This show is, in many ways, faithful to the original and much-loved Batman: The Animated Series. It is set even more firmly in the 1930s and 40s and establishes a noir atmosphere that suits it very well.
Now, if you are worried about whether the show imposes modern political viewpoints (i.e. expresses values summed up in a word that starts with “w” and rhymes with “joke”) on the audience, well, until the fourth episode, I would say not to worry. Yes, you will notice that certain female characters are now strangely overweight and that other characters have… changed. But the show is still focused on the story. However, by that fourth episode, ideologies and quotas come to the forefront and overshadow the story of the show. The female characters begin to dominate so much that Batman/Bruce almost seems to become secondary.
Creators: Bob Kane, Bruce TimmStars: Hamish Linklater, Jason Watkins, Diedrich Bader
On top of that, there is another element of this show that I have found annoying: the dialogue, particularly for the female characters, seems too modern. Look at a couple of Barbara Gordon lines in episode 7: “Are we doing THIS again?”; “Oh my God, Dad, have you never heard of extenuating circumstances?” Even if I were to argue that these expressions could have been used in the 40s, the voice actress’ tone and cadence are utterly modern and out of place. Dr. Quinzel and Montoya have the same problem. All three characters speak with a strong valley girl influence and the occasional vocal mumble, which wouldn’t become prominent in speech until decades after the show is set. It always immediately takes me out of the precise mood of the era that the show has so painstakingly created in its animation style.
This would be a very easy problem to fix; it’s just a matter of studying some movies from the period and the way people spoke. Better yet, some of the voice actresses could adopt the beautiful transatlantic accent in their performances. It was very common in noir films of the time and would be much more appropriate to the world and atmosphere of the show.
Overall, this show had a lot of potential. The noir atmosphere is seductive and the design and characterization of Batman are good. But it seems to me (and I have no political affiliation) that the show is not given the freedom to tell good stories; it also has to promote certain socio-political messages related to weight, sex, color, etc. Also, the show needs to commit to its 1940s setting, in animation, script, and presentation.
No, there is no need to depict injustices with complete accuracy, such as the racial inequalities of the time. But it should be more responsible and subtle in how it differentiates itself from the realities of the time. As it is, the show tries to balance a 1940s aesthetic with modern discourse and sensibilities. This detracts from what would otherwise be very good stories and weakens the series. How sad.
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