Batman: the Animated Serieshas a wealth of amazing stories that more live-action Batman movies would do well to copy, especially the upcoming DCU. Helmed by showrunner Bruce Timm,Batman: The Animated Seriesis the beloved 90s cartoon responsible for kickstartingthe long-running DCAU franchiseof animated productions. Still many fans' definitive version of Batman and his mythos,any upcoming DCU project featuring the Caped Crusader would do well to look to the series for inspiration.
Admittedly, some live-action DC projects have already heavily lifted from the animated series, with stories such as Harley Quinn’s introduction or Two-Face’s origin finding their way to the silver screen in some of thebest live-action Batman adaptations. Butthere’s still so much amazing stories to be mined from the inner depths ofBatman: The Animated Series,whose quality is so high that it’s worth blatantly copying. Surely James Gunn’s next take on a live-action Batman can find some inspiration in the show’s episodes.
10Harley And Ivy
Began An Iconic Partnership
Batman: The Animated Seriesis often at its best when it isn’t focusing on Batman himself, shining the spotlight on side characters with tales set from their perspectives.Harley and Ivyis one such side adventure, whichsets up Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s long-lasting villainous partnership. The two join forces to go on a ravenous crime spree through Gotham City in an attempt to upstage the Joker.
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The lasting implications of this episode went on to form a classic friendship in the DC universe that eventually blossomed into a romantic relationship. This forms the crux of Harley Quinn’s own animated solo series, which features Poison Ivy heavily as her love interest and literal partner-in-crime. As great as it is to see this dynamic further explored in animated form, a future DCU project centering on Harley and Ivy could take better advantage of the ground-breaking concept.
9Baby Doll
A Tragic Villain With A Unique Condition
Harley Quinn isn’t the only original villain created byBatman: The Animated Seriesworth bringing to the movies. Enter Baby Doll, a pint-sized antagonist introduced in her own titular episode who presents with one of the most tear-jerking origin stories of a Batman villain ever. Mary Louise Dahl was once a child actress whose charm took the nation by storm, but fell into obscurity after her genetic disorder caused her body to cease aging as her mind grew older.
An adult woman’s mind trapped within a child’s body, Mary eventually snaps and becomes the villain Baby Doll, holding innocent lives hostage in a sad attempt to recapture her old notoriety. The scene in which Batman confronts her in a hall of mirrors, allowing the exasperated criminal to break down and cry when faced with the cruel reality of her situation, is one of themost poignant beats ofBatman: The Animated Series.The tense drama would make amazing material for a live-action incarnation.
8Heart Of Ice
Turned Mr. Freeze Into A Sympathetic Character
Baby Doll is far from the sole villain ofBatman: The Animated Seriesto be given a sympathetic backstory.The cartoon is also significant for totally reworking the character of Mr. Freeze, who was once a generic ice-themed comic villain with a goofy yellow jumpsuit.Batman: The Animated Seriesexplores their version of the character’s origin inHeart of Ice, which chronicles the deathly illness of Dr. Victor Fries' wife, Nora, and her subsequent cryogenic suspension in a desperate attempt to save her.
The ultimate romantic, all of Mr. Freeze’s crimes are in pursuit of curing his wife’s condition, a core character concept which has since been subsumed into every version of the character. This origin was briefly touched on inBatman & Robin, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s goofy Mr. Freeze didn’t have the emotional gravitas necessary to sell the story as truly tragic. The DCU would have better luck trying again with the sad tale of Victor and Nora Fries.
7Over The Edge
A Dream Sequence Done Right
The later seasons ofBatman: The Animated Series,which re-branded the show asThe New Batman Adventures, could be just as cutting and clever as the originals.Over the Edgeis one such episode, taking advantage of the follow-up series' increased focus on side characters like Robin and Batgirl. Shockingly, the episode opens with Batgirl dying, metaphorically pushing her father, Commissioner Gordon, over the edge in a mad attempt to get revenge.
The entire thing ends up being a hallucination induced by Scarecrow’s fear toxin, but the experience still has long-lasting effects on the story. The scene in whichBarbara Gordon wakes up to tell her father of her double life as a vigilanteis one of the most strikingly human beats in the entire animated Batman continuity. Considering the plannedWarner BrothersBatgirlmovie was scrapped after filming, she deserves a live-action incarnation of one of her best stories from TV.
6Perchance To Dream
Imagined If Batman Could Be Happy
Over the Edgewouldn’t be the first time thatBatman: The Animated Seriescut to the emotional core of a character with an extended dream sequence.InPerchance to Dream,Bruce Wayne himself is the one suddenly waking up in a new world. In this idyllic reality, someone else is Batman, Bruce is married to Selina Kyle, and the two live a happy, harmonious life together unlike the real Batman has ever experienced.
The drama of having to knowingly abandon a perfect reality in order to continue suffering for the greater good truly represents Bruce Wayne’s psyche better than any Batman movie ever has.
Of course, the whole universe ends up being a facade constructed by the Mad Hatter in order to lull Batman into a peaceful world of his own making, which he, of course, eventually breaks out of. Still, the drama of having to knowingly abandon a perfect reality in order to continue suffering for the greater good truly represents Bruce Wayne’s psyche better than any Batman movie ever has.It would be amazing to see the Mad Hatter in a big-budget movie, and the scene in which Bruce breaks down over his parents' gravestones is Award-season gold.
5The Man Who Killed Batman
Explores Joker’s Obsession With The Dark Knight
The Man Who Killed Batmanis a fascinating premise for an episode that truly speaks to the creativity at play inBatman: The Animated Series.The story opens with Batman seemingly meeting his demise, shockingly, at the hands of a low-level crook, who quickly gains unwanted infamy for somehow managing to kill the vigilante who has been plaguing Gotham’s underworld for years. The Joker is infuriated that such a seemingly low-level crook could have possibly been the one to take down his arch-nemesis. Of course, it turns out that Batman fakes his own death to get the drop on criminals.
This storyline explores just how much Batman means to Joker. As much as the Clown Prince of Crime may claim to hate him, in truth, he’s terribly fond of Batman, and practically has his life given meaning by their constant battles.The Dark Knightexplored this briefly, with Joker telling Batman “You complete me”, but an entire film dedicated to the idea of Batman’s death would be interesting territory. This episode is also responsible for Joker’s iconic line “Without Batman, crime has no punchline”, which voice actor Mark Hamill referenced afterthe death of series co-star Kevin Conroy.
4Almost Got ‘Im
A Clever Idea For A Batman Clipshow
At this point in its conception, the DCU needs projects that will quickly flesh out its world. Everyone loves a good clip show, and a live-action adaptation of the episodeAlmost Got ‘Imwould make for a fantastic anthology film. The episode uses a frame story of a group of villains, Joker, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, and Two-Face, simply sitting around playing a game of poker while regaling each other with tales in which they almost managed to kill Batman.
The story is great for the simple reason thatit sits Gotham’s most notorious criminals across from each other in a simple leisure activity, allowing their characterization to shine through. Each individual tale is certainly entertaining, but the stunning reveal that Batman was in attendance all along disguised as Killer Croc is what truly makes the episode work. The DCU would do well to find a way to bring several of Batman’s villains together to flesh out their criminal histories.
3Second Chance
Explores Batman’s Softer Side
The live-action Batman movies often put emphasis on Batman’s nature as a dark and gritty force of vengeance, seldom followingBatman’s no-kill rule in cinemas.The Batmanwas a step in the right direction, showing the softer side of a hero who goes out of his way to help the innocent rather than just punish criminals, but in truth,Batman: The Animated Seriesdid the best job at showing Batman’s humanitarian side. Particularly in the episodeSecond Chance, which focuses on the reform of Harvey Dent, a.k.a. the villain Two-Face.
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Second Chanceexamines how Harvey Dent and Bruce Wayne were best friendsbefore the former’s transformation, and how some small part of that bond manages to persist even as the two find each other on opposite sides of the law. Batman goes to great lengths in this story to rehabilitate his old friend, even going as far as to foot the bill for reconstructive facial surgery. A live-action version of the moment in which Batman forces Two-Face to choose between his friend or his obsessions with law and duality could go brilliantly.
2Joker’s Favor
Perfectly Dissects The Villain’s Psychosis
The scariest things about the Joker are arguably his unpredictability, pettiness, and inflated ego, all elements thatBatman: The Animated Seriesnails. Episodes likeJoker’s Favoremphasize just how terrifying it is to be on Joker’s bad side. After cutting the Joker off in traffic, an ordinary Joe named Charlie has his life thrown into chaos when the Clown Prince of Crime stalks and threatens him, demanding a favor to be called in at some future date. After years of anticipation, Joker finally comes to collect, puting Charlie and his life in danger.
This story works asa thrilling character study that dissects the lengths Joker’s horrifying psyche will go toin order to punish any perceived slight. The episode also ends with a showcase of how pathetic the villain can be when the roles are finally reversed, with Charlie getting his much-deserved payback and bullying his old tormentor in revenge. The DCU has an excellent opportunity to provide a rare boots-on-the-ground civilian perspective for the madness of Gotham City.
1Robin’s Reckoning
Could Very Well Already Be In The Works
Sadly, The Boy Wonder hasn’t fared as well in live-action as his older counterpart, with Robin only appearing in varying degrees in three live-action films (Counting Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character inThe Dark Knight Returns). None of these adaptations managed to nail the essence of Dick Grayson likeBatman: The Animated Serieshas, especially in rare Robin-centric stories likeRobin’s Reckoning.Here,Robin’s origin as part of a circus family whose parents are murdered by criminalsis chronicled with gripping drama.
Robin’s Reckoningis a great example of howBatman: The Animated Seriescould be shockingly adult for a kids’ cartoon.
Robin’s Reckoningis a great example of howBatman: The Animated Seriescould be shockingly adult for a kids’ cartoon. The story examines complicated themes like grief and anger through the lens of Robin as one of Batman’s greatest success stories, a young hero who was able to mold his relatable fury and sadness into something brighter. TheDC Universe’s upcoming Robin projectswould do well to copy the homework ofBatman: The Animated Series.
Batman: The Animated Series
Cast
Batman: The Animated Series follows Bruce Wayne as he assumes the role of the masked vigilante Batman to combat crime in Gotham City. This acclaimed 1992 series explores his dual identity and features an array of iconic villains, while Bruce vows to avenge the murder of his parents.
