The Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows of All Time: Batman – The Animated Series (1992)

The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.

What Is It?

This series is based on the comic book character of the same name and follows Batman’s crusade against crime in Gotham City. He is aided by Police Commissioner Gordon, as well as Robin and Batgirl, and faces off against arch-villains such as the Joker, Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, and more.

Aired: FOX, 1992-95, 2 Seasons Totaling 85 Episodes

Starring: Kevin Conroy, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings, Robert Costanzo, Loren Lester, Mark Hamill

Created By: Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm

Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows:

The 1980s delivered an explosion of animated series, many of which were designed to sell toys like Transformers, G.I. Joe, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. That led to an oversaturation of the market, but there was still an audience eager for animated entertainment. And by the ’90s, studios began turning to known properties such as The X-Men, Space Ghost, Daffy Duck, and, of course, the Caped Crusader. Batman: The Animated Series arrived on television after the two Tim Burton Dark Knight films had topped the box office, and the show acted as a successor of sorts to those movies.

While not a direct sequel to the Burton films, it clearly drew inspiration from their look and feel, continuing the darker approach to the character that began with Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns in 1986. TAS did not offer an origin story for Batman, though it occasionally explored his early years.  It instead began with the Dark Knight already established as Gotham’s protector, and each episode saw him facing off against one of the many villains from the comics. These weren’t merely “bad-guy-of-the-week” stories, though; the show often delved into what made these villains tick while weaving in bits of social commentary. Still, TAS was a superhero story first and foremost, staying true to its comic book roots (even adapting several tales directly from the source material). And it did all this with plenty of style, energy, and visual flair, maintaining a consistently high level of quality through its two-season run with a mix of suspense, horror, and even some sci-fi elements.

And I would be remiss if I ignored the voice cast that helped elevate the series to the next level. Kevin Conroy delivered the perfect voice for a dour Batman while adding subtle shifts when portraying Bruce Wayne. Mark Hamill, meanwhile, found a whole new career in voice acting with his iconic portrayal of the Joker. Other notable actors who lent their talents include Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (Alfred), Paul Williams (Penguin), Richard Moll (Harvey Dent/Two-Face), and Adrienne Barbeau (Catwoman). TAS had a heck of a cast and a heck of a creative team, resulting in one of the best on-screen adaptations of Batman and his rogues’ gallery (even expanding the latter with the introduction of Harley Quinn), and it definitely deserves recognition as one of the greatest sci-fi/fantasy shows of all time.

Argument Against:

While Batman: The Animated Series is a standout superhero and animated show, it’s not without flaws. The series could get all too cartoonish at times, requiring a pretty sizeable suspension of disbelief to make it through the episodes. It also gets to be rather repetitive at times. The syndication market at the time demanded 65 episodes for an extended encore run, and they went for that in the first season and tacked on 20 more for the second year. But there is only so much you can do with Batman, Robin, Catwoman, The Joker, The Penguin, et al., and the show started to repeat stories all too often. At its best, TAS did deliver top-notch entertainment, but it became too watered down over its 85-episode run. It is an important animated superhero series, but in the context of the wider sci fi TV genre, it slips further down the list.

Johnny Jay’s Take:

Batman: The Animated Series was quite a revelation when it premiered, offering a cinematic look and an epic tale of good versus evil. Like the Burton films, TAS adopted a heavily stylized ambiance, merging art deco and gothic architecture with noir sensibilities. It embraced a darker tone than typical afternoon animated fare but didn’t go so dark that it alienated younger audiences. Batman was no longer deadpanning witty quips or punching villains with “POW!” and “BAM!” flashing on the screen. Instead, the show presented a brooding and haunted Dark Knight, driven by his past and determined to battle the criminal underworld of Gotham. Yet it maintained broad appeal, engaging both kids and adults. And while it took a much different approach from the 1960s live-action series, TAS shared one similarity—its colorful rogues’ gallery. The villains weren’t campy caricatures this time around, but they still brought the show to life and attracted talented actors to the roles.

I remember watching this series all the way through during its original run, and few other animated shows at the time could match its quality. The series also launched an entire universe of DC animated entries, followed by Superman, Justice League, Batman Beyond, Green Lantern, and more. It left a lasting mark on both the animation industry and the superhero genre, and it certainly deserves to be ranked among the best in sci-fi and fantasy television.

Where Can You Watch It?
The entire series has been released on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also currently available for streaming (along with many of its offshoots) on HBO Max, and you can watch it with a subscription to Amazon’s Prime Video.

Do you consider Batman: The Animated Series to be one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy shows, or did it not match up to other incarnations of the character? Chime in with your thoughts below or at our discussion thread at r/SciFiTV.

Read about more of the Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows of All Time at this link.

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