TV Series Review: Bat-Fam (2025 Amazon Prime) *Spoiler Free*

I am surprised I did not review Merry Little Batman (2023), the animated movie from Amazon Prime that clearly proved to be so popular they turned it into a ten episode series titled, Bat-Fam (2025).

While neither the film or the series are intended for adults, they're still very watchable for older fans. Making them a great family experience for parents looking to introduce their younger children to the more fun aspects of Batman lore.

Both kind of fill a similar space that Adam West's 66 Batman did, except I don't think, even young children, would take Bat-Fam as seriously as young kids took the 66's Batman series back in the day.

It's been a couple of years since I watched the original Merry Little Batman movie (but it's a fun Christmas movie, and I highly recommend it), so I'm not going to review that here. You don't need to have seen it but it does give you some context for Damien (Yonas Kibreab) being 'Little Batman' rather than Robin.

Beyond that all you need to know is, Luke Wilson's Batman is a complete bad ass, with one of the coolest Batmobile's out there, contrasted with his Bruce Wayne, who is a bit of a bumbling, 'wanna be a good father' to Damien.

The Bat-Fam Batmobile is my new
favorite, completely inconspicuous,
Bat-sh*t-crazy Batmobile.

The ensemble, extended Bat-Family, all kind of make sense in this incarnation. They're all given stuff to do that supports Damien and Bruce's developing father/son relationship.

I particularly liked Michael Benyaer's Ra's al Ghul, a.k.a. Damien's Grandfather living at Wayne Manor. Initially you wonder why Ra's is even there, and then it's pointed out pretty quickly he's Bat Grandad, and it makes perfect sense.

This series to me is just straight up fun. It's not trying to be cannon to the wider DCU. It's clearly its own thing. In that context, it really doesn't matter how far it skews from dark, serious Batman, so long as the changes make sense in this world. For the most part they do. I don't even care that Damien is Little Batman instead of Robin.

While each episode is pretty self contained there are ongoing story arcs across the series that help make the character growth feel like it is occurring over time. The last two episodes form a two part finale.

Also, despite the silliness, and over the top action, it never feels like it goes too far or too crazy for this particular incarnation of Batman. More importantly, while Bruce is a little wishy-washy as a dad, as Batman, he's the coolest, most capable guy on screen, he always looks either menacing or formidable against the show's rogues gallery.

Finally, I can't go without talking about the art style, which really gives the show a unique, and slightly edgy feel. It falls somewhere between modern, contemporary animation (think Teen Titans Go) and sixties/seventies, independent animation (I don't know why but I get Fritz the Cat vibes from it's grainy, uneven linework).

As a Batman show, it's probably one of the most interesting takes on the character we've seen in animation to date. Proving once again how versatile the character and his world is. It may not be your preferred take on Batman, but it still is, very much Batman... and Little Batman!

I'd watch another season for sure. (And if James Gunn could see his way to giving his DCU Batman an equally inconspicous, bat-sh*t-crazy, Batmobile, somewhere close to this one in Bat-Fam I wouldn't mind. Even an Easter egg nod to this one as a rejected design would be cool).