Batman: The Brave and the Bold was a short-lived animated Cartoon Network series, running only from 2008 until 2011, but in the time it’s been off the air, the show has become a cult classic among Batman fans. Setting itself apart from the darker Batman: The Animated Series, The Brave and the Bold was an homage to the lighter, campier Batman audiences knew from the golden age of comics and actor Adam West’s portrayal of the superhero. The show put Batman in comedic situations and saw Bruce Wayne teaming with other DC characters (and even Scooby Doo and the gang, as made up as that sounds).
Often overlooked in favor of edgier depictions of Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold is still a show worth watching. The show is a great tribute to a more nostalgic Batman and its best episodes hold their own against those of other Batman series. If you wanted to watch only the best episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, we’ve got a list for you.
10. “Sidekicks Assemble!”
This episode focuses on three popular sidekicks who have had enough of living in the shadow of their respective superheroes. Juxtaposing flashbacks to when they were kids with a present-day plotline, we see Robin, Speedy, and Aqualad on a quest to prove their worth while battling some classic DC baddies. For such a funny premise, the episode has a lot of heart and character development for all the sidekicks, especially Robin.
9. “Deep Cover for Batman!”
The first episode in a two-part storyline, “Deep Cover for Batman” follows Batman as he attempts to infiltrate an alternate-universe version of the Injustice Syndicate in order to (you guessed it) save the world from a perilous threat. He ends up pretending to me his alternate villain counterpart, Owlman, in order to stop the villains from crossing into Batman’s home universe. The episode introduces the Injustice Syndicate, an alternate villainous Justice League and features some great interactions between Batman and Red Hood.
8. “The Super-Batman from Planet X!”
Batman ends up traveling through a wormhole after a battle with Kanjar Ro and finds a super-powered Batman on the other side, voiced by none other than Kevin Conroy himself. After the novelty of a Batman with superpowers wears off, it’s the banter between the two Batmans that really makes this episode special. The two heroes band together to take down this Earth’s version of Lex Luthor, voiced by other voice acting heavyweight Clancy Brown.
7. “Game Over for Owlman!”
In the follow-up episode to “Deep Cover for Batman,” Batman has to face an Owlman who is now framing him for a very large number of crimes. The real Batman is now on the run from his friends and is forced to partner up with his arch-nemesis the Joker in order to defeat Owlman and clear his name. This is the first time Joker appears in this series and the two make a fantastic pair. This episode makes a ton of cheeky references to earlier iterations of Batman and is a fun conclusion to the two-episode story.
6. “The Knights of Tomorrow!”
“The Knights of Tomorrow!” shows us Batman in the future, after giving us a brief overview of his life up until that point. The plot heavily focuses on Batman’s son Damian Wayne as the Robin to Dick Grayson’s Batman after Wayne hangs up the mantle for good. The two go up against an aged Joker and his new sidekick and the episode has a surprising ending that you’ll have to see for yourself.
5. “The Mask of Matches Malone”
One of several musical episodes, this episode introduces the Birds of Prey (complete with their own theme song!). Black Canary, Huntress, and Catwoman team up against the likes of Two-Face while a disguised Batman hits his head and forgets he’s Batman, believing himself to be the criminal Matches Malone. The Birds of Prey attempt to return Batman back to his normal self and hilarity ensues.
4. “Mitefall!”
In the series finale, Bat-Mite decides to try and get the show cancelled in favor of something with a darker, grittier tone. His plan is to create an episode so bad, the network has to cancel it and he works tirelessly to try to create the worst episode of the entire series. Does Bat-Mite’s plan work? We won’t spoil anything but this episode is one of Batman: The Brave and the Bold‘s best and offers fans of the show some much-appreciated closure.
3. “Mayhem of the Music Meister!”
The nefarious Music Meister transforms this episode into an entire musical and it’s just as great as you’d expect. Nearly every character in the show appears to sing a tune and the song’s are some of the catchiest music numbers we’ve heard on television. The villain, an original creation of the show, is voiced by Neil Patrick Harris and the episode was critically lauded to the point of receiving an Emmy nomination.
2. “Battle of the Superheroes!”
It’s a tale as old as Batman: Batman and Superman are paired together, and one of them pisses the other off. Except in this episode, Superman has been influenced by Red Kryptonite turning him into a very annoying version of himself, and Batman must stop the aggravated Superman from destroying the city. This is the first time Superman appears in the show and we love a good superhero fight, but that’s not the episode’s main draw: the whole episode is an homage to Golden and Silver Age comics and comes complete with some great Easter eggs for diehard DC fans.
1. “Chill of the Night!”
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is known for its lighter, comedic tone and we love it for that. However, “Chill of the Night!” is the darkest episode of the entire series and easily the objective best. The Spectre and the Phantom Stranger bet on Batman’s soul as he deals with the discovery of who killed his parents. For such a generally campy show, this episode really nails the serious tone and commits to the dark plot, showing that actor Diedrich Bader deserves a place among the other great portrayals of Batman.
