Matthew Turner | On 26, Aug 2024

As most seasoned Bat-fans already know, producer Bruce Timm made his name as the creator and showrunner of the much-loved Batman: The Animated Series, before going on to help build the DC animated universe as we know it today. The original 90s series is widely regarded as the best ever version of Batman, in any format, so expectation is understandably high for Timm’s return for a new series of Caped Crusader cartoons.

Co-produced by Timm, The Batman director Matt Reeves and JJ Abrams, with acclaimed crime comics writer Ed Brubaker on board as head writer, this new 10-part series is a noir-inspired reimagining of Batman (voiced by Hamish Linklater), set in the 1940s and focusing on the early days of the Dark Knight’s career as a costumed vigilante. As a result, there’s a much stronger focus on the criminal element and the corruption that runs through Gotham City – the streets are full of thugs and crooks and several members of Gotham’s own police department are on the take, pocketing bribes from gang boss Rupert Thorne (Cedric Yarborough).

Over the course of the series, the show takes the time to explore Batman’s own troubled psychology, taking a fascinating look at the man behind the mask. Consequently, he’s not entirely the Batman we’re used to seeing – he’s given to anger, he makes mistakes, he’s even a little unstable and maybe causing more damage than he thinks, in the process. There’s a more mature tone and a degree of psychological complexity here that are both very rewarding.

Clearly, a large part of the appeal of the new series for Timm was the opportunity to reimagine some of the key characters. To that end, the show makes a number of intriguing changes, all of which work surprisingly well. Some of the changes help diversify the previously largely white cast – Commissioner Gordon (Eric Gordon Stuart) and his daughter Barbara (Krystal Joy Brown) are now Black, for example – while others are much more radical, such as making the Penguin (Minnie Driver) a female crime boss with her own cabaret act, or giving Harley Quinn (Jamie Chung) a much darker, more serious aspect than the comedy character she’s been in the past.

Perhaps the standout is the show’s reimagining of Catwoman (Christina Ricci) – the character details remain largely the same as always (wealthy socialite Selina Kyle, penchant for burglary), but the decision to dress her in her original 1940s comics outfit (purple dress, green cape) pays off beautifully and, as voiced by Ricci, the character has a delightful sense of fun. The show isn’t above the occasional saucy moment either – at one point Catwoman is shown robbing a safe in a bedroom while a couple are sleeping in bed together in the background.

On a similar note, the show also gives Harvey Dent / Two-Face (Diedrich Bader) a terrific, season-long arc, resulting in a sympathetic storyline that is both horrific and heart-breaking in equal measure. As for the rest of Batman’s rogues’ gallery, there’s no sign of The Riddler or Poison Ivy or Mr Freeze just yet, and it’s actually genuinely refreshing to have almost an entire season of Batman cartoons without an appearance from The Joker, although a very familiar “mystery figure” does turn up right at the end as a tease for the second season.

As for the general feel of the show, Timm succeeds admirably in creating a noir-ish look and atmosphere, from the 1940s costumes to the use of shadows, not to mention a gorgeous black-and-white opening credits sequence. There’s a palpable darkness to the violence, too, although Timm does an excellent job of nailing the right tone in that regard, without going over the top.

As is to be expected within the DC animated universe, the voice-work is excellent. Christina Ricci is wonderful as Catwoman, while Jason Watkins makes a solid Alfred (he gets a bit of a character tweak too, and his relationship with Bruce shifts intriguingly throughout the season). However, it’s fair to say that Linklater takes a couple of episodes to settle into the Bat-voice – he’s not quite right at first and it’s a little unsettling. Indeed, it’s actually a strange decision to have Linklater voice Batman, as co-star Diedrich Bader is a seasoned and well-regarded Bat-performer, having voiced the Caped Crusader in multiple animated movies and TV shows.

In short, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully animated superhero series that reimagines enough of Batman’s universe to keep things consistently interesting and different, while still remaining true to the heart of the character. You can go ahead and colour us excited for the prospect of a second season, although, sadly, head writer Brubaker was unable to return to the show due to the 2023 WGA strike.

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