Movies - TV
There Were Three Rules Batman: The Animated Series Tried To Never Break
By JOE ROBERTS
Batman has undergone many changes over the years, with the ‘50s and ‘60s shedding his lone “creature of the night” persona and embracing a more light-hearted, campy version. The following decades saw the Caped Crusader regaining much of his original darkness, but it wasn’t until 1992’s “Batman: The Animated Series” that he truly returned to his roots.
“Batman: The Animated Series” followed some rules inspired by its “show bible” to stay within its gritty, noir-inspired framework. Writer and producer Alan Burnett shared, “We had these three rules: No aliens. No ghosts. And no Humanitas Awards — you know, no pro-social stories. We were just out to have a good time and to give the audience some fun thrills.”
The “show bible” laid the foundation for the series’ look and narrative that saw the return of a darker Batman while undoing the silver age takes on the character. Although the three rules aren’t explicitly in the “show bible,” they still serve as a sort of manual to protect Batman’s original roots against the choices that almost annihilated the character completely.