The legendary Bruce Timm, who gave us the classic Batman: The Animated Series (TAS) and more, has officially returned with a new take on Batman. Does Batman Caped Crusader live up to the lofty heights of Batman TAS?

The Dark Knight Rises

First things first, the question on everyone’s minds must be; how is Hamish Linklater as Bruce Wayne/Batman? Hamish Linklater is a great Batman and his voice sounds very much inspired by the late legendary Kevin Conroy, so much so that Linklater is probably the best and most worthy successor yet to Conroy. That being said, his Bruce Wayne voice took some getting used to and could be improved further. Sometimes his Bruce Wayne still sounds a bit too Batman-like.

Batman Caped Crusader very much feels like a spiritual successor to Batman The Animated and not just because Bruce Timm is involved. He brought back almost everything we loved about Batman TAS, the gritty and grounded crime noir vibe and atmosphere in a 40s/50s-inspired setting As grounded as the series seems to be, I do appreciate that one or two episodes went a bit bonkers in a less realistic and more comic-book way by having magic and more, teasing the wider DC universe. Plus, a lot of the character designs and costumes look inspired by the golden age and silver age of DC Comics, especially Batman himself with the long pointy ears of the original Batman cowl.

This genuinely feels like the first time in decades that we’re getting a Batman animated series catered towards more mature audiences. Batman Caped Crusader is technically like Batman The Animated Series, wherein viewers of all ages can watch it since it doesn’t have any gratuitous violence or swearing. For example, it’s nowhere as violent or has F-bombs as the Harley Quinn animated series or Prime Video’s own Invincible.

When I wrote that it caters more for older viewers, that’s because the subject matter and themes explored in the series are often more adult-oriented and mature, including corruption in police and politics, racism/sexism, repressed trauma, and complex psychology. One of the best episodes is when Bruce Wayne has to go to court-mandated therapy with a Dr. Harleen Quinzel (more on her later). It provides more insight into the inner trauma and psychology of Batman.

Just like Matt Reeves’ The Batman (Reeves is also an exec producer on Batman Caped Crusader) and Batman in the comics, this version of Batman has to rely on his skills as both Caped Crusader and World’s Greatest Detectives to defeat his enemies. That’s something that the live-action movies have often forgotten. Well, with the rare exception of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. In Batman Caped Crusader, he actually does some honest detective work. Sure, Batman still has his Batmobile, Batsubmarine and whatnot but it’s refreshing to see that he can’t just use the all-powerful convenient Batcomputer or bleeding-edge technology to conveniently solve everything.

Most of the episodes in Batman Caped Crusader are sort of investigative crime procedural episodes, where Batman and often another person (like Renee Montoya or Barbara Gordon) will investigate a case. It’s essentially a crime thriller at times. That may rub certain demographics of fans the wrong way because Renee and Barbara are major characters with big roles and screentime in Batman Caped Crusader. Some fans may complain that these two characters are getting too much of the spotlight but I don’t see that as a problem, considering that this is an inexperienced young Batman that is still learning to be the hero he will one day become. So what if Montoya and Barbara help him along the way? We all need help.

Perhaps the best thing about Batman Caped Crusader is how it gives us new takes on old iconic characters such as Harley Quinn but the highlight of the series is also how it showcases lesser-known obscure villains such as Firebug and Nocturna. I want to point out how Batman Caped Crusader’s version of Harley Quinn is perhaps one of the best. It’s something new and fresh.

Almost every Harley Quinn in every media since Bruce Timm’s original creation has always been a variation of that version or some obnoxious fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool wannabe but this time Timm himself is giving us a more interesting version of Harley Quinn and one that isn’t tied to the Joker. It’s worth pointing out that some of the episodes are written by actual comic book writers such as Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker. That lends even more of a comic book authenticity to the series.

Harley Quinn, Batman

The biggest flaw of Batman Caped Crusader is perhaps that while it does several new things, others stay familiar and the same. Some characters, like Harvey Dent AKA Two-Face, follow the same formula and structure as the countless times we’ve seen before. We get a female Penguin but so far there’s nothing else that distinguishes her from the male Penguin.

The series also feels a bit anticlimactic as a whole (and perhaps a bit outdated too) because it follows more of an episodic nature instead of the season-long serialized style that’s more satisfying and popular these days (with series like X-Men 97 and Invincible).

World’s Greatest Detective

Batman

Ultimately, it’s hard to say if Batman Caped Crusader lives up to Batman TAS. Right now, it’s a great Batman animated series in its own right with the potential to grow beyond living in the shadow of Batman TAS. If you like Matt Reeves’ The Batman or have always liked the gritty noir detective crime parts of the character, Batman Caped Crusader is for you.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100

We attended screeners for Batman Caped Crusader from Prime Video Malaysia. Batman Caped Crusader premieres on Prime Video Malaysia on 1 August 2024.