The Story So Far...
"The Batman" is the latest animated incarnation of the Dark Knight to hit TV screen. This version is much different than the critically acclaimed and highly popular "Batman: The Animated Series," as it's a younger, more modern Batman, in an almost anime-styled show, with new takes on the classic rogues gallery. Whereas anyone could enjoy the stylish, noir-inspired "B:TAS," this run seems aimed directly at kids.

Warner Brothers released the first volume of "The Batman" Season One in May of 2005. DVDTalk has a review here.

The Show
I can't say I was very impressed with the first three episodes of "The Batman," as the series took a mythology that I had grown up with and turned it into the basis for a lame cartoon that played to the skater-punk, elementary-school crowd. That it followed one of the best representations of the character ever in "B:TAS" certainly didn't work in its favor in the minds of most, as it was a pale comparison.

So, it was something of a surprise when watching the episodes on this DVD made me reconsider my view of the series. It's more than likely that the choice of villains in these episodes has a lot to do with that, but the way they are handled and portrayed goes a long way in creating better episodes than the beginning of the series had.

The first episode, "The Man Who Would Be Bat," is a good way to start the show, as Man-Bat is a villain who's actually frightening and a worthy adversary for The Batman. The show also didn't stray too far from his accepted origin and look. As a result, the episode is more honest and effective, especially for older fans of the character. The use of the character is very monstrous and his design is far more horrific than it was in "B:TAS." Despite the fact that the episode follows the established "The Batman" plot formula, it's an exciting story.

Another visually interesting make-over was done for Mr. Freeze, who, in the past, was a second-string villain at best. Though he became nothing more than a superpowered petty thug, the new look is dynamic and forceful, and the illustration of his powers is better than any I've seen in cartoons for Iceman. The episode strays a bit from the norm, focusing more on the connection between hero and villain, and even includes some references for adults to enjoy.

The final episode of the three was, to me, the best of the bunch, and the best to this point. All the credit can go to Catwoman. Always one of the more interesting adversaries of The Batman, she presented a challenge to him that was different than most other villains, especially for a young Bruce Wayne. Throw in a handful of ninjas, some Batcave hi-jinks and the flirtatious relationship between the Cat and the Bat, and you've got an impressive turnaround for the series from the Mountain Dew-ish escapades of The Joker.

The DVD
Packed in a standard keepcase with a nice fold-out mini-poster, "The Batman" Season One, Volume 2 is a one-disc collection of the second trio of episodes. The DVD features an anamorphic widescreen main menu that's slightly animated, with options to play all three episodes, select individual ones, view special features and change languages. The submenus are static, while language options include English, French (new this time) and Spanish soundtracks and English, Spanish and French subtitles. The disc also features closed captioning.

One thing I don't understand about this disc is the content of the menus, as they feature the three villains from the first DVD, not this disc's co-stars.

The Quality
Though the show still has something of a low-budget look, with a lack of detail in some scenes, and blurry background art in others, overall, this disc looks a bit better than the last one. "The Man Who Would Be Bat" has some pretty creative artistic touches, and really shines during the final battle, but that level of quality isn't consistent.

Aurally, this disc really jumped out in a way the first disc didn't, even though the sound in Volume One was very impressive. Pumping out a 2.0 Digital Surround mix, the rear speakers deliver some nice music and sound effect enhancement while the center speakers handle the dialogue, presenting it cleanly, without distortion.

The Extras
The extras actually seem to have taken a step up since Volume 1, as they aren't purely commercials this time, and there's actually more of them. First up is the kid-friendly "The Batman Junior Detective Exam - Level 2", which picks up from the last disc. There's nothing interactive, as questions about The Batman are asked by The Batman, and are followed quickly by the answer. You have to keep score at home. Make sure you watch the episodes first, as plot points are told during the questions. If you score high (or even if you don't) you can pop the disc into a DVD-Rom drive and print out a Junior Detective Badge. Ginchy.

Up next is "Gotham City PD Case Files," in which The Batman sneaks a look at Detective Yin's files on the various costumed crazies in Gotham. It's certainly a nice primer on the show, but again, it reveals a lot of plot, and it's almost entirely reused animation that's been paused or looped, causing it to look pretty jagged.

The last true extra is an interactive game, "The Batman Big Chill Challenge." Using the DVD remote, you try to guess where Mr. Freeze will shoot, and respond with a batarang. It's definitely not an easy competition, but it can get a bit repetitive.

Six trailers for other WB DVDs and cartoons are also included.

The Bottom Line
I was prepared to dismiss "The Batman" as more toy-fueled garbage aimed at kids until this disc. Where there was once boring, predictable commercial TV, there's now creative, interesting and engaging action. The animation style is still a weak link, and getting just three episodes is aggravating, but the disc looks and sounds good, with a smattering of extras. Considering that the season will set you back over $40 by the end though, a rental is the only recommendation I have for this show.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.