Fans of Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios, rejoice: Bat-Fam is here to take us on more adventures with Gotham’s caped crusader and Little Batman.
After the festive debut of Merry Little Batman, the holiday feature that introduced Damien Wayne (Yonas Kibreab), Prime Video brings back more heroic antics of growing up in Wayne Manor. This time, there’s a new ward, Claire (Haley Tju)—formerly Volcana, but after falling into the Lazarus Pit, she becomes a teen and big sister to Damien. Alfred (James Cromwell) returns, and joining in the fun is his niece, Alicia Pennyworth (London Hughes). And they all are, of course, haunted by the ghost of Ra’s al Ghul (Michael Benyaer), Damien’s grandfather, who urges Little Batman to join the dark side.
Here are eight things we liked about the Prime Video and Amazon Kids+ series and two things we didn’t.
Liked: Bruce learning to be a dad who doesn’t work alone
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It truly takes a village of superheroes to raise children. Bruce Wayne has two kids now in Claire and Damien, siblings who—with their elder-teen and younger-kid dynamic—become a lot to deal with. Thankfully, he’s got Alfred, who was ready to parent again, and Alicia to help with Claire’s teen angst. The relationships at the core of this show carry it and really make for an entertaining watch.
Didn’t like: Robin is not a part of the family
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Robin, as we know him, the sidekick and first ward to Batman’s Caped Crusader, is notably absent as a main member of the Wayne family. It makes sense, as the show wanted to include Claire as the older sibling. It’s a new relationship with more to explore, and we’ve seen Damien and Robin a lot in other shows, most recently in Harley Quinn.
Liked: Volcana and the reformed villains of E-Vil
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Eldest daughters unite! As a teen who battles her inner demons, in this case her old Volcana identity, Claire is so relatable. We love a goth chick using her darkness for good arc, and this show has that in a big way. She and the other villains who are rehabilitated through Alicia’s work with her E-Vil (Ex-Villains) organization make for hilarity. Love to see Tut, Giganta, and others try to assimilate into civilian life.
Liked: The rogues’ gallery and more baddies
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The bad guy lineup in Bat-Fam is killer, and not just because of Killer Frost. The show has Killer Croc, Clayface, Mad Hatter, and, of course, the rumblings of one clown prince of crime. Each one of the real villains in the show poses danger in ways that really test the Bat-Fam as it assembles, despite Batman’s reluctance to work with a team or encourage Little Batman to fight crime.
Didn’t like: Can the real Selina please “meow”?
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Alas, the main Selina on this show is the Wayne family cat. No Catwoman here, which would be awkward since Damien’s mom is Talia. The feline variant is a funny and very cute little Easter egg nod to the iconic Gotham City Siren, nonetheless.
Liked: Little Batman action
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Damien is the hero kids deserve, the one Gotham needs. With the talents of his Wayne and al Ghul lineage, he’s whip smart and can sense danger faster than his dad and grandfather. The joy this kid takes in fighting crime is a delight to watch and makes for the most adorable action scenes. We particularly loved his fight with Clayface and some of the surprising choices he makes later in the season when the big bad shows up.
Liked: Bruce on his toes
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Bruce being out of the suit and allowed to be a dad is not the arc we were expecting to have such emotional resonance. Alicia and Alfred really bring out the best of who Bruce can be outside of his Batman identity, and their relationships speak to the support parents need not just from their families but also from folks who become found family.
Liked: Alfred Pennyworth, MVP
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Alfred is the heart of the show, the glue that holds the family together. He’s the blueprint of parenting that helps Bruce realize he’s not the kid anymore; he’s now the guardian of the superhero brood he’s raising. It’s also a sheer delight to see Alfred take up the armored Bat-suit when the family goes on one of their first hero outings. He finally gets off the bench and gets to kick baddie butt. We lived for this!
Liked: The Volcana and Little Batman team-up
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Little Batman and Volcana rise as the main heroes of the series, leading the charge. It’s such a great story to be the center of the show. Damien helping Claire out of her shell to see that she can be good was so heartfelt and hilarious. Older sisters can relate to the realization that together with our little brothers, more can be accomplished, like saving the city of Gotham.
Liked: It left us wanting more
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The first season of Bat-Fam has it all: new endearing family relationships, lots of action, funny fights, sharp quips, incredible art direction, and legit moments of sincerity that make it one of the best DC Studios shows for fans of all ages. We love the style of the show, the characterizations, and the stories woven into the iconic DC Comics lore in some really inspired ways. We can’t wait for the Bat-Fam to swing into action again!
Bat-Fam is now streaming on Prime and Amazon Kids+.
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