Batman: The Animated Series- Read My Lips

 "Don't put words in my mouth!"

At last we get the Ventriloquist and Scarface, the early '90s' best contribution to Batman lore, and they're terrifically done. The animation really brings out the over-the-top look of Scarface and the contrast with the meek, nondescript Ventriloquist. the character is such fun, and it's hilarious to see the penny drop for Batman.

Yes, I know I'm always banging on about this, but this episode really leans into the '40s noir aesthetic of '40s suits, cars and tommy guns. The plot owes a little to the noir template too, with the nice little betrayal twist at the end, a prime example of how to perfectly plot a perfectly paced episode for twenty minutes.

The character of the Ventriloquist is fascinating, with his two genuinely independent personalities, with no one in the gang doubting that it's specifically Scarface who is the brains behind the outfit. And he really is.

One of the best recent episodes, really evoking those good old issues by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle which, for a while, this usual reader of Marvel titles would avidly collect. 

Batman: The Animated Series- Fire from Olympus

 "Now, at last, mighty Zeus is home..."

Maxie Zeus, it's fair to say, never really was a top tier Batman villain, and so I'd not be surprised if this turns out to be his only appearance in the Animated Series. Still, it's nice to see a villain of his stature make an appearance. Might there perhaps be some hope for Crazy Quilt?

This is nicely done, though. The backstory changed so that Maxie becomes a businessman turning to criminal dealings, and whose exposure to the legal consequences causes him to crack. There is depth in his "muse" Clio being heartbroken by what has happened to the man she once loved, and it's a nice touch that we get a brief moment of the real Maxie before he, er, orders her to be tied to the front of this episode's MacGuffin of a massive, massive gun before firing it.

The forties vibes are even stronger than usual here, with everyone suitably attired and the police having, yes, an airship. And, yet again, the plot moves forwards with admirable efficiency so as to fit within the twenty minute timeslot, with nicely efficient exposition between Batman and Jim Gordon who, well, seems awfully happy to disclose what must surely be secret information with his vigilante friend.

Overall. good stuff, and good use of a quirky but forgettable villain. Even if the writer doesn't quite get the distinction between the subjective and objective in the singular second person pronoun in early modern English- "... where thee belongs", indeed! 

Batman: The Animated Series- His Silicon Soul

 "We humans are more resilient than you give us credit for."

Sequels are at their best when they're not just a cynical attempt to bring back something popular, but actually have something to say. Fortunately, this sequel to the Heart of Steel two-parter very much does. And it's a deeply, satisfyingly philosophical twenty minutes or so of television.

The plot is quite straightforward- burglars unwittingly revive a duplicate of Batman and, after some fun with the fact that the winged detective has a metal doppelganger, the duplicate sets out to bring back HARDAC and yet again replace all of humanity with AI. And, yes, this is an interesting episode to watch in October 2026, with stories of AI agents going rogue getting worryingly frequent for a kind of event for which the only acceptable level of frequency is "none at all.

Yet the plot is a mere excuse for the philosophical questions to play out. The Batman doppelganger is convinced by Rossum that it is not in fact the original Batman by the argument that its memories are vague, facts-based and devoid of emotional meaning. Yet... is not human memory imperfect, fallible and inconsistent, too? AI consciousness is one thing, but what actually is this concept we call "consciousness".

There's a lot to praise here. Rossum as a genuinely regretful man. Alfred's horrified realisation that the "Batman" in the Batcave is the duplicate. Right up there, though, is the highly appropriate ending, with the duplicate ultimately failing because it's too good a copy of Batman, unable to take a human life.

 Yes, there's the odd relative dud, but this is yet another high quality episode.

Batman: The Animated Series- The Demon's Quest, Part 2

 "You must understand, beloved. I share my father's vision and seek the same ends, but I do not choose his means to those ends."

"I know." 

After an extraordinary first episode, this concluding instalment can't quite manage to live up to it, feeling very rushed in its twenty-three minutes of screen time. It's still impressive, though, leaving us with a strong impression of both Ra's Al-Ghul and Talia as characters. I hope we see them both again. Both David Warner and Helen Slater are very good indeed.

The cliffhanger resolution is obvious, with Batman saving Talia. But the lore is interesting- the Lazarus Pit can resurrect, but at the price of a temporary loss of sanity, and it can be fatal to those not in need of healing. And there are hints that it won't keep one alive forever, and that we are all ultimately mortal.

Batman still refuses Ra's' offer, however, so he and Robin are left to die as the place is evacuated for Ra's desert sanctuary. Fortunately, Batman and Robin survive, having the best plot armour in the business, but it's an entertaining section to watch, as is Batman's detective reasoning as he works out the location of said desert sanctuary.

There follows an amusing section in which Batman infiltrates a large group of camel riding minions only to be caught... wearing a mask beneath a mask. It's hilarious how Ra's removes the outer mask yet leaves the cowl intact, and then commits the ultimate baddie mistake by happily explaining all his plans to the Batman. So, well, he wants to end environmental devastation by killing half the human race. lovely.

Oh, and there's more lore- there are a number of Lazarus Pits, in various specific locations worldwide, which is tantalising. As is the ending, as the defeated Ra's falls into the pit calmly and with a smile. That final shot is hardly unexpected.

And yet, even more fascinating is the spark between Batman and Talia. But is he two timing Selina Kyle, with whom he also has a bit of a flirtationship? I'm sure we'll see... 

 

 

Batman: The Animated Series- The Demon's Quest, Part 1

 "The master gave you no permission to leave."

"I didn't ask for any."

At long last the Animated Series, having already teased us with Talia, finally gives us its Ra's Al Ghul, and what a Ra's Al Ghul. This episode, adapted by Denny O'Neil himself from his 1971 original in Batman #232, is a tour de force. It matters not that we know from the beginning that Al Ghul is behind everything, the whole thing is just so compelling. And David Warner... what a performance.

I love how Al Ghul works out Batman's identity, an obvious method to one with his resources, and the whole treasure hunt through India, Malaysia and the Himalayas on which he leads Batman. Batman, of course, knows exactly what's going on, but is surprised to see himself being offered the chance to be a dying Al Ghul's successor... yet he rudely refuses, causing great offence. Unsurprisingly, as the offer includes a declaration of Talia's love for him.

But it seems that Al Ghul is dying... but Talia insists on getting him to the Lazarus Pit, which revitalises him. Yet, if this exists, why did he say he was dying and make the offer to Batman? And why does he seem to have gone bonkers and lifted Talia above himself?

I'm sure we'll find out. But wow. What an episode. 

Batman: The Animated Series- Blind as a Bat

 "Your aim appears to be a little off today, Batman..."

This is a fairly basic, run of the mill episode, the gimmick being that Batman has to deal with a plot by the Penguin while temporarily blinded, with the added warning that Lesley Thompkins has sternly warned him that he'll go blind if he doesn't rest.

We know how it'll end from the beginning, of course; the final scene, where he opens his eyes, has no real suspense. But it's a decent enough way to spend twenty minutes, even if not exactly earth shattering. yet again, it's nice to see so many recurring characters- Lesley Thompkins, Hamilton Hill- making this Gothan City feel real and textured. And there's a nice little hint of Bruce Wayne feeling uneasy about Waynetech manufacturing military technology.

There are some nice little moments, such as when there's initially no response to the Batsignal. I'm enjoying the typical overconfidence of the Penguin in the Animated Series. Ultimately, though, this episode isn't going to particularly stand out.

Batman: The Animated Series- Shadow of the Bat, Part 2

 "I hate wet shoes!"

A solid conclusion here, with the newly coined Batgirl earning her spurs and, in the end, the grudging respect of both Batman and Robin, after a few false starts. It's also nicely plotted, with Gil Mason and Two-Face plotting together to rule the law and the underworld respectively. I had to laugh, of course, at the sight of Jim Gordon not recognising his own daughter in that mask, but heigh-ho.

I suppose the plot was rushed a little, what with our baddies changing their plans to spring and then kill the Commissioner, a decision clearly based on the fact that the story needed to be wrapped up quick. But still, this is a solid debut for Barbara Gordon's alter ego. It gets points too for a solid set piece with Batman and Robin trying not to drown, especially as we're only really seen so much of the two of them together in the series thus far.

What's this about Harvey Bullock keeping Thorne's involvement to himself, though...? 

Batman: The Animated Series- Shadow of the Bat, Part 1

 "This place gives me the willies..."

Yes, I know- thirteen straight days without a blog post, something that hasn't happened in a loooong time. In my defence, I'm still adjusting to life after recovering from my surgery with everything being all busy again with fatherhood, my relationship and my career back to being full time again- all good things, but I have less free time than I did before February. I'm adjusting, but I'll get there. Plus there's been the heatwave, a lot of stuff to do, and, er, a YouTube "watch later" list that I'm slowly getting under control.

Anyway, it's back to Batman: The Animated Series. It may have left Netflix but it's now on Amazon Prime so I pick up right where I left off, and this is certainly a strong start to the new season. Functionally, this is the episode where Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl. It is, I think, the first time Bruce uses his "Matches" Malone disguise, something I remember from the comics back in the day. 

It puts all the world building that's been going on to good use in this tale of someone framing Jim Gordon for corruption. The story depends strongly on the supporting cast of both cops and mob bosses, giving Gotham a real sense of place. The animated series is properly established by now and uses all that world building to powerful effect, also giving us some tantalising clues about Jim Gordon's framing. And the ending, with Two-Face revealed and Barbara (with some help from her teddy bear!) debuting her proper Batgirl costume.

Most of all, though, I love how noir this is, from the first class animation to the plot to the mood. This is what peak Batman looks like. 

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 Mechanic

 "I need a new car..."

Yes, I know: I'm doing another episode of Batman: The Animated Series as opposed to the other series I'm blogging- Stranger Things, Dexter, Gen V, with The War Between the Land and the Sea starting within days.

Fear not; I'm still blogging all of the above. But I've been struggling with a rather unpleasant hernia for the last year or so which makes it increasingly difficult to concentrate, among other things, and is slowly getting worse over time. The good news is that my employers are kindly allowing me to work the hours I can, on full pay, and that the whole bloody thing should be sorted by surgery in late January. I should be right back to normal after that.

But that means there are days when I can only manage to focus on a twenty minute episode as opposed to something longer. Hence Batman: The Animated Series. It doesn't mean I won't keep blogging those other programmes when I feel up to it, or films. But that's the situation....

Plus, of course. this show leaves Netflix on 21 December....

That said, I enjoyed this episode very much. Not for the fairly standard blackmail plot, perhaps, but for the worldbuilding. The Penguin (I loved his vulture!) is getting nicely fleshed out as a character by now. As ever, the car chases are hugely entertaining. And yet again the cars and the clothes evoke, appropriately, the '40s.

Yet even better than that is the introduction of Earl- not, I believe, a character from the comics or any other medium? That Batman should maintain his own mechanic makes perfect sense and, of course, adds to the texture of Batman and his world. I particularly loved the monochrome origin sequence, featuring a very retro Batmobile and Batman in his pre-1964 costume.

Surprising to see John de Lancie in a fairly minor role here, but yet another strong episode.

Batman: The Animated Series- Zatanna

 "This never happens to me in Vegas!"

This is a real first for the animated series- an appearance by another DC superhero, in this case Zatanna, whom I must confess I don't know very well. I understand that, in the comics, she has real magical powers, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. But the character is fun and engaging, and this is a fun little tale. 

The story- Zatanna being framed for a bank heist, Batman helping to exonerate her and grab the real culprit- is quick and simple, as the twenty minute run time demands, although the set pieces are particularly fun, with a couple of splendidly cliched death traps. It's also nice how Zatanna is inserted into Bruce's backstory, her dad teaching him escapology.

It's not a particularly pivotal episode, perhaps, but there's nowt wrong with that. Good fun, and Zatanna herself is extremely likeable.

Batman: The Animated Series- Paging The Crime Doctor

 "I thought I told you to take the day off..."

This is one of the finest episodes yet- perhaps the best.

Yes, it's a little contrived that Rupert Thorne should have a brother, Matt, whose medical career he has ruined but was an old med school friend of Lesley Thompkins and Thomas Wayne. But this nice little tale of moral ambiguity and dilemmas, and ultimately of redemption, is rich and deeply fulfilling. Even better is the final scene, with Bruce wanting nothing from Matt Thorne in return for funding his defence other than to "Tell me about my father".

Oh, there are loads of good episodes with the traditional rogues' gallery, and so they should be. Our favourite baddies are important. But the animated series really does have an added level of depth with mob characters like Rupert Thorne, and the likes of Lesley Thompkins who humanise Bruce Wayne. The relationship between those two is rather lovely.

I'm amazed how I suddenly seem to be quite far in to The Animated Series, and how little there is left to watch. Yet it is, by this point, pretty much a fully matured and impressive take on the character and the world. And episodes like this really highlight just how good it can be.

Batman: The Animated Series- Mudslide

 "It seems that Clayface is losing his integrity."

"I wasn't aware that he had any to begin with."

So that's the end of Clayface? I may be wrong, but it's surprising. The character doesn't seem to have appeared much.

I have to say this episode, while structurally seeming to be well constructed (unlike Clayface himself!), doesn't quite work for me. Stella is quite sympathetic, yes, but she's just the trope of the girl who falls in love with a bad boy. And Hagen... well, he isn't sympathetic at all. Indeed, the moment where he smashes the telly even gives domestic violence vibes. So a tragic ending for him isn't going to work.

Still, the concept of his having to steal in order to fund the expensive business of staying alive sort of works, there are some good set pieces, and there's a sort of nice mini-mystery about Stella's identity. But the whole thing doesn't quite work, basically because it just doesn't really generate any pathos. 

And Batman sabotaging Clayface's cure... why? The stolen stuff is a sunk cost by then, anyway, and it's just plain immoral. Not only do we not have much sympathy for Clayface, but Batman himself is certainly no hero here.

A rare misfire.

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- 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- I Am the Night

"A weary body can be dealt with. But a weary spirit... that's something else."

The title of this episode reminds me of Audioslave's "I Am the Highway"... but I digress before there's anything to digress from. Anyway, contrived though Batman's depression may be, this is a good episode. And contains another instance of homages to creators as cops refer to the "corner of Adams and O'Neil", a nice touch.

It's the anniversary of the murder of Bruce's parents, so he's already out of sorts, but then we have the double whammy of Jim Gordon being badly hurt while Batman is elsewhere and... well, for me, the contrived nature of it all doesn't work. This kind of depressive episode seems out of character for someone like Batman who, while I'm certainly no psychiatrist, just doesn't seem the type to doubt his purpose.

Regardless, though, it's a good episode for developing Bruce's relationships with those around him- Alfred, Robin, Lesley Thompkins, Jim and Barbara Gordon, and it gets away with its flaws. It's just that I suspect this is a highly popular episode... and, for me, it isn't quite up there.

Batman: The Animated Series- What Is Reality?

 "A pixel is worth a thousand words..."

It's 1992. Of course there's going to be a virtual reality episode. And, the zeitgeist back then being what it was, we get a Neuromancer-style Cyberspace experience with the Riddler controlling his own virtual world in an episode that's fun and fascinating in and of itself, in its use of the character of the Riddler, and as a product of its time, the year when Snow Crash was published and with the Cyberpunk genre changing all around it.

The Riddler begins by erasing all references to Edward Nygma, eager to embrace who he now is and forsaking a past of betrayal and nominative determinism. But much of the fun is seeing how quickly and easily Batman, Robin and even Alfred deal with some really rather difficult riddles.

Ultimately, though, the surreality and sheer spectacle of the thing is quite simply a joy- the chessboard scene, in particular, is such a delightful riff on Alice in Wonderland. And if, in a cartoon made in 1992, and episode like this did not exist, that would be deeply and profoundly wrong.

Batman: The Animated Series- Birds of a Feather

 "Society is to blame..."

Batman: The Animated Series is, by this point, quite well-established. We've seen lots of different types of episodes, but none quite like this one, a focus on a villain that is just... sad.

It's very much a Batman trope that Gotham only ever sentences the villains to hilariously short prison sentences and, sure enough, Penguin is about to be released from what feels like yet another five minute stretch. Yet, upon release, he finds himself strangely lonely and abandoned.

And he finds himself, well... mocked and bullied by an upper crust couple with loadsamoney and zero heart. He's catfished, falls in love... and betrayed. Even worse, he seems to have genuinely intended to go straight until motivated to punish the couple. Batman has no choice to stop him and... off goes the Penguin to prison, again. 

At least he'll only be there for five minutes.

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- Terror in the Sky

 "Who wants to live with a monster?"

These episodes are twenty minutes long, not a long time. So, by now quite a way into the first season, with the Animated Series no longer being new, we've seen which types of storytelling works for such short episodes. And this episode may well be the poster child for the type of episode based on a twist.

I suppose some may have guessed the twist- that this new Man-Bat figure was not in fact Kirk Langstron and- after all, we had an early clue / bit of misdirection that it had to be either Langstrom or Francine- but the most ironic candidate possible. But I certainly didn't, and found the episode to be hugely satisfying in terms both of plot and character. There's a bit of romance, a bit of intrigue, a bit of old fashioned Dark Knight Detective stuff from the Batman.

All this, and lots of great visuals in the snow, peril with a plane, and a heartwarming final scene. Great stuff.