I won’t deny that “Batman: The Animated Series” isn’t one of the greatest animated series of all time. As a capsule of the nineties, it was a bold and daring new vision of the Dark Knight free of camp and void of pandering to kids with mature storylines that were never overly violent. Timm paved the way for his version of the DC Universe, and with it the demand for Superman came very soon after. “Superman: The Animated Series” did not last as long as “Batman” nor was it as widely revered, but we prefer it over the former, mainly because Timm’s vision of Superman was also bold and daring. It was light without being joyful, it was dark enough to give Superman an adult edge, and it enlisted some of the most brilliant voice cast of all time from Tim Daly, Dana Delany, Clancy Brown, and Lisa Edelstein. “Superman: The Animated Series” fizzled out once “Batman” ended mainly because DC wanted a younger “Batman” world that became “Batman Beyond” and “Superman” was just not a priority anymore.
After the demand for “Justice League” arrived, “Batman Beyond” also fizzled out, but the imagining of “Justice League” in animated form brought Superman back to the fans where he was allowed to lead a group of super titans in to hell. But for a moment, Superman was granted a moment in the spotlight, and Timm introduced some elements in to the lore that would be used later on. A more suave less geeky Clark Kent, a Lex Luthor who became a corporate tycoon, and the birth of his assistant Mercy Graves, a spitfire bodyguard and chauffeur for the bald baddie. It continues to be one of my favorite animated series of all time, and of the nineties and these are fifteen of my favorite episodes counting down to the best episode of the entire series run. Most of the information and stills for this list were compiled with the help of DCAU Wiki Page.
For unabashed fans of Hanna Barbera, “Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper” is a fun reunion of their heavyweights who band together to help a little girl find her father, and her father regain his love for his daughter. Whether it makes sense or not, this animated special is a short but sweet adventure where Yogi and Boo boo happen in to an accidental journey for good.
While Mike Newell did in theory retain much of the mood and dread set by Alfonso Cuaron who injected his own individual flavor in to “Prisoner of Azkaban,” the fourth installment of the film series entitled “The Goblet of Fire” is no more entertaining than the aforementioned title. It’s even worse than the third one primarily because this series progresses more and more in to formulaic dribble and less in to adventurous and original fantasy doldrums that could stimulate the audience.