Pretty damn depressing for a show on "Fox Kids.." one thing I never understood about TAS was the technology: in one episode they're practically using victrolas and in the next they're using VHS and security cameras.
Timm wanted the show to be intentionally anachronistic. People dress like it's the 1930's and the architecture is very art deco, yet Batman deals with self-aware robots and genetically modified clones. Video games look like they're running on Atari 2600's, yet virtual reality has been perfected. The idea was to establish Gotham City as its own reality with its own rules, so all the supervillain gadgets and mad science would look less out of place.
The way he described it was, "Gotham City is a place where everyone owns a computer, but TV is only broadcast in black and white."
That's really cool. I figured there was some intent behind the anachronisms, but didn't realize the intent was so specific. That's actually one of the things that will eventually piss me off about the new Batman movies, where his gadgets rely on technology that's specific to 2004-2012, and will seem obsolete if I re-watch them in 15 years.
I had no idea what you meant by "BTAS" until I started watching it. Oh! The best Batman cartoon, why didn't you say so?
Needless abbreviations are one of the most annoying parts of the internet. You are typing, not writing calligraphy... you can take five extra sections to write out "Batman the Animated Series".