nominated for four Emmys during its run, winning one.

2 Ben 10 (2005-2008)

The Original Ben 10 Series

The original Ben 10 series introduced the world to Ben Tennyson (voiced by the incredible Tara Strong), his cousin Gwen, and Grandpa Max. The series followed Ben as he discovered the Omnitrix and became entangled in a wild adventure that would see him face off against the villainous Vilgax, who wanted the power of the Omnitrix for himself, and young Ben and Gwen learned about their Grandpa Max's role in a secret organization known as the Plumbers, an intergalactic law enforcement agency that exists throughout the galaxy.

He learns to wield the Omnitrix and its powers for good and protect his loved ones along with overcoming his own selfish tendencies

The original series sees Ben learn the classic hero lesson that with great power comes great responsibility. He learns to wield the Omnitrix and its powers for good and protect his loved ones along with overcoming his own selfish tendencies. The original series built the foundation that the series expanded on and explored a novel concept that captured the attention and excitement of kids everywhere. While later iterations had new takes on animation styles and mature story elements, it can be hard to beat the original.

The success of the original Ben 10 went beyond the popularity that established a larger franchise too. It scored a couple of Emmy nominations while on the air and even won the prestigious Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation Award. It also holds an impressive 7.5 rating among IMDb s and was lauded by both critics and fans.

1 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien (2010-2012)

The Best Of The Ben 10 Franchise

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien directly follows the story from Ben 10: Alien Force. After the Omnitrix is destroyed and Ben's identity is revealed, he acquires the Ultimatrix, which allows him to transform into more evolved forms of each species in the device. The series further develops the story and sees the team mature and learn what it means to be heroes in the public eye. Ben proves how selfless he has become with storylines that see him help the aliens in the Ultimatrix achieve sentience and work alongside Ben at great personal cost.

Ben and his friends prove how far they have come, the storylines are equally evolved, and an exciting new roster of heroes with even greater ultimate powers makes this series stand out among its predecessors to become something special. This take on the series holds the highest rating of any on IMDb at 7.7, though it remains close between the top installments. Still, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien seems to be the consensus pick for the best of the franchise. Ben 10 captured the attention of many kids, and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien proved how these shows can continue to appeal to the minds and hearts of its young viewers while advancing alongside them.