# Superman: The Animated Series (1996)

> Superman defends Metropolis from supercriminals while hiding his alien identity behind the glasses of Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4089

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 54
- Episode runtime: 21 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, action, science fiction
- Created by: Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett
- Network: The WB
- Cast: Tim Daly, Dana Delany, George Dzundza, Clancy Brown, David Kaufman, Charlie Schlatter, Jonathan Harris, Aria Noelle Curzon
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115378/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, hopeful, adventurous, optimistic, breezy

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its faithful and optimistic take on the Man of Steel and its strong voice cast.

## Synopsis

Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000) is an American animated superhero series created by Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett for The WB. Tim Daly voices Superman and his mild-mannered alter ego Clark Kent, a reporter at the Daily Planet in the city of Metropolis. Dana Delany voices Lois Lane, his colleague and romantic foil, while David Kaufman voices photographer Jimmy Olsen and Clancy Brown voices the scheming Lex Luthor. The engine of the show is simple and sturdy: a powerful alien from Krypton must protect ordinary people from supercriminals while keeping his true identity hidden from the people closest to him. Each episode delivers a self-contained battle against a rogues gallery of villains, with story arcs that let the characters grow across three seasons of fifty-four episodes. Set in a bright, art-deco inflected Metropolis, the series is a Warner Bros. Animation production within the DC Animated Universe, and its tone is earnest, hopeful and warm, with an emphasis on justice and decency. Fans of Batman: The Animated Series, Teen Titans and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman will find the same heroic idealism, family-friendly action and reliable moral clarity here.

## Shows like Superman: The Animated Series

- [My Adventures with Superman (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/104403)
- [Super Friends (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/883)
- [Superman & Lois (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/80280)
- [Supergirl (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55709)
- [Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/14730)
- [Smallville (2001)](https://ember.film/tv/4382)
- [The New Batman Adventures (1997)](https://ember.film/tv/4403)
- [Justice League Action (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/60377)
- [The Batman (2004)](https://ember.film/tv/1913)
- [Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993)](https://ember.film/tv/4295)

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