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Rob Sperduto is a Contributor for Screen Rant, covering Classiv TV. He's covered film, TV, and video games for 5 years, combining sharp editorial judgment with a storyteller’s eye. Known for his insightful analysis and clear voice, Rob helps audiences understand not just what’s trending, but why it matters. He is always looking for the next great story across all media. Rob is also a content strategist, and his work can be seen across The Direct, Attack of the Fanboy, We Got This Covered, and Pro Game Guides.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapBatman: The Animated Series remains the absolute benchmark against which all other superhero TV shows are measured. It's not controversial to claim that Batman: TAS is one of the best superhero TV shows from start to finish, but it's also one of the best animated TV shows ever made, bar none. Like any franchise, DC has some duds, but not Batman: TAS.
There are plenty of Marvel duds too, but some Marvel TV shows are just as good as Batman: The Animated series, if not surpassing it. Make no mistake, these entries aren't here to replace the Dark Knight. They are simply the best recommendations for fans who want that same feeling watching Batman: TAS for the first time.
Spider-Man: The Animated Show (1994–1998)
5 Seasons, 65 Episodes
Spider-Man tries to punch spot in Spider-Man the animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series mastered the standalone episode, but Spider-Man: The Animated Show was the first to really figure out long-form serialization for kids. It feels less like a standard Saturday morning cartoon and more like a primetime network drama.
The "Neogenic Nightmare" arc runs for the entirety of season 2, something Batman: TAS never attempted. The animation may not have aged as gracefully as Bruce Wayne's world, but the season-long arcs kept you coming back every weekend anticipating what would happen next.
Christopher Daniel Barnes delivered a vocal performance that sounded genuinely stressed out, capturing Peter Parker’s anxious dual life better than almost anyone else. The show prioritized Peter’s trauma and relationship drama, proving that seeing a hero’s personal life fall apart is just as compelling as watching them punch the bad guy.
X-Men '97 (2024–Present)
1 Season, 10 Episodes (Renewed)
Revivals are usually cash grabs that rely on cheap nostalgia, but X-Men '97 was so good it felt like the show never went off the air. In a lot of ways X-Men '97 is different to X-Men: The Animated Series, but it picked up right where the X-Men: The Animated Series left off and refused to stay trapped in the past, upgrading the animation that makes the action sequences look incredible.
Batman: The Animated Series is famous for not talking down to kids, but this show assumes those kids grew up and are ready for harder conversations. The first season fearlessly tackled genocide, radicalization, and grief, resulting in some of the most nuanced and devastating hours of television Marvel has ever produced that really feels like a gut-punch.
Wolverine and the X-Men (2009)
1 Season, 26 Episodes
Disney
One of the true hidden gems on the list is Wolverine and the X-Men, which carryes a bleak, moodier atmosphere that feels spiritually similar to Gotham City. The premise sees the X-Mansion destroyed and Professor X missing, forcing a reluctant, depressive Wolverine to lead a fractured team.
Wolverine and the X-Men completely strips away the colorful atmosphere of Men: The Animated series. Although it was tragically canceled after one single season, it offered a darker, lonelier look at the mutant metaphor that Batman fans will instantly connect with. It’s less about saving the world and more about the burden of trying to keep a broken family from falling apart completely.
The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009)
2 Seasons, 26 Episodes
If Batman: The Animated Series is the definitive take on the Caped Crusader, thenThe Spectacular Spider-Man holds the same title as the best Spider-Man TV show. It cements Peter back to high school, blending the classic Stan Lee era with modern Ultimate universe elements.
Much like Batman’s "Heart of Ice" episode, Spectacular turns villains like Electro and Doc Ock into tragic figures rather than simple punching bags. It understands that for Peter Parker’s life to be interesting, the people he fights need to be just as complex and heartbreaking as the people he loves. The only shame is that we didn't get more.
Daredevil (2015–2018)
3 Seasons, 39 Episodes
Disney
It isn't animated, but Daredevil captures the spirit of Batman: The Animated Series better than almost any cartoon on this list. Hell’s Kitchen is shot with a shadow-drenched, neon-noir aesthetic that evokes similar Gotham vibes from Batman: TAS. The show is also memorable for its brutal, exhausted fight choreography, especially that iconic hallway sequence in Daredevil.
Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk also mirror the Batman and Joker dynamic perfectly. Both sets of foil characters engage in a philosophical battle for the soul of their city that is just as violent as their physical altercations. So for fans who loved the grounded, detective elements of Batman: TAS, you should queue up Daredevil immediately.
X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997)
5 Seasons, 76 Episodes
Disney
X-Men: The Animated Series ran concurrently with Batman, and superhero fans didn't even realize how well they were eating with two of the top '90s animated shows. X-Men: TAS, more loud and operatic than Batman: TAS, faithfully adapted dense comic book storylines like "The Phoenix Saga," and still stands as one of the best character depictions today.
The same way Kevin Conroy defines Batman, Cal Dodd's Wolverine is the definitive voice pairing. Sure, the animation rough by modern standards the writing is so good that it's easy to overlook, and it just makes you appreciate the subtle, updated X-Men '97 design.
Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010–2012)
2 Seasons, 52 Episodes
Before the iconic assemble scene in The Avengers (2012), Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes was already capturing the massive scale of the Marvel Universe in a way only the Justice League cartoon ever matched. It introduced a massive cast of heroes and villains without ever feeling cluttered—in 23-minute-long episodes, which is all the more impressive.
While Batman: The Animated Series is a masterclass in studying the sole character of Batman, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is the gold standard for team dynamics. It feels like a living comic book, adapting decades of the best Marvel comic storylines into a cohesive narrative that respects the source material’s weirdness and the intelligence of its audience.
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Batman: The Animated Series
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