Batman TAS

[ratcreature]

Because I rather like the Justice League Cartoon, I thought I'd give the Batman Animated Series a try too. So I now have copies of most of the episodes of Batman The Animated series, plus the first season of the Gotham Knights series. Almost 100 cartoon episodes, yet with no real time for a cartoon marathon of watching all episodes in order in my

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[liviapenn]

For serious drama:

"Perchance to Dream" -- one of the best eps of BTAS bar none. Bruce Wayne wakes up one morning in a world where his parents aren't dead, he's engaged to be married, and everything seems just great... Notice the wacky forties styles as far as clothes, cars, etc.

"Heart of Ice" -- Introduces Mr. Freeze. An early episode, and you can see them finding their feet. On the one hand there's goofy jokes about Batman having a cold, and Mr. Freeze's minions wear silly Eskimo parkas. But the story (coldly callous cruelty that leads to colder revenge) is a stunner. Freeze is one of the best antagonists of BTAS-- even his episode of "Batman Beyond" chills me.

"Two-Face" -- How Harvey Dent became Two-Face. Of course you know the story, but they do it so *well*. Follow up with "Second Chance." ANGST. WOE.

"Robin's Reckoning" -- The origin of Robin are told in flashback, while in the present day, Robin and Batman clash over a certain case.

For humor:

The Harley Episodes. "Harley & Ivy," in which she's kicked out of Joker's gang and goes on a crime spree with Poison Ivy, "Harley's Holiday," in which she's declared sane, released from the asylum and... things go downhill from there, and "Harlequinade," in which she and Batman become unwilling partners to save Gotham from destruction. OK, she's my favorite character, but honest to god, each episode just gets funnier. Arlene Sorkin is hilarious and sad and sweet and just *awesome* as Harley. You gotta love a character who can make *Batman* double-take once in a while.

Another classic Joker episode is "The Laughing Fish" -- Mark Hamill turns the crazy up to eleven. Nice.

Personal favorites:

"House and Garden" -- Poison Ivy appears to have reformed. But has she really? Creeptastic, lurking horror and a nice humanizing look at one of the cooler villians.

"Feat of Clay," parts one and two. -- It really only kicks into gear in the second act, but the animation *rocks*. Clayface turns up again in JL's "Secret Society."

"Joker's Favor" -- Hitchcockian suspense and a nice little twist at the end.

"Tyger Tyger" -- Selina Kyle is kidnapped by a mad scientist. Not really the best episode ever... really, I don't know *what* it is, but whenever I say "Hey, I've got some BTAS" episodes, everyone always asks "Hey!! Do you have that one!?" I think it struck a chord in all our middle-school girl hearts.

"Zatanna" -- An old crush of Bruce's comes to Gotham; Batman has to help her when she's accused of a crime. I just love Zatanna-- she's spunky and cute and funny, and the flashback to young!Bruce is adorable beyond words.

"Heart of Steel" (two parts) -- creepy 'Pod People' type suspense, and freaking *fantastic* fight scenes. (The antagonists are robots, so the usual rules restricting the types of violence they could portray went out the window.)

"His Silicon Soul," sequel to "Heart of Steel," -- utterly glorious over-the-top ANGST!! ANGST!! WOE!! I can't resist angsty robotic!Batman. Once again, props to Kevin Conroy for *awesome* voice work.

Re:

[ratcreature]

Thanks for those description and your recs, it'S good to have a starting point.