If there’s one thing that decades of Batman TV series, movies, and video games have proved, it’s that the Dark Knight’s greatest strength is his ability to adapt to the times. From the campy fun of Adam West’s Batman to the brooding vigilante seen in 2022’s The Batman, the latest adaptation of this comic book icon evolves Gotham’s favorite son by turning back the clock and returning to his roots as a pulp noir detective.
Batman: Caped Crusader harkens back to an age of dime-store novels and pulpy adventures, two-fisted action featuring a hero who is still finding his place in a city overrun with corruption, mobsters, and supernatural elements causing havoc in the streets. It’s a surprisingly refreshing direction, 10 episodes of lean and mean storytelling that gets back to basics and gives viewers a Batman who exists as a boogeyman to the underworld in his relentless war on crime.
At the same time, Batman: Caped Crusader builds a supporting cast for the hero to rely on as the few cops and Gothamites who aren’t in the pocket of crime bosses work within the shadow of the bat to keep the streets safe. The end result is a fascinating one, as the series balances Batman’s growth as a dark detective alongside the crucial bonds he forms with familiar allies. There’s an obvious comparison to be made with the ’90s animated series–Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm is the showrunner on Caped Crusader–but this new show stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best Bat-media of the last 85 years as it charts its own path forward.
Part of the charm here lies in the excellent cast, with Midnight Mass’ Hamish Linklater establishing himself as a formidable vocal force to be reckoned with. While the late Kevin Conroy will go down in history as the definitive voice behind the cowl, Linklater’s take on the character is fascinating and intimidating without needing to raise his tone by a single octave. In comparison, his Bruce Wayne is the complete opposite, an egocentric playboy in the public eye and a man driven by the demons of his past whenever he’s not in the spotlight. There’s still a sense of contained rage in his performance, but Linklater’s Batman is both a man in control and one who learns to care deeply for those around him.
This is also a Batman who has been stripped down to his bare essentials, a hero with fewer gadgets and forced to rely on his wits to solve seemingly impossible crimes. Batman as a detective has always been more entertaining than a revenge-fueled brawler in tights, and Caped Crusader has no shortage of baffling crimes for the Dark Knight to solve when he’s not busy pummeling the snot out of a mobster.
While Linklater gives a commanding performance as Batman, the rest of the show’s cast put in solid performances as well. Stalwarts like Commissioner Gordon, Renee Montoya, and Alfred Pennyworth are all capably brought to life by their respective voice actors, but as you’d expect, the villains steal the show in Caped Crusader. Catwoman is a flamboyant thief inspired by Batman and an absolute joy thanks to Christina Ricci’s performance, former animated Batman Diedrich Bader is effortlessly tragic as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, and the Penguin gets a redesign that’s best left unspoiled.
Throw in a Clayface who harkens back to Hammer Pictures horror, an absolute bastard of a phantasm in the form of the Gentleman Ghost, and you’ve got a full rogue’s gallery ready to keep Batman busy 24/7. Special mention has to go to how the show remakes Harley Quinn, as the Joker’s number one gal is transformed from a zany agent of chaos and into a sinister manipulator targeting Gotham’s wealthiest jerks.
At the same time, Batman: Caped Crusader balances its dark stories with a sense of high adventure. There are moments of peril and swashbuckling fun to be found throughout the first season, while the noir undertones add a sense of style that fits in perfectly with the art deco aesthetics and period-accurate lingo. While there’s a sense of familiarity with how Batman: Caped Crusader establishes its corner of the DC Universe, the show also keeps a few surprises up its sleeve and knows exactly when to slip an ace into its hand.