I've seen the show before. I saw episodes as a kid, as it played on reruns on channels. Born in the early 90s so obviously it was well before my time, but I enjoyed it unironically as a kid as kids don't pick up on all the silliness.
Then seen about a season of it in my late teens to early 20s on like netflix or something and enjoyed it for it's silliness.
Now watching it again, and yes, I see the bad acting, the campiness, the goofiness, the comedy, and it's all charming and enjoyable, but one thing in particular I absolutely love is that the Joker is just an over the top criminal with a clown gimmick. That's all he is, and it's great.
After all this post-modern waxing poetic from midwit pseudo intellectuals about the deep complexities of Batman and how "isn't it crazy how Batman and the Joker contrast each other...Bats are dark, but he is a symbol for good, and clowns are happy, but he's an agent of chaos" or "they need each other, they both would feel empty if either were gone"
Yadda yadda yadda.
This show, which was more in line with the older Batman comics, which I've never read, is like, "nope, Batman is a deputized member of the police and the Joker is just an eccentric goofy guy with clown makeup who pulls off zany heists."
It's refreshing after decades of Joker obsession from the pop culture/internet.
To me, Tim Burton Batman is the absolute darkest Batman needs to go. Batman 1989 is fun while having a more serious edge, but doesn't go too far with the "seriousness" like with the Nolan crap where it's deep philosophical musings involving a guy running around wearing bat ears.
Nolan Batman is so eye roll inducing....the pretentiousness.
Give me goofy Adam West camp over this "heckin realistic and serious" Batman any day of the week.
60s Batman, Tim Burton Batman, and Batman Forever (yes I like that movie, shut up). That's Batman to me. Everything else is garbage. I like the Arkham games too and a few other miscellaneous Batman stuff, but you get the idea.
Batman and Robin is also garbage. Just stating the obvious so you don't think I'm a contrarian with my enjoyment of Batman Forever. Joel Schumacher got lucky with Batman Forever and I think it's fun and the right amount of goofy whereas Batman and Robin went right off the cliff into the realm of retardation.
Curious what you think of The Animated Series with all of the above said, although it's perfectly fine to dislike it just for being a cartoon.
My favourite Batman in any media is the first 2 Arkham games, since to me (not necessarily a Batman aficionado) they are the perfect blend of Burton Batman, The Animated Series and the comics mythos, voiced by Kevin Conroy. However they are essentially darker than the Burton Batman and they are susceptible to the whole Batying/Jokeryang, over-emphasis on the Bat and Joker relationship that you mention.
This became egregious by the point of Arkham Knight (4th game) where Batman's now fighting the Joker in his head and the Jokerspawns created by left-behind Joker blood. I understand this is somewhat of a reference to newer comics which I haven't read ('The Batman Who Laughs'), but for some of the reasons you said, this is just 2edgy4me.
Eh...I just can't do it with cartoons. I've tried getting into it after hearing the praise. I don't get the huge hullabaloo about Mark Hammil's Joker. To me he sounds like a cartoon made for kids Joker. Nothing special.
It's not because Mark Hammil's a lefty either. His leftism hasn't ruined Luke Skywalker for me....I just don't see why people crow about his Joker like it's special.
I like him as Joker in Arkham games, but in the cartoon, it's just too cartoony.
I'll watch cartoons that are comedic like Loony Tunes or Futurama, Family Guy, etc, or the occasional classic cartoon like Scooby Doo or something.
But drama/action cartoons I can't get into.
I have the series on my Plex, and I've watched some of it. I like Mr Freeze in the animated series a lot. His voice, characterization and writing is really good.
But in general, there's too much of that WB Kids cartoony-ness that prevents me from getting into it.
There's something about live action where the camp and the cheese works for me because I'm watching real people, whereas something I don't like with animation (dramatic/action animation at least) is every single thing is too intentional. No facial expression is accidental. The artists draw it exactly how they want it. And in most cases the expressions are too overly expressive, having no subtlety. And that's why I can't get into animated acting. Radio is different. Radio you use your imagination and voice acting shines there.
But cartoons take the advantage of voice acting and meticulously detail every facial expression taking away the advantage of imagination, while also not having the benefit of live actors with their imperfections and body language choices.
That would be my best guess as to my rationale as to why I can never get into a cartoon, besides comedic cartoons.
The Animated Series is really a product of its time, and lot of its high points were rooted in that. From the production value, to how dark it was willing to get, to having legitimate VAs like Hamill, all of this was way out of the norm at the time. It stood out as something special. If you don't have nostalgia for it, its unlikely to ever get you.
Batman The Brave and the Bold is apparently also really good (haven't seen myself) and is a completely comedic series that was dedicated to obscure and campy villains that will never get acknowledged again for being too funny or ridiculous.
Might be more your alley in this regard.