Bruce Timm’s Batman: Caped Crusader has been a lot of fun for fans, but it almost wasn’t. Instead, the show would have brought back pretty scarring memories of one relationship that fans just cannot get behind (and for good reason).
After The Killing Joke film disastrously paired Barbara and Bruce, fans have steered clear of any media that dares to repeat that blasphemy. Bruce Timm revealed that audiences were almost subjected to a second helping of that atrocity, but thankfully it wasn’t even considered to be a serious part of the story, thanks to Timm.
One of the Executives on the show suggested they make Barbara and Bruce a pair
As revealed on X, Bruce Timm had to explain to a very enthusiastic exec why Batman: Caped Crusader could not depict Barbara and Bruce in a romantic relationship.
The only romantic relationship that the show has worked with is its iteration of Harley Quinn and Renee Montoya (who is also a creation of Bruce Timm). Apart from that, the show has a very strong focus on following noir plots that deal with the ongoings of Gotham with a fresh, 1940s-colored coat.
The Killing Joke animated film, which also had Bruce Timm as part of its creative team, chose to add a Batgirl and Batman romance to the story, which kicked out a lot of fans, especially given the age gap between the two characters and the nature of their relationship.
Batman: Caped Crusader might introduce other vigilantes in Season 2
Renee Montoya was a creation of Bruce Timm, who has taken up the mantle of The Question in the comics. While Batman: Caped Crusader has straight up shown magic to be part of the world, it seems that the show is going to be rooted in it’s noir aesthetics rather than turning the show into a superhero setting with a twist.
With the alluded addition of Lois Lane in the show, it is possible that we might see Superman make an appearance. Further, Episode 8 of the show also introduced audiences to a bunch of orphans with names like Dickie, Jace, and Stephie, which, while just an easter egg, could hint at the coming of Batman’s sidekicks in later episodes in later seasons.
All Episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
