Every Batman TV show ever, ranked from worst to best

5. Batman Beyond

The DC Animated Universe never stopped treating its fans. When both iterations of Batman: The Animated Series had come to an end, the creative teams decided that this wasn't where they wanted the story to end. And thus, in 1999 we got Batman Beyond; a futuristic animated series that picked up decades after the original show.

The show featured an elderly Bruce Wayne at the forefront (once again voiced by the late, great Kevin Conroy) as he trained up a new Batman to serve as the protector of Gotham City for the next generation. That next Batman was named Terry McGinnis, and he was a high school student who aided his predecessor in a fight against the Joker gang.

Batman Beyond was a very different show and it was those differences that made it work. It wasn't trying recreate Batman: The Animated Series so much as it was following on from it. It was a tough act to follow, but Beyond ultimately pulled it off by leaning into what worked for it. Terry's Batman was more youthful and fun while the storylines were also more high school-driven. It all made for an incredibly effective introduction to Terry McGinnis and ensured that Batman Beyond would leave a lasting impression when it concluded its three-season run.

Over two decades later and it's still regarded as one of the best Batman stories not to originate in the comics. That's pretty darn special.