Batman39
Since: Oct, 2014
11/02/2014 00:00:00
Beware the Batman had like 11 aired episodes versus B:TAS 85 (109 if you count The New Batman Adventures) saying Beware the Batman has had less bad episodes means absolutely nothing.
GamerSlyRatchet
Since: Jan, 2011
11/17/2014 00:00:00
Actually, all 26 episodes have been aired.
Latest blog update (November 5th, 2022).Leave a Comment:
Even Better Than B:TAS?
I'm about to blaspheme: at a per episode level, Beware the Batman is the best Batman cartoon, including B:TAS.
Let me explain. B:TAS is great, usually, but inconsistent; for every Mad Love, there was a Tyger, Tyger. Now, the best Beware the Batman episodes can more-or-less hang with the top tier, in part because in many ways they seem to be descended from them ("Attraction" is probably the show's strongest episode, and has a strong Mad Love influence. "Toxic" borrows heavily from B:TAS' treatment of Clayface).But unlike B:TAS, BTB's worst episode are merely good, instead of excellent; certainly not terrible.
This isn't to say that BTB is derivative; it's wholly its own beast. We've never before seen such a solidly arc-and-character driven Batman show, and based on the ratings, it'll be a while before we do again. It's very continuity driven, with plots and characterizations evolving logically and implacably as the show progresses. That they manage to bring new life to the umpteenth incarnation of Batman is impressive; that they manage to do it with so much humanity doubly so.
There's very "new canvas" feel to the show, as it refuses to be its predecessors. Gordon hates Bats, Katana instead of Robin, 00Alfred, agile/slender Batman: all departures from the traditional, and it's an enormous credit to the writers that every one of them works.
The biggest departure (besides the animation, which I'll summarize here: it's really good, and we've never seen such expressive faces in a Batman show before) is the choice of villains. Gone are Joker, Ivy, and Catwoman; in their place there's Anarky, Professor Pyg, and Magpie. Those names may still be familiar to comic fans, but the treatments won't be. Anarky has evolved into a teenage, emotionally unstable Ledger-wannabe, and it's great. Pyg is no longer a pervert; he's an unfailingly polite surgeon turned environmental extremist who hits people with defribulators, and it's great. And Magpie? Magpie's all the best facets of Catwoman, Harley, and Rose & Thorn all rolled into one, with enough fresh pathos to make the whole thing work better than any animated female Bat-villain before her. Doesn't hurt that she's voiced by the excellent Grey DeLisle.
Wordcount Motivated Quickies: Inventive fight scenes. Strong women. Fallibly but still awesome Batman. Go watch it now.