As a Batman Fan, Here's How I'd Rank Every TV Show in the Franchise

Because of this, DC Comics' most popular superhero has been around the television space for quite some time—1943 to be exact. I was pretty shocked, too, learning that he's been on TV for 83 years as of this year. So, upon looking into it and giving them all a watch, I think I can confidently make a claim about how I believe they all rank against each other.

10 'Batwheels' (2022–Present)

If the original Adam West series is any proof, Batman really began as a hero for children, and still is, despite his darker nature nowadays. However, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation took a step away from the gritty tone of modern Batman for their most recent series, Batwheels, a much more kid-friendly show.

Batwheels isn't necessarily bad, but there's truly nothing to write home about. At its core, it is a show for the more preschool-aged

demographic, meaning the crew behind it didn't put too much effort into telling any sort of deep, complex, or meaningful stories. Again, this doesn't make it bad, there's just truly not much there at all. There is one awesome thing about the show, though: Ethan Hawke plays Batman.

9 'The New Adventures of Batman' (1977)

It's hard for me to say that there's any sort of "bad" Batman show, as each one is good for different reasons. While The New Adventures of Batman has its reasons, there aren't many, in all honesty. It's a relatively basic show that introduces Batmite (Lou Scheimer) into the mix, who shakes things up, but not always in the best way.

Simply put, Batmite is so goofy, and not in the enjoyable sense, most of the time. However, I need to give credit for the fact that this is the first animated appearance of Clayface, the iconic Batman villain getting his own film coming later this year. So, while not all rough, the rougher parts of The New Adventures of Batman still keep it from being considered great.

8 'Batman' (1966–1968)

Perhaps the goofiest interpretation of Batman, though, is 1966's Batman, starring the iconic Adam West. Now, I'm not in any way saying that goofy is bad. In Batman, it's actually quite fun and a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of The Dark Knight's catalog of television. It's a joy to sit and laugh with when one is trying to simply have a good time.

Much like The New Adventures of Batman, I find that Batman simply lacks layered storytelling. It was intended to be this way, but that can't necessarily be used as an excuse for shallow writing—in my eyes at least. It's still a wildly entertaining show that will never cease to put a smile on someone's face.

7 'Beware the Batman' (2013–2014)

When it comes to underrated superhero shows, I typically think of ones like Beware the Batman. This 3D-animated series was one that was never really given the shot it deserved. Only getting one season of 26 episodes, the reception to Beware the Batman was average. It was building on something new for the character—in the animation medium and his new sidekick, Katana (Sumalee Montano).

It was nominated for awards at both the Annie Awards and the Daytime Emmy Awards, which proves this show wasn't some kind of flop. It had simply yet to get on its feet, but after mixed reception to the first season, the studios decided to preemptively pull the plug on it, not giving it much of a chance. I truly believe that had Beware the Batman been given a Season 2—a chance to fix what people wished was better—it could have become something really special.

6 'Gotham' (2014–2019)

When reviewing Batman's long arsenal of shows, Gotham is a special one, for sure. In my eyes, it both is and isn't a Batman show. While Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is a protagonist, the show doesn't really focus on him specifically, which puts it in kind of gray area for me. However, it counts enough, and it deserves it, too, because it's quite good.

Despite having some typical failings of a superhero network television series, Gotham did an excellent job at two things: showcasing the origin stories of characters many years before Batman came around, and crafting a unique alternate universe with cool changes while still doing so. This sets Gotham apart and keeps it in audience's minds to this day.

5 'The New Batman Adventures' (1997–1999)

After the massive success that was Batman: The Animated Series, the world should've known that it couldn't just end there. With a show that popular, it only makes sense that Warner Bros. would want to capitalize on the show. With some slight redesigning on characters and new introductions, The New Batman Adventures did the smart thing and didn't try to be exactly what its predecessor was.

The New Batman Adventures decided to lean a little bit off of Batman (Kevin Conroy) as the focus and gave more attention to other characters in the supporting cast. What made a lot of the issues (which were pretty minor, in my opinion) worse for many is the fact that this is a sequel series, and following up something so amazing is pretty difficult. At the end of the day, in the grand scheme of things, The New Batman Adventures takes many lessons learned from Batman: The Animated Series and uses them to its advantage, making it a pretty good watch.

4 'Batman: The Brave and the Bold' (2008–2011)

A good superhero team-up is always appreciated and the Caped Crusader himself actually has a show solely focused on that. Each episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold brings a new superhero in to help Batman (Diedrich Bader) with the villain of the week. Not to mention, this series takes a bit of a lighter tone in the style of a much less extreme Batman from 1966.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is a show most definitely aimed towards the younger crowd, but I can confidently say that, unlike Batwheels, this show is enjoyable for everyone. There is some genuinely smart humor in this series that had me actually laughing out loud. Even those who are more prone to enjoying the darker side of Batman can find some enjoyment in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

3 'The Batman' (2004–2008)

Whether The Batman is underrated/forgotten or popular is an opinion that changes depending on who you ask. Those who grew up on it would say that it's popular and, honestly, one of the best shows starring The World's Greatest Detective there is, while modern audiences probably don't know much or anything about it at all. Regardless, though, I can firmly say that when it comes to Batman shows outside the DC Animated Universe, The Batman is the best there is.

The Batman does a phenomenal job reimagining the DC Universe in a way that not only stays true to its heart and soul—especially of the Bruce Wayne (Rino Romano) character—but still changes things in a way that feels natural. The direction of taking a younger, third year, Batman, was a great one, as it set the series apart from previous outings. Not to mention, it brought in a huge number of Batman's supporting cast from the comics, like members of the Justice League, Batgirl (Danielle Judovits), and Robin (Eve Sabara), in ways that were modernized and natural. I have to say, though, the coolest thing about this series is when he took on and whooped the tuchus of none other than Dracula (Peter Stormare) in the spin-off film, The Batman vs. Dracula.

2 'Batman Beyond' (1999–2001)

After the massive success of Batman: The Animated Series, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation decided to continue the saga, but unlike The New Batman Adventures, the showrunners decided to jump a bit into the future, in which Bruce Wayne has grown too old to continue to be Batman. In response, he gives a highly upgraded, techy, and futuristic suit to teenager Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) and becomes his "old man in the chair".

Batman Beyond has become a fan favorite and I dare say it's pretty obvious as to why. It's a total breath of fresh air in the best ways and having a younger protagonist offers so much relatability for younger fans. Growing up, in my phases of wanting to be Batman, Batman Beyond was a way I could vicariously live through Terry and imagine that I could be Batman. The storytelling is simply amazing, as well, as it is created by Bruce Timm, the man behind the rest of the DCAU, alongside Paul Dini and Alan Burnett.

1 'Batman: The Animated Series' (1992–1995)

I'd argue to say that most people you ask would probably say that Batman: The Animated Series is not only one of the best superhero television series of all time, but one of the best animated shows of all time, period. Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski are a dynamic duo (ha, funny) that delivered some of the most complex, layered storytelling in animated superhero history.

With the fan favorite (and arguably the best Batman) portrayal by Kevin Conroy—Mark Hamill as Joker, too—this series has it all. Not only great storytelling, but exceptional performances, flowing animation, and iconic action that all created and solidified Batman fans all around the world. Batman: The Animated Series is simply unforgettable.