Bat-Fam is a new animated series that’s unlike any version of Batman you’ve seen before. The Prime Video series is set in the same universe as the 2023 animated film Merry Little Batman and picks up where that earlier adventure leaves off. Still, if you haven’t seen the film, don’t worry, it’s easy enough to follow the series. (It’s also easy enough to stream Merry Little Batman prior to watching, since it’s on Prime Video as well.) All you really need to know is that this is a world where Batman has eradicated all crime from Gotham, and his young son Damian has adopted the superhero identity of “Little Batman.”

Now that Damian has proven himself as a hero, Bat-Fam chronicles his next challenge—surviving his dysfunctional family.

On the surface, Bat-Fam may seem to be similar in tone to Wayne Family Adventures, or one of the many comics showcasing the Bat-Family. Instead, Bat-Fam puts the Caped Crusader in uncharted territory and quite simply, the stories told here are not ones you’d be able to tell anywhere else.

This version of the Wayne household consists of Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Damian Wayne, Claire Selton, Alicia Pennyworth, Kirk Langstrom and Ra’s al Ghul…sort of. (I’ll explain that in a moment.) If you’ve seen Merry Little Batman, then you know that this version of Damian is more innocent and childlike than his assassin-trained comic book counterpart. He wants to impress his dad, be a good hero and bond with his foster sister.

That’s right, I said foster sister.

In one of the more interesting developments of the series, the villainous Volcana (aka Claire) has taken an accidental dip in the Lazarus Pit (or so we’re led to believe), which has turned her into a 12-year-old. Not only is Claire a child, but the transformation has given her amnesia, so she only has faint memories of her old life. As a result, she has the mindset of any other preadolescent girl, albeit with some extra trauma. That’s where Batman comes in. Adopting children in need is kind of Batman’s thing, so Claire is taken in as the newest member of the Wayne family.

Alicia Pennyworth is Alfred’s niece and one of Bruce’s closest childhood friends. Alicia is a social worker who has started an organization known as E*Vil which works with former supervillains and helps them rehabilitate. Alfred’s niece also has a few secrets of her own, but I won’t spoil them here.

The family is rounded out by Dr. Kirk Langstrom aka Man-Bat and Ra’s al Ghul. Kirk is kind of like the weird and disgusting uncle you can’t help but love. Ra’s is a ghostly spirit who haunts Wayne Manor and sometimes gives his grandson Damian well-meaning (but ultimately problematic) advice.

Remember when I said these aren’t the types of stories you can tell in other Batman titles? It’s because the family dynamics are unique and unlike anything else we’ve seen in Batman’s 86-year history. Modern books have explored the sibling dynamic between Dick, Jason, Tim and Cass, but not in the way Bat-Fam does.

While Bruce has adopted his fair share of orphans, the time they spent growing up in Wayne Manor hasn’t really overlapped. Tim and Jason never fought over bathroom schedules, or what games to play together. The various Robins are teenagers and young adults, so they don’t have the same dynamic two young kids have. Damian is eight and Claire is twelve (at least biologically), so you can tell different stories.

For example, the first episode has a running bit where Damian’s struggling to meet Claire’s boundaries when it comes to when he can or cannot enter her room. There’s also a charming subplot in one episode where Damian and Claire, who have very little in common, bond over watching a movie together. That’s an authentic moment that happens with real foster siblings in our everyday world.

If I could describe the tone of the series, I would say it’s a cross between Full House and The Addams Family, with a dash of Batman. Some of the plot threads aren’t too far off from what you would see in a typical family sitcom. There’s an episode about family game night, an episode about Claire struggling to find her own identity in a family that is unlike her, an episode about Damian’s school field trip, and an episode about take-your-child-to-work day. Don’t worry, while the family dynamics take center stage, there’s plenty of superhero action and some fun references to the larger DC Universe.

(Speaking of family, Luke Wilson plays Batman, and it’s nice to see him playing the father in a DC Universe television series again.)

I could go on, but I don’t want to give too much away, and you really need to see the show for yourself. Bat-Fam might not be the Batman TV series you expected, but it’s a pleasant surprise, it finds new stories to tell, and I think it will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

All ten episodes of Bat-Fam are now streaming on Prime Video.

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.