The DCU’s Clayface movie is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing—and most like a new horror movie—projects in James Gunn’s new slate of DC movies. Even though Mike Flanagan is no longer directing the film, his early vision helped define its direction. And now, thanks to new comments from the filmmaker, we know exactly what shaped his approach to Gotham and its most tragic shapeshifter.

During a recent appearance at ScreenRant’s Midnight Mass panel with Kate Siegel at Motor City Comic Con 2025, Flanagan opened up about where his version of Clayface began—and how it differs from what Matt Reeves is doing with his The Batman Part II and its extended world. According to Flanagan, his inspiration wasn’t drawn from Reeves’ universe at all, mostly because he hadn’t seen what that team was working on when he first started shaping the story for DC Studios. He explained:

And even though Flanagan worked closely with Matt Reeves before the project transitioned fully into the DCU, timing ultimately forced him to hand the reins to another filmmaker. He told the crowd he loved developing the film with Reeves and then with James Gunn and Peter Safran, but when production ramped up, he simply couldn’t make the dates work.

He explained that he was already committed to another project and, despite wanting to stay on, had to make the difficult call to step back and let the film proceed without him. It’s clear the choice still stings.

The standalone Clayface film has since wrapped production under director James Watkins, with Tom Rhys Harries playing Matt Hagen. Flanagan hasn’t seen a frame yet—but he’s eager. The Doctor Sleep filmmaker added:

If the finished movie holds onto even a fraction of that influence, fans could be getting the most faithful—and most horrifying—Clayface ever put to screen. It also marks a major first: this will be the DCU’s first R-rated theatrical release, a sign Gunn is serious about genre flexibility in this reboot.

This also won’t tie into Robert Pattinson’s Elseworlds Batman. A new Bruce Wayne will eventually anchor Gunn’s connected universe via The Brave and the Bold, which is still in the script stage. But Clayface hitting theaters first means the DCU’s Gotham will debut through its monsters before its masked vigilante.

With production wrapped and the release date set, Clayface is officially on the 2026 movie schedule for September 11, 2026. If the film truly channels the haunting beauty of “Feat of Clay,” it could deliver one of the DCU’s most compelling villains yet — and as a lifelong DC fan, especially of Batman: The Animated Series, which I just rewatched, I genuinely cannot wait.

With two different Batmen set to appear in upcoming DC movies, filmmakers have some creative freedom in how they approach the character. Matt Reeves’ The Batman proved something crucial in 2022: Gotham doesn’t need shared-universe clutter to feel alive. His crime-noir vision grounded Bruce Wayne in a world of grit and shadows, a Gotham closer to Chinatown than Justice League. Now, as Reeves expands his Elseworlds corner, with The Batman: Part II on the horizon and The Penguin series, available to stream with an HBO Max subscription, already fleshed out the city’s underworld — he has a rare opportunity. Free from continuity handcuffs, Reeves can cherry-pick from decades of iconic Dark Knight stories.

Which brings me to one of the greatest animated TV series of all time, and that’s Batman: The Animated Series. So many of the episodes of the DCAU resonated with me.

I’m struck by how well many of the episodes hold up, even through my 2025 movie schedule lens, and could easily slot into Matt Reeves’ Gotham. Animator Bruce Timm’s series isn’t just a “kids’ cartoon,” but a pulp-noir for Saturday mornings. With jazz-infused scoring, heavy shadows, and characters drawn with as much moral complexity as you’d find in adult comic book fare, it's ripe for scouring for adaptation possibilities. But, there are six of the greatest BTAS episodes in particular that I feel are tailor-made for Reeves’s Elseworlds corner of the DC universe, and they’re the type of stories that carry both the atmosphere and psychological weight his films thrive on.

“Heart of Ice” —  Season 1, Episode 14

When people talk about Batman: The Animated Series reinventing characters, this is the gold standard. Paul Dini and Bruce Timm took a one-note villain and transformed him into a tragic figure defined by grief and unrequited love. Suddenly, Mr. Freeze wasn’t just a guy with a freeze ray, but a man frozen in the trauma of trying to save his wife, Nora, and one of the very best BTAS villains.

In Reeves' world, the Riddler is a loner radicalized by systemic corruption in The Batman, and Colin Farrell’s Penguin is a mid-level gangster hungry for respect. Freeze’s tragic tale would fit right into that pantheon. Imagine Reeves’ stark Gotham filtered through icy blues and sterile lab light, with a story less about freeze guns and more about a man mourning in extremis. The noir lens practically writes itself.

“Read My Lips” — Season 1, Episode 64

On paper, the Ventriloquist and his dummy Scarface sound ridiculous — the kind of villain modern audiences might dismiss outright. But watch Read My Lips again, and the absurdity melts away into genuine menace. The tension doesn’t come from the puppet, but from Arnold Wesker’s fractured psyche. It’s a psychological horror story disguised as a gangster plot.

Reeves has already shown he isn’t afraid of Gotham’s stranger corners. He leaned into the uncanny with the Riddler’s live-streamed performances and hint of Zodiac-style theater. In the hands of Reeves, Scarface wouldn’t need to be camp; he could be chilling. Picture a Gotham crime thriller about a meek man completely dominated by his wooden puppet. It’s the kind of uncanny strangeness Reeves could mine, showing yet another Gothamite broken in a way that mirrors Bruce himself.

"Beware The Gray Ghost!" — Season 1, Episode 32

If Heart of Ice is tragedy and Read My Lips is uncanny horror, Beware the Gray Ghost! is meta-mythology at its finest. The episode pairs the late Kevin Conroy’s Batman with Adam West as Simon Trent, an aging TV actor who once played Bruce Wayne’s childhood hero, the Gray Ghost. What begins as a pulpy mystery doubles as an elegy for the enduring DC icon's own lineage, and a commentary on how stories shape us.

Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is still wrestling with what it means to turn trauma into a crusade for justice, so by bringing in a “Gray Ghost” equivalent, Reeves could fold in the brooding billionaire’s pulp roots while telling a deeply human story about fading heroes and the weight of nostalgia.

“Almost Got ’Im” — Season 1, Episode 35

A poker table. A handful of villains swapping stories about their near-victories over Batman. That’s it. That’s the premise. And it’s one of the best Dark Knight stories ever told.

"Almost Got ’Im" is pure pulp brilliance. It's funny, revealing, and as structurally sharp as a Batarang. Each vignette peels back something about Gotham’s rogues while underscoring the titular superhero’s resilience. The episode manages to be both a hangout story and a crime anthology in twenty minutes. For Reeves, this is gold. His Gotham is already stuffed with mobsters, corrupt cops, and costumed rogues brushing shoulders in smoky back rooms.

“On Leather Wings” — Season 1, Episode 1

Every Batman story risks collapsing into crime drama without the “other” — the gothic, the uncanny, the monstrous. On Leather Wings, the show’s very first episode, sets the tone by introducing Man-Bat, a literal monster in the night. It’s part horror movie, part tragedy, and part detective story.

Reeves proved with The Batman that audiences are hungry for a gothic detective take and a rain-drenched, monstrous Gotham. Man-Bat is a natural extension of that. A scientist’s experiment gone wrong, haunting the skies of Gotham, isn’t just a monster-of-the-week tale, but a parable about ambition and humanity’s darker impulses.

“Robin’s Reckoning” — Season 1, Episode 32 & 33

Ever since 1997’s Batman & Robin tanked with critics and audiences, filmmakers have been reluctant—even scared—to bring Dick Grayson back to the big screen. Honestly, I think that’s a little cowardly. Robin has been part of DC’s legacy since 1940, just one year after Bill Finger and Bob Kane introduced Batman. The Boy Wonder is almost as synonymous with Detective Comics as the Dark Knight himself, and it’s long past time he got the respect he deserves.

Yes, telling a story about a grown man taking in a young orphan is complicated, but so is telling a story about a billionaire who dresses up as a bat to fight crime. If anyone can ground Robin’s origin in a believable, emotionally rich way, it’s Matt Reeves.

Fortunately, Reeves doesn’t have to start from scratch. The Emmy-winning two-part episode “Robin’s Reckoning” already laid out the perfect blueprint. It digs deep into Dick Grayson’s trauma, his bond with Bruce, and the complicated father-son dynamic that shapes their partnership.

Reeves’ Gotham has so far been deliberately solitary, with Robert Pattinson’s Bruce still figuring out who he is and what kind of symbol he wants to be for the city. But Robin’s Reckoning makes the case for what Bruce Wayne and his alter ego could become: not just Gotham’s avenger, but a figure of hope for other orphans—for another lost child whose world has been ripped apart.

Why These Stories Could Matter In Reeves’ Gotham

What ties all these episodes together isn’t just nostalgia. It’s how they embody the noir, psychological, and thematic richness Reeves has already proven he can deliver. The Batman wasn’t about gadgets or superpowers — it was about a city rotting from the inside and a man struggling to make sense of his role within it. Batman: The Animated Series spoke that same language, just in 22-minute bursts of animation.

These weren't just cartoon stories, but noir parables waiting to be staged on the big screen. Reeves doesn’t need to look far to keep Gotham compelling. The roadmap was already drawn thirty years ago.

What we know about The Batman Part II is limited, but the upcoming superhero movie is scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027. So, here’s hoping some of the flavor from these BtAS episodes finds its way onto the big screen in the next installment or beyond.

Back in 2022, Zach Cregger, who’d just made his horror filmmaking debut with Barbarian, shared that he’d written a DC movie that he described as a “Batman-adjacent thing.” Cut to just a few weeks ago, it was rumored that this feature focuses on The Joker and Harley Quinn, and that Cregger intends to pitch it to DC Studios co-head James Gunn as a potential upcoming DC movie. Now, as the writer/director’s new movie Weapons opens on the 2025 movies schedule, the alleged premise of his DC idea has been revealed, and it sounds like inspired by one of the best Batman: The Animated Series episodes.

According to THR, Zach Cregger’s DC movie is called Henchmen, and it would follow “a low-level henchman in the Gotham crime world who gains notoriety after managing to incapacitate Batman through a stroke of luck.” The outlet has learned from sources that Joker and Harley Quinn would indeed be present in the story, and Batman himself could briefly appear. While Cregger hasn’t officially pitched Henchmen to DC Studios yet, the company is reportedly “aware of his interest.”

If this kind of story sounds familiar to you, that’s probably because you’ve seen the Batman: The Animated Series episode “The Man Who Killed Batman.” Originally airing on February 1, 1993, the episode saw an inept criminal named Sidney Debris accidentally knocking Batman to his seeming death in the middle of a drug run. Spoiler alert: Batman didn't die.

But until that big reveal, word gets around Gotham City of Sidney being the man who killed Batman, and he soon gets The Joker’s attention. Disgusted at the idea of someone like Sidney having eliminated his arch-nemesis, the Clown Prince of Crime and Harley Quinn arranged a jewel heist to confirm Batman was indeed dead. When the Caped Crusader didn’t show up, they held a funeral for him at the Ace Chemical Plant, which was really a ruse to knock off Sidney for taking Joker’s glory away from him. The funeral, seen below, as well as Mark Hamill uttering the line, “Without Batman, crime has no punchline,” are some of the reasons why this is one of my favorite BTAS episodes.

While I’m sure the events in Zach Cregger’s Henchmen unfold quite differently in comparison, I’d be shocked to learn if he wasn’t in any way inspired by “The Man Who Killed Batman” while writing his script. Regardless, as interesting as this idea may be, there’s no guarantee it’ll happen. James Gunn and fellow DC Studios head Peter Safran likely don’t want any Batman-related plans for the DC Universe to interfere with what Matt Reeves is doing for 2027’s The Batman: Part II and maybe even Part III, especially with Barry Keoghan playing the cackling villain in this continuity. Cregger is also already set to direct the Resident Evil reboot, so he’s keeping busy for the near future.

Still, with Weapons getting positive critical reception like Barbarian did, DC Studios would be wise to at least take a meeting with Cregger to hear his Henchmen pitch. Meanwhile, one Batman villain-focused DC Universe movie we can look forward is the Tom Rhys Harries-led Clayface, which opens in theaters on September 11, 2026.

Some might argue that a scene from a film or TV series that turns out to have existed all in a character’s head is a cop out. Maybe that’s true in some respects, but when done right and without misleading intentions, dream sequences can be used as a great opportunity to let artists run wild with their imaginations, resulting in some of a title’s most memorable moments. Here are some of the most wonderfully surreal scenes from the big and small screen that may have had you questioning if you had entered dreamland.

Dawn Haunts Renton (Trainspotting)

Director Danny Boyle's 1996 adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting follows a group of Scottish addicts trying to get clean, none of whom has a harder time with it than Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor). One signature scene sees him locked in his childhood bedroom by his parents and forced to wean off his habit cold turkey, during which he suffers an intense fever dream featuring hallucinations of his parents on a game show, his various friends, and the spirit of a deceased infant he once knew climbing on his ceiling.

Bruce Wayne's Alternate Life (Batman: The Animated Series)

One of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, let alone one of the strangest, is "Perchance to Dream." As part of a scheme by Mad Hatter, Bruce Wayne finds himself living in a fantasy in which his parents were never murdered, he is engaged to Selina Kyle, and someone other than him is protecting the streets of Gotham as Batman.

Sarah's Apocalyptic Nightmare (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

One thing that makes the classic sci-fi movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day one of the all-time greatest sequels is the way it depicts Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her growth as a character following the traumatic events of the first film, especially through one wild fantasy sequence. In the dream, she witnesses her happier past self and other bystanders at a park where they suffer a nuclear blast that ends up burning off her skin, leaving her remaining skeleton clinging to a chain-link fence.

All Of Season 9 (Dallas)

Dallas delivered one of the craziest retcons in TV history when it was revealed that the death of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) and the entire ninth season of the hit primetime soap opera all happened in the head of his wife, Pamela (Victoria Principal). The retcon was prompted after Duffy, who had previously left the show, agreed to return for Season 10, which opens with Pamela waking up to find Bobby in the shower.

Happy's Happy Place (Happy Gilmore)

The classic golf movie, 1996's Happy Gilmore, stars Adam Sandler in the title role of a guy with a talent for tee time, but the rage of a hockey player, which his trainer, Chubbs (Carl Weathers), tries to help him control by envisioning his own "happy place." He imagines his girlfriend, Virginia (Julie Bowen), carrying drink pitchers, his grandmother (Frances Bay) finding the money she needs from a slot machine, and a little cowboy riding an old-fashioned bicycle, for some reason. However, a later attempt to escape into this fantasy world is interrupted by the invasion of his nemesis, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).

The Solomons Suffer From Bizarre Dreams (3rd Rock From The Sun)

The two-part Season 2 finale of 3rd Rock from the Sun tried something unique by airing in 3D, but saving that format for some incredibly insane sequences. The surreal, avant garde scenes are dreams that Dick (John Lithgow) and the rest of his extra-terrestrial comrades are experiencing, but for the first time since taking human form, which leads them to assume they are ill.

Old Blue Saves The Day (A Christmas Story)

The classic holiday movie, 1983's A Christmas Story, follows young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and his devotion to making sure he finds an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle under the tree. He seems to believe that it will make his life better, based on a daydream in which he, dressed as a hero named Old Blue, uses the BB shooter to rescue his family from criminals.

The Opening Scene (8 1/2)

Federico Fellini's signature 1963 film opens with a bizarre dream in which the main character gets trapped in his smoke-filled car in full-stop, literal bumper-to-bumper traffic. After he finally escapes, it cuts to him flying through the clouds until he is pulled down by his ankle by a person on a beach, and descends into the water just as he awakens.

Gutterballs (The Big Lebowski)

There are two great dream sequences from Joel and Ethan Coen's hilarious, classic '90s movie, 1998's The Big Lebowski, the first of which sees The Dude (Jeff Bridges) flying over L.A. trying to reach his stolen rug after receiving a crack on the jaw. However, the more memorable scene sees him, after being sedated by Jackie Treehorn, imagining he is the star of a Busby Berkeley-inspired adult film about bowling.

The Entire Series (Newhart)

One of the most iconic, oft-parodied, and simply best TV series finales is that of Newhart, in which the actor and comedian wakes up in bed as Bob Hartley, his role from his first hit sitcom, The Bob Newhart Show. His co-star from said 1970s hit, Suzanne Pleshette, wakes up next to him as Hartley's wife, Emily, and he explains to her that his entire life as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon was a dream.

Rosemary Drifts On A Mattress (Rosemary's Baby)

Some of the best horror movies include a dream sequence that sneaks up on you with its more nightmarish qualities, such as in 1968's Rosemary's Baby. The first half of Rosemary's (Mia Farrow) dream is somewhat peaceful, showing her lying on a mattress floating on a bed of water, but in the second half of the dream, she is attacked by a demon. To make matters worse, that occurrence might not be part of the dream at all.

Buffy's Slaying Is A Delusion? (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Sarah Michelle Gellar's title hero from Buffy the Vampire Slayer has likely wished that her life could be free of encounters with bloodsuckers, demons, and all kinds of things that go bump in the night, but she probably never wanted to experience it the way she does in Season 6's "Normal Again." Buffy becomes exposed to a demonic, hallucinogenic venom that causes her to become trapped in a fantasy in which she is a mental patient, and her life of fighting paranormal activity has been all in her head.

Nazi Werewolves (An American Werewolf In London)

Writer and director John Landis' An American Werewolf in London boasts one of the most incredible moments of body horror in cinematic history, but one could argue a crazier moment in the classic werewolf movie happens earlier. While recovering from his animal attack, David (David Naughton) dreams he is back in the States with his family when a group of gun-toting, lycanthropic SS soldiers invade.

Tony Becomes A Salesman (The Sopranos)

Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) experienced multiple, eye-opening dream sequences throughout HBO's run of The Sopranos, including one that took place during most of an entire episode. In Season 6's "Join the Club," a comatose Tony dreams of an alternate life away from the DiMeo Family in which he is an ordinary salesman named Kevin Finnerty.

The Clown Hospital (Pee-wee's Big Adventure)

A movie scene that scared many '80s kids occurs in Pee-wee's Big Adventure when the titular man-child (played by Paul Reubens) has a nightmare about his missing bike. The prized, two-wheel vehicle is picked up in scraps by a group of horrifying harlequins who use unconventional and concerning methods to put it back together again.

Adam's Repeated Death Row Sentence (The Twilight Zone)

All of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone feel like a dream (or a nightmare), but Season 2's "Shadow Play" actually takes place entirely in one. Dennis Weaver stars as a convicted criminal trying to convince the other characters that his condemnation is merely part of a recurring nightmare.

Sue Visits Carrie's Grave (Carrie)

Director Brian de Palma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie ends with one of the most iconic and influential jump scares, which actually inspired the ending of 1980's Friday the 13th. A grieving Sue Snell (Amy Irving) dreams that she is visiting the resting place of her titular telekinetic classmate (Sissy Spacek) where her bloodied arm emerges from the ground and grasps onto her. Sue does not wake up from the nightmare, but is unable to stop screaming in her sleep.

Cooper's First Visit To The Red Room (Twin Peaks)

Most of David Lynch's movies and TV projects feel like long dream sequences, but when depicting Special Agent Dale Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) nightmare about the Red Room in an early episode of Twin Peaks, the master of surrealism really goes for it, resulting in a dream sequence more authentic than most. The inexplicably aged-up Coop meets a dancing little person who tells him, in backwards speak, "That gum you like is going to come back in style." He then meets a blonde woman resembling Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee) and asks if she is the murdered teen, to which she responds, also in backwards speak, "I feel like I know her, but sometimes my arms bend back."

Lloyd And Mary's Romance (Dumb And Dumber)

In the 1994 Jim Carrey movie favorite, Dumb and Dumber, while traveling to Aspen, Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) fantasizes that his crush, Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly), will fall for him immediately after he returns her missing briefcase. The daydream continues to show highlights of their imaginary relationship, from a party where Lloyd entertains guests with uproarious tricks (like lighting his flatus on fire), to a romantic dinner where he engages in a cinematic-style kung fu fight.

Elliott '90s Sitcom Fantasy (Mr. Robot)

A top-rated Season 2 of Mr. Robot called "eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes" is depicted predominantly in the style of '90s sitcom and even features a cameo by ALF. However, it is later revealed that this laugh-track-filled fantasy is Elliott's (Rami Malek) dream, and that he has been asleep in a hospital after being violently beaten by Ray Heyworth's (Craig Robinson) goons.

Beauty School Dropout (Grease)

In the 1978 movie musical Grease, Frenchie (Didi Conn) is encouraged to put her cosmetology career on hold and go back to high school by an unexpected person, Frankie Avalon, with a dreamy number called "Beauty School Dropout.'

Kevin Becomes An Assassin (The Leftovers)

In Season 2 of The Leftovers, Kevin (Justin Theroux) is told by Virgil (Steven Williams) that the only way to cure his persistent visions of cult leader Patti Levin (Ann Dowd) is to take his own life. This sends him into a bewildering reality in which he is a contract killer assigned to kill Patti, who is a presidential candidate.

Ronnie Births A Maggot (The Fly)

At one point in the tragic romantic thriller that is David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly, Ronnie (Geena Davis) discovers she is pregnant with the child of Dr. Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), who has been transforming into a half-man, half-insect at this time. Her fear of what could be growing inside of her is personified in a nightmare in which, instead of a human baby, she gives birth to a giant larva.

Jeff Lives A G.I. Joe Fantasy (Community)

The best episodes of Community experiment with different genres, such as the time the series put the cast in the world of the '80s-era beloved animated series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The action-packed, cartoon setting of "G.I. Jeff" is revealed to be a fantasy Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) has created to cope with turning 40.

Henry Loses His Head (Eraserhead)

In Eraserhead, Henry (Jack Nantz) has a nightmare in which his head falls off his neck, where a new head resembling his mutant child pops out to replace it. Of course, this dream sequence is no more bizarre than anything else that happens in David Lynch's perplexing 1977 debut feature.

Rob Suspects There Is An Alien Invasion (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

In a classic episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show called “It May Look Like a Walnut,” Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) watches an alien invasion movie involving extraterrestrial walnuts and otherworldly visitors without thumbs. The next day, his life begins to resemble the film's plot, until he wakes up that night to discover it was all a dream.

Wayne Meets Jim Morrison (Wayne's World 2)

The plot of the hit 1993 SNL movie Wayne's World 2, in which Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) put on their own concert, is set in motion when Wayne dreams he is in a desert where he meets the spirit of The Doors frontman, Jim Morrison (Michael Nickles).

Frasier Is Visited By Sigmund Freud (Frasier)

In the Season 4 Frasier episode "The Impossible Dream," the eponymous therapist and radio host (played by Kelsey Grammer) has a suggestive dream about his effeminate colleague, Gil Chesterson (Edward Hibbert). He eventually determines the dream is no more than a task his subconscious gave himself to satisfy his currently unchallenging career, but the episode ends with an even more confusing nighttime encounter with his idol, Sigmund Freud, who joins him in his bed and implies a request for intimacy.

Ray Gets Cooked (The 'Burbs)

In 1989's The 'Burbs, family man Ray (Tom Hanks) initially refuses to believe that his neighbors could actually be the murderous cult that other locals suspect they are. However, he does reach a breaking point when he dreams that they tear through his house with a chainsaw and sacrifice him on a giant barbecue pit.

Cliff's Muppet-Filled Nightmare (The Cosby Show)

One of the weirdest episodes of The Cosby Show involves Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) dreaming that the Muppets have taken over his life.

Alex Gives Birth To His Doppelganger (Junior)

Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a man who becomes pregnant is a pretty intriguing concept on its own. However, things get especially bizarre in 1994's Junior when the actor's character dreams that he has given birth to the spitting image of himself.

D.J.'s SAT Disaster (Full House)

In a Season 6 episode of Full House, D.J. Tanner's (Candace Cameron Bure) stress over the upcoming SATs culminates in a nightmare in which Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White appears to inform her that she has failed the test and will go to Clown University.

Animated and cartoon titles used to often be classic Disney and Saturday morning staples, or raunchy adult counterpoints. Though there was some common ground, it was sparse (and dependent on a kid’s guardian’s perspective--this list included). Today, a lot has changed–the once semi-no man’s land has ballooned to offer plenty of palatable watches for all ages. Below you’ll find cartoon pioneers, today's hits, and some stellar hidden gems outside of typical Disney titles, because that could be a whole separate list! Without further ado, let's get surfing through some great picks.

Peanuts

Charlie Brown and co. are another one of those enduring and endearing cartoons that continue to win generations' hearts. While most of us only consider watching any Peanuts fodder during the holidays, there’s plenty more to choose from, including the 2015 film The Peanuts Movie. And let’s face it, we’re all holding on hope that one day Charlie won’t be tricked by Lucy.

Batman: The Animated Series

Plenty of classic comic book characters could’ve filled out this list with some ease, but Batman naturally won top spot to rep the DC list. The 1992 series was a true highlight for Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, even though it only ran for four seasons. And though there were plenty of BAM!’s and POW!’s to go around, minimal footage of foes being hurt was shown.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Like DC, Marvel’s top comic goes to Spider-Man. And though there are endless iterations, the 2018 film following Miles Morales’ experience getting bitten is an exciting refresh. Regardless of whether you’re a newcomer or a vet of the Peter Parker world, it’s nice to see a new angle on him.

Scooby-Doo

Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne, aka “Mystery Incorporated,” have been a sustaining staple since their 1969 introduction. The gang has a huge, comedic, family-friendly franchise that spans multiple shows and movies, and continues to win audiences time and again through their humorously balanced sleuthing skills. Those meddling kids and their dog nailed simple storylines with smart but accessible jokes.

Tom And Jerry

As more or less the OG ‘cat and mouse’ duo, Tom and Jerry are Hollywood royalty. With roots tracing back to the 1940s, their frenemy relationship entertained countless kids, who then, in turn, shared it with theirs. Whether it’s a nostalgia watch or some regular weekday fodder, these two still make the cut.

The Smurfs

Another great vintage cartoon, which has been introduced through a series of blockbuster franchises, is The Smurfs. The comic turned show turned movie is a nostalgia fun fun-filled ride that continues to appeal to old and new fans alike. Although I’m sure, for some stans, Rihanna’s first new song in quite some time being included in the Smurf’s new trailer doesn’t hurt things.

Robin Hood

From a historical standpoint, Robin Hood may be the oldest and, without a doubt, the most recognizable name on the list. With roots tracing back to the 1300s, the Prince of Thieves continues to be a world everyone can enjoy, especially the animated Disney version.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Brothers Mario and Luigi have long been a staple for generations of gamers. Sweetly animated and endlessly fun, they’ve gone on to create quite a world beyond saving Princess Peach from Bowser. This 2023 blockbuster pays homage to the sibling plumbers’ legacy.

Shrek

Boy, does this ogre have layers. When Shrek arrived on the scene in 2001, it was bursting at the seams with bathroom humor created a lot of discourse. Behind it though, was a compelling reimagine of classic fairy tale tropes that left many wanting more. Even though he’s rough around the edges to some onscreen and off, his character arc is genuine and magnetic. Those makings cemented the fictional world and the big green guy himself to sustain in pop culture.

SpongeBob SquarePants

From the jump, everyone’s favorite animated sea sponge has been ready to win the hearts of his audience, both young and old. And to his luck, many continue to adore him and his silly, silly friends of Bikini Bottom long after we grew out of kids' TV. A prime example of how SpongeBob influences a much wider audience is that Nosferatu’s director, Robert Eggers, cited the Nickelodeon icon's influence for the 2024 remake.

The Yogi Bear Show

Like the other vintage pulls on the list, Yogi Bear has lived on and been introduced to new generations of viewers over the decades. The picnic basket-loving bear and his pal Boo-Boo’s antics are simple and routine, yet they continue to steal the hearts of their viewers.

Arthur

As one of the best animated shows ever, Arthur, his family and pals showcased a lot of social, emotional and mental topics in inclusive ways. PBS paired that with realistic familial and friend relationship dynamics (D.W. fan here), which galvanized Marc Brown’s fictional aardvark in an honest way for the masses.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Since its premiere, the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a fan favorite. Many regard this as one of the ultimate cartoons, noting that it again has a perfect blend of adventure, humor and heart. It’s not your typical easy animated series, but prepare for a great ride.

Bluey

Disney really hit it out of the park with their blue dog show (no offense to Blue of Blue’s Clues). While clearly marketed, made and designed for kiddos, the themes and honest reflections of familial relationships hook plenty of those who have aged out of tuning into the Mouse Ears channel.

Power Puff Girls

I don’t think you can get much better with sugar, spice and everything nice when it comes to a stellar kids’ cartoon. The lab-created superhero sisters of Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles were a thrill from their unmistakable theme song to defeating Mojo Jojo (or any other foe) before the credits rolled. I’m not the only one who believes it’s a show from the ‘00s that still holds up watching as an adult.

How to Train Your Dragon

As one of DreamWorks' best animated movies, How to Train Your Dragon really hits all the right notes of adventure, humor and heart, perfect for a universal audience. Hiccup and his sweet but brave dragon, Toothless, continue to draw crowds 15 years later. And the live-action remake, coming out later this month, is expected to do the same.

The Lego Movie

This kid's favorite toy-turned-movie is the perfect homage to illuminating all there is to create with the plastic blocks. Pair that with some comedy giants a la Will Ferrell, and you’ve got a blockbuster anyone from age 5 to 95 can enjoy.

Ponyo (many other Studio Ghibli films)

Hayo Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli offer a whole collection of exhilarating animated movies, though not all may be suitable for everyone. Ponyo, though, is essentially a Ghibli counterpoint to The Little Mermaid (although it’s not a musical). Although Ponyo, the magical fish girl, doesn’t have sea-faring friends who accompany her after she comes ashore.

Recess

For some, Recess was a paramount Saturday Morning classic during the late 90s-00s. As the title implies, the show centered around every elementary school-aged kid’s favorite part of the day and the goings-on during that quick 20-minute block. T.J. and his friends are funny yet kind, making it a perfect watch for anyone with a nostalgic bone that needs to be itched or can directly identify with the gang.

Wallace & Gromit franchise

The British claymation duo is another visual world that has found its place in pop culture. Now, with seven titles to their name, the dog and owner pairing continue to find new ground (their 7th was made in partnership with Netflix). While the duo seems straightforward, there’s plenty to take away from each installment.

Phineas And Ferb

Another Disney Channel hit for the masses is Phineas and Ferb. It’s aimed roughly at an age group who’ve graduated from Bluey-esque television but still need pretty straightforward content. What makes the jump into watchable territory for all the silly stepbrothers is the smart writing and goofy jokes, and possibly having a platypus as a family pet.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox, the movie, based on the short children's book and directed by Wes Anderson, is just as magical as the Roald Dahl classic. The retelling has a perfect kid-friendly stop animation aesthetic blended with an A-list cast including George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

The Little Prince

Another excellent book adapted into a movie (a couple of times over). This French classic has been collecting fans of all ages since 1943 worldwide, and the 2015 flick continues to carry on that torch. The simple and sweet story reminds us all that it’s the connections we make that matter most while exploring fantastical worlds.

Over The Garden Wall

As one of the great under-the-radar animated shows out there, 2014’s Over the Garden Wall has earned quite a fan base. Brothers Wirt and Greg accidentally find themselves in a captivating, somewhat spooky, and at times adventurous world after jumping over a mysterious wall. From start to end, it’s a simple but compelling tale of the bros finding their way home.

The Hobbit

While the Lord of the Rings trilogy may be the most well-known J.R.R. Tolkien movies based on modern literature, it’s not the only one. For the purposes of this list, we’ll stick to the subject at hand and highlight the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit. While it does depict some violence via battles, it’s a classic gem that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Gravity Falls

Gravity Falls came to Disney long after many of us had moved on, but it hasn’t stopped its popularity among adult audiences. The Pines twins visit their uncle in the Pacific Northwest for the summer, only to unlock a longstanding mystery. It’s a perfect blend of silly-sweet kid humor braided with PG Twin Peaks vibes (be warned, for some kids, there is one dark moment on the Mouse Ears show near the end). You may come for the mystery but you’ll stay for Mabel, Dipper, Grunkle Stan and Soos.

Adventure Time

What starts as a candy-colored quest quickly unfolds into an emotional, often existential journey. With layered characters, sharp humor, and simple but profound themes, it’s a show that’ll appeal to all. There’s something in the Land of Ooo that'll speak to any viewer, exactly why Adventure Time endures.

Klaus

We all knew at least one Christmas movie had to make the list, for good measure. Compared to some of the classics, Klaus could’ve easily gotten lost in the shuffle for many. The Netflix original is a story following a down-on-his-luck postman who befriended a toymaker and set up a deal to help one another.

The Secret Of The Kells

The Secret of Kells is a visual and emotional Irish treasure, first premiering in 2009. Its stunningly hand-drawn animation, paired perfectly with mythic storytelling, holds kid and adult viewers equally. Cellach and Brendan’s story is filled with creativity, fear, and hope as aggressive Vikings near and a revered illuminator comes to town.

Wolfwalkers

Like The Secret of the Kells, Wolfwalkers is another animated Irish folk-like tale that comes to life. While there are a bit of dark tones throughout the film, including hunting wolves, the fairy-tale-like story that follows Robyn as she meets Mebh is true magic.

The Iron Giant

Don’t be fooled by the animation style or color palette for young ones, The Iron Giant is an epic adventure for all to enjoy. The cast is stacked (Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Christopher McDonald, Harry Connick Jr) and the gentle sincerity of the giant will have you head over heels. Just be warned, it is a tear-jerker!

The Secret of NIMH

Another vintage gem presented as a children's story with a more complex storyline. The Brisby family experiences some strife as conflict arises in the surrounding area, and they must seek help from an unlikely friend. Admittedly, I haven’t watched this, but it’s now on my list!

Though zero major holidays are on the horizon, that isn’t stopping retailers and etailers from dropping holiday-esque sales on customers with tax refunds to spend. Anybody with an Amazon Prime subscription can take advantage of the ongoing Big Spring Sale, a broad and expansive variety of deals throughout the site, with lots of goodies for Disney and Marvel fans in the mix. So there’s no better time to shop for physical media faithfuls like myself who love a great Blu-ray or DVD sale.

You can bet that there are plenty of solid offerings to be found while scouring through the site, both popular and obscure. (With the expected smattering of “WTF even is this?” items.) By and large, though, I found the best home entertainment deals from the Big Spring Sale to come from TV Blu-ray and DVD sets for classic and modern favorites, both in live-action and animation.

And when you’re done checking out the below Blu-ray and DVD suggestions and are waiting on impending packages to arrive, take advantage of all the best streaming deals and discounts. To do otherwise would be a disservice to your wallet and your empty shelf space.

The Best TV Blu-Ray And DVD Deals From Amazon's Big Spring Sale

David Lynch will forever be missed, and Twin Peaks will always win out as my favorite of his efforts because not only do we get to enjoy his weirdness en masse, but he's always a delight on-screen as FBI Deputy Director Gordon Cole.

Check out some of the other live-action Blu-ray and DVDs on sale and imagine if each of them was directed by Lynch.

• The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (1960s) [Blu-ray]: $57.49 (Was $76.99)
• The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (2019): $19.49 (Was $25.99)
• Seinfeld: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $113.90 (Was $149.99)
• Night Court: The Complete Series [DVD]: $58.16 (Was $94.99)
• Yellowstone: The Dutton Legacy Collection (Inc. 1883) Limited Edition Giftset [DVD]: $62.70 (Was $79.19)
• Ted: Season One [DVD]: $17.99 (Was $24.98)
• Dexter: The Complete Series + Dexter: New Blood [Blu-ray]: $47.49 (Was $55.99)
• Family Matters: The Complete Series [DVD]: $44.99 (Was $114.99)
• Arrow: The Complete Series [DVD]: $54.99 (Was $119.99)
• The Expanse Seasons 1-4 [Blu Ray]: $49.99 (Was $89.95)

Check Out These Classic Animated TV Show DVD And Blu-Ray Deals

While waiting to see who James Gunn will cast as the DCU's Dark Knight, relive the magnificence of Batman: The Animated Series with a crispness that kids like me watching tube TVs in the '90s would have lost our minds over. But the true treasure of this Blu-ray set is the new feature-length documentary and all of the commentaries and other behind-the-scenes goodies. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are aces.

Speaking of excellent animated Batman shows...

• Batman Beyond: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $34.96 (Was $54.99)
• The Looney Tunes Complete Platinum Collection DVD (Volumes 1-3): $12.60 (Was $18.90)
• The Flintstones: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $34.99 (Was $84.99)
• The Jetsons; The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $13.99 (Was $19.86
• Voltron: Defender of the Universe - The Complete Original Series [DVD]: $22.99 (Was $54.97)
• The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends: The Complete Series [DVD]: $21.99 (Was $26.93)
• Scooby-Doo Where Are You!: The Complete Series [DVD]: $14.99 (Was $39.99)
• Top Cat: The Complete Series [DVD]: $9.49 (Was $19.98)
• Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs: The Complete Series [DVD]: $28.99 (Was $69.99)
• She-Ra: Princess of Power - The Complete Original Series [DVD]: $19.97 (Was $54.97)

Check Out These Awesome Movie Box Set Deals!

Just because I favored the TV deals in Amazon's Spring Sale doesn't mean that there aren't more than a few movie deals to take advantage of, especially for family-friendly fare. With Netflix's new Scooby-Doo series in the works, there's no better time to opt in on ghoulish mystery-solving. But don't sleep on that Scary Movie set ahead of that long-awaited sequel currently in the works.

• The Secret Life of Pets: 2-Movie Collection [Blu-ray]: $10.99 (Was $29.98)
• Madagascar: The Ultimate Collection [Blu-ray]: $13.97 (Was $39.98)
• Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection [4K Ultra HD + Digital]: $99.99 (Was $133.30)
• How to Train Your Dragon: 3-Movie Collection [Blu-ray + Digital]: $11.99 (Was $29.98)
• The Running Man [4K UHD w/Digital Copy]: $19.52 (Was $25.99)
• Scary Movie 1-3 Collection [Blu-ray + Digital]: $13.49 (Was $17.99)
• Kung Fu Panda: 4-Movie Collection [Blu-ray + Digital]: $27.49 (Was $33.21)
• Despicable Me 4-Movie Collection [Blu-ray + Digital]: $29.99 (Was $54.99)
• Fantastic Beasts 3-Film Collection [Blu-ray]: $12.99 (Was $21.67)
• Shutter Island [4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital]: $16.99 (Was $25.99)
• A Quiet Place 2-Movie Collection [4K UHD]: $23.49 (Was $33.99)

With all due respect to some classic central TV show protagonists, there are times when it is a good idea to shift gears a bit and show things from another character’s perspective. This has actually become a relatively common practice as many modern small-screen favorites have given a scene-stealing supporting character (or even a never-before-seen character) the chance to almost completely steal the show for an episode. The following are some of the most revered examples.

“Lower Decks” - Star Trek: The Next Generation

According to TV Tropes, episodes that put supporting characters in the spotlight are referred to as “lower decks episodes.” The term is borrowed from the title of a classic episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation from Season 7 which focuses on a group of younger characters who are working their way up in the ranks at Starfleet.

“Five-O” - Better Call Saul

Sometimes a character becomes such a memorable scene-stealer that they earn their own equally great spin-off series, such as when Breaking Bad's Jimmy "Saul Goodman" McGill (Bob Odenkirk) became the star of the prequel, Better Call Saul. In just its first season, the AMC hit proved that Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) could have led his own series, too, in "Five-O," which peers into his origins as a former Philadelphia police officer.

“Dear Sigmund” - M.A.S.H.

One character from M.A.S.H. whom you could always rely on to give sage advice is Maj. Sidney Freedman (Allan Arbus), who got to the be star in a Season 5 episode called "Dear Sigmund." The Alan Alda-directed episode sees the recurring character penning a letter to legendary psychiatrist Sigmund Freud while visiting the 4077.

“Life Of Brian” - My So-Called Life

A great '90s show that ended far too soon was My So-Called Life, which starred Claire Danes in the Golden Globe-winning main role of struggling teen Angela Chase. One of the few episodes not narrated by Angela is the revered "Life of Brian," which primarily focuses on the personal struggles of her friend, Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall).

“Musings Of A Cigarette Smoking Man” - The X Files

The first episode of The X Files in which David Duchovny's Fox Mulder does not appear at all and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is only seen briefly in archival footage from the pilot episode is "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man." The Season 4 episode sheds light on the past of the mysterious recurring role (William B. Davis), portraying him almost as a Forrest Gump-like figure for historical assassinations, such as JFK.

“The Zeppo” - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

In the Season 3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, "The Zeppo," the titular teen warrior (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is faced with a problem that is merely the B-plot. The main storyline focuses on Xander (Nicholas Brendon), who likens himself to Zeppo Marx, feeling like the gang's most expendable member, until he must singlehandedly take on a group of reanimated corpses conspiring to blow up his high school.

“His Story” - Scrubs

There are several episodes of Scrubs that pass narrative duties from J.D. (Zach Braff) onto another character. The first of the bunch was Season 2's "His Story," which follows Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley) as he speaks with his therapist about issues he is experiencing in his personal life.

"How Your Mother Met Me" - How I Met Your Mother

After finally meeting Tracy "The Mother" McConnell (Cristin Milioti) in the Season 8 finale, watching her mingle with the rest of the gang, and catching glimpses of her relationship with Ted (Josh Radnor) throughout Season 9, we finally got to know her personally in How I Met Your Mother's 200th episode. Chronicling the series' entire timeline up to that point all from her perspective (during which she experiences heartbreaking tragedy, tough life decisions, and The Naked Man), "How Your Mother Met Me" is easily considered one of the best HIMYM episodes.

"Chapter 5: Return Of The Mandalorian" - The Book Of Boba Fett

After Tamuera Morrison took on the iconic role of Boba Fett on The Mandalorian Season 2, he became the star of his own seven-part spin-off, The Book of Boba Fett. However, the fifth chapter sees the limited series essentially become The Mandalorian Season 2.5 as it focuses entirely on Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin, who ends up becoming the star of the show from that point on.

"Long, Long Time" - The Last Of Us

The most widely celebrated episode of HBO's series adaptation of the popular video game series, The Last of Us, spends the least amount of time with our central protagonists, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). The Emmy-winning "Long, Long Time" is also the first and last episode to feature the characters of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), tracing their loving relationship over several years after the cordyceps outbreak.

"Teddy Perkins" - Atlanta

Arguably, the best episode of Atlanta has very little to do with creator Donald Glover's Earn or Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) but does heavily feature Glover in a whole different kind of role. The main focus of Season 2's "Teddy Perkins" is Lakeith Stanfield's Darius, who is seeking to buy a piano from the episode's reclusive, eccentric title character (played by a nearly unrecognizable Glover under heavy makeup, who is discovered to be hiding a disturbing secret.

"Almost Got 'Im" - Batman: The Animated Series

Many DC fans agree that the best episode of Batman: The Animated Series is one that shifts the perspective from Kevin Conroy's Dark Knight to the five most notorious members of his rogues gallery. In "Almost Got 'Im," Poison Ivy, The Penguin, The Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc gather for a Poker game, during which they trade stories about the times they came closest to defeating the Caped Crusader.

"Wilson" - House

Considering how the titular diagnostician from House (played by Hugh Laurie) is inspired by Sherlock Holmes (whose stories are narrated by John Watson), it is funny that the medical drama is not told from the perspective of the "Watson" in his life. That would change in Season 6 with the airing of "Wilson," which follows Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. James Wilson racing to save the life of his friend, Tucker (Joshua Malina).

"The Ricklantis Mixup" - Rick And Morty

Technically, this classic Rick and Morty episode shows more of the titular duo than any other but because it is really told from the point of view of their many alternate selves, it deserves a spot. The misleadingly titled "The Ricklantis Mixup" is essentially a mini-anthology movie that takes place during a day at the Citadel of Ricks from various perspectives.

"Exposé" - Lost

Out of the many survivors of the plane crash, only a chosen few were recognized as main members of the Lost cast but one episode revealed the backstories of two lesser-seen survivors. "Exposé" begins with Nikki (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro) found dead before flashing back to the couple's lives before the island and their experiences on it.

"A Jury In Jail" - American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson

The eighth episode of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson still depicts a great deal of the legendary trial from the perspective of the accused former athlete (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) and the opposing legal teams. However, the focus does shift more heavily to the jury and their alternates as sequestration begins to have a challenging effect on them.

"Beard After Hours" - Ted Lasso

In Season 2 of one of the best Apple TV+ original TV shows, Ted Lasso, "Man City" sees Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) go off on his own after AFC Richmond suffers a tough loss. The following episode, "Beard After Hours," sees what the character went through after he walked away, which involves an epic, night-long journey of debauchery, self-discovery, and near-death experiences.

"Pine Barrens" - The Sopranos

Tony (James Gandolfini) and his souring affair with Gloria is the B-plot of the Season 3 Sopranos episode, "Pine Barrens." The central focus is Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and Paulie (Tony Sirico), who come close to freezing to death after getting lost in the woods after being tasked with running collections for the flu-ridden Silvio.

"Blink" - Doctor Who

One of the most acclaimed (and frightening) modern episodes of Doctor Who, "Blink," barely features David Tennant's eponymous time lord or his companion, Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), due to them becoming stuck in the year 1969. Thus, it is up to a woman from the present day named Sally Sparrow (Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan) to prevent statue-esque creatures called Weeping Angels from taking control of the TARDIS.

"What Wood You Wear?" - Dave

While FX's Dave is a fictionalized look at the rise of Dave "'Lil Dicky" Burd (who also co-creates and stars as himself), the humorous hip-hop artist was sure not to hog the spotlight for the first season's entirety. In the seventh episode, "What Wood You Wear?," Dave's buddy Elz (Travis "Taco" Bennett) takes center stage as it follows him DJing at a silent disco and sparking a romantic connection with Emma (Christine Ko).

"Live Bait" - The Walking Dead

Season 3 of The Walking Dead ended with The Governor (David Morrissey) wiping out most of his crew and taking off with the last of his loyal henchpeople. The sixth episode of the fourth season, "Live Bait," fills us in on what he had been up to since then, showing evidence of redemption since Woodbury's destruction as he bonds with a small family but also evidence of a further descent into madness, which leads to his attack on the prison.

"A Quick One, While He's Away" - BoJack Horseman

In addition to any of the main characters from Netflix's animated acclaimed TV sitcom, BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett's eponymous washed-up celebrity does not show up, nor is he mentioned by name in Season 6's "A Quick One, While He's Away." However, the episode does focus on characters who have been heavily, and mostly negatively, affected by his actions, based on their implied references to him.

"Teacup" - Man Seeking Woman

Creator Simon Rich's absurd romantic fantasy satire, Man Seeking Woman, is told largely from a male perspective (specifically that of Jay Baruchel's Josh Greenberg) but flips the script with Season 1's "Teacup," which makes Josh's sister, Liz (future Severance cast member, Britt Lower), the star. Liz experiences common pains of modern dating in a ridiculously exaggerated manner, from becoming jealous of a group of married girls who are much younger (elementary school age, to be exact) to literally Frankensteining the perfect man for her, only to learn he is gay.

"Zuko Alone" - Avatar: The Last Airbender

One of the most interesting ways that a TV show can shake things up is by making its main antagonist the star of an episode, such as "Zuko Alone" from Nickelodeon's original Avatar: The Last Airbender series. The seventh chapter of "Book Two: Earth" sees the Firebender (voiced by Dante Basco) reminiscing about his childhood after he is exiled from his village.

"New York, I Love You" - Master Of None

In a Season 2 episode of Netflix's Master of None called "New York, I Love You," Dev (co-creator Aziz Ansari) and his friends only appear in the bookend scenes. Instead, the focus shifts primarily toward the intersecting lives of a group of never-before-seen working-class New Yorkers, including a doorman, a deaf cashier, and a taxi driver.

“Ballad Of The Lonesome Loser" - High Fidelity

Much like the classic music movie Nick Hornby's novel inspired in 2000, Hulu's series adaptation of High Fidelity follows the romantic challenges of record store owner Rob Gordon (Zoë Kravitz)... except for Episode 8. In "Ballad of the Lonesome Loser," Rob's gay friend and coworker Simon (David H. Holmes) gets the chance to break the fourth wall and discuss his romantic struggles.

“The Algae's Always Greener" - SpongeBob Squarepants

Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) has been the primary focus in a few episodes of SpongeBob Squarepants, the funniest and most amusing of which would have to be "The Algae's Always Greener." Fed up with always failing in his attempts to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula, the pint-sized Chum Bucket owner uses a special device that allows him to experience life from the perspective of his longtime rival, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown).

"A View From The Gallery" - Babylon 5

Years after Star Trek: The Next Generation helped coin the "lower decks episode" term, Babylon 5 – a sci-fi series that earns many comparisons to the Star Trek franchise – released its own. "A View from the Gallery" is told largely from the perspective of the eponymous space station's custodial crew.

"Tarrare" - Atlanta

The Season 3 finale of Atlanta, "Tarrare," provided an eye-opening explanation for Vanessa's (Zazie Beetz) unusual behavior, showing that she has adopted a bizarre alternate personality, and a French accent while living in Paris. Donald Glover's Earn is the only other main character to appear in the episode but does not show up until the even weirder post-credit sequence.

"5 To 9" - House

After dedicating an entire episode to Robert Sean Leonard's Wilson, House gave Lisa Edelstein's Dr. Lisa Cuddy the same treatment. Season 6's "5 to 9" follows a day in the life of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital's Dean of Medicine and Chief Hospital Administrator.

"Symphony Of Illumination" - How I Met Your Mother

In the Season 7 episode, "Symphony of Illumination," How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders' Robin Scherbatsky takes over as the narrator to tell her future son and daughter about her and Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) pregnancy scare. However, she later discovers that she is actually unable to have children and the kids she was talking to only existed in her imagination.

“Relevance” - Person Of Interest

Season 2 of CBS' Person of Interest introduced a new character named Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi) in an episode that made her the star of most of the action.

There have been so many excellent interpretations of Batman since the character’s conception in 1939. What may be my favorite, though, is the version of the Dark Knight that Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski created for the once-burgeoning DC Animated Universe. Voiced effortlessly by the late Kevin Conroy, this take on Bruce Wayne is incredibly three-dimensional and, on multiple occasions, he proved himself to be an absolute legend. On that note, we’re going to discuss more than 30 of his most defining moments.

Scarecrow’s Fear Toxin Is No Match For Batman’s Will

Batman: Animated Series’ “Nothing to Fear” sees the titular hero facing off with Scarecrow for the first time. During the episode, Batman finds himself impacted by the villain’s fear toxin and sees hallucinations. By the end, though, the Bat overcomes his fears naturally while confronting the straw-covered baddie. And it's during that confrontation that he utters the iconic line, “I am vengeance... I am the night... I am BATMAN!”

Batman Sits With Ace Until Her Death

A DCAU episode that really resonates with me (and likely other fans) is Justice League Unlimited’s “Epilogue.” The installment features a scene with the Bat, who’s been tasked with killing psychic Royal Flush Gang member Ace using a special weapon. Instead, the do-gooder spares her and sits with the terminally ill young lady until she dies. The decision is not just a testament to the Caped Crusader’s heroism but his propensity for compassion as well.

Batman Sings “Am I Blue?” To Save Wonder Woman

It’s hard to forget “This Little Piggy” from Justice League: Unlimited’s first season, which sees Wonder Woman transformed into a swine by the vengeful Circe. Batman leads the charge to save his teammate and, in the end, he’s forced to perform a rendition of “Am I Blue” to save Diana. Not only is he successful, but he also reveals his smooth vocals.

Bruce Wayne Fights Kyodai Ken By The Side Of A Volcano

On BTAS, Bruce Wayne has a couple of encounters with the devious Kyodai Ken, who he trained alongside as a student of Yoru. Their second run-in sees the two having a final battle on the volcanic Mount Kajiiki. Wayne emerges victorious, and Kyodai bows to him before seemingly dying amid a sea of lava.

Batman Convinces His Justice Lord Counterpart To Switch Allegiances

The vigilante and his fellow Justice Leaguers find themselves in a parallel universe in the two-parter “A Better World” (two of the best JL episodes). While he and the team are faced with dictator counterparts called the Justice Lords who want to invade their world, Batman manages to convince his variant to help his team escape. The OG Bat does so by questioning his doppelganger whether their parents would approve of his life choices.

Dr. Destiny Can’t Top The Dark Knight’s Mental Strength

Anyone who needs proof of Batman’s mental toughness merely needs to watch Justice League’s “Only A Dream.” In it, the team faces the dream-hopping Doctor Destiny, who manages to incapacitate most of the league. Yet Destiny is unable to enter the Bat’s mind, which provides an opening for the hero to trap the villain in his own dreams.

Batman Risks His Life To Steer A Missile Off Course

The monstrous Doomsday re-emerges in Justice League Unlimited’s “Doomsday Sanction,” leading Cadmus member General Eiling to launch a nuclear cruise missile with a Kryptonite warhead at the crime-ridden San Baquero. Batman ultimately uses a Javelin (aircraft) to latch onto the projectile and have it overshoot the island. The hero survives using an escape pod but is left injured.

Batman Dodges Darkseid’s Omega Beams

It’s hard to forget the sight of Batman avoiding the villainous Darkseid’s omega beams, which zig and zag until they hit their target. As noted by the ruler of Apokolips himself in JLU’s “Destroyer,” no one has ever done that, and Bats deserves credit not just for accomplishing it but also for making the Big Bad say “impressive.”

Bruce Wayne Easily Fights Off Jokerz In His 70s

Though he’s a senior citizen by the events of Batman Beyond (one of the best iterations of the character), Bruce Wayne is still a force to be reckoned with on the show. He proved that early on when teamed up with Terry McGinnis to take down members of the Jokerz gang when they trail him to Wayne’s property in the pilot, “Rebirth.” Don’t mess with a seasoned man with a cane.

Batman Cleverly Escapes Riddler’s Death Trap

One of the best BTAS villains, Riddler nearly ends Batman’s life in “Riddler’s Reform,” when he traps the crime fighter in a convention center with a bomb. In the end, the Bat escapes, despite there seemingly being no available exits. Sometime after taking out the criminal mastermind, Bruce reveals that he survived the blast by getting into a nearby safe. This is only made better by the fact that he doesn’t reveal the means of his escape to Riddler, who loudly questions it at Arkham Asylum.

Batman Taunts Rupert Thorne With A Weakened Bane

Want to talk about a serious flex? In the Batman: The Animated Series episode “Bane,” the tough hero not only beats the imposing assassin but saves him from a venom overload as well. Bats then takes the de-powered man to his employer, Rupert Thorne, and asks for a better challenge, before alerting Thorne to his secretary and Bane’s plan to kill him.

The Injustice League Is Fooled By Batman

In the Justice League story “Injustice for All,” the World’s Greatest Detective is captured by the Injustice League. However, he eventually escapes by making a deal with the Ultra-Humanite and frames Cheetah for the betrayal.

Batman Fools Four Of His Greatest Enemies While In Disguise

“Almost Got ‘Im” is one of the greatest BTAS episodes – and for good reason. In it, several of Batman’s greatest foes recall instances in which they nearly bested him. The twist ending, though, involves Batman revealing himself to be disguised as bad guy Killer Croc in order to get information as part of a police sting operation. It’s a satisfying installment, with an excellent conclusion.

Superman Is Chastised By Batman For Hesitating To Help Darkseid

Not too many people can chew out the Man of Steel, but that’s exactly what Gotham’s top hero does when Darkseid approaches the Justice League for help defending Apokolips from Brainiac in “Twilight.” After laying out the ways in which the villain has hurt Supes, the Bat tells him to “get over it” and to cry him a river.

Batman De-Orbits The Watchtower To Prevent The Thanagarian Invasion

The Justice League series finale “Starcrossed” sees the team trying to defend the Earth from a Thanagarian invasion, which involves a wormhole projector called the Hyperspace Bypass Generator. Ultimately, the group decides to destroy it with the Watchtower, and Batman surprises his teammates by risking his life manually steering the base into the device.

Batman Trolls Amanda Waller While Defending Long Shadow

Cadmus’ Amanda Waller doesn’t take guff from anyone, though Batman one-ups her from time to time. When she and her gun-toting comrades try to take dying Ultimen member Long Shadow into their custody in JLU’s “Ultimatum,” Bats, Superman and Aquaman shield the young man. Waller and co. back down after the Batman cheekily says, “mine are bigger than yours.”

Batman Interrogates A Burglar And Throws Him For A Loop

After three burglars break into S.T.A.R. Labs in Justice League’s “Maid of Honor,” Batman captures one of them for interrogation. The Kaznian thief derides the hero in his native tongue, saying that Leaguer can’t understand him and won’t get the info he seeks. However, after the spiel, Bats shocks the crook by speaking the language and saying, “I can and you will…”

Bruce Wayne Risks His Life To Help Terry McGinnis Take Down Inque

It’s explained in “Disappearing Inque” – a Batman Beyond episode – that shortly before his retirement from crime-fighting, Bruce Wayne developed an exosuit to increase his endurance and strength as he aged. Said armor took a toll on his heart, but Bruce ended up breaking it out again – and risking his health – to help protégé Terry defeat the shapeshifting Inque.

Batman Fights His Way Out Of The Mad Hatter’s Simulation

“Perchance to Dream” is one of the greatest BTAS installments and sees Bruce Wayne waking up in a perfect reality, where his parents are even still alive. Wayne eventually realizes it’s not real and uses his mental strength to fight (and even take down a hallucination of Batman) in order to escape a device created by the Mad Hatter.

A Blind Batman Defeats The Penguin

The Dark Knight’s been in a number of precarious situations and, in Batman: The Animated Series’ “Blind as a Bat,” he finds himself temporarily blinded. While he later makes use of a sensor aid, the headpiece is unintentionally powered down during his battle with Penguin. Yet the blind vigilante bests the monocle-wearing gangster using a water valve and a steam-filled room.

Bruce Wayne Snaps Terry McGinnis Out Of Spellbinder’s Trance

Spellbinder, a villain who specializes in mind control, takes control of several Neo-Gotham citizens, including Terry McGinnis on Batman Beyond’s “Spellbound.” The crafty antagonist makes Terry hallucinate that he’s participating in a shopping spree as part of a game show, when he’s really stealing from Wayne Manor. After Bruce finds and tries to stop him, McGinnis puts up a fight, but Bruce quickly trips him to break the trance.

The Immortal Ra's al Ghul Is Defeated By Batman

“The Demon Reborn” marks the first appearance of Ra's al Ghul on BTAS, and the two-part story culminates in the immortal warrior having a swordfight with Batman over a Lazarus Pit. After the Bat throws his sword to damage Ra’s bomb countdown device, the latter lunges at the hero and loses his balance. While the hero tries to help him, Ra’s realizes he has no way out and throws himself into the pit.

Batman Delivers A Sweet Tribute To Superman

“Hereafter” is one of the most compelling tales ever told by Justice League, as it centers around Superman’s supposed death at the hands of some of his greatest enemies. While the proud Batman refuses to believe his comrade was incinerated, he later swallows his pride and visits a memorial set up for the Man of Steel. It's there that he delivers a tribute that aptly sums up his relationship with Supes.

Batman Confirms He Knows Flash’s Secret Identity While Revealing His Own

The Justice League is forced to contend with a Thanagarian invasion in the series finale, “Starcrossed” and must go underground, donning civilian clothing in the process. The Flash objects to his “secret identity” being revealed. However, Batman interjects, revealing he’s known Flash is Wally West – and divulging his own identity as well as Superman’s to the team. This speaks to the Bat’s detective skills and willingness to do what’s necessary in a crisis.

Future Bruce Wayne Shows His Younger Counterpart How To Interrogate Someone

JLU’s “The Once and Future Thing Part Two: Time, Warped” is the second half of a fun time travel story and, among its surprises are the return of Terry McGinnis and the future Bruce Wayne. The latter still maintains his voracity, as proven when he tells his younger predecessor to step aside so that he can show him how to interrogate Jokerz member Ghoul. That’s right – Batman actually taught Batman something.

Batman Proves Himself To Be A Loyal Friend To Harvey Dent

Before Harvey Dent became Two-Face, he and Bruce Wayne were good friends. So, in the BTAS episode “Second Chance,” Batman oversees Harvey’s transportation to a hospital for an operation that may heal his face. While Batman does what he can to save Harvey from his less savory side, the surgery doesn’t happen, but the sheer compassion he shows for his former friend until the end is commendable.

Batman Shows Arnold Stromwell The Error Of His Ways

“It’s Never Too Late” sees Batman trying to convince aging mobster Arnold Stromwell to change his ways. He ultimately does so by taking Stromwell to his old neighborhood and a rehabilitation center, where Arnold’s son is dealing with drug withdrawal. This appeal represents one of the finest moments in BTAS.

Harley Quinn’s Dress Is Recovered By Batman

Harley Quinn is declared sane and released from Arkham Asylum in Batman: The Animated Series’ “Harley’s Holiday.” Early on, Harley covets a dress in a department store, but chaos erupts, leading to a wild adventure. In the end, Quinn is returned to Arkham by Batman and Robin, but the former still compassionately presents her with the dress she wanted – after which Quinn kisses the Caped Crusader.

Batman Intimidates Deadshot After His Teammates Couldn’t

It goes without saying that Batman can strike the fear of God into someone, and he intimidates assassin Deadshot after he tries to kill Aquaman in the JL installment “The Enemy Below.” That’s impressive enough but is even more so due to the fact that Superman and others couldn’t even unnerve the criminal.

Batman Saves Girl From Burning Building (With Some Help)

Batman ventures into a burning tenement complex to save a young girl named Trina, who is recovered by the vigilante. However, when the fire spreads, their possible exits are destroyed, though Hawkgirl ultimately gets them both out. Despite that, this incident speaks to (the non-powered) Batman’s sheer heroism.

Future Bruce Wayne Manages To Take Down A Mutated Terry McGinnis

“Splicers” involves the devious Dr. Cuvier uses the process of splicing – mixing human and animal DNA – on teens. While investigating Cuvier, Terry McGinnis of Batman Beyond ends up injected with vampire bat DNA and mutates. The Man-Bat-esque Terry arrives at the Batcave, where Bruce is preparing an antidote and, following a scuffle the elderly Wayne cures his predecessor.

Bruce Wayne Comforts Young Dick Grayson

Batman: The Animated Series won a Primetime Emmy for “Robin’s Reckoning, Part 1” and for good reason. It establishes the origins of Robin in the DCAU and features a flashback in which Bruce Wayne relates with his newly fostered son, Dick Grayson, over the shared grief of losing their parents. It’s an emotionally powerful scene and one that exemplifies how Wayne manages to connect to young people.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are a great opportunity not only to find the perfect gifts for all of your loved ones, but to take advantage of the deals for yourself. TV fans know that some of the best streaming services can offer amazing savings that will let you watch Christmas movies on Hulu for 99 cents, take a gander at Paramount Plus’ coziest sitcoms for 67% off and finally check out those incredible HBO shows on Max for just $2.99. However, if physical media is more your style, there are lots of Blu-ray and DVD sales happening for Cyber Monday that are really too good to pass up.

There were lots of Cyber Monday entertainment deals that started last week, but if you’ve been too tired from your turkey coma to do any post-Thanksgiving shopping, it’s definitely not too late!

One great gift idea for any TV fan – whether that’s you or someone else – is to finally invest in Blu-ray or DVD copies of your favorite shows. That way you won’t be beholden to a streaming service when it’s time for a rewatch, not to mention that owning an entire box set of a completed series is quite the collection item. In addition to these 45 Blu-ray and DVD sales too good for any movie buff to pass up, here are some TV deals to jump on ASAP.

Action And Drama TV Fans' Cyber Monday DVD And Blu-Ray Deals

• Mad Men: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray + Digital HD]: $99.99 (Was $209.97)
• Sherlock: Seasons 1-4 & Abominable Bride Gift Set [Blu-ray]: $25.99 (Was $99.99)
• Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $53.99 (Was $99.98)
• The New Adventures of Batman: The Complete Collection BD [Blu-ray]: $14.99 (Was $29.98)
• Vikings: The Complete Series (BD) [Blu-ray]: $66.99 (Was $139.99)
• Mr. Robot: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $29.99 (Was $99.98)
• Riverdale: The Complete Series [DVD]: $69.99 (Was $112.99)
• Maverick: The Complete Series [DVD]: $49.49 (Was $94.99)

If the shows you and your loved ones are into are more of the comedic variety, not to worry! There are some great sitcoms on sale for Cyber Monday as well, including some real classics.

Comedy TV Fans' Cyber Monday DVD And Blu-Ray Deals

• Friends: The Complete Series [Repackaged/Blu-ray]: $39.95 (Was $57.31)
• Frasier: The Complete Series Box Set [Blu-ray]: $115.72 (Was $129.99)
• The Good Place: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $37.49 (Was $69.97)
• Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way BD [Blu-ray]: $58.99 (Was $84.99)
• M.A.S.H: The Complete Series [DVD]: $54.88 (Was $95.99)
• Seinfeld: Complete Series Box Set [Repackage, DVD]: $48.99 (Was $119.99)
• Family Matters: The Complete Series [DVD]: $39.99 (Was $114.99)

Why should adults have all the fun? For the young (or young at heart), there are also some really great animated series with box sets that any dedicated fan should own. Check them out below!

Kids And Animated TV Fans’ Cyber Monday DVD And Blu-ray Deals

• Cowboy Bebop: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $18.49 (Was $59.98)
• Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $20.99 (Was $25.21)
• Yu Yu Hakusho - 30th Anniversary Box Set [Blu-ray]: $89.76 (Was $119.98)
• Teen Titans: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $36.39 (Was $41.94)
• Samurai Jack: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $29.99 (Was $39.50)
• The Flintstones: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $29.99 (Was $84.99)
• Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Complete Series [DVD]: $22.98 (Was $69.99)

It can be tough to nail down the perfect gifts to please everybody around the holidays, but at discounts like these, I just don’t see how I could pass up the opportunity to invest in not just a series to watch over and over again, but the ultimate collection item for TV fans. And while you’re doing your shopping, be sure to check out these best TV deals for any budget, as well as all of the other unmissable Cyber Monday streaming deals, if you still want to subscribe to Hulu, Disney+, Max or any of the others.

Being a superhero must be especially taxing around the Christmas season since vigilantes do not really have the luxury of being able to take the day off that time of year. At least it gives fans like me a chance to enjoy some entertaining and certainly non-traditional Christmas movies and TV specials in which our favorite comic book characters are forced to become protectors of holiday cheer. Celebrate the season in the most “super” way possible by watching these great Christmas movies, TV shows, and specials featuring your beloved costumed crime fighters.

Batman Returns (1992)

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer

What it’s about: A snow-covered Gotham City serves as a battleground for Bruce Wayne as he faces off against The Penguin and enters a flirtatious rivalry with Catwoman.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Batman Returns (also one of the all-time best live-action Batman movies for its dazzling production design and some of Michael Keaton's best Batman moments) teaches us that mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it, but a kiss can be deadlier if you mean it.

How to watch Batman Returns

• Stream Batman Returns on Max
• Rent or buy Batman Returns on Amazon
• Buy Batman Returns on Blu-ray on Amazon

Hawkeye (2021)

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld

What it’s about: Retired Avenger Clint Barton crosses paths with young, aspiring archer Kate Bishop who helps him defeat a terrifying foe so he can make it back home in time for Christmas.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld’s chemistry and some fun action sequences make Hawkeye one of Disney+’s best Marvel TV shows yet and easily one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most festive installments.

How to watch Hawkeye

• Stream Hawkeye on Disney+

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Director: Shane Black

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

What it’s about: Tony Stark begins to suffer a bit of an identity crisis while facing his most dangerous enemy yet as the holidays roll around.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: The first of the Marvel movies to get into the holiday spirit (as confirmed by Disney+) was the uniquely thrilling Iron Man 3, which is also just one of many Christmas action movies from Shane Black.

How to watch Iron Man 3

• Stream Iron Man 3 on Disney+
• Buy Iron Man 3 on Amazon
• Buy Iron Man 3 on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper

What it’s about: Hoping to cheer up Peter Quill, Drax and Mantis pay a visit to Earth in search of the perfect Christmas gift for him.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: The most recent MCU installment with a festive twist is The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which is destined to be a Christmas staple for its hilarious and heartwarming moments, a fantastic soundtrack, and an appearance by a cinematic icon.

How to watch The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

• Stream The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney+

Arrow: Three Ghosts (2013)

Starring: Robbie Amell, Katie Cassidy

What it’s about: After Oliver Queen is drugged and left for dead by Cyrus Gold, he is given a cure by Felicity that causes him to hallucinate about his past.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: The ninth episode of the second season of Arrow (one of the best DC TV shows on Netflix), “Three Ghosts,” is an absorbing take on one of the most influential holiday stories of all time, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

How to watch Arrow: Three Ghosts

• Stream Arrow: Three Ghosts on Netflix
• Buy Arrow: Three Ghosts on Amazon

Ultimate Spider-Man: Nightmare On Christmas (2014)

Starring: Drake Bell, Mark Hamill

What it’s about: A run-in with Nightmare takes Peter Parker on a journey through his past, present, and future and offers a glimpse of a world without the webslinger.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Another fun Dickensian superhero Christmas special is the 22nd episode of the third season of Ultimate Spider-Man (one of the best animated Spider-Man TV shows), “Nightmare on Christmas,” which also bears some similarities to the plot of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life.

How to watch Ultimate Spider-Man: Nightmare on Christmas

• Stream Ultimate Spider-Man: Nightmare on Christmas on Disney+
• Buy Ultimate Spider-Man: Nightmare on Christmas on Amazon

Smallville: Lexmas (2005)

Starring: Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum

What it’s about: After a gunshot puts him in a coma, Lex Luthor experiences a flash-forward in which he is raising a middle-class family with Lana Lang.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Another holiday episode of a comic book TV show boasting loose inspiration from A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life is “Lexmas” – the ninth episode of the fifth season of Smallville which is a largely heartwarming story before taking a dark twist.

How to watch Smallville: Lexmas

• Stream Smallville: Lexmas on Hulu
• Buy Smallville on Blu-ray on Amazon

Batman: The Animated Series: Christmas With The Joker (1992)

Starring: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill

What it’s about: The Joker challenges Batman and Robin to rescue a kidnapped Commissioner Gordon, Harvey Bullock, and Summer Gleeson before midnight on Christmas Eve.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Another superhero Christmas episode featuring Mark Hamill as the villain is “Christmas with the Joker” – an all-time classic Batman: The Animated Series episode for the Clown Prince of Crime and the 38th episode from Season 1 of one of the best animated TV shows.

How to watch Batman: The Animated Series: Christmas with The Joker

• Stream Batman: The Animated Series: Christmas with The Joker on Max
• Stream Batman: The Animated Series: Christmas with The Joker on Amazon Prime

The Flash: Running To Stand Still (2013)

Starring: Grant Gustin, Mark Hamill

What it’s about: Weather Wizard breaks Captain Cold and The Trickster to collaborate on an attack against Barry Allen’s alter ego around the holidays.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Yet another superhero Christmas episode featuring Mark Hamill as a villain (The Trickster) is “Running to Stand Still,” which, as The Flash’s second mid-season finale, certainly does not disappoint as entertaining spectacle, let alone its holiday themes.

How to watch The Flash: Running to Stand Still

• Stream The Flash: Running to Stand Still on Netflix
• Rent or buy The Flash: Running to Stand Still on Amazon
• Buy The Flash on Blu-ray on Amazon

Shazam! (2019)

Director: David F. Sandberg

Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong

What it’s about: An abandoned teen is imbued with powers and an adult body by a wizard who chooses him to be his champion.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: One of the funniest superhero movies set around Christmas (or funniest comic book movies in general) is Shazam!, which you may recall features a wild third act set at an elaborate holiday display.

How to watch Shazam!

• Stream Shazam! on Max
• Rent or buy Shazam! on Amazon
• Buy Shazam! on Blu-ray on Amazon

Merry Little Batman (2023)

Director: Mike Roth

Starring: Luke Wilson, Yonas Kibreab, James Cromwell

What it’s about: With Bruce Wayne out helping the Justice League, his young son, Damian, is left to foil a villainous plot to steal Christmas.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: Imagine the plot of Home Alone, replace Kevin McCallister with Damian Wayne, throw in some “Grinchness,” and you basically have Merry Little Batman – one of the best movies on Amazon Prime for a family of DC fans to enjoy around the holidays.

How to watch Merry Little Batman

• Stream Merry Little Batman on Amazon Prime

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman: Twas The Night Before Mxymas (1996)

Starring: Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher, Howie Mandel

What it’s about: Clark begins reliving Christmas Eve over and over again with subtle changes to Metropolis citizens’ behavior each time, as part of a tricky imp’s spell.

Why it is one of the best Christmas superhero titles: There may be a few too many time-loop stories set around Christmas but only one has the Man of Steel and that is "Twas The Night Before Mxymas" – the charming, often hilarious, and even touching 11th episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Season 4.

How to watch Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: Twas The Night Before Mxymas

• Stream Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: Twas The Night Before Mxymas on Max
• Stream Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: Twas The Night Before Mxymas on Tubi
• Buy Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: Season 4 on DVD on Amazon

Hopefully, these titles can help rescue you from a crummy holiday.

With the release of Batman: Caped Crusader on Amazon Prime (one of the best streaming services to subscribe to today), it is clear that our fascination with the Dark Knight is not fading away any time soon. This new Batman TV show from executive producers Bruce Timm, Matt Reeves, J.J. Abrams, and more is only the latest of many animated series following the iconic DC Comics hero (voiced by Hamish Linklater), yet it has received a warm welcome from most critics and audiences and even has a second season in the works already.

The key to its success might be its intriguing period setting, its grittier action, its new take on classic characters from Gotham City, and more elements that help it stand out among other new DC TV shows. Fans of Batman: Caped Crusader can find more TV shows with those sorts of elements to check out while they wait for the hero’s return, such as the titles we have assembled here, along with where they are streaming.

Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1997)

Starring: Kevin Conroy

What it's about: Burdened by the murder of his parents years ago, Bruce Wayne dresses as a creature of the night to wage war on crime and corruption in his home city.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: The involvement of executive producer Bruce Timm notwithstanding, Caped Crusader, in many ways, serves as a sort of spiritual counterpart to the Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (featuring one of the best Batman voice actors, which is considered one of the greatest animated TV shows of all time, regardless of era or source material.

How to watch Batman: The Animated Series

• Stream Batman: The Animated Series on Amazon Prime
• Stream Batman: The Animated Series on Max
• Buy Batman: The Animated Series on Blu-ray on Amazon

X-Men '97 (2024-Present)

Starring: Cal Dodd, George Buza

What it's about: A group of specially gifted individuals use their unusual abilities to protect a world that struggles to accept their differences.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: Another one of the most influential animated superhero TV shows of the 1990s (let alone ever) was X-Men, which Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97 — available with a Disney+ subscription — serves as more than just a spiritual counterpart or tribute to but a direct continuation of.

How to watch X-Men '97

• Stream X-Men '97 on Disney+

The Batman (2004-2008)

Starring: Rino Romano

What it's about: A young, orphaned tech billionaire takes on the most menacing and bizarre criminals in Gotham City.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: Despite taking place in modern times, like Caped Crusader, The Batman (one of the best DC TV shows on Netflix) appears to take place early on in Bruce Wayne’s vigilante career and also boasts many unique reinventions of his rogues gallery and other notable characters.

How to watch The Batman

• Stream The Batman on Max
• Stream The Batman on Netflix
• Buy The Batman on Blu-ray on Amazon

My Adventures With Superman (2023-Present)

Starring: Jack Quaid, Alice Lee

What it's about: Years after crash-landing on Earth as an infant, an extraterrestrial uses his extraordinary abilities to protect his city and lives a double life as an investigative journalist.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: Like Caped Crusader, Adult Swim’s modern reinvention of the Man of Steel, My Adventures with Superman, depicts the infancy of Clark Kent’s heroic exploits and introduces refreshing, new spins on some of the most famous characters from Metropolis.

How to watch My Adventures with Superman

• Stream My Adventures With Superman on Max
• Buy My Adventures With Superman on Amazon
• Buy My Adventures With Superman on DVD on Amazon

Batman: The Brave And The Bold (2008-2011)

Starring: Diedrich Bader

What it's about: Batman allies himself with various other skilled and super-powered vigilantes to help protect the Earth from treacherous threats.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: While wildly different in tone, the Emmy-nominated Batman: The Brave and the Bold relates to Caped Crusader as a throwback to a distinct, earlier time in the character's legacy — in this case the Silver Age of DC Comics, which was largely influential to the Adam West-led TV show from the 1960s.

How to watch Batman: The Brave and the Bold

• Stream Batman: The Brave and the Bold on Max
• Buy Batman: The Brave and the Bold on Amazon
• Buy Batman: The Brave and the Bold on Blu-ray on Amazon

Agent Carter (2015-2016)

Starring: Hayley Atwell, Chad Michael Murray

What it's about: Following the supposed, untimely death of Steve “Captain America” Rogers, secret agent Peggy Carter continues to fight evil (and adversity) following World War II in the 1940s.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: Audiences who especially appreciate Batman: Caped Crusader for its 1940s setting should switch universes (and medium) and check out Marvel Studios’ Agent Carter — a short-lived, live-action comic book-inspired series from creators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely that is also a refreshing entry in the spy genre for its time.

How to watch Agent Carter

• Stream Agent Carter on Disney+

Mob City (2013)

Starring: Jon Bernthal, Simon Pegg

What it's about: A tough cop keeps one foot on either side of the law as the police wage war against organized crime in 1940s Los Angeles.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: If Caped Crusader got you in the mood to watch even more mystery TV shows set in the 1940s, you should check out Mob City — a clever, gritty, limited series detective noir throwback from creator Frank Darabont.

How to watch Mob City

• Buy Mob City on Amazon

Daredevil (2015-2018)

Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio

What it's about: By day, non-seeing Matt Murdock fights crime as a mild-mannered attorney but by night, he uses his heightened other senses to fight crime with his fists.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: Another great Marvel TV show fans of Caped Crusader (and of gritty crime thrillers) might love is Daredevil — creator Drew Goddard’s beloved, grounded take on a Batman-esque character which was previously only available with a Netflix subscription before transitioning to Disney+.

How to watch Daredevil

• Stream Daredevil on Disney+
• Buy Daredevil on Amazon

Invincible (2021-Present) 

Starring: Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons

What it's about: A young, aspiring superhero struggles to live up to the expectations of his veteran vigilante father.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: There are also a few great non-DC and Marvel superhero TV shows that will appeal to fans of Batman: Caped Crusader, such as Robert Kirkman’s Invincible — another comic book-inspired animated series available with an Amazon Prime subscription that is made primarily for older audiences.

How to watch Invinicible

• Stream Invincible on Amazon Prime

The Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022)

Starring: Various

What it's about: An infant with laser eyes is accidentally released from Vought, a young man finds romance with some help from Compound-V, an inside look at the origins of Homelander, and other stories from the world of The Boys.

Why it is a great show for Batman: Caped Crusader fans to watch: Another great superhero series on Amazon Prime that might appeal to Caped Crusader fans is The Boys Presents: Diabolical — an animated anthology series that is also made primarily for older audiences and boasts a variety of unique animation styles.

How to watch The Boys Presents: Diabolical

• Stream The Boys Presents: Diabolical on Amazon Prime

Of course, there are also plenty of great superhero movies that fans of Batman: Caped Crusader will likely love. Hopefully, some of the upcoming superhero movies on the horizon will also incorporate many of the same elements that make it a standout success.

One of the main things classic mystery shows like Columbo and modern crime dramas like Sherlock have in common is that they center around not just good detectives, but incredibly intelligent investigators who find unique ways to solve crimes or other mysteries.

But who are the smartest detectives to ever grace the small screen? Well, let us solve that mystery for you as we break down a few dozen of the greatest of all time.

Inspector Columbo (Columbo)

“One more thing” is a phrase that viewers of Columbo loved to hear just as much as the show’s various criminals and bad players feared it. Peter Falk’s titular detective often put on the impression that he wasn’t putting it all together, but in that brain of his, he had it all figured out, which makes him seem even brighter.

Theo Kojak (Kojak)

Telly Savalas’ Theo Kojak wasn’t just a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense detective, he was also one who had the perfect mix of street and book smarts. Don’t let his iconic lollipop fool you, this NYPD investigator didn’t mess around one bit and could stand up to anyone and everyone both with his brawn and his brain.

Luther (Luther)

John Luther, played by Idris Elba throughout the duration of the BBC series’ run plus a Netflix movie, wasn’t necessarily a morally superior detective, but the high-ranking and embattled member of London’s SCU was the best when it came to solving crimes. He always had a plan, as well as one on the back burner when stuff eventually hit the fan.

Jimmy McNulty (The Wire)

Dominic West’s Jimmy McNulty, a character from The Wire who appeared in the most episodes, could have probably been Baltimore’s greatest police officer if he didn’t allow himself to get in the way. Despite his relationship issues, insubordination, and morally questionable decisions, he was a cop through and through and an extremely intelligent investigator.

Batman (Batman: The Animated Series) 

They don’t call Batman the world’s greatest detective for no reason. Throughout Batman: The Animated Series, the Caped Crusader gets to the bottom of a myriad of crimes, disappearances, and strange happenings in his tireless fight to clean the streets of Gotham and put no-gooders in Arkham.

Jessica Fletcher (Murder, She Wrote)

There are countless reasons why we miss Murder, She Wrote, but at the top of that list is the intelligence, warmth, and pure likeability of the series’ main character, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). The idea of a mystery writer becoming a detective and solving all manner of crimes seems far-fetched, but the qualities listed above made Fletcher one of TV’s great criminal minds.

Rustin "Rust" Cohle (True Detective)

Do you think a big dummy could come up with something like “Time is a flat circle”? Nah, Rustin “Rust” Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) in True Detective’s first season is without a doubt one of the smartest detectives to ever take the screen. This guy spent decades getting to the bottom of what some thought was an unsolvable crime. Was he odd? Totally. Dumb? Not at all.

Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock)

There have been so many different Sherlock Holmes movies and TV shows over the years, but one of the best representations of the iconic detective is Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal in Sherlock. Though rude and hard to deal with at times, this remarkably talented sleuth with an unparalleled intellect was in a league of his own.

Adrian Monk (Monk)

Tony Shalhoub’s Adrian Monk could very well be one of the greatest TV detectives of all time, no matter how you cut it. Tasked with solving all kinds of unconventional cases, this private detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder and a range of other issues could do just about anything unless his various phobias got in the way.

James "Sonny" Crockett and Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (Miami Vice)

James “Sonny” Crockett and Richard “Rico” Tubbs from Miami Vice were good detectives on their own, but together they were the best South Florida had to offer. Throughout the series, the due balanced their personal issues with those of the department all while getting to the bottom of some nasty crimes requiring both their brains.

Olivia Benson (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson has been a major force on Law and Order: SVU ever since the show’s debut back in 1999, and during that time, she’s been instrumental in solving some serious crimes. Though she can sometimes lose her cool, the detective-turned-commanding officer can get to the bottom of some perilous situations better than most.

Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie's Poirot)

There have been some great portrayals of Hercule Poirot over the years, including David Suchet’s take on the famous character in Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Throughout the show’s 13 seasons, the legendary detective used his brains and wits to bring an end to all kinds of mysteries. And just when it looked like Poirot was about to be outdone, the mustached detective would pull off some trick and bring it home. 

Lennie Briscoe (Law & Order)

If there is one character from the original Law and Order series that folks remember the most (at least on the detective side of the show), it would have to be Jerry Orbach’s Lennie Briscoe. Despite his rough-and-tumble demeanor and hardened attitude, this homicide detective had no problem solving murders, even if he had to put someone in a corner.

Lester Freamon (The Wire)

Behind just about every great idea in The Wire was Clarke Peters’ Lester Freamon, an intelligent, wise, and loyal detective from the Baltimore Police Department. Though a bit prickly at times (aren’t they all?), Lester was essentially the father figure of the Major Crimes Unit and had decades of experience.

Frank Pembleton (Homicide: Life On The Street)

Frank Pembleton, played by the late, great Andre Braughter, was essentially the key member of the Homicide: Life on the Street ensemble cast and one of the smartest characters ever created by Tom Fontana and David Simon. Both eccentric and intelligent, the young detective constantly found new and unorthodox ways to go about murder investigations.

Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)

Don’t let Veronica Mars’ (Kristen Bell) age make you think she’s not a capable, or smart, detective, as this crafty private eye is probably one of the best to ever do it on the small screen. Throughout the original Veronica Mars series, the film adaptation, and the revival series years later, this sleuth was wise beyond her years.

Jim Rockford (The Rockford Files)

On top of having a banger of a theme song, The Rockford Files also featured one of the best TV detectives with James Garner’s Jim Rockford. Brash, daring, and wildly smart, this private eye could hold his own both physically and mentally.

Bunk Moreland (The Wire)

Though prone to make mistakes and lapses in judgment alongside Jimmy McNulty, Bunk Moreland (Wendell Piere) was honestly one of the smartest and hardest-working detectives featured on The Wire. Plus, that one scene in “Old Cases” is perhaps one of the greatest TV moments of all time.

Virgil Tibbs (In The Heat Of The Night)

Taking over a role made famous by Sidney Poitier two decades earlier was no easy task, but Howard Rollins did a masterful job of playing Virgil Tibbs on In the Heat of the Night. Not only was he great when solving cases, but his mental chess with Carroll O’Connor’s Police Chief Bill Gillespie was about as good as it gets.

Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks)

Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) is technically an FBI special agent on Twin Peaks, but there’s no way we could make a list of the smartest TV detectives and not include the iconic character. His idiosyncrasies, his love of coffee and pie, and his inability to let things go all make Agent Cooper someone anyone would want investigating a case.

John Munch (Homicide: Life On The Street)

Richard Belzer’s John Munch is undeniably one of the most annoying detectives to ever grace the small screen, but part of that is because he’s also undeniably one of the smartest. Throughout Homicide: Life on the Street and Law and Order: SVU. 

Thomas Magnum (Magnum, P.I.)

Thomas Magnum is up there in the rankings of the best Tom Selleck characters, and it’s not just because he looked cool and kicked a lot of butt on Magnum, P.I. Behind the mustache, behind the cool shirts, behind the great cars there was a big brain, one who knew that nuns don’t work on Sundays.

Shawn Spencer (Psych)

Did Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) actually have psychic abilities that allowed him to solve “unsolvable” crimes? It’s debatable. What isn’t though is the fact that this crime consultant was outrageously smart, had a photographic memory, and used unmatched observational skills to pull off some impressive feats.

Peter Burke (White Collar)

The more by-the-books and old-fashioned member of White Collar’s FBI White Collar Crime Unit, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) is as smart as he is thorough in anything he does. He definitely takes a more no-nonsense approach to his day-to-day than Matt Bomer’s Neal Caffrey, which makes them a dynamic duo.

Kima Greggs (The Wire)

When talking about incredibly smart characters from The Wire, Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) is near the top of the list. Throughout the show’s five seasons, she constantly pushed herself to the next level, both physically and mentally. One of the most dedicated members of the show’s core unit, she was also one of the most articulate and methodical.

Stella Gibson (The Fall)

Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) from The Fall is not only one of the smartest TV detectives, she’s also one of the best. Her tactics in tracking down serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) were both unorthodox and ahead of the curve, and it’s hard to imagine the killings would have stopped without her.

Sergeant Philip Fish (Barney Miller)

Though some will remember the late Abe Vigoda more from his portrayal of Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather, for the sake of this story we’re going to focus on his brilliant take on Sergeant Philip K. Fish on Barney Miller and the spinoff series, Fish. He didn’t appear in every episode of the classic sitcom, but the wise-cracking detective did make his mark on the series throughout its run. Grumpy, smart, seasoned, and hilarious, Fish knew how to solve a case while also making us laugh. 

Danny Reagan (Blue Bloods)

Whenever the conversation comes up about the Blue Bloods cast, it doesn’t take all that long before Donnie Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan enters the conversation. One of the major characters throughout the show’s historic run on CBS, this hard-nosed NYPD detective has both street smarts and keen police skills up his sleeve and is ready to use both whenever and wherever needed. If there’s a CBS detective you’d want on your case (or not covering it if you’re a perp), this would be the guy.

Gil Grissom (CSI)

Even though Gil Grissom (William Petersen) is technically a forensic entomologist and not a detective, he’s still a worthy addition to this list. For the first nine seasons of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Gil was the man of the CBS crime drama. With a high level of expertise, an unmatched intellect, and attention to detail, this Las Vegas-based investigator could solve just about anything that crossed his desk.

Patrick Jane (The Mentalist)

Simon Baker, who was great in George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead, was also superb in his portrayal of Patrick Jane on CBS’ The Mentalist. Jane, a psychic-turned-consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation, used his unique set of skills and mental abilities to help the CBI solve all kinds of murders, most of which couldn’t have been wrapped up if not for him.

Jim Brass (CSI)

Played by Paul Guilfoyle, Jim Brass was a dedicated Las Vegas Police detective who worked closely with the key team on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Though not soft on crime, Brass did play things by the book and preferred to use conversation and other non-violent police skills over more aggressive and violent methods. 

Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds)

Portrayed by Matthew Gray Gubler, Dr. Spencer Reid was a quirky and hyper-intelligent special agent who was crucial to the happenings of Criminal Minds. Though his personality rubbed some the wrong way, there’s no denying the fact that he was legitimately the smartest person in any given room.

Animation is one of the earlier moving art forms, and has provided countless artists the means to bring their stories to life, be it through the black-and-white hues of Bosco the Talk-Ink Kid or the multicolored bliss of Fantasia. Toons can be as simple as the Oscar-winning “The Dot and the Line” from legends Chuck Jones and Maurice Noble, or they can be as endlessly complex as Wallace and Gromit’s stop-motion universe. Television has provided audiences with 80 years of memorable projects –- including some forgotten Saturday morning gems — with new shows debuting at a rapid pace, and we’re here to celebrate the very best animated series of all time.

From classic characters like Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone to modern favorites like Monkey D. Luffy and the Belcher family, CinemaBlend’s staff is saluting them all. So join us in paying tribute to the funniest, coolest, smartest, and most moving animated series that have graced our TV screens over the decades.

75. The Jetsons

Despite being the first show ABC ever broadcast in color, The Jetsons was canceled after a single season and only 24 total episodes. It just couldn’t find the right audience, at least until the reruns started airing on Saturday mornings and an entire generation of kids fell in love with the futuristic setting and zany plotlines. George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, Astro and Rosey eventually became so popular in syndication that more than 20 years after its cancellation, a further fifty-one episodes were produced, as well as a movie. It’s an unconventional success story but perhaps one fitting for a show filled with futuristic tech that hilariously never works as intended.

74. Aqua Teen Hunger Force

When Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block premiered in September 2001, Aqua Teen Hunger Force was one of its surreal cornerstones, and it’s pretty much stayed that way ever since. The long-running series follows three anthropomorphic fast food items – Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad – who get into all kinds of trouble with their neighbor(s), locals, and interdimensional beings. ATHF helped usher in a new era for adult animation at the turn of the century, and it's remained just as hilarious and timeless during that historic run. But for as wild and nonsensical as it gets, there’s a certain charm that makes it not just one of the funniest shows on Adult Swim, but in all of TV animation.

73. Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends

Though not lauded quite as high as animation giants such as Walt Disney or Hanna-Barbera, Jay Ward delivered many of the medium’s most lasting creations, with The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle at the center of his zany, intelligent, and meta-before-meta-was-cool storytelling skills. The titular moose and squirrel’s serialized rivalry with the devious Boris and Natasha can never be forgotten, while the history-adoring side characters Sherman and his pup Mr. Peabody became a pop culture magnet unto themselves over the years. Now if only we could get a Fractured Fairy Tales spinoff for the 21st century…

72. What If...?

Upon its launch, part of the reason why a Disney+ subscription was so appealing involved the streaming service's new content directly connected to major IPs like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while we’ve been treated to a number of live-action shows, the studio also took a major risk with the multiversal animated series What If…? The comic book anthology series offers alternate realities to the MCU characters and events we know and love, and shows how the entire franchise could be radically altered if just one character's arc differed. Additionally, the voice cast of What…If? features many Marvel favorites reprising their roles to tell these ambitious stories that could never be produced in live-action.

71. The Proud Family

The Proud Family was all about Penny Proud and her wild, yet relatable, journey through high school. While the premise was simple, this show’s fabulous crew of characters is what made it iconic, and its depiction of the day-to-day lives of an African American family is what made it groundbreaking. From our lead Penny to her father Oscar, her besties Dijonay, Zoey, LaCienega and Sticky Webb — and of course Sugar Mama — this family is the best, and we’ll adore them forever.

70. Beavis and Butt-Head

Besides The Simpsons, arguably no animated series from the 1990s sparked a bigger array of multi-generational reactions around the country than Beavis and Butthead. As soon as it premiered on MTV in March 1993, Mike Judge’s groundbreaking, edgy, and unsavory cartoon became a national sensation while following two objectively moronic teenagers barely navigating school, life, nachos, and a carousel of music video commentary. Video games, movies, tons of merchandising (both official and bootleg) flooded the market in the years that followed, and there's a reason revivals keep happening: it's a great show, dammit. Mm-heh-heh.

69. Schoolhouse Rock!

Schoolhouse Rock! is an animated gem that has been passed down from generation to generation for all the right reasons. Originally debuting on TV back in 1973, the show's approach to combining educational programming with toon-filled songs cemented it as a true classic with more lasting value than most. From grammar-focused tunes like “Conjunction Junction" to the iconic intro-to-governmental-processes track “I’m Just a Bill” to even its Preamble song, Schoolhouse Rock! has had a lasting cultural impact, influencing many other shows, and even inspiring some spoofs along the way to its permanent place within pop culture.

68. Static Shock

The DC Animated Universe got a true shock to its system when Denys Cowan's Static Shock zapped onto TV screens in the early 2000s as a Saturday morning offering on Kids’ WB. Viewers were treated to some truly exciting, funny and heartfelt episodes that tracked the heroic exploits of teenager Virgil Hawkins in Dakota City. Thanks to late series creator Dwayne McDuffie and his talented team, Static Shock remains a dynamic piece of comic book fun, serving up some serious action mixed in with thoughtful social commentary on occasion. In short, this is a super-powered gem that’s rightfully still revered to this day.

67. Dexter's Laboratory

What child hasn't wished they had a secret location in their house that provided the means to do the most fantastic things their heart desires? Dexter’s Laboratory helped many youngins live vicariously through its titular brainiac, and the general hilarity of his meddling sister Dee Dee derailing it all helped make this one a definitive Cartoon Network classic. From the brain of the similarly brainy Genndy Tartakovsky, Dexter also boasted other animated shorts like Dial M For Monkey and The Justice Friends, which were all equally as enjoyable. To this day, I bet there are many who owe their ability to say “cheese omelet” in French to this wonderful series.

66. Kim Possible

“Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me,” because it’s time to talk about Kim Possible. Mixing a high-stakes spy drama with high school shenanigans appropriate for Disney Channel-aged audiences, this show is an action-packed good time. Largely centered on Kim’s missions to take down Dr. Drakken and Shego with the help (or more like attempted help) of her bestie Ron Stoppable and his naked molerat Rufus, Kim Possible defined many childhoods and taught generations of kids, and specifically girls, that anything is possible with the right mindset and gadgets.

65. Muppet Babies (1984)

How amazing are Jim Henson’s Muppets? The list goes on, but one key factor would be that Kermit and the gang brought to life what remains one of pop culture’s only genuinely great examples of “Your favorite characters, but they’re babies.” Trading TV studios and New York City exteriors for a Nanny-run nursery where the power of make-believe knows no bounds, Muppet Babies showed viewers of all ages that imagination is powered best when one is surrounded by friends to the end. Unfortunately for avid fans, the show’s abundant use of licensed TV, film, and music clips will likely keep it from ever hitting home media.

64. Family Guy

For one reason or 69 others — get it, Peter? — certain TV shows are able to get away with wildly edgy content without getting “canceled," either literally or figuratively. Granted, Seth MacFarlane's long-running fave Family Guy actually did actually get canceled by Fox back in 2002, but the '80s-adoring comedy was able to return from its shallow grave just two years later due to extraordinary DVD sales, a hit syndicated run, and the embrace of Adult Swim. and high ratings from reruns in syndication. Ever since that 2004 revival, viewers have followed the antics of Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie and Brian along with all the ridiculous and often offensive cutaway flashbacks that fill their lives.

63. Robot Chicken 

Watching Robot Chicken calls to mind many chldhood memories of inventing scenarios with action figures modeled after classic movie and TV characters. That's essentially what Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s stop-motion animated Adult Swim hit is: people playing with their toys. But with a bigger budget and more talented voice actors than any kids I ever played with. With boundary-pushing and insightful humor in the mix, the Emmy-winning Robot Chicken is sketch comedy at its most refreshingly unique, rebelliously raw, and deliciously nostalgic, and is not bogged down by the limitations that might come with a live-action production.

62. The Flintstones

For many people, The Flintstones is one of the first cartoons we remember watching on TV. This classic Hanna-Barbera series about a lovable caveman and his family navigating a prehistoric world field with outrageous stone-age variations of modern-day appliances and tools, is just as funny and attention-grabbing as it was upon its release more than 60 years ago, which is really saying something about its quality. On top of such indelible characters like Fred Flinstone, Barney Rubble, and the Great Gazoo, the show also has one of the most iconic opening themes of all time.

61. Freakazoid!

Though not the most marquee-ready superhero, Freakazoid!’s titular protagonist is the creation of Batman: The Animated Series legends Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, with Steven Spielberg and Tiny Toons vet Paul Ruegger leading the charge. So yeah, it’s a perfectly bonkers mix of comic book mythos mixed with slapstick and fourth-wall-breaking comedy, complete with a mini-universe of B-tier heroes and villains such as Candle Jack (but don’t say his name). Lasting two seasons from 1995-1997, Freakazoid! ss a joy for viewers of all ages, anchored by the stellar voice work of stars Paul Rugg and Ed Asner.

60. Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers

Long before the series was reimagined as a hilarious Disney+ movie starring John Mulaney and Andy Sandberg, Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers started out as a tremendous and timeless action-adventure toon about a pair of chipmunks fronting a crew of anthropomorphic animals. Thanks in part to that earworm theme, it never gets old watching Chip, Dale, Gadget Hackwrench, Monterey Jack, and Zipper solve all manner of crimes (both big and small, really small) and save the day before the end of each episode, and the show can still hold the attention of our kids all these years later.

59. Teen Titans

Some viewers probably weren’t sure what to make of Teen Titans upon its debut, but the series eventually became a hit – and for good reason. The quirky superhero romp is the definition of cartoon greatness, as it skillfully blends action and comedy, ultimately using both to great effect. Yet, most importantly, so much heart is on display amidst the explosions and sheer wackiness as well. Because of that, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy and Raven remain not only one of DC’s best TV super teams, but also one of its greatest familial units. And, yes, that theme song still slaps.

58. Gargoyles

The oft-underrated Saturday morning toon Gargoyles is one of those shows that manages to deliver more than the kind of action you’d expect from Disney's weekly animated fare. It’s a dark and complex drama series with dynamic characters, beautiful animation and stories that sometimes border on Greek tragedy. Many viewers understandably still have such reverence for the tales that EP Greg Weisman and his team told about the mighty Goliath and his clan of night guardians. It’s ironic that a group of beings that turn cold as stone are among some of the warmest heroes to ever grace a TV screen.

57. DuckTales

Having quite possibly the catchiest theme song on this list that's chock-full of them is probably enough reason to include DuckTales on this list, but of course, the show has so much more going for it. Scrooge McDuck and his nephews, previously only bit players in Disney cartoons, earned the star spotlight for a show that was about as close to an action/adventure cartoon as Disney had delivered at the time, making it something fresh new, and exciting. But it was still “Disney” and thus more accessible to younger viewers than other ‘80s cartoons looking to sell action figures, drawing from Carl Banks' timeless comic run.

56. Hey Arnold!

Amidst all of Nickelodeon's best chracters, perhaps no greater role model for younger viewers exists than the football-headed protagonist of Hey Arnold! In fact, Craig Bartlett’s series offered something very few animated programs have (then or since): a diverse ensemble whom kids could potentially relate to or aspire to be like. With a stunningly grounded urban aesthetic, even in its most peculiar momens, and a hefty set of valuable life lessons that often came out of dark situations, admittedly — not to mention an absolute banger of a jazz score — Hey Arnold! is a masterstroke for the medium.

55. The Real Ghostbusters

1984's Ghostbusters inspired an immediate sequel, but when live-action follow-ups stalled, Sony did the next best thing: created this magnificent riff on the beloved property. No, they couldn’t get BIll Murray and Dan Aykroyd together every three years, but they could animate Peter, Ray, Winston and Egon for a series of animated adventures around New York City, the world, and even realms beyond. The best part about The Real Ghostbusters is that it understood the irreverent tone of Ivan Reitman’s two movies, but split the difference to also appeal directly to kids who just wanted to see Slimer. When we really need a hit of that nostalgic rush, these are the Ghostbusters stories that most deserve revisiting.

54. Teen Titans Go

DC Comics adaptations often get knocked for being too serious, but that's not the case with Teen Titans Go, an effervescent, energetic, and rapid-fire funny series centered on Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire. The show embraced irreverent humor, leaning hard into its heroes' stereotypical behaviors, from Robin’s crippling need to be a leader to Raven’s broody Goth Girl energy and beyond. Without hinging on continuity or major cameos from A-list DC heroes (at least, not until Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, which was equally excellent), this slap-happy toon basically gave young kids a comic book portal where they could enjoy “waffles, waffles, waffles” without having to brood over anyone's parents getting gunned down in an alley.

53. The Powerpuff Girls

Sugar, spice, and everything nice wasn’t even half of what we got with The Powerpuff Girls. Like many other animated classics, it was a show made for kids that adults could easily also enjoy. The superpowered Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup deal with typical childhood troubles like sibling rivalry and bed wetting while also saving their town from a truly ingenious rogue’s gallery. These endearing kindergartners, their friends and foes (like arch nemesis Mojo Jojo, and Powerpuff wanna-be Princess Morbucks) provide us with laughs, lessons and intrigue, all wrapped in a parody and pop-culture focused package that doles out plenty of surprises.

52. Tiny Toon Adventures

Following in the footsteps of the iconic Looney Tunes squad was always going to be a tall order, but the Stephen Spielbeg-produced Tiny Toon Adventures understood the assignment. While the characters may have been inspired by those that came before, each one from Babs and Buster to Plucky and Hampton, was given just as much freedom to be entirely new characters, not simply the “new versions” of the classics. The humor was always on point, with plenty of gags for younger viewers, alongside references only the older “kids” watching would get.

51. Courage the Cowardly Dog

Making a cartoon for children that's as creepy as it is funny is no easy task, but Courage the Cowardly Dog found a way to execute that balance quite beautifully, relying mostly on overtly bizarre and/or paranormal villains. Courage protecting his owners, Eustace and Muriel, against everything from a cursed mummy to a duck with a mallet never gets old. It’s the most deserving Cartoon Network original that needs a revival, which could potentially still happen someday, considering Courage was part of a Scooby-Doo crossover movie released in 2021. Until that day comes, fans can revisit the entire series with a Max subscription.

50. Adventure Time

Most classic adventure cartoons engage in storytelling in a more earnest manner, but only a few effectively capture the joys of make-believe like Adventure Time — which for many is the absolute cream of the crop for Cartoon Network’s original programming. Creator Pendleton Ward’s fantasy-comedy follows Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) as they navigate the weird and wonderful, post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, having a mathematical time along the way. With its charming animation, ingenious creatures, clever world-building, and a lighthearted tone that never abandons spellbinding excitement, the fun truly never ends.

49. Big Mouth

It’s not every day that audiences get a hilariously offensive animated show that actually provides accurate representation of growing up LGBTQ+. On the surface, Netflix's Big Mouth, which rocks an all-star cast led by co-creator Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, simply shows the trouble and turmoil of puberty, sexuality, hormones, and the everyday struggle that we call “life.” Lucky for viewers, it is also much, much more than that. The show follows a group of young people who tend to be accompanied by “hormone monsters” (who now have their own wacky spinoff series) who help guide them through the changes and struggles that come with growing up.

48. Arthur

Kids owe PBS for so many great animated series, but Arthur might be its crown jewel. For over 20 years, Marc Brown’s storybook aardvark, along with his friends and family, endeared themselves to the public. The author and the show’s writing staff, through their efforts, taught youngsters firm lessons in responsibility, community, empathy and much more. What’s particularly impressive is that the grade-school comedy managed to remain consistent in conveying such morals during its lengthy run. Of course, when the program wasn’t dropping vital nuggets of knowledge, it was simply exuding pure, imaginative fun. What we have here is a truly timeless show, and one that’s sure to delight audiences for generations to come.

47. Pokémon

Part of the reason Pokémon remains one of the top franchises worldwide is because the series can have a different meaning for every generation that consumes it. The kids of 2024 can watch the same show O.G. viewers watched in the late '90s and appreciate those characters in new ways, given there have been plenty of successive projects that have come loaded with over a thousand different Pokémon for children to latch onto and make their favorite. The show's awesome battles haven't quite held up when it comes to the franchise's many video games, but perhaps someday, Game Freak will give the people what they want.

46. Spider-Man

Spider-Man fandom has been known to grow from many sources, including the comics and multiple generations of live-action blockbusters, but the Spider-Man animated series from 1994 holds a special place in the hearts of millennials – as it should, because it is amazing (pun totally intended). In retrospect, the content censorship is ridiculous (this is a show where Spidey wasn’t even allowed to punch people), but the filmmakers still found ways to deliver exciting adaptations of comic book stories, and some episodes are even better than the source material. We have yet to see a better version of the Venom origin story than what was created here.

45. Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Thanks in large part to the success of Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989, it was at one point decided that the best version of the Caped Crusader is the dark and brooding version. That has now been the go-to mode for the superhero for decades – but at the very least Batman: The Brave And The Bold reminded us for a time just how much fun the Dark Knight can be. The deep voice and silly sensibilities of Diedrich Bader make him one of the best to ever play the hero, and every episode delivers a fun team-up opportunity. Every DC character is represented with love, but there’s an argument to be made that John DiMaggio's Aquaman is the all-time best version of the Atlantean king.

44. Doug

The entire Nicktoons library was a big deal for '90s kids, and who was more relatable than Doug Funnie on Doug? Through his journal entries and soaring imagination, the preteen opened up about the seemingly everyday events of his life, from getting a haircut to trying liver and onions, and we totally felt that. We understood the middle school awkwardness, the anguish of his crush on Patti Mayonnaise and just how good it felt to rock out to your favorite band (The Beets, of course! “Aw-wee-oo! Killer tofuuuuu!”). We wanted Skeeter to be our best friend and a dog as cool as Porkchop. Not to mention, the opening credits and theme song are pretty iconic.

43. Pinky and the Brain

Let’s be honest here: Pinky and the Brain was repetitive. In every episode, the two main characters did “the same thing we do every night, Pinky… try to take over the world!” But it was the way that the odd couple mice played off of each other — with Pinky being the doofus assistant to the Orson Welles-inspired mastermind mouse that is The Brain — that allowed this Animaniacs episode segment to thrive as its own standalone series. It's one we still quote to this day, using many of the cast members’ favorite jokes. Like everything in Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain benefitted from an “anything goes” approach to humor, meaning that stories would involve Brain’s archnemesis (a hamster named Snowball) or a bit where Pinky gets elected President of the United States. And it all worked because the creators understood how to be intelligent while also being goofy.

42. X-Men: The Animated Series

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe revitalized how big and connected comic book adaptations could be, few film and TV examples truly brought to live what people loved about the medium. X-Men: The Animated Series was one of the first, giving audiences comic book-accurate versions of the beloved mutants that felt like they jumped right off the page. The show offered long-term serializing storytelling just like the source material, something that was essentially unheard of for a Saturday morning cartoon. But whether one was an avid reader or not, these were (and perhaps still are) the definitive versions of the X-Men. It’s no wonder that decades later, the series was revived as X-Men '97.

41. Infinity Train

Created by Regular Show writer/artist Owen Dennis, the Cartoon Network-turned-Max series Infinity Train is the crown jewel of overlooked and under-discussed animated series. A highly imaginative coming-of-age sci-fi fantasy,  not the most common sub-genre, the series centers on a different interconnected story and character set in each of its four seasons, with everything taking place on a mysterious and impossibly long train where most cars present challenges for the characters to figure out and overcome. It’s an emotionally gripping and exciting tale that never goes off the rails, with a stacked cast of familiar voices.

40. Futurama

The second mega-hit series created in part by Matt Groening, Futurama has always been far more than just The Future Simpsons, thanks to its unforgettable cast of meme-ready nutjobs, egomaniacs, and bending-proficient robots. From Fry’s dopey optimism to The Professor’s absent-minded genius to Hermes’ ability to drop everything if a limbo stick comes around, the series balances its strong personalities with tons of space-faring, paradox-thwarting, time-traveling mayhem that never stops being fun. Both one of the smartest and silliest animated series of all time, and filled with some of the nerdiest jokes possible, Futurama has remained a beloved small-screen entity in part because the Planet Express crew has managed to survive multiple cancellations at Fox and Comedy Central, reaching its third lifeform at Hulu, presumably because the Hypnotoad demanded it so.

39. Mickey Mouse (Classic Disney Shorts)

There are few animated characters more famous than Mickey Mouse, and it’s safe to say the House of Mouse wouldn’t be everything it is today without Disney’s classic Mickey Mouse animated shorts that debuted in the 1920s. Smartly written and brimming with slapstick comedy, these quick hits of quirky fun introduced us to the loveable mouse — who displayed courage and strength but in a way that was achievable for any of us — along with the equally iconic Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy. Included in this series is 1935’s “The Band Concert” — Disney’s first color cartoon, which quite literally paved the way for Disney animation for 100 years and counting. And while it may not be part of that exact era, give me Goofy bungling up ski lessons any day.

38. Dragon Ball Z

Though it wasn’t the first show in the franchise, Dragon Ball Z introduced countless kids and teenagers to iconic characters like Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Gohan throughout the ‘90s, especially after the anime series became a mainstay in Cartoon Network’s Toonami afternoon block. This intense cartoon about a group known as the Z Fighters who attempt to protect Earth (and later, other planets) from diabolical forces was something many of us ran home from school or off the bus to catch each weekday. The introduction of increasingly dangerous and destructive villains like Frieza, Cell, and Boo (each had their own saga) continued to raise the bar as the series went on, and make this still a gem worth revisiting.

37. Rocko's Modern Life

Is there a classic Nickelodeon show from the ‘90s that captures the spirit of the era more than Rocko’s Modern Life? This zany, surreal, and extraordinary animated series debuted in 1993 and quickly found an audience thanks to its unique style of humor that appealed to both children and adults. With characters like the neurotic titular wallaby, his best friends Heffer Wolfe and Filburt, and the various members of the Bighead family, there was so much to love about the show. It pushed the envelope with its humor and art direction and had a lot to say about the modern world, hence its name. The mammalian gang even returned to fans in 2019 with the special Static Cling.

36. Animaniacs

We still have no idea how Animaniacs creator Tom Ruegger got the greenlight to make everyone's childhood better with this hilarious, clever, but extremely inside-baseball showbiz comedy aimed at mature kids. Yes, on the surface, the Animaniacs works as a variety show, an evolution off The Muppet Show during which the hosts – the Warner siblings, one with a Liverpool accent – would set up individual cartoons. But in between, the banter and humor offered up in Animaniacs consisted of some of the funniest, most outrageous, and unpredictable jokes that would spoof Dolly Parton, Marilyn Monroe, and the idea of fingering Prince, as it were. Sometimes the show managed to be educational, but mostly it was pure lunacy, and we loved every second of it.

35. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Mysteries are the most entertaining genre of storytelling. What’s more satisfying than a tidy reveal at the end of a whodunit, and a villain exclaiming how they would have gotten away with it, if not for those meddling kids? Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? followed a very popular “monster of the week” format, but wasn’t afraid to push the envelope to freak out little kids who tuned into a cartoon and were terrified by haunted suits of armor, killer clowns, and more. From its unforgettable theme song to the vocal contributions of radio icon Casey Kasem as Shaggy, Scooby-Doo Where Are You? walked so that Goosebumps and Gravity Falls could run.

34. Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated is a breath of fresh air within the long-running franchise birthed by Hanna-Barbera. For this particular production, the typical case-of-the-week format isn’t in play, as serialized storytelling is utilized. It’s a great approach that really fleshes out the meddling kids and the titular canine in a way that past incarnations don’t. The humor associated with this entertainment property is definitely employed in this iteration. However, what’s also exciting is how the writers and artists aim to deliver some truly scary monsters, all seemingly tied to the antagonist Mr. E. While it’s admirable that the show sticks to its predecessors’ roots in many ways, its goal to shake up the classic formula results in an overarching mystery that’s both compelling and creepy.

33. Archer

Creator Adam Reed’s singular vision and undying creativity turned Archer from a ribald spin on James Bond into one of the most well-rounded pieces of spy fiction in existence. H. Jon Benjamin’s unmistakable voice gives life to the booze-swilling agent’s snappy insults and TV-MA euphemisms alongside a downright stellar cast that also includes Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell and more. The series is a testament to the importance of characters compared to plot, with Archer’s core group shifting from years of traditional storytelling to multiple side-mission seasons such as the Miami-set Vice, the subconscious-set Dreamland, the jungle-filled Danger Island and others. On a jokes-per-minute basis, it stands next to comedy giants like The Simpsons and Airplane!, and can drink them both under the table.

32. Batman Beyond

Debuting in 1999, Batman Beyond jumps decades forward into the future and showcases the story of a now-retired Bruce Wayne who is acting as a mentor to the next generation Dark Knight, Terry McGinnis, as voiced by the legend himself, Kevin Conroy. The show earned multiple award nominations, winning two Daytime Emmy Awards. Bruce and Terry have just enough similarities and frustrating differences to keep their dynamic captivating while still wholesome, which makes this particular animated series one of the most enjoyable to watch in the franchise. Terry is forced to work twice as hard in order to balance out both his personal life and his crime-fighting side persona, as he both learns from and teaches his mentor as they both work to stand up for what they both clearly believe in.

31. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

While a lot is owed to Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars, the animated side of George Lucas’ sci-fi universe truly took off in 2008 with the launch of Cartoon Network's Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The series is, in large part, what it is due to franchise guru Dave Filoni, who thought his hiring was a prank. Filoni’s respect for Lucas’ work permeates the entire CGI show, but there are also some cool elements that he himself adds to the canon, including the now-beloved Jedi Ahsoka Tano. With incredible storylines, sweet animation and strong voice acting, this show works well on its own but also stands firmly alongside the films it builds upon.

30. Bob's Burgers

One of the many things to love about Bob’s Burgers is just how close, loving, and, well, lovingly strange the main characters at the center of the show are. The Belcher family is (mostly) committed to keeping their small, family-run burger shop up and running, but their kooky adventures usually take the whole family away from the restaurant. Exasperated pessimist Bob, his happy-go-lucky wife Linda and their kids, Tina, Gene and Louise get into a number of hilariously weird scrapes that, honestly, most of us only wish we could have to make life more intriguing. Add to that Louise’s near-constant scheming, Tina’s awkwardness, and how the whole family interacts with a town full of endearing oddballs, and you have yourself a wonderfully weird winner. Tell 'em Teddy sent ya.

29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the perfect show for a perfect moment in time. It combined outrageous and over the top late 80s imagery with some of the first mainstream depictions of skater culture and added ninjas, an outrageous backstory and a steady stream of cheesy catchphrases. Deep in the sewer of our hearts, amidst roundhouse kicks and impossibly yellow April O’Neil jumpsuits, they carved out a place for themselves, and more than thirty years later, their ooze still remains in the form of reimagined shows, new movies and billions of dollars worth of merchandise. And despite all the success, they're still just heroes in a half-shell, and they're green. (Hey, get a grip.)

28. SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-Present)

In 1999, if you told someone a silly gap-toothed sponge would one day be as recognizable to the children of the world as Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny, they would’ve laughed. And yet, SpongeBob SquarePants continues to entertain the children of today, and has been lovingly embraced by the Millenials and Gen-Z who grew up with it as well. The internet is loaded with memes dedicated to the franchise, and there’s still plenty of debate as to what is in a Krabby Patty. With plenty of episodes and even some spinoffs, it feels like SpongeBob and friends will be entertaining children for many years to come.

27. Rugrats (1991)

Rugrats premiered in 1991 on Nickelodeon as one of the first three Nicktoons, aimed at a younger audience than Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show. It was a staple for kids throughout the ‘90s and into the early 2000s, with nine seasons about the adventures of babies Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, with regular appearances from characters like the parents, Angelica, and (eventually) Dil. The show could swing from silly to serious, with memorable episodes that ranged from covering the grief of losing a parent to the spectacular Reptar On Ice, with a dinosaur love song that still rings in the hearts of plenty of ‘90s kids. There’s a reason why this Nicktoon show went on to inspire Rugrats movies and a 2021 reboot.

26. Harley Quinn

What happens when you blend DC Comics mythology with the kind of crass adult comedy you find in shows like Family Guy and South Park? You get Harley Quinn, which follows Kaley Cuoco’s version of The Joker’s former squeeze going on adventures with Lake Bell’s Poison Ivy, her best-friend-turned-girlfriend, and getting into hijinks with fellow supervillains and superheroes alike. One doesn’t need to be a hardcore DC fan to appreciate Harley Quinn, although that definitely helps with catching the deep-cut references and Easter eggs. As long as you're in the mood for clever writing and all the edgy, not-safe-for-kids humor you could ask for, Harley Quinn is a must-[censored]-watch.

25. Gravity Falls

With hands on our bible of beasts, baubles and bafflement — Journal 3, naturally — we can solemnly swear that Gravity Falls is the weirdest, wildest and gobblewonkiest project that’s ever come out of Disney, bursting through the castle doors like rainbows from a gnome’s mouth. Created by Alex Hirsch, the mystery-hinged funfest centers on a pair of siblings, Jason Ritter’s Dipper and Kristen Schaal’s Mabel, living with their kooky and perhaps unstable great uncle, Grunkle Stan (voiced by Hirsch). And for anyone who loves codes, hidden messages, deep lore, crytozoology, conspiracies, and everything sharing that fringe space, Gravity Falls is the holy grail of animated shows. (And that grail is filled with Pitt Cola.)

Despite nearly universal love and acclaim, Disney cut Gravity Falls’ run short at just two seasons, although the actual supplementary Journal 3 (which Hirsch co-wrote) is expansive and unique enough of an experience to at least count as a one-off special. There’s still hope that fans will one day go on more adventures in the Mystery Shack with Soos, assuming Bill Cipher doesn’t muck anything up, but even if these 40 episodes are all that ever get produced, it was perfection.

24. The Boondocks

Aaron McGruder’s adaptation of his own comic strip, The Boondocks, is a must-watch for those trying to better understand racial relations, culture, and racism in the United States. With the help of some voice acting from Regina King, Riley and his brother Huey navigate the Black experience of living in a predominantly white suburb.

The Boondocks thrived on taking hot-button issues and forcing the viewer to think about not just the issue but their own reaction and perspective of that issue. The Boondocks deserves applause for how it pushed the envelope in its four seasons and offered thoughtful commentary in a way few other animated shows can.

23. Justice League

Superheroes joining forces in the DC Animated Universe wasn’t anything new prior to 2001 thanks to special pairings in Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond’s “The Call” two-parter, but Justice League placed teamwork front and center. Viewers watched Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl vanquish terrestrial, alien and magical threats together, and it was a blast.

Justice League continues to be appreciated for its crisp animation, mature storytelling and stellar character development, as well as for transforming John Stewart from a B-list character to the definitive Green Lantern for a generation. Justice League makes an effective crash course for those wanting to dive into DC lore without having read any of the comics.

22. Star Trek: Lower Decks

Being such a well known and praised franchise for decades, die-hard fans were quite surprised when it was announced back in 2019 that the Star Trek franchise would be taking a shot at an adult comedy with a brand new animated show, Star Trek: Lower Decks. Written by Rick and Morty’s Mike McMahan, the show takes place in the 24th century and instead of focusing on the high-ranking officers on the Bridge Crew, it gives viewers a glimpse into the “lower deck” officers with the more humble jobs that keep the ship running…smoothly? The show often references the rest of the Star Trek earlier entries and breaks down sci-fi tropes, often in a very NSFW way, and should delight both seasoned and new fans alike.

21. Sailor Moon

If you’re of a certain age, Sailor Moon may be the first anime you ever saw in your entire life. It’s one of those ‘90s anime that was sandwiched between Fist of the North Star in the ‘80s, and the explosion that was Dragon Ball Z, and Pokemon in the later ‘90s. Even so, Sailor Moon still managed to stand out, and it still stands out today. It may be because Serena (or Usagi, if you prefer sub over dub) is so dang loveable. As is her relationship with Darien (AKA, Tuxedo Mask).

And of course, we can’t forget the many other Sailor Scouts, as they all have their own unique personalities and inner worlds. In truth, Sailor Moon is the kind of cartoon that appeals to both young girls, but also grown men in their ‘30s and ‘40s, and really, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

20. One Piece

Shows like One Piece don’t come along often, and really, we’re not sure there is any other show on television that’s like it. It’s one thing to have an astronomically high episode count, but quite another for that story to be serialized and tell a great story of a pirate adventure that’s been wowing viewers for over two decades. The character development and growth of the Straw Hat Pirates and the world-building it boasts makes this an easy choice for top-tier anime, and it’s great that Netflix finally took notice and made an equally enjoyable live-action series.

It’s a modern-day epic story equatable to Gilgamesh or Beowulf, and feels like a lived-in universe more than any other anime out there. It’s totally worth the time investment for those who feel overwhelmed by tackling the 1000+ episodes of this ongoing series.

19. The Critic

The Critic, which revolves around New York film critic, Jay Sherman (voiced by A League of Their Own’s Jon Lovitz) sometimes hits way too close to home. What we mean is, with many of us being critics ourselves, a lot of Jay’s fussy qualms about movies seem super spot on, such as the eye roll he gave to the made-up movie, Beverly Hills RoboCanine Cop and a Half 2 (Starring Clint Eastwood!).

But that’s just the beauty of The Critic, because even though Jay was often fed up with having to review so many mediocre movies, he still loved his job, and stayed a movie fan to his core. Which, again, hits very close to home. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the series had The Simpsons writers, Al Jean and Mike Reiss as showrunners. It stinks!...that we don’t have any new episodes of The Critic to watch these days.

18. Daria

Daria once described herself to a therapist as actively working to make people dislike her. She’s not wrong. Daria's main character is, at times, deeply unlikeable. She speaks as if she’s a detached observer into her own life, making callous observations in a dry, dispassionate voice. She’s like a real life narrator, condescendingly commenting on the world around her as everyone else plays volleyball and talks about who they’re going to prom with.

Despite all her efforts, however, it’s impossible to hate Daria because she’s really funny and also not wrong most of the time. High school is often pretty stupid and populated with try-hards who don’t know themselves or have any idea where they’re going. Listening to Daria judge them feels like therapy, even if, deep down, we know she’s just as lost as they are.

17. Over The Garden Wall

What’s most impressive about Over The Garden Wall is just how effectively it slips under your skin and rattles you. The familiar sibling dynamic between Wirt (Elijah Wood) and his little brother Greg (Collin Dean) is disarming, as are the fantasy elements and talking animals… but never forgotten is the terror that comes from the show’s central premise: two boys getting lost in the woods and trying to find their way home. Each chapter starts with a light touch, but ends up gripping you by the throat and invading your nightmares.

The episodes brim with fantastic and horrific imagination - from the shadowy beasts that lead souls astray to the disturbing Auntie Whispers (voiced brilliantly by John Cleese). There are only 10 episodes and none of them run over 12 minutes, but Over The Wall leaves a deep impression, and it’s wonderful to revisit annually during Spooky Season.

16. King of the Hill

I tell you what, it’s hard to get better than King of the Hill. The long-running hit (which has a Mike Judge-led revival coming to Hulu soon), focused on Hank, Peggy and their son Bobby Hill, and their day to day life in the small town of Arlen, Texas. This slice-of-life animated show used something a lot of people probably take for granted - the absurdities of relationships, work, growing up, marriage and other aspects of daily life - turned them up to 11 and made every episode across 13 seasons feel like we were laughing at our own friends and family.

Don’t we all know at least one person obsessed with lawn care? Or one boy who ain’t right? If not, you’ll certainly wish you knew the residents of Rainey Street and could call them neighbors, because mundane, working class life has never looked like so much looney fun.

15. Mickey Mouse (2013 shorts)

Mickey Mouse is one of the most iconic characters in the history of animation. He’s been everywhere and done everything. What made the new series of shorts that began in 2013 and ended in 2023 special wasn’t that they did anything differently, (though certainly the visual style was completely new for the character) it was that they went back to the beginning and let Mickey be the Mickey he was always designed to be.

The modern run of shorts, simple called Mickey Mouse, let the big-eared protagonist be the hero, but they also let him be silly, angry, surprising, and ridiculous. They pack more gags into a five-minute short than would seem possible. The shorts were new, but also served as throwbacks to earlier Mickey eras when the character had more creative freedom before he became the icon we know. They were a breath of fresh air after decades of a stagnant and sterilized mouse.

14. The Legend Of Korra

There is sometimes debate on whether Avatar: The Last Airbender or its follow-up series, The Legend of Korra, is the better cartoon. But, when it comes to us, all we have to say is, why not both? Because honestly, you can’t lose with either series. That said, The Legend of Korra definitely is special in its own right. This is a more grown-up take on the world of Avatar, where each season introduces a new threat to our heroine, Korra (Voiced by the magnificent Janet Varney).

With each season, however, we see Korra adapt and change in ways that Aang never got to do, which is enhanced by Korra’s fantastic Team Avatar of Bolin, Mako, and of course, Asami. Oh, and speaking of Asami, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how groundbreaking this show was, as Korrasami is still one of our favorite TV couples of all time.

13. South Park

Possibly the most controversial animated show of all time, South Park. With 26 seasons under their belt, Trey Parker and Matt Stones’ on Comedy Central follows the story of four young boys and the typically pop-culture chaos that surrounds them. The show’s intro blatantly states that the show “...should not be viewed by anyone.” South Park pulls no punches and gives no f’s. T

The creators have pulled some crazy stunts in the past, like attending the 2000 Oscars while being nominated, wearing dresses, and high on LSD. They have also attempted to get their own show canceled, been banned in China, as well as hitting a television milestone by going “bleep-free” with the use of the “f-bomb” live on air. It’s a show that could not be launched today, but since it has such huge weight in the zeitgeist, expect to see some more offensive Colorado antics for some time.

12. Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars Rebels picked up the action set in the galaxy far, far away after The Clone Wars ended, and the animated series ran from 2014-2018 on Disney XD to expand on the era ahead of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with a found family of original characters. Not only did the show prove that Star Wars doesn’t need to rely on legacy characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to tell a fantastic story and deliver arguably one of the best deaths in the franchise’s history, but it set up some stellar stories that are being expanded in live-action with Ahsoka.

There was no certainty that Rebels would succeed back in the beginning despite the popularity of The Clone Wars, but the story was solid during its original run and stands the test of time for first-time watchers and re-watchers alike. And its characters, ships and plots have remained core to the universe even beyond its conclusion.

11. Invincible

Invincible was released for those with an Amazon Prime subscription during the height of superhero mania. Despite concerns about superhero fatigue, the animated series carved stands out within the genre. Namely by being the animated answer to The Boys, and being an R-rated and wildly violent cartoon show. Invincible focuses on the title character aka Mark Grayson who is a young person coming into his own as a wildly popular hero who boasts the same powers, if not the same prowess, as his father Omni- Man, who is revealed to be something quite a bit more dangerous than anyone readily expected.

Adapted rather faithfully from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker's comic book, the story is emotional, the action sequences are bloody and brutal, and Invincible’s voice cast is led by A-list talent like Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, and more. And the show is so popular that Omni-Man spawned a character in Mortal Kombat 1.

10. Justice League Unlimited

Everything that was great about Justice League got ratcheted up a notch with Justice League Unlimited. Thanks to the team’s founding heroes expanding its ranks — minus Hawkgirl, who returned later in Season 1 — this continuation allowed the DC Animated Universe to shine the spotlight on even lesser-known heroes, from Green Arrow and The Question to Booster Gold and Huntress. Like its predecessor, the show wholeheartedly embraced its printed page while also putting unique spins on its starring protagonists and antagonists.

Although there were various standalone episodes peppered throughout Justice League Unlimited, the show was at its best when delving into its serialized stories that built off plot threads from the previous DC Animated Universe shows, namely the Cadmus and Secret Society arcs. That makes Unlimited arguably feel like the most comic book-y entry in this shared continuity. While the DCAU would be revisited a handful of other times following the show’s conclusion, Unlimited definitely marked the end of an era, and it stuck the landing wonderfully.

9. Phineas and Ferb

The concept of two brothers spending their summer vacation trying to figure out a way to spend it comes with endless possibilities, and Phineas and Ferb explored them creatively and expertly. Following a formula where every episode the titular characters are always finding an over-the-top thing to do or build. Meanwhile, their sister Candace tries to bust them while their pet platypus Perry goes on a mission to stop his nemesis Dr. Doofenshmirtz and his latest -enator.

Over the years, Phineas and Ferb mastered its formula and had a blast with it. Watching the brothers build a roller-coaster, create a backyard beach, get their parents' favorite band back together and oh so much more was not only fun but creatively invigorating. Not to mention, many episodes also featured incredible original music – like the Emmy-nominated song “Ain’t Got Rhythm” – meaning you’ll be humming along and thinking about this show long after the episode ends.

8. Looney Tunes

To describe Looney Tunes as a classic is completely appropriate, and yet, somehow not quite enough. This collection of animated shorts (produced from 1930 to 1969 and then revived in the late 1970s) has provided generations of audiences with wacky adventures featuring some of the most recognizable and quotable cartoon characters ever created. Even if you’ve only seen a handful of the many, many cartoons made by Warner Bros., you likely know that Bugs Bunny usually outsmarts everyone, Sylvester and Tweety are hilarious adversaries, Daffy Duck is at his funniest when he’s angry or on the losing end of anything, and that Roadrunner is way more trouble than it’s worth to Wile E. Coyote.

Looney Tunes is yet another example of how something could, technically, be pleasantly silly enough for kids, but just mature enough to get and keep the attention of adults. (Who doesn’t know what it’s like to repeatedly miss your target like Elmer Fudd?) When you watch one of these belly-laugh inducing entries, the only thing stopping you from watching another (and another) will be a power outage… That’s a joke, son!

7. Rick and Morty

A decade ago, if you asked us to name our Top Five most thoroughly inventive, consistently thrilling, amusingly thought-provoking, and deeply moving science-fiction series, we would have never guessed an Adult Swim original comedy would make the cut. Nevertheless, Rick and Morty — co-created by the now-fired Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon — has risen above its crude animation, and even cruder humor, to be widely remembered as, not just one of the funniest sci-fi TV shows, but among the genre’s all-time finest.

It is no surprise the series was bred from a Back to the Future parody short, as the pairing of alcoholic scientist Rick Sanchez with his grandson, Morty Smith, feels like a more volatile Marty and Doc situation, which is also just one of the many ways the series brilliantly pokes fun at and pays homage to pop culture. However, the best Rick and Morty episodes — in addition to introducing eye-popping, otherworldly, and downright absurd concepts — honor the series’ more relatable themes, such as family and existential dread, which cleverly sneak up on you while you experience the duo's latest crazy adventure through time and space.

6. Attack On Titan

There’s a lot of great anime out there, from wholesome shows like Spy X Family to much more action-heavy series like Demon Slayer and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. But when it comes to anime that just generally rivals some of the greatest television shows of all-time, then look no further than Attack on Titan, which we once called the best under-the-radar show on television. Because no show swerved like Attack on Titan did, and it all falls upon its protagonist/antagonist, Eren Yeager, who the audience is firmly behind…until we aren’t.

That’s right, Attack on Titan initially seems very simple in premise — Titans bad, people good — but soon changes dramatically to the point where we wonder if we may have had it all wrong the entire time. Are the titans were the ones who were misunderstood, and the humans were the bad guys. Plus, this is the rare exception where the anime may be superior to the manga, and if you know anything about manga, that is no small feat. This is an anime for the ages.

5. Bluey

Bluey has simply become must-watch programming for families, and don’t be surprised when Mom and Dad find themselves just as entertained as the little ones. The infectious theme song ropes you in as it introduces Mum (Chilli), Dad (Bandit), little sister Bingo and big sister Bluey, but it’s the heart-filled interactions between the Blue Heelers that have kept people coming back. Some episodes are laugh-out-loud funny — “I slipped on my beans!” — and others will hit you right in the feels and cause tears to flow freely.

Parents have become endeared to Bluey because it inspires us to be better. It encourages us to play with our kids and gives us permission to act silly in public. Why care what strangers think if you can make your kids laugh, right? But Bluey also shows the harder moments. Sometimes Bandit and Chilli don’t have time to play. Sometimes they don’t know what to say or just need some peace and quiet after partying too hard on New Year’s Eve. We need permission to want those things in real life, too.

4. The Simpsons

The Simpsons is the most popular and successful animated show in history because it’s hilarious in so many different ways. No matter what your sense of humor is, there’s almost certainly a Simpsons character that’s funny in the exact way you’re looking for. From highbrow literary references thrown out as asides to people falling over and getting injured in embarrassing or gruesome ways, and everything in between, each episode is jam-packed with jokes intended to do very different things and to appeal to very different people.

If it happened in a lesser show, it might feel like pandering, but with The Simpsons, the "whatever sticks" approach always felt like layers and variance. That’s a testament to the quality of the writing. Most shows that try to do too much are overtly better at one of the things they’re trying to do, which makes the rest seem less than or out of place. Not The Simpsons. Thanks to fantastic, complicated leads and the funniest supporting network of side characters in TV history, the writers can be funny in so many unique, challenging, satirical, irreverent and sometimes prophetic ways, and they have for more than 750 delightful episodes.

3. Avatar: The Last Airbender

From scathing commentary about imperialism to discussions of spirituality, trauma and extinction, Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender packs deep philosophical meaning into its animated stories. This universe, centered around people boasting the ability to bend elements, follows Avatar Aang on his journey to master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord. This series from Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko is a masterful classic, filled with fun side-quests like the trio’s journey to Omashu, as well as complex politics surrounding the Royal Fire Nation family, sassy characters (we’re of course talking about Sokka and Toph), insanely well-developed story arcs like Zuko’s, and it's all taied together with mind-boggling action,

Like the Avatar, ATLA gets stronger with time, and as Aang mastered the elements, the series grew with him. No matter how old you are, this series hits hard, and the more you watch it the better it gets. Avatar: The Last Airbender seems destined to always feel timeless, and like the Avatar’s powers, this show will likely continue to be passed down through generations for years to come.

2. BoJack Horseman

It’s understandable if you watch the first episode of BoJack Horseman and don’t quite click with it. It’s a show that throws you headfirst into its world  – providing a deep inside look at Hollywood and celebrity in a reality where humans coexist with humanoid animals. That being said, as one of the first Netflix original creations, it’s a series that greatly benefited from the streamer’s binge model, as to dig deeper into the show is to fall in love with it and everything it has to say.

All six seasons of BoJack Horseman are witty, clever, and hilarious, with countless background gags that make it incredibly rewarding on rewatch – but what makes it special is just how real it is. The aesthetic may be silly, but the characters are all ultimately broken people and there is an unflinching and powerful examination of their individual damage over the course of the show. The penultimate episode of every season manages to be as emotionally devastating as anything that Hollywood has ever produced for the small screen, and each one is both shocking and mesmerizing.

1. Batman: The Animated Series

Unquestionably one of the best examples of any animated TV show appealing to both kids and adults, Batman: The Animated Series continues to stand as perhaps the greatest triumph in the media history of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader. BTAS, and by extension The New Batman Adventures, followed in the footsteps of the Tim Burton Batman movies by bringing the character back to his darker roots and inserting viewers into an anachronistic Gotham City dripping with noir flavor. Here we have a Batman who strikes fear into the hearts of criminals just as easily as he inspires the innocent.

Anchored by the late Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne, Batman: The Animated Series effectively walked the line of honoring the source material while also putting unique spins on characters like The Joker, Mr. Freeze and Two-Face, while also launching neo-icons like Harley Quinn, Renee Montoya and a handful of others who’ve become mythos mainstays. Even ignoring that BTAS launched the beloved DC Animated Universe, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski's show serves for many as the gold(black) standard by which all other Batman adaptations are judged. 1992 may be a long time ago, but BTAS still feels wonderfully timeless.

Hopefully the next 80 years of animated series can stand up to the classic eras that have already come and gone, as well as everything happening currently. But for anyone who hasn't yet watched everything listed above, now you know the assignment, mmk?

There have numerous iterations of Batman on the big and small screens. The question of who the best live-action Batman is has spawned a contentious debate but, for many, the definitive version doesn't hail from the live-action realm. It's the one voiced by Kevin Conroy in Batman: The Animated Series. Conroy’s performance became so iconic that he returned to the role in several other projects, including the Arkham Asylum video game and its two sequels. 2024 will see the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a game set in the same universe. Before Conroy died in 2022, he reprised the role again, in what turned out to be his final take on the Caped Crusader, but there have been some worries on that front.

Kill the Justice League doesn’t come out until the end of January but, for a while, there's been some concern from fans that Kevin Conroy’s final performance might one day be lost. You see, the game is what’s called a “live service” title which, if you’re not familiar, is a game that among other things, requires an internet connection. A constant player base is also required to keep the game (and its economy) running. When live service offerings eventually stop being played, they are usually shut down entirely, making them impossible to play for anybody who still wants to.

Such a move would mean that the late actor's final performance could become inaccessible in the future. However, production manager Jack Hackett of the game’s developer, Rocksteady Studios, recently told Comicbook.com that the company already has plans in place to ensure that the voice actor’s final work as Batman remains available. He explained…

That certainly good news, and fans of this take on the Dark Knight are sure to feel a sense of relief. It would honestly be disappointing if folks were to eventually not be able to hear the actor's pitch-perfect pipes as time goes on.

The game centers around members of the Justice League, including Batman, going bad, due to being under Braniac's control. As a result, the Suicide Squad comes in to try and take them out. While Gotham's protector may be a “bad guy” this time around, Hackett says Kevin Conroy’s performance in the game will be special for fans, with a “poignance” that he agrees is worth persevering. He continued… 

That's certainly what the beloved performer and the character itself deserve. Kevin Smith called Conroy the "one true Batman." Mark Hamill has even said that he won't reprise his Joker role without Conroy's version of the hero. It would have been terrible if his final performance truly had been lost, which is something that, as more media of all kinds transitions to largely, if not exclusively digital platforms, we all should be concerned about.  

Those who'd like to hear Kevin Conroy's Batman work right now can play the Arkham games or grab a Max subscription and stream the various DC Animated Universe shows and some of the direct-to-video movies.

Batman and The Joker are like yin and yang, where each feeds off the other, and both are needed for either to exist. (More or less.) The same can be said about Batman: The Animated Series's iconic stars Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who have voiced the respective archnemeses for decades. Understandably, Conroy’s untimely death shook Hamil as it did multitudes of devoted fans, and a year after the voice actor’s death, Hamill shared a heartbreaking response when asked about playing the Crown Prince of Crime again.

The Batman-Joker dream team came together in 1992 after Fox greenlit the animated superhero series, though it might have gone a wholly different route had Mark Hamill not found inspiration in Michael Keaton’s Batman to drive his audition to play The Joker. After the roles were cast, the Hamill-Conroy team-up felt like pure kismet, but playing the Bat’s biggest adversary might not be in the cards for Hamill anymore without his most familiar co-star. When asked by a fan about playing Joker again in the future during San Francisco Fan Expo (via Culture Crave), the Star Wars alum made it pretty clear he's done with that particular brand of cackling.  He mentioned at the event that he was "done playing The Joker." He reinforced his stance that he won't voice the Gotham jokester "unless it's opposite Kevin Conroy's Batman."

Understandably, the movie icon doesn’t want to play The Joker if Conroy is no longer the one bringing Batman to life. The two voice actors had a natural chemistry that came through the TV screen in each of the Batman and other DC-related properties they co-starred in. So, the Last Jedi star retiring from voicing the sinister villain in the DCAU without his late co-star’s husky voice makes quite a bit of sense.

Mark Hamill tapped into his Crown Prince of Crime bag to sum up his feelings about Kevin Conroy’s death, and reportedly used an iconic BTAS line to summarize his thoughts:

Using The Joker quote was a great way to let BTAS fans know why he’s no longer voicing the notorious Gotham supervillain. Besides voicing two of DC’s best-known characters, Hamill and Conroy forged a friendship by sharing the beloved animated series’ legacy. The two actors shared time at conferences and conventions and talked about the show’s legacy.

Outside of Batman TAS, Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy voiced the characters across several movies and TV shows, including Justice League and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. The last project they acted in together was the Cartoon Network series Justice League Action. Hamill last voiced The Joker in the latest Scooby-Doo series Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, and has voiced other notable DC characters like The Spectre and Solomon Grundy.

While he’s done with The Joker, Mark Hamill isn’t done with voice work. He appeared on the 2023 movie schedule through Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar and The Boy and the Heron. Of course, TV isn’t too far behind as he appeared in hit animated series like Invincible and Futurama. If you want to reminisce about Hamill and Kevin Conroy’s time together, check out Batman: The Animated Series with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Less than a year after the revival of classic sitcom Night Court debuted on NBC, a star from the original series who fans will know well has passed away. Richard Moll, who appeared in almost every episode of the show as Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon, died on October 26. He was 80 years old at the time of his passing. 

According to a spokesperson for Moll's family (via THR), the actor died peacefully in his home located in Big Bear Lake, California. He was married twice over the course of his life, and is survived by two children and two stepchildren. Although he appeared in many projects on the big and small screen alike, he may be best remembered for nearly 200 episodes of Night Court over nine seasons as the lovable bailiff Bull. Moll did not reprise his role for the 2023 revival starring John Larroquette. 

He also had roles in a number of sitcoms that have since gone on to become classics, including Welcome Back, Kotter as his earliest TV credit (also starring John Travolta). Other shows include Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy (also starring Robin Williams), Remington Steele (also starring Pierce Brosnan), and The Dukes of Hazzard, to name just a handful of his jobs before landing Night Court.

Sadly, Richard Moll is the fourth member of the original Night Court cast to pass away over the past five years. Harry Anderson died at the age of 65 in 2018, and Charles Robinson died in July 2021 before Markie Post passed away just weeks later in August 2021. John Larroquette, who reprised his original series role for the revival, opened up about struggling with the losses. At the time of writing, Larroquette has not commented on Moll's passing. Take a look at the late actor in character as Bull from Season 8:

In addition to his role as Bull on Night Court, Richard Moll was also a prolific voice actor, including voicing Harvey Dent/Two-Face across no fewer than four different Batman projects. His stint as the Caped Crusader's iconic villain began back in 1992, with the first of many episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, which are currently available streaming via Max subscription. He also voiced Two-Face for the series The New Batman Adventures and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and the The Adventures of Batman & Robin Activity Center video game.

Moll also lent his voice to animated superhero shows that weren't centered on the Dark Knight, including Justice League, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and The Incredible Hulk. The actor's final credit listed on IMDb is the 2018 movie Slay Belles. The late actor leaves behind a legacy on the big and small screens alike, as well as in both live-action and animation. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Richard Moll in this difficult time.

The DC Comics brand lost a major member of its family this weekend, as Arleen Sorkin – best known for originating the role of Harley Quinn - sadly passed away at the age of 67. The actress portrayed the humorous (and somewhat dangerous) henchwoman across different productions over the years and endeared herself to audiences through her work. With that, plenty of fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to her in the wake of her passing. A number of notable Hollywood veterans are paying tribute to Sorkin as well, as former co-star Mark Hamill, James Gunn and more are honoring her. 

For years, Mark Hamill played the Joker to Arleen Sorkin’s Harley Quinn, and that partnership began in the early ‘90s with Batman: The Animated Series. Whenever one heard Hamill’s pitch-perfect laugh for the maniacal madman, it was typically accompanied by a wisecrack from Arleen’s Quinn. Hamill, who replaced Tim Curry as the Clown Prince of Crime, seems to have been incredibly grateful to have worked with his late colleague. That’s the feeling one gets based on the sentimental message he shared to X (formerly Twitter): 

The veteran actress’ passing was first reported by fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan, before THR and other trades further verified it. She had a number of acting credits to her name, with one of her most notable roles being that of Calliope Jones on soap opera Days of Our Lives. It was through that show – which she appeared on at different points between 1984 and 2010 – that BTAS writer/producer Paul Dini (a college friend of hers) was inspired to create an original character. He apparently saw an episode in which the actress appeared as a harlequin in a dream sequence and created the character of Harley Quinn with her in mind. Ultimately, the star joined the cast, and the rest is history. 

While Harley was only set to appear in one episode, she was brought back multiple times. As time went on, she eventually would appear in other DC Animated Universe shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Static Shock. The character became a pop culture icon, delighting and inspiring viewers like James Gunn. The co-head of DC Studios has frequently discussed his love for Quinn over the years. So it should’ve come as no surprise that he would pay such loving tribute to the woman who helped bring her to life decades ago. Gunn said on Instagram: 

The DC villain-turned-antihero made a serious impression, which is why there are currently so many TV shows and movies featuring Harley Quinn today. With that, other voice actors have taken on the role. Most prominent among them is Tara Strong, who also voiced Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in The New Batman Adventures. Strong discussed Arleen Sorkin, who hadn’t worked in a while due to health issues, on X and had nothing but kind words for her predecessor: 

In addition to the post above, Tara Strong also said that while at Collect-A-Con, she had surreal recollections of watching the OG Harley actress in the recording booth with Mark Hamill. It certainly seems like she was in awe of the late actress, and the same goes for voice-acting veteran Jim Cummings. He also shared some thoughts about his late colleague on X:

The loss of Arleen Sorkin is very surreal and, as a fan myself, I find it somewhat tough to process. Admittedly, what’s also daunting is that it comes less than a year after the death of beloved Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy. While Sorkin’s passing is a tough pill to swallow, it’s at least comforting to see people like James Gunn and Mark Hamill take the time to give her her flowers. We here at CinemaBlend also extend our condolences to her family and loved ones during this time. 

Those who’d love to revisit the talented star’s work or check it out for the first time can watch many of her performances as Harley Quinn in the DCAU using a Max subscription.

Of course, multiple generations recognize Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. However, for many 1990s kids and beyond, Hamill is also the person they think of when it comes to The Joker in the DC Animated Universe. However, before scoring his role in Batman: The Animated Series, the Star Wars alum looked to another 1980s star – Michael Keaton – for inspiration, and explained how his Batman performance influenced his Joker audition.

The Luke Skywalker actor opened up about Keaton's Batman’s influence as he answered the internet’s most burning questions about him in the Wired Autocomplete Interview. While generations of Batman fans call Michael Keaton their Caped Crusader, that wasn’t always the case. Hamill opened up about how the Mr. Mom star overcame some initial backlash, and revealed how the actor's experience gave him the confidence to audition for The Joker.

Despite the excitement surrounding Keaton putting on the cape and cowl once again in the second The Flash trailer, his initial casting faced some pushback from comic book fans. Before Batman, he was known more for his comedic performances in films like Mr. Mom and Night Shift. The comic book faithful were scared he wouldn’t embrace the edgy darkness of the Dark Knight. Fortunately, Keaton sealed the deal upon the first movie’s release.

Thankfully, the Oscar nominee’s reception paved the way for Mark Hamill. He was optimistic about his chances to land The Joker, but he still had a bit of apprehension before his audition. He felt being typecast as Luke Skywalker would stop him from landing the voice role. That still didn’t stop him from going all in to play Batman’s most prominent archnemesis though, as he explained:

Well, Hamill was wrong… and he landed the iconic role. However, after scoring the voice role, he almost passed it up feeling like he couldn’t do it. After playing the Crown Prince of Crime for three decades, the 71-year-old actor referred to the DC supervillain as his favorite role since The Joker is “insane,” which makes “him never boring” because he creates “chaos wherever he goes.” As expected, the movie icon gets asked to perform The Joker’s laugh all the time by fans of all ages.

As fans wait for more Joker performances, Mark Hamill is currently promoting the comedy film The Machine, which is in theaters right now. Moviegoers will get to see Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight once more when The Flash hits theaters on June 16. Also, while we wait for various other DC TV shows and movies to come out, you can watch Batman: The Animated Series and 1989’s Batman by Max subscription.  

Everyone has a favorite live-action Batman actor, but in the eyes of this BatFan and plenty others, the one who reigns above them all is Kevin Conroy, who sadly passed away on November 10, 2022, after a short battle with cancer at the age off 66. This year actually marked the 30th anniversary of the actor’s tenure voicing the Dark Knight in several hit DC TV shows, many of the best animated DC movies, and even a number of acclaimed video games — most notably Rocksteady’s Arkham series. 

It is hard to choose which of Conroy’s many performances as Batman should be deemed his crowning achievement, but I tried anyway by ranking just a few of his greatest hits in ascending order.

7. Batwoman (2019)

For years, I imagined what it would be like if Kevin Conroy leant more than just his unmistakable voice to the role of Batman and portrayed him in a live-action setting. That wish was granted with a special appearance on Batwoman, as part of the Arrowverse’s epic crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths, as the Earth-99 version of the retired vigilante, who relies on a robotic suit to move, has broken his one rule to never kill (including on Superman), and refuses to help save a universe he does not believe is worth it. Conroy brings out his dark side more than ever to play a Bruce Wayne who has lost all hope, which is heartbreaking, but also completely plausible given the hero’s penchant for cynicism.

6. Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

Batwoman might not actually mark the first time the actor played a version of the Dark Knight driven to his breaking point. The ambiguous ending to the animated adaptation of Alan Moore’s shocking, acclaimed one-shot, Batman: The Killing Joke, hints at Batman’s rivalry with The Joker (Mark Hamill, widely considered to be the villain’s definitive iteration) coming to the ultimate end. However, just a moment earlier, Batman shows some sympathy toward his damaged arch-nemesis and offers his help instead of his fist in a beautiful speech that Conroy delivers with authentic compassion in his voice, seemingly reflecting how much the actor cared for Hamill in real life.

5. Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

In one of the most underrated Batman movies — in my opinion — Kevin Conroy gives what I also believe is one of the most underrated Batman performances of his career in Batman: Gotham Knight. He takes on six different interpretations of the character in six very different stories in this anthology style feature produced in part by Christopher Nolan. Yet, he nails it each time, never once feeling out of place no matter how much one segment differs from the last tonally or stylistically — providing, perhaps, the ultimate proof of Conroy’s supremacy in the role.

4. Batman Beyond (1999–2001)

Even before completing the first third of his career voicing the character, Kevin Conroy proved he was capable of playing Bruce Wayne at any age when he reprised the role as a much older man forced to hang up the cape and cowl and mentor his young successor, Terry McGinnis (former Boy Meets World cast member Will Friedle). The idea of a “teenage Batman” should have never worked, but the futuristic Batman Beyond was very close to perfection, and a good chunk of the credit goes to Conroy in the way he reinvents his flagship character as a hero fighting crime from behind the scenes, purely with the use of his intellect in lieu of physicality and intimidation.

3. Justice League And Justice League: Unlimited (2001-2006)

On the other hand, it was especially satisfying to see the star return to play the Caped Crusader in his original form — but in an, arguably, even more intimidating manner this time — as he struggles to play nice with others as the one powerless member of a powerful superhero team. What really makes Conroy’s version of Batman from Justice League and its follow-up, Justice League: Unlimited, really stand out is his determination to risk everything for the greater good, and a refreshing sense of compassion, such as when he sits with a terminally ill reality-bender named Ace (Hynden Walch) until her death in one of the series’ best episodes, “Epilogue.”

2. Justice League: Doom (2012)

However, if you do prefer your Batman to be a compassionless hard ass, look no further than the 2012 movie Justice League: Doom, in which the heroic team is threatened by a special contingency plan to successfully neutralize each member that was created by the Dark Knight himself. When Batman discovers his plans have been stolen and altered to be deadly, he is horrified to see what his creation has brought on, but does not shy away from arrogantly defending the plans when his teammates take this as a breach of trust. You get two of Batman’s most defining emotions, played to perfection by Kevin Conroy.

1. Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm, And The New Batman Adventures (1992-1999)

To really see Kevin Conroy at his best, start at the beginning with the Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (later rebranded as The New Batman Adventures), which contains several moments that could be considered his peak — such as when his iconic voice utters the immortal line, “I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman." 

My personal vote goes to a flashback in one of the greatest animated Batman movies of all time, 1993’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, when Bruce Wayne, having fallen in love for the first time, desperately begs his deceased parents at their grave to free him of the vengeful vow he made to them. The desperation in his voice when he says, “I didn’t count on being happy,” is the stuff that all voice actors live for.

I would go so far as to say that Kevin Conroy should be remembered as one of the greatest voice actors to ever live, even if his career is defined by one role. After all, for many, the role of Batman is defined by Conroy and will be forever, no matter who else plays him, whether that means in the cape and cowl or in a recording studio. We lost an icon who will be greatly missed, but will, fortunately, live on in these fantastic and influential performances.

Throughout the multiverse of DC movies and TV shows, the heroes of the Justice League have taken on many forms and faces. One of the most powerful examples of was someone whose face wasn't seen through his work: Batman: The Animated Series star Kevin Conroy. Through his roles of Bruce Wayne and Batman, the actor established an animated incarnation of a well-known hero that rose above many or all others, depending on who you ask. It’s a legacy that’s remembered bittersweetly today, as it’s been reported the actor has passed away at the age of 66, and former co-star Mark Hamill is among those who are mourning. 

While initial reports had circulated for a while without confirmation, it was eventually confirmed by a collection of statements issued by Warner Bros Home Entertainment. The reported cause of death was “a short battle with cancer,” per the press release.

Included were statements from director Andrea Romano, series co-creator Paul Dini, and Mark Hamill, who voiced The Joker in many appearances during Conroy’s run as the character. Hamill’s statement reads as follows: 

Known for his portrayal of the iconic DC Comics character, and his millionaire alter ego, Kevin Conroy first started playing the role of Batman and Bruce Wayne when Batman: The Animated Series debuted in 1992. Periodically, Conroy would return to the role, through projects like the Batman: Arkham video games and even in live-action form for the CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. Most recently, he lent his voice to Batman for the Warner Bros’ fighting game Multiversus. 

The friendship between Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy is something that was always beautiful to see. It was especially nice when the actors would express that fondness through wanting to work together again. Hamill was always game for playing the Joker, so long as Conroy’s Batman was involved; and Kevin even showed interest in bringing Mark’s joker into his Arrow-verse appearance as well.  

For as iconic as he was in the role, Kevin Conroy celebrated all Batman performances in the DC Comics family. Like the noble hero he played, the actor was never shy about accepting that he was part of a greater good, contributing his best to keep things going. It’s through memories like the one shared above, and the legacy of the work he leaves behind, that will define him as time moves on.

There have been others before and after him, but to a loyal group of people, Kevin Conroy will always be the Batman. We here at CinemaBlend would like to extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Conroy’s friends and family. May they find peace as they navigate this time of grief and remembrance. 

While there are countless superheroes across DC comics, Batman is definitely one of the most popular. He’s been adapted in a number of mediums over the years, including live-action movies, cartoons, and video games. Someone recently combined Robert Pattinson’s Batman with the ‘90s animated series, and I can’t look away.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman is nearly in theaters, and is the latest of the Batman movies being released to audiences. Fans can’t wait to see the gritty take on Gotham City mythology, and what Robert Pattinson brings to the title character. Now we can see his suit in cartoon form, made in the style of Batman: The Animated Series. Check it out below,

I mean, how cool is that? The ‘90s Batman animated series has aged like fine wine, somehow remaining a part of pop culture these decades later. And it’s fun to imagine live-action versions of the Caped Crusader being made into cartoon form. Let’s break down what we’re being shown here.

The above post comes to us from the Instagram of artist Marcelo Millicay. They’ve amassed a few thousand followers on the social media platform, which is filled with DC fan art– many of which are made in the style of Batman: The Animated Series. Given the building anticipation for Matt Reeves’ upcoming blockbuster, this rendering definitely has the potential to go viral. We see the hero in his signature pose, complete with the animated series’ red sky. And Robert Pattinson’s suit looks pretty awesome.

The Batman has been a long time coming, but luckily that hasn’t stopped moviegoing audiences from getting excited about the superhero flick. While it sat in development hell for a number of years, Matt Reeves stayed the course and assembled a killer cast to occupy Gotham City. Unfortunately the pandemic caused another delay, as Robert Pattinson’s DC debut was pushed back another year.

Luckily, the wait is nearly over for The Batman. The mysterious blockbuster will arrive in theaters in a month’s time, debuting Matt Reeves' unique take on the iconic characters. And since the project isn’t connected to the main DCEU, the Planet of the Apes filmmaker should be able to make some bold narrative choices free of consequence. 

While fans wait for The Batman to arrive, they’re already hoping and theorizing about plans for a possible sequel. Matt Reeves is bringing a spinoff series to HBO Max, so he seemingly has ideas for the future. And there are so many icons from Batman’s rogue gallery that he could include if another big screen blockbuster is ordered by the studio. Fingers crossed. 

The Batman will be released exclusively in theaters starting March 4th, while Batman: The Animated Series is currently streaming on HBO Max. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Jeffrey Wright made history as soon as he joined The Batman cast as James “Jim” Gordon, becoming the first Black actor to ever play the trusted Gotham City cop (most commonly referred to in comics and DC movies as the city’s Police Commissioner). Of course, each of the previous portrayals of this unmasked ally of the Dark Knight from various comic book adaptations are special and important in their owns ways, but only a chosen few have stood out to true Batfans. 

As a Batfan myself, I thought I would share my picks for the all-time best James Gordon depictions in Batman movies and TV shows we have seen so far. So, let’s flip on the Batsignal and start things off with a portrayal that surely no list of this kind would be complete without.

Neil Hamilton (Batman, Batman: The Movie)

I will admit, I would call Neil Hamilton’s overly cheery, occasionally fourth wall-breaking performance as Commissioner Gordon in the 1960s Batman TV series and theatrical spin-off one of the cheesiest and least badass depictions of the character to ever grace the screen. However, not only does the portrayal perfectly match the fun, campy tone of the series, it also shows a winningly authentic reflection of the mutual trust and admiration between Jim and the Caped Crusader (Adam West), which is key to their dynamic.

Bob Hastings (Batman: The Animated Series)

One show that captures the relationship between Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne’s alter ego perfectly is Batman: The Animated Series, in which Bob Hastings and Kevin Conroy voiced the respective roles, in addition to doing so in a few feature-length spin-offs. Amid the Emmy-winning cartoon’s earnest storylines, Hastings - who previously voiced Superboy in some 1960s animated DC TV shows - brought a certain optimistic charm to the character that remains refreshingly unique in any medium.

Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

As far as I am concerned, no live-action Batman movies so far have ever nailed the Jim Gordon/Batman dynamic nearly as well as the Dark Knight Trilogy, which traces the incorruptible cop’s rise from Gotham City police detective to Commissioner as Bruce Wayne begins his own war on crime. The chemistry between future Academy Award winners Gary Oldman (as Gordon) and Christian Bale (as Batman) as they discreetly join forces amid criticisms of the vigilante's methods is key to the lasting impact of director Christopher Nolan’s grounded take on the comic.

Ben McKenzie (Gotham)

A flashback in 2005’s Batman Begins reveals how Jim Gordon came to know young Bruce Wayne years before unwittingly forming an alliance with his alter ego, which is also, essentially, the basis of Fox’s hit prequel series. Former The O.C. star Ben McKenzie does an excellent job leading the Gotham cast as a younger Gordon hoping to make a difference in the titular, crime-ridden metropolis after joining the police force around the same time as Thomas and Martha Wayne’s untimely murder.

Bryan Cranston (Batman: Year One)

Ben McKenzie is actually one of the few Jim Gordon actors who have also had the honor of playing another Gotham city character: Batman, whom he voiced in 2011’s brilliant animated DC movie, Batman: Year One - based on Frank Miller’s 1986 reinterpretation of the Dark Knight’s origin. However, the true star of this gritty noir is Emmy winner Bryan Cranston, who voices a version of Gordon that is traditionally good-natured and courageous, but willing to bend the rules to show his new, crooked GCPD colleagues that he is not one to be messed with.

Ray Wise (Batman: The Killing Joke)

Batman: Year One is also keen to show that Jim Gordon is still prone to vulnerability, but he has rarely been so vulnerable as in Alan Moore’s groundbreaking one-shot Batman: The Killing Joke. In 2016’s animated adaptation, Twin Peaks cast member Ray Wise voices the Commissioner, whom Joker (Mark Hamill) nearly drives to his breaking point with a torturous psychological experiment that involves shooting and paralyzing his daughter, Barbara (Tara Strong). Luckily, he is, at least, still strong enough by the end to urge Batman (Kevin Conroy) to defeat the Clown Prince of Crime “by the book.”

Christopher Meloni (Harley Quinn)

Very little about Christopher Meloni’s performance as Jim Gordon on HBO Max’s animated Harley Quinn series is “by the book,” but it is certainly a welcome and irresistibly hilarious departure at that. This commissioner is far past his breaking point and resorts to using the Batsignal just to vent his marital woes to Batman (Diedrich Bader), who must be the one to reiterate the importance of the rules to his ally this time around. In any other instance, I’d be offended by the idea of a Gordon who has grown numb to Gotham’s endless crimewave, but it is handled with such clever wit and empathy that I have nothing but praise for it.

J.K. Simmons (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)

Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons has the honor of starring in both Marvel movies (as a pitch-perfect J. Jonah Jameson) and (technically two) DC movies as Jim Gordon, who really does seem like old friends with Ben Affleck’s Batman in the sole scene they share. For a while, fans assumed that his appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (the preferred version) would be the last we saw of him as the commissioner, until the exciting announcement that he will reprise the role in the upcoming Batgirl movie for HBO Max.

I would like to also give an honorable mention to Pat Hingle for his solid performance in Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher’s Batman movies as the version of Jim Gordon that I, and surely many others, first became associated with growing up. Yet, in retrospect, the character is not painted in the most flattering or accurate light in those films, which also portray him and Michael Keaton’s Batman as no more than workplace acquaintances, which is why I chose to leave him off this list. Of course, at the end of the day, each and every iteration of Gotham’s commissioner is still worth honoring as one of the many stages in his enduring legacy.

To me, the most essential and defining element of the all best Batman villains is a seemingly non-threatening exterior which hides their sinister, unpredictable true nature. One character who reflects this concept better that much of Gotham City’s most wanted is Oswald Cobblepot - better known to DC readers as The Penguin.

Originally created by Batman co-creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the typically gentlemanly, but still quite eccentric, criminal mastermind will soon appear in Matt Reeves’ The Batman as played by Colin Farrell, who will also reprise the role in his own HBO Max exclusive spin-off. From the brief glimpses we have seen of the new Penguin, I am sure that the portrayal will follow the unspoken tradition that each iteration featured in Batman movies and TV shows is dramatically different from the last in some special way. To better explain what I mean, the following are some of the villain’s most notably unique portrayals over the years, starting with his screen debut.

Burgess Meredith (Batman, Batman: The Movie)

The first actor to ever play the Penguin in a DC Comics adaptation was Emmy-winner and two-time Oscar-nominee Burgess Meredith on the 1960’s Batman TV series and its feature-length, theatrically release spin-off. Also known from the Rocky movies and some of the best Twilight Zone episodes, the actor’s appropriately scene-chewing portrayal had a more profound effect on the character’s subsequent legacy than anyone would have anticipated.

His general appearance (top hat, monocle, beak-like nose, etc.) and mannerisms were ripped right from the comic books, but one signature characteristic that Meredith himself brought to the role was Penguin’s “quack.” He revealed in a 2007 interview with William V. Madison, the villain’s now iconic staple was actually a way to hide his frequent coughing as a result of the character’s smoking habit.

Danny DeVito (Batman Returns)

One of the most memorable characteristics of Danny DeVito’s Oswald Cobbleport in Batman Returns was also of the actor’s invention. It was the Emmy-winning future It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star’s idea to frequently cough up black saliva, as if the character design was not grotesque enough.

It is not really a hot take to say that the Penguin to Michael Keaton’s Batman in Tim Burton’s 1992 sequel is the scariest version of the character we have seen yet, and a key factor to the bizarre film’s infamous legacy (apparently McDonald’s, which had a tie-in Happy Meal deal with the movie, was not fond of the black saliva). However, if you ask me, this bleak and off-putting depiction is peak Penguin, and DeVito’s bold performance is one to aspire to. It appears that some of his successors agreed.

Paul Williams (Batman: The Animated Series)

A clear example of just how influential Danny Devito’s Penguin turned out to be is the character’s design on Batman: The Animated Series, which was created in response to the success of Tim Burton’s live-action Batman movies, initially. Despite the lack of sickly pale skin and black oral discharge, his globe-like stature and flippers for hands are a perfect match for what we see in Batman Returns.

Providing the voice of the Penguin on the Emmy-winning series, opposite Kevin Conroy as the Dark Knight, is renowned musician Paul Williams, who is also known for writing the Oscar-winning song “Evergreen” from 1976’s A Star is Born, and collaborating with now defunct electropop duo Daft Punk on their Grammy-winning 2013 album, Random Access Memories. The voice he chooses is more uniquely reserved and, frankly, human than what we tend to associate with the character, but effectively accentuates his more sophisticated approach to crime.

Tom Kenny (The Batman) 

The voice is actually the biggest difference between Paul Williams’ Penguin and Tom Kenny’s Penguin, whose rough, nasally tone calls to mind The Ice King from Adventure Time (another classic role from the SpongeBob Squarepants star). Otherwise, the character design of the villain on the animated series The Batman, which premiered a year before Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, bears a pretty close resemblance to what we see on BTAS, excluding his pointier teeth.

Kenny’s impressive tenure as Oswald Cobblepot did not stop there, however, as he would reprise the role in a few video games, various LEGO DC movies, the English-language dub of Batman Ninja, and Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to name a few. The only disappointment I have over that epic 2019 crossover movie is that we never see the unusually spry Penguin transformed into an actual penguin by the mutagen that turns Arkham into a literal zoo.

Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham)

The amazing way that Fox’s Batman prequel series paid tribute to Batman Returns had barely anything to do with its general portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot. It instead came in the form of casting Paul Reubens as the criminal’s estranged father, whom the Pee-wee Herman actor also played in the 1992 film.

Outside of his bird-like waddle (the result of leg injury), appearance of the monocle (eventually), and vehement distaste for his nickname, Gotham cast member Robin Lord Taylor’s Penguin is a pretty vast departure from previous iterations - particularly in his lanky physique, anxious demeanor, and unrequited romantic affection for Cory Michael Smith’s Edward Nygma (a.k.a. The Riddler). Comic book purists would normally take issue with such creative liberties, but Taylor’s brilliant devotion to the role makes it easy to accept.

Nolan North (Batman: Assault On Arkham)

The 2014 animated feature, Batman: Assault on Arkham (a Suicide Squad movie disguised as a Batman movie) indulges in more references to Danny DeVito for its Penguin, who has the same grayish complexion, insatiable appetite for raw fish, and ratty fur coat. However, for whatever reason, this Oswald Cobblepot is apparently from (or at least has spent a good portion of his life in) London, as evident by his thick cockney accent.

He is played this time by accomplished voice actor Nolan North - who is from Connecticut, if you were wondering - who has also voiced the villain in each installment of the Batman: Arkham video games series. To be clear, I am not against this unusual change to the Penguin’s dialect and, quite frankly, I am actually surprised no one else had tried it before, because if any member of Batman’s rogues gallery would make the most sense as a Brit, it is the one with a monacle.

On the other side of that coin, Wayne Knight (Newman from Seinfeld) also does a version of Penguin with a Brooklyn accent and a Jewish nephew on HBO Max’s animated Harley Quinn series, and DC Super Hero Girls de-ages him to a teenage con artist with a slightly similar dialect voiced by Alexander Polinsky. Each of these are equally fun, warmly welcome iterations of the character. The villain has become a surprisingly versatile member of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, as long as his core characteristics as a calculative, bird-like cretin are still in place.

I have a good feeling that The Batman is about to show us a version of the Dark Knight unlike any interpretation that we have seen on the big screen before. That being said, I am sure that director Matt Reeves’ upcoming DC movie (due for a March 2022 release) will also feature fascinating twists on various other characters known to Gotham City, especially The Riddler.

The comic book villain, whose quite fitting real name is Edward Nygma, has enjoyed toying with the Caped Crusader ever since he was first dreamed up by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang in 1948. The puzzling foe has also inspired various interpretations in Batman movies and TV shows, each one more distinct than the last. Before Academy Award nominee Paul Dano’s new take makes his grand debut, let’s take a look at some of the funniest and most frightening onscreen versions of The Riddler so far.

Frank Gorshin (Batman, Batman: The Movie)

The first actor to ever portray The Riddler in a comic book adaptation (live-action or animated) was Frank Gorshin on the Adam West-led 1960s Batman TV show and its feature-length spin-off, which was released in theaters in 1966. The comedian would actually earn an Emmy nomination for his lively and (at times) wonderfully manic performance in the green suit, which would undeniably set an iron-clad precedent for the character that every actor to succeed him would strive to live up to.

Jim Carrey (Batman Forever)

One of the most essential examples of looking to Frank Gorshin for inspiration is Jim Carrey in Batman Forever. Joel Schumacher assumed directorial duties and Val Kilmer assumed the cowl for this film in which a Bruce Wayne-obsessed Edward Nygma teams up with Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) to drain Gotham City citizens' brains with his powerful invention. This goofy sequel has evolved into a bit of a guilty pleasure, but I can honestly say I derive pleasure from watching the Ace Ventura actor chew the scenery in a relentlessly maddening performance that make the film worth revisiting alone.

John Glover (Batman: The Animated Series)

Despite being a cartoon, Batman: The Animated Series is considered less cartoonish than the 1990s live action Batman movies and, fittingly, featured a more reserved and darker version of The Riddler. John Glover (also known for DC adaptations Batman & Robin, Smallville, Shazam!, and Lucifer) invokes a uniquely sinister playfulness when voicing Edward Nygma - a puzzle designer seeking revenge on his former employer in his first appearance on the Emmy-winning series. 

Glover made a strong enough impression on fans to celebrate news that he and Batman voice actor, Kevin Conroy, will both reprise their roles for an upcoming audio drama that serves as a sequel to BTAS.  

Robert Englund (The Batman) 

The underrated, mid-to-late-2000s animated series, The Batman, has a much darker version of The Riddler, with the mere fact that he is voiced by iconic horror movie actor Robert Englund contributing much to that distinction. 

This Edward Nygma (who almost resembles Marilyn Manson in full makeup) is, once again, out to get back at a man who ruined his career, and does so by filling his home with deadly traps. Imagine if the A Nightmare on Elm Street cast member played Jigsaw instead of Freddy Krueger, and then faced off against Batman. That describes this Riddler in a nutshell.

Matthew Gray Gubler (Batman: Assault On Arkham)

Imagine if Criminal Minds cast member Matthew Gray Gubler’s Dr. Spencer Reid had instead become a criminal himself, and that describes this Riddler perfectly for you. He is just about the funniest and most unusually likable character in the 2014 animated movie, Batman: Assault on Arkham, which is really more about the Suicide Squad than it is about Kevin Conroy’s Dark Knight. 

However, the featured Task Force X members have no trouble voicing their personal dislike of the quippy and conceited villain, even after he promises he can help diffuse the bombs Amanda Waller (CCH Pounder) placed in their heads.

Cory Michael Smith (Gotham)

Watching characters slowly fulfill their destinies as Batman villains made Gotham a fun watch for fans, and Riddler’s evolution on the series was certainly no exception. 

Played by Gotham cast member Cory Michael Smith, Edward Nygma’s origin is a fascinating one - having initially worked as a brilliant (but widely disliked) forensic scientist for the GCPD until unforeseen circumstances caused his murderous split personality to emerge and, eventually, take full control. It’s a character arc that more accurately resembles Two-Face, but is still a welcome reinterpretation for the drama that unfolds.

Dave Franco (Young Justice)

Speaking of welcome reinterpretations, Young Justice is an earnest take on the Teen Titans comics that most fans agree is one of the strongest DC TV shows ever conceived. The secret is how the animated series borrows classic hero and villain characteristics, but adds new features that lend brilliantly to the plot, and its Riddler is certainly no exception. 

Voiced by Dave Franco, this Edward Nygma still loves to tease adversaries with clever wordplay, but mostly to make his bombastic acts of terrorism more fun for himself, making this take a bold balancing act between comedy and tragedy.

Jim Rash (Harley Quinn)

Now, if it is comedy that you really want from your Riddler, I highly recommend Harley Quinn on HBO Max, starring Kaley Cuoco as the Clown Princess of Crime. The fact that the hit animated series’ representation of Edward Nygma looks so much like the actor who plays him - Academy Award winner and former Community cast member Jim Rash - is already enough to earn a laugh. However, if you keep watching, I promise it only gets funnier from there when he becomes one of main antagonists of Season 2.

I also got quite a few laughs out of John Leguizamo’s vocal performance as The Riddler on the dramatic podcast Batman: The Audio Adventures, which is also exclusive to HBO Max subscribers. However, laughter is not what I am expecting from Paul Dano’s performance in The Batman. Honestly, as long as he invokes the same calculative, self-righteous traits the character is known for, I could not be more excited for it.

Batman: The Animated Series stands as one of the most beloved superhero TV shows, and the original voice actors are iconic to their roles. The stars have popped in other DC animated projects throughout the last three decades, and now, devoted fans’ wish for a return is coming true. A follow-up to the beloved series is in the works with original BTAS voice actor Kevin Conroy on board.

According to THR, original series Batman Kevin Conroy and Riddler voice actor John Glover announced the big news while at Los Angeles Comic Con. The Batman: The Animated Series follow-up will be a podcast, not another animated series as many fans hoped for. Along with the return of Conroy and Glover, original BTAS writer Alan Burnett is currently developing and writing the audio sequel. Conroy was enthusiastic about the progress by saying:

Kevin Conroy seemed just as hyped for the original cast’s return as OG fans will be. LA Comic Con was filled with more exciting news as Conroy revealed original theme composer Danny Elfman is returning as well. So, it appears viewers will get to relive the series with familiar voices and other aspects from the original series.

The BTAS audio drama will have some competition from other Gotham City podcasts. There’s the HBO Max podcast Batman: The Audio Adventures with The Batman’s Jeffrey Wright voicing the Caped Crusader. Spotify is launching the podcast Batman Unburied with Black Panther’s Winston Duke as the Dark Knight. At least, the BTAS follow-up has the nostalgia factor on its side with the original voice actors attached.

While the podcast just entered development, it wouldn’t be the first series to tap into the Batman: The Animated Series legacy. BTAS creator Bruce Timm is currently working with J.J. Abrams and The Batman director Matt Reeves to develop the new animated series Batman: Caped Crusader. The animated series has been described as a “reimagining” of the DC superhero, much like the 1990s animated series. So, Batman will be ruling the television world once again.

These projects are just the tip of the Batman media blitz about to unfold. Of course, there’s Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which will be released on Mar. 4, 2022. There are several Batman-oriented projects in the works or filming, including Batgirl and a Gotham City PD television series. 1990s Batman film star Michael Keaton as well as Ben Affleck will pop up in The Flash, which arrives on Nov. 4, 2022. The next few years will give the Dark Knight the most visibility viewers have witnessed since the 1990s.

It is unknown if any other BTAS voice veterans like Mark Hamill and Adrienne Barbeau will return for the podcast series. As more information on the audio series comes out, check back with CinemaBlend for the latest developments.

Ah, the ‘90s. A decade that is not so old (I mean, what’s two decades at this point, really?), but brimming with nostalgia for how much of a mixed bag it was in terms of pop culture, especially on the small screen. In fact, I would call something of a golden age of television for shows like Seinfeld, Friends, The X-Files, or other programs that defined the era of a nearly endless variety. See for yourself with our nearly endless list of ‘90s TV shows that you can stream right now, starting with what could be the greatest sitcom of all time.

Seinfeld (Netflix)

From creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, this Emmy-winning NBC series (which ran from 1989 to 1998) follows the increasingly bizarre misadventures of a comedian (Seinfeld), his ex-girlfriend (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), his eccentric next door neighbor (Michael Richards), and his neurotic childhood buddy (Jason Alexander), which often serve as inspiration for his stand-up material. With an expansive universe of supporting characters, a dictionary’s worth of quotable lines, and a groundbreaking sense of brutally honest wit, Seinfeld is much more than nine seasons of nothing.

Stream Seinfeld on Netflix.

ER (Hulu)

Also boasting an expansive and ever-evolving cast (including George Clooney and many other future A-list guest stars) is the Emmy-winning ER, which covers the daily grind at Chicago’s County General Hospital and the personal lives of its staff. What keeps the long-running NBC hit which premiered in 1994 from creator Michael Crichton one of the most influential TV medical dramas of all time is its grounded sense of realism that never goes off life support for all 15 seasons.

Stream ER on Hulu.

Batman: The Animated Series (HBO Max)

One of most influential superhero TV shows (and animated programs in general) also boasts what many fans consider to be the finest portrayal of the iconic DC Comics character in any screen adaptation. Kevin Conroy voices the title role of Batman: The Animated Series (later rebranded as The New Batman Adventures in 1997), which also features the iconic performances of Mark Hamill as The Joker and Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn in her very first appearance in any medium.

Stream Batman: The Animated Series on HBO Max.

Friends (HBO Max)

Could there be a more celebrated ‘90s comedy than Friends? Honestly, few sitcoms which debuted in the era have gone on to achieve as much lasting relevance in pop culture as co-creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman’s seminal, Emmy-winning NBC hit. The secret would have to be the glowing Friends cast (who recently reunited for an HBO Max special) and the enduring, genuine sense of sweetness and sentimentality brimming in all 235 episodes.

Stream Friends on HBO Max.

Living Single (Hulu)

Of course, we should also give credit where it is due to another series about six twenty-something New Yorkers struggling to navigate their personal and professional lives which first aired on Fox in 1993 - a year prior to the debut of Friends. While it only lasted five seasons, the snappy writing of creator Yvette Lee Bowser’s hit and the Living Single cast (including a pre-Oscar-nominated Queen Latifah) still made a grand impression on Hollywood. 

Stream Living Single on Hulu.

NYPD Blue (Hulu)

New York was also the setting of one of the darkest, grittiest, and most captivating police procedurals of the decade, which co-creators Steven Bochco and David Milch brought to ABC in 1993. As the gruff, rebellious cop Andy Sipowicz, Dennis Franz led the constantly interchanging NYPD Blue cast for 12 seasons and to four-time Emmy-winning acclaim.

Stream NYPD Blue on Hulu.

Saved By The Bell (Netflix, Peacock, Hulu)

Mark-Paul Gosselaar would join the cast of NYPD Blue in the later seasons after first rising to fame as Zach Morris, the fourth wall-breaking de facto leader of the Saved by the Bell cast, from 1989 to 1993. The zany misadventures of Bayside High School’s students became a big enough hit to inspire a few spin-offs - most recently on Peacock with most of the original cast coming back to reprise their iconic characters.

Stream Saved By The Bell on Netflix.
Stream Saved By The Bell on Peacock.
Stream Saved By The Bell on Hulu.

Dawson’s Creek (Netflix)

Of course, high school is not always so funny, which the Dawson’s Creek cast would be forced to come to grips with on a weekly basis. Created by Scream writer Kevin Williamson and debuting in 1998 when The CW was still called The WB, this primetime soap opera was one of the most captivating dramas about growing up at the time and launched the careers of James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Williams, to name a few.

Stream Dawson’s Creek on Netflix.

Beverly Hills, 90210 (Hulu)

If you thought high school was hard, college is no picnic and adulthood is practically impossible as the original Beverly Hills, 90210 cast would be forced to come to grips with on a weekly basis. From Sex and the City creator Darren Starr and debuting on Fox in 1990, this primetime soap opera would launch several careers, with the original premise centering on twin teens who move to California and face many of the challenges of growing up, while also adapting to life in Beverly Hills. 

Stream Beverly Hills, 90210 on Hulu.

Frasier (Hulu)

One of the most unsurprisingly successful spin-offs of all time followed Kelsey Grammer reprising his role from the Cheers cast after he relocates to Seattle where he hosts a radio show, while also regularly facing his own relationship issues. I would actually hope that we could see a reunion of the Frasier cast one day, either as a way to relive the sitcom’s greatest memories or as a full-on revival to see what they have been up to since the 2004 finale.

Stream Frasier on Hulu.

Rugrats (Hulu, Paramount+)

A more fun and imaginative, yet still undeniably honest, take on the trials and tribulations of growing up was Nickelodeon’s Rugrats, which recently became one of the latest ‘90s properties to get a revival on Paramount+ in 2020. The backyard adventures of Tommy, Chucky, Phil, Lil, and Angelica would also inspired three big screen spin-offs - one of which would introduce Chucky’s step-sister Kimi onto the cast.

Stream Rugrats on Hulu.
Stream Rugrats on Paramount+.

The Real World (Paramount+)

What could provide a more honest portrayal of America’s youth, however, than a reality show (when that term really meant something) that puts a diverse group of people living together in the spotlight? The groundbreaking docuseries The Real World, which has not quite ended after decades since its 1992 debut, was just what MTV needed to gain recognition as more than TV about music.

Stream The Real World on Paramount+.

Walker, Texas Ranger (Pluto TV)

Justice is best served with a roundhouse kick to the face, as Chuck Norris’s titular, Lone Star State lawman would prove over and over again from 1993 to 2001. Essentially a B-movie of irresistible lunacy extended over 196 episodes, the power of Walker, Texas Ranger could never be replicated, even though The CW seems to have done pretty well with its reboot starring Jared Padalecki.

Stream Walker, Texas Ranger on Pluto TV.

Ally McBeal (Hulu)

The TV legal drama genre would never be the same after the debut of Ally McBeal, which starred three-time Emmy-nominee Calista Flockhart as the title character who often gets lost in her own wild imagination while practicing at a law firm that also happens to the be the workplace of her ex-boyfriend. Created by David E. Kelly, the hit series is a profound time capsule of the dramatic changes at the end of the 20th Century and beginning of the next.

Stream Ally McBeal on Hulu.

Touched By An Angel (Paramount+)

Some people, when they are at their lowest, tend look up to the sky for inspiration. However, the rotating guest stars of the long-running CBS drama Touched By An Angel were able to find it right in the backyards with the help of three spiritual entities sent from Heaven to provide whatever assistance necessary. 

Stream Touched By An Angel on Paramount+.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Hulu)

The spiritual entities and strange creatures that “Chosen One” Buffy Summers (Scream Queen Sarah Michelle Gellar) would encounter in Sunnydale from 1997 to 2003 were anything but helpful. In a way, you could argue that the old school fantasy elements of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series served as an exciting and witty metaphor for the modern teen’s struggles to balance school with some very demanding extracurricular activities. 

Stream Buffy The Vampire Slayer on Hulu.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Netflix)

Because Buffy had a penchant for being extremely dark and disturbing quite often, younger viewers in the 1990s had another fantastic (and deliciously campy) metaphor for the struggles of adolescence to turn to. Originally a Japanese show re-edited with footage of an American cast of teens when not in their colorful uniforms, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was the start of an ongoing cultural phenomenon which perfectly captures every child’s dreams of saving the universe.

Stream Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on Netflix.

3rd Rock From The Sun (Tubi)

The ‘90s would also prove that the average and mundane can be just as scary, especially when seen through the eyes of extraterrestrials who have taken human form to observe our species. Such is the plot of the unique and thoroughly fun NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, which sees John Lithgow at his zaniest and future A-lister Joseph Gordon-Levitt at his most reserved by comparison.

Stream 3rd Rock From The Sun on Tubi.

The X-Files (Hulu)

The 3rd Rock from the Sun cast would have been in a lot of trouble if they ever crossed paths with FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who constantly found themselves on a journey to find “the truth” behind the strange cases they investigated. In addition to being easily one of the best sci-fi TV shows of its time, The X-Files has practically become synonymous with the genre itself since debuting in 1993.

Stream The X-Files on Hulu.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (HBO Max)

Thanks to roles in Independence Day and Bad Boys, Will Smith would eventually become synonymous with the world “blockbuster.” However, to get there, the rapper-turned-actor proved his chops and his hilarious charisma as the star of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast, playing a Philly native who moves in with his aunt, uncle, and cousins in Bel-Air after one little fight got his mom scared.

Stream The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air on HBO Max.

Everybody Loves Raymond (Peacock)

Little fights of the verbal variety would happen on a regular basis among the stars of the Everybody Love Raymond cast, whether it was between Ray Barone (Ray Ramano) and his wife, his brother, or his parents. We would not have had it any other way because this long-running sitcom likely helped any person who has ever butted heads with their own family realize it could be much worse in the most hilarious fashion.

Stream Everybody Loves Raymond on Peacock Premium.

My So-Called Life (Hulu)

Speaking of, My So-Called Life would provide some very profound examples of how things could be worse either in a cleverly funny or simply unapologetically bleak way, as seen through the eyes of Angela Chase (Claire Danes). Short-lived, but much-loved and groundbreaking for the ways it tackled social issue unlike series before, the ABC drama would earn Danes a Golden Globe and launched future Academy Award winner Jared Leto’s career.

Stream My So-Called Life on Hulu.

Boy Meets World (Disney+)

While never particularly groundbreaking for the social issues it highlighted, the moral lessons offered in this classic coming-of-age sitcom (especially when coming from William Daniels’ Mr. Feeny) were undeniably valuable. It is always a joy to witness the Boy Meets World cast grow up while rewatching Cory Matthews evolve from a charming, underachieving pre-teen to a neurotic, married man-child, even if the overall narrative does not always add up.

Stream Boy Meets World on Disney+.

Martin (HBO Max)

Nothing ever really had to make sense on Martin, which aired on Fox from 1992 to 1997. As long as star and co-creator Martin Lawrence kept the laughs coming (either as the titular radio and TV personality Martin Payne or any of his other characters), you were guaranteed a good time.

Stream Martin on HBO Max.

Twin Peaks (Hulu, Paramount+)

Now if you really want to talk about entertainment in lieu of things not always making much sense, look no further than Twin Peaks - the story of an eccentric FBI agent (Golden Globe winner Kyle MacLachlan) tasked with solving a murder that has shaken a small town in Washington. Co-created by the incomparable David Lynch, this is one bizarre, inventive mystery that will have you hooked until its shocking cliffhanger ending… that you can see “conclude” in the 2017 revival from Showtime.

Stream Twin Peaks on Hulu.
Stream Twin Peaks on Paramount+.

You know, I was about to say that they don’t make television like they do in the ’90s anymore, until I remembered that many of these shows have been rebooted or revived in recent years. What I will say, however, is that none of these ‘90s shows could ever be done the same way, and thank God for it because the unique feeling you get from rewatching them on streaming is one-of-a-kind.

No superhero in the history of comic book fiction has made the position of “sidekick” a more honorable distinction than Robin, who has remained a constant of the BatFamily no matter who is behind the mask. The average consumer of superhero movies may only recognize the Boy Wonder as Dick Grayson - a young orphan whom Bruce Wayne would take in and train to become his first costumed ally - mainly because the DC movies often tend to favor him over subsequent iterations. However, the man who would be Nightwing is not the only name you will see on the following list of our favorite versions of Robin featured in Batman movies and TV shows, starting with one who would become many audiences' first Robin. 

Burt Ward As Dick Grayson On Batman

Holy obvious choice, Batman! The definitive depiction of the Caped Crusader has changed dramatically since the late Adam West played him on the campy, classic series Batman, but many aspects of Burt Ward’s performance as Bruce Wayne’s young ward remain standard to the character to this day. From his sharp perception, impeccable fighting skills, and loyalty to his parter in crimefighting, the ‘60s-era Robin is everything that a superhero would want in a sidekick.

Loren Lester As Dick Grayson On Batman: The Animated Series 

The iteration of Dick Grayson first introduced in 1992 on Batman: The Animated Series (and played by veteran voice actor Loren Lester) is, essentially, the embodiment of everything that made Burt Ward’s portrayal great, but with a deeper darkness and sharper wit that was missing. By the time the Emmy-winning animated DC TV show was rebranded as The New Batman Adventures, Dick would hang up the Robin mantle to become Nightwing, allowing another ambitious, young vigilante to take his spot.

Matthew Valencia As Tim Drake On The New Batman Adventures

DC Comics’ second Robin was Jason Todd, whose tragic storyline was darker than what Bruce Timm and co. could explore on The New Batman Adventures, leading to Matthew Valencia’s casting as Tim Drake. Yet another orphan taken in by Bruce Wayne (voiced by Kevin Conroy), what memorably sets Drake apart from Dick Grayson in the Timmverse is his more rebellious approach to fighting crime under the discipline of Batman, who originally had no intention of training the boy. He also sports a more charmingly boyish quality than Grayson did… in this continuity, at first.

Scott Menville As Dick Grayson On Teen Titans

While his true name is never spoken on the early-to-mid-2000s animated series, it is largely suggested that Robin in Teen Titans is Dick Grayson, but a thorough reinvention of the character nonetheless. In fact, the leader of the titular crew of young heroes voiced by Scott Menville (who would also reprise the character in Teen Titans Go! and Teen Titans Go! to the Movies) almost bears a stronger resemblance to another Robin: Bruce Wayne’s son Damian Wayne, with his one-man army resilience and more stubborn and brooding personality. It is also a stark contrast from his next animated, small-screen iteration. 

Jesse McCartney As Dick Grayson On Young Justice

Essentially a reboot of Teen Titans (or, at least, a far more earnest one than Teen Titans Go!), Young Justice - which is now an HBO Max exclusive - once again follows a team of younger DC characters led by Dick Grayson (this time voiced by actor and pop star Jesse McCartney). At first, the former sidekick to Batman boasts a slightly more relaxed and child-like disposition when not in serious hero mode, which would become more of his default when he drops the Robin mantle to become Nightwing. I actually tend to prefer Grayson as his post-Robin persona, which is why the Season 2 finale of Titans was so satisfying. 

Brenton Thwaites As Dick Grayson On Titans

Essentially a live-action reboot of Teen Titans (or Young Justice, more so), Titans - which also streams exclusively on HBO Max now - once again follows a team of younger DC characters led by Dick Grayson (this time played by Australian actor Brenton Thwaites). This series actually caused an uproar before it even premiered with Robin confirming he no longer works with the Dark Knight by replying to a group of criminals’ question about his whereabouts with “Fuck Batman” in the trailer, signaling that this show would be fully embracing the Boy Wonder’s dark side. That darkness comes through even better when Grayson become Nightwing (the first official live-action depiction of the moniker), which is why I can understand how some might prefer a lighter take on Robin.

Michael Cera As Dick Grayson In The LEGO Batman Movie 

Well, you will certainly not find a lighter take on Robin than in one of the lightest takes on Batman lore ever produced (but in the most appropriate and passionately executed fashion). Michael Cera of Superbad and the Arrested Development cast voices a young Dick Grayson, opposite Will Arnett’s Bruce Wayne, in 2017’s The LEGO Batman Movie, which brilliantly pokes fun at their infamously rocky relationship. Cera’s Robin is a relentless ball of energy whose loyalty to Batman as a crimefighter is fueled by his longing to be accepted as his son, too.

Ariel Winter As Carrie Kelley In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

It was not until Frank Miller’s groundbreaking reinvention of the Caped Crusader in his 1986 graphic novel Batman: The Dark Knight Returns that a father-daughter (or even grandfather-granddaughter) dynamic was applied to Batman’s relationship with Robin with the introduction of Carrie Kelley. Longing to escape her meager existence, the poor, young Gothamite dons a store-bought Robin costume and joins an aging Bruce Wayne in his most dire and controversial war against crime yet. An animated adaptation of the story was released in two-parts in 2012 and 2013 with Ariel Winter of the Modern Family cast voicing the role so well, you may wish she had her own spin-off.

Chris O’Donnell As Dick Grayson In Batman Forever

I will be honest: I was initially hesitant to include Chris O’Donnell’s portrayal of the Boy Wonder in 1995’s Batman Forever, particularly because the actor was obviously not a boy when it came out. However, the Joel Schumacher-directed sequel    deserves points for an otherwise accurate depiction of Robin’s core motivation (the death of his family) and his and Batman’s conflicting personalities. Hell, even 1997’s Batman & Robin sheds light on Dick Grayson’s struggle to fully earn Bruce Wayne’s trust as an equal pretty well.

People have been debating for years over the strengths and weaknesses of all the Batman actors so far, but one thing most fans seem to agree on is that we have rarely seen a bad depiction of Robin on screen. It seems to me that he deserves to follow in Batgirl’s footsteps and get his own movie one day. Speaking of, check out our picks for the best Batgirl depictions in movies and on TV, next!

Leslie Grace was recently cast to play Gotham City’s most famous female crime fighter in her own solo Batgirl movie, which will be released exclusively on HBO Max in 2022. While she is the first non-white actress to play the character in a live-action movie, the singer and In the Heights cast member is the latest of several actresses who have played the tough-as-nails, vigilante alter ego of Commissioner James Gordon’s daughter, Barbara Gordon, in both DC movies and TV shows, with each one bringing something new to the role to be remembered for. Only time will tell how Grace’s portrayal will compare to the following six iconic and celebrated previous depictions of Batgirl, starting with the true originator of the character.

Yvonne Craig On Batman

Similar to how Harley Quinn was originally created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini specifically for Batman: The Animated Series in the early 1990s, Barbara Gordon was originally thought up by William Dozier, the producer of the old live-action Batman TV show, specifically for the classic series starring Adam West and Burt Ward as the Caped Crusaders. However, unlike Harley Quinn, Barbara Gordon also made her DC Comics debut simultaneously with her TV debut in 1967.

Despite the “Batgirl” moniker existing since 1961 when it was held by the mother of Kate Kane (a.k.a. Batwoman), Yvonne Craig had the rare honor of taking immediate ownership of the Barbara Gordon character without becoming a scrutinized subject of comparison like many performers do these days. Thus, the late actress’ witty, energetic performance is still widely considered the definitive portrayal of the character… in a live-action series, at least.

Melissa Gilbert, Tara Strong, And Stockard Channing On Batman: The Animated Series And Batman Beyond

Even with the heavy hitters leading the live-action Batman movies, many believe Kevin Conroy’s vocal performance is the definitive Dark Knight portrayal. The DC Animated Universe’s iteration of Batgirl is often given the same distinction for a more earnest and relatable vulnerable approach, but the credit does not go to just one actress.

Little House on the Prairie’s Melissa Gilbert first played Barbara Gordon on Batman: The Animated Series before Loki’s Tara Strong (also famous for voicing Harley Quinn after Arleen Sorkin) took over when the show was rebranded as The New Batman Adventures in 1997. She would reprise the character in many DC TV shows and movies, including Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - a feature length spin-off of the futuristic Batman Beyond series, which cast Grease star Stockard Channing as a grown-up Barbara Gordon, now serving as GCPD Commissioner. This would not be the last time we saw Batgirl follow in her father’s footsteps.

Rosario Dawson In The LEGO Batman Movie

While Leslie Grace has the honor of being the first non-white actress to play Batgirl for a live-action movie, as previously established, the very first non-white portrayal of the character in any adaptation was performed by Geek Goddess and experienced DC voice actress Rosario Dawson. She stole the show as Barbara Gordon in The LEGO Batman Movie from 2017, and first portrayed her as a by-the-book Gotham City police commissioner before eventually accepting Batman’s (Will Arnett) vigilante philosophy and donning her iconic purple and yellow outfit.

Admittedly, director Chris McKay’s batty spin-off of 2014’s The LEGO Movie is meant to be a goofy deconstruction of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego and everything else in his world, and Rosario Dawson’s Barbara Gordon takes a few creative liberties. However, the film is one of the most hilarious superhero parodies, and Batgirl’s arc brings out a unique side of the character that lends to her legacy beautifully.

Savannah Welch On Titans

Barbara Gordon’s reign as the commissioner for the Gotham City Police Department would later be brought to live-action television on Titans Season 3 in 2021. However, we never see singer and actress Savannah Welch as Batgirl on the hit HBO Max exclusive series because her portrayal is based on a post-Batman: The Killing Joke Barbara (also known as Oracle) who was paralyzed from the waist down by Joker’s bullet.

However, never seeing Savannah Welch don the cape and cowl does absolutely nothing to detract from her refreshing depiction of a strong, mature, independent Barbara Gordon DC fans have been waiting to see. It certainly is an improvement on Dina Meyer’s performance on the short-lived Birds of Prey TV show, not that that was necessarily the actress’ fault, though.

Danielle Judovits On The Batman

On the other hand, some claim the Birds of Prey TV show (which aired on The CW when it was still called The WB in the early 2000s) deserves a second chance. On that note, a relatively well-liked animated series that sill deserves more love today is The Batman (not to be confused with Matt Reeves’ upcoming solo Batman movie), which saw a younger Bruce Wayne (Rino Romano) team up with a young Barbara Gordon even before Dick Grayson (Evan Sabara) comes into the picture.

The Batman’s Batgirl is played by veteran voice actress Danielle Judovits of Naruto and Sailor Moon fame, who brings a contemporary flair and irresistible spunk to the role that calls to mind Carrie Kelley (a.k.a. Robin from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns). Until Ariel Winter voiced Carrie/Robin in the two-part adaptation of Frank Miller’s classic graphic novel, Judovits’ Barbara Gordon was the closest we got to an onscreen depiction the fan favorite, instantly making her a winner in my book.

Briana Cuoco On Harley Quinn

Contemporary flair and irresistible spunk are also what make Batgirl so fun to watch on HBO Max’s animated Harley Quinn series. Interestingly, it is star Kaley Cuoco’s sister, Briana Cuoco, who plays Barbara Gordon this time and does so with the same level of enthusiasm and talent for wit.

The series traces Barbara Gordon’s modest evolution from aspiring crime fighter and die-hard Batfan to full-on crime fighter when she finally adopts the Batgirl moniker and starts a livestream blog of her adventures - which sounds very against the Batfamily rules, but it's clever enough to get a pass. What really makes Briana Cuoco’s portrayal stand-out is the close-knit portrayal of her relationship with her father, which I hope is depicted half as strongly in the new Batgirl movie.

For those wondering why I did not include Batgirl from Batman & Robin, first of all, that is not Barbara Gordon in the infamous 1997 sequel, but Alfred Pennyworth’s niece Barbara Wilson and, secondly, Alicia Silverstone would even agree that her performance does not hold a candle to any of the other depictions above. That being said, which Batgirl is the best and battiest in your book?

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Aside from The Simpsons, I’m pretty sure that Batman: The Animated Series is the greatest American cartoon that we’ve ever had. There was just something about it where you knew, even as a kid, that it was special. In fact, when it comes to Batman in general there are some fans (myself included) who would argue that the ‘90s cartoon was the best Batman has ever been in his 77 years as a character. And, there were just so many outstanding episodes that it’s kind of difficult to pick the very best episodes of the series.

But, that’s what I aim to do here today. Out of the 85 episodes and two seasons, I have boiled this list down to the 10 best episodes. What makes these the 10 best? Well, I think it all comes down to the ones that I think most fans would agree upon, two of which even won Emmys they were so excellent. Now, keep in mind, even though there were two seasons of the highly regarded cartoon, Season 1 had a whopping 65 episodes, and all the picks on this list come from that season.

I’m also including two-parters as one single ranking, since those story arcs were completed in those two episodes. So, with that said, let’s get to it. And, yes, I hear you Avatar fans who think THAT’S the best American cartoon. Don’t worry. I covered the ten best episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, too. I also love Avatar, but this list is all about the Bat! Let’s get to it!

Oh, and no major spoilers. If you haven’t watched the series, you can see all of these episodes on HBO Max.

10. “Two-Face: Parts 1 and 2,” Episodes 10 and 11

Spoiler alert for a 13-year-old movie, but one thing I disliked about The Dark Knight was the addition of Two-Face. It’s not that he was bad. It just felt like he needed to be in his own movie, because Two-Face is a very complex character. You get to see that complexity play out fully in “Two-Face: Parts 1 and 2” where we see the good Harvey Dent, running for re-election, and then “Big Bad Harv,” which is the psychopathic side that he’s trying to hide. It’s brought out in grand fashion when he’s physically scarred in a chemical plant explosion.

What makes this two-parter superb is the way it tackles multiple personalities. Moon Knight fans will only be so lucky if the new Disney+ show handles that character’s Dissociative Identity Disorder this well. We see Harvey Dent really struggling with his second personality, and Batman, who knows Harvey Dent personally, wants to do everything in his power to help his friend, only to find that it might be hopeless. We get a full arc in these episodes, and it’s just two great examples of how adult this “kid’s show” could be.

9. “Beware the Gray Ghost,” Episode 18

You know the saying, “Don’t meet your heroes”? It’s meant to imply that the people you look up to are really just human and will likely be a colossal disappoint once you meet them. Well, in this stellar episode, Batman gets to not only meet his hero, The Gray Ghost, who is voiced by none other than the first TV Batman, Adam West, but he even gets to work with him. After the Gray Ghost sells off some of his merch because he’s strapped for cash, somebody starts using one of the items in malicious ways, and Batman and the Gray Ghost need to stop him.

This episode is fantastic because we learn about the happier days of Bruce Wayne’s childhood, where he himself had a hero. This episode is also, in a way, super meta since it reflects our love of watching Batman, and how even Batman has his own hero to look up to. It’s a sweet episode.

8. “The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne,” Episode 37

What happens when a superhero’s secret identity gets revealed? Well, unlike Tony Stark, who flat out just revealed who he was at the end of the first Iron Man, Batman wants to keep his identity a secret. That plan gets dashed when he goes to a vacation spot, and Dr. Hugo Strange learns who he really is. Not only that, but once he finds it out, he’s willing to sell the information to the top bidder. Drama ensues.

This is a great episode, because this really would happen if superheroes existed and their identity was exposed, as this information would be worth top dollar. There’s a nice little twist at the end, and the episode is just well-written, overall. Plus, I like this version of Hugo Strange. He’s sinister, but not too sinister. It’s a cool interpretation of the character.

7. “Blind as a Bat,” Episode 59

The what if Batman was Daredevil episode, Batman is blinded at an air show by the Penguin, and he finds a way to “see,” because he can’t rest while the Penguin is still on the loose.

This is a very harrowing episode. Batman’s face alone when he’s blinded is quite terrifying. But, it’s also a very empowering episode as well, because while being blind is a challenge, this episode proves that any obstacle can be overcome, even the loss of one of the most vital senses.

6. “The Man Who Killed Batman,” Episode 51

Picture this. You pride yourself on being one of the greatest criminal masterminds in all of Gotham City, and your greatest nemesis, the Batman, seems like an indominable force. Half your time is just finding ways to try to kill him, but you can’t do it. Then, some nobody kills Batman BY ACCIDENT. That’s the plot of this phenomenal episode where the guy who “kills” Batman is derided and loathed by every villain in Gotham City for being the one who “killed” the Bat.

This is one of the more comical episodes of the series. The Joker, who is undoubtedly Batman’s greatest villain, is really great in this one, since he’s super pissed off that HE wasn’t the one who killed Batman. It’s an episode that really begs the question, what’s your ultimate purpose in life, and what if somebody else took it from you, purely by accident? It’s great in its life-is-one-big-cosmic-joke approach to storytelling.

5. “Robin’s Reckoning: Parts 1 and 2,” Episodes 32 and 33

Revenge! Everybody knows Batman’s story about how his parents were murdered, but not everybody knows that Robin’s story parallels Batman’s in that he, too, was orphaned at a young age. Well, in this two-parter, we learn about that history of how Robin came to live with Batman, and we also see Robin struggling with the idea that Batman is keeping the murderer of his parents from him so he doesn’t seek vengeance. It’s a great couple of episodes.

In fact, Part 1 was so great, that it even won a Primetime Emmy Award. A lot of emotions are packed into these two episodes, and it all crescendos with a very emotional turn from Batman that you rarely get to see, on either the big screen or the small. This episode hits hard.

4. “Feat of Clay: Parts 1 and 2,” Episodes 20 and 21

This is like the drug addiction episode. Bruce Wayne is framed, but it turns out it was a famous actor who can change his face to look like anybody else’s. When things go awry after the actor is given too much of the chemical that gives him this gift, he turns into the goopy, disgusting mess known as Clayface. It sounds like one of your run-of-the-mill bad guy transformation episodes, but it’s actually super tragic.

I’ll never forget the way this episode ends with all the TV screens. This is a potent episode about wanting too much, and yet, wanting so little that it seems like too much. Batman is very sympathetic in this episode, and you truly feel for the villain. Plus, Clayface is just one of Batman’s coolest antagonists, and one who I’d love to see in one of the future live-action Batman movies one day. Please?

3. “Perchance to Dream,” Episode 30

I love anything about dreams, so you know I’m a big fan of this episode, where Bruce Wayne wakes up one day to find that everything in his life has changed. He’s no longer Batman, his parents are alive, and he’s engaged to Catwoman. Sounds perfect, right? Then why is Bruce Wayne so troubled by all of this? This is a really creepy episode, and probably the closest the show ever got to being like The Twilight Zone.

Probably one of the most unsettling episodes, there is one scene in particular that has always stuck with me, and it pertains to reading books in dreams. That’s all I’ll say about it, but this episode gives me the chills.

2. “Heart of Ice,” Episode 14

Another Emmy Award Winner, this episode tackles one of Batman’s most tragic villains, Mr. Freeze. In another episode where Batman tries to prevent somebody from murdering their enemies, Batman must stop Mr. Freeze before he kills the person who ruined him and basically killed his wife. It’s a tear-jerker.

If anything, I think that “Heart of Ice” fully legitimatizes Batman: The Animated Series as one of the most mature cartoons aimed at children, because the subject matter is so melancholy. I would call this episode the show’s finest moment, but there’s one more episode that I think is greater. And that would be …

1. “Almost Got ‘Im,” Episode 46

The Penguin, The Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and Killer Croc play Poker together, and talk about the times they almost killed the Batman.

That’s all I’m going to say about this episode. What makes this one so great is the stories within the story, as well as the way it humanizes these villains to the extent that they all just hang out and chill together. But, the ending of this one is what makes it legendary. Please, just watch this episode. Trust me on this one. It’s the best.

Those are the top 10 episodes. But what do you think? Sound off in the poll below. For news on upcoming DC movies or even the best Batman: The Animated Series villains, make sure to swing by here often.

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Even though we live in a day and age where practically every movie and TV show is available on one streaming service or another, there is just something about having a boxset of your favorite film franchise or series on your shelf. If you love those massive collections of everything from the Back to the Future trilogy to Friends, then you have come to the right place because both of those and more are cheaper than ever through Amazon's Prime Day 2021.

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For years, Batman has been a mainstay in pop culture, and one of the mediums in which the Dark Knight made the most enduring impact is animation. Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series defined the character for a generation and, nearly 30 years after its debut, it remains a superhero staple. Rumors recently indicated that the show was being revived and, while that’s not exactly the case, co-creator and DC Animated Universe guru Bruce Timm is returning to produce a new show that’s bringing more Caped Crusader action to HBO Max!

Warner Bros. Animation has confirmed that Batman: Caped Crusader, a brand-new animated series, in the works for HBO Max and Cartoon Network. Bruce Timm will return to Gotham City to serve as executive producer on the show and will be joined by J.J. Abrams and The Batman writer/director Matt Reeves, who will also serve as executive producers.

While specifics are mostly being kept under wraps at the moment, the announcement did come with an official teaser poster, which is sure to get BTAS fans pumped! Check it out for yourself down below:

Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves also released a joint statement on Batman: Caped Crusader. In it, there express their excitement about getting to work together to update the Dark Knight for a new generation of viewers:

Created by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, Batman: The Animated Series debuted on Fox Kids in 1992. At the time, the show was a heavy departure from other animated iterations of the Dark Knight and opted for a darker animation and mature storytelling. The show received critical acclaim during its run, even earning two Daytime Emmys and a Primetime Emmy Award. The series also spawned a theatrical film, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Though the show's run ended in 1995, it would ultimately kickstart the DC Animated Universe, which would include other shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Justice League.

The first poster and the comments from the producers imply that the show is really going for a “back-to-basics” approach. Seeing as how Batman’s animated outings have varied over the years, fans will likely find it refreshing to see the World’s Greatest Detective back in Gotham City and doing battle with his extensive rogues’ gallery.

Most would agree that it’s going to be great to see an animated Batman on the small screen again, and Bruce Timm is certainly the man for the job. Fans will likely be waiting anxiously to see what he, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves manage to bring to the Caped Crusader’s rich mythos.

To prep for the show, you can stream Batman: The Animated Series and other DCAU shows on HBO Max now!

To many, Mark Hamill is a Star Wars icon, having played the famous role of Luke Skywalker over the course of several decades. However, following his initial tenure in the galaxy far, far away, Hamill ventured into the world of voice acting, and landed a pretty iconic role in the early ‘90s. The actor was cast as The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and arguably became even more legendary due to his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime. Hamill has great affection for the character, and he recently opened up about why he considers it “a gift” to have played him after Skywalker.

Luke Skywalker is a very specific character -- the young, bright-eyed and heroic protagonist. So you can imagine that following his early Star Wars days, Mark Hamill was aiming to try his hand at a different kind of character. Well, after a fan on Twitter posted a meme joking about Skywalker and Joker, Hamill confirmed that he was indeed looking for a role that was the exact opposite of the plucky farm boy:

It goes without saying that Joker and Luke Skywalker couldn’t be any more different from each other. At times, Mark Hamill likely had to go to some dark places to portray the evil nature of Batman’s greatest foe. Nevertheless, he managed to do it by adding in plenty of wit and charm and, in the process, Hamill really got to flex his acting chops.

While numerous actors have played The Joker in both the realms of live-action and animation, many consider Mark Hamill’s performance to be the gold standard. Following Batman: The Animated Series’ cancellation, he would continue to voice the character in other DC Animated Universe shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Static Shock. He’s also voiced the character in other DC-related movies and TV shows.

Given how great Mark Hamill is in the role, some might be surprised to learn he wasn’t the first choice for Joker. The equally legendary Tim Curry was initially set to play the part, but he was fired after he contracted bronchitis. From there, Hamill worked to develop the character, which included crafting a laugh that was menacing but multidimensional. He also avoided emulating Jack Nicholson’s Joker, something the show’s producers had also advised him not to do.

Mark Hamill’s role as The Joker was certainly a gift for him, but it’s also been a gift for fans over the past few decades. Simply put, it’s one of the great comic book performances of all time and will likely be enjoyed for years to come.

If you’ve yet to check out Mark Hamill’s Joker or just want to revisit his best moments, you can stream Batman: The Animated Series on HBO Max.

Many superhero fans will likely tell you that Batman: The Animated Series stands as one of the greatest television series of all time. Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski’s show took off when it debuted on Fox Kids back in 1992, and many now consider it to be one of the best interpretations of the Dark Knight and his world. While there are numerous episodes that are available to both view and own, it wouldn’t be crazy to think that fans would love to see more. Well, if a new rumor is to be believed, BTAS lovers could be in for some amazing news.

The rumor alleges that HBO Max is working on Batman: The Animated Series revival. News of the rumored reboot comes from Fatman Beyond co-host Marc Bernardin, who recently mentioned it during an episode of the podcast:

Kevin Smith, Bernardin’s co-host, also backed up his claims. He even went as far as to say the rumors come from solid sources:

It goes without saying that this should be taken with a grain of salt at this point, but the idea of HBO Max allegedly working on a Batman: The Animated Series sequel isn’t crazy. With the recent reorganization of the DC Universe streaming service, BTAS and other content moved over to the streamer. With the show’s presence on the service and its continued popularity, it would make sense to continue the show in some form.

Batman: The Animated Series aired 85 episodes during its two season-run on Fox Kids. The show is most notable for its adherence to the character’s roots in DC Comics but added new elements to the lore, with one of the most notable additions being iconic character Harley Quinn. Critics also praised the show for its complex storytelling, strong voice acting and deep themes. During its run, the series scored numerous awards, including a Primetime Emmy for the acclaimed episode “Robin’s Reckoning Part I.”

Due to its success, BTAS would become the first show in Bruce Timm’s DC Animated Universe, which includes shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Static Shock. The show would also spawn a short-lived continuation series in the form of The New Batman Adventures. Most recently, writers Alan Burnett and Paul Dini continued the show’s timeline in a comic book series called Batman: The Adventures Continue, which has drawn mixed reviews.

It remains to be seen if a Batman: The Animated Series revival actually comes to pass, but the idea is certainly intriguing. Some may be tentative about the show allegedly being brought back, and rightfully so. Still, if the show’s original creatives were to be involved behind the scenes, the rumored sequel show would be worth exploring.

When thinking about iconic pieces of superhero television, Batman: The Animated Series is typically one of the first that comes to mind. The classic cartoon defined the Dark Knight for a generation through its mature storytelling, darker tone and reverence to the source material. Another signature element of the show is its character designs, which have become widely recognizable to fans. Well now, the characters’ looks have gotten a sleek update thanks to a video game veteran.

Rafael Grassetti, who served as the art director for 2018’s God of War, has digitally reimagined the characters of Batman: The Animated Series. In a recent Instagram post, he unveiled new designs for the titular hero and various members of his rogues’ gallery. Check out the cool images down below:

As a fan of BTAS, it’s almost impossible not get excited when seeing these images. Even though Grassetti translated the characters to a 3-D format, he still managed to retain their key, physical traits. The accuracy of each one’s attire is particularly cool.

In addition to creating individual portraits for each player, Rafael Grassetti also released a one-sheet featuring all of them together, and the image is truly stunning.

When Batman: The Animated Series debuted on Fox in 1992, fans were likely expecting it to follow in the footsteps of Tim Burton’s work. While the show would utilize Danny Elfman’s signature theme, it managed to step out of Burton's cinematic shadow and forge its own path.

BTAS would eventually go on to kickstart what is now known as the DC Animated Universe, which consists of shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Justice League. Many of these successors would also draw in fans and have continued to do so even after the franchise’s conclusion in 2006.

Of course, two of the greatest gifts Batman: The Animated Series gave fans are Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who voiced Batman and the Joker, respectively. Conroy’s stoic and sincere delivery as the Caped Crusader has become a staple in DC Comics lore. Meanwhile, Hamill’s playful (and sometimes frightening) rendition of Joker is considered by many to be the gold standard for portraying the Clown Prince of Crime. When looking at Rafael Grassetti’s renderings of the two, one can’t help but hear their voices ringing in the ears.

Grassetti’s art is a testament to the enduring legacy of Batman: The Animated Series. Despite having premiered nearly 30 years ago, it continues to inspire new generations of storytellers. And when you have artists like Grassetti churning out content like this, you have to be thankful for what the show has done. Let’s hope we get so more cool art like this in the near future.

Batman: The Animated Series is now streaming in its entirety on DC Universe.

The Arrow-verse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event made history by featuring legendary Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy in his first live action portrayal of Bruce Wayne on Batwoman. This comes after years of subtle hints to Gotham City’s protector on Greg Berlanti’s beloved DC TV shows.

In fact, it is hard to find a small screen adaptation of a DC comic that does not reference Batman in some way, shape, or form. Whether he is a main character or alluded to in a brief, unnamed mention, DC TV shows rarely escape the Dark Knight’s shadow.

The question is, of the many, many TV shows that directly or indirectly honor Batman’s legacy, which one does DC the most justice? We took the liberty of ranking our choices of the 10 best series for the past and present, that reflect that description.

10. Gotham

One of Frank Miller’s most acclaimed Batman stories is his The Dark Knight Returns prequel, subtitled Year One that reimagines Bruce Wayne’s earlier days as a crimefighter in Gotham City. The trick to the otherwise overdone origin story concept of this 1986 limited comic book series event is that the true central character of the story is not really Batman, but a younger Jim Gordon. That may be the secret to this TV show’s appeal.

Gotham is a live action crime procedural following Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie), recently transferred to the Gotham City Police Department, while the overarching story revolves around young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), whose parents’ murder convinces him to become a symbol of justice for his broken city. Another key to the fun of this series, which ended in 2019 after five seasons, is seeing how the younger iterations of iconic comic book villains grow from petty criminals to Gotham’s most feared. Stream it on Netflix here.

9. The Batman

In 2005, Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale teamed up to reimagine the Caped Crusader’s origin story on the big screen with 2005’s Batman Begins. Apparently, a year earlier, Warner Bros’ animation department already had something similar in mind with this series that reimagines Bruce Wayne (voiced by Rino Romano) somewhere in his mid-20s.

The younger titular hero The Batman, not to be confused with Matt Reeves’ upcoming reboot, is working to establish himself as Gotham’s protector, joined by new incarnations of Batgirl and Robin, against wild reinventions of his rogues gallery, while also learning further into Bruce Wayne's free-wheeling bachelor persona more than any animated iteration before, by my count. I must admit, however, for an arguably unnecessary pseudo-prequel series, The Batman is much better than it deserves to be. Best example: a surprisingly impressive spin-off movie in which Batman squares off against Dracula. Stream it on DC Universe here.

8. Static Shock

The executives in charge of greenlighting animated series on The WB (the original CW) knew what they were talking about when they suggested more teenage superhero content in the late ‘90s and early 2000s (more on that topic later). One of the greatest results of that trend was Static Shock, about high schooler Virgil Hawkins (DC voice acting veteran Phil LaMarr), who fights crime with his ability to create electricity.

Static Shock is based on the comic Static, integrated into the DC Universe in 1993 after original publisher Milestone closed. Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy) made his first of four appearances on the series in its second season, and they would later reunite on a time-traveling episode of Justice League: Unlimited that also marks a crossover with Batman Beyond in the most epic of ways: present-day Batman gets to meet his elderly self. Stream it on DC Universe here.

7. Supergirl

Clark Kent’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, was actually given the live action treatment in 1984 with a film infamous for being a critical and commercial failure. Fans of the Kryptonian heroine can thank Greg Berlanti for this series starring Melissa Benoist as Supergirl.

Originally airing on CBS before joining its Arrow-verse companions on The CW after the first season, Supergirl follows the titular DC hero balancing crimefighting with her career in journalism, much like her cousin, Superman (Tyler Hoechlin). In fact, the Man of Steel’s introduction to the series in Season 2 sparks much more overt references to Batman, who Clark is known to often butt heads with, which must be why he never makes an official appearance. Stream it on Netflix here or on The CW here.

6. The Flash

Supergirl was given a proper induction into the Arrow-verse in a 2016 crossover episode with this fun series starring Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, a young forensic scientist struck by lightning and blessed with superhuman speed. He uses his ability to fight evil in Central City as the title character of The Flash.

While not the first live action series based on the fastest person in the DC comics universe, the first series to spin-off from Arrow is easily more beloved than the otherwise well-received 1990s show and also can claim to have the most Batman references, as subtle as they may be. Connections to the Dark Knight in The Flash are decidedly more meta and even suggest he only exists in other realities, such a brief reference to Heath Ledger’s Joker and an alternate Barry having the names “Bruce,” “Hal,” and “Diana” on his speed dial. Stream it on Netflix here or on The CW here.

5. Arrow

The show that started comic book fans’ love affair with the work of Greg Berlanti is inspired by a less-popular DC character associated with the color green. However, with the help of Stephen Amell’s abs, Arrow became one of the greatest comic book-inspired hits to grace the small screen.

You could consider the character of Oliver Queen, Stephen Amell’s billionaire playboy who trained with Ra’s Al Ghul to become archery-skilled vigilante Green Arrow, to be a Batman reference in itself, but even if we were to count that, it would be the tip of the iceberg. The series has made subtle references to members of the Batfamily, saw Queen once name-drop Bruce Wayne in Season 6, and opened Season 8 with a glimpse of what appears to be Batman's famous cowl. While Wayne’s costumed persona is still never directly mentioned, the clever ways the Arrow pays tribute to him is appropriate enough. Stream it on Netflix here or on The CW here.

4. Teen Titans

While I can acknowledge and appreciate the popularity of Teen Titans Go! and DC Universe’s live action Titans, this animated series that ran from 2003-2006 is the real deal. DC younger costumed vigilantes, such as Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and leader Robin, share a house together while taking on the destructive forces of villainy and other common struggles of the young.

While not directly tied to other iterations of the animated universe most often associated with Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm (especially considering their greatly differing tones), the presence of the Dark Knight is very much prevalent throughout Teen Titans, especially in connection to Robin. The Titans’ leader never speaks about his adoptive father and mentor by name, but still speaks of him often. Though it may exist in a different timeline, I like to imagine it is Kevin Conroy’s iteration he refers to. Stream it on DC Universe here.

3. Batman Beyond

I always find it funny to consider how Batman Beyond came to be. As co-creator Bruce Timm has recalled, it began with what he considered to be Warner Bros. execs’ “terrible idea” for a teenage Batman, until they created the character of Terry McGinnis (voiced by Will Friedle), a young aspiring vigilante mentored by Bruce Wayne himself.

This continuation of Batman: The Animated Series sees Bruce Wayne (reprised by Kevin Conroy), having grown too old to fight crime, passing the torch to an unexpected teenage ally struck with a vengeful spirit following his father’s murder. Bruce and Terry’s unique dynamic, a striking futuristic visual style, and an inventive wave of new villains has earned Batman Beyond its own canonical DC comic book companion and a welcome spot in Batman’s legacy. Also be sure to check out the brilliant feature-length spin-off film, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, which brings the immortal portrayal of the arch villain by Mark Hamill into the future. Stream it on DC Universe here.

2. Justice League

All these fans disappointed in Joss Whedon’s contribution to the Justice League movie keep demanding the Snyder Cut. Meanwhile, I’m just sitting comfortably, watching an iteration that truly does justice to DC’s most powerful superhero alliance.

The Timmverse’s iterations of Batman and Superman first met in their own 1997 crossover TV movie and then became permanent colleagues in 2003 when joined by fellow vigilantes Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawk Girl, and the Martian Manhunter as a Justice League. Kevin Conroy returns to voice a comparatively meaner version of the Caped Crusader who admits to not working well with others upon the team’s formation, but his tendency to butt heads with his fellow heroes is one of the strongest elements of this refreshingly mature animated series and its expansive continuation Justice League Unlimited. Stream it on DC Universe here.

1. Batman: The Animated Series

Depending on who you ask, mainstream audiences often seem to have a natural preference to live-action superhero content. However, I do not believe that there has even been a more worthy screen adaptation of one of the most endurable comic book characters in history as when he is animated, and this Emmy-winning series that ran from 1992-1999 (if you count The New Batman Adventures) is the prime example.

Batman: The Animated Series was the beginning of animator Bruce Timm’s career in bringing DC’s finest to life and legendary voice actor Kevin Conroy’s career in giving one of history’s finest portrayals of the Dark Knight. The noir-inspired visual style (animated on black paper), the intense quarrels with villainy (shoutout to Mark Hamill’s Joker), and being one of the few adaptations to honor Bruce Wayne’s detective skills makes this series the crown jewel of Batman’s television legacy in my opinion, with all due respect to the late Adam West. Furthermore, it requires little effort to argue how the show’s feature-length theatrical spin-off, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, is the greatest Batman movie ever made. Stream it on DC Universe here.

As one of the leading superheroes of all walks of media since 1939, Batman’s immortal legacy can be traced through more DC inspired TV shows than the 10 we have listed. However, based on our recommendations, these are the ones that will satisfy the comic book lover in you the most.

While Mark Hamill will forever be known as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars films, for some, he was and always will be the definitive Joker from Batman: The Animated Series. Hamill has expressed great joy in having voiced the famous Batman villain and this holiday season, he says he’s forever grateful that playing Joker still allows him to frighten children.

Mark Hamill posted a nice tribute to the Joker on Twitter this week. His message is heartfelt as he waxes poetic about why the role has been important to him and his work as an actor. Then, Hamill veered off in a completely different direction, which is very much his style because he himself is a social media jokester. Read his message below.

Along with the tweet, Mark Hamill posted several different photos of the Joker. One image was an incredibly creative fan art that included all the live-action iterations of the Joker, from Heath Ledger’s The Dark Knight take to Joaquin Phoenix’s latest version in this year’s Joker, all sitting around a poker table. However, it’s Mark Hamill’s Joker who is at the center, mockingly turned towards the audience with the biggest smile on his face while holding a Batman card. Check it out below!

Though the post was obviously made in jest, Mark Hamill is right. Playing Joker did open the doors for him in terms of villainous roles, though his agent wasn’t happy about his casting at the time. Prior to voicing the character for Batman: The Animated Series opposite Kevin Conroy’s titular character (who wants to see Hamill join the Arrow-verse crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths”), Hamill was primarily known as Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Jedi.

Since Joker, he memorably played several villains, including the evil Hobgoblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Firelord Ozai in The Last Airbender, and Darth Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

I imagine going back to play Luke Skywalker in the new Star Wars trilogy is a walk in the park for Mark Hamill, especially since he’s played the character for so long, but it does seem that he revels in playing villains and in scaring kids with his Joker laugh.

While Mark Hamill hasn’t been back to play Joker in a while, who knows what 2020 will bring? In the meantime, Hamill lends his voice to SkekTek in Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. For more on what to watch in the new year, be sure to check out our midseason schedule to find out when your favorite shows will premiere.

“If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice.” That comes straight from The Joker himself about delving into his past. Because while most protagonists and antagonists in the world of superheroes get definitive origin stories (which, to be fair, are reimagined every so often), the Clown Prince of Crime’s never gotten such treatment.

Sure, many stories of how he became a chalk white-skinned, green-haired mass murderer share similarities, but creators are often given a freer hand with exploring these events compared to other popular characters. This is especially evidenced by the release of Joker this past weekend, which barely pulls from the source material in showing how Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck turns to darkness.

If there is one rule that’s consistently followed when explaining how The Joker came to be, it’s this: “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.” He may have started out on the right side of the law, but due to a series of unfortunate circumstances over a short period of time, he became the embodiment of pure evil. With that in mind, we’re going over the most notable Joker origin stories across comics, movies and television, whether the story was directly shown or alluded to enough.

Batman: The Killing Joke (1988)

Let’s get one thing out of the way: many of Joker’s origin stories see him gaining his clownish appearance and losing his sanity by falling into a vat of chemicals, usually with Batman involved. The most iconic example of this is the 1988 story Batman: The Killing Joke (which was also adapted into an animated movie). Inspired by 1951’s Detective Comics #168, which showed that he was a criminal called The Red Hood before becoming The Joker, The Killing Joke delivered a tragic re-telling of the transformation from the former to the latter.

The man who would become The Joker was originally a struggling standup comic trying to support his pregnant wife. Hitting rock bottom, he agrees to guide two criminals through the chemical factory he used to work for so they can rob the playing card company next door. Unfortunately, right before the heist, he learns from the police that his wife and unborn child died in an accident at their house.

Grief-stricken, the unnamed man tries tries to get out of the heist, but the criminals force him to go through with it and make him wear the Red Hood outfit in order to frame him as the mastermind and divert attention away from themselves. Sure enough, the trio are intercepted by security at the chemical plant, and after the two criminals are killed, the man now dressed as Red Hood dives into a chemical vat after being confronted by Batman.

Swept through a pipe leading outside, this man is shocked to discover his physical appearance drastically altered, and that, combined with the loss of his family drives him to insanity. And thus, The Joker was born!

Batman: Zero Year (2013-2014)

Although the New 52 continuity’s take on how The Joker came to be bares some similarities to The Killing Joke, there are also enough differences that it’s worth covering on its own. In the events that unfold during Batman: Zero Year, The Joker was the second individual to lead the Red Hood Gang as Red Hood One. The original leader, Liam Distal, was killed by this unnamed individual, although the exact timing of his death could never be determined due to the lye that eroded his corpse.

Regardless, when he returned to Gotham City, Bruce Wayne’s first activities as a vigilante involved him targeting the Red Hood Gang, and they retaliated against him… hard. Shortly thereafter, Bruce became Batman and slowly dismantled the gang, with the conflict culminating in him foiling their attempted robbery at the Ace Chemical Processing Plant.

As a shootout between the remaining gang members and the GCPD raged, Red Hood One tried to escape on a helicopter, but Batman used his grappling line to yank him off. Red Hood One nearly fell into the chemicals right then and there, but Batman caught him and tried to pull his adversary up. Red Hood One wasn’t having it and opted to fall in anyway and broke free of the Caped Crusader’s grip. Batman believed those chemicals were enough to kill the man, but all they did was physically disfigure him and make him even more psychotic, emerging as The Joker not long after.

Batman (1989)

In contrast to most depictions of The Joker, Tim Burton’s first Batman movie directly identified who The Joker was pre-transformation: Jack Napier, mob boss Carl Grissom’s second-in-command who, as was revealed later in the movie, killed Thomas and Martha Wayne decades earlier. In the ‘present day,’ Carl sent Jack to oversee a raid at Axis Chemicals, but it was all a ploy to see Jack killed for sleeping with Carl’s mistress, Alicia.

That plan went south when Commissioner Gordon arrived with his own squad of officers to capture Jack Napier alive, and realizing he’d been set up, he killed the corrupt Lieutenant Eckhardt, who was working for Carl Grissom. But Batman was another matter entirely, and during his brief encounter with the Dark Knight, Jack was struck in the cheeks by a ricocheting bullet. Jack then lost his balance and fell over the catwalk, and while Batman caught him and tried to pull him back up, the criminal still fell into that vat of chemicals.

Jack Napier was already emotionally unstable before the incident at Axis Chemicals, but his altered visage, plus a hack surgeon failing to properly repair the parts of his face damaged by the bullet, pushed his sanity over the edge. Jack reinvented himself as Joker, killed Carl Grissom and launched a crime wave the likes of which Gotham City had never seen before.

The DC Animated Universe (1992-2006)

Although Batman: The Animated Series never explored The Joker’s origins, its follow-up, The New Batman Adventures, did at the beginning of the episode “Beware the Creeper,” when reporter Jack Ryder shed light on how the Clown Prince of Crime came to be seven years earlier, telling the traditional ‘accidentally falling into chemicals’ story. Joker interfered with this report and ‘re-created’ the night of his transformation using Ryder as the new victim, but that’s a whole other story.

That said, it is worth pointing out though that Joker’s past was explored earlier in the theatrical movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. While never named, it was revealed that the pre-Joker was an assassin for the Valestra mob who was sent to kill Carl Beaumont in Europe after his associates learned he’d embezzled money from them. When Carl’s daughter, Andrea, carried out her revenge years later as The Phantasm, Joker was her final target, though he was the only one of them to survive the movie’s events.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan took The Joker in a radically different direction in The Dark Knight by forgoing the villain gaining his freakish appearance from an accident involving chemicals, and instead having him wear clown makeup and dying his hair green. There is still some physical disfigurement in the form of his Glasgow smile, and Joker provides two different explanations for the scars; the first being that his abusive father carved into his face as a kid, and the second ring that he carved his own face to show he doesn’t care that her own face being carved by some loansharks, though she ultimately leaves him.

It’s never revealed which of those is the true story or if he was scarred some other way. We also never learn where Heath Ledger’s Joker came from and why he decided to carry out his mission of terror and anarchy in Gotham City. Comedian Patton Oswalt once speculated that this version of Joker used to be a military intelligence operative, which would make sense given his knowledge of weapons and explosives. But otherwise, this Joker remains an enigma.

Suicide Squad (2016)

Although Joker’s origin story is never shown in Suicide Squad, we do learn that Jared Leto’s version of the character went through the whole ‘falling in chemicals’ experience when he takes Margot Robbie’s Harleen Quinzel to Ace Chemicals. After being electrocuted by Joker during his Arkham Asylum breakout, Harleen became desperate to be Joker’s main squeeze, so he convinced her to fall into the same chemicals that ‘created’ him. He initially planned to let her drown, but he had a change of heart and dived in to rescue her. Beyond that, we don’t know anything about the DCEU Joker’s past.

Gotham (2014-2019)

The Fox series Gotham took an interesting approach by having two characters embody the spirit of The Joker; twins, to be precise. We were first introduced to Jerome Valeska as a guest villain in Season 1, and after returning for brief stints in Seasons 2 and 3, he was a recurring villain in Season 4. Jerome demonstrated violent tendencies a young age, and after killing his mother, he started embodying the nihilistic anarchist aspects of The Joker, eager to spread chaos and madness throughout Gotham City. He also became physically disfigured when his face was cut off right before being resurrected… that’s right, he was dead for a time.

As for Jeremiah Valeska, who emerged as Jerome’s successor after Jerome permanently died before the final act of Season 4, he didn’t initially display the same insane tendencies as his brother… at least, not on the surface. But he was pushed over the edge when he exposed to a mind-altering laughing gas left behind by the late Jerome. Jeremiah’s skin turned chalk white, and as he grew slowly more unhinged, he became obsessed with Bruce Wayne and launched his own wave of terror across Gotham City, though Jeremiah was more calculating and precise compared to Jerome.

As if Jeremiah wasn’t already bad enough, his penultimate appearance in Gotham saw him and Bruce Wayne fighting with Bruce Wayne in Ace Chemicals, and their brawl ended with Jeremiah falling into a vat of chemicals. As a result, not only was his skin partially melted away, but when he returned to the limelight ten years later in the series finale (having spend the previous decade pretending to be comatose while waiting for Bruce Wayne to return home), his personality melded with aspects of Jerome’s to create what actor Cameron Monaghan described as a “third character.”

It’s important to note that neither Jerome nor Jeremiah were actually called Joker during the course of Gotham, with Jeremiah only identifying himself as “J” at the very end. So within the Gotham continuity, it’s possible that “J” will go on to become the one and true Joker, or maybe another individual will eventually take that mantle. We’ll never know for sure.

Joker (2019)

If you thought The Dark Knight took creative liberties with adapting The Joker, the Joker movie ran with that particular ball much further. For one thing, this Joker, real name Arthur Fleck, came to be when Bruce Wayne was a child, so he has no association with the cape and cowled Batman whatsoever. However, Arthur does briefly interact with Bruce in his brief quest to uncover the truth about whether or not his mother’s claim that Thomas Wayne is actually his father. That was just one of the factors that led to him transforming into this unusual take on the Clown Prince of Crime.

Arthur was already in rocky territory at the start of Joker. As he learned when looking through his mother’s Arkham file, he’d been abused as a child by her boyfriend, which may have have been the cause for him developing that neurologic disorder where he laughed at inappropriate times. And while Arthur’s downfall didn’t happen over “one bad day,” he definitely went though a perfect storm of unfortunate events, including losing his job, losing access to his medication and being embarrassed by Murray Franklin on television, plus the drama surrounding his mother and Thomas Wayne.

The first time Arthur Fleck kills in Joker can mostly be construed as self-defense, although one can argue he basically executed that third Wayne Enterprises employee. But after coming to the conclusion that his mother’s claim about Thomas Wayne were false (the movie keeps it ambiguous whether or not that’s indeed the case), he kills her and starts transitioning into The Joker. His transformation is cemented when he kills Murray Franklin on television, though given that Joker presents several instances where Arthur is delusional, it’s hard to say how much of the movie really happened.

The Joker will continue to be adapted on screen for a long time, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news concerning his movie and TV appearances.

Mark Hamill has voiced the Joker in a lot of different animated projects over the years. The gig started with Batman: The Animated Series and has continued more recently with projects like Batman: The Killing Joke and Justice League Action. Yet, to this day, Mark Hamill can remember a conversation with his agent – of all people – revealing she was disappointed the actor had landed the iconic role.

While speaking about voice work as part of Netflix’s lengthy and epic Dark Crystal panel, Mark Hamill revealed this gem of a story, which entails Mark Hamill both revealing his agent wished he hadn't nabbed the role and also that he is sometimes typecast as a villain now. In fact, in The Dark Crystal he plays The Scientist, a sadistic character with disregard for life outside the Skeksis.

To wit, here’s what Hamill said:

The actor went on to take a trip down memory lane, bringing up both his longtime relationship with Frank Oz, but also the Muppets prior to this new project from Netflix and the Jim Henson Company. He talked one thing he really has loved about voiceover as well, saying,

Those sitting in on The Dark Crystal panel had the privilege of seeing Mark Hamill and Taron Egerton’s new project in action, and two things are clear: The tone of this show is pretty dark and the look of Netflix’s upcoming original is both vivid and fantastical, the latter of which I suppose is good, given this is a fantasy series, after all.

*Related: Netflix's Dark Crystal Cast Has The Most Amazing Cast Ever. No Really. *

Of course, if you are a fan of the 1982 version of The Dark Crystal, you’ll see a lot that’s familiar too.

All in all, Mark Hamill might occasionally find it strange that he’s often tasked with voicing villains, particularly given his most famous role, Luke Skywalker, is and was a major hero in the Star Wars universe. Regardless, in the world of voiceover, he is much more well-known for villainous intent. In fact, he later went on to voice roles such as Hobgoblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Fire Lord Azai in Avatar: The Last Airbender. That's not to mention the small role as Darth Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Whether or not he loves the typecast, we doubt Alfred would have gotten him as far.  (He's a little old for the prequel, after all.)

Catch Mark Hamill in (voice) action opposite Taron Egerton in The Dark Crystal, out on Netflix on August 30, 2019. To see what's streaming on Netflix sooner, check out our full schedule.

We're adapting to a world where streaming can be a higher priority than ownership, but there's still something to be said about looking at the shelves in your living room and seeing the movies and TV shows you hold near and dear glistening in their plastic cases.

What better time of the year to purchase your favorite sets than during the holiday season---especially if you can convince Mom, Dad, your DH, your DW or even other family members to shell out for you?

Each year, we take a look at some of the fun sets the major studios are putting out and we comb through some of the best to bring you our list of some of the best DVD, Blu-ray and 4K releases that money can buy. There are a lot of fun ones out there this year and you can take a look, below. (Looking to last year for inspiration? We have you covered.)

Lionsgate's Retro VHS Style Blu-rays

What Is It? This year, Lionsgate released a dozen of its most popular retro movies with exciting covers tying in with the nostalgia factor. The new sets hearken back to the days when families could own movies without a reel and a projector for the first time. The titles in the new release are First Blood, The Crow, Young Guns, John Wick, Power Rangers, Highlander, Dirty Dancing, Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers, 3:10 To Yuma, Meatballs, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Total Recall. Get your own at Walmart.

Some Cool Extras: Mostly, what you are paying for are the covers, here. The Walmart exclusive sets even come with added details that make them seem as if they are coming straight off of the shelves at a video rental store. It amps up the nostalgia factor considerably.

Who Is It For? Literally anyone who pines for the days when "Be Kind, Rewind" meant something. Also, if you know anyone who simply wants a copy of Dirty Dancing or whatever, I'm pretty sure you'll get brownie points if you decide to purchase this copy with the excessively exciting cover.

Jackass Complete Movie and TV Collection

What Is It? The guys from Jackass may have stopped beating themselves up on the regular in more recent years, but there are still plenty of ridiculous antics worth revisiting. This boxed set is nothing fancy, but it does combine a ton of stuff into one convenient set. All seven movies are available, along with the entire TV series, courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment. Get your own.

Some Cool Extras: A director's cut of Jackass 3 is included. Extras with the TV portion of the set include outtakes and a whole section looking at dangerous stunts. Pretty much your standard Jackass stuff, but if you are a fan, there is much joy to be had in this comprehensive set.

Who Is It For? Families who watch people fall together, stay together. Anyone who revels in gross out humor. That cousin who is always doing the type of things that come with the warning "don't try this at home."

Batman: The Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition

What is it? This Limited Edition set from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is spread across 10 discs and even features a Digital copy of the series for when you are on the go. The 92-95 series has also been remastered for Blu-ray for the first time. Get the full set.

Some Cool Extras: Beyond the pretty packaging, the new set features a 90-minute segment called The Heart of Batman which looks at the making of the animated series. Plus, yes you are looking correctly. There are Batman, Harley Quinn and Joker mini Funko pops for those who purchase the set as well. Art cards and a slip case round out the cool collectibles.

Who Is It For? Batman superfans (obviously), anyone who already has way too many Funko minifigures on their desks, and fans of a Robin who doesn't drop F-bombs.

Jurassic Park 25th Anniversary 4 Movie Set

What is it? This summer, Jurassic Park turned 25 and there's a whole box set to prove it. Given that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is now out, this set may be even more complete the next time it is released for an anniversary--and most complete after this series of Jurassic World movies wraps. That said, what a set. Four movies, cool packaging and a colored booklet really bring Universal Pictures Home Entertainment's limited edition set to life. 4K is also available, so be sure to check it out.

Some Cool Extras: Mostly, it's just nice to have all of the movies together in one set if you don't already own a copy. It's also nice to have these on 4K if you have the capacity to watch them that way and the audio has been heavily improved with DTS:X. I'll count that as an extra Standard bonus features are included.

Who Is It For? Anyone who likes watching lawyers die on toilets, anyone who likes watching young children encounter dinosaurs for the first time, Spielberg fans, Colin Trevorrow fans, 4K buyers. Honestly, I could keep going, but even if you think Jurassic Park 3 is not the best, the dinosaurs are still flipping cool. Who doesn't want a copy of these?

Pixar Short Films Collection #3

What is It? If you have ever owned one of these collections, you know you will get quite a few Pixar shorts in one compact set. In fact, Disney has a Digital version of all 3 volumes of shorts available, if a Digital copy more fits your lifestyle. However, a hard copy of the third short is now also available in a special multi-screen edition that will give you access to the latest Pixar shorts through a variety of platforms, including "Bao," "LOU," and "Piper."

Some Cool Extras: Two Bonus Mini-Movies are included with the set, "Marine Life Interviews" and "Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool"

Who Is It For? Pixar megafans, those who were pumped about "Bao" being the first Pixar short helmed by a lady director, those who own Collection 1 and Collection 2 already.

Die Hard

What It Is?: There's nothing merrier than hearing John McClane holler, "Yippee-ki-yay motherfucker." This season you can even give that gift to a loved one complete with a festive, holiday-oriented cover--and for a really reasonable, stocking stuffer price. Get your own copy of the R-rated flick.

Some Cool Extras: You're paying for the cover, here. But it's the best ugly sweater that will ever sit on your shelf.

Who Is It For? Anyone who thinks Die Hard is the best damn Christmas movie of all time or who just likes inexpensive copies of good movies.

The Originals: The Complete Series

What Is It? Just as Legacies is heating up in Mystic Falls with dragons and more, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has brought us the full series for The Originals, a tale of the original Mikaelson vampire family. that comes complete with a time jump in its final season. Fans of the series will get all five seasons, which directly ties in with Legacies near the end. The price for five seasons ain't half bad, either.

Some Cool Extras: The standard extras for each season of the fairly long-running series are available, including access to Comic-Con panels, deleted scenes and more.

Who Is It For? Anyone watching Legacies, those who already own copies of The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Series, general vampire lovers, maybe even the Legacies cast...

Ash vs Evil Dead Complete Collection

What Is It? Lionsgate's cool set full of all of the Bruce Campbell and co.'s big moments on Starz is now available in full. After wrapping up after Season 3, the 6-disc Complete Collection set

brings together all three seasons of the hit series. The only thing that could make this better is a set also including the movies, but for now this one should still make a great gift for franchise fans.

Some Cool Extras: Audio commentaries are golden in each of these sets, but every season also offers a slew of featurettes that should be perfect for fans. Season 2 offers the most options, featurettes-wise.

Who Is It For? Major Evil Dead fans, obviously, but also if you just wanted to catch that series by itself rather than pay for a full network subscription, this could be the set for you.

The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary 4K Edition

What Is It? A lot of sets are getting vivid-looking 4K releases and plenty of them could have made the list this year. That said, The Big Lebowski came out in 1998, making this an anniversary year for the popular movie. If you'd like to revisit it, 4K may be the way. Take a look.

Some Cool Extras: The 4K is a real winner for us, but major collectors may also want to look at the 20th Anniversary Gift set, which comes complete with a collectible bowling bag and a sweater package.

Who Is It For? Lebowski Fest attendees, 4K collectors, and that dude you know who makes a lot of White Russians, preferably whilst wearing a robe.

Deadpool: The Complete Collection (For Now)

What Is It? A compilation of the first two theatrical, R-rated releases featuring the not-so-friendly neighborhood Deadpool. The teen-friendly Once Upon A Deadpool will likely be in the next (For Now) set. Nab it now.

Some Cool Extras: A Digital copy comes with the Blu-ray set. It also has its own fun, unicorn-friendly cover. It's available in 4K, but mostly is a set for people who would like to own both Deadpool and Deadpool 2 in convenient packaging.

Who Is It For? Hugh Jackman.

This poll is no longer available.

Batman: The Animated Series is one of the most highly regarded animated superhero shows of all time. Plenty of episodes have been placed on the bat-pedestal over the years as epitomes of the program's brilliance, and Batman: TAS voice actor Kevin Conroy recently revealed his favorite installment. It's one that many Batman fans will agree with, and will possibly seek out for a future viewing.

"Perchance To Dream" starts with Batman chasing some criminals into a warehouse, and it then takes an abrupt turn as the hero's world goes dark. He awakens the next morning as Bruce Wayne, but in a new reality in which he isn't Batman. There's no Robin, his parents are alive, and he's engaged to Selina Kyle. Basically, he has the perfect life, or so the audience would think. As Conroy teased in his statement, things get way deeper.

Bruce should be happy, but instead, he's troubled by the fact no one remembers him as Batman. In fact, there's another Batman running around Gotham, and he's doing a phenomenal job. Bruce ultimately realizes this isn't his actual life and confronts the real Batman in a fight that leads to him waking up back in the warehouse, a victim of the Mad Hatter, who organized the dream. With that handled, Bruce got to return to live his much more depressing life. Unsurprisingly, Conroy was superb throughout.

As Kevin Conroy told Coming Soon, the episode takes a deep dive into Batman's headspace. As much as Bruce would love to accept the dream state and live comfortably in his comfortable life, his Batman sensibilities woke him up to the notion that his most blissful existence wasn't real. The end of the episode shows he'd rather face reality than live in a dream, which is great, since he might not have escaped his encounter with the Mad Hatter otherwise.

Kevin Conroy is not alone in his adoration for this episode of Batman: The Animated Series. Fellow caped crusader-in-voice-acting Troy Baker revealed he's also a big fan of "Perchance To Dream," even if his wasn't the voice coming from the cowl.

Other voice actors from Batman: The Animated Series had different episodes they highlighted as personal favorites, which may just be evidence of the program's overall quality. For further proof of that excellence, there's this video, which could convince anyone who missed back then out to tune in now.

Those looking to stream Batman: The Animated Series can do so immediately via the DC Universe streaming service. For a look at what else is on television or on the way, be sure to head on over to our fall premiere guide.

Yesterday, September 15th, was Batman Day - DC Comics' annual celebration of one of their most iconic creations. The Caped Crusader has been around for nearly 80 years now, and as one of the oldest superheroes we've seen thousands of iterations created in basically every medium. One of the most popular of those adaptations is Batman: The Animated Series, which many hold as the quintessential depiction of Batman and his arch-nemesis, the Joker. Mark Hamill famously provided the voice of the villain on the show and many projects since, and he took the time to share his Dark Knight appreciation on social media yesterday:

A lot of actors have given great performances as the Joker, but for a lot of fans the most iconic was brought to life by Mark Hamill. The actor provided the voice for the Clown Prince of Crime throughout the entire run of Batman: The Animated Series, plus appearances on other connected shows like Justice League. Hamill nails the insane and twisted aspect of the character, while also balancing the humor. He's gone on to voice the character in dozens of other animated movies, TV shows, and video games, so it's fair to say he has played a big part in the actor's career.

While taking a break from trolling Star Wars fans, Mark Hamill celebrated Batman Day with a post to Twitter. The actor wrote that he had been looking for a role that was as far away from Luke Skywalker as possible when he landed the Joker in 1992, and hasn't looked back since. Hamill thanked Batman: The Animated Series for giving him the opportunity, and also provided a shoutout to Kevin Conroy, who voiced the show's version of Gotham's protector. Conroy is similarly praised by many as being the best representation of Batman anywhere outside of the comics, and Hamill calls him the "one and only Dark Knight" in his post.

It's easy to see how Mark Hamill has so much praise for the Joker role. After spending three movies as one of the most iconic do-gooders in fiction, I can imagine that he was looking for a change of pace. He ended up finding one of the most iconic villains in fiction to change things up. Luke Skywalker and the Joker are night and day, and they will always wonderfully showcase Hamill's range as a performer.

Mark Hamill has announced his retirement from voicing Joker a few times, but he always ends up getting pulled back in. He currently voices the character on the show Justice League Action, where he once did a super fun scene where the actor himself met the Joker. If you prefer his good guy character work, you can next see Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode IX on December 20, 2019.

DC Comics' upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service is on the way to deliver a whole lot in the way of DC TV, comics, and movies to fans who just can't get enough of the superheroes and villains of the DC world. The service has been in the works for a while, and we've known a fair amount about some of the original series that will be featured, but there was some key info missing. In fact, we only just learned when DC Universe will launch! Now, DC has revealed a whole lot of exciting details about what's to come, and we've picked some of the most exciting. Let's start with some brand new images of Titans:

Robin

The Titan that has gotten the most exposure so far has been none other than Dick Grayson, a.k.a. the first Robin. Dick is the guy who got to drop the big F-bomb in the first Titans trailer, and we already know that he'll be the leader of the new group. This new image gives a reasonably brightly-lit look that shows off what he'll look like in action, and the bad guys on the floor behind him obviously didn't fare well against him in action.

Starfire

Not a whole lot about Starfire had been released prior to this image hitting the web, and the trailer featured more of Robin and Raven than either of the other main Titans. The Titans Starfire will clearly look quite different from her comics counterpart, but the incredible hair and powers evidently will at least be quite similar. Raise your hand if you're now way more excited about Starfire!

Raven

Now, raise your hand if you're totally freaked out by this image of Raven! Her eyes and setting in what appears to be a derelict room filled with crucifixes add enough of an eerie level. Somehow, the fact that the young girl is clutching a doll makes the entire tableau all the more unsettling.

Beast Boy

The Titans version of Beast Boy more or less looks like he could have bounded off the pages of comic books! Obviously this still image doesn't give away how he'll look in action and using his powers. Nevertheless, there are definitely reasons to be optimistic about what he'll bring to the team, and we can bet that they'll need all the unique abilities they can get. It's not like they'll probably be calling on Batman for his connections very often!

For more information about Titans and other projects coming to DC Universe, head on over to the next page!

When Titans Will Premiere

Unfortunately, Titans will not be available right when DC Universe goes live on September 15. The first episode will hit the web on Friday, October 12. Unlike how Netflix releases its superhero series, DC Universe will not release full seasons at once. New episodes of Titans will be available on a weekly basis, premiering each Friday after the October 12 premiere. Season 1 will be comprised of 12 episodes.

John Barrowman Is Back With DC

John Barrowman was part of The CW's Arrow-verse from the very first season of Arrow in 2012, and many fans were devastated when his character seemingly died a definitive death in Arrow's Season 5 finale. Well, Malcolm Merlyn may be gone from the Arrow-verse, but Barrowman is coming back to DC as a co-host of DC Universe's new daily show, called DC Daily. Barrowman -- who was rocking a new silver fox look in the DC Universe Live Stream -- will be joined by Samm Levine, Kevin Smith's daughter Harley Quinn Smith, Harley Quinn author Sam Humphries, and more. Tiffany Smith will be the DC Daily news anchor.

Now, how about some Young Justice and more?

Oracle Is On Young Justice: Outsiders

The return of Young Justice with a long-awaited third season is one of the elements that has many fans the most excited about DC Universe, and the first trailer revealed that there's a lot to look forward to and things won't be exactly as they were when Season 2 ended. One conspicuously absent character was Batgirl, who was poised to potentially take a leadership role at the end of Season 2. A new clip of Young Justice: Outsiders revealed why Barbara Gordon wasn't around as Batgirl: she's on board as Oracle and was chatting with Nightwing.

Young Justice Launch Details

Unfortunately for any who have been waiting with bated breath for new episodes of Young Justice, the show is officially slated for release in 2019. The good news is that the first two seasons of Young Justice will be available on DC Universe's launch day, so you can rewatch Young Justice to your heart's delight or perhaps discover what all the rage is about with a first watch of Young Justice Seasons 1 and 2.

Stargirl Has A Logo

One of the original series currently most shrouded in mystery is Stargirl. The leading lady won't be the same one who played Stargirl on Legends of Tomorrow, and her project will be written and executive produced by former DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns himself. While what we know so far about Stargirl is limited at this point, the logo promises that development is ongoing.

Batman And Wonder Woman As You've Never Seen Them

Well, Batman of Batman: The Animated Series and Wonder Woman as played by Lynda Carter in the 1970s Wonder Woman show as you've never seen them, anyway. The two beloved series have been remastered and updated to HD for the move to DC Universe. Viewers who have never seen either show or feel the need for a rewatch will see these superheroes looking crisper and cleaner than when they first debuted in these projects.

DC Universe will roll out new TV shows and movies monthly in addition to all the new comics that will be added to the service's library. You can gain access to DC Universe for a cost of $74.99 annually or $7.99 monthly. The annual cost saves 20% on the monthly cost, but you may want to go monthly at first just to give the service a try. The service goes live on Saturday, September 15, a.k.a. Batman Day. For the latest and greatest in superhero news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend, and don't forget to check out our fall TV premiere guide.

The DCEU needs a few adjustments. Justice League didn't exactly pan out the way that many fans had hoped, and now the cinematic universe is trying to make up lost ground with the development of films like Aquaman, Shazam!, and Wonder Woman 1984. There's plenty of source material for the DCEU to pull from, but we think there's no better source of inspiration than the animated TV shows that DC has produced over the years.

With that in mind, and ahead of the December 21 release of Aquaman later this year, we have assembled a list of elements that the DCEU should straight-up steal from classic DC animation. With so many different points to get to, let's kick things off by honing in on Justice League Unlimited's fluid timeline.

Jump Around The Timeline

With only a few exceptions, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DCEU have both taken to telling straightforward stories that take place on a single timeline. However, when you have characters who exist across the span of generations, there's a lot more room to keep things flexible. Few other universes have embodied that idea better than the classic DC Animated Universe, which simultaneously told the modern day Justice League story, while also offering up Batman Beyond -- a story set in the same universe, following Bruce Wayne decades after hanging up the cape and cowl. Many fans have clamored for a Batman Beyond movie for years, and while that's not the only option on the table for creating a DCEU that hops around the timeline, it shows the appetite for stories that don't just move forward linearly.

Give Minor Characters One-Off Arcs

When the Justice League cartoon transitioned from Justice League to Justice League Unlimited, one of the most brilliant creative decisions made by the folks behind the scenes involved shifting focus to tell broader stories about far more obscure heroes. These often involved one-episode arcs for C-listers like Booster Gold, and some of those stories have gone on to become some of the most beloved tales in the animated DC canon. The DCEU could perform a similar feat by moving away from the franchise model for smaller heroes and instead focusing on digging deep into the DC roster to tell standalone, one-off stories that might not have full series potential. Don't think Martian Manhunter deserves a whole trilogy of movies? Then give us a great one-off with a beginning, middle and ending.

Don't Always Focus On Batman

You would be hard-pressed to find a superhero who is more iconic or well-established in the realm of pop culture than Batman. The masked protector of Gotham City has become a fixture in the DC lore, and he has handily turned into one of the most beloved on-screen superheroes of the modern age. With all of that said, the DCEU has become a bit Batman-centric lately, and the character's exposure in other media like video games and live-action television has caused him to lose some of his luster. We're not saying that the DCEU needs to get rid of Batman, but it should take the Justice League animated series approach by making him a side character whose inner monologue and feelings are never clear. He works best in the shadows, so we should put him there.

Don't Focus On Origin Stories

The tale of how a character became a hero can sometimes stand out as the most interesting element of his/her persona. That said, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited wisely understood that this isn't always the case for DC heroes. While some time was devoted to the origin stories of characters like Black Canary or Green Arrow, the shows really never spent more time than necessary setting up abilities or personalities. This was likely a side effect of the short 20-minute runtimes for their episodes, but the lesson was clear. Audiences are relatively discerning, and they do not need intensive explanations about how a certain hero found his or her way to a cape or cowl and became the figure that we all know and love.

Keep The Storytelling Mature

Don't ever let anyone tell you that superhero stories are just for kids. They most certainly are not. The DC lore has a long history of telling mature stories with dark themes and intellectually stimulating concepts, and that tradition extends to the animated side of the DC realm as well. Properties like Young Justice never shied away from difficult moral and ethical issues in the run of their stories, and the DCEU movies should take inspiration from these shows by similarly engaging in thought-provoking narratives that rise above simple conflicts of good and evil. It's nice to see a giant laser in the sky now and then, but more often than not it's far more interesting to see these characters grapple with complex situations as three-dimensional heroes.

Don't Shy Away From Obscure Stories

The DC universe is chock full of iconic stories that even the most mainstream audiences have become familiar with over the years. That said, there are plenty of obscure tales that could be tweaked or altered to make room for some genuinely innovative storytelling. One such example comes from Batman: The Animated Series, which told the backstory of how Batman got the enormous penny in the Batcave in a classic episode called "Almost Got 'Im." It's not the most famous tale in the Batman canon; not by a long shot. Nevertheless, it remains an engaging and intriguing element of the Batman lore that has endeared many fans of the DC mythos for years. It doesn't have to always be The Dark Knight Returns or A Death in the Family.

Give Every Franchise A Unique Feel

Of all the things that DC's animated properties have managed to get right over the years, this is one that stands out as one of the most important. From the noir detective atmosphere of Batman: The Animated Series to the endlessly hopeful vibe of Superman: The Animated series to the hard sci-fi elements of Green Lantern: The Animated Series, DC has never shied away from giving each hero's solo series a unique feeling and atmosphere. That's something that the DC movies could similarly benefit from. Rather than aiming for tonal consistently between films, we could get a dark, noir story for The Batman, a bombastic space opera for Green Lantern Corps (if that ever happens) or a light-hearted time travel romp for The Flash's solo movie.

DC Comics announced a direct-to-consumer streaming service way back in April 2017, and details have been relatively scarce about what DC fans can expect. Sure, certain original shows have been announced and other perks have been teased, but specifics have been in short supply... until now. Details about the DC Universe streaming service have finally been released, and there's a lot for DC fans to get excited about. Here's what we know.

DC Universe will provide original animated and live-action animated series, classic TV shows and movies, a selection of DC comic books, an encyclopedia of all things DC, breaking news, and even access to exclusive merchandise. Throw in additional features like the chances to connect with other DC fans as well as participate in contests and earn premium rewards. This new DC Universe is not just another Netflix or Hulu or Amazon Prime; it will be an immersive DC experience that should keep any DC fan happy once it's launched later this year. The goal of DC Universe is to give "fans a place to tailor their experience and build a direct relationship with DC in a way they never could before," according to Warner Bros. Digital Networks president Craig Hunegs.

The original series that have been announced so far are Titans, Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing, Young Justice: Outsiders, and Harley Quinn. Titans will be the first of these originals to premiere, although no exact premiere date has yet been announced. The long-awaited live-action show will premiere at some point later this year. Given that no premiere date has been released and DC Universe itself has yet to launch, I would guess that viewers won't get a look at full Titans episodes until the fourth quarter of 2018. Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, Harley Quinn, and the returning Young Justice will all premiere in 2019. Assuming they're not all released at the same time, we should probably expect them to release over a span of time in the new year.

A number of classic TV shows will be available on DC Universe, and the very good news is that Batman: The Animated Series will be one of them. Hailed as one of the best animated series of all time, the odds are pretty good that there will be some Batman binge-watching once DC Universe debuts. Also available will be the original Wonder Woman show starring Lynda Carter, among other series. If you're in the mood for some movies as well as TV, DC Universe has you covered. All four of the original Superman movies will be part of the DC Universe library, as well as more recent animated movies like Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Green Lantern: First Flight, and Wonder Woman.

For more of what you can expect, check out the DC Universe launch trailer:

If you want access to the beta version of DC Universe later this year, head to the streaming service's official site to sign up. Be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in DC Universe and superhero news. If you need some shows to watch while we wait for the streaming service to launch, take a look at our summer TV premiere schedule. For a guide to the shows that have been announced so far, check out the the thorough breakdown.

If you are wondering why the highly acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series was cancelled, the actor who voiced the Caped Crusader has your answer. The series ran for three years, beginning in 1992 and ending in 1995. When it ended, the animated series had 85 episodes under its utility belt. The show was not shy on success, so why did it end? According to Kevin Conroy, this is the answer:

There you have it. Creative integrity was at the core of the decision. Kevin Conroy made the disclosure at the MCM Comic Con London on May 26, and that's not the only tidbit from Conroy that ComicBook.com reported on. The actor said he we would "love to" play Batman if there was a reboot of the series. Such a move would certainly not be a stretch for him. The actor currently voices Bruce Wayne/Batman in the animated series Justice League Action.

Kevin Conroy went on to explain that the creators chose to "re-imagine the characters" in Batman Beyond and later, Justice League, in a bid to create new storylines. It sounds a bit similar to the game plan used by anthology series.

To this day and beyond, Batman: The Animated Series is held in high regard, including by critics. Since it ended, the show's fan following has only grown. While fans were probably frustrated that the series ended after such a relatively brief time on the air, they are probably happy it did not mire its legacy by polluting it with stories that were not up to par with the ones it became revered for during its run. If there is anything worse for fans than premature cancellation, it is a series' notable creative decline.

Batman: The Animated Series did give rise to three feature-length films, one of which made it to theaters. As for the television show, its story continued with The New Batman Adventures. That series premiered in 1997 and lasted two years, ending in 1999 with 24 episodes. With fan interest in a reboot apparently present, a few questions remain.

Have the creators of Batman: The Animated Series truly run out of ideas? Or could they launch a reboot of the show? There is certainly no lack of interest from fans, but with 23 years having passed since the end of the series, you have to believe that the expectations for a potential reboot would be hard to satisfy. Of course, that is no reason not to try.

If you want more superhero series, we have you covered with CinemaBlend's guide to all of the new and returning super series set to air in 2018. If you want to know what other new television to expect, then check out our guide to TV's summer premieres.

Supernatural has tried just about every wacky way to put on an episode by this point in the thirteenth season, and the Scooby-Doo crossover may be the show's wackiest episode to date as Sam, Dean, and Castiel were sent into an animated adventure to interact with (and totally disillusion) the Scooby gang. The "Scoobynatural" crossover produced solid ratings for Supernatural, which leads us to wonder if more animated crossovers could happen. Read on for our picks of the best animated shows that could totally fit with Supernatural!

The Flintstones

The Winchester boys are no strangers to traveling back in time, but being sent back to a prehistoric time that has dinosaurs coexisting with people in animated glory? That would be a new one. Given Dean's enthusiasm for Scooby-Doo, it would make sense if he also watched The Flintstones as a kid, and I can practically already hear him yelling "Yabba dabba doo!" If the Impala didn't cross over with them like it did in "Scoobynatural," they would have to improvise weapons with whatever the Flintstones and Co. have on hand. They'd have a hard time getting their hands on iron, let alone shotguns and holy oil. Oh, the shenanigans that would ensue! Would Dean hit on Betty and Wilma like he did on Daphne? Probably, and he'd probably get the same results as he did with Daphne.

Archer

If a crossover with The Flintstones seems a little too G-rated for Supernatural (even after all the murder and mayhem of the Scooby-Doo crossover), a crossover with Archer would certainly be much more adult. Sam and Dean wouldn't have any problems getting weapons if they teamed up with the Archer group of spies, and what project isn't made immeasurably better with the vocal talents of H. Jon Benjamin? Dean would definitely be on board with Archer's love of women, booze, and shooting things, and I can imagine Sam commiserating with Lana over their antics. I'd almost want this crossover to happen on FXX than The CW so we could see the whole crew embracing all things Archer, but I'd take it for sure on The CW.

The Simpsons

Is there any list of animated shows that would be complete without The Simpsons? Admittedly, on the one hand, Supernatural and The Simpsons don't exactly share a genre the way Supernatural and Scooby-Doo kind of do, although The Simpsons did feature an X-Files crossover way back in the day. On the other hand, Supernatural and The Simpsons are basically the two shows that are going to be on forever. Supernatural just scored a renewal for Season 14! The apocalypse could come and destroy civilization as we know it, and Supernatural and The Simpsons would still be going. Of course they should cross over! If nothing else, the Winchester boys could drop by the annual Simpsons Halloween special.

Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series is pretty widely considered one of the best animated series of all time. The voice cast (including Kevin Conroy as the Caped Crusader and Mark Hamill as one of the most chilling Jokers of all time) was stellar, the stories were dark and nuanced, and it brought a non-campy version of Batman to the small screen. Dean is a fan of Batman, and how much fun would it be to see the Winchester boys consistently outfought and outsmarted by Batman? Fans are used to seeing Sam and Dean kick ass and take names on Supernatural; pit them up against Batman, and hilarity would surely ensue. Both Conroy and Hamill have reprised their roles over the years, so perhaps they could even be convinced to contribute. I can practically hear the Boy Wonder jokes about Castiel already.

The Addams Family

Honestly, part of me is surprised that Supernatural hasn't found a way to crossover with The Addams Family at some point in its thirteen seasons already, even if in live action rather than animation. The Addams family living in their spooky mansion seems like the exact kind of family Sam and Dean would have encountered over the years. In fact, the spooky mansion could be the perfect way to bring the Winchesters back into animation. Why couldn't they stumble on some kind of portal when investigating a real-life version of the Addams Family mansion and wind up hanging out with Gomez, Morticia, and Co.? Much, much stranger things have happened on Supernatural.

Rick And Morty

Perhaps the only more bizarre family unit getting into supernatural-esque shenanigans on TV is the duo of Rick and Morty. Alcoholic mad scientist Rick and his more easily distressed grandson Morty have even explored multiverses, so a crossover between Supernatural and Rick and Morty could technically be canon to Rick and Morty, simply taking place in one of the unexplored multiverses. The animation style for Rick and Morty is also strikingly different than Scooby-Doo, and it would be fun to see the Winchesters done up in Rick and Morty-style. Who knows? Maybe a crossover could even give Rick and Morty some of that Supernatural magic that has kept it going for more than a decade. Fans would certainly appreciate word of a renewal at this point.

Tune in to The CW on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of Supernatural. For more of what to watch now and in the coming weeks, be sure to swing by our midseason TV premiere schedule and our summer TV premiere guide.

For many pop culture fanatics, Mark Hamill's greatest claim to fame is his journey as Luke Skywalker through the ever-expanding Star Wars franchise. A smaller subset of fans exists, however, that will forever hold Hamill in highest esteem for his decades of work as Batman nemesis The Joker, which started back in 1992 on Batman: The Animated Series. Hamill recently talked at length about where that iconic and haunting voice came from, and the combination is one that fans likely wouldn't have predicted.

The next time you see the animated Joker skulking around, possibly with Harley Quinn by his side, you'll definitely remember that what you're hearing was partly inspired by a movie monster whose most frightful element was his voice. The fact that it was also partly inspired by David Letterman's late night nemesis is a little less badass, to be sure. But hey, Jay Leno was one of the most-watched talk show hosts of all time, so I suppose that his voice helps to supply the affable entertainer element that makes The Joker so watchable.

When Mark Hamill took on his Joker gig in the early '90s -- having replaced the similarly spooky-voiced Tim Curry -- he had quite a few acts to follow. On the animated side, F Troop's Larry Storch and Scooby-Doo vets Frank Welker and Lennie Weinrib voiced the villain through the 1960s and 1970s. The mustachioed Cesar Romero played The Joker in the live-action Batman TV show, while Jack Nicholson memorably donned the facepaint for Tim Burton's feature. Hamill obviously didn't want to outright copy anyone else, and he actually got the note from show producers to avoid using Nicholson's performance as inspiration.

While talking with hip-hop and radio superstar Sway on his show Sway's Underground, Mark Hamill also talked about how even though he may have had two distinct inspirations for his Joker voice, no two performances were exactly the same for the actor.

If any animators out there want to create an endless line of animated movie parodies where Hamill's Joker and Arleen Sorkin's Harley Quinn are standing in for the main characters, I think fans would be down. In fact, hearing The Joker's voice coming out of Luke Skywalker's mouth is a bucket list item I didn't know I had.

Speaking of check out the video below to hear just about every iteration of Mark Hamill's Joker out there.

While Batman: The Animated Series is long gone, episodes can be streamed on Amazon, and revisiting is never a bad idea. In the meantime, check out Mark Hamill finding his young Luke Skywalker voice for Forces of Destiny, and how he nailed The Joker's laugh. Then head to our midseason premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way. To check out his entire interview on Sway's Universe, head to the next page.

In the realm of comic book villains, there are few more iconic than The Joker. And in the realm of actors who have played The Joker, there are few actors more iconic than Mark Hamill. The fan-favorite Mr. J has become an absolute powerhouse in the Batman corner of the DCU, and much of that stems from his instantly recognizable (yet ever-changing) laugh used in Batman: The Animated Series. It seems that he has a version of the chuckle for every occasion, and much of that stemmed from his experience as a stage actor. The Star Wars star explained:

During his recent chat with Vulture about the genesis of his now famous Joker laugh, Mark Hamill dove deep and talked about his theatre experience before getting the role, which he famously won from Pennywise the Clown actor Tim Curry after Curry came down with bronchitis. During his time a Mozart in Amadeus, he would tinker and toy with all sorts of laughs, so by the time he walked in for his Batman: The Animated Series audition, he already had an arsenal of laughs just waiting for the right clown to come along.

From there, it was merely a matter of diving into motivation for the character. Taking a cue from Frank Gorshin's legendary portrayal of The Riddler, Mark Hamill then spent much of his time figuring out which situations warranted which type of laugh. In fact, Hamill has famously stated that one of the things that he noticed about the character was that, in the comics, his laughs are seldom only written as "haha." Joker's laugh is also written with "ho" and "hee," in many famous Batman comics, lending the sense that he too has a broad range of laughs.

In the end, all of the prep seems to have paid off, as Mark Hamill has delivered some of the best Joker performances ever recorded for classic DC animation. Check out some of his best moments below.

What's your favorite incarnation of The Joker's iconic laugh? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to take a look at CinemaBlend's fall TV premiere guide for more information on any and every great show set to debut over the next few months!

A brief survey of the fan base will tell any outsider that there are many opinions on what is the best episode of Batman: The Animated Series. That said, there are few who can speak on this show and its finest moments better than Batman himself, Kevin Conroy. The legendary voice actor recently shared that his favorite episode of the series is "Perchance to Dream," and gave the following reason for his choice:

"Perchance To Dream," which is a phrase taken from the famous soliloquy of Hamlet, follows Batman after he is knocked unconscious after pursuing a group of criminals. He awakens as Bruce Wayne and finds himself in a world where his parents have never died, he's engaged to Selina Kyle (Catwoman), and he is not Batman. Bruce eventually works out that the entire world is a fantasy, and frees himself from the dream after a battle with an imposter Batman. The whole encounter turns out to be a scheme of the Mad Hatter, who blames Batman for ruining his life.

As there are plenty of great episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, THR notes that Kevin Conroy enjoyed the emotional depth of "Perchance To Dream," as well as how it showcased the series could feature very dark villains. That Season 1 episode would set the tone for a series that would span 85 episodes and lead to multiple Batman related spinoffs.

Kevin Conroy also mentioned Mask of the Phantasm in his response, which was an animated feature film set within the universe of Batman: The Animated Series. The film starts as a tale of love, but overall devolves into a story revolving Bruce's decision to forego a normal life and dedicate his life to fighting crime as Batman. Once again, it appears Conroy's passion for getting into the mind of what makes Batman who he is reign supreme when it comes to stories that stand out for the voice actor.

Select episodes of Batman: The Animated Series are currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. For more on the series, be sure to read up on Mark Hamill's note he was given when he took the role of Joker for the show, and how he ended up getting the job from Tim Curry. Those looking for shows to watch as we head into a new season of television would do well to visit and bookmark our fall premiere guide to keep track of all new and returning shows.

As hard as it may be to believe, Batman: The Animated Series actually turned 25 years old this week. The cartoon set a gold standard for classic DC animation that persists to this very day, and it served as a jumping off point for many kids (not to mention a few adults) to become bonafide Bat Fans. In honor of that deep iconography, we figured now would be the right time to dive in and discuss the 13 best villains ever to grace the classic show. Check out our list, and let us know your favorite Batman foe in the comments below!

13. Killer Croc

Sure, he was never the smartest Batman villain within Gotham City limits, but Killer Croc always made for some great fist fights and physical encounters. As one of The Dark Knight's strongest enemies, he helped keep Batman: The Animated Series as intense as a kids show can get. If nothing else, he deserves a spot on this list for uttering one of the best Batman lines of all time in the "Almost Got 'Im" story: "I threw a rock at him!"

12. Man-Bat

Most villains tend to represent dark reflections of their respective heroes in some form or another. That said, Dr. Kirk Langstrom took that idea a bit literally when he transformed himself into Man-Bat. Although he wasn't one of Batman's more frequently-faced foes, Langrstrom always stole the show in all of his appearances. Moreover, he earns a spot on this list because he was the first villain The Caped Crusader ever faced on Batman: The Animated Series, in the pilot episode "On Leather Wings."

11. Scarecrow

In many ways, Scarecrow has always been an underappreciated member of Batman's rogues gallery. Cillian Murphy's version of the character from The Dark Knight trilogy only got to shine in a handful of scenes, and he doesn't have many iconic storylines compared to someone like Joker. However, Batman: The Animated Series was one arena in which Dr. Jonathan Crane really stood out in his quest to spread his fear gas across Gotham. Without him, we never would've heard Batman say "I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman!"

10. Rupert Thorne

In a city that's packed to the brim with insane clowns and murderous crocodile men, it takes a major badass to stand out, and that's what Rupert Thorne did throughout his recurring stint on Batman: The Animated Series. Essentially an updated version of Carmine Falcone (with a dash of Sal Maroni thrown in for good measure), Thorne was a Gotham crime boss who could keep up with the crazies. He played crime by the book, and it gave the show most of its grounded drama.

9. Clayface

In the same way that Killer Croc offered up some of Batman: The Animated Series' best physical showdowns, Clayface similarly proved himself as a source of muscle against The Caped Crusader. The difference was that Matt Hagen also had a tragic backstory as an actor who suffered exposure to a dangerous chemical, and besting him in physical combat (if Batman could even find him) proved much more mentally taxing. Challenging everything that makes Batman Batman, Clayface easily earns his No. 9 spot.

8. Mad Hatter

Compared to guys like The Joker, The Riddler, or even Clayface, The Mad Hatter doesn't often get used as a central comic book villain in The Caped Crusader's written stories. However, he found a new life as one of Batman's best foes on Batman: The Animated Series. His ability to dive into Batman's mind effectively made for some of the series' most heart-wrenching stories, such as "Perchance to Dream" in which Batman must give up a dream life with his family to return to the real world.

7. Poison Ivy

If there's one defining version of Poison Ivy from the 1990s, it's not the version portrayed by Uma Thurman in Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin in 1997. No, the true Poison Ivy of that defining Batman decade is the version of Pamela Isley seen in Batman: The Animated Series. Sexy (as much as you can be in a cartoon), smart, and deadly, her passion for saving all of Earth's plant life felt earned, and we actually felt the need to root for her at times.

6. Riddler

Creating a villain whose entire schtick revolves around brain teasers and riddles can prove challenging for a show that's primarily aimed at younger audiences. Instead of falling back on the Adam West-era trope of having Batman pace back and forth as he worked out the puzzles, Batman: The Animated Series wisely turned most of Ridder's gimmicks into sight gags. As a result, he eventually became one of the most visually engaging villains to grace the show.

5. Ra's Al Ghul

For many fans of The Caped Crusader, Batman: The Animated Series was their first introduction to a villain who hailed from outside of Gotham City. While Ra's Al Ghul was brutal and relentless, he was also morally complex. He may have wanted to destroy entire cities, but he did so in his quest for justice. Throw in Batman's relationship with his daughter Talia, and Ra's always delivered the goods when he appeared on Batman: The Animated Series.

4. Two-Face

As shown by the performances of Tommy Lee Jone and Aaron Eckhart in Batman Forever and The Dark Knight, respectively, Harvey Dent is a character that can feel hit or miss at times -- which makes sense, given his fixation on duality. However, Batman: The Animated Series presented audiences with a version of the villain who felt just as sympathetic as he was menacing. Telling an abridged version of The Long Halloween comic series, Batman: The Animated Series allowed us to see him evolve from close friend to bitter enemy, and it was heartbreaking.

3. Mr. Freeze

Much like Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze is another Batman villain who excelled in animation where his live action counterpart faltered in the 1990s. However, the difference here is that Batman: The Animated Series arguably continues to represent the definitive version of the character. Given the tragic backstory of a dying wife, Victor Fries was unlike any other crazy bad guy seen in the series. He had a heart -- even if that heart was made of ice.

2. The Joker

Let's be honest, even if Mark Hamill never played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, his work as The Joker (a job he got after replacing Tim Curry) would likely have still propelled him to the status of geek god. With his terrifying laugh and completely unhinged sensibilities, Mark Hamill IS The Joker for many longtime DC fans, and he has earned his place as one of the best Batman: TAS baddies in existence.

1. Harley Quinn

That's right. Although I am certain there's a large part of the fanbase who feels Joker should get this spot, it's actually Harley Quinn who deserves to come in at No. 1 if we're discussing Batman: The Animated Series. Unlike most of the other villains on this list, the former Dr. Quinzel was designed from the bottom up to exist on this show, and her combination of lighthearted playfulness and profound trauma perfectly encapsulates everything that made (and still makes) it great.

Bonus: The Phantasm

Technically The Phantasm never actually appeared during the run of Batman: The Animated Series, but it's a great (and oddly brutal) villain, and Mask of the Phantasm holds an impressive 82% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so it definitely deserves a spot. Without diving too far into spoiler territory for the character (just in case you haven't seen the film), we can comfortably say that it's one of the smartest and most emotional twists on Batman's early days that we have ever seen.

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