Television series
The New Adventures of Batman
Filmation's 1977 animated Batman trades noir for pure Saturday-morning fun. Bat-Mite, a interdimensional imp obsessed with Batman, crashes every case with chaotic good intentions, turning crime-fighting into slapstick chaos. It's silly, energetic, and genuinely weird—a show that knows exactly what it is and commits completely. Perfect if you want Batman without the brooding.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you grew up on Saturday morning cartoons and want a lighter, goofier take on the Dynamic Duo, with a meddling imp from another dimension who keeps making the plan worse.
Skip it if you want the brooding, shadowy Batman of recent years, since this one is vivid, cartoonish and aimed at younger viewers, with half-hour episodes that rarely go deep.
What it asks of you: Sixteen half-hour episodes in a single season, so it is over quickly; expect bright colours, gentle stakes and jokes that land on the nose rather than slow-burn tension.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Batman: The Animated Series1992
The gold standard: gorgeous art deco Gotham, perfectly voiced performances, stories that work for kids and adults equally. This is what Batman animation should aspire to be.
But If you want action-packed spectacle every episode, some hours are slower character studies. It demands patience.
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends1981
Another Filmation gem: bright, weird, genuinely fun, with that same mixture of action and comedy that makes Saturday mornings sing. Iceman and Firestar banter constantly.
But The animation is cheap even by Filmation standards, with heavy reliance on stock footage. Don't go in expecting fluid movement.
The Incredible Hulk1977
Live-action 70s adaptation that captures a similar tone: sincere heroes in ridiculous situations, earnest performances, technicolour excess. Bill Bixby is genuinely good.
But Pacing is glacial by modern standards. Each episode spends ten minutes on a plot that could resolve in three.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The New Adventures of Batman
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Schoolhouse Rock!1973
Both understand that animation can be a vehicle for pure enthusiasm and strange ideas without needing emotional weight. Both were made for children who didn't mind things being weird.
Same era, same networks, same Saturday-morning slot. But instead of fighting crime, it teaches grammar and American history through songs. Both are earnest, cheerful, weird, and absolutely committed to their own absurd logic.
But This is educational content first. If you're looking for plot or character development, you'll be disappointed. Episodes are three to five minutes long.
More like this (3)
The Monkees1966
Same era, same spirit of anarchic fun and not taking itself seriously. It's about four guys getting into situations and cracking jokes—like Bat-Mite with a rock band.
But The comedy is very dated and the music, while charming, feels quaint. Some skits drag interminably.
Birdman1967
Birdman's earnest superhero doing his job while surrounded by chaos is the template Bat-Mite follows. This is the show that proved the formula worked.
Filmation's earlier action-adventure anthology that proves the studio understood how to balance action, comedy, and genuine weirdness. Far more stylish and inventive than what came after, with better character work and more memorable villains.
But The animation is crude even by Filmation standards and the stories are often baffling. Some episodes feel like they're missing plot.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg1964
Both are shows that understand colour and joy as visual storytelling. Both are utterly unconcerned with realism or sophistication. Both commit completely to the bit, which gives them a strange kind of depth.
A French musical about people in love filmed like a comic book painted alive: candy-coloured, theatrical, every frame a poster. Completely artificial and completely genuine at once. Pure cinema joy.
But It's a 90-minute musical in French with subtitles. There is barely a plot. If you need something to happen, you will be frustrated.
