FYI, if your comment gets deleted it’s likely because it contained some sort of spoilers. Try not to overshare, I know we’re all excited but Meg wishes to know absolutely nothing in terms of what will happen next.
4:41 Leslie Thompkins usually helps people in need at her shelter and patches up the Bat Family when they need it. She's basically Bruce's surrogate mother.
For me, one of the core reasons Bruce is Batman, is because he's trying to be the person who wasn't there for him that night in the alley. That's why he patrols the city every night without fail, rather than sitting at home waiting for the signal or call from Gordon (which is what the '60s TV series did).
I agree. One of the most fascinating aspects of Bruce is he’s one of the few comic characters who’s true personality is the hero identity not the secret identity.
In Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, Gordon asks Bruce why he chose to be Batman. Bruce replied, "Because I made a promise. Never again to anyone else." That gives Bruce's cause even more weight.
Batman the animated series truly was ahead of its time. & episodes like this is among many reasons why this show is still the golden standard of Batman media in my opinion. & that is saying alot as there are alot of great Batman media.
Definitely a personal favorite episode of mine. Seeing your reaction and realizing how close Leslie is to Bruce and just the ending of both of them together at the location of where Bruce's parents were killed was just so emotional but also so heartwarming. Also I absolutely love your discussion at the end talking about Batman. You pretty much explained one of the reasons why Batman even exists because the police and corporations are so awful that he has to basically go behind the scenes as Batman to make a difference rather than go as billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and as you said try to sway the other powerful rich people because he knows that it won't work with how insanely corrupt Gotham is
By this point in batman career, the police aren't that corrupt anymore, but plenty of corporations still are, that or a super villian will steal of destroy anything bruce tries to do for gotham
He usually starts out as Batman in order to shut down the various mob clans that run the city, and has to remain in that role because while he was fighting them, numerous Rogues like the Joker replaced them and prove to be even more dangerous.
Yeah, people often forget that even Miller's version explicitly said he was out to punish the corrupt and selfish wealthy elite, not just random criminals
In regards to the live action movies, there's a wide variety. The closest in style to the show you're watching would be the two Tim Burton films which starred Michael Keaton in the cape and cowl. Keaton is returning in the role soon next year, so watching those would be a good primer. The success of the Burton movies led to the creation of "The Animated Series." Obviously, you'll want to watch "Mask of the Phantasm," "SubZero" and "Mystery of the Batwoman, "which are set in the continuity of "The Animated Series." 'Mask' can be watched anywhere during the early run of the series, since its specific story doesn't have an exact slot in the chronology. 'SubZero' is best watched after the episode "Deep Freeze" (you'll get there eventually). 'Mystery' can be watched at the end of the show. The Superman show is set in the same universe, and is worth seeing (heck, that entire animated universe is). You'd want to watch Superman after the first 85 episodes of Batman, since that's how it was made. The final 24 episodes of Batman ran at the same time as Superman did, but you can easily just watch them after Superman instead of trying to alternate. The chronology is just loose enough that it won't hurt. After that is "Batman Beyond," which had its own movie: "Return of the Joker." Then the final shows are "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited." That's a lot of 'homework,' but it's all good stuff. :)
It's a shame Leslie Thompkins isn't touched on more often in movies. She's practically Bruce's surrogate mother, with Alfred being his surrogate father.
Agreed. For some reason, I can see the actress who portrayed aunt May in Raimi's Spider-man trilogy as Leslie Thompkins. But perhaps, she might be too old to portray her in new movies even if they decide to include that character.
The good thing about the cartoon is that we see in some EPs Bruce does endorse candidates and fundraise for causes and try to invest I'm communities IN ADDITION to being Batman helping people on the street level as much as he can. He does both but we the viewer tend to see the positives of his vigilantism whereas its obvious the systems he does work within are being pushed the opposite side with corruption and greed too.
If you're looking for an "order" to watch things in I believe Mask of Phantasm happens sometime during Season 1 (though you don't really have to watch too many episodes to understand it. Just mainly have to know who Joker and Batman are), Subzero happens I think at the end of Season 3 (the end of the original run of the show), World's Finest happens during Season 4 (when the show was brought back with a new art style) and Mystery of the Batwoman happens at the end of Season 4. Superman the Animated Series happens at the same time as Season 4 of Batman the Animated Series and its episodes were aired alongside episodes of Batman's 4th season. After both of those series end is when Justice League happens and Justice League Unlimited happens after that (though the episode Epilogue shows things from the final adventure of the timeline so that should be watched after Batman Beyond). Batman Beyond obviously happens after the other shows and Return of the Joker is the final movie, taking place after the final episode of Batman Beyond. Epilogue from Justice League Unlimited takes place after that so that's when you should watch that episode. Some of the Animated games from like the PS2 and Gamecube era also take place around the time of Season 4 of Batman but not much of anyone plays those, and the Batman Adventures comics also show adventures that take place during the Batman Animated Series that aren't shown during the show. That's pretty much the order to watch things in though. There have been a few movies that share the art style of the Animated Series stuff (Batman and Harley Quinn, Justice League vs The Fatal Five and one other one with like Braniac and Superman), but they aren't necessarily part of the Animated universe (and certainly aren't things that are necessary to watch for this universe).
If I could make another suggestion that I don’t think has been said yet Green Lantern the animated series is a severely underrated and underappreciated series it only got one season but it’s a very good adaption of the character of Hal Jordan and A very entertaining show that I think you’ll enjoy
Harley Quinn show is its own entire thing there aren't really any requirements to watch the show. As long as you are familiar with most of Batman's villains you'll be fine. between BTAS and Arkham series you know most of them by now so its ok to start it now.
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES UNIVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER: 1. Batman The Animated series season 1 and 2 2. Batman Mask of the phantasm film 3. Batman and Mr. Freeze Subzero film 4. Superman the animated series season 1 5. Superman the animated series season 2 and 3 and Batman the animated series season 3 take place at the same time and they have a crossover 6. Batman Mystery of the Batwoman film 7. Justice League season 1 and 2 8. Justice League unlimited season 1,2 and 3 9. Batman and Harley Quinn 10. Justice League vs the fatal five 11. Batman Beyond season 1, 2, 3 12. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker 13. AND lastly justice league unlimited season 3 episode 26 gives batman beyond a conclusive end and thus ends this timeline All of the shows and films take place in the dc animated universe which began with batman the animated series and all star kevin Conroy and appearances from mark hammil. This universe is like the mcu when it comes to shared universes. Hope that wasn’t too long lol there are also dozens of other amazing batman animated films that take place in other universes besides this one and kevin stars in some of those as well
Rest In Peace, Kevin Conroy! These episodes are from 1992 -1993. Superman started running concurrently with season 3 of Batman: The Animated Series. When you get to season 3, I would advise watching an episode of Batman and then an episode of Superman, that's how they aired. It also works really well as the different tones of the shows complement each other. I would also recommend watching all of the episodes in order, but not binge them. You've already picked up that Dagget (voiced by the great Ed Asner) is a recurrent villain, and the series, although not episodic in the way modern series are, with one episode leading chronologically into the next, supporting characters are introduced in early episodes and return for more development later. BTAS is one of the rare "made for children" cartoons that explored issues of class, which is a topic very much marginalized in our media. It was good to hear you speak about the series still being relevant to the present and that's why I subscribed to your channel.
My recommendation is this: Batman The Animated Series (Season 1) Batman: Mask of Phantasm Superman The Animated Series (Season 1) Batman The Animated Series (Season 2) Superman The Animated Series (Season 2) Superman & Batman (Season 3) (it can be either/or or at the same time doesn’t matter) Batman & Mr Freeze: Sub Zero Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman Justice League (All Seasons) Batman Beyond (All Seasons) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Justice League Unlimited (all Episodes) At ANY point you can watch Young Justice BUT I recommend watching Green Lantern The Animated Series before that. (I’d also recommend maybe saving Young Justice for after Justice League Unlimited) it’s not a pre-requisite, but since you don’t know about any of the characters, it’s better to wait until you’re familiar because there’s a lot of characters involved with Young Justice. At ANY Point you can watch Teen Titans (all seasons) (NOT Teen Titans Go) Harley Quinn I recommend saving for after Justice League so that you have familiarity with the characters as well as some jokes that are made. Again not required, it’s just a better experience if you understand who people are ahead of time. Of course, we can always explain them to you. At ANY point you can watch Krypto the Superdog there’s no pre-requisite it’s just a really cute show. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Scooby Doo, but there are some crossovers with Batman that might be fun to react to. It’s called Scooby Doo Meets Batman. It’s not on HBO Max, but you can find it on Prime I think. In terms of the other movies, it’s kind of complicated. What I would recommend, wait until you’ve tackled the above I’ve mentioned or at least have a general understanding of who characters are that way when you delve into the other movies, you have some concept of who people are. Even though the worlds are different, some movies assume you know basic lore others kind of explain it to you. If you would like to read the comics, that’s also a bit complicated. I recommend choosing a couple heroes and just picking and choosing comics you think would be interesting. Just make sure to either get a graphic novel which is typically a collection of comics in order or make sure that it says Issue 1, 2, 3 etc. sometimes comics overlap, but it’ll usually tell you if you should read something ahead of time.
Hope Meg sees this cause this is pretty much the list I have that I was gonna share as well. Also should Static Shock be added to that list since it's also part of the DCAU or would it not make a difference
Hey Meg If you wanna take a break from Batman The Animated Series you should eventually checkout this extremely underrated animated Batman movie called The Batman Vs Dracula ( it's separate from Batman The Animated Series it's own thing with a different Batman ) 🦇🧛
Thank you for reminding me about this episode, Meg. It’s one that I definitely overlook among the many many riches of this series. Mask of the phantasm is arguably the best Batman movie. Highly recommend. I love all the the original four Batman movies- even the campy ones- I think they have their place too along the cannon- and I would say watch those first and in order. But because all Batman stories are episodic in nature (not a interwoven continuous story like the ones in the MCU,) you can really watch any of the Batman films/ shows in any order and you won’t be confused. - just know that each film/series explores a very different side of Batman/Gotham so it’s a tonal rollercoaster- but that’s kind of the best part. Glad you’re enjoying- the animated series is a touchstone for me. Xo!
I think now is the best time to watch a few episodes of Harley Quinn, to give you a little bit of break from Batman. Most of the main cast in the show you're already familiar with anyway since Season 1 is mostly Batman universe-related. But maybe hold off Season 2 and 3 since it's going to be DC heavy outside of Batman so you need to familiarize yourself with other DC characters first before getting the jokes on most of them. But for now, I think giving the first season of Harley Quinn a go is pretty good, it's a breath of fresh hair from the ones you watch too since it's mostly comedy and doesnt take itself very seriously.
I mean, I like the Harley Quinn show fine, but I don’t think it’s a great show to watch concurrently with B:TAS. A lot of characters are written differently, especially Harley (who is wearing her new costume and has completely different motivations).
So the harley Quinn show is completely separate and very different so start it whenever you wish, same with the movies being their own continuity except zubzero and mask of the phantasm, those are specifically batman the animated series movies, but the new 52 movies are their own thing and id just watch them in release order. I'd get past seasons 1 and 2 before starting the superman the animated series, and after batman the animated series, batman beyond is the direct sequel. There's obviously plenty more dc content available if you wanna keep watching stuff, but this should be a very good starting list
Not sure if this counts as a 'movie' in terms of other comments, but the Batman Beyond special "Return of the Joker" should be something to watch once you finish this series. I do'nt recall that you have to know much about Batman Beyond to appreciate it (TL;DR - In the future, Bruce gets old and has to train a new Batman in a high tech Batsuit) 8:28 Star Trek fan? Dr Thompson is voiced by Diana Muldaur, who is Dr Pulaski in Next Generation (Season 2) I knew you'd like this one. This premise (the pilgrimage every year) has been a staple in Batman storytelling. 30 years old and it still makes all but us cold hearted veterans tear up. I continue to be ultra appreciative of you going through these and letting us in on it.
When this series aired, it was alongside stuff like Duck Tales, Tiny Toons, Gummi Bears, etc. I liked those shows, but Batman was my favorite, because it didn't talk down to me as a kid. It respected my intelligence.
Thank you for another episode im glad you are enjoying the show. I love episodes like this, no supervillan just a horrible person and its still a great episode. About other DC shows Batman the animated series actually started the DC animated universe which contains: 1-Batman the animated series (And 3 movies that are between this series and the continuation) 2-Superman the animated series (Takes place around the same time as the new batman adventures) 3-The new batman adventures (A continuation of the animated series but a few years later) 4-Justice league and justice league unlimited 5-Batman beyond -2 more animated movies There are also other amazing shows like Young Justice and Harley quinn that are stand alone shows. There is a lot of DC shows that are great so you have a lot of content. I hope it helps and it doesnt seem too overwhelming.
In Arkham City, you can actually visit Crime Alley inside Park Row and pay your respects. I remember you doing it on one of the earlier streams but you still didn't know it's significance so you mostly ignored it. Now that you have more context I think visiting it again would be pretty cool 🙂. Also I'm not opposed to you starting the Harley Quinn series, it's one of the best shows DC had put out so far. BUT! I recommend maybe doing just episode 1 and 2, since it has characters you already know there. Episode 3 you can do probably after you finish the main arkham city storyline.
Flynn Cook, Andrew Gamez, and Superheroesrock all give pretty good rundowns of the viewing order the DCAU takes place in at least as to how I remember it. The Harley Quinn cartoon can be viewed at any time as it's in it's own little continuity. DC also released some straight to DVD movies, some of which are solo films each in their own continuity, others which are a shared universe. Of the stand alone films, I cannot recomend Batman Under the Red Hood strongly enough. One of my favorite Batman stories of all time, as well as one of the saddest. On the Marvel side of the fence, the 90's X-men cartoon will always hold a special place in the hearts of alot of us, and Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is amazing.
To have a deep appreciation for this show, you really need to a documentary called Batman: The Animated Series - Behind the Scene Movie. It's 1hr 33mins long. There are interviews with the producers, writers, artists and even voice actors. It's really good!
One of the best episodes... Bty you can "sprinkle" Batman with Superman the animated series and even Batman Beyond(and if you do, you should watch the movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker) and from Batman the animated series, you need to watch the movie Mask of the Phantasm.
I personally really like watching Justice League and JL Unlimited after this series, and then you can find a list on what order to watch the dc animated extended universe movies. There are a lot but all pretty good. Harley Quinn is a outlier and basically a brand new take on the character that isn’t really influenced by comics or movies beyond including other characters from the comics, you can honestly watch that whenever you want it’s a fun break from the raw emotion that the other animated shows bring forsure
Also don't forget Batman Beyond, that had some pretty decent episodes on other issues like drug addiction and how society can effect teens and young adults.
"Can I sprinkle other series while looking at this one?" One thing to be noted with DC (in case it's not yet been mentioned): several of the series and the films you mention are not part of the same universe or chronology but rather stand alone timelines. Under that logic, you can see mix any series at any time, but you will have to keep in mind different key moments for the same characters, and that can be a bit confusing. Generally; the DC Animated films are independent from the DC Animated series; and this Batman series is a universe along with Superman, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Static Shock and Batman Beyond (they all have the same continuity and universe). Keep notes if you get easily side tracked. But those are independent of other animations like The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold (which would be an interesting thing for you to react to; it's the storylines of the 1960's), Harley Quinn, all the films or the tv series Gotham. For some reason, contrary to Marvel, DC loves to have multiple "timelines" running at the same time, with different elements. Surprisingly enough, it has worked for them: many of them are good to watch, while its film universe has had quite some setbacks. "Leslie Thompkins" One of the most overlooked characters in different adaptations of Batman (because she simply doesn't appear): one of the closest friends of Alfred, Bruce and the late Waynes. While Batman is a great character on his own and the writers of many good stories are the unsung heroes of this universe, I dare to say that most of the supporting characters don't get all the recognition that they deserve in making this universe as rich as it is for all the different stories it tells. "The messed up system" Fun fact: in the comics, Bruce Wayne (as Bruce Wayne) really tries to sway the system and put people he considers worthy of the responsability in positions of power. He funds the police, he has funded political candidates (and he once testified before the congress in favor of Gotham City), but he recognizes the efforts the "Bruce Wayne" persona can do are limited; specially considering all the knowledge of the inner works of the city he has from his "night time job". The series, of course, didn't have all the time to show all those intricacies; but the effort exists :P.
As for movies I highly, highly recommend you watch some of the animated adaptations of comic books like Under the Red Hood, which is my personal favorite Batman animation. Others like Superman vs The Elite, Justice League Crisis on Two Earths/Doom are also great.
Bruce died in that alley with his parents, all that’s left is the Batman. He knows he can’t keep it up forever, he knows one day he will die trying to protect Gotham and make it a better place. He understands the folly of his pursuit. But he won’t stop until it kills him. Batman is Bruces preferred method of suicide.
Daggett is absolutely the worst. I really hated him after a story in the comics where he arranges the sabotage of a rival automotive business so that their vehicles constantly break down and cause terrible accidents. Unfortunately, like the crime boss Rupert Thorne he acts through subordinates and rarely ever gets held responsible for his crimes. Very emotional episode overall, introducing us to Dr. Leslie Thompkins and the neighborhood and people she spends her life trying to save.
Hey, Meg! I’be been viewing your content for a while now and I’m stoked to see you watching Batman, a show I grew up with watching every afternoon after school. I’m particularly glad you decided to react to this episode because it is such an important one that establishes who Batman is and why his past is so relevant. While I’m not all that thrilled about HBO Max arranging the episodes by air date and not by production date, it’s not a huge concern since the Fox Kids network at least had the decency to air certain episodes after others due to their in-continuity timelines. As an expert in the DC animated universe, here are my recommendations for what to watch for Batman: the Animated Series and Beyond (no pun intended): 1) After watching season one of B:TAS, I HIGHLY recommended watching Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It’s one of the best Batman movies ever made, even better than some of the live-action films! 2) Watch season two, then watch Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero. 3) Watch Superman: the Animated Series seasons one through two. You’ll get a new appreciation for the Man of Steel watching this series. 4) Watch seasons three of both Batman and Superman, switching between the two shows with each episode. This was how they aired the shows when they were both on Kids WB, and I recommend watching them both in the exact same way. It makes for a great viewing experience! 5) Watch Batman Beyond. It’s easily the most out-there show in the entire DCAU. 6) Watch Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. 7) Watch all of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. These two shows really are the encapsulation of everything Bruce Timm and the writers had successfully achieved since laying the ground work on B:TAS. As an asterisk (*), I would also add watching Static Shock at some point after you start watching Batman Beyond. The only reason I don’t have a specific time frame for you watching SS is because the later seasons of that show start to run alongside the continuity of Justice League. You can watch that show while watching both Batman Beyond and Justice League. Thank you for your lovely content. I hope to see you react to more of these wonderful shows! And good luck playing the Batman: Arkham games!
She should watch Sub-Zero after season three not season two. Spesifically she should watch it after episode Deep Freeze but before The New Batman Adventures. I might be wrong though, i don't know HBO max order.
@@keremmazman3761 “Deep Freeze”, which is in season two, would be better viewed before Sub-Zero, which predates season three, The New Batman Adventures. HBO Max labels TNBA as the third season of B:TAS, so that’s why I recommended watching it at that time.
I wish we could just make a law that no owner of a company can own less then 51% of said company. That way there is an actual person accountable for what the company does. I think one of the big problems is you have these mega corporations that are publicly owned and therefor are separated from any morality while the people making the decisions are always answering to someone else. Its much easier to hold an owner responsible for his/her companies actions then it is to hold a CEO or a board. You can also more easily limit their influence on politics that way.
Hey there, MegMage, I would like if you continued watching Batman again after those other shows you mentioned. Superman is a good show to watch. You should also give Batman Beyond and Justice League a try as well. I get the feeling those two shows will be right up your alley.
In my opinion, I think its fine if you sprinkle in a few episodes of the Superman series here and there, It wouldn't effect the watching of this show at all. Just as a warning though, the superman series takes place the same time as The New Batman Adventures (the series after The Animated Series). Other than that, the other comments have explained the chronology of the movies and other some such fairly okay I think.
You can watch Harley Quinn anytime you want, it's not part of the Timmverse DCAU. Would rather watch you react to either Superman: TAS, Justice League: TAS & Justice League Unlimited (which is the greatest show ever!) 🙂
I would finish this series first before moving on to anything else bc for example the Harley Quinn series is so different in tone and has lots of very adult humor in it compared to this.
All the more reason for her to pick up the harley quinn shows no? They're 2 entirely different tones so watching both at the same time would add variety to her Batman content and would not leave her burnt out watching the same tone for 100+ more episodes.
As much as I want to see your thoughts on the Harley Quinn show, I think Harley Quinn is a lot better when you've been introduced to more of the DC comic universe. The show is filled to the brim with references and jokes about characters. It's so much more enjoyable when you can't catch your breath because of how many jokes are delivered in an episode. I think you're getting close to a starting point for it, but there's still some major characters you haven't been introduced to yet. Of course there's definitely a slew of fairly obscure characters you won't be familiar with, but I think that's true for most people who watch the show. They dug a little deeper into the DC catalogue with Harley Quinn than I've seen in their other fair.
You can search for "timmverse watch order" but it's pretty much : Batman TAS , Superman TAS, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, Batman Beyond ( include the movie "return of the jocker" ) and Justice League Unlimited (the last two are the best imo) You can watch Harley Quinn right away, and it's hilarious, but watching after those show give a better appreciation of somes jokes and easter eggs. Some movie length are very good, like the dark knight return vol 1 & 2, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Flashpoint
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FYI, if your comment gets deleted it’s likely because it contained some sort of spoilers. Try not to overshare, I know we’re all excited but Meg wishes to know absolutely nothing in terms of what will happen next.
understood we'll keep it in mind thanks for notifying us
I cried when Bruce said, "Good people still live in Crime Alley."
RIP Kevin Conroy. You gave Batman his heart
There is a Batman animated series movie called "Mask of the Phantasm", which actually got a theatrical release in 1993 that's really good.
4:41 Leslie Thompkins usually helps people in need at her shelter and patches up the Bat Family when they need it. She's basically Bruce's surrogate mother.
I cried at the the end as well when he places the roses there and Leslie comforts him. She is one of my favorite supporting characters from Batman.
For me, one of the core reasons Bruce is Batman, is because he's trying to be the person who wasn't there for him that night in the alley. That's why he patrols the city every night without fail, rather than sitting at home waiting for the signal or call from Gordon (which is what the '60s TV series did).
I agree. One of the most fascinating aspects of Bruce is he’s one of the few comic characters who’s true personality is the hero identity not the secret identity.
totally agree, its one of the issues I have with the vengeance take on him. He isn't out for revenge he is out to protect.
In Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, Gordon asks Bruce why he chose to be Batman. Bruce replied, "Because I made a promise. Never again to anyone else." That gives Bruce's cause even more weight.
Batman the animated series truly was ahead of its time. & episodes like this is among many reasons why this show is still the golden standard of Batman media in my opinion. & that is saying alot as there are alot of great Batman media.
So happy and thankful that my dad showed me this series as a child when it first came out..
Definitely a personal favorite episode of mine. Seeing your reaction and realizing how close Leslie is to Bruce and just the ending of both of them together at the location of where Bruce's parents were killed was just so emotional but also so heartwarming. Also I absolutely love your discussion at the end talking about Batman. You pretty much explained one of the reasons why Batman even exists because the police and corporations are so awful that he has to basically go behind the scenes as Batman to make a difference rather than go as billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and as you said try to sway the other powerful rich people because he knows that it won't work with how insanely corrupt Gotham is
By this point in batman career, the police aren't that corrupt anymore, but plenty of corporations still are, that or a super villian will steal of destroy anything bruce tries to do for gotham
He usually starts out as Batman in order to shut down the various mob clans that run the city, and has to remain in that role because while he was fighting them, numerous Rogues like the Joker replaced them and prove to be even more dangerous.
Yeah, people often forget that even Miller's version explicitly said he was out to punish the corrupt and selfish wealthy elite, not just random criminals
In regards to the live action movies, there's a wide variety. The closest in style to the show you're watching would be the two Tim Burton films which starred Michael Keaton in the cape and cowl. Keaton is returning in the role soon next year, so watching those would be a good primer. The success of the Burton movies led to the creation of "The Animated Series."
Obviously, you'll want to watch "Mask of the Phantasm," "SubZero" and "Mystery of the Batwoman, "which are set in the continuity of "The Animated Series." 'Mask' can be watched anywhere during the early run of the series, since its specific story doesn't have an exact slot in the chronology. 'SubZero' is best watched after the episode "Deep Freeze" (you'll get there eventually). 'Mystery' can be watched at the end of the show.
The Superman show is set in the same universe, and is worth seeing (heck, that entire animated universe is). You'd want to watch Superman after the first 85 episodes of Batman, since that's how it was made. The final 24 episodes of Batman ran at the same time as Superman did, but you can easily just watch them after Superman instead of trying to alternate. The chronology is just loose enough that it won't hurt.
After that is "Batman Beyond," which had its own movie: "Return of the Joker." Then the final shows are "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited."
That's a lot of 'homework,' but it's all good stuff. :)
It's a shame Leslie Thompkins isn't touched on more often in movies. She's practically Bruce's surrogate mother, with Alfred being his surrogate father.
Agreed. For some reason, I can see the actress who portrayed aunt May in Raimi's Spider-man trilogy as Leslie Thompkins. But perhaps, she might be too old to portray her in new movies even if they decide to include that character.
The good thing about the cartoon is that we see in some EPs Bruce does endorse candidates and fundraise for causes and try to invest I'm communities IN ADDITION to being Batman helping people on the street level as much as he can. He does both but we the viewer tend to see the positives of his vigilantism whereas its obvious the systems he does work within are being pushed the opposite side with corruption and greed too.
If you're looking for an "order" to watch things in I believe Mask of Phantasm happens sometime during Season 1 (though you don't really have to watch too many episodes to understand it. Just mainly have to know who Joker and Batman are), Subzero happens I think at the end of Season 3 (the end of the original run of the show), World's Finest happens during Season 4 (when the show was brought back with a new art style) and Mystery of the Batwoman happens at the end of Season 4.
Superman the Animated Series happens at the same time as Season 4 of Batman the Animated Series and its episodes were aired alongside episodes of Batman's 4th season. After both of those series end is when Justice League happens and Justice League Unlimited happens after that (though the episode Epilogue shows things from the final adventure of the timeline so that should be watched after Batman Beyond).
Batman Beyond obviously happens after the other shows and Return of the Joker is the final movie, taking place after the final episode of Batman Beyond. Epilogue from Justice League Unlimited takes place after that so that's when you should watch that episode.
Some of the Animated games from like the PS2 and Gamecube era also take place around the time of Season 4 of Batman but not much of anyone plays those, and the Batman Adventures comics also show adventures that take place during the Batman Animated Series that aren't shown during the show.
That's pretty much the order to watch things in though. There have been a few movies that share the art style of the Animated Series stuff (Batman and Harley Quinn, Justice League vs The Fatal Five and one other one with like Braniac and Superman), but they aren't necessarily part of the Animated universe (and certainly aren't things that are necessary to watch for this universe).
If I could make another suggestion that I don’t think has been said yet Green Lantern the animated series is a severely underrated and underappreciated series it only got one season but it’s a very good adaption of the character of Hal Jordan and A very entertaining show that I think you’ll enjoy
Harley Quinn show is its own entire thing there aren't really any requirements to watch the show. As long as you are familiar with most of Batman's villains you'll be fine. between BTAS and Arkham series you know most of them by now so its ok to start it now.
Really love this character, Leslie Thompkins. Too bad she doesn’t get much representation in the Batman universe.
She does in Gotham!
Don't forget Justice League series. Really amazing
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES UNIVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:
1. Batman The Animated series season 1 and 2
2. Batman Mask of the phantasm film
3. Batman and Mr. Freeze Subzero film
4. Superman the animated series season 1
5. Superman the animated series season 2 and 3 and Batman the animated series season 3 take place at the same time and they have a crossover
6. Batman Mystery of the Batwoman film
7. Justice League season 1 and 2
8. Justice League unlimited season 1,2 and 3
9. Batman and Harley Quinn
10. Justice League vs the fatal five
11. Batman Beyond season 1, 2, 3
12. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
13. AND lastly justice league unlimited season 3 episode 26 gives batman beyond a conclusive end and thus ends this timeline
All of the shows and films take place in the dc animated universe which began with batman the animated series and all star kevin Conroy and appearances from mark hammil. This universe is like the mcu when it comes to shared universes. Hope that wasn’t too long lol there are also dozens of other amazing batman animated films that take place in other universes besides this one and kevin stars in some of those as well
I hope this guide helps if u end up reading this
Rest In Peace, Kevin Conroy!
These episodes are from 1992 -1993. Superman started running concurrently with season 3 of Batman: The Animated Series. When you get to season 3, I would advise watching an episode of Batman and then an episode of Superman, that's how they aired. It also works really well as the different tones of the shows complement each other. I would also recommend watching all of the episodes in order, but not binge them. You've already picked up that Dagget (voiced by the great Ed Asner) is a recurrent villain, and the series, although not episodic in the way modern series are, with one episode leading chronologically into the next, supporting characters are introduced in early episodes and return for more development later.
BTAS is one of the rare "made for children" cartoons that explored issues of class, which is a topic very much marginalized in our media. It was good to hear you speak about the series still being relevant to the present and that's why I subscribed to your channel.
My recommendation is this:
Batman The Animated Series (Season 1)
Batman: Mask of Phantasm
Superman The Animated Series (Season 1)
Batman The Animated Series (Season 2)
Superman The Animated Series (Season 2)
Superman & Batman (Season 3) (it can be either/or or at the same time doesn’t matter)
Batman & Mr Freeze: Sub Zero
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
Justice League (All Seasons)
Batman Beyond (All Seasons)
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Justice League Unlimited (all Episodes)
At ANY point you can watch Young Justice BUT I recommend watching Green Lantern The Animated Series before that. (I’d also recommend maybe saving Young Justice for after Justice League Unlimited) it’s not a pre-requisite, but since you don’t know about any of the characters, it’s better to wait until you’re familiar because there’s a lot of characters involved with Young Justice.
At ANY Point you can watch Teen Titans (all seasons) (NOT Teen Titans Go)
Harley Quinn I recommend saving for after Justice League so that you have familiarity with the characters as well as some jokes that are made. Again not required, it’s just a better experience if you understand who people are ahead of time. Of course, we can always explain them to you.
At ANY point you can watch Krypto the Superdog there’s no pre-requisite it’s just a really cute show.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with Scooby Doo, but there are some crossovers with Batman that might be fun to react to. It’s called Scooby Doo Meets Batman. It’s not on HBO Max, but you can find it on Prime I think.
In terms of the other movies, it’s kind of complicated. What I would recommend, wait until you’ve tackled the above I’ve mentioned or at least have a general understanding of who characters are that way when you delve into the other movies, you have some concept of who people are. Even though the worlds are different, some movies assume you know basic lore others kind of explain it to you. If you would like to read the comics, that’s also a bit complicated. I recommend choosing a couple heroes and just picking and choosing comics you think would be interesting. Just make sure to either get a graphic novel which is typically a collection of comics in order or make sure that it says Issue 1, 2, 3 etc. sometimes comics overlap, but it’ll usually tell you if you should read something ahead of time.
Hope Meg sees this cause this is pretty much the list I have that I was gonna share as well. Also should Static Shock be added to that list since it's also part of the DCAU or would it not make a difference
@@HeroesKey technically it wouldn’t make a difference except for maybe one episode of JLU.
@@The_Phantasm no it’s season 3 on HBO Max. Trust me, I know. I’ve watched everything at least 1000 times
I prefer Batman Beyond before Justice League and Superman the Animated Series after BTAS is over. But other than those it is a good list.
Well before Justice League Unlimited she has to see regular Justice League animated series
Hey Meg If you wanna take a break from Batman The Animated Series you should eventually checkout this extremely underrated animated Batman movie called The Batman Vs Dracula ( it's separate from Batman The Animated Series it's own thing with a different Batman ) 🦇🧛
THANK YOU RODERICK!!! :)
@@MegMage No Problem :) 👍🔥
Yes I loved that movie, so unique 🔥
Thank you for reminding me about this episode, Meg. It’s one that I definitely overlook among the many many riches of this series.
Mask of the phantasm is arguably the best Batman movie. Highly recommend. I love all the the original four Batman movies- even the campy ones- I think they have their place too along the cannon- and I would say watch those first and in order. But because all Batman stories are episodic in nature (not a interwoven continuous story like the ones in the MCU,) you can really watch any of the Batman films/ shows in any order and you won’t be confused. - just know that each film/series explores a very different side of Batman/Gotham so it’s a tonal rollercoaster- but that’s kind of the best part. Glad you’re enjoying- the animated series is a touchstone for me. Xo!
I think now is the best time to watch a few episodes of Harley Quinn, to give you a little bit of break from Batman. Most of the main cast in the show you're already familiar with anyway since Season 1 is mostly Batman universe-related. But maybe hold off Season 2 and 3 since it's going to be DC heavy outside of Batman so you need to familiarize yourself with other DC characters first before getting the jokes on most of them. But for now, I think giving the first season of Harley Quinn a go is pretty good, it's a breath of fresh hair from the ones you watch too since it's mostly comedy and doesnt take itself very seriously.
I mean, I like the Harley Quinn show fine, but I don’t think it’s a great show to watch concurrently with B:TAS. A lot of characters are written differently, especially Harley (who is wearing her new costume and has completely different motivations).
So the harley Quinn show is completely separate and very different so start it whenever you wish, same with the movies being their own continuity except zubzero and mask of the phantasm, those are specifically batman the animated series movies, but the new 52 movies are their own thing and id just watch them in release order. I'd get past seasons 1 and 2 before starting the superman the animated series, and after batman the animated series, batman beyond is the direct sequel. There's obviously plenty more dc content available if you wanna keep watching stuff, but this should be a very good starting list
Don’t forget mystery of the batwoman is part of the DCAU too
Not sure if this counts as a 'movie' in terms of other comments, but the Batman Beyond special "Return of the Joker" should be something to watch once you finish this series. I do'nt recall that you have to know much about Batman Beyond to appreciate it (TL;DR - In the future, Bruce gets old and has to train a new Batman in a high tech Batsuit)
8:28 Star Trek fan? Dr Thompson is voiced by Diana Muldaur, who is Dr Pulaski in Next Generation (Season 2)
I knew you'd like this one. This premise (the pilgrimage every year) has been a staple in Batman storytelling. 30 years old and it still makes all but us cold hearted veterans tear up. I continue to be ultra appreciative of you going through these and letting us in on it.
Just watching part 1 & 2 & 3 of the pilot EPs of Superman tas is such a great experience
When this series aired, it was alongside stuff like Duck Tales, Tiny Toons, Gummi Bears, etc. I liked those shows, but Batman was my favorite, because it didn't talk down to me as a kid. It respected my intelligence.
Thank you for another episode im glad you are enjoying the show. I love episodes like this, no supervillan just a horrible person and its still a great episode.
About other DC shows Batman the animated series actually started the DC animated universe which contains:
1-Batman the animated series (And 3 movies that are between this series and the continuation)
2-Superman the animated series (Takes place around the same time as the new batman adventures)
3-The new batman adventures (A continuation of the animated series but a few years later)
4-Justice league and justice league unlimited
5-Batman beyond
-2 more animated movies
There are also other amazing shows like Young Justice and Harley quinn that are stand alone shows.
There is a lot of DC shows that are great so you have a lot of content. I hope it helps and it doesnt seem too overwhelming.
ooh....that ending shot and score will getcha! it got ya! she cried! We tricked her!!
In Arkham City, you can actually visit Crime Alley inside Park Row and pay your respects. I remember you doing it on one of the earlier streams but you still didn't know it's significance so you mostly ignored it. Now that you have more context I think visiting it again would be pretty cool 🙂.
Also I'm not opposed to you starting the Harley Quinn series, it's one of the best shows DC had put out so far. BUT! I recommend maybe doing just episode 1 and 2, since it has characters you already know there. Episode 3 you can do probably after you finish the main arkham city storyline.
Flynn Cook, Andrew Gamez, and Superheroesrock all give pretty good rundowns of the viewing order the DCAU takes place in at least as to how I remember it. The Harley Quinn cartoon can be viewed at any time as it's in it's own little continuity.
DC also released some straight to DVD movies, some of which are solo films each in their own continuity, others which are a shared universe. Of the stand alone films, I cannot recomend Batman Under the Red Hood strongly enough. One of my favorite Batman stories of all time, as well as one of the saddest.
On the Marvel side of the fence, the 90's X-men cartoon will always hold a special place in the hearts of alot of us, and Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is amazing.
To have a deep appreciation for this show, you really need to a documentary called
Batman: The Animated Series - Behind the Scene Movie.
It's 1hr 33mins long. There are interviews with the producers, writers, artists and even voice actors. It's really good!
One of the best episodes... Bty you can "sprinkle" Batman with Superman the animated series and even Batman Beyond(and if you do, you should watch the movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker) and from Batman the animated series, you need to watch the movie Mask of the Phantasm.
Omg I love the ending of this episode
I personally really like watching Justice League and JL Unlimited after this series, and then you can find a list on what order to watch the dc animated extended universe movies. There are a lot but all pretty good. Harley Quinn is a outlier and basically a brand new take on the character that isn’t really influenced by comics or movies beyond including other characters from the comics, you can honestly watch that whenever you want it’s a fun break from the raw emotion that the other animated shows bring forsure
Also don't forget Batman Beyond, that had some pretty decent episodes on other issues like drug addiction and how society can effect teens and young adults.
Im so happy I grew up with cartoons in finland. Today theres barely anything running
"Can I sprinkle other series while looking at this one?"
One thing to be noted with DC (in case it's not yet been mentioned): several of the series and the films you mention are not part of the same universe or chronology but rather stand alone timelines. Under that logic, you can see mix any series at any time, but you will have to keep in mind different key moments for the same characters, and that can be a bit confusing.
Generally; the DC Animated films are independent from the DC Animated series; and this Batman series is a universe along with Superman, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Static Shock and Batman Beyond (they all have the same continuity and universe). Keep notes if you get easily side tracked.
But those are independent of other animations like The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold (which would be an interesting thing for you to react to; it's the storylines of the 1960's), Harley Quinn, all the films or the tv series Gotham. For some reason, contrary to Marvel, DC loves to have multiple "timelines" running at the same time, with different elements. Surprisingly enough, it has worked for them: many of them are good to watch, while its film universe has had quite some setbacks.
"Leslie Thompkins"
One of the most overlooked characters in different adaptations of Batman (because she simply doesn't appear): one of the closest friends of Alfred, Bruce and the late Waynes. While Batman is a great character on his own and the writers of many good stories are the unsung heroes of this universe, I dare to say that most of the supporting characters don't get all the recognition that they deserve in making this universe as rich as it is for all the different stories it tells.
"The messed up system"
Fun fact: in the comics, Bruce Wayne (as Bruce Wayne) really tries to sway the system and put people he considers worthy of the responsability in positions of power. He funds the police, he has funded political candidates (and he once testified before the congress in favor of Gotham City), but he recognizes the efforts the "Bruce Wayne" persona can do are limited; specially considering all the knowledge of the inner works of the city he has from his "night time job". The series, of course, didn't have all the time to show all those intricacies; but the effort exists :P.
A lot of people say that Bruce Wayne never left Crime Alley, he did, he just left a part of himself there with his parents, his fear.
As for movies I highly, highly recommend you watch some of the animated adaptations of comic books like Under the Red Hood, which is my personal favorite Batman animation. Others like Superman vs The Elite, Justice League Crisis on Two Earths/Doom are also great.
Leslie is a mother figure to Bruce as Gordon is a father figure is to him.
Bruce died in that alley with his parents, all that’s left is the Batman.
He knows he can’t keep it up forever, he knows one day he will die trying to protect Gotham and make it a better place.
He understands the folly of his pursuit.
But he won’t stop until it kills him.
Batman is Bruces preferred method of suicide.
Daggett is absolutely the worst. I really hated him after a story in the comics where he arranges the sabotage of a rival automotive business so that their vehicles constantly break down and cause terrible accidents. Unfortunately, like the crime boss Rupert Thorne he acts through subordinates and rarely ever gets held responsible for his crimes.
Very emotional episode overall, introducing us to Dr. Leslie Thompkins and the neighborhood and people she spends her life trying to save.
The truth is Bruce Wayne also dies in that alley that night, all that is left is the Batman.
Hey, Meg! I’be been viewing your content for a while now and I’m stoked to see you watching Batman, a show I grew up with watching every afternoon after school. I’m particularly glad you decided to react to this episode because it is such an important one that establishes who Batman is and why his past is so relevant.
While I’m not all that thrilled about HBO Max arranging the episodes by air date and not by production date, it’s not a huge concern since the Fox Kids network at least had the decency to air certain episodes after others due to their in-continuity timelines.
As an expert in the DC animated universe, here are my recommendations for what to watch for Batman: the Animated Series and Beyond (no pun intended):
1) After watching season one of B:TAS, I HIGHLY recommended watching Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It’s one of the best Batman movies ever made, even better than some of the live-action films!
2) Watch season two, then watch Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero.
3) Watch Superman: the Animated Series seasons one through two. You’ll get a new appreciation for the Man of Steel watching this series.
4) Watch seasons three of both Batman and Superman, switching between the two shows with each episode. This was how they aired the shows when they were both on Kids WB, and I recommend watching them both in the exact same way. It makes for a great viewing experience!
5) Watch Batman Beyond. It’s easily the most out-there show in the entire DCAU.
6) Watch Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
7) Watch all of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. These two shows really are the encapsulation of everything Bruce Timm and the writers had successfully achieved since laying the ground work on B:TAS.
As an asterisk (*), I would also add watching Static Shock at some point after you start watching Batman Beyond. The only reason I don’t have a specific time frame for you watching SS is because the later seasons of that show start to run alongside the continuity of Justice League. You can watch that show while watching both Batman Beyond and Justice League.
Thank you for your lovely content. I hope to see you react to more of these wonderful shows! And good luck playing the Batman: Arkham games!
She should watch Sub-Zero after season three not season two. Spesifically she should watch it after episode Deep Freeze but before The New Batman Adventures. I might be wrong though, i don't know HBO max order.
@@keremmazman3761 “Deep Freeze”, which is in season two, would be better viewed before Sub-Zero, which predates season three, The New Batman Adventures. HBO Max labels TNBA as the third season of B:TAS, so that’s why I recommended watching it at that time.
I watched Harley Quinn before seeing any of the Batman animated series and still enjoyed it, so you should be fine.
I cannot believe someone’s reacting to BTAS in 2022 😍
I wish we could just make a law that no owner of a company can own less then 51% of said company. That way there is an actual person accountable for what the company does. I think one of the big problems is you have these mega corporations that are publicly owned and therefor are separated from any morality while the people making the decisions are always answering to someone else. Its much easier to hold an owner responsible for his/her companies actions then it is to hold a CEO or a board. You can also more easily limit their influence on politics that way.
Leslie was the closest mother figure Batman had
You can watch batman 2004 or harley quin or movies(recommend in release order)
Hey there, MegMage, I would like if you continued watching Batman again after those other shows you mentioned. Superman is a good show to watch. You should also give Batman Beyond and Justice League a try as well. I get the feeling those two shows will be right up your alley.
Did you see the Underdweller episode?
In my opinion, I think its fine if you sprinkle in a few episodes of the Superman series here and there, It wouldn't effect the watching of this show at all. Just as a warning though, the superman series takes place the same time as The New Batman Adventures (the series after The Animated Series). Other than that, the other comments have explained the chronology of the movies and other some such fairly okay I think.
What movie u been in or tv show. U said where a actress before
Aww 🥰 sweet reaction.
I just thought of a good idea! How about You and Caleb watching the Harley Quinn show together! I think that'd be hilarious.
I think after the first season you can watch the mask of the phantasm movie. My favorite Batman movie if all time
She knows Bruce Wayne is Batman
You can watch Harley Quinn anytime you want, it's not part of the Timmverse DCAU. Would rather watch you react to either Superman: TAS, Justice League: TAS & Justice League Unlimited (which is the greatest show ever!) 🙂
You should definitely watch the two seasons of spectacular spider mam
She should visit Crime Alley in Arkham City.
She should now that she knows about what is and it’s significance to Batman. She did go in the first episode before this episode though.
Start with DC animated movies than the other TV shows you’ll get more of the contacts
ou can watch the Superman animated series separate from this. And the Justic League Unlimited series
Love this episode to death ❤️😎
You should watch the Zeus episode
You should watch the mask of phantasm.
next episooooddee??
Sorry, I forgot to mention that you should watch Teen Titans too.
I would finish this series first before moving on to anything else bc for example the Harley Quinn series is so different in tone and has lots of very adult humor in it compared to this.
All the more reason for her to pick up the harley quinn shows no? They're 2 entirely different tones so watching both at the same time would add variety to her Batman content and would not leave her burnt out watching the same tone for 100+ more episodes.
Play infamous
As much as I want to see your thoughts on the Harley Quinn show, I think Harley Quinn is a lot better when you've been introduced to more of the DC comic universe. The show is filled to the brim with references and jokes about characters. It's so much more enjoyable when you can't catch your breath because of how many jokes are delivered in an episode. I think you're getting close to a starting point for it, but there's still some major characters you haven't been introduced to yet.
Of course there's definitely a slew of fairly obscure characters you won't be familiar with, but I think that's true for most people who watch the show. They dug a little deeper into the DC catalogue with Harley Quinn than I've seen in their other fair.
You can search for "timmverse watch order" but it's pretty much :
Batman TAS , Superman TAS, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, Batman Beyond ( include the movie "return of the jocker" ) and Justice League Unlimited (the last two are the best imo)
You can watch Harley Quinn right away, and it's hilarious, but watching after those show give a better appreciation of somes jokes and easter eggs.
Some movie length are very good, like the dark knight return vol 1 & 2, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Flashpoint
Ahhhh a fellow board gamer.