Is Batman Caped Crusader Worth Watching?

Since its announcement in May of 2021, Batman Fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of Batman: Caped Crusader. But with the producers describing it as a reimagining of the Batman mythology that would be “thrilling, cinematic, and evocative of Batman’s noir roots,” many have been left to wonder, “Is it going to be worth watching?“

The Story

With Bruce Timm being one of the three producers, many fans were looking forward to a pseudo continuation of the original series, Batman the Animated Series (BtAS), before transitioning into “The New Adventures of Batman.” Whereas BTaS contained noir storytelling elements in certain episodes, this series leans more toward the genre. This leads to more “quiet” scenes and exposition at specific points of the show rather than fast-paced action. This does not mean that it has no action, but the action present is more grounded and less spectacular than some may want.

Set in a 1940s-like era, this first season introduces you to the world. While the pacing of this may sometimes be slow for some, it was neccesiary to help those new the Batman understand some essentials while also helping long-time fans get used to this very familiar but very different world. At first, the episodes seem very singular, but over the series, you see that various story beats link together. That’s not to say that a grand over-arcing story is presented with a singular “big bad guy.” Instead, this season focuses on an early Batman still discovering his identity.

Callbacks and Influences

As a reimagining of the mythos, you find several characters changed in various ways from background, motivations, genders, and even deaths. Yet, while they changed a lot, there are many callbacks and clear influences. Besides the art’s obvious connection to “Batman the Animated series,” there’s a world of easter eggs and influences. Gordon’s issues with the Gotham PD are very much influenced by Batman Year One. Batman, Alfred, and Catwoman are all modeled after their early appearances in Detective Comics. In one episode, you are introduced to four Young orphans meant to be a nod to Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown, and Carrie Kelley. Those are just a few things that you will find.

But Is it Good?

If viewers come in with an open mind and a blank slate as if they were reading/watching one of the Elseworlds stories. They may enjoy this series, especially if they prefer this storytelling genre. There were a few elements in the show that I didn’t care for, and a few story beats were made to be a big deal, but at the end of the day, they seemed unnecessary for the wrap-up in episode 10. Some will have issues with specific character redesigns, motives, and endings of certain characters. But I think that may be more caused by a love for the original stories and ideas rather than the fault of this particular series. This isn’t my favorite version of Batman, but I did a great job of touching a lot of nostalgic feelings while presenting a new and interesting noir world.