5. Vincent Kartheiser
One of the latest versions of the fear-obsessed villain to hit the small screen came in the third season of HBO Max’s Titans (which was also an original of the DC Universe before moving to the Warner Media streaming service). Portrayed by Mad Men‘s Vincent Kartheiser, this iteration of Dr. Crane is a prominent character of the third season.
Where Kartheiser’s rendition succeeds is how he holds his own as the main antagonist of the third season. Titans introduces Dr. Crane as a former inmate of what any fan would undoubtedly recognize as Arkham Asylum who becomes a police consultant for the Gotham City Police Department. In his deviousness, Dr. Crane manipulates Jason Todd (who fans might know as Red Hood) as part of his plan to terrorize Gotham City using his fear toxin.
Despite Kartheiser’s prominent presence in the series, this interpretation deviates from familiar expectations of the Scarecrow. In the series, Dr. Crane doesn’t sport his eponymous mask, maintains a beard for most of his appearances and, in fact, is an avid user of cannabis. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that his name was Dr. Jonathan Crane, fans might not have even identified him as the Scarecrow.