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It's tough to pick favorites when discussing the Justice League animated series and its follow up, Justice League Unlimited. It's also tough to really make a distinction between the two, despite the different titles and increased roster. A few tweaks aside, they're the same show, and the level of quality is consistent throughout.
The most important thing to remember about Justice League and Justice League Unlimited is that this is probably the single best introduction to the wider DC Universe that you can hope for. Just as Batman: The Animated Series perfectly distilled all of the essential elements of the Batman mythology into one perfect package, that's what these shows do with the spirit of the DCU.
In any case, we're bound to have left some of your favorites off of here, because there really aren't any bad episodes. But let's celebrate some of our favorites. If you haven't given this show a chance yet, this is the right place to jump in.
Justice League
"Legends"
Justice League Season 1 Episodes 16 and 17
OK, so it's not quite the Justice Society, rather the "Justice Guild of America." But when "Legends" aired, it was by far the closest to an Earth-2 story we had ever seen on TV before. And make no mistake, the Green Guardsman and the Streak were the closest we ever thought we'd get to seeing Alan Scott or Jay Garrick on our screens. Of course, we were wrong, but we'll get to that.
The beauty of "Legends" isn't just how it lovingly parallels the JSA with these characters, but in the curveball it throws us. Rather than an exercise in nostalgia, "Legends" becomes something akin to a Twilight Zone episode with its story, but its character interplay recalls another show. These early episodes of Justice League, while not as completely wrapped up in DCU fan service as Justice League Unlimited was, showcase the team dynamic in a way that often reminds me of Star Trek: The Next Generation more than a show about superheroes. That's a good thing.
"Injustice for All"
Justice League Season 1 Episodes 18-19
Lex Luthor doesn’t really fit as a corrupt businessman when he’s up against an entire superhero team. The Superman: The Animated Series