Thoughts on the Batman tv show from 2004?

[DragonSJG]

2004 introduced us to another incarnation of the Caped Crusader

and I was wondering, what did everyone think of? I think season 1 was decent as it had a mysterious tone but the redesigns and changes to Batman's Rogues Gallery was....eh

These are way too gimmicky and for some reason, almost everyone knows martial arts, which makes it clear this show was made to sell toys and be a standard Saturday Morning cartoon and IIRCC, Batman had a new suit all the time, which drives this point further

Later the show introduced us to classic characters like Gordon, Batgirl and Robin but it seems the show was hammering how gimmicky it was and it felt obnoxious to be frank.

Season 1 intro was dope though and the Batman vs Dracula was alright

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Started out kind of repetitive and meh (I recall the first season being joker, penguin, riddler on repeat), but then it came into its own with a couple interesting takes on villains (Clayface) and/or interesting story ideas (the far future episode w/Freeze, I Am Legend ep)

The episodes featuring other Justice League members did well with playing Batman off of them

And Batman vs. Dracula is actually really damn badass, especially the end of the final confrontation in the Batcave.

 

[Wogan]

I think it got better as it went along but it tried to be not the DCAU and also cribbed way too much off it.

 

[deimosmasque]

Still one of my favorite Joker's and had an actual likeable Harley/Joker relationship rather than the abusive ones everywhere else.

I overall liked it.

 

[fontguy]

The world's greatest detective, ladies and gentlemen.

 

[Son of Liberty]

I didn't watch too much of it but the episodes I did see were alright.
As for 2000's era Batman cartoons, I was more of a fan of Batman: Brave and the Bold.

 

[LewieP]

I quite like it. It's obviously not going to stand up to comparisons with BTAS, but they had some cool twists on classic characters, and I like a lot of the characters designs.

 

[NiallGGlynn]

I dug it, which was impressive since I was never a Batman kid.

 

[Omar310]

My thoughts are that the second OP is flames

 

[Claire Delune]

Batman vs Dracula is a hundred times better than it had any right to be and is a highwater mark for the series, which was... Okay. It wasn't the worst thing ever, but it was never going to escape the shadow of BTAS, and it didn't do its own thing like The Brave and the Bold.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Its not BTAS but it was really good.

Should have carried over and been used in other Batman material.
A GCPD team of Gordon, Bullock, Yin, Ethan and Montoya would be pretty good.

 

[Khanimus]

Underrated, particularly in its early seasons.

 

[TiamatSword]

I never liked it simply because I don't like short eared Batman

 

[Weiss]

It's fine. Nothing really special and a little too toyetic after BTAS.

Joker was a hoot, especially that episode where he dressed up as Batman.

 

[Trago]

I remember thinking the art style was very similar to Jackie Chan Adventures when I was a kid.

 

[BWoog]

I hated the idea that every villain to Batman should be a physical threat. The Penguin fighting Batman hand to hand was absurd.

 

[stn]

I remember enjoying it as a kid, but might not hold up now.

 

[Deleted member 60295]

The biggest problem with the show was the sheer amount of executive meddling. Greg fucking Weisman wrote for this show. There was lots of talent behind the scenes, and at it's best, it was a refreshing take on the mythos. Absolutely loved this show's versions of Clayface, Riddler, Black Mask, and Hugo Strange. And Firefly and Bane also had incredible debuts before they were sadly nerfed into oblivion into later appearances.

They also occasionally came up with some genuinely great original villains. Not-Clock-King from season 4 is easily in the running for best episode of the entire series. And of course, let's not forget about D.A.V.E: the Ultimate Criminal Mastermind:

The world's greatest detective, ladies and gentlemen.

Click to shrink...

That was a dumb moment, yeah. But on the whole, the movie was actually really cool, and also INSANELY dark for something that original aired on American TV under a Y7 rating. I still can't believe they got away with shit like the blood bank scene:




The vampires in this movie ain't no Morbius from the 90's Spider-Man: The Animated Series, that's fore sure.

 

[Daniel Westlake]

It's a simple but very enjoyable show, voice acting was pretty much solid all throughout, music was good, some of the redesigns were odd but I like most of them. I'm actually a big fan of acrobatic dreadlock Joker.
I remember the clayface episodes being some standouts but it's been a long time since I've seen any of them.

Batman vs. Dracula was dope.

 

[Platy]

Loved some of the reimagining of the villains ... even if you hate them you have to give them props for at least TRY to change stuff as iconic as the joker

The intro song was cool but clipshow was not what the song was asking =P

 

[Daniel Westlake]

Really love Catwoman's design from the show it probably only works in that art style but it's great there.

 

[Daniel Westlake]

Beware the Batman from a few years back was also decent.

 

[fontguy]

The biggest problem with the show was the sheer amount of executive meddling. Greg fucking Weisman wrote for this show. There was lots of talent behind the scenes, and at it's best, it was a refreshing take on the mythos.



The ironic thing is that the movie was actually pretty cool, and also INSANELY dark for something that aired on American TV under a Y7 rating. I still can't believe they got away with shit like the blood bank scene:



The vampires in this movie ain't no Morbius from the 90's Spider-Man: The Animated Series, that's fore sure.

Click to shrink...

I don't think I'm seeing what you see in that clip tbh. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Bane]

Didn't like the first season much at all but was surprised to come back to it later and find it has really become quite good. I liked some of the takes on the villains, like Joker (though his first design wasn't great) and the Manson-y Riddler but, as others have said, the martial arts stuff was ridiculous. For Penguin in particular. It was definitely was too toyetic but by the last season I was sad to see it go and was hoping we'd get ta full JL cartoon as a follow up. Kevin Michael Richardson is a very underrated Joker.

 

[GTOAkira]

OMG I love that show.
I love the episode where the Penguin create his own league of villain.
I love the episode set in the future with super muscular batman
I love how they introduce the justice league with the alien invasion arc.
Def one of my favorite super hero show ever.

 

[Pau]

Always liked the Easter egg of Kevin Conroy voicing John Grayson.

 

[Sibersk Esto]

I remember thinking the art style was very similar to Jackie Chan Adventures when I was a kid.

Click to shrink...

Same character designer

 

[Bor Gullet]

I remember thinking it was decent.

Also remember hating the Joker (the design, mostly).

 

[Daniel Westlake]

This show's version of Bruce was really calm and friendly which I liked.

 

[thecouncil]

Click to shrink...

The Edge from U2 did that theme song, I think.

 

[RedHoodedOwl]

Ron Perlman voicing Killer Croc with a southern accent.

 

[Nocturnowl]

I recall liking it at the time, I expected a lot worse and was pleasantly surprised.
Something about that series arsehole penguin is just great, even if the ninja henchwoman never felt like a fit.

Also both those intros were dope.

 

[Deleted member 34949]

Show started off okay (and that first intro is fire) but that Clayface two parter in season 1 is when the show got really interesting.

And yeah you'd think something like Batman Vs. Dracula would be corny from the title alone, but it's hands down the best thing to come from that continuity.