About Batman: The Animated Series
Nitcentral's Bulletin Brash Reflections:
Batman: The TV Show:
About Batman: The Animated Series
"Batman: The Animated Series" was originally ordered with 65 episodes in it's first season. It premiered with the episode "The Cat and The Claw, Part 1" on the FOX network on September 5, 1992.
In the second season, the producers added 15 new episodes that featured more of Robin. The show was renamed "The Adventures of Batman and Robin" and eventually all the first season and second season episodes were combined under this name for reruns. 5 episodes originally not released were finally released now, bringing the total number of episodes up to 85.
Eventually, a new version was made, taking place a few years later. Aside from some drastic character design changes, a new, younger Robin was introduced, and Batgirl was now a main character. The show premiered on the WB networks as "The New Batman Adventures." This show was combined with "Superman: The Animated Series" to form "The Batman-Superman Adventures." This show was an hour long and had half a Batman episode (Sometimes old, sometimes new) and half a Superman episode. Then it was split into a half-hour show which alternated the 2 series every other day. The new episodes and the old ones were combined to fit the time slot.
Finally, the new WB series "Batman Beyond" is currently in it's third season. This version of Batman takes place years after Bruce Wayne has "Retired" as Batman, and now Bruce must train a young man named Terry McGinnis to fight crime in a futuristic Gotham, complete with new villains. A full-length movie is slated to come out later this year, and will feature the return of one of our favorite Batman menaces. As to how he will come back, it's anyone's guess...
There were also two animated movies:
"Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"
At one point in the past, Bruce Wayne was going to marry a woman he loved, but his Batman persona took precidence over her, and she left him. Now, a mysterious series of murders is taking place, and at the same time Batman has to fight three enemies; The Joker, the mysterious "Phantasm," whom everyone is mistaking for the Dark Knight, and the mysterious reappearance of the love of his life...
"Batman: SubZero"
Dealt with Mr. Freeze's efforts to bring back his late wife using the body of Barbara Gordon (AKA Batgirl). This movie used more CGI effects than MOTP and had a lot more action. The movie foreshadowed some of the events that would take place in future episodes of the animated series.
Finally, Batman appeared in a made for TV movie of Superman: The Animated Series called "The World's Finest" in which Batman and Superman must put aside their differences and stop the evil plot of the Joker and Lex Luthor. This was later sold on video and was also shown as a three-part episode for season 3 of TAS when it was still being rerun.
Mistakes? Comments? Contact me! -Mike