What Happened to THE ZETA PROJECT? The Canceled Batman Beyond Spin-Off | Zeta Month
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 жов 2022
- We've arrived. Let's talk about "The Zeta Project." What was it, why did it get made, and how on Earth did it survive Kid WB's persistent interference?
ZETA MONTH continues all of November!
Follow the full Watchtower Database story here:
• I’ve Got Mattie In My ...
Patreon ➡️ / dcauwatchtower
Twitch ➡️ / dcauwatchtower
Facebook ➡️ / dcauwatchtower
Twitter ➡️ / dcauwatchtower
Instagram ➡️ / dcauwatchtower
Merch Store ➡️ teespring.com/stores/dcauwatc...
Discord ➡️ / discord
"Legacies of the DCAU" - our webcomic!
www.legaciesdcau.com
Thumbnail artwork by:
Marcelo Millicay - / millicay.art
DCAUniverse - www.deviantart.com/dcauniverse
Stay tuned for more exciting DCAU video content, here at the Watchtower Database.
DISCLAIMER
The Watchtower Database and its creators are unaffiliated with Warner Bros., DC Entertainment, or any other official DC Animated Universe producer or source. WDb is a fan-run, non-profit website and does not claim to own any of its presented properties. "Batman: the Animated Series," "The Adventures of Batman & Robin," "The New Batman Adventures," "Superman: the Animated Series," "The New Batman/Superman Adventures," "Batman Beyond," "The Zeta Project," "Static Shock," "Justice League," "Justice League Unlimited," and all related names, logos, and indicia are trademark and ©1992-2006 DC Comics and Warner Bros. All rights reserved.
Hashtags:
#ZetaProject #BatmanBeyond #DCAU
Extra tags:
dcau, dc animated universe, the zeta project, zeta project, batman beyond, batman, justice league unlimited, kids wb, warner bros, dc comics, batman beyond spinoff, zeta project intro, zeta project behind the scenes, zeta project making of, batman beyond behind the scenes, special features, bob goodman, bruce timm, alan burnett, batman vs robots, batman beyond zeta, crossover, pokemon, kids wb 2000s, kids wb commercials, dcau explained, dcau timeline, zeta project ending, el proyecto zeta - Розваги
It's crazy that both Columbine and 9/11 are major factors into the failure of the Zeta Project. That's some wild stuff.
Massively unfortunate 1-2-punch
Honestly can't blame the network for being nervous this time. 9/11 especially.
Double whammy
@@seanewing204 too true rip
Gods, how I worry when a necessarily conventional World War III will impact fictional media as a whole.
So, pretty much, the Zeta Project had the misfortune of being a really good concept in the wrong time. It could have been an instant classic if it was made even one or two years prior
I'd argue that it's a good concept, but a flawed followthrough, making a series aimed at an audience even younger than that of the original Batman TAS, off of Batman Beyond ,which was much darker and more mature than any of the others.
Can you imagine?? “The kids show that PREDICTED the post-9/11 police state!” The analysis videos (& accompanying conspiracy theories) would’ve been crazy! 🤯
My dream would just be a Justice League Beyond animated movie, where Zeta cameos as a spy or something working on behalf of the League
This was a series I skipped over as a kid due to it not being ran on the Boomerang channel as much as shows like JLU and Teen Titans. It's interesting seeing the real world events that effected it as it came out, and the darker tones it wanted to cover. Really looking forward to the rest of Zeta Month and diving deeper into it!
Hell yeah, you're in for a ride!
Did it actually air on Boomerang at all? I don't recall ever seeing it there.
@@connorbeith3232Extra emphasis on "not being ran".
Need me a Bob Goodman Zeta show where he actually gets control
Giving The Zeta Project the Samurai Jack Season 5 treatment would be very nice. If they're lucky enough to conclude the bot's tale well, mayhaps I'll bring TZP back on my DCAU headcanon
I wish the Zeta Project cast were given the Harley Quinn treatment and were added to the comics hell I would settle for a mini series and background cameos I just want these characters to see the light again in some form
There is a batman beyond comic series but it's garbage and doesn't follow the show at all
I'm a big fan of the Detective Comics Animated Universe. Especially The Infiltration Unit Zeta Project
😤😤😤
The universe started by a Detective. How fitting. (Nice season 02 Kari And TK/Hikari and Tekeru pfp.)
I really think they should consider a reboot of the show with it's darker tone. It was actually really good for it's time. Maybe do a few animated movies like they have for DC the last 15 years.
When I first saw it out of obscurity I didn't even realize this was a DCAU series because it looked so incredibly different until Terry shows up. It's like seeing JLU Superman in Mighty Magiswords without changing the art style of either of them...and I love it. It sets it apart from the rest even if the budget looked as if it wasn't all there in the first season
Wait... did Superman show up in magiswords, or is thar hypothetical??
+Frozar Burst That's nothing compared to when the cartoon series of The Mask in the 90s crossed over into the more stylized Ace Ventura cartoon series.
it looks like the first season of Static Shock mixed with Kenny the Shark
For me, it's akin to putting the likes of Vash the Stampede from Trigun in bloody Black Lagoon's Roanapur.
(And if anyone asks, both anime are made by Madhouse, so the comparison has some slyness to it.)
We loved Zeta Project in Brazil. We were shocked to learn that this show was unsuccessful.
I never knew a spin-off of Batman Beyond existed, if not for this channel.
Finally... its.it's.. about The Zeta Project 😢
I loved this series as a kid. I would have been 10yo when it came out and I was crazy for the DCAU shows. This one was probably my favourite at the time (aside from BTAS). It wasn't until I rewatched them all as an adult that I realised it wasn't as amazing as child me thought. But it is still part of the DCAU, an amaing collection of shows that all deserve to be watched.
#BringBackZETA #RestoreTheZEU #WeAreAllDylanPollack #RIPManhatTed #PeePeePooPoo
I agree!
I'm very into learning more about this corner of the DCAU.
Then you'll like the next several weeks!
Stoked to bring u the knowledge!
Please James Gunn, this is all I ask! #BringBackZeta
Yess!!! It was so exciting and refreshing to see Zeta get the same info treatment as so many other shows, you guys always do such a fantastic job. I didn’t know so much of this but it all makes so much sense with how the show turned out, a candy coated exterior that still noticeably tackled some really serious anti-government and military topics. That’s one of my favorite things about Zeta honestly. It deserved to be more serious, but I also really enjoyed the weird final product that came out instead. I feel like it helped to introduce a lot of really important concepts for younger kids, but it also didn’t feel like it censored itself as much as it could. Columbine impacting the initial episode totally makes sense and created a really good episode in the end. 9/11 hanging over the show also absolutely makes sense with the concepts involved, but truly I feel like that makes the messages it had at the time even more important, bringing nuance into such a worldwide issue filled with so much prejudice.
Just! I love this show so much and there really is a lot of depth and complication to it, both behind the scenes and with what we ended up getting on screen. Hearing why it got cancelled and why we ended with a cliffhanger does… leave me very pissed off though.
Amazing start to an exciting month!! And very excited to jump onto that hashtag if I end up being able to…
"I feel like that makes the messages it had at the time even more important" - if that ain't the truest shit I've ever heard. Hope Bob gets to get back on the saddle one day and treat the themes attached to this show with the seriousness they deserve!
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 Yes absolutely! I rlly feel like Zeta would have such a big impact nowadays, bringing those conversations and difficult topics to the forefront in a way that doesn’t feel preach-y or like propaganda. For a show ab a robot that was forced to be kid friendly it really did a fantastic job on shining a light on the messy human aspects of government and morality, and the way those things are boiled down to black and white for political and nationalistic profit. I think a revival that treated things seriously and to the fullest extent they were intended to be, while still maintaining that initial sense of levity and hope and kindness, would be an absolutely amazing thing to see today.
Comment
Personally, I'm a sucker for innocent protagonist as a fugitive stories. It's why I'm one of the rare people who actually liked "The Cape."
Showtime everybody!
😁
*cue Batman doing the 👍*
17:44 7.8/10 "Too much water" - IGN
At least I enjoyed Pokemon Emerald more than this show back in the day.
I'm probably one of the only people that actually wanted more of zeta project. As well as hoping in a season. 2 would have been darker.
Ok i need to know about that Legion of Superheroes meets 90210 pitch! I loved their intro episode in Superman "New Kids in Town" and i wished we had gotten to see more of them!
Now i want to see a Zeta fight Masked Rider from Power Ranger fight
Was not expecting these two to show up in a Batman Beyond episode when I was watching through it; had to pause for a good 20 seconds.
In order:
1. I did not know Tim Curry was originally considered for the rol of Joker. I'd love to see that.
2. The weirdest spin-off case I can think of is Nickelodeon's Sam & Cat (a spin-off of two series, though not a spin-off of a spin-off).
3. Could it be The Fugitive's season 4 episode 22, "Goodbye My Love"?
Tl;dr: Thank you for Zeta Month. Send me Mr. Wing fan art of the alternative kind. Greetings from México.:3
Oooh, I'll have to check in on that Fugitive ep!
THIRD!
The hierarchy of the Watchtower Database Universe is about to change….
Hey. That's true!!
Finally, a video about my favorite obscure Sonic villain.
Water
Kids WB?
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 No, 4Kids.
Funny the Fugitive is brought up cuz of Superman voice actor Tim Daly not doing JL to do The Fugitive remake show
Yay they found some Tim Curry audio. Nice!!!
We've got more than that coming in the future!
I'd like to see a finale to The Zeta Project.
Let's go for Zetaaaaa!
LETS GOOOOO
I literally said "Oh, yeah" out loud at the part
As you should have!
That was a very underrated show, love you guys are doing a month on it
And the whole thing is already out for you to enjoy!
I never knew this show existed until years later
I'd be thrilled if they redid Zeta from scratch- make the series that it was supposed to be rather than the child-biased show it became.
If not a series then a direct to dvd movie
I liked the zeta project but I wished it got a proper conclusion though
19:09 😜
"Detective Comics Animated Universe"? Please do call it that, I love it.
And then it *may* get complicated in case Disney Channel makes its own Animated Universe in the form of crossovers with Gravity Falls, Amphibia, The Owl House, and more.
The boys are back again!
If Zeta went dark, he would sound a lot like Brave and The Bold Batman...................................But with less emotion
I was reading that on top of demanding a cliffhanger, the execs were also insisting on certain story changes and plot twists, such as Ro turning out to be an android. That was a big part of why Bob left.
Very true! Check out the rest of our Zeta Project videos!
I can't believe I ate the whole thing! Seriously though, I just wanted to comment because I want this channel and especially this kind of content to get as much attention as possible. Keep up the great work!
Thank u!!!
I literally never knew the zeta project existed until I discovered this channel
😈
Project zeta was one of my favorite cartoons when i was a kid, and till now it still is. Just imagine project zeta getting a remake, but this time they give the show all what it deserves....... oh boy I wish to see that
No, no I did not. I only recently started diving into the DCAU fandom through this channel, and I didn't know about The Zeta Project until I started watching this channel.
Great video! Lover your channel!!
Thanks Patrick!
I'll never understand why they dressed him like he was coming out of the shower. His outfit looks like he's ready for a lazy Sunday in his robe and slippers.
Interesting video! I now finally know what the zeta project is, thanks!
OK, y’all hear me out, what if this exact team got together without the constraints and did Mirrors Edge show. It’s similar tone and would provide for him to do all the messaging he wanted, and almost combines the main two characters. Obviously, Faith isn’t a robot, but the art style and everything is there.
And that game is in desperate need of better storytelling, but it’s one of my top favorite games to play
zeta should join justice leauge beyond. That could give zeta a conclusion and give kai ro some love.
He may be part of a Beyond Super Tram already tho (video incoming!), but that'd be cool!
Finally, just like your old videos, love it!
We didn't do THAT many abnormal ones! They just took a lot longer than we anticipated 😅
Commenting so this video gets shown around in the algorithm more
I always kind of hated how miserable the future in Batman Beyond was so I kind of appreciated the Zeta show to make it look at least a little more upbeat.
To be fair, we only mostly saw Neo-Gotham in BB. Won't be surprised if Metropolis is a goshdarn utopia-like place had it been explored in a World's Finest-esque tale that we never got.
Such an odd concept. Remember watching it a lot as a kid, but can't recall a single episode with details.
Whole thing is on Internet Archive in an upscaled remaster archive.org/details/the-zeta-project-1080p-ai-upscale
This. People seem to be fond of the show, and yet don't seem to have a fond "ah, I remember this legendary scene" moment that even the likes of Static Shock successfully had... is TZP really that worth the underrated praise, in my opinion?!
I never saw this show. Didn't know he was played by Diedrich Bader
I did know that…poor captain clown
ZETA MONTH!!!
Wish there was much I could say about my experiences with The Zeta Project. I do remember watching it on Kids' WB! back in the day, but unlike Batman/Superman or the series it spawned from Batman Beyond, this one just felt more like a blur at the time when Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Jackie Chan Adventures were now the biggest stand-out shows for me that I was the most hooked on following out of the block.
It certainly didn't help that this was another of those very short-lived animated shows that didn't get to end on a proper resolution, or that WB by that point had just had another "robot who was built to be a gun but doesn't want to be one anymore" that was slowly growing into a bigger cult classic with The Iron Giant.
Still it's great that you're devoting a whole month to revisiting the most obscure entry of the DCAU and showing it some love, and I've been glad to learn more about how the show came to be and all the things it was wanting to be at the time but just couldn't do. If there's any DCAU series that I wouldn't mind ever seeing rebooted in its continuity to be closer to what its creators had intended, it would be this series.
I would purchase the series digitally but they still only have Season 1 available to buy, and with the series being as short as it is there's no reason you shouldn't just own the whole thing. Guess I would have to go to the DVD releases for this one.
Well for those who say DC comics, it would actually be, Detective comics comics animated universe
🤯
I never saw the end of the second season; I have the first season of the Zeta Project on dvd, so yeah.
Go grab the second season DVD too!
You know at first I was baffled by this show’s existence, why would they make a show about one off character in a batman spin off, instead of an already established dc character, but then I learned it was a way to appease the networks want for a “lighthearted” and more “ kid friendly” show that way we could still get the more mature storytelling of JL and JLU
When Rich Fogel told us it beat out an even earlier Legion of Superheroes pitch, I was stunned!
I know NOTHING about the Zeta Project (Except that him and Ro were in an episode of Batman Beyond) so I'll be watching these videos with a VERY open mind! I'm excited to learn!
An open mind is the best way to approach Zeta!
so this is the infamous zeta project lmao
So it would seem!
I hope Zeta will get a BluRay remaster release! Although I didn't see the show, from the clips on YT, it looks really good.
Maybe if they #BringBackZeta (19:09) then we can get blurays!
so far i seen Batman Beyond i had no clue there was a spinoff
Welcome to my world! 😈
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 😆 God bless you
I would have watched a dark cartoon at six after all I saw Batman Beyond at that time. I love cartoon that don't talk down to kids.
I think I was 8 when BB premiered? Bur yeah, woulda ate up dark zeta!
I'd die and never know Zeta Project was a DC cartoon. That's how shitty Warner treated DC in the 2000s.
DC was flawed in the 2000s, but really, the decade at the very least gave us Justice League+Unlimited, Static Shock, Teen Titans, The Batman 2004, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Batman Begins+The Dark Knight.
It's the 2010s we had to watch out for.
So much water 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦
The fattest pog I’ve pogged in a while. Glad my social work class got cancelled so I didn’t have to wait too long for this ♥️
Based
Yes, yes, yes, finally! This is the quality content I've been waiting for. I LOVE The Zeta Project, but haven't been able to watch it since I was a kid. This...this right here is what Daddy needs.
Edit: I can't believe I didn't know Lauren Tom was in it! Plus, it never clicked that Zeta was voiced by two Office Space actors.
I actually mentioned The Zeta Project to Michael Rosenbaum when I met him at a con a few months ago, he seemed pretty shocked and excited that I mentioned it.
In George RR Martin's "Wild Cards" series, something you should look into, there is a great robot with feelings, Modular Man. Very Zeta. Also my favorite Rust, he can destroy all metal by turning it into, big shock, rust. Would be a great anti-gun character.
Yeah! I WANT IT BACK!!!!
Make sure to post a vid with the hashtag!!! We'll be using as many as we see during the finale video!
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 Sure thing
1:37 Oh yeah, I knew that.
They never did explain how Zeta got an improved head, with a face and mouth....
The whole design changed mildly, too. Self-upgrades off-screen, I guess!
@@dcauwatchtower Thing is, really, that is the most likely answer. Zeta's original design made him uncanny valley off-putting, and he would, in character, want to be more appealing to human interaction.
It's about damn time
Facts
In a minute, imma need a, cinnamon roll, from the oven, to pump me up
I would enjoy a future set DC series if it used more aged up versions of well known DC characters or more inheritors of the mantel of known characters.
Micheal Rosenbaum as Agent West? And he’s a ginger? Is this a rather bizarre coincidence, or an ancestor of the scarlet speedster?
One of the first videos on our channel was about the possible connection to the Flash!
Heard there were Zeta Project Season 3 plans of the guy temporarily getting superspeed. I may be wrong, but still, feel free to either prove me wrong or surprisingly validate the theorem.
Zeta project > justice league 😮
Blasphemy!
Underrated AF series
Great video mattie.
Thanks Skarloey!
Interesting. I was introduced to Zeta through the Batman Beyond series and when the Zeta Project came out, I saw a few episodes and before I knew it, the series was gone. It was quick.
Yeah, they really did bury the show. Still hard to access to this day, though luckily dvds do exist now and someone dropped a 1080p AI upscale on web archive, so it's a bit better than it used to be.
man I love bb , wish they make more series or games
To Your Eternity reminds me of the Zeta Project.
Im gonna need another martini for sure
Me too!
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 I would have thank you in advance if I had known I would get a reply. THANK YOU for this video mattie. You assure me all those long hours in front of the TV was a FLIPPIN' storytelling and visual masterclass. full invested in ZETA month
awesome!
Zeta was a great success in Brazil. Personally, I was a great fan. I only discover zeta is in the same universe of batman what batman appear in zeta show.
Always wild to see how cultural differences impact the reception of certain shows! Cool to hear! Maybe I should see if we can get some Brazilian subtitles on these...
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 sorry for my english, I understand the video but still have problems to writing stuff.
If you want put some subtitles maybe more Brazilians show up. I hope you tell along this series how should ended. This cliffhanger make a lot of discussions when I was younger.
@@igorverso oh, no need to apologize! Your English is great! Just sparked an idea to maybe make the content more accessible to others who may not understand it
Matt sure loves his comments
Where can you find the soundtrack to this show? And by soundtrack I mean the other osts throughout the show
We were lucky enough to come across 1 Soundtrack that has since been removed from UA-cam, and an Emmy consideration CD with more tracks. May try to find out making those accessible in the near future!
Okay, does The Zeta Project take place in Hoenn given all that water in the show? LOL
So true.
Wish they bring it in hbo max and continue the vision.. Just like what they did to young justice season 3
Same here!
Espero que la serie vuelva a darse de nuevo. Quiero que Zeta tenga una vida feliz y libre sin ser perseguido por los agentes
Us too! You should do a selfie video with the hashtag #BringBackZeta on social media so we can include you in the finale!
So glad I finally watched this show thanks to y'all. There's a lot of good in there and if you like The Fugitive man is The Zeta Project for you.
Did u end up catching the whole show? Can't recall if I sent you the drive link or not
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 didn't get it from you but ended up finding it online fortunately
It was a good show. I would love to see a season 3 and a movie adaptation:
Love the video, I'd love to see more of the Zeta Project. Robots are cool!
Robots ARE cool!
Thanks finally he is TALKED ABOUT!
Zeta is my favourite more than Terry
Based take
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 More like how I saw he was much more interesting than him
#BringBackZeta
Many are saying this!
....... it's here!
FINALLY!!
Batman beyond spin offs zeta, static, and kyle the catboi.
Did anyone else binge the entire series in prep for this?
A couple times!
Me!
Not me. Am gonna skip it on my personal DCAU binge, which admittedly includes Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and excludes Batman and Harley and JL vs. the Fatal Five.
At least Batman Beyond's "Zeta" will be spared, and yet I appear to have second thoughts on "Countdown".
Why does the Zeta robot that appears in his own show look entirely different than the Zeta robot that appeared in Batman Beyond?
Do you think a cartoon where the main character has no face at all would be easy for the Kids WB demographic to latch onto?
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 Well, I guess that makes sense. I think I suspected that was it. Allthough that face they gave him is kinda scary in itself.
@@TomAmit42 deff coulda been better, but I've got a couple design sheets that suggest it coulda been worse. What We got doesn't really bug me tho
You guys seem to not answer the "in-universe 'why'" question, however.
As someone in the "millenial and younger" demographic, I gotta say this video is lowkey bussin tho, no cap. Honestly I've never seen any of the Zeta Project, and it's existence has always been kind of just a fascinating oddity to me, since it's the only DCAU show that isn't based on a pre-existing DC property. Really cool to get a sense of the dynamic thought process that formed the show's identity. Great stuff all around!
Anyway, I'm trynna dip now fr tho. Vid was straight fire 🔥🔥 sheeeeeeeesh
Based and millennial and younger pilled
I completely forgot about the zeta project
Don't forget ever again!!
@@mattiesavannahpahl9934 lol indeed :)