Looking back at the most underappreciated Spider-Man series

Spider-Man is one of the most iconic heroes ever, so it isn't much of a surprise he has been the star of numerous series over the years. Some of them had the opportunity to go on for multiple seasons, like Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. Others became instant classics by earning fans' love from the get-go just like Spectacular Spider-Man. Besides, Spider-Man The Animated Series (1994) was responsible for introducing a whole generation to the beloved character.

However, a few other series haven't seen the same levels of success in any of these aspects. Spider-Man Unlimited was canceled after just one season without really making waves. Ultimate Spider-Man was mostly disliked by fans and critics alike, especially since it had the tough act to follow Spectacular Spider-Man. And there's also the rare case of a series that had some ingredients to become something memorable and yet ended up falling short. Yeah, you know which one we're talking about.

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is a hidden gem

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series was intended to expand on the events of the Sam Raimi live-action movies. However, that idea didn't go according to plan, and the project ultimately told an isolated story.

Released in 2003, the series followed Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborn as they attended Empire State University and faced many new problems. On paper, it would seem like any normal adaptation of the wall-crawler. However, all it takes is a deeper look to see it's everything but that.

While Spider-Man: The New Animated Series wasn't perfect by any means, it didn't deserve to be as quickly dismissed and, worse of all, forgotten. If anything, it should be given more credit for having a different approach to the character. Let's face it: it's uncommon to see "mature" Spidey stories on the small screen, but this adaptation did exactly that.

A gritty take on the friendly neighborhood hero

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is dark and gritty; there's no other way around it. On occasions, it can take itself a little bit too seriously for its own good. But most of the time it works in favor of its narrative. Watching Electro burn a bully to death, The Lizard violently throw a security guard to his death, and Shikata cutting the head off a man allowed these villains to feel incredibly dangerous and unhinged.

To take things a step further, the series finale is absolutely tragic. Peter is tricked into seriously harming her friend and love interest Indy - going as far as putting her into a coma. Unable to be called a "hero" afterward, he tosses his suit into the ocean, making it clear that Spider-Man is no more.

Had a second season been made, viewers would've watched Peter wear the mask one more time. But, unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and now the series will forever end with New Yok's protector giving up once and for all. It's hauntingly beautiful in a way, as no other Spidey adaptation has such a grim conclusion. Sure, fans are divided on this finale, but one thing that can't be denied is that it's different from what we're used to, at the very least.

A perfect Spider-Man voice and interesting art style

One of the highlights of Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is its frontman. Neil Patrick Harris' voice was simply made to play our friendly neighborhood hero. He brought all the necessary layers to the role, including Peter's excitement when swinging between buildings and his remorse when failing to save the day. It was such a match made in heaven that he even revisited the character in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

On the same page, fully creating the series with 3D animations and VFX was a very refreshing choice. Sure, you can easily tell it was a daunting task to pull off back in 2003, as multiple scenes aren't all that polished. But even then, the result is an aesthetically pleasing art style that hasn't been replicated to date in any Spider-Man series. You can definitely tell that idea was way ahead of its time, as it won't be until the release of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - more than 20 years later - that similar animation techniques will be used.

Overall, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is a flawed, hidden gem. It unfortunately got lost in time and isn't as beloved as other Spidey projects. But if you're a fan of the character and want to watch something different from what we're used to, then this series is a must. Neil Patrick Harris' portrayal is worth it alone, and it has many other strengths that make it worthy of your time as well.