What Makes Batman: The Animated Series Great 

Get 2 FREE months of classes here: skl.sh/captainmidnight6 What's your favorite episode??

Who else hears Kevin Conroy's and Mark Hamill's voices in their head when they read Batman and The Joker in comic books?

Funny how both Batman and Spider-Man's best representations are in seemingly simplistic cartoons.

What makes it great? Great writing. Great characters Great animation Great voice acting

This is the show that got me into Batman.

A show that put something upfront what most screen adaptions are forgetting: the DETECTIVE part of Batmans personality, and letting him outsmart his opponents.

3 best incarnations of Batman franchise (outside of comics): TAS Nolan Trilogy Arkham Games

Favourite episode is The Gray Ghost starring Adam West as Bruce's childhood hero

There are so many villains from both DC and Marvel that need a "Heart of Ice" type of revamp, a backstory or new look that fundamentally changes the way every version of the character exists and also the way that we see them. It's amazing

I'd like to add the Arkham Asylum game seemed to take a lot of inspiration from the animated series it seemed like. I remember starting that and feeling like I was able to actually play as Batman from the animated series finally in a bit darker scenario.

Been really sick recently, thanks for cheering me up Mr. Midnight

I am vengeance, I am the knight, I am Batman!

When people ask me 'who's your fave Batman/Joker,' thinking I'll respond from the movie adaptations, I always respond with Conroy/Hamill and they're surprised. I don't know why they would be. This series is the absolute best adaptation of Batman ever, thanks to the brilliant animation, yes, but by the truly standout voice actors in every tole. I can watch this show at any time, I never get bore of it.

Batman TAS and the whole Bruce Timm universe that sprouted from it have always been the definitive DC universe for me.

When the pendulum swings too far to the serious, it swings back to the campy. Till it goes too far that way and swings back to serious again.

Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamil are the voices I hear when I read the comics.

A memory: it's September 2, 1993, the day my maternal grandmother died. She was practically my second mother and though I saw it coming, her death by cancer is still devastating. I'm watching her old TV, one of the big ones that's the size of a modern desk, trying to find something to ease my pain. The episode "The Cat And The Claw Part I" comes on. It was like nothing I had seen in a superhero cartoon. The tone is different, the pacing is slower, the story is better. But what really grabbed me was the voicework. When Selina Kyle is telling her friend how she's really starting to like Bruce Wayne, I was done. Been a fan ever since.

I dreamed about this video. Thank you Captain Midnight!

Pretty spot-on overview of TAS, One of the greatest shows ever produced animated or otherwise. If you couldn't guess by my avatar, I absolutely love this show.

The way this show blended mature tones without compromising its target audience is brilliance that deserves all of the love it’s getting Solid video fam!

*already understands every single minute detail about Batman: The Animated Series *still listens to video essays about why it's goddamn fantastic

Caaappptttaaaiiinnn midnight!

Dude, "Heart of Ice" is one of the most amazing and heartwrenching episodes ever. I first saw it as a kid, and even to this day I remember it clearly.

Can you talk about the superman animated series? I feel like this wave of dc shows really shaped dc superheroes.

Kevin Conroy passing has me real sad so I had to come back and watch this again for some feels. This is the show that made me a Batman fan. I grew up watching it in the mid-late 90s. I love it even more now than I did then.

After all these years, Batman The Animated series is still the definitive version of the character. Kevin Conroy is the best voice of The Dark Knight 🦇

As much as I love Nolan's interpretation in the Dark Knight trilogy, I truly believe Bruce Timm's version is the definitive version of the Batman's character and mythology.

My father and I used to watch this every Saturday morning. He always said this was the show he wished he had as a kid. We still watch this show every Saturday night on HBO Max.

I just love Batman: The Animated Series with such a passion, and it truly is one of if not the greatest adaption of the Dark Knight to ever be put on TV or Film. And it is also (in my not-so-humble opinion) one of the greatest Superhero shows in general, and this video explains why beautifully!!! :)

What makes BTAS series great to me? Practically everything. The art deco animation, the storylines, the art deco animation, the voice acting, the art deco animation, the action, the art deco animation, almost every single character that's ever been in it, the art deco animation, the nostalgic feelings I get when I watch it and did I mention the art deco animation? *A LOT* of amazing episodes but the Grey Ghost/Adam West episode gave me goosebumps. Such a special episode.

Wow.... The Batman and Robin toy commercials 😂😂. No joke, I owned a large majority of those toys growing up. But aside, Batman TAS IS one of the best iterations of the character to this day. From the characters, stories and the depth of the acting from everyone who was a part of the show. I don't think any other superhero show has been able to stay as true to the character and it's history, from it more serious EPs like Robin's Reckoning or Heart of Ice to even embracing the Goofy and sometimes absurd elements of the character be it The Condiment King or the Episode "The Laughing Fish" (an episode in which the Joker tries to captalize on fish that's been poisoned by his Joker gas and tries to trademark it. 😂). Batman TAS 10/10, A++, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, just a Really Damn Good Show.

This is why Arkham Batman was so great, it took a lot of inspiration from this show.

Do a video about "Avengers Assemble" about why is so bad and lack of soul. Just a MCU commercial.

I've Got Batman In My Basement wasn't a bad episode, I mean it was silly but I wouldn't say it was bad. That one where he fights a werewolf though was genuinely bad. They didn't even finish some of the animation for that episode.

I love it when you sell out in the end of the Video👍👍👍

I love how Bruce Timm makes him look like a phantom, adds to his almost supernatural like quality.

Shirley Walker did so much great work for the DCAU.

Batman: The Animated Series is also my favorite Batman series of all time. It was an honor meeting at Kevin Conroy at Colorado Springs Comic Con this past year. Great video dude!!!

I decided to watch through the series and the rest of the DCAU since it's all on HBO Max now. These shows defined my creative tastes as a kid and ever since, and it's crazy how a lot of it is still really, really good having rewatched it as an adult.

This is my favourite Batman. He'll stand there in the shadows and dodge and ruck twenty punches, before taking the bad guy out with a leg sweep or a Baterang. Not really a ninja, but not a brawler. Just a smooth, cool dude. AND, i loved "I've got Batman in my Basement" - it's a fun episodes. It shows how the show explored all kinds of stories and styles of story telling.

CAAAAAAAAAPTAIIIIIIINNNNN MIDNIGHT

Kicked off into 11 years of great tv shows with the Superman show that followed in '95 and JLA and JLU in the 2000s. This show's mark in many of our lives as well as culture and animation cannot be exaggerated.

Truly phenomenal show, I remember watching it as a kid and have recently re watched it since, and it still holds up overall. I agree that while it's a show intended for children it never talked down to them, and I appreciate that now as an adult.

Yes you mentioned heart of ice! Mr Freeze is one of my favourite villains, I really hope he gets a proper portrayal on the big screen.

3:45 now THAT’S an ambitious crossover!

I remember watching this show when I was a kid and remember loving it.

The Art, The Music, The Voice Talent, The Storywriting. Take you're pick.

Mark Hammil's portrayal of The Joker will forever be the perfect personality for ""The Clown Prince of Crime"

R.I.P. Kevin Conroy. You will be missed

This is definitely the definitive Batman cartoon it captured the spirit of the caped crusader while providing some other elements to keep Things likable and fresh it’s basically a passion project As for the 60s version some may consider that show as not the definitive version but a fun show for its time there was actually an episode where Batman meet the grey ghost voiced by Adam west which means that the people who worked on the animated series were fans of the 60s show that is not only a great honor to the 60s show but also the caped crusader as a whole the grey ghost episode could definitely rival almost got em as the best episode of the series

*Rest in Peace, Stan Lee*

I think batman TAS is probably the best batman adaptation ever. The Nolan movies are good movies but besides begins not good batman movies imo. Edit: lol guys can you read? TDK is an incredible movie, just not a good batman movie imo.

TV Series: Batman: the Animated Series😈 Superman: The Animated Series😇 The New Batman Adventures😈 Batman Beyond😈 Static Shock The Zeta Project Justice League😇😈 Justice League Unlimited😇😈 Movies: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm😈 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero😈 Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker😈 Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman😈 Batman and Harley Quinn😈 Batman was in Everything 😈

So many great episodes. Well written too. Each could easily be adapted to a live action show.

I love the intro artwork

I'm not a comic reader at all. I'd read some Batman comics by the time that both Batman 89 (graduated high school the same summer), Batman Returns and BTAS came out. Being a true native New Yorker, I was immediately drawn to the Dark Deco design of the show. Plus having read many Golden Age Batman comics, I understood and appreciated the look of the show immediately. Going to see Mask Of The Phantasm put me in high gear. This show will hold a dear place in my heart forever.

Keep up the great work Cpt. Midnight!

This was my entire favorite thing this was my childhood. I completely love anything about it. What made me fall in love with batman. I am recently rewatching this and its so nostalgic just watching it like even the intro. Something about the episode so where joker is on that boat spraying toxic gas and batman fighting joker in the factory.

Oh come on Catpain... "I've Got Batman in my Basement" is a classic. One of my favorites when I was a kid. That certainly isn't the low point of the show.

I also want to mention that Shirley Walker made a lot of great compositions for the show. Everyone talks about the opening theme of Danny Elfman but the music that you hear in the episodes are mostly of Shirley Walker. She had a certain theme that always came back but always a little different. That theme was also used for the animated film batman the mask of phantasm. Goosebumps when you hear the music at the beginning of the movie and also throughout. It's also because of the music that this animated series had something more. It gave way more depth than the music you hear nowadays in most animated series.

Agreed...very well done show...90’s animated TV was, uniformly excellent, with Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Gargoyles and, especially, Batman

Best representations of Batman imo: Arkham Games Animated Series Matt Reeves’ The Batman

That transition into the Skillshare ad tho... Smooooooooooth

Literally the best cartoon ever made on this earth. Hands down.

Heart of Ice actually made me cry. Damned good show.

Just signed up to skillshare. Really want to get into RU-vid and hope this helps. Thanks Cap

Batman: The Animated Series is one of the greatest Batman shows ever and after 30 years, its popular show that the creators, writers, and artists have made this stand alone DC show than anything and I hope Batman and fans will always come back to see a caped crusader to face enemies and protecting Gotham's legacy. Of course for all, Kevin Conroy, he is the best Batman voice that deliver so much that he dedicated as the best superhero voice that ever been since every Batman roles have took upon for their own perspective shows and films, this is the guy that nailed as the best Batman that we got. Rest well Conroy, thanks for playing the memorable voice as Batman and dedicated for this popular show for the last 30 years. Because he is...BATMAN!!!

I'd love to hear your take on The Brave and the Bold, as it's a criminally underrated series and, in my opinion, features the greatest episode across all of the series - Chill Of The Night. Just something to think about!

The cinematic- music score also makes it a goat show

Saw the title of the vid, saw which channel it was and instantly thought, "This is gonna be good!"

I can remember watching Heart of Ice as a kid. it was the first time i felt pain for a villain. it was so incredibly moving

We need a live action Batman tv show with a high budget

BatMan TAS was *TheReason* I *RAN* Home from TheBusStop, Back In My School Days!

This video is 3 years old today

My daughter who is 13 started to like the newer version of Harley Quinn... I had to give her a history lesson and we watched most of all the seasons (and a lot I missed as a kid) she now has a much better understanding lol. I did the same when they rebooted duck tales Great video captain, always appreciate your content.

The best thing about Batman TAS is how real and human the characters are. And the fact that the villains are humanized too is what made this cartoon one of the best ever. But I think I speak for the entire DCAU when I say this, :).

Me and my brother used to love this show when we were kids

please do a sequel to this video that explores characterization of the batman villains. you kinda mention it with mr. freeze, but Harley Quinn, clayface, scarecrow, every villain gets great attention in this show

I never get tired of your videos, I hope one day you'll touch on other cartoons like animaniacs and why it was good or films like iron giant and explain why you can sympathize for a machine

Definitely my favorite interpretation of all the characters throughout the whole series. Where I'm glad they took a lot of aspects when they did the Arkham games to make the most definitive storyline for most to agree on

I'm proud to say that Batman TAS was my introduction to the characterbajd DC as a while when I was growing up. Anytime I read a Batman comic, it's always Kevin Conroy's voice I hear. It's that Iconic

I am the biggest cartoon fan, I am 25 and yet I still watch them more often than I should (yeah I'm a nerd) ...but nothing imo will ever surpass Batman TAS, every time I start binging on it I see something that my younger self wouldn't notice, this show is like a good wine, it gets better with time. The detail in the characters is uncanny, I can't believe someone would give so much depth and background in the plot for a just a "kids' show". By that, I tend to believe that the creators were really into making something unique and acted as proper professionals. I could talk for hours about this show and oh my God I can't simply not mention the voice acting, makes you believe that these stories have really taken place some time in the past. Recently I had the urge of watching every Batman TAS Joker appearance episode and I enjoyed every single one of them this time more than I had in the past. I would add "The New adventures" episodes on that list, for me is exactly the same as "TAS". Just watch "Mad Love" episode and tell me, isn't that episode making you favour the villain's side? Who would try to do a stunt like that on "kids' show"? Why go the extra mile when you could simply put out a simple kiddie episode that can't go wrong because well, it's batman, kids will watch it anyway ...It all comes down to the production team really being into this fictional world and one big factor that adds to this show being for all ages is the human nature of Batman, the supernatural doesn't exist in this world so they make up for it with strong characters and deep plot. Let's not forget that this is not a competition, we just admire the great work someone put into his creation like any great artist should do. There so many great shows with depth out there but Batman, maybe unintentionally, became the greatest. Always speaking for myself.

Love the video. One of my all time favorite portrayals of Batman. The Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and 2face episodes are some of my favorites. I haven't seen the show in long time, thanks for the walk down memory lane. :)

I first seen this show when an episode was playing on the tv when I was a kid. I started to notice like damn this is good😂

I’m actually rewatching the series now that I found on HBOMAX. Completely forgot how good this series actually was when it originally aired on FOX. (It’s official. I’m old af.) I’m still floored by the production of this series. Definitely ahead of it’s time yet feels timeless. Almost a sense of noir-goth with classic 1940 deco embellishments. And the music!! Brilliant. The cast was amazing. The storylines with grounded characterization. It showed Bruce Wayne as flawed which is great. Mark Hamill’s Joker was deviously twisted. I’m still surprised this was geared toward kids. Sometimes it seems very adult in certain scenes 😂 But all in all a great series

Do a video on why Superman: The Animated Series is great.

This is probably a bit of a stretch to ask since this video is two years old, but perhaps you could do a video on The Batman which ran from 2004 to 2008? At least the first two seasons where it set the perfect tone for the younger Batman it portrays, and maybe the feature film connected to the series, The Batman vs Dracula

i was 7 in 1992 and saw the bumper ads in late 1991 and was like WTF is this? Wow!

Amazing timing, I just finished watching Mask of the Phantasm on blu-ray. It was glorious.

They did a great job of making u shed a tear at characters and villains. Mr freeze..clay face.. those episodes would make ya cry. Poison ivy being a smart bright woman who let life change and alter her view. I think TAS basically paved the way for Nolan and others. They gave the villains true character arc

Great video! I used to always watch this at night because of the ambience (I had the DVDs growing up), though sometimes I got so addicted, I watched it in the day. The atmosphere and mythology was amazing, I loved getting immersed in the world. I'm looking forward to buying the blu-ray, the show's going to look gorgeous in HD. Sometimes as well, due to episodes being sent to different studios, the animation quality was poorer on certain ones. I'm hoping the blu-ray makes everything look great.

This is not my first introduction of Batman but it got us into the Batman character and learn who is and is the definitive version of Batman and if there ever turned out be a Batman show better then the animated series then I be surprise.

You should do a video ranking all the batman shows

Never even seen the show but you make me want to great video

I think the animated series is a good place for any person trying to create Batman anything. It captures the vital essence of Batman and in about an hour you can get a good look at the character and what he stands for.

I showed Batman TAS to a friend of mine who had only ever seen the Joel Schumacher version and his response was "Wow... There is a genuine human side to him." He was sold :) .

This is the batman I grew up and loved, I still watch it to this day.

Your making some amazing videos as of recently keep up the great work man.

When I was a kid I LOVED BTAS because of its entertainment. When I was a teen I LOVED it because of its maturity. As the adult I am now, I love for both it’s entertainment and maturity. I think it’s the most versatile and balanced take of Batman and his world. It’s adventurous, basic, charismatic, exciting, funny, grim, human, intelligent and mature. It’s what every live action Bat Flick should be. Great Vid, Captain Midnight. Also, Mask of the Phantasm is the best Batman flick ever.

Even after reading so many comics and watching all movies, shows etc i gotta say the Arkham games are pretty much the definite ...everything for me. Rocksteady really knew the material well, used some amazing writers and even brought back conroy and hammil. The games took everything that worked from TAS and made it even better.