5 Worst Episodes Of Batman: The Animated Series, Ranked

When it comes to the gold standard of superhero animation — and perhaps superhero television as a whole — there is not a single production that compares to "Batman: The Animated Series." The animated triumph may have been born as a tie-in to the Tim Burton-made "Batman" films, but it quickly rose above those humble beginnings to become arguably the definitive version of the Dark Knight. For many, Kevin Conroy remains the default Batman voice actor to this day, and even the worst episodes of the program have more merit than some modern depictions.

It's with this thought in mind that we've put together our list of the worst episodes; the ones that are a far cry from the best of "Batman: The Animated Series." From unruly animal antagonists, to sewer dwellers and bored Gotham socialites, these are the episodes that many of us simply skip over during our rewatches. Sure, maybe we'd watch them if they were airing on television, but on streaming or home release, these are the select few that are easy to pass by.

Although the original series concluded in 1995 after 85 episodes, "Batman" found new life only two years later with "The New Batman Adventures," a follow-up that produced another 24 installments. Since then, the sequel series has found its way to new "Batman: The Animated Series" home video releases and streaming platforms as the "official" final season. Thus, we've included episodes from both "Batman" shows here.

Anyone who has seen "Animal Act" probably isn't surprised to find this episode in the bottom barrel of "Batman" — not to mention DC Animated Universe — episodes. This "The New Batman Adventures" tale is notoriously hated by many, including producer Bruce Timm, who has even gone so far as to apologize for it. But while "Animal Act" is pretty underwhelming, its biggest sin is its misuse of the Mad Hatter (Roddy McDowall) in his final appearance in the DCAU.

When Batman (Kevin Conroy), Robin/Tim Drake (Matthew Valencia), and Nightwing/Dick Grayson (Loren Lester) discover a gorilla is behind the latest high-profile robbery in Gotham, all evidence points to Hailey's Circus — the same circus that Dick grew up in, as established back in "Robin's Reckoning." Upon further investigation, all signs point to Dick's longtime friend Miranda Kane (Jane Wiedlin), though eventually the real culprit is revealed.

"Animal Act" comes hot off the heels of another animal-based episode (which we'll get to shortly), and so already falls flat on that note. The sly nod to "Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero" (Batman and Nightwing dispatch some bears using the same method they did in that film) is fun, but ultimately there's little substance here, especially for an episode that was meant to bring Dick back to his roots.

With over 100 episodes of "Batman: The Animated Series," it's no wonder that there are a few duds peppered in there, and when it comes to "The Terrible Trio," let's just say that it knows how to live up to its name. In fact, this episode is actually considered the "worst DCAU episode" by Bruce Timm himself (via ToonZone). Whether you think it's the worst of the bunch or simply another lull in the otherwise fabulous production, there's no arguing that this is one of Batman's most boring adventures.

After Batman and Robin (Dick, not Tim) find themselves up against the titular outlaws — the Fox (Bill Mumy), the Shark (Peter Scolari), and the Vulture (David Jolliffe) — the bandits continue to strike at Gotham's elite. Only, upon an attempted robbery of the wrong man, Batman puts two and two together that the Terrible Trio are really bored Gotham socialites who wanted a little extra "thrill" in their lives. For them, fighting the Dynamic Duo was nothing short of exotic animal hunting.

Thanks to that premise, there's a bit of irony that "The Terrible Trio" would be considered among the worst "Batman" episodes simply because it's so boring. While some consider this episode to be over-hated due to the admittedly interesting (and plausible) concept, the whole thing comes across as dull and uninvolved.

Speaking of dull episodes, "Batman: The Animated Series" may have never produced a more offbeat episode than "The Underdwellers." Another episode that suffers from an interesting concept that's executed half-heartedly, the show's 6th-produced episode pushed the Dark Knight through some growing pains before it could hit its stride with adventures like "Heart of Ice" and the two-part "Two-Face." This one is basically what you'd expect: Batman finds enslaved kids living a harsh life beneath Gotham.

From the silly "leprechaun" idea (which even Batman entertains for too long) to the lackluster Sewer King (Michael Pataki) himself, "The Underdwellers" takes the whole "alligators in the sewer" thing a bit too literally. As far as the art itself is concerned, Bruce Timm considers it one of the weaker episodes animated by Studio Junio, and we'd have to agree. It's no surprise then that the weak visuals and lacking story have led many to regard it as the worst of the series.

"The Underdwellers" doesn't offer much when it comes to the sub-themes about how Batman connects with kids in "Batman: The Animated Series," but it did introduce the Caped Crusader's genuine care for the orphaned in Gotham. Still, it's super weird that Alfred (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) has no idea how to care for a child, since he practically raised Bruce.

Another episode that Bruce Timm has made apologies for, "I've Got a Batman In My Basement" is notoriously rated as the worst of the original "Batman: The Animated Series" run. If not for "The New Batman Adventures," it may have been our No. 1 pick here. Not only is this episode quite a stretch from the get-go, it's also a bit disappointing as the Penguin's (Paul Williams) first DCAU appearance, even if he does get the upper hand on the Dark Knight.

Perhaps that's part of the problem with this episode. Here, Batman is subdued by the Penguin upon being poisoned by one of his trick umbrellas. Unable to make it to the Batmobile in time, young Sherman Grant (Matthew Brooks) and his friend Roberta (Denise Marco) rescue the Caped Crusader, drive the Batmobile, and take him home (somehow getting him into the basement without breaking his neck). Yes, "Batman: The Animated Series" was always aimed at kids, but this one takes childish wish fulfillment to the extreme — especially once Batman and Penguin duel with a screwdriver and an umbrella, respectively.

There is a way in which "I've Got a Batman In My Basement" could work, but the final product isn't quite there. Though, it's worth noting that (as we've said before), even the worst episodes of "Batman: The Animated Series" are better than some of the best to come from other Batman animated shows.

"Critters" is another prime example of what happens when a descent idea is developed for the wrong show. Although it aired as part of "The New Batman Adventures" (right before "Animal Act"), it would have been more appropriate as an episode of "Superman: The Animated Series." That said, while "Critters" is famously the worst-rated "Batman" episode online, Bruce Timm defends it as "not great, perhaps, but pretty damn good" (via ToonZone). Nevertheless, it deserves its place here.

Here, Batman, Robin (Tim, not Dick), and Batgirl (Tara Charendoff) investigate a horde of mutant insects and farm animals that all point back to the villainous Farmer Brown (Peter Breck), who desires to infest Gotham with his vermin after he was forced to legally abandon his experiments. Long story short, the monotone Brown plans to annihilate those responsible for his poor reputation. Naturally, the Bat-Family arrive just in time to stop him. Even if you, like Timm, have a soft spot for "Critters" due to the unique concept, it's hard to argue that there's an episode that's actively worse.

For one thing, the whole thing comes across as something straight out of "Looney Tunes" rather than "Batman." Robin's excessive cow puns and Batman's clear disinterest are paired with a weak villain and his underdeveloped daughter, leaving more to be desired. Tonally, it just doesn't work with the world of Gotham, reflecting plotlines better fit for Superman than the Dark Knight and his cohorts. While "Batman: The Animated Series" may be considered the best DC animated television series, it's in spite of episodes like these that fail to live up to our high expectations.