1. Batman: The Brave and the Bold
When the show first premiered, I wasn't all that interested. The fact that it was aimed at younger viewers was all well and good, but that had no appeal to me as an adult. I tried watching an episode once, just to be sure and it didn't really grab me.
Upon hearing that one episode was going to feature G'nort, my favorite member of the Green Lantern Corps, I decided to give it another chance. It was a blast and it paved the way for me to get hooked on the series.
Look, I was spoiled on "Batman: The Animated Series" too. I am well aware of the high bar that that show set for comic fans, but trust me, this show is good. Yes it's more fun and lighthearted, but that's part of the appeal.
It embraces it's comic roots and manages to entertain you while telling great stories. They're presented in such a way that kids can follow along, but there are plenty of geek references for the older crowd who is more familiar with comic book lore.
As to whether or not it's better or worse than TAS, I honestly think that the two are so different in tone and execution that you can't compare them. The important thing is that this show is very good and is well worth your time.
2. The Real Ghostbusters
OK, I'm biased here. I freaking love Ghostbusters. I love the movies, I loved the recent game that came out, I would sign up without hesitation if such an organization existed in reality.
I grew up watching the cartoon, but hadn't for some time. In college, I decided to check out a few episodes and the show holds up really well over time. The characters are, more or less, seen the way they were in the films and we got some great episodes early on.
Sadly, executive meddling took over and the show was watered down. They even went so far as to make Slimer the main focus, which irks me to no end as the animated incarnation of the spud is incredibly annoying and stupid.
Still, those early episodes were something else. Time Life released a box set with the whole series so fans can go back and enjoy the series to their heart's content.
3. Venture Bros.
Words can not express how much I love this show. Being on Adult Swim's line up, this isn't family entertainment the way the other shows are, but for older viewers, it's amazing. I honestly cite it as one of the best shows on television right now. You could take it a step further and argue that it is the best thing on TV, but that is a matter of personal preference.
If you're interested, I suggest starting from the beginning. There are so many in jokes as well as oddball characters that if you try to jump in during the third or fourth season, you will most likely be completely lost.
4. Avatar: The Last Airbender
The release of the live action film brought up a lot of discussion about this show. After hearing good things, I decided to check it out. This is one of the few things that actually lived up to the hype for me.
There was an ongoing story, as well as a unique and fleshed out world, the characters were well rounded and likable, there was a solid dose of humor, and the action scenes were exciting. If that's not enough to sell you, Mark Hamill and Clancy Brown voice two of the villainous characters and basically use their Joker and Lex Luthor voices. You wouldn't think it, but it works out perfectly. Hearing Long Feng talk made me all happy inside.
The show's only three seasons long, but it tells a complete story. I have no doubt that the film was awful, but I highly recommend checking this series out as it is a joy to watch on pretty much every level.
5. Gargoyles
A lot of people say that this was Disney's answer to "Batman: The Animated Series". If this is the result of trying to cash in, I'm not going to complain. The writing was top notch, there was great character development, and the stories were intricate. Even seemingly stand alone episodes would have ramifications or get mentioned later on down the line, making it seem like things that happened really mattered.
Sadly, the second season was rather long, so when it was released to DVD, they broke it up into two volumes. This wouldn't be so bad, but the second volume has yet to be released and it doesn't seem like there's going to be one.
There was a third season as well, but from what I hear, fans are fine with ignoring that batch of episodes.
While you won't be able to get the whole story if you watch it on DVD, I still recommend checking the show out. It blew me away when I started watching it.
No comments:
Post a Comment