Why Superman: The Animated Series is the Man of Steel's best TV show

There are many great examples of Superman TV shows. From the classic TV series of the '50s to the acclaimed modern Superman and Lois, there is a Superman story for every generation. But one stands out as the best of them all.

Superman: The Animated Series is the greatest Superman TV show of all time. The animation is clean and dynamic, with great backgrounds and character designs. The cast of characters includes some of Superman's most classic friends and foes, from Lois Lane and Lex Luthor to Livewire and Lobo. But one of the best thigs about it just might be its portrayal of the title character.

Superman is as amazing as ever, the Man of Tomorrow has a perfect get up, as Superman or as Clark Kent. Clark Kent is an often overlooked aspect of the Superman mythos, especially in more recent iterations. That aspect is important, however, as he is a part of Superman that is in many ways more important than the Man of Steel and his big action scenes. Superman: The Animated Series captures that perfectly. Episodes like "The Late Mr. Kent" showcase the importance of Clark, and how Superman cannot exist without him.

It's not just the heroes that stand out either, as the villains are plentiful; Lex Luthor, Darkseid, Lobo, Metallo, and Livewire all have amazing episodes, alongside smaller villains, some of whom only make one appearance, but make it memorable nonetheless.

The greatest strength of Superman: The Animated Series is its heart. Superman shows true empathy for his villains, no matter what. In fact, the only villains who don't earn the Man of Steel's sympathy are villains like Darkseid and Braniac, who are cruel conquerors. But the characters like Livewire and Bizarro, who are struggling with themselves as much as they are with Superman, are never heartlessly beaten; rather, treated by Superman as people.

There is a great amount of fun to be found in the classic Animated Series too. Characters like Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bibbo have a great comedic presence, while Superman's adventures take him from Metropolis to outer space, Earth to Apokolips. He had adventures with everyone from Lois Lane to Batman, in a special crossover with The New Batman Adventures which set the stage for sequel and spinoff series Justice League.

Superman: The Animated Series is a worthwhile watch for anybody. The great characters, adept stories, and tight animation brings new life to Superman and his world. The Man of Steel has stolen the stage when it comes to cartoons, and that's a conversation we should all be having more often as this classic is one of the all-time greats.