Given the success of The Batman, there are questions about the future of DC adaptations in the form of both movies and prospective TV shows. Of course, there are already plenty of both, especially in TV. DC has a lot of live action properties produced by The CW, like the Arrowverse collection of series or Gotham, but it’s also worth keeping in mind the animated shows DC has produced through the years.
Those who don’t know about the DC animated shows are missing out. Shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Teen Titans are known for being among the best regarded and fondly remembered programs of their respective eras on TV, and those are just two of the many animated shows Warner Bros has produced in its time adapting DC Comics.
The DC animated lineup is fascinating. Despite its consistent quality adapting some of the most beloved characters to screen, these shows rarely get the widespread recognition they deserve. Some might even not be aware of their shows despite being fans of movies like The Dark Knight or Wonder Woman. This article aims to rectify that. Here are the best DC animated TV shows, ranked.
6 Justice League
The Justice League animated series, both its original form and its continuation in Justice League Unlimited, was an example of how superhero crossovers could work on-screen long before The Avengers. Justice League tells the story of a team assembled by founding members Batman, Superman, Wonder-Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl. Though the series started, much like Batman: The Animated Series, with mostly one-off episodes, the show is at its best when dealing with longer storylines that weave their way in and out of episodes. One example being the Cadmus storyline, which pit the Justice League against US government group Cadmus led by Amanda Waller. The storyline asked genuine questions about the potential overreach of superheroes, the threat they may present if they ever became tyrannical, and the nature of heroism itself.
5 Batman Beyond
The tale of Terry McGinnis as he takes on the role of The Batman in the near future of Gotham City. Batman Beyond is a genre blend of superhero stories and science fiction that speculates as to what the various characters Batman interacts with, including the aged Bruce Wayne, would look like years after the events of Batman: The Animated Series. This show is best watched after watching Batman, just because they make a lot of fun nods to that series. Terry himself is also an interesting successor to Batman, as he is a lot less stoic than Bruce. Almost DC's answer to Spider-Man, Terry deals with a lot of teen drama that intersects between his life as Batman and his life as Terry. While Bruce and Batman were usually controlled and separate, you get the feeling that Terry has to deal with the more relatively mundane consequences of what happens to him. Hopefully one day it gets a live action adaptation.
4 Teen Titans
Following a teen superhero team led by Robin, Teen Titans is a standout show in the DC lineup due to its uniqueness. While one weakness of the DC lineup of shows is that one show, aesthetically, can very much look similar to another, Teen Titans has some of the more unique visual styles that borrowed heavily from anime's expressiveness while also maintaining a cartoony and upbeat world. However, Teen Titans masted an ability to be able to be wacky and fun in one episode, and then turn around and hit audiences with darker, sadder episodes like trucks of angst. Teen Titans had a three-part season finale where the villain succeeded in casting the world into infernal darkness in the same season they had a goofy story about sentient Tofu trying to take over the world. It works due to contrast, and due to the fact that these characters never lose their depth when being funny and never lose their charm while in distress.
3 Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is the Guardians of the Galaxy of the DC animated lineup because of its focus on less obviously heroic protagonists and its use of irreverent humor. Harley Quinn is a satire of Gotham's rogues gallery that follows the life of Harley Quinn after she's broken up with the Joker. It's refreshing to see a DC animated show from the perspective of a female villain, especially one that was created by another DC animated show, as Harley was created by Batman: The Animated Series before appearing in the comics. In line with other comedies like The Good Place, it stars characters who start the show as terrible people and have to learn to grow and develop with time, which is good for the show's longevity. This is also one of the few shows on this list that isn't finished or otherwise canceled, and in fact has a season 3 in the works and a Kite Man spinoff. Per The Direct, the highly anticipated third season of Harley Quinn will stream on HBO Max summer 2022.
2 Young Justice
It would be very unfair to say that Teen Titans walked so that Young Justice could run because the shows are so fundamentally different in style and tone that they're not really comparable in any objective way. However, one thing that is fair to say is that Young Justice dives deeper into its whole cast of characters than most animated shows. This leads to a lot of character-driven stories that feel more real than the superhero genre is used to. The show has had to grow up with its audience, starting very similarly to something like Teen Titans while expanding out from the specific characters of season one and adding more and more to its cast, while still giving focused stories to specific characters. The show, notably, is unafraid of killing off characters, adding to the stakes. Young Justice combines a lot of the elements of the previous shows that Warner Bros has made. It combines the wider, more loving world of superheroes in Justice League Unlimited and the high character stakes and dire tone that Teen Titans could sometimes reach.
1 Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is the one that started it all. This series follows the various adventures of Batman, who is occasionally joined by Robin or Batgirl. Batman: The Animated Series takes the Batman to its noir, gothic roots, depicting dark streets with such vibrant contrast. The dark blues and shadows of Gotham in the show contrast with the reds and yellows of fire or the bright lights. Few shows make explosions pop like Batman: The Animated Series, and that's not just because they're visually striking, but also rarer than in other superhero media. Batman is a more grounded person in this show — more mortal. Goons and thugs present a threat to him, and each fist fight is a challenge. The show in seasons one and two looks and feels so different from any other superhero show or even any animated show that it can't help but stand out. Batman: The Animated Series succeeds in adapting a comic book by making each and every shot a painting.