No. Did a video on the title cards and the villain reform episodes, that's it.
Getting my one complaint out of the way, this is sort of the Batman equivalent of Alan Moore's amazing Superman story "For The Man Who Has Everything". That said, I do think they have an interesting twist on it. Bruce Wayne wakes up in a world where he isn't Batman, and has never been Batman. His parents are alive and his life seems perfect. But he feels it isn't real. It's very much like a Twilight Zone episode. The mystery is pretty intriguing and I love the reveal that it's the Mad Hatter. I also love how Bruce doesn't actually see the Hatter, he just puts together all the clues himself. I think the episode also does a good job showing how strong Batman's resolve is. That he refuses to abandon his crusade no matter the cost. Kevin Conroy, who was always fantastic as Batman, is especially excellent here. You can tell he's been pushed mentally and you feel the confusion and frustration in his voice. Great episode, with a very dramatic climax.
#9 - MAD LOVEBy far my favourite episode of the New Adventures. We see Harley Quinn's back story presented, as well as her attempting to kill Batman so her and the Joker could be together. Most of the series, the relationship between Joker and Harley had been played for comedy. And to be fair, it usually was pretty funny. But here it's presented in a more serious light, and it's a pretty tragic portrayal of abusive relationships. The ending where Quinn almost decides she's done, before falling for the Joker again, really brings that home. The scene where Batman actually starts to mess with Harley's head and makes her question the Joker's relationship is pretty sad. Batman breaks Harley down in a very harsh way. Of course Joker really cranks up the harsh factor when he pushes Harley out a window, nearly killing her. The scenes that reveal Harley's back story are also quite good. There's something really sick about the way Joker seduces Harley. Arleen Sorkin is awesome here as Harley, and brings more emotional depth to the character than ever before. One of the best, most emotionally involving episodes.
#8 - DREAMS IN DARKNESSBatman is poisoned by Scarecrow and begins hallucinating before being locked away in Arkham Asylum. This is a very tense episode. Seeing Batman locked away and partly insane is really cool, and in a weird way kind of scary. I also like that Batman actually narrates the episode. It's a small detail, but again, I think it makes the episode really tense. I like really getting to spend an episode in Batman's head. Batman also has three extremely memorable hallucinations. One is when he's trying to get to Scarecrow, he starts imagining himself getting attacked by giant versions of all the villains. Another one is a very small one, but while working, Batman thinks he sees the reflection of the Joker coming at him in the Batcave. It's a very small moment, but I love it. Finally, there's an amazing dream sequence where Batman is walking through a version of crime alley, before seeing his parents. He calls to them, but they can't hear him. They start to walk into a tunnel, as Batman warns them not to. Suddenly the ground begins to shake and the tunnel rises from the ground, revealing it to be a giant gun. The gun fires at Batman, snapping him out of the hallucination. Finally, I love Scarecrow in this episode. He's genuinely very scary, and Henry Polic II gives a great performance. I've always loved this episode, and still have memories of it scaring me as a kid.
#7 - HOUSE OF GARDENBatman TAS had a lot of episodes about villains going straight (they were Dracula's favourites), and this one is easily the best. Poison Ivy has given up her criminal ways in favour of a life with a family. She's gotten married and has become the step-mom to her husband's kids. But at the same time, a series of poison related crimes leads to Ivy being the most likely subject. First off, this episode is really well executed. The music, animation, and lighting are all quite good. There's also a creature which is well designed and cleverly hidden throughout most of the episode. I also like watching Batman try to solve what's going on. But what really makes this episode special is Poison Ivy. It's interesting watching Ivy live a normal life, and I like how after they reveal she is behind the robberies, she still enjoyed having a family life. It wasn't something she just did as I front for her crimes. Speaking of the reveal at the end, it's really creepy. Ivy has essentially been growing children out of plants. The reveal is really dark, with children crawling out of pods repeating "Mommy". I also like how Ivy escapes Batman and Robin at the end. But it's the character that really makes this episode special. It's interesting seeing Ivy living her version of a normal life. Diane Pershing is awesome as Ivy, and this is easily the best Poison Ivy episode of the series.
#6 - THE LAUGHING FISHThe Joker was easily the most used villain of the series. Of all his episodes, it's this one that proves my favourite. The plot has to do with Joker poisoning fish so they smile like he does. Then he tries to copyright them. He's told by a wimpy worker that it's illegal, so Joker threatens to kill him. What I love about this episode is I think it's the perfect balance of the funny clown and the psychotic killer. I don't think Joker really cares about the fish, he just wants an excuse to torment people. I love the music in the episode, and I think it's got a good, tense feel. Mark Hamill is at his best with Joker, being both scary and hilarious. There's a lot of fun Joker moments. Any TV broadcast from him is awesome, and I love the scene where he first goes to the copyright office. The laughing toxin he he uses in this episode is really creepy and two scenes it's used really stands out. It may not be the deepest of episodes, but I think it's awesome fun executed brilliantly.
#5 - TWO FACEHarvey Dent has been trying to take down crime lord Rupert Thorne, but in doing so makes Thorne a powerful enemy. Harvey has also been struggling with his own personal demons, which Thorne attempts to exploit, leading to the accident which created Two-Face. One of the things that really makes this episode work is the fact that Harvey had been introduced episodes earlier. Because of this, we actually care about Harvey and it's emotional when he becomes a monster. I also like how they gave him psychological problems before he actually becomes Two-Face. The animation is also quite good here, and the design they came up with for Two-Face is really cool. Another great thing about the episode is not just the torment Harvey goes through, but the torment Batman goes through. Harvey and Bruce were genuinely good friends, and you can tell Batman feels responsible for what happened to Harvey. There's a great dream sequence involving Harvey, as well as the death of Bruce's parents, suggesting Harvey becoming Two-Face is as tragic a lose to Bruce as the murder of his parents. Richard Moll is great as both the charismatic and charming Harvey Dent, but also as the villainous and threatening Two-Face. I also enjoy watching Two-Face wage his private war against Rupert Thorne. I find the ending quite sad where Harvey almost redeems his sanity before plunging back into darkness. Finally, the scene where Two-Face can't decide because he can't find his coin I find especially sad and pathetic. What more can I say? It's one of my favourite origin stories to one of my favourite villains.
#4 - THE MAN WHO KILLED BATMANA dorky gangster thinks he's killed Batman and has to live with the consequences. This episode is so awesome. For one, it's interesting to see an episode entirely from another character's point of view, in this case Batman's supposed killer, Sid the Squid. Sid himself is pretty likable in his awkwardness, and Matt Frewer is hilarious in the part. It's just fun watching everything go wrong for Sid. After killing Batman, he's in a bar with his friends celebrating. Some thugs think of they kill Sid, the man who killed Batman, then that'll make them the toughest guys in Gotham. A bar brawl breaks out, which features what is, in my opinion, one of the funniest moments of the series involving a random bartender. I don't even know why I love this moment so much, but I do. After that, Sid is put in jail. Things seem pretty low for Sid, but they get worse when he's bailed out by the Joker. Joker doesn't actually believe Batman's dead, so he pulls a job just to be sure. But when Batman doesn't show up, Joker begins to believe he's really gone. He falls into something of a depression and has a funeral for Batman. During Joker's eulogy, he starts to get pissed and decides to throw Sid in a casket and roll him into a vat of acid. It's this part that's my favourite. All the stuff with Joker is great. This episode is a must see. It's a great story, it's funny, and it's full of fun moments.
#3 - ROBIN'S RECKONINGI've always defended Robin, and this two-parter is a big part of why. We see flashbacks into Dick's childhood, revealing what happened to his parents, as well as a modern story of Robin seeking revenge on the man who killed his parents. The origin story is where most of the emotional moments come from. The way portray the death of Dick's parents is very effective and sad. Bruce's empathy toward Dick is quite interesting, and I like seeing how their relationship began. It starts out pretty rocky. Bruce isn't around much because he's obsessed with finding Tony Zucco, the man who killed Dick's parents. Personally, I viewed this as Batman using Zucco as a surrogate for the man who killed his parents. Though Alfred suggests that what Dick really needs is a friend. From there, Bruce begins to spend more time with him, leading to my favourite scene where the two talk about their parents. In the present day story, I like that there's tension between the two. This was the first time a more complicated relationship was suggested. On top of that, I love that Robin actually comes off as an equal to Batman here. Finally, I like the final scene. Robin assumes Batman wanted him to stay away from Zucco because he was worried Robin would be too emotional, but it was really because Batman was afraid of losing Robin. All in all, it's a great episode. An emotional ringer that turns Robin from just a sidekick to an accomplished partner.
#2 - HEART OF ICEIs it typical to name "Heart of Ice" among the best episodes of the series? Yes, but there's a reason everyone loves it. It really is one of the best episodes of the series. After losing his wife in an accident that also turns him into a monster, Victor Fries becomes the villain Mr. Freeze, and starts to take revenge on the corporation that did it to him. It's a simple premise, but what really makes it great is the character of Mr. Freeze. Freeze is a compelling character who we feel sympathy for, because of the tragedy he suffered. He also has a brilliant design, and is brought to life by an excellent performance from Michael Ansara. Ansara brings an appropriate robotic cold to the part, but with an undercurrent of sadness. He's such a compelling character you're almost rooting for him by episode's end. The episode also has some amazing scenes. There's the reveal of Mr. Freeze's origin, where we see him trying desperately trying to protect his wife. We have the scene where Freeze discusses why he's willing to kill with Batman. We have the scene where Freeze finally confronts Ferris Boyle, the man who ruined his life. And finally, we have the seen where Freeze sits alone in his cell, crying. "Heart of Ice" should also be credited as the episode with the best dialogue of the series. Almost all incarnations of Mr. Freeze have borrowed from this episode since broadcast. It's a brilliant episode, with great writing and interesting characters. It's not my absolute favourite, but it's easy to see why so many have championed it.
#1 - I AM THE NIGHTNo super villains and little action scenes. It isn't colourful and it isn't funny. This is my favourite episode of Batman: The Animated Series. Why? Because it heavily focuses on Batman himself. As the episode begins, Batman is questioning if he makes any difference. After years of crime fighting, he finds criminals still running wild and wonders what the point of it is. As he says himself, "I've put out a few fires yes, won a few battles. But the war goes on Alfred, on and on." To see Batman at such a low point really is fascinating, and it's rare we see that in any medium, let alone from this series. Things get worse when Commissioner Gordon is shot and put in a coma. Batman feels responsible for this, and has something of a mental breakdown. It's just a fascinating look into the mind of the dark knight. This might be Kevin Conroy's finest performance as Batman, and that's really saying something. There's also a subplot here involving a punk kid caught up in crime. At the end of the episode, Batman confronts the kid thinking he's stolen something. The kid explains that he's actually leaving town to move back in with his folks and try to start over, and thanks Batman for inspiring him to do it. It's a clever way for the difference Batman makes to be revealed to him. But my absolute favourite scene is when Gordon finally comes out of his coma. The brief exchange he has with Batman is really touching. This is dark, somber, and at times depressing episode. But it's also a cathartic tale about why Gotham needs Batman. It also features a great script and great performances. This isn't an episode for the kids and it's not exactly a fun episode. What it is, is the greatest episode in the history of Batman: The Animated Series.
Dracula TOP 10 EPISODES#10 - THE LAST LAUGHI objectively shouldn’t be putting this on here, and I suspect I’d change my mind if I gave it another look, but man this episode is fun. This fills two voids in my list: it’s a dedicated Joker episode and it’s ****ing fun. Basically an extended chase episode where Batman is after The Joker and The Joker is trying to gas the city. Batman really kicks some ass here and I’ll never forget the way mark Hammel says “you killed Captain Clown? YOU KILLED CAPTAIN CLOWN!” Also that music. Holy ****! Why hasn’t that been sampled or remixed or something?
#9 - HARLEY & IVYThough Harley Quinn is one of this show’s most enduring creations, she would grow to become a liability as the show went on. The writers, infatuated with their creation, would overuse the character and overestimate her ability to carry entire stories. Still, she was pretty interesting early in her run as is attested in this episode where she is matched up with Poison Ivy for the first time. We get a much better idea of Harley’s semi-abusive relationship with The Joker, that’s a fairly complex issue to be raising on a Saturday Morning cartoon, and the fact that they raise it with a certain degree of ambiguity only adds to the challenge. The feminist material they add to this episode (in a satirical way) also feels fairly mature, and I also like that the episode has the whiff of a notion that Harley and Ivy might just have shared a love that dare not speak its name (and by that I mean they might have been performing cunnilingus on each other).
#8 - I AM THE NIGHTThis is probably the darkest and most serious episode that the series ever tackled, and in some ways they might have gone too far. It’s like the Batman equivalent of the Mobb Deep album The Infamous, you respect that there’s finally someone taking their medium to its somber extreme but the ride isn’t very fun. Still, you have to respect that this episode epitomizes everything that made this show great: excellent atmosphere, grounded storytelling, and adult sensibilities. It might have been taken to the next great level if they’d found a way to include a classic villain, but you can’t have everything, and someone like The Joker showing up could have ruined the episode’s gritty and realistic tone.
#7 - DAY OF THE SAMURAIOf all the choices on this list, this is probably the most oddball choice, the one that is the most out of line with common opinion. I make no apologies for the choice though, because this episode is badass. I love it when authors speculate about Batman’s early training, and the idea that he received ninjitsu training has always been awesome to me (see also: Batman Begins). Kyodai Ken is probably the most successful original villain that the series introduced (aside from Harley of course, and Kyodai Ken never over stayed his welcome like she did), and the idea of setting an episode in Japan and its legacy of martial arts was like geek catnip. I also really like how they position Batman as a figure between the Ninja of the night and the samurai with a code of honor. It’s just a really cool episode that touches upon certain topics that have always interested me.
#6 - IF YOU'RE SO SMART, WHY AREN'T YOU RICH?Some of the best episodes from early in B:TAS’ run were the episodes that served as origin stories for the show’s villains, and while this formula would eventually get stale, it worked really well when introducing the main rogues. This episode lacks some of the emotion of other villain intros, but it makes up for it through its sheer epic scope. We see right away that The Riddler on this series is going to be someone who will “go big,” and in this case he creates a giant labyrinth filled with riddle traps, many of them fairly interesting. It also uses Robin very well by making him knowledgeable about the Nygma-designed video game that the labyrinth was based on, and I also liked Batman’s Godian Knot like solution to the whole riddle.
#5 - BABY DOLLThis is the newest episode in the top ten (so yes, there’s nothing here from The New Batman Adventures), and I guess the reason it came so late in the show’s run is because it took a while for the writers to gain the confidence to make something like this. Earlier I said that Kyodai Ken was probably the show’s best original villain, and that’s true in so much as he seems like he had actual staying power, but within the context of a single episode Baby-Doll gives him a run for his money. This is firstly a great episode for references to other movies (Sunset Blvd., What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Baby Doll, The Lady From Shanghai, etc.) and it also makes some amusing references to television tropes. More than that it’s able to take a villain that could have been a joke in another context and really twisted it into something truly macabre.
#4 - FEET OF CLAY, PART 2I wasn’t above simply combining parts 1 & 2 into a single slot on the list, but this episode is probably better served by focusing in on the superior second half. Clayface’s origin is a bit drawn out in the first part and isn’t overly original, but in the second half where we actually get to the Clayface parts it starts to really get compelling. In particular I think this was almost certainly the series’ high point from an animation standpoint, with the Clayface character being brought to life excellently. The breakdown scene in the control room is particularly impressive both as an animation showcase and as an emotional finale to the story.
#3 - HEART OF ICE This is probably the most famous episode of the series and in many ways it needs no introduction. Unlike the other superhero series that would be made in its wake (Superman, Spider-Man, X-Men), B:TAS was not content to merely copy existing comic book stories, they were willing to improve on them. What they did to Mr. Freeze is a great example of this. Before B:TAS this was a gimmicky character not far removed from Joel Schumacher’s interpretation, but they made him into a serious tortured soul. They would reinvent other villains in this manner, but never as successfully as they did here.
#2 - PERCHANCE TO DREAMThis episode functions on a number of levels. On one level it’s a cool Twilight Zone homage, with Bruce as a man who finds himself in an extraordinary circumstance. It also functions as a sort of Last Temptation of Bruce Wayne, a chance for Bruce to see what his life would have been like if he hadn’t put on his cape. I do still have some problems with The Mad Hatter’s motivations and methods in the episode, which is what’s keeping the episode from serious number one consideration, but they’re a necessary conceit I suppose. Either way I loved this episode as a kid and I greatly enjoy it now.
#1 - THE MAN WHO KILLED BATMANThis episode might stand out just because it’s so a-typical, after all it barely features Batman himself and it’s told from the perspective of a guest star, but there’s sort of perfection at its center which really makes it memorable. It helps that Matt Frewer channels Jack Lemmon to make Sid The Squid a really memorable character worthy of carrying an episode like this. Sid is a schmuck, such a schmuck that even when he seemingly kills batman it leads to nothing but misery. We get to see Gotham react to Batman’s “death” and even get insight into The Joker’s reaction (he’s not happy). The episode simply avoids all the mistakes that the show would occasionally be plagued by: it isn’t predicated on an easily solved mystery, the villain doesn’t over-stay his welcome, and it maintains a mature demeanor all the way through.
NEVERENDING'S TOP 10 EPISODES#10 - ON LEATHER WINGS (1992)This may seem like an odd choice to many, but I've always had a fondness for this episode. For starters, the music is incredible. The action scenes are top-notch. Batman bleeds, which is the only time in the series we see that. And I love the idea of Batman facing a REAL Bat-Man.
#9 - BEWARE THE GREY GHOST (1992)Like,
On Leather Wings, I have a fondness for this episode. As a kid, in addition to enjoying Tim Burton's Batman films and this wonderful animated series, I also watched the 1960s TV show. So, I loved that they had Adam West as a guest star. And I thought it was incredibly ballsy that his role hit so close to home. Plus, this episode is just a lot of fun. It was also nice to see Batman, the character, have fun for a change.
#8 - THE DEMON'S QUEST, PARTS 1&2 (1993)The Demon's Quest is a nice change of pace. It's also a great tribute to the Batman comics of the `70s. They even got two legends to pen the script. It's the equivalent of Stan Lee writing an episode of a Marvel cartoon.
#7 - ROBIN'S RECKONING, PARTS 1&2 (1993)Robin is a delicate character to handle because while he is very important to the mythology, it's no secret that Batman works best alone. So, usually, the best stories are the ones that deal directly with the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. And that's because it moves away from the crime-fighting where Robin is usually pretty pointless. B:TAS had several Bruce & Dick episodes and this one is the best because it's literally just Bruce & Dick. Barbara Gordon and Tim Drake aren't in the way. Plus, we got an origin tale to go along with the main plot. That's a nice bonus. And... I guess this was a long way to explain why this episode won an Emmy. LOL.
#6 - PERCHANCE TO DREAM (1992)This episode asks the ask old question of, "what if?" and it gives us a great answer. I also loved Batman's closing line, "It's what dreams are made of."
#5 - MAD LOVE (1999)Joker and Harley always had a very interesting relationship. Some episodes did a good job of analyzing it, but this one did a great job. Plus, like
Robin's Reckonings, it added icing to the cake with an origin tale. Sadly, it won no Emmys.
#4 - OVER THE EDGE (1998)Like,
Perchance to Dream, this episode asks the big WHAT IF question. However, this time the answer is terrifying. It's also one of the few episodes from the so-called New Adventures that lived up to standards set by the original series.
#3 - THE LAUGHING FISH (1993)I love this episode for two reasons. The first is that it's a great Joker story. And the second is that it's an adaptation of two classic Joker comics. So, as a fan, I get geek-asms every time I watch it.
#2 - HEART OF ICE (1992)In 1992, my knowledge of the comics was very limited, so I didn't appreciate this episode since I wasn't aware of what the writers and producers had accomplished. But, now... wow... this show really left its mark in Batman history.
#1 - MUDSLIDE (1993)Mudslide is so ballsy that praise has to be given. When you start addressing Batman as the crazed vigilante that he is, you start entering dangerous waters. But... the producers didn't care. They marched right ahead. And it's that fearlessness that made this series standout. As Dracula likes to point out, this isn't your standard kids show. Also, I'd like to give a shout-out to Shirley Walker's score. It's A+.
