The Batman - The Complete Fifth Season Reviews

• The curtain goes down...

  
  By A2HVL790PBWYTU on 2008-06-09
  Okay, Season 3 was good and Season 4 was even better. Now here come thirteen more episodes. If you like your Batman integrated into the wider DC superhero universe, then Season 5 will be hog heaven (but don't get it twisted; THE BATMAN is not at all placed in the same continuity as the shows in Bruce Timm's DC Animated Universe). This fifth season finds a darknight detective even more amenable to teamwork, although that's not to say he's all of a sudden the life of the party. Dude still broods muchly and cloaks himself in mystery and intimidation; that's just how he rolls. But, continuing the trend begun in Season 4, Season 5 showcases members of the Justice League. The two episode arc "The Batman/Superman Story" kicks it off by teaming up the World's Finest, Batman and Superman, in a nifty story featuring a whole gang of supervillains and the Bat going up against the Man of Steel. I guess it's appropriate that the season (and the series) would close with the two-part "Lost Heroes," a big-scale Justice League adventure.
  
  Animated shows don't get a lot of run nowadays, do they? THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES animated series just got the axe. And, yes, horribly, this is the last season in THE BATMAN series, so all the more reason to enjoy this one. The best part is Batman and Robin teaming up with various of the Justice League. Robin's awed reactions to meeting these other heroes are priceless. One downside to so many spotlights on the JLA is that less time is given to the Bat family. I miss Batgirl and her sarcasm; here, she's relegated to less face time. We do learn that time hasn't been standing still for Barbara Gordon as she's now old enough to attend college ("Attack of the Terrible Trio"). Speaking of the Bat fam, there's a sighting of Nightwing; unfortunately, he's a character in an Internet game ("The Metal Face of Comedy"). The good news is that Bat Mite doesn't show up at all.
  
  Regarding the storytelling and the visuals, I don't believe Season 5 to be better than the prior two seasons, which are very good. THE BATMAN was always intended for the younger set of kids, so the stories here aren't as dark or psychological or as thematically layered as those in, say, BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES. Should this season find more favor with the viewers, it'll be because of its glittering star power. And if the driving theme song reminds one a bit of Hawaii Five-O, well, that's not such a bad thing, is it?
  
  I can't envision a future in which there isn't an ongoing Batman animated series. Hopefully, the powers that be can dust off Kevin Conroy to do what he does best.
  
  In the meantime, here are the 13 episodes of Season 5 (note that, depending on the reader, the following might contain some minor plot SPOILERS):
  
  - Episodes 1 & 2 - "The Batman/Superman Story (Parts 1 & 2)" - Fun episode as Superman and the Bat finally meet and fight a lot of supervillains. But then Luthor gets the upper hand.
  - Episode 3 - "Vertigo" - Green Arrow comes to Gotham to investigate Wayne Labs, which is somehow linked to people suffering mysterious ailments.
  - Episode 4 - "White Heat" - Firefly and his brainy girlfriend steal radioactive isotopes; the debut of Phosphorus; and, finally, a sighting of Batgirl this season.
  - Episode 5 - "A Mirror Darkly" - Flash comes to Gotham to help Batman and Robin take down the Mirror Master. One of my favorite episodes.
  - Episode 6 - "Joker Express" - Get on board the Cuckoo Choo Choo. An outbreak of "giggle bandits" sweeping Gotham could only mean the return of the Joker.
  - Episode 7 - "Ring Toss" - With Sinestro taking Hal Jordan out of action, the Green Lantern power ring ends up in the clutches of the Penguin.
  - Episode 8 - "The Metal Face of Comedy" - A Joker henchman's invention leads to the formation of a digital Clown Prince of Crime.
  - Episode 9 - "Attack of the Terrible Trio" - Thanks to Dr. Kirk Langstrom's mutagens, three college outcasts mutate into beasts and proceed to get their revenge on those what done them wrong. Also, Batgirl's a college freshman.
  - Episode 10 - "The End of the Batman" - Gotham's criminal element gets its own costumed champions: Wrath and Scorn, who seem to hold a personal grudge against the Dynamic Duo.
  - Episode 11 - "What Goes Up..." - A gravity-defying episode as Black Mask escapes with the help of the Shadow Thief, and the pair goes after a Thanagarian meteorite. Can a certain winged Thanagarian lawman be too far behind?
  - Episodes 12 & 13 - "Lost Heroes" (Parts 1 & 2)" - Hugo Strange and the Joining return as, one by one, Justice League members begin to vanish until, finally, only the two least powerful heroes are left - Green Arrow and Batman.
  
  

• The Batman Season 5

  
  By AO1BZIVAMN6MO on 2008-05-31
  In Season 4, the writing and art improved.
  Also, the last scene of Season 4's final episode introduced the Justice League.
  This season will see Batman interacting with both his own Gotham team (Robin and Batgirl), and the Justice League. Superman is added to the cast of characters too.
  We can expect a great 13 episodes to wrap up the five season series.
  Cover art looks terrific too.
  The series has told back stories not covered in the equally addictive (Kevin Conroy voicing:) Batman cartoons of the 1990s. The gradual introduction of the Justice League as semi-regular supporting characters is a plot device in both The Batman Season 5 and Smallville Season 6.
  Enjoy them both for comparison.
  And Warner, how about throwing in the live 1997 Justice League pilot as an extra in future releases of DC shows. I'm surprised it never made to the Justice League DVDs, when they came out.
  
  

• Welcome to the Big Leagues

  
  By A1F1FOR46702YF on 2008-07-05
  The Dark Knight welcomes the Justice League to Gotham City in "The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season". As the mysterious crime fighter Batman, young industrialist Bruce Wayne has dedicated his life to protect Gotham City from such dangerous rogues like Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman and Mr. Freeze, but now he must test his courage and skills along side Earth's greatest superheroes. In this action-packed season, Batman joins the Justice League and teams up with Superman, Green Arrow, the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Martian Manhunter against such villains like Lex Luthor, Mirror Master, Count Vertigo and more. "The Batman" is the Emmy Award-winning animated series based on the DC Comic hero created by artists Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The animated series maintains faithful to the comic books. The animation style and character designs are certainly different than previous television shows. The fifth and final season offers plenty of amusement and features guest voice stars like George Newbern, Dana Delany, Louise Gossett Jr., John Larroquette, Dermot Mulroney, Miguel Ferrer and Robert Patrick.
  
  "The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season" offers a great DVD presentation at an affordable retail price. All 13 action-packed episodes of the final season are presented in their original full screen broadcast format. Like the previous season sets, the picture quality is really good and its 2.0 Dolby Digital sound certainly gets the job done. Its only special features are "Joining Forces: The Batman's Legendary Team-Ups" (9 minutes) and "The Batman: Justice League Profiles" (12 minutes) featurettes and trailers of other Warner Brother DVD releases and "Speed Racer" video game. Despite the lack of solid bonus features, "The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season" earns a "B".
  
  

• All good things must pass

  
  By AK0LMDPBH1H8Q on 2008-07-08
  It is not easy following in the footsteps and being constantly compared, usually unfavorably, with a series as revered and admired as Batman TAS. From a fan's point of view, and the creators would certainly concur, it is best to judge every new endeavor with fresh eyes and on its' own merits, which of course is easier said than done. In the case of The Batman, this should be made slightly more doable due to the passage of time and the fact that we are somewhat contrasting and evaluating different products. The first and foremost observation being that The Batman is targeted at a much younger audience, which is not just a consideration that needs to be factored in, but one that makes it fairly difficult for adults to even objectively critique it, since this primarily was not designed with us in mind. Comparisons can however provide a basic framework and reference point for many, with a few being quite similar and eye opening. The focus on Robin and Batgirl was reminiscent of BTAS's last, lighter and for some arguably best season, and may have been a precursor for this incarnation; indeed even the overall tone and style possibly was a carryover from it. Another similarity is the exceptional, although admittedly different, animation and the generally higher consistency of the episodes. While there may not have been many great ones, there are few if any weak ones either. The main emphasis of season 5 is the concerted prominence of guest stars, noticeably Superman, Hawkman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow to name a few. This spotlighting of the DCU's best was possibly their way of going out with all guns blazing. The series bowed out exhibiting many of the same strengths and weaknesses that it debuted with, but fortunately for its' fans, its' final ledger account is heavily balanced on the plus side. Living in the shadows of a popular and iconic cartoon is not easy and essentially unfair. BTAS had a lengthy and stellar run, but its' time had come. The Batman is and was a totally different animal, whose time now has also come, but for what is was, it succeeded. We now have a new and forthcoming Batman toon, Brave and Bold, on the horizon which supposedly will be aimed at an even younger audience. As with The Batman, I will maintain an open mind and look forward to its' debut next spring.
  
  

• Who Would Of Thought...

  
  By AUJ6UO6BH7S4B on 2008-07-09
  Seriously, who would have even begun to think that this serious would really last this long? I didn't believe it would, because I wouuld be what you call a Batman: The Animated Series fanatics. I grew up with that Batman series and I was sure that BTAS would be the pinnacle of Batman in animation. I was wrong though, this series was totally different from the original and in some respects this series was even better than it's predecessor.
  
  Now the real shame is that The Batman has figuratively and literally ridden off into the sunset. The cast, producers, directors, animators, etc should all be proud of what they accomplished considering that they had to constantly be compared to very heavily favored Bruce Timm Paul Dini spawn. This show in my opinion will be sorely missed considering that superhero cartoons now are at a premium with that Chaotic and coutnless others that kids really now.
  
  The series really grew into it's own at around the midpoint of season two and it was magic from there. The first season was very mediocre and then it seemed to just flourish with the animation and the writing, the voices were spot on. Rino Romano wasn't that great in the beginning but he really took to a whole new level all the other seasons. You could safely say that Rino Romano and Kevin Conroy in different respects are the voices of Batman.
  
  The fifth season was the best and you would be making a grand disservice to yourself if you don't pick up a copy of this season and enjoy something that was really special.
  
  
• The Batman- The Complete Fifth and Final Season.......
  By A3GKMQFL05Z79K on 2008-07-10
  The Fifth and Final Season of The Batman is more of a team-up season. Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon only show up in cameos this season & Firefly becomes Phosphorus. The Joining, who was in the fourth seasons' finale, makes a return in this seasons' finale(which is over 40 minutes long). Batman teams up with the likes of Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter &, in the season finale, the entire Justice League. He squares off against the likes of Lex Luthor, Metallo, Mercy Graves, Count Vertigo, Wrath, Toyman, Sinestro, Shadow Thief, Mirror Master and the Terrible Trio. Vocal talents were provided by Rino Romano, Evan Sabara, Danielle Judovits, Alastair Duncan, Mitch Pileggi, Dorian Harewood, Dermot Mulroney, Robert Patrick, Chris Hardwick, Charlie Schlatter and George Newbern. It's a shame that this season is the shows' last. With every season bought, I got to liking it more and more. This season is, perhaps, the best out of them all. I suggest you collect them all while the getting is good.
  
  Meanwhile, next year-look for a new Batman animated series to debut on Cartoon Network called Batman: The Brave & The Bold. It will see Batman team-up with several other DC Comics heroes during the season such as Aquaman, Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Red Tornado and Plastic Man(just to name a few). The series is being produced by Ben Jones, Brandon Vietti and Michael Chang.
  
  
• Fun, but lacking
  By A2QQHIY23PL7H3 on 2008-07-12
  The 5th (and final) season of KidsWB's "The Batman" takes a "Brave and the Bold" approach as Batman teams up with Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, and other heroes from the expanded DC Universe. Also featured this season are villains like Shadow Thief, Sinestro, and Lex Luthor.
  
  If you're a comics fan, there's always a decent thrill in seeing characters cross over and interact, and for that alone this set is worth a purchase. But objectively, it's not really one of The Batman's better seasons. The animation is nowhere near as kinetic and thrilling as in the early seasons, and the writing isn't as strong as season 4, arguably the best season of the series. Really, the superhero guest spots fall into a predictable formula: Hero X comes to Gotham to help Batman defeat villain Y from Hero X's rogues gallery. Rinse and repeat. The two best stories of the season are the two that stick to the classic Bat-family: one involving Firefly turning into Phosphorous, the other involving an anti-Batman and Robin team.
  
  Again it's absolutely awesome to see lesser-used characters like Hawkman appear in a Batman series, but it feels like so much more could've been done with this season. With 13 episodes and some brief bonus features "The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season" is a worthwhile addition to your Batman library, just be aware that the premise of superhero team-ups is ultimately better than the actual execution.
  
  
• Biased Batman fan...Loved it!
  By A11XB83K6SDSO9 on 2008-08-09
  Yeah, I pretty much like anything Batman. However, this series was well done, from the music to the villians. I was excited (as were my kids) when a fifth season was released.
  
  
• The Batman TV Season 5
  By A3F4TWIIAD2CIW on 2008-08-10
  This third TV series of Batman is highly imaginative -- an important contribution to animated art! Rates triple A+++++.
  
  
• batie about the bat
  By A2612T43AMZHZX on 2008-08-18
  love these dc comics batman animation series, if your into The batman this is worthy of adding to your collection, as I did
  
  lots of fun , enjoy
  
  
• Show should not have ended
  By A18ZQN729DO4KJ on 2008-08-31
  This was one of best produced animated shows out there, I wish it would have continued. Really got interesting with the addition of JLA members.
  
  
• Character Flaws
  By AITLDF6NTNWDW on 2008-09-09
  Overall this was one of the most disappointing seasons of The Batman series. It promised so much, but failed to deliver the goods. I asked myself after watching the entire season where their big mistakes were and almost every time it comes back to character. Batman is less brooding and compared to the Superman portrayed in the series they seem to have had a role reversal. I was not buying that at all. Then you have these writer liberties with characters that make no since to the characters at all. One such liberty was the center point to the first Green Lantern story. In this story Sinestro fails in his attempt to get Hal Jordan's "almost powerless" ring, and Hal sends it to Batman. I was ok with the story to that point, but then it takes this crazy drive through stupid. Penguin ends up with the ring, don't ask how. Suddenly it has enough power to rob half of Gotham even though it still has not been charged. Furthermore, anyone half familiar with the Green Lantern could tell you that the Penguin couldn't power the weapon even if it were at full power. Finally Batman ends up with the ring, which still appears to have enough power to take on a planet. Just when you think they may redeem the episode with something cool from the obviously will power full Batman, they totally do nothing with it except fly him around Gotham. It was a very lame episode. Another similar issue happens in the last two episodes were the writers seem to have forgotten that all the power of Green Lantern is in the ring. The plot has them "stealing" the power of Green Lantern and putting it in a "droid". If that happened, couldn't Green Lantern just recharge the ring? It is as if the character did not fit the formula for the story they just ignored the character and wrote the story anyway. The same could be said for Hawkman in the same episode. After all it is his Nth metal in his wing harness that allows him to fly. It was never removed and yet he lost the ability, disappointing. The creative team never seemed to get the hang of how to effectively tell a Batman story with another major hero in it. Aside from these very distracting story elements, many stories seemed to be rip offs of other animated cartoon series. One story in particular appeared to be a rip from Batman Beyond's Chimera storyline. The similarities were such that I found it annoying to watch and the worst part was it was not a better version of the story. Another issue was that most of the dialogue seemed tired and used up in every episode. It failed to be funny when it was trying and it failed to be clever when it had to be.
  
  So what is good about it? Well, it is Batman. There are plenty of gadgets. The Batman armor in one show will no doubt remind many of Frank Miller's Dark Knight. The introductions of Superman, Flash, Green Arrow, Hawkman and Green Lantern brought some giddiness as they should due to some cool design work, but it was massively dulled by drab plotlines and weak dialogue. We get to see a few villains that are rarely seen on TV these days, Mirror Master was one of my favorites. A few episodes, notably the Joker Express and the Phosphorous episodes were actually pretty good, but that is likely due to the absence of guest stars. The great news is your 6 year old will like it. Mine did. However, your older kid may have a few complaints of his own. My 11-year-old thought the show was ripping off storylines from the other series as well and was not overly impressed with the season at all. Overall this season is worth picking up just to complete the series, but I think you will find yourself thanking them for ending this series with this season.
  
  
  
• The Bat Soars Again
  By A2HEIBB7VWXTFT on 2008-09-09
  This was up to my expectations of Batman - very high. Of all the "supers"
  he is the top. Just a man, but what a man. The episodes were fresh. This is a top investment. Buy it. Relish.
  
  
• When I grow up I want too be Batman
  By A3QWOQXHRBOZN9 on 2008-09-15
  I have had this series, DC Comics Kids Collection of The Batman for quite some time now. Previously I had purchased The Complete First,Second,Third,Fourth, and now the Fifth Season on DVD. I have alway loved animation/Cartoons, and with each year they seem too just get better. The art work is incredible to watch. The colors are well used. And the best part is that all of the villians have some depth too them. Each episode is able to stand on its own, due too good script writting. The introduction of other super heroes is well done. Like Green Arrow, John Jones, The Flash & Superman, all leading up too the coming of the Justice League.
  Again, The Batman series stands on it's own, but in view of the big picture the Justice League story is nicely introduced without taking away from the Batman.
  Although The Batman series is made for children, there are still many one liner that only adults would get.
  This may sound cliche, but, it truly is a cartoon that address's Kids of all ages.
  I highly recommend it for all Super Hero Fans and Collectors.
  Thank You for reading my review, I hope you get as much enjoyment having this series as I have.
  And without commercials, Woohoo.
  Buddha
  
  
• excellent purchase
  By A1LRI6RV5K82U3 on 2008-09-19
  the product arrived in excellent conditions and in time. and the product itself is great.
  
  

• Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
• The Batman - The Complete Fourth Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
• Teen Titans - The Complete Fifth Season
• The Batman - The Complete Third Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
• The Batman - The Complete Second Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)