"Batman: Caped Crusader." (OSV News photo/courtesy of Prime)
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NEW YORK (OSV News) – It's been just over 85 years since artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger gave the world its most famous chiropteran crimefighter. The latest iteration of that enduring character's adventures, the 10-episode animated series "Batman: Caped Crusader," is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Created by Bruce Timm, and set in a distinctively interwar version of Gotham City, the show is remarkable for its stylish period visuals and the smooth but glowering voicework of Hamish Linklater in the dual role of the titular character and his alter ego, orphaned-in-childhood millionaire Bruce Wayne. Each half-hour installment finds the hero battling a different evildoer.
The plotting is competent, though the effect of the stories is more momentarily diverting than impressive or memorable. But parents of youngsters anxious to view the program should be aware that, across the three chapters screened for review, potentially objectionable elements are unevenly distributed.
Thus the first episode -- which features a female version of Batman's perennial adversary, the Penguin (voice of Minnie Driver) -- not only includes some harsh violence but occasional mild swearing and some crass language as well. The tone of the following yarn, which concerns the abduction of an actress, is more suitable for a wide audience, despite a few gruesome images.
As Batman takes on a jewel-thieving version of Catwoman (voiced by Christina Ricci) in his third outing, a few tawdry references and expressions creep back into the dialogue. Assessed as a whole, then, the show is probably acceptable for older teens as well as adults -- but not for little ones.
In a subplot somewhat reminiscent of "The Sopranos," Bruce Wayne assaults a stranger who insulted the memory of his murdered mother and is sentenced to a series of psychotherapy sessions. But he proves resolutely unwilling to discuss the slaying of his parents or any other aspect of his traumatic past with Dr. Harleen Quinzel (voice of Jamie Chung).
Since Quinzel is the above-ground persona of the Joker's love interest, Harley Quinn, it's a safe bet that she'll return in some guise subsequently. Her initial appearance provides the screenwriters with the opportunity to delve into Batman's origins and his relationship with his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (voice of Jason Watkins).
Alfred frankly advises his protege-turned-employer to open up to Quinzel. But Wayne coldly rebuffs the idea.
The blend of light and darkness in Batman's personality is obviously an important factor in his long-standing appeal. The fact that he's a brooding, solitary figure unable either to admit his vulnerability or resolve his legacy of tragic loss keeps him from coming across as a milquetoast do-gooder.
The complexity of Wayne's makeup, however, is yet another reason to keep the most impressionable TV fans at a distance from this version of his exploits. While their elders can comfortably ponder the troubled protagonist's psyche -- and follow him into some slightly gritty settings -- young kids should be directed toward some sunnier source of entertainment.- - - John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @JohnMulderig1.