The Batman (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The Batman received a spin-off comic book series titled The Batman Strikes!, which lasted 50 issues.
• IGN noted the series failed to win over diehard Batman fans the way Batman: The Animated Series did but remained popular enough for five seasons.

Synopsis

Bruce Wayne, secretly The Batman, has been protecting Gotham City for three years when the series begins. The Gotham City police do not publicly acknowledge his existence. Operating from the Batcave beneath his mansion, Batman and his butler Alfred Pennyworth use high-tech gadgets and a supercomputer to fight crime. At the start of the first season, crime is declining, but Chief of Police Angel Rojas orders his officers to hunt Batman. Throughout season 1, both detectives try to capture Batman. By the end of the season, Bennett is exposed to the Joker's mutagenic Joker Putty and becomes Clayface, forcing him into hiding. Yin realizes she was wrong about Batman and allies with him. Villains introduced this season include the Joker, the Penguin, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Firefly, the Ventriloquist, Man-Bat, Cluemaster, and Bane.

Home media

Warner Home Video released all DVD editions of The Batman in their original broadcast version and story continuity order, presented in a 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio. The entire series is available in its original 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio on Amazon Video, Blu-ray, Google Play, Max, Netflix, Tubi, and the Xbox Video Store. The first two seasons and The Batman vs. Dracula film are on iTunes in 16:9. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released the series on Blu-ray in March 2022, excluding The Batman vs. Dracula film for an unstated reason.

DVD releases include The Complete First Season (February 7, 2006), The Complete Second Season (September 12, 2006), The Complete Third Season (April 10, 2007), The Complete Fourth Season (November 20, 2007), and The Complete Fifth Season (July 8, 2008). The Batman vs. Dracula DVD was released on October 18, 2005. On March 1, 2026, The Batman was added to Tubi as one of 100 Warner Bros.-owned animated series.

The Batman official games

The Batman Plug and Play TV Video Game, released in 2004 by Jakks Pacific, features Batman tracking down villains including the Joker, Firefly, Mr. Freeze, Bane, and Penguin. It uses a custom controller that connects to a TV via RCA connectors. The Batman: The CobbleBot Caper, a Macromedia Flash Toonami game released on the Cartoon Network website in 2005, has similar gameplay and features Penguin and the Kabuki Twins.

Awards

The Batman earned Annie Award nods for Best Animated Television Production in 2005 and 2006, plus a 2006 nomination for Best Music in a Television Production. Over five seasons, it received 12 Daytime Emmy nominations, winning six. Its 2005 win was for Outstanding Sound Editing – Live Action and Animation. In 2006, it took Outstanding Special Class Animated Program and again won Outstanding Sound Editing. The 2008 wins included Outstanding Sound Editing and Outstanding Sound Mixing – Live Action and Animation.