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![]() A Bullet for Bullock
Written by Michael Reaves
Directed by Frank Paur
Plot: Detective Bullock is targeted by someone unknown, and he reluctantly asks Batman for help.
You either hate Bullock, or you love to hate him. He's obnoxious and stubborn, and he's always doubting our Caped Crusader for petty reasons. So who would have thought that an episode focusing on Bullock would be good? Much like its protagonist, the episode has a wry sense of humor. |
| Thankfully the story doesn't try to frame Bullock in a more positive light, or show the audience how he has a heart of gold. The outcome is hilarious, and you almost can't blame the culprit for wanting to off Bullock. |
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![]() Two-Face
Written by Alan Burnett, Randy Rogel
Directed by Kevin Altieri
Plot: Bruce's friend and Gotham DA Harvey Dent is being blackmailed by local crime lord Rupert Thorne. A terrible accident then allows Dent's split personality to manifest into the villain Two-Face.
This two parter from the beginning of the series helped define the show's direction. It added depth to one of Batman's greatest foes by showing the internal struggle Harvey Dent faced when dealing with his dissociative identity disorder. That's kind of heavy for a show supposedly for kids. |
| As rigid as his sense of justice could be, Batman was still concerned with the rehabilitation of his enemies. Dent's tragedy was just another thing Bruce could blame himself for, and he would cling to the hope that Harvey would shed his Two-Face side one day. |
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![]() Robin's Reckoning
Written by Randy Rogel
Directed by Dick Sebast
Plot: The past comes back to haunt Batman when the person responsible for the deaths of Robin's parents reappears.
Bruce and Dick's father/son-like relationship is a complicated one that isn't explored enough on the small or big screen. Some adaptations seem to skip straight to Nightwing territory, or they don't fully showcase the drama within the Dynamic Duo.
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| "Robin's Reckoning" shows us how Dick came to live with Bruce, and the extent of Batman's need to protect his surrogate son. For years, Bruce kept the truth from Dick so he could spare him the burden. Just as Robin is ready to take revenge on his parents' killer, Tony Zucco, Batman reminds his partner of the line they should never cross. Yet would Batman be able to have the same restraint if he ever met his own mother and father's murderer? All too well does the Dark Knight know what vengeance seeking can do to someone. Batman's final words to Robin in the episode - "Zucco's taken so much, caused you so much pain... I couldn't stand the thought that he might... take you, too" - solidifies their powerful bond. |
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![]() Baby-Doll
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Dan Riba
Plot: Someone is abducting the former cast members of a retro sitcom.
Before you scoff at this odd choice, continue reading. Paul Dini penned this one-off episode featuring an original villain for the series. Baby-Doll, who would only appear once more in the continuation series The New Batman Adventures, is another of Batman's foes whose motives are rooted in personal pain.
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| Like her caped and cowled adversary, Baby-Doll just can't seem to grow up. Although in the latter's case, the growth stunt is due to a medical condition. While she might look like a child, Baby-Doll is emotionally and mentally an adult. Unable to cope with her affliction and what it has done to her life, Baby-Doll turns to crime. What carries out like a typical filler episode ends up being one of the saddest entries in the show's history. Inside of a carnival's house of mirrors, Baby-Doll is forced to face the truth in an emotional conclusion that will stick with you now that you're old enough to understand it. Batman's usually cold approach to apprehending his targets takes a reprieve as he consoles this broken soul. Baby-Doll is a woman trapped in a child's body, and Batman is still that orphaned boy, living in the wake of his parents' deaths. |
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![]() Harley and Ivy
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Boyd Kirkland
Plot: After the Joker kicks her out, Harley Quinn teams up with Poison Ivy.
One has to wonder why the villains don't work together more often in the Bat-verse. Then we remember that they don't get along. The Joker and his cohorts especially don't seem to like Poison Ivy, who they consider a freak of nature. So who else is there to partner her up with? |
| Harley Quinn, Joker's jester assistant and on-and-off-again significant other, originated in this series. She was then officially incorporated into the comics. Critics all around love her, and this incarnation is still considered by many to be the best one to date. Putting her lively self with the cynical and rigid Ivy worked well. For one thing, Ivy made it clear how she felt about Joker's abusive nature towards Harley, even if Quinn wasn't exactly listening. Another shining moment in the episode was when the underused Office Renee Montoya finally caught the femme fatales. Ivy and Harley would pair up again in The New Batman Adventures as well as in the web series Gotham Girls. |
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![]() See No Evil
Written by Martin Pasko
Directed by Dan Riba
Plot: Batman learns that the imaginary friend of a single mother's young daughter isn't so imaginary after all.
There was always something so eerie about this episode. The way it was directed made it feel very much like those dramatic thrillers that plagued theaters and video shelves in the early '90s. While the episode does not feature a Boogeyman type villain as the plot might suggest, it does boast an equally terrifying threat.
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| Batman is more of a guest star in this episode as the story is centered around the mom and daughter and their stalker. The mother is trying to rebuild her life after escaping an abusive relationship with a controlling man named Ventrix. Using some invisibility technology, Ventrix enters his estranged daughter's bedroom at night under the guise of a new friend called "Mojo." Batman finally connects the dots and comes to the family's rescue. There is no personal angle for Bruce in this standalone tale, but it is one that touches upon a subject matter hardly if ever written into a cartoon. Of course it's also of no surprise that Batman has a soft spot for children in danger. |
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![]() Almost Got 'Im
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Eric Radomski
Plot: The Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, The Penguin, and Killer Croc share stories of how they each almost beat Batman. This episode - inspired by the comic "Where Were You on the Night Batman Was Killed?" - is heralded as one of the best in the whole series. And deservingly so. It plays out like an anthology where the villains try to one up each other with anecdotes of near conquest when fighting Batman. |
| Other than the refreshing storytelling format used for the episode, the biggest highlight had to be Croc. When you realize what's really going on at the end in regards to Croc's showstealing, it's even funnier in hindsight. "Almost Got 'Im" might not be the most profound, but it sure is entertaining. |
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![]() Harlequinade
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Kevin Altieri
Plot: To stop The Joker from unleashing an atomic bomb upon the city, Batman enlists the aid of Harley Quinn.
While the Joker may be Batman's arch nemesis, Harley is one of the biggest thorns in his side. This episode is pure fun as Harley proves to be the worst informant ever. Robin might be tagging along for commentary, but the odd couple back-and-forth between Batman and Harley is the true delight. |
| The episode strikes brilliance with Harley's musical number, featuring a song that is both disturbing and comical. How on earth did these lyrics make it past the censors:"I never knew that you and I were finished/Until that bottle hit my head/Though I tried to be aloof/When you pushed me off the roof/I feel our romance is dead." |
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![]() The Demon's Quest
Written by Dennis O'Neil, Len Wein
Directed by Kevin Altieri
Plot: Batman helps a mysterious man named Ra's al Ghul when both Robin and Ghul's daughter go missing. The series generally steered away from the mystical side of the DC universe. Most episodes were rooted in reality, or rather the warped one presented as such in the show. So one could be concerned with how Batman would handle the introduction of the infamous Ra's al Ghul. |
| This episode does what most others rarely do - it takes you away, far away from Gotham. The foreign locale adds to the mysterious nature of the story, even adding some color to the usually muted palette. Batman and Catwoman may be romantically entangled here and there, but Ra's daughter Talia is understandably tempting in her debut. Even if "The Demon's Quest" isn't the most intellectually stimulating of the bunch, it is never dull either. |
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![]() Beware the Gray Ghost
Written by Dennis O'Flaherty, Tom Ruegger, Garin Wolf
Directed by Boyd Kirkland
Plot: The actor that played the titular hero of the vintage television series The Gray Ghost is suspected to be behind some recent acts of crime. If there was ever a feel good, sentimental episode in the show's run, it would be this one. The adoration Bruce has for the Grey Ghost mirrors the nostalgic love fans have for Batman. And it should be mentioned that Adam West voiced the Gray Ghost. Talk about meta. |
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![]() Feat of Clay
Written by Marv Wolfman, Michael Reaves
Directed by Dick Sebast
Plot: Disfigured actor Matt Hagen has become addicted to an instant face reshaping cream. His desperation for more after his supply has dried up leads to him becoming a shape-shifting mutant. The plot here is not exactly high art or even the smartest of Batman's selections. The execution of Clayface's psychotic transformations were borderline nightmare fuel and they are hard to forget. |
| The way that Batman defeated Clayface in the video room seemed cruel, but so were his actions in Clayface's next episode "Mudslide." Also, did anyone else get the feeling that Matt and his male friend were actually lovers? |
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![]() Harley's Holiday
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Kevin Altieri
Plot: Harley is released from Arkham, and Batman wants to make sure she stays on the good path. However, one bad day prevents that from happening and Batman is left to clean up Harley's mess.
Yes, another Harley episode. Dini realized what a great character he and Bruce Timm made, and they made sure to give her some of the best stories in the series. |
| This episode proves that Harley is a worthy standalone villain. Granted her actions here are nowhere as dastardly as those of The Joker. She simply misread a situation and overreacted. We've all had our similar moments, right? Quinn's almost Thelma and Louise-styled joy ride with Veronica Vreeland was fun, and Harley's delivery of "No, that's your father... in a tank!" is comedic gold. |
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![]() Heart of Ice
Written by Paul Dini Directed by Bruce Timm
Plot: Batman gains a new foe in the form of Mr. Freeze, a man looking to build a secret weapon for his own mysterious reasons.
This episode deservingly won an Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program. Fans all around consider it a flawless entry in the entire series. |
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| Prior to this episode, Mr. Freeze was not exactly considered a sympathetic character. "Heart of Ice" made such an impact that it caused the comics to retcon the character. If you can only see one episode from The Animated Series, this should be it. |
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| HONORABLE MENTIONS |
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![]() Over the Edge
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Yuichiro Yano
Plot: Batgirl is killed by Scarecrow, and Commissioner Gordon blames Batman for his daughter's death. The city turns on Batman and Robin, forcing them to flee. Gordon then goes outside of the law and has Bane hunt down the Dark Knight.
When Batman: The Animated Series ended its run on Fox, WB Kids picked up the pieces and created The New Batman Adventures. |
| Fans were divided on this new series despite it having the showrunners from the previous series. The voice actors carried over for the most part, and the continuity was intact. There was a brief time jump as Dick had now become Nightwing, and Robin's suit was filled by Bruce's new protégé Tim Drake. Batgirl was also involved more in the cases. The new character designs, however, were what really upset fans. To match the style of the WB's then current Superman cartoon, the unique art style of B:TAS was replaced with a sleeker, simpler, and more angular look that was controversial. Most of the visual rehauls were prominent in the villains, specifically for The Joker, Croc, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and The Penguin. Bruce looked younger and more pretty boy, and the women were practically stick figures. Scarecrow was given a favorable Grim Reaper makeover, and that deathly guise really amplified his role in the beloved "Over the Edge" episode. His actions are cruder than his usual modus operandi, and he sets off as a chain of events that destroy the Batfamily. Unlike Fox, the WB was less stringent with censorship so blood and heavier violence was not out of the question. The finale of "Over the Edge" seems like a cop out, but would we really want the series to end like that? |
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![]() Mad Love
Written by Paul Dini, Bruce Timm
Directed by Butch Lukic
Plot: Harley Quinn shares how she met The Joker while trying to carry out a plan to get rid of Batman once and for all.
The Batman Adventure was a comic series set in the world of The Animated Series. The most well-known issue, "Mad Love," was adapted with minor changes for The New Batman Adventures. And fans all can agree that it is a brilliant episode.
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| The Joker abuses Harley Quinn. No questions about it. The comics were not shy about showing the physical aspects of this, and the Fox cartoon hinted at it with clever dialogue. The WB's looser censorship finally allowed Paul Dini and Bruce Timm the freedom to better present the toxic abuse that Harley endured. The Joker's "playful" rough housing of his companion was escalated to him literally pushing her out of a window. Quinn explains the origins of her villainous metamorphosis, and how The Joker manipulated her when she was a psychiatrist at Arkham. "Mad Love" gives Harley fans the depressing insight on why she won't leave The Joker. As sad as the episode ultimately is, it is also the crowning achievement for The New Batman Adventures. |
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A Bullet for Bullock
Two-Face
Robin's Reckoning
Baby-Doll
Harley and Ivy
See No Evil
Almost Got 'Im
Harlequinade
The Demon's Quest
Beware the Gray Ghost
Feat of Clay
Harley's Holiday
Heart of Ice
Over the Edge
Mad Love
