One of the only DC TV shows left just got renewed for another season

If you're a fan of DC Comics, the past few years have probably been pretty tough for you. A merger at Warner Bros. led to the cancellation of a slew of movies and TV shows set within their cinematic universe, and new owners at The CW also resulted in the cancellations of multiple DC TV shows that had been dominating the network for the past decade.

Yeah, it's been rough out here for DC fans. The good news is that a new DC Universe is coming from Peter Safran and James Gunn, but it's going to take some time before it comes to fruition (animated series Creature Commandos is debuting in December and Gunn's own Superman movie doesn't come out until next year). That means there will still be a prolonged period of time without much DC TV content on our screens - unthinkable this time just three years ago.

Thankfully, it's not all cancellations though. One beloved DC TV series has been renewed for another season.

Batwheels renewed for a third season at Cartoon Network

As revealed by Deadline, Batwheels has been renewed for a third season at Cartoon Network. The series is the first ever Batman show produced for a preschool audience and it has proven to be extremely popular among those younger audiences. Not surprising because, honestly, Batman and cars sounds like the perfect match for kids.

The show premiered in September 2022 on WarnerMedia streaming service HBO Max (now Max) before having its linear premiere on Cartoon Network (via its preschool block Cartoonito). It was a long first season, running for 40 episodes, but it proved popular as it was renewed for a second season shortly afterwards. Season 2 is currently airing and, after a midseason break, it returned with a Halloween special in September.

The show focuses on the Bat-Family's gadgets, which are brought to life by the Batcomputer. The leader of the pack is, of course, none other than the Batmobile, a.k.a. Bam, who roams the streets in search of villainous vehicles. One of his archenemies is Prank, the vehicle of - you guessed it! - The Joker.

But Bam and the Batcomputer aren't alone in this fight against crime and its cars, as they are supported by Red (Robin's Redbird car), Bibi (the Batgirl Cycle), Buff (the Bat Truck), the Batwing, and the Bat-Family's robot M.O.E. Yes, the crime-fighting vehicles are the stars of the show, but the Bat-Family themselves do play a supporting role, as Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and even Green Arrow all make appearances. Batman is notably voiced by Ethan Hawke.

A victory for DC TV fans

Batwheels' survival is a major accomplishment as it's one of the few remaining DC TV shows from prior to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger to stick around. That's likely due to the fact that it's not part of a wider shared universe, its young core audience, and the involvement of Cartoon Network helps keep it separate from any animated shows that DC Studios will be producing going forward.

That was also the case with Netflix shows The Sandman and its spinoff Dead Boy Detectives. Both are based on stories from DC's Vertigo imprint but as Netflix was producing them for its own streaming service, it allowed them to avoid the ax that was coming down on most mainstream DC TV shows (including popular animated series Young Justice). Although Dead Boy Detectives was ultimately cancelled by the streamer, its connection to the Sandman universe allowed it to get made in the first place.

While Gunn and Safran's DC Universe will produce its own TV shows, there are very few remaining that aren't related to that franchise. Animated series Harley Quinn will return for a fifth season, while The CW's Superman and Lois will return for a fourth and final season. Batman: Caped Crusader season 2 is in production, along with My Adventures With Superman season 3. Meanwhile, Harley Quinn spinoff Kite Man: Hell Yeah! just recently unveiled its first season, while Teen Titans GO! was just recently airing its eighth season.

The Penguin is currently streaming new episodes - which are being met with critical acclaim - but it's only expected to be a one-season miniseries.

There just isn't a lot of DC content to go around these days (which is especially true when it comes to linear television), so the renewal of Batwheels is welcome news for so many reasons. Long may the vehicles of Gotham City keep the streets safe!