Batwoman: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Batwoman: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 1, 2025

How many Bats can we handle? Batman, Batgirl, Batwoman... and that's not even including Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood, other Robins, still more Robins (like Batgirls, Robins tend to come out of the woodwork). Double "and," that's not including all the Elseworlds Batmen, the Thomas Waynes, the forgotten family members turned villains... it gets out of hand fast. Who can blame the CW for being so late to the game with Batwoman, an Arrowverse series that at long last drops a Bat in the pilot seat and allows one of the Bat fam to lead a show. Each episode's mileage varies -- a lot of effort is put into making us excited that Kate Kane is getting a series while other members of the Bat clan are relegated to team shows, guest spots, cartoons and theatrical releases -- but it all amounts to a decent first season with a few thrills, a few surprises, and even a few great episodes that promise better things to come.

Bruce Wayne's cousin Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) had a lot of ideas as to what her future might hold. None of them included becoming Gotham City's latest batarang-slinging vigilante, Batwoman. And yet that's precisely what happens when Kate dons a cowl after the disappearance of Batman. With the help of techie Lucas "Luke" Fox (Camrus Johnson) and her stepsister, a medical student named Mary (Nicole Kang), Kate takes to the rooftops to put a stop to crime across the city. But what's a girl to do when crime is so rampant? Tackle it head on, bringing the fight to villains like the Wonderland Gang, a band of baddies led by a serial killer named Alice (Rachel Skarsten). Joining forces with the Crows, a security force launched by her father, former colonel Jacob Kane (Dougray Scott) and ex-girlfriend Sophie (Meagan Tandy), Kate races to uncover Alice's identity while putting a stop to anyone who gets in her way. The series' first season also stars Elizabeth Anweis as Kate's stepmother Catherine Hamilton, Rachel Maddow as the voice of Vesper Fairchild, Sam Littlefield as Mouse, Christina Wolfe as Julia Pennyworth, Greyston Holt as Tyler, Brendon Zub as Chuck Dodgson, John Emmet Tracy as August Cartwright, Gabriel Mann as Thomas Elliot, Gracyn Shinyei as young Kate, Ava Sleeth as young Alice, Sebastian Roché as Dr. Ethan Campbell, Nathan Witte as Agent Robles, Brianne Howey as Reagan, Alex Zahara as Dr. Butler, and Rachel Matthews as Margot Pye aka Magpie.

Rose serves up a solid performance around which the rest of the new, green-around-the-gills Arrowverse cast orbits, and her prowess and experience with action scenes lends both grace and ferocity to Batwoman's superheroics. It can be a chatty show -- three to five minutes of exposition, thirty-five minutes of conversation and dramatic music, then three minutes of hand-to-hand combat -- but the show holds interest for the better part of its twenty episodes. Johnson and Kang do well as guy-and-girl in the proverbial chair, and the villains, though hammy one minute and wholly over-the-top the next, sneer and leer with the best of 'em. It helps that Arrowverse regulars drop by from time to time to give the series a better sense of its place in the grander DCTV galaxy, and there's plenty of easter eggs, familiar D-list supporting characters and criminals, and slightly askew yet still familiar storylines from the comics to keep things clipping along. Yanking Batman out of the picture is a smart move as well, giving Kate plenty of responsibility to cover in a short period of time, though all the familial connections in Season One grow a bit silly. Cousins, sisters, daughters, everyone seems to share a strand or two of DNA and it all gets a little Return of the Jedi for its own good.

Alas, Batwoman suffers from the same villain-of-the-week disease as all of the Arrowverse properties, perhaps even more so considering the series' first season is so late to the party. A slow build to costumed heroics and villainy also makes early episodes drag, while adding similar challenges other supes have dealt with along the way: mischaracterization in the press, misidentification, faulty equipment, a team forming oh so meanderingly, on and on and on. Worse, as a comic book character, Batwoman has the benefit of members of the Bat fam showing up early and often, but as is par for the course, DC seems ever so stingy when it comes to allowing the Big Kids to come out and play with Ms. Kane. Batman, Nightwing, Robin, even arch-enemies like the Joker are typically mentioned but unseen, leaving room for third-rate, D-tier villains from Bats' rogues gallery. And what of Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and other heavy hitters? Completely MIA, unless one of their Arrowverse counterparts -- if there is an Arrowverse counterpart -- are given permission to stop by to boost ratings. None of these irritations are show-enders, mind you, but the flaws are as formulaic as the plotlines and showdowns, to say nothing of yet another CW series with a inch by inch build-up to a fully fledged hero. And that may be the worst thing of all, as it makes every step of Batwoman that much more predictable than if the entire DC Comics sandbox were available to the writers from the jump.

The 5-disc Blu-ray edition of Batwoman: The Complete First Season includes all twenty episodes produced for the series' debut season, including:

1. Pilot - Kate Kane returns to Gotham when a gang targets her father and her ex-girlfriend Sophie Moore.

2. The Rabbit Hole - Jacob Kane and the Crows up the stakes; Kate continues to look to Bruce Wayne's legacy for guidance as Fox gets pulled into Batwoman's vigilante heroics; Sophie and Kate are forced to team up.

3. Down, Down, Down - The city waits for another visit from who they think is Batman. Alice continues to taunt Kate. Mary gets a new friend. As Batwoman faces a new enemy, Kate realizes she must make a decision.

4. Who Are You? - A new villain with an eye for all things that sparkle drops in on the city; Kate attempts to find a balance between her personal life and her new role as Gotham's guardian; Luke continues to fine-tune Batwoman's arsenal of weapons.

5. Mine Is a Long, Sad Tale - Alice takes Kate down the sad, winding road of her life in the days after the accident as Jacob and Sophie attempt to track them. Mary has an argument with Catherine which sends her looking for Kate at Wayne Tower, but instead she becomes unwelcome company for Luke.

6. I'll Be Judge, I'll Be Jury - A disturbing death has Gotham reeling and the city reaches out for their new vigilante hero. Luke confides in Kate, while Sophie asks Jacob for a special assignment. Alice continues her nefarious plot against the Kanes, with Catherine being a conduit to part of her plan.

7. Tell Me the Truth - Kate and Sophie must reconcile with their past as Kate questions just how much she can trust her former lover. Kate and Luke have an encounter with an old friend. Mary grapples with the fate of the Kane family as Catherine seeks Jacob's help. Alice and a new cohort are in on yet another nefarious plan, but her motives are more than they seem.

8. A Mad Tea Party - Kate and Alice continue their sister/nemesis dance, while Alice and Mouse construct their most evil plan yet. Mary invites Kate to a special event honoring Catherine and Jacob makes a decision that leaves Kate perplexed.

9. Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two - The group uses Ray's invention to track new recruits to help save the universe. The Monitor sends Iris, Clark and Lois in search of a mysterious Kryptonian, while Kate and Kara head out to find Bruce Wayne. In addition, Mia challenges Sara, Rory discovers a hidden talent, and Lex Luthor returns. This crossover begins on Supergirl S5E09, and continues on The Flash S6E09, Arrow S8E08, and Legends of Tomorrow S05E01.

10. How Queer Everything is Today! - While Gotham busies itself reacting to Batwoman’s awkward encounter, Alice celebrates her ultimate act of vengeance with Mouse. A devastated Mary focuses on Jacob Kane’s trial, while Sophie seeks advice about her love life from someone unexpected. As they tackle the newest threat to Gotham, Luke prioritizes protecting Batwoman’s secret, and Kate must decide what she is willing to do to honor Batwoman’s identity... and her own.

11. An Un-Birthday Present - On the Kane sisters’ birthday, Kate and Alice contend with demons from the past, and an unexpected guest makes a surprise appearance in Gotham.

12. Take Your Choice - With the hunt for Alice heating up, Kate faces a difficult decision.

13. Drink Me - A new villain sinks her teeth into Gotham and The Hold Up opens in grand fashion. Sophie reluctantly requests that Batwoman keep her distance knowing their interactions could compromise her career.

14. Grinning From Ear to Ear - Batwoman and Luke are on the trail of a villain targeting social media mavens. Sophie gets an unexpected visit from her mother, and Mary offers her expertise to assist Kate. Jacob Kane is approached to make good on a favor, while Alice focuses on her plans for retribution.

15. Off With Her Head - More of Alice’s dark past is uncovered when Cartwright shares a twisted story with Kate while Jacob goes searching for his wayward daughter. Mary and Luke follow a lead on Beth's killer.

16. Through the Looking Glass - Kate begins to question her instincts and Luke gets upsetting news. Alice seeks her sister’s help with a special task.

17. A Narrow Escape - Batwoman encounters a new challenge when an old villain resurfaces, testing the heroics of Gotham’s most stand-up citizens. Alice’s limits are tested.

18. If You Believe In Me, I'll Believe In You - Batwoman enlists Luke and Julia for an undercover mission to recover one of the most important items from her cousin’s arsenal. While Alice continues developing her devious plans within Arkham’s walls, she gets an unexpected visit from Jacob Kane who needs her help. Meanwhile, Mary tries to prove herself to Kate. As Sophie gets closer to a co-worker, Kate reunites with an old flame.

19. A Secret Kept From All the Rest - When members of Gotham's intelligentsia begin disappearing, Commander Kane, Sophie and the Crows go searching for the newest homicidal threat to the city. In the meantime, Kate is consumed with someone’s betrayal and starts questioning the loyalty of everyone around her just when she needs them most. So when Luke and Julia go missing, Batwoman must rely on Mary and a former foe to deploy her rescue mission. Meanwhile, Alice enlists Tommy Elliot to help acquire an elusive item that her sister also seeks.

20. O, Mouse! - When one of Gotham's former heroes returns to his old stomping grounds to settle a score, both Batwoman and Commander Kane find themselves on the defensive. Meanwhile, Alice has uncovered what could finally take down Batwoman, but she is losing hold on her henchman Mouse and Hush, sending her spiraling into her most wicked self. Luke immediately focuses on finding a way to protect Batwoman from Alice, and Mary has a chance to be the sister Kate has needed all along. New information surfaces, forcing Julia to warn Sophie about the person pulling the strings.

Note: A fifth disc is included that features all five parts of the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' crossover event.

Batwoman: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Batwoman features a decent enough 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. A bump in contrast and brightness would have gone a long way toward making the series a more stirring visual experience -- without tamping down much of the dark (k)night look of the photography -- but the gloomy, shadow-cast image we get is still back by some nice power and punch. Primaries pop when they aren't drowned in darkness, skintones are relatively lifelike, and detail is excellent, with crisp edges and refined textures. Delineation is oppressive and black levels crush at times, but it's all in keeping with the showrunners' intentions. Significant banding, blocking and errant noise are nowhere to be found, and what little artifacting I noticed seem to trail CG, green screen and composited shots.

Batwoman: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Batwoman's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a tad front-heavy by design, seeing as conversations comprise 90% of each episode. Dialogue is clear and intelligible at all times, prioritization is smart and without major flaw, and dynamics are decidedly decent. LFE output is assertive and weighty when called upon, bolstering action scenes with some hefty thunks, beatdowns and slams, and rear speaker activity makes the Gotham City streets and rooftops sound appropriately lived-in. Like most Arrowverse Blu-ray releases, Batwoman sounds like a lower budgeted TV show, but one with the wherewithal to sell much of its illusion with its audio mix.

Batwoman: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes (Disc 1-3, HD) - Deleted scenes are included for "The Rabbit Hole," "Mine Is a Long and Sad Tale," "Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 2," "An Un-Birthday Present," "Drink Me," and "Grinning From Ear to Ear."

• The Best of TV's Comic-Con Panels: San Diego 2019 (Disc 4, HD, 51 minutes) - Highlights from Arrow, Batwoman, Black Lightning, The Flash and Supergirl's comic-con panels.

• Crisis on Infinite Earths Parts 1-5 (Disc 5, HD) - Kudos to WB for including a separate disc with all five Arrowverse episodes that comprise the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. And in high-quality 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround. The crossover disc also includes six special features all its own:
  
  
  • The Architects Return (HD, 12 minutes)
  • Crisis Management (HD, 13 minutes)
  • Crisis Past and Present: Kevin Conroy, Bat Legend (HD, 3 minutes)
  • Crisis Past and Present: Superman vs. Superman (HD, 5 minutes)
  • Characters in Crisis: Pariah (HD, 4 minutes)
  • Characters in Crisis: The Anti-Monitor (HD, 5 minutes)

Batwoman: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you're a fan of the Arrowverse shows, you line up for 'em all; your favorites and Batwoman, which won't be most people's favorite by any stretch of the imagination. Still, the building blocks are in place for future seasons and you could certainly do worse than Kate Kane's dramatic adventures in babysitting villains. Warner's Blu-ray release is a solid one, with above average video and audio. Extras include the full Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover run, along with other featurettes sure to please Arrowverse junkies.