Superman: The Animated Series

RELEASED 6 Sept 199618h 54m · 54 episodes★ 7.7 TMDB

Superman, an incredibly powerful alien from the planet Krypton, defends Metropolis from supercriminals. Superman hides his identity behind the glasses of Clark Kent; a mild-mannered reporter for the newspaper the Daily Planet. At the Daily Planet Superman works with fellow reporter Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen.

WATCH NOTE

The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest compiles this series' season 2 story World's Finest, Parts 1–3, first broadcast October 4, 1997. Watch those episodes or the compilation to avoid repeating the same adventure. Viewers following the full series should retain episode order; the compilation adds no episodes and is not required separately. The New Batman/Superman Adventures (1997–2000) also presented this series alongside Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. That broadcast package repeats component-series coverage and is not an additional series to watch.

Why it matters in DC

Metropolis and the Daily Planet give this animated Superman a world of recurring relationships beyond his powers. Alongside the Batman animated stories, it establishes a major part of the character background that later Justice League adventures bring together.

Watch these first

2 titles to watch before Superman: The Animated Series — 32h 27m in total.

Batman: The Animated SeriesRecommended31h 10m★ 8.6
Features Batman earlier in DC Animated Universe, providing character context before Superman: The Animated Series.
Batman: Mask of the PhantasmRecommended1h 17m★ 7.5
Features Batman earlier in DC Animated Universe, providing character context before Superman: The Animated Series.

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How these titles are selected

Story prerequisites are curated. Likely prerequisites are inferred from sequel numbering or explicit synopsis references. Recommendations are earlier stories in the same continuity; background picks are separate adaptations. Series lists cover whole shows, not an episode-by-episode watch order.

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Where it fits in the DC universe

Superman: The Animated Series is title 4 of 16 in our DC Animated Universe viewing sequence. Superman: The Animated Series establishes the Metropolis side of the DC Animated Universe. Alongside the Batman series, it provides character context for the later Justice League shows. The catalogue groups whole series for convenience, so this order is not a precise schedule interleaving every episode and crossover.

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