The Cartoon Network/HBO Max cartoon series Batwheels brings a fresh and playful take on the DC Comics legend that both preschoolers and parents can enjoy, as long as any preconceived continuity regarding The Dark Knight is left at the door. The show features Batman and his team of talking cars taking on villains in Gotham City through vivid and colorful animations that captivate young audiences.
The series follows the game plan other shows have started following recently and found success; shorter episodes to keep kids engaged and be tempting as a quick distraction via streaming services. Similar in scope to shows like Bluey, with episodes that run for about 8 minutes, Batwheel’s episodes clock in at about 15 minutes each. The missions in Batwheels are a fun-filled adventure that allows the Bat-Family to teach valuable lessons about teamwork, confidence, and other essential values to children at a young age. The characters in the show range from a younger Robin, Batgirl, all the way to Batman himself, each with unique gadgets and skills that keep kids entranced and entertained.
Official synopsis:
The Batwheels are sentient superpowered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin, Batgirl and a host of DC superheroes. Having just been created by the Batcomputer, our heroes are essentially kids with little to no life experience. Led by Bam (The Batmobile), the Batwheels – Bibi (The Batgirl Cycle), Red (The Redbird), Wing (The Batwing) and Buff (The Bat Truck) – must navigate the growing pains of being a newly formed super team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid. This relatable and aspirational series will follow the journey of this dynamic team as they thrill and entertain with their heroic adventures as well as demonstrate to kids the value of self-confidence, friendship and teamwork.
Ethan Hawke’s exceptional voice acting as Batman adds to the show’s charm, portraying a suave and confident character that gets the job done while still being relatable to both kids and adults. The show is also refreshingly absent of terrible songs or infantile characters, making it an excellent background show for parents when their kids are home sick from school.
Overall, Batwheels strikes a balance between the classic Batman that parents know and love and the charisma that kids crave in a show. The series features a talented voice cast, including Gina Rodriguez as Catwoman, Jacob Bertrand as Bam the Batmobile, and Xolo Maridueña as Snowy the Snowcrawler.
Batwheels was also recently renewed for a second season, so there will be more Batwheels coming on the horizon to add to the current 17 episodes available.
Batwheels Season 1 is currently airing on Cartoon Network and can be streamed on HBO Max.