Batman: The Animated Series- Cat Scratch Fever

 "You're hot."

"Now you notice!"

Another Catwoman episode, and it's interesting to see where they're going with her- good at heart, and motivated by her social conscience for good or ill. Sentenced only to five years' probation, she stands to lose her liberty for a long, long time if she get's convicted again. Will this last, with the Sword of Damocles hovering over her head.

The Batman-Selina-Bruce ironic love triangle is well done again, played for banter and humour rather than too much pathos, which could have become tiresome. It'll be interesting to see where the Animated Series takes Selina Kyle: I hope we'll be seeing a lot more of her. But is this trajectory for the character sustainable in the long run, I wonder?

More good world building for Daggett, too, one of Gotham's stable of untouchable mob bosses. His scheme this week is particularly nasty- start a deadly plague, having established a monopoly on the cure. On a similar vein, I wonder whether Daggett will ever see any kind of consequences for his behaviour?

A solid episode, good if not great. But fascinating in terms of where the now fully established Animated Series seems to be heading.

Batman: The Animated Series- Appointment in Crime Alley

 "Good people still live in Crime Alley..."

Another excellent episode this time, if more low key than some. Yes, the plot is basically a race against time to stop a bomb. But there's a lot more going on than that, and I don't just mean "corner of Finger and Broome"- see what they did there? I love the way this series names its streets after writers and artists who've worked on Batman and Detective Comics.

I kniw I say this a lot, but I'm very impressed aty how the Animated Series continues to build nuances into its world buildfing. Here we're introduced to Dr Lesley Thompkins, a figure from Batman's origins, and of course to Crime Alley. And once again we see one of the regular less colourful criminals, in this case Roland Dagget, who naturally ends the episode slithering away, his murderous schemes defeated but wioth no evidence to link them to him.

And that final scene, humanising Batman as a character, is a fascinating choice. But one that works. I'm so glad the series has time for episodes like this.

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.