Bruce Timm, renowned for his legendary work in Batman: The Animated Series, is known for his nuanced and authentically gritty portrayals of Batman and his universe. However, in a recent turn of events, the legendary animator raised a point of critique of Fox’s Gotham series. The reason is the show’s casting choice for Commissioner Gorden.
In the show, Commissioner Gordon is portrayed by Ben McKenzie, an actor whom Timm felt was more good-looking than what the character traditionally demanded.
Bruce Timm Takes Aim at Gotham Series in New Interview
Bruce Timm is undoubtedly an iconic figure in Batman animation and has set an unparalleled standard. Further, in a recent The Wrap interview, he detailed how Harvey Bullock’s role in the series deviated from established characterization and how the Gotham Series, which premiered in 2014, brought in a good-looking Commissioner Gordon, which was entirely contrary to the character’s grittier portrayal.
Bruce Timm recalled that in Batman: The Caped Crusader, several subjects that were previously off-limits are now explored. The series includes same s*x marriage and tackles police brutality. For example, in the show, the crooked cop Harvey Bullock (voiced by John DiMaggio) is portrayed as a truly menacing figure in contrast to his previously more softened portrayals.
He added that historically Bullock was a lovable rogue who formed a positive relationship with Commissioner Gorden. In the Gotham Series, “they hired a good-looking guy to play him,” talking about actor Ben McKenzie. Timm felt this depiction strayed too far from the character’s gritty origins.
In contrast to this in Batman: The Caped Crusader, Timm paired Bullock with Arnold Flass, a corrupt cop from Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. Further adding that in this duo, “Bullock is the muscle and Flass is the brains and the much more dangerous of the two.”
Bruce Timm Said No to More Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an excellent cornerstone of superhero television. The show created by the genius of Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski debuted in 1995 and has since captured millions with its dark and sophisticated storytelling.
The show ran for a total of 85 episodes, and in the same The Wrap interview, Timm revealed that Warner Bros. had approached him for creating additional episodes of the series. This happened roughly four to five years ago, and the director admitted he was not interested in revisiting the series again. He added:
We’d been there; we’d done that.’ I wasn’t interested in just revisiting that world.
However, when he considered exploring the Justice League series, he found himself drawn back to Gotham City with Batman: Caped Crusader. Further, he found the entire concept of the show quite interesting and how it dives deeper into Bruce Wayne’s early days of fighting crimes.
You can stream Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Caped Crusader on Prime Video.
