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This popularity makes her live-action presence (or lack thereof) extremely disappointing. Sure, she’s appeared plenty of times in animated projects and video games, but she barely ever jumps to the live-action format. In the rare cases when he does, she’s usually sunk by lousy material. Even then, some DC products opt instead to focus on Jim Gordon’s wife, who’s also named Barbara. These factors mean that fans have a hard time finding a faithful portrayal.
6 Melinda McGraw - The Dark Knight
Part of Jim Gordon’s drive in Christopher Nolan’s second Batman tale is to protect his family. The great irony is that his wife only gets a few scenes, and she spends most of them crying. Granted, she accomplishes that well enough, and it sells the fear that every cop’s significant other must go through.
However, this crime epic juggles so many characters and plot threads that some inevitably get more consideration than others. The filmmakers only spend time on pieces essential to the puzzle. As such, Barbara is strictly there to enhance the drama surrounding Jim. Anyone hoping for something more from her will be left wanting.
5 Alicia Silverstone - Batman & Robin
This is Batgirl’s first big-screen appearance, and it’s in one of the most reviled movies of all time. Batman & Robin expands its packed roster of characters with Barbara Wilson. Instead of Gordon’s daughter, she’s Alfred’s niece. That’s far from the biggest insult, though.
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Her assuming the mantle here doesn’t feel the least bit earned. Not only does the script shoehorn her subplot into an unrelated story, but Alicia Silverstone’s casting clearly came about solely because Clueless was popular at the time. That definitely shows in her performance. She looks and sounds hopelessly bored, lacking any conviction or energy. She must hate this flick as much as the fans do.
4 Erin Richards - Gotham
In a prequel show about a young Jim Gordon, it stands to reason that his eventual wife would have a large role. As with most of its characters, though, Gotham takes Barbara completely off the rails, propelling her into a plethora of plotlines. She goes from frightened girlfriend to Harley Quinn-esque nutcase to sultry assassin to a cynical mob boss.
There, it’s no surprise that Richards is so over the top. Her wild eyes bulge comically, and her cold delivery as she commands her followers is straight out of a sitcom. It’s utterly ridiculous. That said, it can also be entertaining, fitting neatly into the rest of the insane show.
3 Savannah Welch - Titans
This streaming series actually has Barbara Gordon–the daughter–in the wheelchair. Unfortunately, it’s another case of the show’s bizarre take deviating from the source with less than compelling results. When Barbara comes in during the third season, she’s just as angsty as the rest of the Titans. She hates Bruce Wayne and everyone else.
As a result, it’s tough to muster the spontaneity or sharpness associated with the heroine. Welch focuses entirely on heavy pathos, but she comes up short. She lacks the worldly quality needed for such weight. Her performance is more akin to the navel-gazing melodrama found in teen romance schlock on The CW. Barbara Gordon should be far above that as both Batgirl and Oracle.
2 Dina Meyer - Birds Of Prey
How ironic that such a terrible show could be so on point with this bit of casting. In Birds of Prey, Barbara Gordon has progressed to her Oracle persona after being crippled by the Joker. Her experience essentially makes her the leader of the team.
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Thankfully, Meyer has the presence to pull off that role. She carries the edge of someone who’s been through the wringer, yet it never bogs her down in angst. Rather, it adds weight to her authority, which itself is balanced by maternal warmth. Sure, she occasionally suffers from lackluster writing, but she works with it better than her peers. In the end, fans couldn’t ask much more from a live-action Barbara at this stage in her life.
1 Yvonne Craig - Batman (1966 TV Series)
For Barbara in her prime, it doesn’t get better than the original. After her creation in the early ’60s, it didn’t take long for Batgirl to make her live-action debut. Yvonne Craig soon stormed onscreen in the iconic Batman TV series of the era. Though she appeared in its third season, one would think she’d been there the whole time.
Craig’s performance has a perfect mix of pep and professionalism that’s hard to dislike. What’s more is that, unlike Burt Ward’s Robin, she carries the charisma to keep up with Adam West. That confidence lights up every scene and the show overall. She makes her fair share of mistakes, but never once do viewers doubt her value as a fellow crime-fighter. That’s a credit to both the strong script and Craig’s charm. She remains the best Batgirl and Barbara Gordon ever put to screen.
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