I’m going to start this review by saying something I probably shouldn’t: Even after seeing a season of the show, I’m still not sure what I think of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
The rest of the animated series’ first season came out on DVD on March 15, and after watching this second release, I’m on the fence between whether or not to say “it’s awesome” or “huh?”
It’s almost schizophrenic: There are some installments that are clearly for a much younger demographic that would surely love the series. Dopey Aquaman, teenage Outsiders, an episode making even Booster Gold kind of generic, and an overuse of Jaime Reyes (a character I usually like) being prime examples of that. But occasionally, moments of greatness come through and THAT’S what makes it worthwhile for me, a 33-year-old. I love seeing cameos by characters from the DC Universe, especially. And this half-season DVD does have some really good episodes, including a team-up with Sherlock Holmes and Etrigan the Demon as well as a fantastic episode with Robin that takes place in the past and the present.
The most famous episode on this set is surely “Mayhem Of The Music Meister,” a musical episode guest starring Neil Patrick Harris that had rave reviews. I think Harris is great – but I didn’t care for the episode at all. It seemed like a silly excuse for everyone to break into song. I know I’ll get flack for this, but then again, I didn’t care for “Dr. Horrible” much either. Maybe it’s not my sense of humor.
If you have a kid — or if you are one — this is definitely a great way to spend the weekend. If you’re a bit older… like I said, sometimes it was clear to me I was not in the intended demographic, but there was enough to love, and some concepts and characters will make any age group laugh. (Is there seriously a villain named “Man Face?”) For my enjoyment, I think I veer more toward something like Young Justice which seems to be aimed at a somewhat higher age group.
I’d still recommend it because there are some great episodes and, as I pointed out, it’s a fantastic way to “meet” more characters from the DC Universe. I’m looking forward to more releases so excellent episodes like “The Knights of Tomorrow” or Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey episode can be in my library.
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I tried giving Batman Brave and the bold a chance when it first came out but couldn’t get into it. I think I’ll go through it all in one shot at a later time.