Batman: Caped Crusader 2024 / This strong entry into the storied Batman catalog is at once retro and refreshing

It’s easy to mistake stills of Batman: The Caped Crusader with Batman: The Animated Series, that iconic ‘90s series that many of us grew up watching. And while they are more or less helmed by the same showrunner, the newer adaptation is sleeker and cleaner, stripped of color and replaced with noir. It sounds ironic, but despite its Art Deco setting and near-monochrome design, The Caped Crusader feels refreshing to watch. It explores plenty of other villains besides the usual suspects, forgoes actual powers for skills and gadgetry, and uses plain but engaging dialogue to get its points across (no annoying snark here). This Batman goes back to his Detective Comics roots, in other words, and this show is like a police procedural that anyone of any age (and DC exposure) can enjoy.