Batman: Season 1

Characters like Batman and Superman cast long shadows. The aura of these characters is that they have no reality to bind them to. They are borne of our imagination and own psyche and that is why they can be resurrected in the image of different eras in time. They are symbols of our own internal selves, that is why you can draw them up again and again and they never die. Superman represents that part of the human psyche that is beyond destruction and rises uncorrupted no matter what you throw at it, no matter what you do to it. Batman is the exact opposite. Batman is a mortal, tormented soul on the edge that lurks in the shadows, and takes on evil with a dark vengeance. Superman is the real person and Clark Kent is the mask, but Bruce Wayne is the real person and The Batman is the mask. In a sordid sort of way, Superman is like Dr. Jekyll and Batman is Mr. Hyde - two sides of the same coin.And once again, Batman has been resurrected in this retro series. "The Batman" is constructed in a time before the one depicted in the classical "Batman: The Animated Series", probably a decade or so earlier. Bruce Wayne is in his mid-20's and Batman is not yet the legend depicted in The Animated Series. He has just appeared on the scene of Gotham and started his shadowy crime-fighting career where the law sees him no differently than the characters he is at odds with.Some of the characterizations are good and you can feel how they gel in given the above backdrop. Sobriety and age doesn't seem to have caught up with an also-younger Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's confidant and surrogate-guardian. He is presented as being slightly perkier and more wisecracking compared to the depiction in The Animated Series.Batman is defined by the villains he faces and in season one, his old nemeses The Joker, Penguin, Bane, Dr. Langstrom, Mr. Freeze, Firefly, Scarface, and Clayface are all back. The Joker lives up to his maniacal aura and Kevin Michael Richardson's voice doesn't deviate far from the signature personality that Mark Hamill gave Joker in TAS; KMR's voice has more timber and gruffness at times compared to the diabolical cackle of Mark Hamill. I thought the look of the Joker was a bit too "jack in the box" making him look grotesque at first glance. Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. the Penguin is cast more in the image of Tim Burton's rendition from the movie. Again, Tom Kenny does a good job giving more deviousness to Penguin's character. Bane, Dr. Langstrom a.k.a. The Man-Bat, and Scarface don't deviate much either apart from their color schemes compared to TAS. Firefly looks better. I liked the Firefly character line better in the TAS but this series has done a decent makeup job on him especially with the buzzing audio f/x.Mr. Freeze is a heresy. The whole Mr. Freeze character in TAS was a masterpiece between his personality as defined by his accident and his quest to save his wife, and Michael Ansara's "poker-faced", emotionless, superb voice characterization completing things full circle. This series has turned Victor Fries into a common thug in a walking icebox for a suit.However, the delight of season one, as everyone has commented below is the whole Clayface arc. This series has done for Clayface what TAS did for the Harvey Dent/Two-Face and Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze story arcs, and the story and production teams get kudos for the way they draw out the entire Clayface story arc in the fantastic two-episode season finale.As for the presentation, The Batman is slightly more colorful and more detailed than TAS. Part of the power of TAS was that it was drawn entirely on black and created its ambiance by capitalizing masterfully on abstraction and lack of details in animation, while sticking with a more restrictive color palette comprised of dark, crimson, shadowy colors. This series has more details in the artwork and a wider use of colors. It takes a few episodes to get used to it if you are a die-hard TAS fan. The TAS also mixed in some retro elements such as the cars and buildings at times very aesthetically. The batmobile looks more commercial in this series, more high-tech, but more like Bruce Wayne decided to have Toyota, Honda or Audi build it for him. :-) Arkham Asylum looks better in this series in my opinion; the addition of detail such as the brickwork walls and pipe-grill doors, have done it good. It looks more creepy than cozy and you can see it as this really creepy holding place for mentally insane criminals. It augments the dark aura of the Batman character itself.Finally the voice characterization of Rino Romano fits given the background. Kevin Conroy's voice was perfect for a mid-30s Batman, who had been "at it" for a decade or more -- an established legend in Gotham, more sure of himself, used to facing whackjobs and weirdos. Kevin Conroy gave Batman "the coming of age" personality. Rino Romano gives personality to a younger Batman, more unsure of himself, just out of adolesence and still coming to grips with what he is becoming. Rino Romano's voice characterization lacks the command and force of Kevin Conroy...which is correct.All in all, it's a new Batman for a new era and if you like the Batman character, don't miss it.

Initially, I thought as many of my fellow reviewer's do, that this cartoon does not do Batman justice, that to many changes have been made to the character, villains, and the voices were wrong. This is not the Batman from the 1990's animated series or even the Batman on the Justice League cartoons, this is very different, and so it must be wrong. However, my children love it. This Batman is geared for a younger audience, an audience that has not read the comics for years, an audience that that did not grow up listening to the incredible voice talents of Kevin Conroy, an audience that knows little to nothing about Batman.This cartoon is reintroducing the Batman to a new younger generation, and the kids love it. This first season introduces Batman to Gotham, and shows his struggles and successes. Many of the critics complain that this is a Gotham with out Gordon, and there is a new take on many of the villains. Once again, the fundamentalist in me was initially outraged, but seeing the way my children responded to the show made me think outside of my traditional Bat-Box and look at the show with new eyes. And I was able to enjoy the cartoon for want it was, a cartoon and a new take on the legend of Batman.If you are able to forget many of the details of the modern era Batman(as many people have had to do from time to time in Batman's sixty-plus year career) and step out of your traditional Bat-Box and look at the show with new eyes you will enjoy it and your kids will love it.The reason I gave it five stars is two fold. First it's Batman. The second is that this cartoon gives a hero to a new generation. Kids learn from what they watch, they will try to emulate their favorite cartoon characters. Batman is a hero, a man of principal, who fights for what is right, and a great role model for children; as opposed to Johnny Bravo, Ed, Edd, and Edie, Sponge Bob, Brats, and Grim and Evil to name a just a few. We live in a time where many professional athletes are not good role models, we are in a controversial war, terrorist attacks make the news regularly, and government officials are corrupt. Giving kids a hero like Batman gives them an ideal to believe in, and a positive role model to strive to be like. So what if the cartoon is not as good as the one we grew up with, or the director took liberties with the city and the rogues' gallery, the director reintroduces a hero to a new generation.

I guess I may be one of the few who can say they saw it in its first run when I was about 14 years old,and now I have seen it for the first time since then ,on DVD all these years later.When I first saw it, I saw them all in black and white.Colour sets were expensive,and the very few colour ones I saw in my neigbourhood at that time, had terrible colours,as they all seemed to have a green hue over everything,not like the clarity we enjoy as a given today.So you can imagine my amazement when I stick the first disc into the player and out comes a product I originally saw in B&W and grainy(we had TV antenna's not cable) to this,so clear and crisp it looks like it was filmed just yesterday.There is a bit of graininess of course,to be expected considering its age,but holy DVD Batman,what a pleasant surprise.Now,along with seeing it as a young teenager,I could get the humour and double entendre's, but basically I was viewing it more or less as a serious series.It has so many layers to it,and those layers/levels I NOW enjoy as an an adult.The humour weaves through everything, along with a ton of life lessons(tongue in cheek,of course) ,and some ultra smart dialogue,along with those double entendre's I mentioned earlier.It's a veritable smorgasbord of tastes for everyone's palate,no matter how old you may be.As I said I got the light heartedness of it all,yet seriousness when I was young,but now it all comes together.I can see it now in its entirety,and I must say it is delightful.Some say camp,I say smart...period.And one has to look at Adam West's titular role as close to flawless in execution.I cannot imagine anyone else in the role.His phrasing of a line,with frequent hesitations(reminding me of William Shatner on Star Trek) is delightful.And Burt Ward as his faithful sidekick, always coming out with the line"Holy..."something or rather,which more often than not were funnier than all get out,considering the circumstances of the moment.And who can forget those wall climbs with celebrity guests popping out of a window?Jerry Lewis was the first.And they went on to have many high profile stars do this.If this was not the hit it was,as many claim,what could have attracted them to appear at all? Rowan and Martin's Laugh In went on to have many a star and cast member pop out of windows/walls during their shows,and I have often wondered whether Batman was the influence.Then we have the stalwart cast members:Alan Napier as Alfred the butler,Neil Hamilton as Commissioner Gordon,Stafford Repp as Chief O'Hara("begorah"), and Madge Blake as Aunt Harriet.Veterans all,these guys,like the two leads,played all their parts straight down the line,which is what all good comedy is supposed to do.That is one of the most important and appealing aspects of the show, as comedy,good comedy, is indeed a serious business.Last but not least are the villains,and what an absolute wonderful cadre of criminals these folks were.Comedian Frank Gorshin who just chewed the scenery up with his portrayal;Burgess Meredith who also went a long way in almost upstaging the dynamic duo;one of my absolute faves Victor Buono as King Tut,what an actor;who can forget Caesar Romero as the Joker,and that painted over mustache of his?,and Julie Newmar makes her first appearance as Catwoman,who brought sexiness to the show in spades.Other foils for the caped crusaders were less than inspiring,folks like David Wayne as The Mad Hatter,Roddy McDowell as the Bookworm,Malachi Throne as False Face,Anne Baxter as Zelda the Great and George Sanders as Mr.Freeze.I left Mr Freeze until last because they switched him up three times which pee'od me to no end.As they would later do with the Riddler(twice), but that's for another season.All in all what a delightful blast from the past and in glorious living colour,beautifully remastered after TOO long a wait.I think many folks today won't get it,like we did having grown up with it,because there are many jokes and many of the on screen personalities that have long past and would be unknown to generations now.The show was of its time,but at the same time well ahead of it.I enjoyed it immensely(in the past and now) and look forward to future seasons.To the bat cave.

1oo percent in like with the series.. no issues :)

Christmas present for my hubby. Bought the whole set (4 box sets). He really loved it. Brought back great childhood memories.

Good old classic to watchNo issues

I liked how I got in a few days from ordering rather then a few weeks.