Batman: The Animated Series- Harley and Ivy

 "You're just one big, forgiving doormat, aren't you?"

Another superb episode here, from the opening scenes with the very Tim Burton-esque Gotham cityscape evoking his two Batman films to the highly satisfying ending with Officer Montoya being the one to apprehend Poison Ivy and Harlequin. But, despite the highly 1960s-style deathtrap and the very Thelma and Louise crime wave (much of it shown via newspaper headlines in the use of a splendid old trope). this episode succeeds because of character.

It's fun seeing the two ladies capering together, especially sticking it to the Patriarchy in various ways. But this episode is fascinating as the first to truly depict the relationship between Harley and the Joker as it would later be understood- abusive, co-dependent, complex. Harlequin knows the Joker is abusing her but she misses him when he's not there, and needs him. It's complex, tragic, nuanced, and depicted so very well.

It's a Batman-lite episode, yes, but that's ok. This series is very strongly about its ensemble cast. Batman standing back gives us a chance to see some real depth to poor Harlequin in what is yet another superb episode.

Batman: The Animated Series- The Man Who Killed Batman

 "Without Batman, crime has no punchline."

We begin with rain, with night-time darkness, with interesting camera angles giving a very noir feel, matching the '40s fashions and cars for which the Animated Series is known. And a small time crook, one Sidney Debris, face drawn in that slightly cartoonish way of which the Animated series can be fond, seems to have killed Batman, in circumstances which he relates to Rupert Thorne, and to us.

This is one op those episodes that are "Batman-lite", and are told from a specific perspective. Such episodes are often among the best, and this is certainly no exception.

Debris, except in his head, is a hopeless loser. Set up to take the fall, he accidentally seems to kill Batman, but the fame proves too much for this mouse of a man. Violence, suspicion, a dangerous encounter with a fascinating nuanced and unstable Joker (by this point the character of the Joker, and his rapport with Harley Quinn, is very interesting), all drives him to desperately seek help from Thorne.

And here we have the two clever twists that really make the episode: Thorne doesn't believe him, thinking him a dangerous rival and, less surprisingly, Batman is not in fact dead (interestingly, not only Montoya but also Bullock must presumably have been in on it) but using Debris as a reward to get to Thorne. It's all delightfully clever, and the ending- Debris finding respect as a big man in prison- is perfect.

As is, perhaps, the episode itself.

Batman: The Animated Series- Almost Got 'Im

 "Smaller words, please. Your losing Croc."

As an idea for an episode it feels trite, lazy, low effort. A bunch of Batman's foes- the Joker, Two Face, Poison Ivy, the Penguin and, er, Killer Croc all play poker and compete with stories (and flashbacks) about which of them came closest to killing Batman.

Except... it works, by subverting the very premise. Not only is an episode from the villains' POV a success in practice, it further fleshes out the villains' characters. The way they interact is fun. It's wryly acknowledged that Harvey Dent and Pamela Isley are exes. Everyone mocks Killer Croc for his limited intellect ("I threw a rock!"). Between the others, there's a kind of mutual respect... although the Joker is certainly the alpha male.

However, the twist at the end is delicious- it's all a trap. And, all the more intriguing, it's yet another riff on the fascinating pseudo-romance between Batman and Catwoman... however, they can't keep the "will they, won't they?" simmering forever.

Nevertheless, a strong episode.

Batman: The Animated Series- The Laughing Fish

 "Come on- he was a demented, abusive, psychotic maniac."

"Yeah, I'm really gonna miss him".

The above exchange says such a lot about the relationship between Harley Quinn and the Joker- twisted, perverse, but feeling weirdly real in its co-dependence. For this first time we get to see hints of the relationship I saw in Suicide Squad. It'll be interesting to see this develop.

This episode is the best Joker episode so far. But then, of course, it's based on an old '70s comic story, which I've read, by Steve Englehart. While i know him much better for his late '80s Marvel stuff, I do recall enjoying it in comic book form and it's no less compelling here, with the Joker's clever ways of using fish to get at the relevant functionaries.

Interesting use of Bullock here, too, questioning Batman's involvement, overruled by Gordon and ending up being saved by Batman from the Joker's inevitable shark. And A nice bit of Alfred's snark too. At this point, I think, the Animated Series is fully formed. And very good indeed.

Batman: The Animated Series- Joker's Favour

 "You just toddle on back to your mundane, meaningless little life, and when I need you... I'll call..."

And there she is: Harley Quinn, for the very first time.

Not that she gets much depth here: she could easily have been a one-off character on the strength of this. But it'll be fascinating to see how she develops.

No: this is the tale of Charlie Collins, another one shot caharacter voiced by Ed Begley Jr, later to be known for Better Call Saul. Charlie at first seems like a bit of a Greek Chorus sort of character, commenting wryly on the action while having a bad day, but no; an impromptu act of road rage goes pear shaped as he realises the other driver is in fact the Joker, leading to a chase and the Charlie owing the Joker a favour... which will one day be called in... cut to two years later.

The whole sequence is very well done indeed, and the tale is highly satisfying overall. There's some nice stuff with Jim Gordon, and one of those moments where Batman comes out of the shadow, says something to the Commissioner, ad then vanishes.

Easily the best Joker episode thusfar. Mark Hamill is, by now, very good.