The New Batman Adventures
I never really watched this show when it originally aired. I caught the three-part “World’s Finest” crossover on Superman: The Animated Series, but that’s as far as my exposure to TNBA went. Fast-forward to recent decades. My interest in checking out TNBA never rose. The character redesigns by-and-large were atrocious, a far cry from the beautiful designs of B:TAS. I did watch “Legends of the Dark Knight”, but was underwhelmed by how hollow and cheap it felt. I also knew the character development Freeze and Harley underwent in the predecessor series was rolled back, furthering my disinterest in the cartoon. So I consigned TNBA to the “not interested” pile and figured it would remain there. But then I purchased the B:TAS BD set this past July, and then a couple weeks ago finally realized the TNBA episodes were included. As I owned then, I figured I may as well watch them, apathy be damned. So I did.
Not all the redesigns were horrible; I liked Freeze’s redesign, though he should never have been brought back, and the Penguin’s was an improvement over the Burtonesque original. There were also a handful of good episodes; “Growing Pains” with Clayface was the best of the lot. That’s where anything positive I have to say about TNBA ends. This show is hot garbage. I’ve already mentioned my contempt for the handling of Freeze/Harley. Fuck that annoying, underaged shrimp Tim Drake; he’s virtually everything I’ve ever disliked about the Robin character, minus the green speedo/pixie boots. I’d cringe everytime Catwoman or Poison Ivy appeared on screen; in B:TAS, they and the other female characters had individualized physiques/body language, but here, all look like bulimic teenagers. And then there’s Batman. B:TAS Batman was human; he was serious, but still capable of humour and compassion. TNBA Batman is a remote, inconsiderate thug.
The New Batman Adventures (and in hindsight, Batman Beyond, too) effectively ruined the Batman corner of the DCAU. No redemptions, no happy endings. Just regression, alienation, and failure. Fuck. This. SHIT.
EPISODE RATINGS
- “Holiday Knights” — 5/10
- “Sins of the Father” — 5/10
- “Cold Comfort” — 2/10
- “Never Fear” — 7/10
- “You Scratch My Back” — 5/10
- “Double Talk” — 5/10
- “Joker’s Millions” — 4/10
- “Growing Pains” — 8/10
- “Mean Seasons” — 6/10
- “The Demon Within” — 5/10
- “Over the Edge” — 6/10
- “Torch Song” — 6/10
- “Love Is a Croc” — 7/10
- “The Ultimate Thrill” — 5/10
- “Cult of the Cat” — 7/10
- “Critters” — 5/10
- “Animal Act” — 7/10
- “Old Wounds” — 6/10
- “Legends of the Dark Knight” — 5/10
- “Girls’ Night Out” — 4/10
- “Chemistry” — 5/10
- “Judgment Day” — 6/10
- “Beware the Creeper” — 5/10
- “Mad Love” — 7/10
SERIES RATING
★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆