Batman: Caped Crusader Gets the Dark Knight His Animated Groove Back

Can you judge it’s been implicit a decennary since Batman headlined an animated series? (Or rather, 1 that wasn’t for toddlers?) The Dark Knight remains a cardinal portion of DC Comics and Warner Bros’ plans, but he’s been kept to films–animated oregon otherwise–for truthful agelong that it’s casual to hide however overmuch the quality thrived connected the tiny screen. As such, Batman: Caped Crusader feels adjacent much peculiar than the already unusual circumstances of its existence–initially made for Max, past formed speech by WB Discovery earlier Prime Video yet swooped successful and saved it.

Previous Batman shows came retired with a large hook down them, and successful Caped Crusader’s case, it’s being acceptable successful the 1940s, with each the noir that implies. Batman and the remainder of Gotham City acceptable with the clip play beauteous well, which gives the amusement a distinct, pulpy consciousness that beefs up the detective broadside of the character. A brace of episodes successful the play adjacent marque him much of a broadside subordinate to absorption connected Barbara Gordon and the Gotham PD, which helps heighten the show’s noir stylings and basal retired among the pack. There’s a genuine effort to marque Batman a unit of nature, but not overpowered arsenic helium tin yet go successful much modern stories. In presenting him arsenic a regular feline alternatively than a walking exertion arsenal, it makes the moments wherever helium does probe oregon goes retired into the satellite arsenic Bruce Wayne to get accusation each the much satisfying to see.

©Prime Video/WB Animation

Caped Crusader has an aged schoolhouse sensibility, overmuch of which tin beryllium owed to the originative forces down it. Its enforcement producers are Batman: The Animated Series alums Bruce Timm and James Tucker, on with The Batman director Matt Reeves and Criminal co-creator Ed Brubaker arsenic caput writer. As a result, the amusement is precise focused, and doesn’t truly person B oregon C-plots for its supporting cast. If thing isn’t related to Batman, the GCPD, oregon the villain of the episode, it doesn’t get overmuch play. It works for the astir portion and keeps things from getting unwieldy, on with helping it evoke the feeling of aged DC cartoons connected KidsWB and Cartoon Network backmost successful DC’s animated heyday. But erstwhile it doesn’t work, it tin consciousness similar the show’s cutting disconnected parts of itself to acceptable what it tin into the caller mold of a 10-episode play nether the classical 22-24 infinitesimal runtime.

The “case of the week” format fits with what the show’s going for, and Caped Crusader makes bully usage of its villains. While immoderate get much to enactment with than others, they each marque a bully lawsuit for their inclusion and consciousness similar they appropriately enactment this Batman done his paces. But erstwhile it comes clip for the last fistful of episodes to absorption connected Harvey Dent’s descent into Two-Face, it can’t assistance but consciousness a spot rushed since helium conscionable doesn’t bash overmuch (or successful immoderate cases, not look astatine all) successful the archetypal fractional of the season. Diedrich Bader does a coagulated occupation arsenic Dent and the eventual dual personas he’s asked to play, but the play isn’t funny successful treating him arsenic an overarching threat. 

Similarly, it whitethorn besides consciousness disappointing that Batman himself is reasonably static. Hamish Linklater does a good show passim the play (most of which is spent arsenic Batman), but the amusement isn’t each that absorbing successful exploring what makes this iteration of the quality tick. There’s a coldness to him that comes done successful however helium perpetually refers to Alfred arsenic “Pennyworth,” but it’s not afloat questioned oregon explored, which stands retired each the much considering Reeves’ engagement here. That coldness besides extends to Gotham itself: the metropolis ever feels similar its darker edges are creeping up with each episode—largely acknowledgment to amusive villains similar Rupert Thorne and Arnold Flass making things worse successful their ain ways—but it doesn’t ever consciousness similar a existent spot that Batman’s devoted to saving. There’s a decent capable anchor for some it and the leader here, but a region connected the show’s extremity prevents it from being arsenic absorbing arsenic it looks and truthful wants to be.

Intentionally oregon not, Batman: Caped Crusader leans overmuch of its value connected nostalgic affection for Animated Series, from its originative forces to its ocular benignant and Linklater’s performance. But it grows into its ain chiseled happening implicit time, and portion not an instant classic, you tin spot it being thing awesome successful its ain close with much seasons. Whatever larger plans Prime Video and forces similar Timm and Reeves person for the show, it mostly succeeds successful the astir important way: reminding america wherefore Batman has been astatine his champion successful weekly, animated adventures. 

All episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader hit Prime Video connected August 1.

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