Line #49 YMMV/TheBatman


1	For tropes pertaining to the 2022 film of the same name. Go [[YMMV/TheBatman2022 here]].
2	----
3	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Were Chief Rojas's reasons for going after Batman legit because he believed Batman to be a menace or was it because of something else? Depending on your views, Rojas might've been a DirtyCop and his obsession with taking down Batman notably came out after Rupert Thorne was taken down, which would cut him off from potential bribes. He did once say that Ethan Bennett "never knew how to play ball" when he was lied to about Ethan potentially hiding a dirty secret. Plus there's his timing of partnering Ellen Yin and Bennett up shortly after Thorne was defeated and some of his tactics in hunting Batman were similar to the comics version of [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne Gillian Loeb]].
4	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
5	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rgKDtueytA The theme song]] from the first two seasons, courtesy of Music/{{U2}}'s lead guitarist, The Edge.
6	** The third season's theme, [[BrokenBase while not quite as beloved]], is a jazzy, catchy as hell, and cleverly incorporates the ''Series/Batman1966'''s 'na-na-na-na' riff, of all things.
7	** [[http://youtu.be/jikPDpEUJAw Joker’s rendition of Hank Williams' "Setting The Woods On Fire"]] in “Two of a Kind”. Say what you want about this version of Joker, but you gotta admit, Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson is a pretty damn good singer!
8	** The Batman's leitmotif is pretty cool too. Instead of the usual violin themes used for Batman (though these show up occasionally), his appearances are always marked by melancholic electric guitar riffs, [[https://youtu.be/ftoJud0e0RM as seen here.]]
9	* BadassDecay: ''All of Batman's Rogues gallery'' suffered from heavy downgrades as the show continued. This comes to a high point in ''Rumors'', where Batman and Robin take on the entire villain line up, defeating all of them with ease. However, [[KarmaHoudini Catwoman]] may be the only exception since she never has a pathetic moment in the entire series and always gets away. Sadly, she never turns up again after this particular episode.
10	** While he may not be considered part of the normal Rogues gallery, Hugo Strange was another exception, becoming even ''more'' dangerous as the show progressed through nothing but [[MagnificentBastard the power of his mind]]. He was the only other villain present in ''Rumors'' besides Catwoman to have the sense to avoid the big fight altogether.
11	** A villain that stands out is Bane. In his first appearance, he was TheJuggernaut, defeated Batman in a CurbStompBattle and was only defeated via Batman using a robot suit, and even then only ''barely''. After this, he was mostly reduced to just having his Venom shorted out in seconds or busting open bank vaults like C-list villains.
12	* BaseBreakingCharacter:
13	** The Joker. His unconventional design, which has given him the {{Fan Nickname}}s "Dreadlock Joker" or "Rasta Joker", is one of the biggest things detractors use against this show, with his huge dreadlock-like hair, more brutish build, bare feet, red eyes and also monkey-like mannerisms. His first costume was also unlike any previous look, though [[AuthorsSavingThrow he got the purple suit back and his feral behavior toned down after his debut]]. However, there are those who thought this drastically different Joker was an interesting interpretation.
14	** Ellen Yin's character and her plot of trying to bring Batman down was either an interesting new take on the Batman mythos, or just plain annoying. It seems the writers [[AuthorsSavingThrow realized the latter and wrote her out of the show after Season 2]], however this caused ''another'' BrokenBase issue since in Season 2 Yin had gone from trying to bring Batman down to becoming a partner, and had [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap become more liked as a result]].
15	** The Penguin. Some fans found him to be an interesting take on the character for his fighting skills, his two henchgirls, having a family feud with the Pennyworths, and being a bit of a throwback to the ''Film/BatmanReturns'' incarnation where Penguin is portrayed as more of a greedy slob and less of an aristocrat. Others, however, believed him to be one of the most annoying and overused characters in the series and found it really absurd that a short fat guy like Penguin could leap twenty feet in the air and fight Batman (and sometimes even get the better of him) like a Shaolin kung fu master.
16	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: ''The Everywhere Man'' ends on a sequence of Batman and Robin entering the Batmobile and setting off. There’s no dialogue and it ties into little of the proceeding episode.
17	* BrokenBase: Seasons 1 and 2 versus Seasons 3, 4, and 5. Fans of the former generally appreciate the more grounded police procedural direction the series took alongside original characters and unique takes on the Batman mythos; accusing the later seasons of abandoning what made the show distinct to shoehorn it into a homogenous DCAU mold. In contrast, fans of the latter enjoy the more traditional superheroic approach with its incorporation of Batman's cast and their gradual development into the Bat Family; seeing the former's elements as being bogged down with divergent, lackluster, or inconsistent execution that makes it difficult to enjoy them. Something that didn't help this situation was when the show aired on Creator/{{Boomerang}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork they only ever aired the first two seasons.
18	* CompleteMonster:
19	** ComicBook/TheJoker was once a man who wanted to make people laugh, but after he fell into a vat of chemicals, he became an insane, murderous MonsterClown and Batman's ArchEnemy. Devoid of any empathy, Joker commits crimes he views as "jokes" at the expense of Gotham. Terrible things he's done include poisoning people with his deadly laughing gas; putting people in various death traps; [[MindRape torturing Detective Ethan Bennett for hours]] and causing Bennett's mutation into Clayface (for no reason other than to see what it would do to him); impersonating Batman and gassing people for minor crimes; using Bane's venom to go on a rampage; [[WouldHurtAChild attempting to drop a teenage boy into a vat of chemicals]]; frequently mistreating his henchman and his girlfriend Harley Quinn, as well as abandoning them to be arrested or even to die; and filling the abandoned tunnels and mine shafts beneath Gotham with miles of dynamite to collapse the city to oblivion.
20	** [[MadDoctor Professor Hugo Strange]] is an [[PsychoPsychologist amoral psychiatrist]] who worked at Arkham Asylum; during his time there, he toyed with his patients' well-being just [[ForScience out of curiosity]], in one instance curing Arnold Wesker of his split personality Scarface only to break his mind again. Strange became a full-fledged supervillain when he infected Batman with a hallucinogen that made the latter attempt to flood Gotham with fear toxin--hallucinating that it was the antidote for a ZombieApocalypse--just so Strange could witness the results. In his grandest moment of depravity, Strange allies himself with the alien race known as the Joining, selling out humanity to be destroyed by the Joining and assisting the aliens in incapacitating the Franchise/JusticeLeague, all for nothing more than the promise of ultimate knowledge of the universe.
21	* CrossesTheLineTwice: True to form, Joker and Harley Quinn cross into this fairly often.
22	--> '''Harley''': So you didn't like my show? Well try this one. "When Animals Attack [[SuddenlyShouting PEOPLE I HATE]]". It's a comedy.
23	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
24	** [[LargeHam CASH TANKINSON]], mainly for being [[TheComicallySerious really]] [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments hilarious]].
25	** Quite a few of the villains got their own fanbases: Hugo Strange for being a MagnificentBastard voiced by the one and only Frank Gorshin. The Riddler for his DarkAndTroubledPast, his new gothic look, and being cool as well as voiced by Creator/RobertEnglund. Clayface got this status for being an outright tragic character [[spoiler: as well as his alter ego, Ethan Bennett]]. Poison Ivy for her new backstory and interesting flower-esque makeover.
26	** [[CanonForeigner D.A.V.E]] is fairly well-liked for his NearVillainVictory scheme and a cool design despite being a one-off villain killed at the end of his debut. Deducing Batman's identity and origin probably helps, along with his VillainousBreakdown deconstructing the GenericDoomsdayVillain and contributing to Hugo Strange's popularity.
27	** Batgirl was well-received, being loved for her energetic personality and enthusiasm.
28	** Robin. His introduction was actually one of the reasons so many fans consider the 4th season the strongest.
29	** Killer Croc gained something of a following among the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom. Many fans appreciated this cool GeniusBruiser interpretation, as well as his Cajun accent provided by Creator/RonPerlman.
30	** Ragdoll only appears in three episodes (and only has a background role in the third), but his AbnormalLimbRotationRange, interesting costume, rivalry with Catwoman, and hilarious personality make him pretty well-liked. Ragdoll's name tends to be mentioned when fans discuss which villains should have appeared more.
31	** Despite being little more than [[TheVoiceless voiceless]] henchwomen to the Penguin, the Kabuki Twins proved to be quite popular, due to being the very embodiment of CreepyAwesome. They even made a surprising reappearance in ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOBatmanMovie''.
32	** Firefly's scientist OneShotCharacter partner (both in crime and romantically) Blaze is decently popular for their good chemistry and her convincing MyGodWhatHaveIDone moments.
33	* FanNickname: This version of the Joker is commonly referred to as "Dreadlock Joker".
34	* {{Fanon}}: The particularly dark ending of "White Heat" has inspired several fanfics where Firefly is cured of his phosphorus state and reconciles with Blaze.
35	* FanonDiscontinuity: "Fire and Ice" and "Artifacts" can feel out of place due to Freeze being portrayed as a megalomaniac trying to put the city into an eternal winter rather than just a crook out for profit like usual.
36	* FashionVictimVillain:
37	** The Joker's design for this series has proven quite contentious, as he first appeared wearing a tie-dye straightjacket with ripped sleeves instead of his usual purple tux. Even when he got that, his AnimeHair and bare feet were still not received well.
38	** Riddler's Music/MarilynManson-esque design, while not terrible, definitely looked unusual for the character and took the fans some getting-used-to.
39	* FoeYayShipping: Batman and Joker. What, this ''surprises'' you?
40	-->"Back off Tubby! Batsy's mine!"\
41	"The Batman? What if I hadn't been decent?"\
42	"Can't stay away from me, can you Batman? I guess opposites ''do'' attract."\
43	"If you really want to get inside my head, Batman...I'll take you ''so'' far in...you'll '''never''' find your way out!" ''puts the miniature sized Batman in his mouth and swallows him down''\
44	'''Joker:''' Do you really think I'd send a flunkie to eliminate my favourite sparring partner? ''[[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou I reserve that pleasure for me alone.]]''\
45	'''Batman:''' Then why-\
46	'''Joker:''' BECAUSE I MISS YOUR COMPANY, BATMAN!
47	* FriendlyFandoms: With the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' fanbase, these days. The two shows have never been officially linked together in a shared universe, but a number of fans like the idea of this show being a precursor to ''Teen Titans'' as opposed to trying to fit ''Teen Titans'' into the Timm-verse DCAU. It helps that Robin's design here is pretty close to the Teen Titans version.
48	* GrowingTheBeard:
49	** Depending on whom you ask, this is seen to happen around the beginning of either season 2, 3 or 4.
50	** The two-part season 1 finale is when fans generally thought the show stopped being a 22-minute toy commercial.
51	* HarsherInHindsight: The plot of "The Laughing Bat" involved the Joker trying to turn Batman into a copy of him. [[spoiler:The events of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'', thanks to the events of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', had a similar plot of Batman slowly becoming a new Joker thanks to the original. The comic book event ''ComicBook/DarkNightsMetal'', showed how truly terrifying the concept of a Jokerized Batman truly is.]]
52	* HeartwarmingInHindsight: The episode "Artifacts" has a lot of this due to being set ten years after canon:
53	** One of Barbara's contentions as Batgirl was that Batman didn't trust her with anything, and was thrilled when he finally introduced her to the Batcave and revealed his secret identity. As Oracle, she's trusted with being in charge of his electronics and communications.
54	** Bruce adopts Dick to make sure that he's not alone after his parents die. Even though Dick is an established hero in the future and independent, he and Bruce still have a good relationship.
55	** It's revealed that Dick took the moniker "Robin" because it was his mother's AffectionateNickname for him. When he becomes "Nightwing", the Bat Family still insists on calling him "Robin" as an AffectionateNickname, to his dismay.
56	** In "Clayfaces", Ethan wants to return to the GCPD, making it clear to Basil Karlo that he always will be a cop. Not only does he get cured of being Clayface at the end of that episode, this episode mentions him getting his wish to return to the police force and, more so, becomes the new chief.
57	* HilariousInHindsight:
58	** During the hall of mirrors sequence in the episode "The Rubberface of Comedy", Joker’s line of "You think ''this'' is confusing, try living inside MY head!" becomes this when just one season later, the episode "Strange Minds" (which was also penned by Creator/GregWeisman) actually ''does'' show us what it’s like [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind inside Joker’s head]].
59	** The show's depiction of Joker somewhat prefigures the wildly popular version from ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' with his messy hair and grungy appearance, a departure from his usual clean-cut style.
60	** "Brawn" isn't the last time we’d see Joker [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum using a form of Bane’s Venom on himself]]]].
61	** Also, the Batwave sometimes seems like a precursor to Batman's cell-phone gimmick in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
62	** This show made Mercy Graves Asian to match her voice actor. In ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' and the ''ComicBook/New52'', Mercy is Asian.
63	** The creators admitted to making this version of Bane a red [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]]. Come what Creator/JephLoeb did [[ComicBook/RedHulk to "Thunderbolt" Ross]]. Even more so, seeing as [[Creator/ClancyBrown one of Bane's voice actors]] did [[WesternAnimation/HulkAndTheAgentsOfSMASH voice Ross as the Red Hulk]].
64	** Black Mask's first Number One, Marty's video game persona Captain Slash, and the Shadow Thief were all voiced by Diedrich Bader, who would later voice Batman in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''. For extra hindsight hilarity, the Shadow Thief's appearance was in the fifth season, where a good deal of the episodes had Batman teaming up with other DC superheroes, which was the basic premise of ''The Brave and the Bold''.
65	** In "Gotham’s Ultimate Criminal Mastermind", after Batman asks D.A.V.E. (voiced by Creator/JeffBennett) [[ArmorPiercingQuestion what his supervillain origin is]], D.A.V.E.’s first response is Joker’s origin. Not long after this series ended, Jeff Bennett went on to voice The Joker in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''.
66	** The "Artifacts" episode's false assumptions on Thomas Wayne as Batman became more of a prediction since ''[[ComicBook/FlashpointDCComics Flashpoint]]'' had [[spoiler:an alternate Batman as secret identity of Thomas Wayne. Though HarsherInHindsight since he became TheAlcoholic after lost of his son and transformation of his wife into the Joker.]]
67	** This isn’t the only Batman adaptation where [[VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries the Joker]] [[spoiler:decided to become a ruthless vigilante]]
68	** Creator/TomKenny gives the Penguin the same voice he would later use for the Ice King in ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', plus the Ice King has penguin minions.
69	** The episode "The Laughing Cats" sees Batgirl say she isn't a "cat-person". Creator/DanielleJudovits [[WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen2009 would go on to voice a character best known by the nickname]] "ComicBook/{{Kitty\|Pryde}}".
70	** In "The Apprentice," Joker tries to force his new sidekick Donnie to jump into the same chemicals that transformed Joker. When Donnie resists, Joker says "Why so nervous?" This was two years before ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' would give its Joker the iconic phrase "Why so serious?"
71	*** In the same scene, once Batman and Batgirl show up, Batgirl says "Let the kid go, Joker!", to which Joker responds "[[UnhandThemVillain I'm]] ''[[UnhandThemVillain trying]]'' [[UnhandThemVillain to!]]". Seems like a precursor to "[[Film/TheDarkKnight Very poor choice of words]]".
72	** So Creator/BrandonRouth plays someone with a scientific background who knows a rich CEO who doubles as a vigilante in a [[Series/{{Arrowverse}} DC]] [[Series/{{Arrow}} television]] [[Series/LegendsOfTomorrow production]], huh?
73	** [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 Looks like Batman wouldn't be the only superhero to punch an old lady in the face.]] Bonus points for both old ladies actually being [[spoiler: someone else in disguise]].
74	** In the episode "The Man Who Would Be Bat," Detective Yin assumes that Kirk Langstrom is Batman. In the continuity of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueGodsAndMonsters'', this certainly is the case.
75	** Robin's introductory episode features Creator/KevinConroy as his father and Creator/MarkHamill as the man who kills him, as a nod to ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', [[RemakeCameo where Conroy and Hamill had voiced Batman and Joker]]. His mother, meanwhile, was voiced by Creator/GreyDeLisle, who would voice Catwoman alongside the other two [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity years later]].
76	** In ''The Batman vs. Dracula,'' Creator/PeterStormare voices the titular vampire. [[WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017 Over a decade later]], Stormare would end up voicing one of Dracula's [[TheStarscream less loyal minions]], Godbrand.
77	* HoYay:
78	** Poison Ivy once again gives off lesbian vibes, but not to her traditional girlfriend and partner-in-crime Harley Quinn (the two never formally met in the show). Rather it's to Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, since they were once classmates and environmentalist partners. After her plant transformation, Ivy wants Barbara to join her crusade as partners once more while Barbara is doing everything she can to stop Ivy without actually hurting her.
79	** The titular villain of "Rumors" is [[spoiler:a bodyguard who failed to save his boss from being crippled by the Joker, so he became a vigilante to wipe out all criminals out of the guilt from his failure.]] He later even says that "this was all for him". Hugo Strange naturally has some fun with this.
80	-->'''Hugo Strange:''' You didn't capture us so you could "save Gotham". No, [[spoiler:you're trying to erase your own failure, of not saving your boss.]]\
81	'''Rumor:''' (''a little TOO defensively'') That's not true! Shut up!
82	* IKnewIt: Before [[WordOfGod producer Jeff Matsuda]] [[http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1902711&postcount=58 confirmed it]], many fans had speculated that the officer in the flashback in "Traction" was a young Jim Gordon.
83	* ItsShortSoItSucks: As well-liked as "The Night and the City" is, many fans agree that it tries to fit way too much (the three-way competition between the supervillains, Commissioner Gordon showing up, and Batman and Yin’s partnership) into a single episode and could have been truly great by stretching all of that out over a two-parter. The fact that three other seasons end with two-part episodes increases this feeling.
84	* JerkassWoobie:
85	** The Riddler in "Riddler's Revenge", where Batman even comments the villain wasn't ''the'' villain, as [[spoiler: his old partner/love interest needlessly and remorselessly betrayed him and ruined his chances at a good, normal life back when he was desperately trying to seek one.]]
86	** Poison Ivy in "The Batman Strikes" comics (it's quite sad to see her cry).
87	** Francis Gray is portrayed very sympathetically, and is even given a second chance.
88	* JerksAreWorseThanVillains:
89	** Police Chief Angel Rojas is a fat arrogant bastard who treats all of his subordinates like crap and is more concerned about arresting the Batman rather than the criminals who are actually causing harm to Gotham city.
90	** The Riddler's ex-girlfriend/coworker who was responsible for his StartOfDarkness.
91	-->'''Batman''': Riddle me this, Robin. When is a villain not the villain?
92	* MagnificentBastard:
93	** ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, real name Selina Kyle, is a [[ClassyCatBurglar cat burglar]] who [[ThrillSeeker steals because of the adrenaline rush she receives from the act]]. With skills rivaling Batman himself, Catwoman frequently evades his grasp, and at one point even manages to steal his {{utility belt}}, using it to aid in her thefts. Not limiting herself solely to crime, Catwoman has occasionally [[EnemyMine allied herself with the Dark Knight]], aiding him in taking down worse criminals and even saving his life at times.
94	** [[PsychoPsychologist Professor Hugo Strange]] is perhaps the most cunning villain in Batman's RoguesGallery. Fascinated by Batman's crusade against crime, Hugo Strange studies on the minds of criminals apprehended by Batman as a means to understand the Dark Knight himself. Using his criminal studies as his foundation, Strange launches various schemes to psychologically destroy Batman such as creating the hyper-intelligent criminal AI known as D.A.V.E., manipulating Batman to spread a fear toxin across Gotham, and capturing members of the Justice League for the Joining. He has [[NearVillainVictory come close to victory]] many times if not for the last-minute gambits on Batman's part; and he takes his losses in stride, biding his time for the next opportunity to arrive. [[NonActionBigBad Armed with nothing more than his brilliant intellect and morbid curiosity]] in a world of [[AdaptationalBadass combat-prone villains]], Hugo Strange certainly earns the title of "Gotham's Ultimate Criminal Mastermind."
95	** [[PhantomThief Shadow Thief]] a.k.a. Carl Sands is an enemy of ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, possessing a gadget that renders him an intangible LivingShadow, who arrives in Gotham after being hired to break Black Mask out of Arkham Asylum. Becoming Black Mask's new partner in crime, Shadow Thief helps to steal Nth metal meteorite which attracts the attention of not just Batman and Robin, but also Hawkman. To get the heroes off their tail, Shadow Thief leaps onto the Batmobile and uses his shadowy form to obscure the windscreen, causing the Batmobile to drive off a cliff. Giving Black Mask the idea to use the Nth metal's antigravity properties to steal a building with a vault of loot, Shadow Thief creates a diversion for the heroes by coating train tracks in Nth metal so the heroes are forced to stop it from floating away. Coming very close to defeating the heroes, including zapping Robin with Nth metal, Shadow Thief is only defeated by bad luck on his part.
96	* MemeticMutation: Batman [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8LcKev4k1Q punching an old woman in the face]] [[spoiler:Actually one of Poison Ivy's plant clones]] in "Fleurs du Mal".
97	* {{Misblamed}}: A large part of the reason why this show wasn't well-liked in its heyday is because of the "Bat-Embargo" that was put into place at the time [[note]]The story supposedly goes that, with this show, ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' and Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy all happening at the same time, execs thought that young children would be confused trying to keep up with it all. As a result, most villains and side characters could only appear in one continuity at a time, thus keeping each universe distinct[[/note]] and fans of ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' blame ''The Batman'' for the lack of Batman characters in that show. While definitely a contributing factor, ''The Batman'' was not the sole cause and it was affected by the embargo as well. Hence Robin's AdaptationalLateAppearance[[note]] Because of his role on ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003''[[/note]] and why popular villains like Scarecrow, Two-Face and Ra's Al Ghul were AdaptedOut. [[note]]As they all appeared in the ''Dark Knight'' Trilogy. Mad Hatter, another character who was adapted out, was also supposed to appear in the trilogy at some point but never did.[[/note]]
98	* MoralEventHorizon:
99	** Joker attempts to fatally gas all of Gotham in "JTV". Or in "Joker Express" he fills all of Gotham tunnels with dynamite and attempts to blow them up causing all of Gotham to fall into a sinkhole. Also his MindRape of Ethan Bennet in "The Rubberface of Comedy".
100	** Tony Zucco crosses it in the first ten minutes of his appearance by killing Dick Grayson's parents (before he became Robin) just because Dick called the cops when Zucco got a bit threatening.
101	** Hugo Strange crosses it in "A Fistful of Felt" when he decides to bring Scarface back into Albert Wesker's life purely to satisfy his own curiosity over whether Wesker would return to a life of crime… and he does. And if this didn’t do it? Selling out the human race to The Joining for universal knowledge certainly did.
102	* NarmCharm: Every other line out of Mr. Freeze's mouth includes ice puns. However, unlike the [[Film/BatmanAndRobin previous ice-pun-quipping]] [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger version of Freeze]], this version actually manages to make them sound... [[{{Pun}} chilling]].
103	* PopularWithFurries: Thanks to this incarnation of Killer Croc being more beast-like, wearing nothing but a vest, being a GeniusBruiser and having a pretty good Cajun accent, the scalie fandom naturally liked him. Even a few outside the fandom find him sexy.
104	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap:
105	** Joker got a lot of flack in the early seasons for his drastically different looks and characterization. By Season 3 onwards his more bestial fighting style is toned down to be more in line with the classic Joker. This gave him a more warmer reception from the fanbase.
106	** Ellen Yin in Season 1 was not well-liked at all for constantly trying to bring down Batman and being suspicious of his hero status (as opposed to her partner, Ethan, who believed in Batman as a force of good), but became more popular in Season 2 when she had a complete turnaround, becoming Batman's frequent partner and ally among the GPD.
107	** Batgirl's overexposure in Season 3 had turned many against her, but the focus on her was toned down to more appropriate levels in Seasons 4 and 5, bringing these people back around to her side again.
108	** StarterVillain Rupert Thorne is viewed as one of the weakest villains of the series proper, but his portrayal as a smarmy yet affable [[TheChessmaster chess master]] in the tie-in comic ''The Batman Strikes'' won over a lot of readers.
109	* ReplacementScrappy: Basil Karlo. It really doesn't help that his introduction episode is the last time [[EnsembleDarkhorse Ethan]] even appears, and that Karlo was so uninteresting that he barely even had any ''speaking lines'' in all his subsequent appearances.
110	* TheScrappy:
111	** Donnie/Prank is generally considered to be a pretty pointless and annoying character, who Harley Quinn should have taken the place of. Thankfully she does end up appearing.
112	** Chief Rojas is practically a HateSink as he has NO redeeming qualities whatsoever as he's just a self-righteous FatBastard. Thankfully, Commissioner Gordon came into the picture.
113	** Cluemaster tends to be considered one of the worst of the series' villains due to his obnoxious PsychopathicManchild personality, lame motivation (revenge over losing a game show), and goofy design.
114	* SeasonalRot: After the extremely well-received Season 4, Season 5 abruptly turns the show into a Justice League vehicle covered in the fingerprints of ExecutiveMeddling (the previous Justice League show had just ended, and higher-ups presumably wanted to keep them on TV to set up the also Justice League heavy “Brave and the Bold”) before abruptly ending. The season is still considered good overall with some classic episodes, but still a step down from what has come before.
115	* StrawmanHasAPoint:
116	** The episode "Rumors" involves a new vigilante capturing all of Batman's rogues with the intention of eventually executing them. Batman is naturally against this. While this is a common story for Batman, and his moral code is much easier to justify in this series since the villains have a much lower body count and haven't been at this for years, Batman doesn't really offer any rebuttal beyond "my way is right". It's also pointed out that Gotham didn't have criminals like them before Batman, something he never acknowledges in the episode. Ultimately, the story doesn't do much to disprove Rumors' arguments, and it comes off as "the hero is automatically right".
117	** Despite his idiocy and stalwart hatred of Batman beyond all reason, Rojas is correct that Batman is a vigilante and should be persecuted like the rest of the Rogue's Gallery in episode 12. His reasons for wanting to do so aren't so golden, but vigilantes ''are'' criminals. It doesn't help that in the very next scene that episode, Batman's fight with Joker's thugs causes about as much property damages as Joker himself does.
118	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
119	** The show was great at introducing new villains, but struggled with follow-ups; the majority of villains only have one or two episodes (including their debut) before getting relegated to team-ups and cameos, including A-listers such as Bane and Poison Ivy. Part of the reason Joker and Penguin were so contentious is because fans felt that they were overused in comparison to other villains.
120	** Detective Ellen Yin is the most blatant example of this trope, being a major character in the first two seasons and frequent partner to Batman in the second, and she had garnered something of a fanbase. Afterwards, she is [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome written off the show without explanation and never referenced again]] outside of the episode that takes place in the future, "Artifacts". She's even completely absent in "Clayfaces" where [[WeUsedToBeFriends Ethan]] makes a permanent HeelFaceTurn and gets cured of being Clayface for good. Like Bruce/Batman, she would've been distrustful of Ethan until he proved that his HeelFaceTurn was genuine and him being cured of his condition.
121	** Clayface I/Ethan Bennet is a very noticeable waste in that, while certainly a unique take on the character he appears very sporadically. Appearing in only 3 episodes across 4 seasons after his transformation before he’s cured and officially makes a HeelFaceTurn. Never making another appearance afterwards beyond a mention in "Artifacts".
122	** Catwoman is one of the major recurring rogues in the first two seasons, but gets only one appearance each in Seasons 3 and 4 and none in Season 5. "Ragdoll To Ritches" likewise teased Bruce and Selina forming a relationship in their civilian identities and discovering each other's identities, which gets no follow-up.
123	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
124	** According to the writers, Hush was supposed to make his official animated appearance in the show and act as the GreaterScopeVillain in the series. Unfortunately, there wasn't any demand for him and he never came.
125	** The Riddler's plan to capture Batman and, with a lie detector test, ask him questions designed to reveal his whole identity could have taken up a whole episode instead of just a couple minutes at the end.
126	** For some reason after Batgirl Begins, Barbara and Ivy's past friendship was barely touched on in either the show or tie-in comic.
127	*** On a similar note, does Poison Ivy's family know about her transformation into a supervillain?
128	** Despite their similarities, Cluemaster never meets Riddler due to the former being a one-shot villain.
129	* ToughActToFollow: The series itself got this treatment in relation to the DCAU, which had represented current DC animation all by itself for over a decade, and which continued to air concurrently. In contrast, ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', the series to come afterwards, got less of the same treatment ''still'' in relation to the now-concluded DCAU. This was due to its much LighterAndSofter bent which helped it to carve its own niche, whereas ''The Batman'' got compared to the DCAU at every turn because the overall tone was similar. Also, ''The Brave and the Bold'' was made a few years after the DCAU ended, so the blow was lessened for fans of the latter (especially those who had grown up with it over the years), whereas ''The Batman'' was made while the DCAU was still ongoing, sparking a FandomRivalry at the time. This rivalry also carried over to the DCAU vs. ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' to a lesser extent. But even though ''Teen Titans'' had debuted a year earlier as the first non-DCAU DC cartoon since 1992, ''The Batman'' got way more heat from DCAU fans due to more direct overlap, while ''Teen Titans'' had an easier time carving its own niche as well with its even more stylized visuals and non-Batman-related characters and settings.
130	** Creator/RinoRomano got this as the new VA for Bruce Wayne who wasn't Creator/KevinConroy. Fans did warm up to him in due course, though, as they accepted that he was playing a much younger Bruce from the start and he grew into the role alongside Batman developing a Bat-Family.
131	** In quite a few interviews, Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson admitted that he felt this way when he was told by his agent that he was going to audition for the Joker, even to the point of asking, "Isn't Joker Creator/MarkHamill's territory?" And considering that the Joker became easily the biggest BaseBreakingCharacter in the whole series, he was kinda right. However, as time has passed, most complaints and jibes leveled at the Joker are mainly for his design, while his vocals alone are usually considered respectable among the plethora of Joker voices.
132	** This is especially notable when you realize how obviously the writers went out of their way to stand on their own, away from the influences of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''. By not doing Mr. Freeze's famous origin, making the Penguin his rude disgusting persona instead of his gentleman persona, Joker's design, and Harley Quinn having a completely new origin[[note]]but still written by Creator/PaulDini[[/note]].
133	* UglyCute: The Penguin is depicted as pretty disgusting a majority of the time, but despite this a lot of his fans find him adorable. His voice is also endearingly grating and Creator/TomKenny later reused it for the Ice King in ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', who got a similar reaction.
134	* TheUntwist: It is virtually unthinkable to not give Mr. Freeze his tragic backstory in any modern incarnation... but this series decided to give a more traditional supervillain origin. Although barring that, this version of Freeze has his own merits as he still isn't outright evil and his powers were appropriately unique compared to other criminals Batman faced.
135	* VindicatedByHistory: The show is ''much'' better received and looked back upon these days than it was when it was airing. The passage of time, more Batman-related animation outside the DCAU (such as ''The Brave and the Bold'', ''WesternAnimation/BewareTheBatman'' and the various ''WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies''), more controversial Batman-related products in general, and the rediscovery of the series on Creator/{{Netflix}} help with this. While previously it was reviled, derided or dismissed by many just for not being the DCAU, and blamed for DC or WB's arbitrary [[ExiledFromContinuity "Bat-Embargo"]] that kept many Batman characters off limits from ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' [[ViewersAreMorons for fear of confusion,]] over time the acrimony has largely cooled and many are now judging this on its own terms. Today the show is looked back on extremely fondly for its strong writing and unique ideas, with some even considering it on par with ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Batman: The Animated Series]]''.
136	* TheWoobie: Ethan Bennett during the two part season 1 finale. Throughout the season, Ethan proved himself to be a NiceGuy and a good friend to Bruce Wayne. That doesn’t stop his life from [[DrivenToVillainy taking a turn for the absolute worst]] when he’s kidnapped and brainwashed by Joker, exposed to the villain’s “Joker Putty,” suspended from the police force for [[DisproportionateRetribution pointing out Batman saved him]], and to top it all off, he turns into Clayface. His transformation is downright tragic as Ethan’s whole life was ruined in the span of two episodes. [[spoiler:Fortunately, by season 4 he makes a HeelFaceTurn and ends up [[EarnYourHappyEnding earning his happy ending.]]]]
137

Context YMMV / TheBatman