Twenty years after the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents, Gotham is still a mess. With the help of his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the Batman relentlessly fights crime. He is not alone, though. There are still a few people left with integrity and determination. The commissioner Gordon, his daughter Barbara, a defense lawyer, and Montoya, one of the good cops. But dangerous, maniac criminals keep wreaking havoc on the city. And the mayor’s election doesn’t help matters. Incumbent mayor Jessop, a corrupt man, must face Harvey Dent. Dent, the D.A., doesn’t have much humanity, but he cares about justice. Against a incessant tides of criminals, what can a few people do ? In this constant battle, Dent, the cops and even Batman will have to look deep inside themselves to find the strength to pick a side.
A faithful adaptation that returns to the roots of Batman’s genesis
Well, almost… The characters have been modernized: some are gay; the pinguin is a woman, but the creators didn’t assume this choice and drew him looking like a man. Actually, the first episode is preposterous, the second one not very good either. But it gets much better from the third episode ! Each adventure stands on its own, except for the season finale, which takes place over two episodes. The best ones are those where you can feel empathy for the villains, and that’s usually the case. Some criminals are men (or women), like Batman. Others, as in the comics, are supernatural. Batman’s relationship with the other characters, especially Alfred, grows richer with each episode, culminating in a very successful finale. The graphics are superb, faithful in every respect to the legend and an hommage to the 1990’s series. Batman’s deep, husky voice adds to the character’s depth. Prestigious actors lend their voices to the villains and reinforce their credibility.
I’m not a fan of Batman, but I really enjoyed this quality series.
1 season, 10 episodes (22 mn), 2024 – ongoing, on Amazon Prime
- Hamish Linklater as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Jason Watkins as Alfred Pennyworth
- The police and the justice : Krystal Joy Brown as Barbara Gordon, Eric Morgan Stuart as Jim Gordon, Krystal Joy Brown as Barbara Gordon, Eric Morgan Stuart as Jim Gordon, Krystal Joy Brown as Barbara Gordon, Eric Morgan Stuart as Jim Gordon, Krystal Joy Brown as Barbara Gordon, Eric Morgan Stuart as Jim Gordon
- Main criminals : Minnie Driver as Oswalda Cobblepot / Penguin, Christina Ricci as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, Jamie Chung as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn, Diedrich Bader as Harvey Dent / Two-Face, Cedric Yarbrough as Rupert Thorne
