Batman: The Animated Series- Off Balance

 "As you said, detective... this is not over!"

This is a magnificent episode. An exciting story, a clever twist, Helen Slater (Supergirl herself!) and a nod to the fact that Gotham City is a kind of fictional knock-off of New York City by featuring a knock-off Statue of Liberty in the opening set piece... this one has it all. 

The conceit is delicious- a kind of criminal cult called the Society of Shadows, with eyes everywhere, which kills anyone who spills its secrets and whose agents use a mind-erasing drug when captured. Already this is intriguing. But they are led by a chap called Vertigo, whose powers induce a particularly trippy version of just that, combined with a penchant for set piece booby traps. And naturally this shadowy organisation is after Wayne Enterprises' latest MacGuffin.

Even more intriguing, though, is a lady of ambiguous loyalties who eventually saves Batman, healing him, and seeing who he is beneath the mask, apparently a friend... but then she gives her name: Talia. And yeah, at that point I knew.

It was still enormous fun to see how the episode ending, though, with Talia proving to be loyal neither to the law nor to Vertigo... but to her father, Ra's al Ghul. About bloody time...

And I love the fact that the title is a pun.

Batman: The Animated Series- If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?

 "How much is a good night's sleep worth?"

It was the 1960s Batman TV series that really popularised the Riddler as a villain, with only a couple of appearances in the comics at that point, so it's appropriate that this episode should feel, structurally, much like said TV series. Robin is in it. Our heroes confront the villain and his henchmen early on, are defeated, and come back later to save the day. There's even a deathtrap, albeit not for our heroes.

Yet the mood is very much par for the Animated Series, an aesthetic of creepy amusement parks at night and shadowy figures in murky rooms. And we get a version of the Riddler's traditional origin story, the creation his former employers are ripping him off for being a computer game in this version. I like that. I also like that, yes, Mockridge is saved... but, with the Riddler getting away, he may be rich but now lives in fear. He's rich, yes, but not smart.

There's a surprising slight bias to puzzles as opposed to riddles, perhaps, but this is an entertaining little episode, the little puzzles in the maze being enormous fun. I suppose we'll just have to see if the Riddler as a character has any legs beyond this origin story, 

Batman: The Animated Series- Heart of Steel, Part I

 "Sounds as if the human race could be quite expendable."

This episode is really very impressive indeed. Not only is a strong start to what promises to be a gripping two-parter but, for an episode made in 1992, its concerns about AI are surprisingly contemporary... but then, are such concerns really that new? Humans have been worried about being supplanted by intelligent machines ever since Karel Capek wrote the play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), back in 1920, expressing fears of a robot revolution and coining the word "robot" itself into the bargain.

So yeah, I raised an eyebrow when we encountered a character called Rossum...

We begin as a young lady leaves a briefcase in the lobby of Wayne Enterprises, which bizarrely turns into a kind of metal spider, carrying out its pre-planned tasks in a way that immediately made me think of those AI drones that Ukraine is using against the Russians, a truly terrifying technology... yeah, thank you, Putin, for opening Pandora's Box there. I hope the next AI assassin drone gets you.

Anyway, it's all very good. We get Barbara Gordon, android duplicates and a creepy A.I boss computer. We get an obvious femme fatale who Bruce allows to discover the Batcave and his secret identity (oops!) despite being suspicious from the off. Let's see where this goes, but so far I'm liking it.

Batman: The Animated Series- Feat of Clay, Part II

 "There is no Hagen. It's only me now... Clayface!"

A strong conclusion, this, ramping up the tragedy for Hagen, who is now stuck as Clayface, a total shapechanger with scarily extensive powers... but the trade off is the sheer effort it takes. Clayface as a villain is one of those who forgoes the usual Batman realism (although there are others in the rogues gallery that do the same...), but this is counterbalanced by hisbackstory as someone mafdeaddicted to a harmful substance against his will, ruining his life.

His story goes as expected, with a particularly creative take on the "he's dead... or is he?" ending trope. I suppose, unlike last episode which fizzed with ideas and events (is Marv Wolfman less involved this time?), there wasa lot more focus on Batman v. Clayface here. Bruce Wayne gets cleared and released conveniently quickly, perhaps undermining the cliffhanger a little. 

This seems to be a running theme of the animated series so far... bringing out the pathos in the villains. First Two-Face, then Mr Freeze, now Clayface. I'm impressed.

Batman: The Animated Series- Feat of Clay, Part I

 "Once they're hookred, they stay hooked..."

We get another first appearance here from another traditional member of Batman's rogues gallery, and on the strength of this two parter it certainly promises to be another good one. Matt Hagen is a sympathetic figure and the script (by Marv Wolfman, no less!) is clever, effective and surprisingly complex for a twenty-minute piece of television, but it works.

Particularly effective is the opening set piece, with "Bruce Wayne" apparently betraying Bruce Wayne, but the appearance of Batman showing us that all must not be as it seems. There are a number of different characters here, and the unfortunate Matt Hagen has become dependent on a substance which can remove his disfigurement for awhile.There's a clear subtext here, of substance abuse and addiction arising from tragic experiences.

The episode is interesting in otherways, though. Batman's use of the Batwing to interrogate Bell is...edgy, to say the least, and clearly earns the disapproval of Gotham's police. It all feels very dark, very noir.

So far I'm very impressed.

Batman: The Animated Series- See No Evil

 "All I want is for you to disappear!"

Another excellent episode this time- these one-offs where the villain isn't necessarily from Batman's rogues gallery have a tendency to be strong. This is no exception, and it's extraordinary just how much incident gewts packed into twenty-two minutes.

At first we have an interesting scenario with an invisible jewel thief who seems to double as a little girl's invisible friend for whom he's stealing. But it then takes a tragic turn into a custody battle, with the "villain" ending up back in prison and potentially poisoned by the invisibility suit.

Parts of the episode- the acting and animation- try to portray Ventrix as a straightforward bad guy, but... well, he may be a thief, but is it a bad thing for a father to want to look after his daughter as he should, rather than have the mother take it upon herself to refuse? I don't know how it works in America, but in the absence of a court order (and so such thing, or US equivalent, is implied), surely custody is a civil matter? 

Still, let us just say that I may admittedly have my own reasons for perhaps overthinking that. And that, if one is being prevented from seeing one's child by an unreasonable ex, it's wise not to cause drama but to take them to court instead.

 As far as trivia is converned... wow, a very young Elisabeth Moss. And is this the first appearance of Lucius Fox?