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''Batman: The Animated Series'' is the name of an The original episodes, produced by ''. It should be noted that the title ''The Adventures of Batman and Robin'' was originally used in the 1969-70 Animated series, created by Filmation and aired on CBS. After a successful 85 episode run on Fox, new animated Batman episodes were created for Kids' WB! . Titled '' The New Batman Adventures '', it aired from 1997 to 1999 with 24 episodes produced. They were aired as part of ''The New Batman/Superman Adventures''. Rumor has it that the show was called '''''Batman: Gotham Knights''''' in the UK, but there has been no real confirmation of it, and no opening credit title was produced with that name. Only early production art for new episodes have that title. Reruns of ''The New Batman Adventures'', on Cartoon Network for example, were mixed with episodes of ''Batman: The Animated Series'' using the same intro sequence. Some of the creators have gone on record saying that ''The New Batman Adventures'' is truly an extension of ''Batman: The Animated Series''. The producers have repeatedly stated and confirmed that the show does take place in the same world, continuity, etc, just a few years down the line. However, ''The New Batman Adventures'' episodes have significant enough differences that many fans consider them separate shows. The character designs underwent significant changes, going even farther down the stylized path of the original episodes. This was in part due to a lower budget for the series; the new character models would be easier to animate well on the lower budget. Also there were some voice actor changes. Batgirl became a more important character and was no longer voiced by Melissa Gilbert . The original series was partially inspired by Tim Burton 's 1989 blockbuster '' Batman '' film, and initially took as its theme a variation of music written by Danny Elfman for the film. (Later episodes of the series used a new theme written in a similar style by Shirley Walker .) Another strong influence was the acclaimed '' Superman '' cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios in the 1940s. The series premiered in 1992 , a few months after the successful release of the second Batman movie, '' Batman Returns ''. The art style of the original animated series was also partially a reaction against the realism seen in cartoons like '' The Real Ghostbusters '', the second series in some ways was a further extension of that rejection of realism. OVERVIEW as he appeared in the series. His voice was provided by Mark Hamill .]] Timm and Radomski designed the series by emulating the Tim Burton films' "otherworldy timelessness", incorporating "old-time" features such as black-and-white s being fired, as well as Batman actually hitting and punching the bad guys; in addition, many of the series' backgrounds were painted on black paper. The distinctive visual combination of film noir imagery and Art Deco designs with a very dark color scheme was called "Dark Deco" by the producers. First-time producers Timm and Radomski reportedly encountered resistance from studio executives, but the success of Burton's first film allowed the embryonic series to survive long enough to produce a Pilot Episode , "On Leather Wings", which according to Timm "got a lot of people off our backs." The series was the first of the modern "DC Animated Continuity" sometimes known as the ''" Diniverse "'' named after producer and writer Paul Dini (in some respects, an unfair label, as Dini is not the constant between all of the series of the DCAU ; Bruce Timm is the constant). It was entirely separate from the previous continuity of Warner Bros. DC Comics adaptation cartoons, namely '' The Superfriends ''. The Emmy Award -winning series quickly received wide acclaim for its distinctive animation and mature writing, and it instantly became a hit. Fans of a wide age range praised the show's sophisticated, cinematic tone and psychological stories. Voice-actor Kevin Conroy , for example, used two distinct voices to portray Bruce Wayne and Batman, transforming one character into two. This series also featured a supporting cast that included major actors performing the voices of the various classic villains, most notably Mark Hamill , who defined a whole new career for himself in animation with his cheerfully deranged portrayal of the Joker . The voice recording sessions were recorded with the actors together in a studio, like a Radio Play (In some animation films the principal voice actors record separately and never meet). This adds to the authenticity of the performance. Key to the series' artistic success is that it managed to redefine classic characters, paying homage to their previous portrayals while giving them new dramatic force. Villains such as d Mad Scientist with a gimmick for cold, to a tragic figure whose frigid exterior hides a doomed love and a cold vindictive fury. However, the most famous of the series' innovations is the Joker's hapless assistant, Harley Quinn , who became so popular that DC added her to the ''Batman'' comics. This series became a cornerstone of the Warner Brothers ' animation department, which became one of the top producers of television animation and sparked a large franchise of similar TV adaptations of DC Comics characters. ''Batman: The Animated Series'' premiered on the Fox Network and aired there for its first several seasons; however, it was then switched to Warner Bros.' new WB Network in the late- 1990s . Shortly before the transition, Fox aired episodes of the series in prime-time on Sunday evenings, marking one of the few times a show created initially for Saturday Morning Cartoon s was scheduled for prime-time broadcast. However, the TV ratings were poor (the show aired opposite the perennial favorite '' 60 Minutes ''), and the series was removed from prime time. After the series produced its 65th episode (the minimum number necessary for a , a new spin-off series, '' Batman Beyond '', was released to further critical acclaim. In 2002 , the '' Justice League '' animated series was released, building on the success of both the ''Batman'' and ''Superman'' animated series, and featured Batman as one of the founders of the League . Also of note is the fact that several of the animators from Japanese Animation studio Sunrise worked on the series - their work on ''Batman'' would become a great influence on one of their later series, '' Big O ''. Theatrical and direct-to-video releases The feature-length animated movie '''' (2003) based on '' The New Batman Adventures ''. A made-for-TV feature-length episode of the ''Batman/Superman'' series, "World's Finest", has been released on video as ''The Batman/Superman Movie''. Collections of episodes from the series are also readily available on video. Recently, four part DVD collections have been released in America and the UK, the latest collection contains the first series of ''The New Batman Adventures'', and is available in America. The UK currently has the collection of the first series of ''Batman: The Animated Series'' on DVD, and is exclusive to HMV. from the episode of a similar name, "Beware the Gray Ghost". Adam West provided the voice for a washed-up superhero serial actor who finds himself needed once more.]] Specifically designed characters and objects A character, the '' #575-578 in the late 1980s; the villain in the comics was named The Reaper. Some characters like Count Vertigo and the Clock King were modified in costume and personality. Batman's tools such as the Utility Belt , grappling hook, and Batmobile were redesigned for the series; they have been previously redesigned numerous times over the course of Batman's comic book series as well as for various movie and TV incarnations of Batman. The grapple-launcher, notably, was introduced in the 1989 Tim Burton Batman movie, and became an important aspect of the animated character. Lost episode Sixteen minutes of animated segments in the video game ''The Adventures of Batman and Robin'' for the '' and '' Batman Vengeance ''. Artistic influence This series had a profound influence on the superhero animated genre in that it set a higher standard of writing and animation quality. For example, the original '' was produced, which emulated the Warner Brothers cartoon's simplified graphics style. In addition, the success of ''Batman'' encouraged Walt Disney Pictures management to proceed with their own series, '' Gargoyles '', which strove for the same sophistication as the competition and became a cult favorite in its own right. Additionally, ''B:TAS'' was one of the first truly "serious" american ongoing cartoons in some time. Prior to that, most animated fare had been lighthearted and bright, even if it was action oriented. ''B:TAS'' brought a darkness and seriousness to animation that was almost unheard of at the time, and was more akin to an animated drama than a "cartoon", per se. The storylines dealt with more mature themes, there was no slapstick, although some episodes were touched with sophisticated humor, and the soundtrack itself was more akin to a film soundtrack (owing in part, no doubt, to the desire to make it have a similar feel to the Danny Elfman score of the two Burton films). The animation quality itself tended to be much smoother, with a higher framerate than the vast majority of animated series prior to its premiere. MEMORABLE EPISODES Certain episodes have become legendary in some fan circles. The most universally hailed episode is the Emmy-award winning "" are also well known for their unique storytelling approach and plot twists at the end. EPISODE LIST Season 1 (Sept 1992-Aug 1993) # - Selina Kyle becomes Catwoman. # On Leather Wings - Batman is blamed for the actions of the Man-Bat. # Heart Of Ice - Victor Fries seeks revenge on the man who turned him into Mr. Freeze. # - Movie actor, Matt Hagen, turns into Clayface by an overdose of chemicals in Roland Daggett's formula. # - Batman tries to stop Clayface from killing Daggett. # It's Never Too Late - Batman helps mob boss Arnold Stromwell with his son's drug problem. # Joker's Favor - The Joker forces a hapless former victim into performing a 'favor' for him. # - Batman must stop Red Claw from releasing a poisonous plague on Gotham City. # - The life of D.A. Harvey Dent, Bruce’s friend, is put in peril by Pamela Isley, a woman who holds Dent responsible for the extinction of a rare flower species. It’s up to Batman to grab hold of the super-villainess Poison Ivy and save his friend. # - Batman must capture the master of fear, The Scarecrow, while fighting his own inner demons. # - Feeling unloved by his father, Mayor Hill's son becomes enamored with the Joker. # Appointment In Crime Alley - A once respected neighborhood is terrorized by a man wanting to destroy it to build a new complex. Leslie Thompkins introduced. # - After a botched sting operation Bullock, Montoya and a rookie cop named Wilkes must relate what happened to Internal Affairs. # The Clock King - Temple Fugate becomes the Clock King and targets Mayor Hill for revenge. # - The Joker threatens Gotham City with a dangerous mind-altering laughing gas. # Eternal Youth - Poison Ivy lures people to her health spa and turns them into trees. # Two-Face (Pt. 1) - Harvey Dent has a secret that ends up costing him half his face. Two-Face introduced. # Two-Face (Pt. 2) - Harvey Dent/Two-Face has been hitting Rupert Thorne's fronts by stealing from them. His next plan is to take out Thorne. # Fear Of Victory - The Scarecrow uses a fear inducing toxin in a sports gambling scheme. # I've Got Batman In My Basement - A young aspiring detective helps Batman when he is knocked unconscious by the Penguin's nerve gas. The Penguin introduced. # - Detective Bullock is framed by an old nemesis Killer Croc. Killer Croc introduced. # Prophecy Of Doom - Batman infiltrates a cult that is stealing from Bruce Wayne's wealthy friends. # - Bruce Wayne infiltrates a camp of kidnapped homeless people. The problem is that he was hit on the head to do so and gets temporary amnesia and doesn't know who he is. # Mad As A Hatter - Jervis Tetch becomes the Mad Hatter when the woman he is obsessed with gets engaged. Hatter introduced # The Cape And Cowl Conspiracy - A shady criminal hires a thief, whose gimmick is setting deathtraps to force his targets to give up their valuables, to acquire Batman's costume. # - Bruce Wayne awakens from sleep to find that his life as the Batman was a hallucination. # The Underdwellers - Homeless children are used by a criminal to steal for him. # - A ninja is stealing from Gotham, he is as formidable as the Batman, and he has a connection with Bruce Wayne's past - Ninja (Kyodai Ken) introduced. # The Strange Secret Of Bruce Wayne - Bruce Wayne undergoes a type of dream therapy where he inadvertently admits he's the Batman - Professor Hugo Strange introduced. # Tyger, Tyger - A series of unusual thefts leads Batman to a geneticist who is experimenting with the mental and physical forms of wild animals - and of Catwoman. # Dreams In Darkness # Beware The Gray Ghost - Adam West guest stars as a fictional crime fighter and childhood idol of Bruce Wayne, whose episode plots are being used to commit real crimes. # - Selena Kyle tries to investigate the mistreatment of local animals without resorting to her Catwoman persona. # - Batman questions the righteousness of his path. # Almost Got 'Im - Noted villains swap Batman stories around a game of poker. # Moon Of The Wolf - Professor Milo introduced. # # Christmas With The Joker -{Bruce Wayne see It's A Wonderful Life "} # Heart Of Steel (Pt. 1) - Gotham's elite are behaving oddly, and a computer laboratory seems at the heart of it all - HARDAC and Barbara Gordon introduced. # Heart Of Steel (Pt. 2) - A sentient computer tries to bring about the control of humanity by replacing its best citizens with android "duplicants." # If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich? - A genius is downsized from his games company and seeks revenge - Riddler introduced. # - A Joker-themed casino is opened by a millionaire, in spite of the obvious attention it will draw from the villain. # His Silicon Soul - An unknown and heretofore dormant duplicant of the Batman tries to resurrect HARDAC. # Off Balance - Ra's Al Ghul and Talia introduced. # What Is Reality? - Batman must not only rescue Commissioner Gordon from Riddler's deadly virtual reality computer but also outwit Riddler at the same time. # The Laughing Fish - Joker tries to patent Natural Resources. # Harley And Ivy - Shafted once again by the Joker, Harley Quinn teams up with Poison Ivy. # - When the Batmobile suffers serious damage in a chase, the Penguin tracks down the mechanic who secretly maintains the vehicle by the parts he would have to order to repair it. # The Man Who Killed Batman - A small-time hood seems to have killed Batman - Squid introduced. # - A woman Bruce Wayne met in his past while training with an escape artist is implicated in a crime. # Robin's Reckoning (Pt. 1) - When a criminal Batman had failed to catch years ago resurfaces, Batman tries to keep Robin out of the investigation. Back story of Robin, the death of his parents and how he came to be Bruce Wayne's ward - Tony Zucco inroduced. # # Robin's Reckoning (Pt. 2) - Robin's past and present collide as he confronts his parents' murderer. # Blind As A Bat - Batman is possibly permanently blinded. # Day Of The Samurai - The bad blood between Bruce Wayne and Kyodai Ken is revealed, as well as some of Batman's early martial arts training. # - Lloyd Ventrix introduced. # The Demon's Quest # The Demon's Quest, Part II # - A new crime boss is pulling off bold heists in Gotham - Arnold Wesker (The Ventriloquist) and Scarface introduced. # Fire From Olympus - An industrialist with a personality disorder tries to rule Gotham - Maxie Zeus introduced. Season 2 (September 1993-August 1994) # Shadow Of The Bat (Pt. 1) - Batgirl and Gil Mason introduced. # Shadow Of The Bat (Pt. 2) # - Clayface returns, but his condition is worsening. # The Worry Men - Several of Bruce Wayne's friends are joining in a fad by carrying voodoo-doll-like items. # Paging The Crime Doctor # - Poison Ivy goes straight, living the domestic life - meanwhile a strange plant creature is committing robbery in Gotham. # - Killer Croc is captured, but escapes while being transported to prison, ending up in a commune made up of former circus "freaks." # # - After hearing an attourney publicly accuse Batman of being the reason Gotham has super villians in the first place, Arkham Asylum's inmates break free, capture Batman, kidnap the attourney and stage a mock trial. # - Batman convinces Harley Quinn to help him stop the Joker from bombing Gotham. Season 3 (September 1994-November 1994) # - A Crime Boss hires a mercenary with a talent for defeating unbeatable foes to take out Batman. Bane introduced. # # Riddler's Reform - The Riddler seems to have left his criminal past behind and taken a job at a toy and puzzle company. # - Baby Doll introduced. # - The Clock King is volunteering work with a scientist experimenting with time-dialation technology. # Harley's Holiday - Harley Quinn is declared safe and sane, and released from Arkham Assylum. But reintegrating into society is not so easy. # - The judges of an upcoming comedy talent contest are meeting with unusual accidents. # Batgirl Returns #''' introduced. # - A rich man fears death, and to live forever enlists the aid of Mr. Freeze. Season 4 (September 1995) # # # # A Bullet For Bullock - Someone is trying to kill Bullock, and Batman has the seemingly impossible task of determining who among the abrasive detective's many enemies is to blame. # - Alfred is kidnapped for information he had when he was an analyst for the British government. HOME VIDEO RELEASE AND DVDS Selected episodes were released on VHS and Laserdisc throughout the 1990s , and on DVD in the early 2000s . On July 6, . Volume Three, containing 29 episodes (incorrectly listed by packaging as 28) was released May 24, 2005 to complete the collection of the initial series. Volume Four (featuring ''The New Batman Adventures'') was released on December 6th, 2005 . They were released as "volumes" rather than "seasons" because the episodes were not aired in production order. CAST Main cast
Supporting cast
Recurring villains
Notable guest stars
''BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES'' IN OTHER MEDIA The television series was accompanied by a tie-in comic book, '' The Batman Adventures '', which followed the art style and Continuity of the television series instead of other Batman comic books. ''The Batman Adventures'', through several format changes to reflect the changing world of the series and its spin-offs, outlasted the series itself by nearly a decade, finally being cancelled in 2004 to make way for the tie-in comic of a new, unrelated Batman animated series, '' The Batman ''. There was also a short-lived series of tie-in novels, adapted from episodes of the series by science fiction author Geary Gravel . To achieve novel-length, Gravel combined several related episodes into a single storyline in each novel. The novels included:
Several videogames based on the animated continuity were released during the 16-bit game-machine era (roughly, that era spans from 1989-1996). Konami developed a game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), while SEGA released two versions of the game for the Genesis (North America Name)/MegaDrive (Europe, Asia Name) and Sega/Mega CD. The SNES and Genesis versions were side-scrolling action games, while Sega's CD version featured a 3-D driving adventure. All of the games had art true to the series, while Sega's versions featured art elements directly from the show's creators {Link without Title} . The CD version has over 20 minutes of original animated footage comparable to the most well crafted episodes, with the principle voice actors reprising their roles. The critical reception of these games were varied but above average. ''Batman Vengeance'' was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in 2001, based on the ''Gotham Knights'' episodes and reuniting much of the cast. REFERENCES
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