Batman’s Highest-Rated TV Show Ever Just Landed on Prime Video
If you want to watch the Dark Knight’s best movies and TV shows at home, you’re usually going to need an HBO Max subscription—especially when it comes to newer, live action releases—because DC and the streaming platform are both owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. But while Batman and HBO Max make a certain kind of dynamic duo, other streaming services occasionally get a share of the Caped Crusader’s adventures too. Today is the perfect example, as the highest-rated Batman TV show of all time, Batman: The Animated Series, has just been added to Prime Video in the U.S.
Batman: The Animated Series is an acclaimed animated superhero series that originally aired from 1992 to 1995. With stylish animation, an iconic voice cast, and some of the best writing in any Batman movie or TV show, it became the blueprint for many superhero series that followed. The result is a combination of classic comic-book adventures, genuinely atmospheric storytelling and character-driven drama that's thrilling yet still accessible to audiences of all ages.
Without contest, Batman: The Animated Series is, the highest-rated TV show in the franchise’s history. On JustWatch, it’s currently rated at 87% and has even higher approval ratings on IMDb (90%) and Rotten Tomatoes (94%). That places it alongside acclaimed animated series like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Attack on Titan, and Rick and Morty. So if you're a superhero fan who hasn't seen it yet, don’t hesitate to start streaming the iconic TV show on Prime Video.
Batman: The Animated Series Might Be DC’s Best TV Show Ever
Developed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, Batman: The Animated Series is one of those rare Saturday morning cartoons where every aspect of the show just works, resulting in something far greater than the sum of its parts.
One of the show's greatest strengths is Gotham itself, which is brought to life through a striking art deco aesthetic that gives the city a timeless identity. Throughout the show, Batman navigates this melancholy metropolis while facing iconic foes like the Joker, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and the Penguin. The series also introduced Harley Quinn, who made her debut here before becoming one of DC's most popular characters in other media.
The exploration of Batman's rogues gallery is one of the show's greatest strengths. Rather than treating its villains as simple obstacles to overcome, it explores the human stories behind each confrontation, giving Batman's greatest enemies an emotional depth that was uncommon for a family friendly cartoon in the 1990s. In fact, the depiction of Gotham's most notorious villains—from the tragic Mr. Freeze to the conflicted Two-Face—helped shape the definitive versions of these characters we all think of today. A great example of this is the iconic Mr. Freeze episode "Heart of Ice," which won the 1993 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program.
Another aspect of the show that contributes to its enduring popularity is its voice cast. There's a popular belief among many DC fans that Kevin Conroy's Bruce Wayne is arguably the greatest version of the character. Of course, one of Batman's greatest strengths as a franchise is its constant reinvention, but Conroy is undoubtedly one of the actors with the strongest claim as the definitive Batman. The same can be said about Mark Hamill, whose vocal performance brings the Joker to life, becoming the Star Wars actor’s second most iconic role.
Batman: The Animated Series Is Part of a Huge Expanded Universe
If you decide to watch every season of Batman: The Animated Series and want even more, you'll be pleased to hear that the show is a key part of DC's animated universe, which also includes a slew of other TV shows and feature-length movies.
The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999) serves as a continuation of the series, while Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000) features crossover episodes with Conroy's Batman alongside Superman. Both heroes later join forces in Justice League (2001–2004) and Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006). Gotham Girls (2000–2002), Static Shock (2000–2004), and its spin-off, The Zeta Project (2001–2003), also share the same continuity.
When it comes to movies, you can see Conroy’s Batman face Hamill’s Joker once again in the critically acclaimed Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993). Other feature-length entries include Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998), Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000), Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003), and Batman and Harley Quinn (2017).
There's an incredible attention to detail throughout Batman: The Animated Series that elevates every episode, and it remains one of the most influential and celebrated adaptations of the Batman mythos—so don't miss it!
All episodes of Batman: The Animated Series are now streaming on Prime Video. You can also find out what else is new on Prime Video with JustWatch's timeline of new releases—which is updated daily.
