Batman: Caped Crusader

Batman: Caped Crusader was one of those shows I have instinctively been attracted to since the trailer first dropped months ago. Finally, an animated Batman series that seemingly lives up to the standards of The Animated Series, or so I thought. Upon binge watching this season, I realised it was so much more. The Caped Crusader doesn’t just mark the return of Bruce Timm, it is in fact a new era of Batman, one which we have been in dire need for since the death of who I consider to be the one true Batman, Kevin Conroy. But does it live up to the hype? 

In this Batman: Caped Crusader review, we are going to talk about the good and bad points of this show, and more importantly, whether or not it lives up to the Batman legacy and the fans expectations that comes with it. I will keep this review spoiler free for the most part, although there is a character I think we need to talk about – don’t worry you see this character in the first few minutes of episode 1 so it’s not really a spoiler at all.

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The Review

Image by Warner Bros. Animation

Caped Crusader is set in the 1940’s, the golden age of Batman, bringing to us an instant nostalgia. This could be down to who created Caped Crusader, Bruce Timm, or it could be due to the Neo-noir art style which resembles that of Batman: The Animated Series. Aesthetically everything was very pleasing, even the music was spot on. I had to find out who wrote the score since it had such a Danny Elfman vibe about it, just to make sure it was not in fact him. Despite the feelings of nostalgia, this series is very unique – almost every character has a new spin on them, some good and some bad… which brings me to this next part.

Ok so, you remember how I said there is a character we need to talk about? This is the time – Oswalda Cobblepot, a gender-swapped version of (you guessed it) Oswald Cobblepot. Whilst I usually would not be against these more diverse character changes, there was something that felt so lazy about this one as it felt like they lost the essence of the character. Oswalda Cobblepot looks exactly how you would picture the Penguin to look, only with a wig on – she is pretty horrific to look at I must say, so prepare your stomach – and she now gets her goons to call her mama. The character was great but it was too far of a leap from the Penguin I know and love, she would’ve been better placed as a completely new character. 

Another change which I became fixated on was Catwoman being a literal cat burglar – no, really, she literally steals a cat – and while the idea of her being this way does make sense, it was just such a silly addition (not in a bad way, I found it very amusing). 

Then comes Alfred, or ‘Pennyworth’ as he is referred to in this show. Bruce Wayne’s butler, best friend and only legal guardian, an inseparable bond between the two. Except this time, Bruce is much more distant than he has ever been. There is some growth we see in their relationship, but this doesn’t start to happen until Episode 6 which felt far too late. It was very disheartening to see Alfred be treated like nothing more than a butler, but it looks like we will continue to see their relationship build in this world as Bruce strengthens his (and our own) connection to Alfred.

Image by Warner Bros. Animation

Despite the few issues I had with some of the characters and relationships, there really was not much else I could fault about this show. In fact, my biggest dislike was Prime’s choice to place midroll ads on these 25 minute episodes – that is not the show’s fault though. Hamish Linklater had a tough spot taking on the mantle for the late great Kevin Conroy and overall his performance was very enjoyable. His Batman is slightly softer spoken, which took some getting used to, but that only took 2 episodes.

Bruce and Selina’s interactions felt very authentic, you could almost see the romance blossoming right before our eyes. Harvey Dent’s friendship with Bruce Wayne felt real too, I almost found myself liking him enough to forget what he would eventually become – although he is written to be slightly corrupt which did not feel true to the character but did lend a hand to some powerful character development.

If you are considering sharing this show with your younger family, it is important to know that Batman: Caped Crusader can be very dark, I mean a lot of people actually die in this show. Every small thing that happens feels like it has significant consequences, and for the most part it does. Every episode in the show is its own story, a format fans of Batman: The Animated Series would be used to, except this time we see an overall main narrative throughout Caped Crusader.

Image by Warner Bros. Animation

Is Batman: Caped Crusader worth the watch? For the most part yes, however there are some areas I would like to see improve next season. I do have hope that season 2 of Caped Crusader will be flawless – it’s important to remember that the first season of Batman: The Animated Series was subjectively not as good as the rest, and with Caped Crusader starting off so strong, I’m (over) confident it can only go up from here. This unique world offers a new perspective on classic characters with endless possibilities since Caped Crusader is far from canon. I am personally very excited (and partly scared for my favourite characters) where they will take this opportunity.

So the biggest question is does Batman: Caped Crusader hold up to the Batman Legacy left by Kevin Conroy? Well in short no. For me, Kevin Conroy as Batman gave me so much love towards this universe and in a roundabout way changed the person I am. Sadly and personally, no one could ever fill the place in my heart which was taken by Kevin Conroy’s Batman. However, Caped Crusader is creating its own legacy, one which leaves all the things I loved about Batman: The Animated Series intact, and that is something I can get behind. This show was almost perfect with very few flaws.

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Where to Watch Batman: Caped Crusader

Image by Warner Bros. Animation

The first season of Batman: Caped Crusader can be streamed now on Prime Video, plus the show has officially been picked up for season 2!  No release date for season 2 has been confirmed as of yet, though by our own estimations, it would be at the end of 2025 or early 2026, but we will confirm the official release date as soon as we hear more about it!

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