Ranking The Modern Animated Batman TV Shows

5. Beware the Batman (2013)

The most recent animated appearance by Batman, Beware the Batman, was stylistically one of the most unique offerings in Batman’s storied animated history. But the fresh new look wasn’t enough to hide many of the show’s shortcomings.

The show itself wasn’t bad at all. It was one of the darkest takes on Batman in his animated history, and it fleshed out Batman’s supporting cast very well. Alfred was more involved than just helping out around the manor and Batcave, and instead of Robin, Katana was Batman’s aid on missions. Oracle / Barbara Gordon, James Gordon, and other Batman sympathizers were featured several times in the show’s one season of existence.

But for all its positives, there were just as many faults.

The show sought to highlight some of Batman’s lesser known villains, such as Professor Pyg, Mr. Toad, Magpie, and Anarky. Villains such as Killer Croc, Harvey Dent / Two-Face, and Ra’s al Ghul are featured as well, but the rotating rogues gallery showcased many relatively unknown faces.

But there’s a reason many of those villains aren’t well-known. They didn’t feel as compelling as Batman’s more famous villains, and the characters as a whole didn’t feel nearly as complex as portrayed in previous animated series.

Beware the Batman tries too hard to be gritty that it beats you over the head with it. In fact, the show beats you over the head with many things. Subtlety is not its strength. But the overly-gritty tone makes a lot of the comedy feel awkward and out of place. And some of the relationships, such as the one between Jim and Barbara Gordon, feel odd because of that.

The voice acting wasn’t bad, but some voices just didn’t seem to fit their characters. And some of the new takes on characters were hard to adjust to—especially the more action-heavy Alfred.

The animation, while a big shift from previous Batman series, fell flat at times. It either failed to express emotion correctly or made the characters appear too bland. Gotham itself didn’t seem particularly alive, as the streets were often devoid of anyone but the main characters at the time. A booming city such as Gotham would have even a few stragglers around, even at the latest hours of the night.

“Mediocre” would be the best way to describe Beware the Batman. Its goal in attempting to highlight side characters and villains was admirable, but the follow-through wasn’t clean, and it made for a rather forgettable version of Batman.

Next: A Throwback Feel