A big comic book adaptation hit TV screens for 22 episodes in 2007, but you may not remember it but its worth the watch.
Painkiller Jane is based on the comic-book character created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada. Before the 2007 TV series, the character had already been adapted into a TV movie in 2005.
The series feels a bit like a superhero cop show. Jane Vasco works with a secret government team investigating people with strange abilities.
Jane Vasco is played by Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). Jane can survive almost anything thanks to her incredible healing ability.
The show follows Jane and her team as they investigate people with unusual abilities, while Jane also tries to understand her own powers and their origins.
Painkiller Jane shows why Kristanna Loken made a career playing strong characters who can handle themselves in a fight. She can deliver lines of dialogue well, even if the dialogue given is not always completely serious, while also bringing a vulnerable side to a character who kicks ass and saves the day daily.
One breakout star of the show is Alaina Huffman (Stargate Universe). She plays Jane’s former DEA partner and close friend, Maureen Bowers. She gives a deep insight into Jane before her powers and life changed forever. Alaina could have played her as another basic best friend to the show’s lead. Still, she brings layers, making a character who could have been two-dimensional more complex and showing Maureen’s struggle as she adapts to her friend’s adjustment to her powers and new job. Her strong chemistry with Kristanna gives the show heart and makes their friendship feel genuine. Together, they effortlessly balance tender and sometimes funny moments within the show’s action-packed scenes.
Beyond Jane and Maureen, the show features a strong supporting team. Leading the group is Andre McBride, played by Rob Stewart (Tropical Heat, Killjoys), an experienced agent responsible for overseeing their operations. Stewart plays the tough team leader with ease, but beneath his hard exterior, you get the sense that he genuinely cares about his team.
Connor King, played by Noah Danby (Defiance, Riddick), serves as the team’s muscle and tough-talking field operative. He always has Jane’s back and gets some pretty cool action moments throughout the show.
Riley Jensen, played by Sean Owen Roberts (Supernatural, Billy the Kid), handles surveillance, computers and communications, while Dr. Seth Carpenter, played by Stephen Lobo (Continuum, Arctic Air), provides the team’s medical and scientific expertise. Lobo has the difficult job of delivering plenty of exposition and medical jargon, but he handles it with ease and makes Seth a surprisingly fun character to watch.
Rounding out the group is Joe Waterman, played by Nathaniel DeVeaux (The X-Files, The Butterfly Effect), the caretaker of their secret subway headquarters.
Each character brings something different to the team, giving the show a fun ensemble dynamic that adds plenty to the story beyond Jane herself.
When the comic leans more heavily into superhero action and adventure, the TV series plays much more like a police procedural, with Jane and the team investigating a new enhanced person or case each week. Sometimes the case-of-the-week format can feel a little repetitive. Still, the show adds enough of an overall story arc about how Jane got her powers and the organisations connected to them to keep things interesting.
The show, being filmed in 2007, has that very early 2000s feel, everything from the costumes to the music and the filming style. Very much a product of its time, it’s worth rewatching for the nostalgic sake. It might not hold up to 2026’s TV quality standards, but if you love a superhero show that has a fun amount of action and cool characters, then this is the show for you.
Sadly, Painkiller Jane never found a solid audience and was cancelled after one season due to low ratings.
If you missed Painkiller Jane the first time around, or are due for a rewatch of this comic book show classic, you can currently watch the series for free on Tubi.
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