Rating:  -
Well, I'm not going to go into a big essay on the story of Batman Beyond being that mostly everyone already knows the plot. This review is moreso for the packaging and dvd features. It is very similar to Season One's, to those of whom are familiar. Unfortunately, that also means that alot of traits from the first return, which include the packaging still being so stiff that you have to open the end of the cardboard box and push the dvd content out. The discs are all mounted by plastic fasteners, with two disc on each side overlapping one another. I was easily willing to forgive these flaws in the Season One bundle, but this is just inexcuseable. By the way, why feature Freeze on the cover of disc 1 Season 2, when he clearly isn't even in the season at all?
I suppose the biggest disappointment is the dvd features. There still is no sound option, no widescreen option (which is still a suprise, given that the Return of the Joker film was generated into widescreen), and no chapter select. The lack of chapters in each episodes still means that you have to fast forward through the intro each time manually. Trying to skip the intro will result in the entire episode being skipped. Granted each episode clocks in at around twenty minutes, it still would have been much more convenient with them (chapters).
Granted that none of the aforementioned features are manditory, they each would have helped to have made the collection even better and accessable. Batman Beyond is one of the best Batman adaptions in recent years, and these bundles just don't do it the justice it deserves. This is still an absolute must-buy for Beyond fans and worth the price. Season two is great. However, those who are expecting a vast improvement over the first season collection content and package wise, will be left with a sour taste in their mouths. Here's hoping that WB finally sets the record straight when the season three collection arrives next year.
Rating:  -
Rating: 2.5/5
I must admit I'm occasionally hasty to judge television shows, which was the case when I gave up on Bruce Timm's Justice League after the first seven episodes. Quite obviously a mistake on my part, seeing as the rest of the first season was (mostly) excellent and the show only improved from there, resulting in one of the best animated shows on television.
I was hoping for a similar experience with Batman Beyond, which actually won me over in its first season (rating: 3.5/5) despite my initial skepticism towards the premise. But I eventually gave up on season two back when it first aired somewhere close to the halfway mark. Hoping for a better viewing the second time around much like I had with the first season of Justice League, I gave the DVD a shot but found myself just as disappointed as I was back then.
There were several things that made the first season work, the most important elements being a fair sense of freshness and a first-rate lead villain in the form of Derek Powers. For all its faults season one had a sense of focus and direction, we could see how Terry McGinnis was inching closer to uncovering Powers' connection to Blight and getting justice for his father's murder. So you could understand my reaction when I thought the show jumped the gun (and the shark, I suppose) when Powers criminal enterprise was exposed in the season finale.
Despite this questionable move, it wasn't unreasonable to think the second season could take the show in a different, bolder direction, right? No such luck. The new villains this time around are weaker than ever, with only The Stalker making an impression as a game hunter who sees Batman as his newest prey (his back story is also satisfyingly grim and gruesome, especially by Saturday morning standards). Unfortunately, we usually end up getting lame villains like Mad Stan and Ma Mayhem instead.
Probably the worst decision was the introduction of Max Gibson, a computer genius who discovers Batman's true identity and becomes his sidekick. Not only is the concept just groan-inducing, Max herself is an annoying character, constantly ignoring Terry's advice and getting into trouble for seemingly no other reason than to get a good thrill in the guise of crimefighting. Even worse, her presence means there's less time spent between Terry and Bruce, which was easily the most interesting relationship this show had going for it.
The writing is also surprisingly lacking this season. While there's still some memorable dialogue and good voice acting, the stories are less interesting and, given the lack of a central villain, have an aimless feel to them. There are certainly some exceptions, with enjoyable episodes like Hidden Agenda (until the whole Max/Terry sidekick angle comes up at the end), Mind Games, Babel, and even a guilty pleasure in the humorously silly The Eggbaby. But there's also a lot of blown opportunities as well, like the intriguing Eyewitness, which started off with a lot of promise but came up limp in the payoff.
I've only seen a few episodes from season three, but I recall enjoying them more than most of the stuff in season two. Still, this season pretty much solidified my opinion of Batman Beyond as the one show in the DCAU that never lived up to its potential (Static Shock and Zeta Project didn't have much potential to begin with).
Rating:  -
During the second season of Batman Beyond, the show crew develope the characters they created along Season One. The result is a full-action packed series, a great entertainment and one or two memorable episodes (for instance April Moon, maybe one of the best stories I've seen in a TV animation series).
If you liked season one, buy this second season. However, if you are thinking about it, have in mind that the thriteen episodes of thethird season are really really good (in fact, of compulsory view if you are a Bat-fan) and maybe you will regret not having the whole series...
Rating:  -
Gothum's new Dark Knight is back. The guys at Warner home video are presenting us DC AU junkies with the entire second season of this action packed series. I've not seen too many episodes of Batman Beyond because we didn't get the Wb when I was a kid, but I really enjoyed the first season and am looking forward to the second. Here are some things to look forward to, well, us fans who are new to the series.
From the brief synopses I've read from episode guides, looks like Terry has to deal with the Jokers again in an episode called Joyride. They steal a top secret military vehicle and its up to McGinnis to stop them. Shriek is back, and Batman has to go up against teens who've combined their DNA with that of various animals in Splicers. Remember Curare from Season 1? That ninja assassin who tried to take out Comissioner Barbara Gordon's husband? Well, she's back in action as well. We also get another episode featuring the Royal Flush gang. And we're introduced to a terrorist organization known as Cobra along the way also. No multipart eps though, sadly. Now if only they'd reveal when the final season's coming out! Yeah yeah, I know the second season hasn't even been released yet. I'm a pretty sad case, huh?
Anywho, can't wait until October 24th!
Rating: -
I remember watching BATMAN BEYOND when I was a little child. I still enjoy it, and I can tell you that it is a great series. If you like BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, JUSTICE LEAGUE, JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, STATIC SHOCK, and THE ZETA PROJECT...then you'll love this! While I have not seen all of the episodes, I have seen some. But, being the Season Two box-set, I already know what episodes are going to be in this - all of Season Two's episodes!
Here is a list of the episodes featured in "Batman Beyond: Season Two."
1. Splicers
2. Earth Mover
3. Joyride
4. Lost Soul
5. Hidden Agenda
6. Bloodsport
7. Once Burned
8. Hooked Up
9. Rats
10. Mind Games
11. Revenant
12. Babel
13. Terry's Friend Dates a Robot
14. Eyewitness
15. Final Cut
16. The Last Resort
17. Armory
18. Sneak Peek
19. The Eggbaby
20. Zeta
21. Plague
22. April Moon
23. Sentries of the Last Cosmos
24. Payback
25. Where's Terry?
26. Ace in the Hole
I hope you make a wise choice and purchase this item. Trust me, this is a true collector's item for any DC Animated Universe fan.
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