"Batman: The Animated Series" Episode Guide

[Timothy]

x.x = season number. episode number

If there is a problem with numbering issues (especially around the areas of season two and later) please post a message here, PM, or e-mail me!

*NOTE*: The following list is sorted according to production numbers for episodes, and not airdates.

episode title= review included!

Season One

1.1 On Leather Wings
1.2 Christmas With The Joker
1.3 Nothing To Fear
1.4 The Last Laugh
1.5 Pretty Poison
1.6 The Underdwellers
1.7 POV
1.8 Forgotten
1.9 Be A Clown
1.10 Two-Face Part I
1.11 It's Never Too Late
1.12 I've Got Batman In My Basement
1.13 Cat and the Claw Part I
1.14 Heart of Ice
1.15 See No Evil
1.16 Cat and the Claw Part II
1.17 Two Face Part II
1.18 Beware the Gray Ghost
1.19 Prophecy of Doom
1.20 Feat of Clay Part I
1.21 Feat of Clay Part II
1.22 Joker's Favor
1.23 Vendetta
1.24 Fear of Victory
1.25 The Clock King
1.26 Appointment In Crime Alley
1.27 Mad as a Hatter
1.28 Dreams in Darkness
1.29 Eternal Youth
1.30 Perchance to Dream
1.31 The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy
1.32 Robin's Reckoning Part I
1.33 The Laughing Fish
1.34 Night of the Ninja
1.35 Cat Scratch Fever
1.36 The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne
1.37 Robin's Reckoning Part II
1.38 Heart of Steel Part I
1.39 If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
1.40 Joker's Wild
1.41 Tyger, Tyger
1.42 Moon of the Wolf
1.43 Day of the Samurai
1.44 Heart of Steel Part II
1.45 Terror in the Sky
1.46 Almost Got 'Im
1.47 Birds of a Feather
1.48 What is Reality?
1.49 I Am the Night
1.50 Off Balance
1.51 The Man Who Killed Batman
1.52 Zantanna
1.53 The Mechanic
1.54 Harley & Ivy
1.55 Blind as a Bat
1.56 The Demon's Quest Part I
1.57 His Silicon Soul
1.58 Fire from Olympus
1.59 The Demon's Quest Part II
1.60 Read My Lips

Season Two

1.61 Shadow of the Bat Part I
1.62 Shadow of the Bat Part II
1.63 Mudslide
1.64 The Worry Men
1.53 Paging the Crime Doctor
__________________________

Review Guide

= The best of the best; this episode will make you proud to be a fan ;D

= An amazing episode; nearly perfect, but needing some polishing

= Meh, this is an average episode worth at least one viewing on a rainy day

= Why? This episode re-defines the word "garbage"

= Horrendous...DON'T WATCH THIS UNDER PENALTY OF BOREDOM

[Timothy]

On Leather Wings

Episode #001

Original Airdate: September 16th, 1992

Synopsis (From http://www.batmantas.com):

When a horrifying bat creature terrorizes Gotham City, the authorities conclude it must be Batman and put out an all-points bulletin on the Dark Knight. Meanwhile, Batman's investigation leads him to the laboratory of Kirk Langstrom, a prominent zoologist, who has been experimenting with a formula that turns him into the ManBat creature. Not only does Batman have to capture Man-Bat in order to save Langstrom, but also to set the police straight and clear his name.

Episode Notes/ Highlights:

• Pilot/ 1st episode
  
• 1st appearance of Harvey Bullock
  
• 1st appearance of Dr. Kirk Langstrom/ Man-Bat
  
• 1st appearance of Bruce Wayne/ Batman
  
• 1st appearance of The Batmobile
  
• 1st appearance of Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon
  
• 1st appearance of Mayor Hammilton Hill
  
• 1st appearance of Alfred Pennyworth
  
• 1st appearance of Harvey Dent
  
• 1st appearance of Dr. Francine Langstrom
  
• 1st appearance of the Batcave
  
• 1st appearance of the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD)
  
• Clive Revill is featured as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth
  
• 1st (and only) episode to feature a bleeding character
  

My Review:

While a tad-"rubbery", the animation is top-notch in this premier episode for the Dark Knight, featuring some of best animation (within the first episode!) that this show had to offer in its run on FOXkids. What I loved about this particular episode was the "Batman: Year One"-esque initial relationship that Batman had with the GCPD; in short, they're trying to hunt him down. The inclusion of Harvey Dent along with his trademark coin-flipping was wonderful for Batman fans like myself, and it's great as a foreshadowing element for those who are new to the mythos of the characters. Also, this episode marks the first and last time that you will ever see blood from a hero, in fact, any character, in an episode. For me, the story was "ok"; the origins of Man-Bat aren't nessecarily my favorite, but, seeing as how this was the pilot episode, I can cut it some slack.


Final Verdict of the Demon's Head: 1/2 out of 5

[Timothy]

Christmas With The Joker

Episode #002

Original Airdate: November 13, 1992

Synopsis (From http://www.batmantas.com):

The Joker takes over Gotham's airwaves and terrorizes the city during Christmas. He's hiding in a TV studio, holding Commissioner Gordon, Detective Bullock, and Summer Gleason hostage. He challenges Batman to find him before midnight, or else the hostages will have a very un-merry Christmas.

Episode Notes/ Highlights:

• 1st appearance of Summer Gleason
  
• 1st appearance of Richard Grayson/ Robin (although he doesn't appear again for some time after this episode)
  
• Clive Revil is featured as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth
  
• 1st appearance of the Joker
  

My Review:

This is one of the most violent/ darkest Joker episodes to ever air on kids television; you see him take glee at the prospect of de-railing a train, how sick can you get! (With the Joker, you never can tell...) The animation wasn't the greatest in this episode, where you had this almost too-cartoony in the Joker's appearance, but the inclusion of him insanely talking to a hand-puppet and a cardboard audience really brought the point home that this guy is insane; the "Santa tank" still makes me laugh to this day. This episode also featured traces of the "giant prop" days of the older comics, along with a decent amount of Christmas overtones, which is why I watch this every year on Christmas Eve.


Final Verdict of the Demon's Head: 1/2 out of 5

[Timothy]

Nothing To Fear

Episode#003

Original Airdate: September 15, 1992

Synopsis (From http://www.batmantas.com):

The Scarecrow, is spreading fear gas and wreaking havoc on Gotham State University. Under the influence of a treacherous fear gas, Batman must fight this wily strawman and his worst fear at the same time.

Episode Notes/ Highlights:

• 1st appearance of Dr. Jonathon Crane/ The Scarecrow
  
• 1st time voice-actor Richard Moll (Two-Face) appears in the form of the Batcomputer's voice!
  
• Henry Polic II is featured as the voice of The Scarecrow
  

My Review:

I loved how this episode was able to establish the intense longing that Bruce Wayne has for his lost parents, and how it nearly prevented him from aprehending his newest villain the Scarecrow. The fight scene on the zepplin was also well-done, especially with the challenges of animating a vehicle.
The appearance along with his motivation/ back-story made the Scarecrow a great villain for this episode, and I enjoyed seeing a "human" Batman (him displaying that he can be afraid, but he doesn't let it stop him from completing his mission).

Final Verdict of the Demon's Head: 1/2 out of 5

[Timothy]

The Last Laugh

Episode#004

Original airdate: September 22, 1992

Synopsis (From http://www.batmantas.com):

The Joker employs a lethal mind altering laughing gas to transform the citizens of Gotham into total fools. If Batman doesn't stop the Clown Prince of crime, everyone will soon go totally mad, including his friend and butler, Alfred.

Episode Notes/ Highlights:

• Featured an alternate version of Danny Elfman's "Batman" main theme
  

My Review:

"You killed Captain Clown!" is my favorite line from this episode, although the theme of this one was never really to my taste; The Joker wishes to cripple the city by use of laughing-gas soaked garbage? I know that he's crazy, but even this seemed a tad "far-fetched" to me. I never really liked this one, mainly because the Joker rarely laughs, and when he does, to me it just doesn't have any weight to it; that, and there were very few quips (relatively speaking) from him the whole time. The animation of this episode seemed slightly "alien" in appearance when compared to the rest of the series format, due to this being what I like to categorize as an episode created during the series "experimental stage" when there were constant problems and complaints coming from WB's animation team in regards to the over-seas corporations toying with the designs.

Final Verdict of the Demon's Head: out of 5

[Timothy]

Pretty Poison

Episode #005

Original air date: September 14, 1992

Synopsis (from http://www.batmantas.com):

D.A. Harvey Dent becomes romantically involved with a mystery woman named Pamela Isley. When Dent is poisoned after a dinner date, Batman investigates and makes the horrifying discovery that the poison was administered through Pamela's lipstick. He tracks the woman down and discovers that she is really Poison Ivy, a plant-crazed villainess who harbors a secret vendetta against the D.A. Batman ends up in Poison Ivy' s lethal greenhouse, fighting for the life of his best friend, as well as his own.

Episode Notes/ Highlights:

• 1st appearance of Dr. Pamela Isley/ Poison Ivy
  
• 1st appearance of Blackgate penitentiary
  

My review:

I have mixed-feelings about this episode; it's a great Poison-Ivy story, but the starting animation (look at the bowl-cut criminal in the beginning sequence and you'll know what I mean) wasn't exactly like WB wanted, thus, resulting in another episode from the "experimental stage". I enjoyed how the lives of Bruce Wayne and Batman were able to almost merge together, given the separate character motivations (one's a buffoon, the other is busting heads), and how it was a detective story. The "flow" (the actual animation movement) was top-notch, and it's sad to think that an episode like this never really appears again. My favorite part of this episode was when Harvey Bullock was "grilling" (interrogating) the restaurant staff;

BULLOCK: So what did you put in this mousse?!
CHEF: Chocolate, sugar, eggs, cream. . .
BULLOCK: Strychnine?!
CHEF: No, no. No Strychnine, but I added just a pinch of vanilla.
BULLOCK: You know who did it? Talk!
WAITER: Hey, I just clean the dishes, okay?

Final Verdict of the Demon's Head: out of 5

[Timothy]

The Underdwellers

Episode #006

Original Airdate: October 21st, 1992

Synopsis (From www.batmantas.com):

Batman encounters mysterious 'wee green people,' who have been committing petty crimes. He saves one and soon learns that the boy belongs to a gang of forgotten runaways who live deep within the Gotham sewer system. Their leader, the crazed Sewer King, forces the children to steal food and supplies for him.

Episode Notes/ Highlights:

• First episode to feature a new villain
  
• First episode to tackle a major social issue
  
• First episode not to feature a "classic" villain
  

My Review:

I recently viewed this episode, and I have to say that I have mixed feelings about this episode; I did not particularly enjoy the voice actor (Michael Pataki) who played "The Sewer King" as I felt that his voice was slightly high-pitched and annoying like a talkative parrot. However, this episode was amazing in its groundbreaking (for the field of animation) portrayl of the "real-life" global problem of child labor and the abuses that accompany it. What I really enjoyed about this episode were/ was the scenes featuring Alfred and "Frog", especially when Alfred attempted to teach "Frog" how to do the dishes. This is still an important (current events content-wise) episode, but in my opinion, this isn't one of the best episodes of B:TAS.

Final Verdict of the Demon's Head: 1/2 out of 5