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Batman TAS episodes rated

posted 8 years ago by movienerd666
3 replies | jump to latest

I'm making a list rating every Batman TAS episode, thought it might be interesting to post it here and hear some other opinions!

1. On Leather Wings: 7/10

I love the animation, the actions scenes are all awesome, and the voice cast is just as good as it'd be later on. However, the episode lacks the excellent characterisation the series would later have, and Man-Bat is a pretty boring villain, though it makes sense to start with him so Batman could be the focus of the first episode without being overshadowed.

2. Christmas With The Joker: 5/10

I was honestly going to give it a 4, but Hamill's Joker raises the mark (even if he hasn't fully developed the voice in this ep). I know the episode is beloved by many, but it's let down for me by some pretty hideous animation, lame jokes (the BAT man one made me die inside), and a lack of real characterisation or focus. I still watch it every Christmas though, so I suppose I could call it a guilty pleasure.

3. Nothing to Fear: 8/10

A major step up for the series, this is the first episode that really gets into Batman's head, and creates some genuinely poignant moments. The scene where Alfred tells Batman he's proud of him particularly gets me in the feels. The 'I am the night' speech also raises the score by a few points alone. Too bad Scarecrow is done terribly in this episode, from the awful, awful mask, to a pretty comedic vocal performance, I'd say he's one of the few misfires TAS had in terms of the main rogues gallery (luckily, Henry Polic would greatly improve in his future episodes, and two revamps the design had were massive improvements!)

4. The Last Laugh 6/10

Has pretty much all the same problems as Christmas With The Joker, but I give it a higher rating thanks to Hamill further perfecting his performance here, and getting much better lines than he did previously (You killed Captain Clown... YOU KILLED CAPTAIN CLOOOWN!!!!') Zimbalist Jr makes his first appearance here, and it's a shame that his talents are wasted in an episode where Alfred just pulls stupid pranks, and laughs like a loon.

5. Pretty Poison: 7.5/10

Not Dini's best work by any measure, but the dialogue is a real step up from previous episodes, and saves a story that would be pretty uninspired in the hands of another writer. I love the TAS depiction of Ivy, but she's not nearly as endearing here as she would be later, she rants and hams things up far more, and thus reduces her threat. It's great how they set up Harvey Dent here, he comes across as a really lovable guy, and you really feel this friendship between him and Bruce, I kind of wish we had more episodes with him pre-two face, as they'd have made his transformation even more tragic.

6. The Underdwellers: 2/10

One of the few genuinely terrible episodes, with a godawful villain, less stellar voice work than usual from Conroy (in fairness, I don't know how he could've made some of that dialogue good), a weird tacked on gun PSA, and really corny unfunny humour with the kid in Wayne Manor which reduces Alfred to a bumbling buffoon who somehow doesn't know how to deal with children despite raising Bruce!

7. POV: 4/10

I honestly find the high concept of the episode a bit tiresome, and I feel like I've seen it a billion times now. Renee Montoya getting the focus is great, and I like Bullock's telling of the events, but as a whole it's all a bit pedestrian. The moral about teamwork at the end doesn't really make much sense considering that Renee saved the day by going off on her own!

8. The Forgotten: 7/10

I give this episode points for being so utterly different from the rest of the show. An episode set mostly outside of Gotham, with much more Bruce Wayne than Batman, and only a few night scenes? Pretty unique! I have to also give it credit for making the slave workers Bruce befriends genuinely really likeable. The episode loses marks for another uninspired villain (unfortunately this seems to be a constant problem in these early eps), and a slightly dull feel in the mid-section.

9. Be A Clown: 7/10

This is a really underrated episode in my opinion, sure it has some terrible one liners (time for a little BAT magic!), but the idea of the Joker trying to mold a child into being like him is horrifying (especially knowing what would happen later), and I think this is the first episode where the material quality matches Hamill's performance. Sure he has to pretend to be a party clown for much of the run-time, but there's always a sinister undercurrent, and the moment he reveals his true colours he becomes a force to be reckoned with. The fight between him and Batman is a great set-piece and it's nice to see him get beaten in way that doesn't involve him tripping over! The inclusion of a child character isn't nearly as bad as it could've been, and he comes across as a pretty true to life depiction of a neglected rich kid. He isn't an annoying cliche like we'd be getting in another episode...

10. Two Face Part 1: 10/10

First great episode of the show's run, everything here is pretty much perfect. Harvey Dent is a great, sympathetic character, and you really want him to overcome his issues, his friendship with Bruce (instead of the partnerships with Batman from the comics) adds a personal touch that previous versions of the character lacked. Rupert Thorne is a truly despicable bastard, and seeing him manipulate Dent's problems to his own ends is one of the most anger-inducing moments in the series. When Dent finally becomes Two Face in the end, we can see the show's finally grown into the mature, dark series we remember it as, every time I see it I get chills up my spine. The animation is some of the best the series has ever had, little touches like Harvey briefly taking on two face's appearance during the psychiatrist scene add a lot. If I have any complain, it's that I feel Grace is a bit of a boring character, it feels like she exists solely to cry and worry over Harvey. There's only so much they could've done I suppose, what with the limited runtime, but if she were a little more fleshed out and identifiable, Dent's transformation would've been even more poignant.

11. Two Face Part 2: 9/10

Not quite as good as part 1, but still a great episode. The main problem I have is that it would've been really interesting seeing Harvey fully become Two Face, adopting his coin gimmick, and accepting his life of crime. However, we skip over all of this and cut to three months later, and as a result it feels like we've missed a lot of his character development. The inferior animation from Part 1 is also jarring, especially if you watch both episode back to back. Luckily, Two Face is a compelling enough character, that he manages to be endearing even with a large chunk of his development missing, his breakdown at the end is uncomfortable to watch and tragic as all hell. His black and white suit is by far my favourite look for the character, and I wonder why it wasn't ever used before. The episode ascends to 'great' status for its genuinely beautiful ending, Batman's hope that Harvey will one day be cured makes me almost instantly forgive the aforementioned problems, even if later episodes with Two Face would piss all over it.

12. It's Never Too Late: 9/10
A compelling character study of mob boss, Arnold Stromwell. The episode is generally not given much attention, but I personally love it to bits! Batman solving a problem through trying to change someone's mind instead of resorting to knuckle-tactics lets us appreciate his more intelligent side, and makes for a nice departure from the usual fare. People complain about the anti-drug PSA scene, but it's pretty brief, and not nearly as jarring as the anti-gun stuff from The Underdwellers.

13. I've Got Batman In My Basement: 0/10

Do I even have to explain why I hate this episode?

14. Heart Of Ice: 13/10

All the quality must have been taken from I've Got Batman In My Basement, and put into this episode. This isn't just the best Batman TAS has to offer, it's one of the greatest episodes in animation history. Mr Freeze's revamped origin adds so much to what had previously been a very boring character, the animation is stellar, voicework amazing all around, and the ending pulls no punches. Whenever I want to introduce people to TAS, this is the episode I show first, it encapsulates everything great about it, and demonstrates why animation as a whole shouldn't be underestimated as a medium that can tell intelligent and thought-provoking stories.

I'll post the rest later on if anyone's interested, for now my fingers are a little tired out.

[–] movienerd666 8 years ago

15. The Cat And The Claw part 1: 4/10

A pretty disappointing first appearance for Catwoman, I think the writers chose the wrong element of her character to emphasise as well, highlighting her animal rights activist stuff as opposed to the far more fun thrill seeking jewel theft. Her relationship with Batman is at least handled very well, for all the episode's faults, the opening chase between them is one of the best moments in the series. Unfortunately, the plot is a little lacking, and Red Claw is a truly terrible villain, with her mad ranting and lack of any solid motives, she feels like she belongs in GI Joe more than Batman TAS

16. The Cat And The Claw part 2: 4/10

Pretty much the same as the previous episode, there's really not much of a quality difference here. The last scene between Batman and Catwoman is really great though, coupled with the first scene of the previous episode, it really makes me wish the whole two parter were about their complicated relationship, something far more intriguing than any Cobra-esc terrorist plot.

17. See No Evil: 9/10

A truly terrifying tale with perhaps the series' first truly great original villain. If you took away the invisibility suit, the episode's premise would be chillingly real, and that makes the character of Ventrix all the more scary. His motives are sympathetic, but his way towards them are despicable, and this demonstrates a moral complexity that even some 'adult' shows struggle to manage.

18. Beware The Grey Ghost: 10/10

Touching tribute to Adam West, and a great look into what inspired the Dark Knight. The scene where Batman shows Trent just how much he means to him never fails to make me tear up, and you can tell the writers are speaking through him. The Mad Bomber is another great original villain, being pretty hilarious once revealed, but still threatening enough to give the climax a sense of peril.

19. Prophecy of Doom: 3/10

Terrible villain, terrible animation, a total bore to watch, and Conroy seems to be phoning it in.

20. Feet Of Clay Part 1: 7/10

Bruce Wayne being framed is a very compelling idea, and completely ups the stakes for the episode. Batman seems far fiercer than usual due to this threat to his war on crime, and the fury in his voice as he interrogates one of Daggett's thugs whilst dangling him about on the Batwing is chilling. Daggett is one of the series' most gloriously slimy villains, and every second he's on screen you just want to punch him. He give even Rupert Thorne a run for his money! Hagen comes across as an intriguing character from what little we see in this episode, though his tragedy isn't nearly as effective as, say, Two Face's as we see much less of him, and he isn't nearly as sympathetic. In fairness, this is very much like Ventrix, his motives and backstory are sympathetic, but I don't think he himself is meant to be.

21. Feet Of Clay Part 2: 10/10

Much better than the first part, which was already pretty good in and of itself. Hagen as Clayface is a great, threatening force of nature, and the animation on him is a sight to behold. Batman's interrogation scene is one of my favourites ever, and the resolution is very, very clever.

22. Joker's Favor: 10/10

It's a shame it took this long for them to make a great Joker episode (though this is the first one featuring him to be aired), but it was worth the wait. Dini really gets how to write the Joker, managing to make him terrifying, hilarious, and in the end quite pathetic. His scheme to ruin Charlie's life is brilliantly cruel, and makes me really wish the modern comics could let Joker go back to that sort of thing, instead of the same old 'drive batman/gotham insane' stuff. Seeing Harley Quinn in the minor role she's in here, it's hard to believe she'd go on to be such a massive character, but she's still great with what little she has to do, and the episode is still a major part of Batman's history for including her

23. Vendetta: 7/10

Bullock getting some focus is the best part of this episode, the first signs of respect between him and Batman are very satisfying to watch. Killer Croc himself is fine, he's never been the deepest of Batman's rogues gallery, but he makes for a good action sequence, and he's much more competent and scary here than most people seem to remember him being (the infamous 'I threw a rock at him!' depiction we see later wasn't even him, in every proper appearance he has, he's pretty much on this level of competence) Batman's detective skills really are brought into question here though, the fact that he has to go to zoo to find out some pretty basic facts about crocodiles is laughable.

[–] movienerd666 8 years ago

24. Fear Of Victory: 4/10

Really boring episode, with a plot that seems pretty petty and dull for a character like the Scarecrow. His design is at least better, and the voice is drastically improved from before. Like with Joker, it'd take a few attempt to get a really great Scarecrow episode though.

25. The Clock King: 8/10

One of the many examples of the show taking a previously laughable villain, and making them great. The clock king comes across as one of the coolest villains on the show, his gimmick is used to its maximum effect, and it makes for an amazing climax. It's actually impressive that they manage to make him such a badass, considering that he's a scrawny old man in a suit. You really have to feel sorry for Mayor Hill at this point, it seems like any action he takes, no matter how tiny could get a supervillain on his case.

26. Appointment in Crime Alley: 8/10

The atmosphere in this episode is incredible, you really feel the despair in this area of the city, and it serves as reminder of just how much Batman is really needed. Most of the episode is just him going around helping various people, and you can feel his compassion underneath his cold exterior. That Dagget gets away in the end gives everything a real sense of tragedy, that no matter how hard Batman fights, he can't always truly win (until the next episode featuring that particular character...) There is still hope in the end though, which stops the episode from being a complete misery-fest.

27. Mad As A Hatter: 9/10

I was never a fan of the mad hatter in the comics, in the stories I've read of him, he's always been either a rather bland hat-obsessed thief, or an overtly creepy, still very boring villain. This mad hatter however is pretty much how he should've been all along! While he's definitely not a nice person (what with the mind control and all), he still garners a lot of sympathy due to his shockingly bad social skills, and obsessive interests. This adds a layer of complexity to the character which allows you to sympathise with him to at least some degree, whilst still realising what he's doing is fundamentally evil. The climax with Batman fighting the wonderland themed mind control victims is absurd as it is pathetic, emphasising this character's damaged mindset. If I had any real nitpick with this episode, it's that Alice could've been a little more interesting, like with Grace though, there was only so much that could be done with a limited runtime.

28. Dreams in Darkness: 8.5/10

Scarecrow's best pre-TNBA appearance, this is the first one to truly make him seem like a credible threat to Batman, and Gotham at large. The effects of Batman's exposure to the fear gas are far more chilling than what we've seen previously, and the manic urgency Conroy puts into the performance just increases the sense of danger.

29. Eternal Youth: 8/10

One of the creepiest episodes in the show's run, the image of Ivy's petrified victims still haunts me to this day! Maggie is a relatively annoying character, but she works as a foil to Alfred and Bruce, and she's only in this episode anyway. Ivy is far better here than before, a much more restrained performance making her chilling, and the creepier plot showing just how terrifying she can be.

30. Perchance to Dream: 10/10

This episode is one of the best character studies of Batman we've ever seen, showing all his desires, and demonstrating how he'll give them all up for his city. The obvious comparison for the plot of this episode is to the Superman story, 'For The Man Who Has Everything', but Superman has never really been a character defined by tragedy like Batman has, therefore it's far more emotionally affecting (in my personal opinion) to show Batman in this situation. I suppose the tragedy could've been even more profound had Bruce truly believe in his dream life for a little longer, he does after all only have one scene where he's truly happy, but that scene on its own is heartbreaking enough, that it gets the tragedy across with what little it has (helped greatly by Conroy's voice acting, it's downright jarring to hear Bruce sound so utterly overjoyed!)

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7801) 7 years ago

I agree with most of your reviews though I like the Cat and the Claw and I liked both Feats of Clay episodes equally. I will say I didn't like the Clock King episode and found it boring. I do agree with you about the episode Batman in my basement. So stupid. I also disagree with you that The last Laugh was bad. I really liked it. You and I do have a lot of favorite episodes. Perchance to Dream is one of my favorites as well. I will say though the explanation of the premise of not being able to read in a dream is bullcrap but I understand why they did it that way. It's funny I've had a few dreams in the past where I could read things which is why I know it's bullcrap.