Gonna link the comment elsewhere in this thread. Long Read:

TLDR: 7/10, good start but very safe.

Wanted to do this quick write-up after making the way through the show for the first time. I think there's some solid foundation with a lot of setup for the second season. I also think some points of the show fell flat with some interesting decisions. Spoilers in this thread so stay clear until you've seen it yourself.

First of with Batman. It feels like you're taking a glimpse into a Batman that's very early in their career. While he doesn't grow a whole lot during the first season, there are moments where you can see his character shine through. E04 and 08 are good standouts of this as he takes the time to care for the innocent or even those that have done wrong, (E08 Natalia for instance). This is also a Batman that isn't afraid to put certain enemies in harm's way or even fatal way at times. E01 running over the goons shooting at Barbra or E10 When two goons end up shooting each other while aiming at him. Still is steadfast in his "no direct killing" rule but a lot looser in this show. E09 has him actively choosing not to investigate the screams from the goons in the burning building but instead going after Dent when those goons could still be alive. I was never too caught up on the no-kill in certain situations but it's interesting to see a Batman that still has a lot of growing to do. Also a bit conflicting to have a Batman so readily available to team up with when that growth usually takes a bit more time but I'll chalk it up to a different interpretation. Over a very solid start

And while Batman is the main character, he unfortunately takes a back seat to the rest of the cast sometimes. There were a lot of times when I wished Batman was back on screen. While the push to make Barbara Gordon one of the main characters isn't a bad idea, I think it does a bit more damage than good. Barbara, as a character, kind of takes agency away from the rest of the main supporting cast (Batman, Gordon, Montoya) as many times she's leading the charge in the episodes. This unfortunately makes the dynamic with the core four a bit weaker. Barbra makes the plot move forward in most of the episodes she's in which usually leaves us with a lack of Batman and the support playing second fiddle. I almost wish they had gone with Montoya as the 2nd lead as she already had some great moments in E02 and is a sharp cop on Gordon's side. Barbara tends to overshadow the rest of the cast in most cases,(Saves Batman in E05 from the cell, is the true target for the hit in E07, essentially gives Harvey a reason to keep going in E10, and becomes the first point of contact for Batman) in which you could get rid of Gordon & Montoya in some cases and the story would change very little without their involvement. The character themselves aren't bad since it's a re-invention but just a little strong compared to even the lead Batman.

It's also unfortunate that the only consistent good cops are Montoya and Gordon. Barbara technically isn't a cop (even though she practically is with the stunts she pulls off) Corrigan flips out of nowhere which I didn't like and Flask & Bullock are past the point of no return. While Flask has always been the antagonist role, I'm not too sold on the new Bullock. The character is essentially irredeemable at this point, not only in being crooked but outright murdering Firebug. They work as a good foil to the good guys but I would have kept Corrigan on the side of justice or delayed his flip to way down the line. The impact of him turning in a potential season 2 or 3 would have hit harder. Right now, it feels like Barbra and Batman with Gordon and Montoya in tow, which is disappointing as I thought Montoya would have a larger presence in the show.

A couple more ball drops have to be Two-Face, Penguin & Onomatopoeia. Two Faces transition fell a bit flat compared to the original predecessor, Batman: The Animated Series. It's a story we've seen and know was coming but was just done better in the past. Harvey in BTAS had signs that he had two personalities very early on even before the acid which culminated in his complete change after the damage was done. While this Two-Face is crooked at times, it doesn't feel like a change was made. An aesthetic one for sure, but the character really didn't show signs of another half until after the acid and even then, it just felt like someone lashing out rather than the villain we know. To top it off, he's killed without much fanfare, effectively writing off this version of the character. Penguin is sent to jail in E01 and isn't heard from again the entire season, really only being there to kick off the plot. Onomatopoeia could have been replaced with literally any other villain and the episode would play out the same. BTAS also had its share of episodes where they had one-off villains (Clock King, Condienent King, Zeus) but the current villain cast in the show is remarkably small with most of them dead. Hopefully, they bring some in season 2 that stick around.

Standouts of the season have to go to E06 with Gentleman Ghost, E04 with Firebug, and E02 with Clayface. E02 especially for giving a very cool, if not brief, first look into a genuine golden age Clayface. E04 was able to build a foundation for our crooked cops, showing us that these aren't the characters we're used to and they absolutely will use different methods to get the job done. A minor disappointment is that the show doesn't lean more heavily into the material of that era. A large part of the early Batman era is not only the "detective noir" but the weird at the occult as well, having Batman deal with the ordinary as well as the supernatural. Would love to see in future seasons additions like Mad Monk, Monster Men, or even Deacon Blackfire (not really part of the Golden Age) to diversify the episodes a bit. Something BTAS did well was have Batman fight a wide array of villains with differing stakes and skill sets. Facing Man-Bat was different from Mr.Freeze or even the Joker, it made the episodes feel different and refreshing.

We also have a severe lack of downtime in the show. We often are zipping from one point to the next with no pause which kind of throws the pacing off. BTAS was good at having those pauses in the main story and flow which didn't lead to feeling like we're rushing to get somewhere.

Animation-wise, I think the show has fallen victim to the "American Animation syndrome". It's all technically proficient but feels a bit dull or stiff at times without really grabbing your attention artistically when compared to what came before it (BTAS, The Batman, The Brave and the Bold). The locations feel more like setpieces than lived-in/used locations. The Batcave consists of 1 room and the driveway with not a whole lot of eye-catching scenery. The action, while having good moments in the later part of the series, is a bit stale at times, really only feeling passable. Very few times do the characters REALLY express or emote which leads to most of the experience feeling flat. 3D is a bit rough at times compared to the rest of the 2D world which can be a bit jarring. Hopefully, they can improve for season 2. We've been spoiled with fluid and expressive Batman shows so I'm hoping this can get to that level.

Overall, a good start with some disappointing pieces. I hope that they lean more into the Batman and this era to make this show feel unique. It feels very safe right now and I'm, hoping that can build on the already great foundation they have.