Savage Night

I was very excited to see that a new Animated Batman Series was being released. Last night I logged on around 3:00 to 4:00 am and there it was! I was glad that all of the episodes were released at once, not weekly. Binge Time! I started the first episode and did not stop watching until I had was the entire season. Overthinking all, it was great. I watch Batman animated series because I have loved the this character all my life. I read my first Batman comic when I was 8 years old. That would be 61 years ago.0

I will not include any spoilers so at times I may sound vague. So my initial reaction. I really liked this show and the Batman presented to me. I have enjoyed watching how they interpret the character of Batman in each new show over the years. From the 60's Adam West to the amazing Kevin Conroy each Batman had something to offer the viewer. Some were more accepted or appreciated but all were just more exploration of this complex character. I don't study the artwork. I don't compare it to all the different comic books that have been drawn over the years. I judge the series on my level of enjoyment of the stories and the characters. So, I really enjoyed the story and the character's interpretations. The voice actors were very believable and matched my expectations. Nothing was odd or "off character" for me. The art work was not what I expected but it worked for me. Some choices were odd, but after watched the entire season, I felt it worked. It is short in the number of episodes, but the 10 episode season is just the norm now so, I just live with that. To sum it up, the Batman fans out there should enjoy this show. For the hard core enthusiasts, don't let any negative reactions to the artwork or which Batman they chose to present to you destroy the fact there is a new Batman to watch. Let it go and enjoy one of the better animated series released in a while.

Though I was the right age, for whatever reason I never really watched "Batman: The Animated Series". I've seen bits of it since, and can appreciate it, but for it wasn't my jam. I say this to say that I'm not here comparing this show with Bruce Timm's previous series as much as I'm understanding where it comes from but judging on its own merits.

Harvey Dent (Diedrich Bader) a District Attorney not adverse to cutting a few corners, is running a faltering campaign to become Mayor of Gotham City. Gotham is in the grip of organised crime, and has a serious issue with corruption in Gotham PD, though Commissioner Jim Gordon (Eric Morgan Stewart) is trying to address this. More immediately worrying to him though, are rumours of a vigilante, dressed as a giant bat, roaming the city at night.

Visually we're very much in the same animation style as "TAS" a kind of minimalist look, with detail only when necessary. The show is a noir type story - set with a 1940's aesthetic in the cars, technology and outfits. Whilst the overall story focuses on gangsters and cops, almost every episode features one character from the wider rogue's gallery, including some that never appeared on TAS, such as Onomatopoeia or Natalia Knight. There are numerous nods, or perhaps foreshadowing, depending on whether the series goes, to the various villains and heroes that may one day inhabit Gotham.

I've seen in several other reviews some people suggesting that Hamish Linklater's Batman is a little off, colder with Alfred and less capable in a fight than other incarnations. I suspect that his is intentional, to demonstrate that he's new to the role and still capable of making mistakes and that these will iron out in future episodes.

I'm not completely blown away by the series, it could do with being a little more dynamic and a little more tightly plotted to really capture my right - but it was certainly good enough that I chose to watch because I wanted to, rather than out of obligation, and I'll certainly be back for the next season.

Definitely different from the previous episode, this one presents a more measured pace, especially in the initial minutes, which allow the viewer to gradually enter into the narrative.

Overall, it is a good episode, even if it is not an unforgettable or particularly surprising one. Rather than an in-depth look at Harvey Dent, the episode proves to be a reflection on the character of Batman, aka Bruce Wayne, and the consequences of his actions, which is by no means a bad thing.

The most interesting part comes in the finale, with two excellent scenes: an intense one with Batman and a season cliffhanger that introduces a historical villain that we will surely see again in the next chapter.