Batman: The Animated Series -- A 19 Year Retrospective

[Dracula]

Superman's Pal
A Jimmy Olsen episode isn’t normally what I’d call a recipe for success on this show, but this episode is surprisingly decent. The episode begins with some suspect journalism outing Olsen as a supposed friend of superman’s, a distinction that quickly turns his life into a living hell. It would have been neat if they just made a low key episode about the downside of fame at this point, but instead we get a good-enough action scene when Metallo (who has somehow found yet another large piece of replacement kryptonite for his chest) decides to set up an ambush. I’ve had issues with Metallo in the past, but his blandness works pretty well for an eleventh hour appearance in an episode like this.
B

A Fish Story
Again with the crossovers… You know if they had spread these out over the course of the series they might have seemed pretty cool, but the way they’re just stuffing them all into the back half of the third season and it just seems kind of desperate. This time they’re dragging out Aquaman, a hero that’s widely regarded as the redhaired stepchild of the JLA. Here he’s not necessarily pathetic, but he’s a pretty straightforward iteration of the guy (although isn’t he supposed to have a beard?). Anyway the episode is average enough, and it gives me the opportunity to bring up something that’s been bugging me this entire series: what the hell is up with that sea captain guy? He’s like the strangest recurring character ever.
C+

Unity
Recently this show has averaged about one memorable episode per disc, and this is clearly the one for disc 3/3 (aside from the finale). That’s particularly surprising given that this is a Super-girl episode, and… I’m not a big fan of that character. This is a really cool slice of Midwest gothic, complete with a traveling preacher, tentacle sprouting farmers, and a giant squid-like monster in a tent. It’s some pretty disturbing stuff at least by Saturday morning cartoon standards; sort of a Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Something Wicked This Way Comes with a pinch of Elmer Gantry. Kind of a stand-alone slice of Lovecraftian terror in the middle of an otherwise bright series. It’s a hell of a lot better than that horrible “Critters” episode of Batman: TAS.
A-

The Demon Reborn
I would say that they’re maybe overdoing it with the Batman crossovers, but given that this is she show’s penultimate episode I guess they have to get them out while they can. This episode probably sits somewhere between “World’s Finest” and “Knight Time” on the spectrum of these episodes, but it’s closer to the latter than the former. The best thing about the episode is that it continues the unending Ras Al Ghul arc from Batman and does it in a fairly solid manner. I must question one plot-hole though: if Ras was draining Superman’s powers at the end and was interrupted mid-way though, wouldn’t that have left Superman somewhat de-powered? We never saw his powers restored did we? Anyway, good episode over-all.
B+

Legacy
Superman: The Animated Series differed from Batman: The Animated Series in that it had a proper series premiere/origin story and similarly it had a series finale that seemed to know it was going to be a series finale. Superman doesn’t die or anything here, but they do have the balls to end the series on a fairly dark note (which is paradoxical given the nature of the show). Specifically they (sort of) wrap up the Darkseid storyline. The episode begins with Superman brainwashed and attacking earth in Darkseid’s name and ends with Superman coming to his senses and doing an all out attack on Darkseid on his home turf. This final attack is particularly awesome, with the otherwise kind of icy Superman really unleashing himself and fighting a true passion. The episode ends with Superman victorious, but at what cost? The world no longer trusts Superman (which may have been a set-up for a fourth season that never came) and the series ends with Superman embracing Lois Lane as she says he’ll just have to win them over one person at a time, which I think is a pretty great last shot.
A

Strongest Episode: Legacy

Weakest Episode: A Fish Story

Closing Thought: Meh. I'm tempted to leave it at that, but I'll elaborate. To some extent I think my problems with the show ultimately boil down to me not digging Superman as a character anywhere near as much as I dig Batman. Maybe this is the best possible show you could make with the character, but it's just never going to be as good to me as Batman. I also feel like they ran out of material fairly quickly and found themselves bringing storylines and back over and over and over again, mostly because they just didn't have anything else to do with their time. That seemed particularly true of the third season where they really needed to lean on crossovers in order to provide them with plotlines. Still, I am glad I watched it, this is pretty different from most of the shows I watch and it's it's good to be exposed to certain aspects to the DC mythos that I normally don't see.

Anyway, I'll go ahead and look into making a top ten list, and then I look forward to digging into Batman Beyond.

[PG Cooper]

I did not expect you to tackle Batman Beyond as well. Sweet.

[Fresh Prince]

A 4th season should of happened showing Superman regaining the peoples trust.

[Alien]

Originally Posted by PG Cooper

51- Unity


Written by Paul Dini and Rich Fogel. Directed by Shin-Ichi Tsuji.

An alien entity comes to Smallville and posses all the townspeople. This is a weird, weird episode. It's also pretty creepy. The sight of the townspeople with these weird alien tentacles shooting out of their mouths is really unnerving. The alien creature itself is also pretty creepy. I like seeing Supergirl do more, and the action scenes here are fun. Overall, I don't have much to say about this episode. It's not great, but I do enjoy it.

I didn't know Superman had to fight Yivo!

I'm almost tempted to change my avatar to that Fry pic.

[Neverending]

Originally Posted by Dracula

Maybe this is the best possible show you could make with the character

Hell no! In my opinion, Superman: The Animated Series is one my least favorite Superman adaptations. Bruce Timm & Company did a GREAT job with Batman, but I don't know what the heck happened with Superman. This show had no heart - period. Maybe the lose of Tom Ruegger or the move to Kids WB affected them. I don't know for sure to be honest. But the point is, this show was way too dry.

People will criticize this, but I found Lois & Clark to be a much more effective show. Granted, they were very limited by the television special effects of the `90s and there is a large number of cheese, but the series had HEART and CHARM. Perry White was an Elvis-loving southern. Jimmy Olsen, in season one, was a pervert. Lex Luthor was a badass. The chemistry between Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher was electrifying. There was so much to hang on to that it didn't need to rely on action scenes and Superman heroics. It could just be a little character-driven ensemble show.

Superman: TAS was the polar opposite. All action and spectacle with little else except for a few episodes. It's the Michael Bay of Superman adaptations. When PG Cooper started reviewing the show, that's something he should have pointed out. Batman: TAS is one of the best Batman adaptations - if not the best, but Superman: TAS is not that at all.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Neverending

Superman: TAS was the polar opposite. All action and spectacle with little else except for a few episodes. It's the Michael Bay of Superman adaptations. When PG Cooper started reviewing the show, that's something he should have pointed out. Batman: TAS is one of the best Batman adaptations - if not the best, but Superman: TAS is not that at all.

Don't tell me what to do!

[Neverending]

Originally Posted by PG Cooper

Don't tell me what to do!

Go review Static Shock!!!

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Neverending

Go review Static Shock!!!

But no freaken way am I reviewing Static Shock.

[Neverending]

Racist.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Neverending

Racist.

See, that's just mean.

[Tornado]

The complete series showed up on my doorstep today. Pretty slick packaging. I'll probably start watching tonight and chime in with brief reviews and ratings like you guys did.

[DarthVader 2004]

I cannot recall episodes by name I liked but I liked the episode where Batman gets kidnapped by a bunch of the worst villains and I think Catwomen and Robin try to find and save him but they get captured and Batman gets loose and has to save the rescuers. I think that is how the story goes. Its been ages since watched the cartoon.

[Neverending]

The Animated Series RISES:

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

Let's all applaud Margaret Loesch, the greatest Children's Network President of all-time. She was in charge of FOX Kids back in the `90s. Greenlit Batman: TAS. Now, she's in charge of The Hub and gives us this.

[PG Cooper]

Cool.

[Tornado]

That was ****ing awesome.

[Neverending]

I agree more with Tornado's reaction.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Neverending

I agree more with Tornado's reaction.

I'm never good enough for you

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by PG Cooper

I'm never good enough for you

Start saying f**k more, and maybe you will be.

[Dracula]

Originally Posted by moviebuff801

Start saying f**k more, and maybe you will be.

That never ****ing works for me

[Justin]

Originally Posted by alien

i didn't know superman had to fight yivo!

i'm almost tempted to change my avatar to that fry pic.

stolen

[MasterChief117]

Nerdgasm. That was ****ing the ****.

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by PG Cooper

Yeah, disc 2 of volume two isn't very strong.

I concur with this. I'm currently going through this disc and I'd go so far as to say Disc 2 of Volume 2 is the weakest disc of both sets combined SO FAR. Each episode I've watched on this one so far has either been bad or sub-par.

[sshuttari]

September 6th, 2012 is the 20th anniversary of Batman: The Animated Series

Happy BATMAN DAY!

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by sshuttari

September 6th, 2012 is the 20th anniversary of Batman: The Animated Series

Happy BATMAN DAY!

Sweet.



I'm very, VERY late with this, but I'm finally going to post my top ten Superman episodes. After that, Drac and I will dive into Batman Beyond.

10. Knight Time


Written by Robert Goodman. Directed by Curt Geda.

Batman has gone missing in Gotham. Nightwing and Batgirl are going around the country trying to find him, leaving Robin alone to deal with the city. Thankfully, Superman comes in to help out. He actually dons the Batsuit and does his best to impersonate the dark knight. This episode is just plain fun. I crack up watching Superman's impressions of Batman, and I like the little details like Robin helping Supes navigate Batman's belt. Probably my favourite scene is where Superman (dressed as Batman) beats the tar out of Bane. The reveal at the end with Brainiac being the cause of Bruce's disappearance was genuinely surprising and actually played into the continuity of the story. It's not a perfect episode, but I do really like it.

"I feared you had gone forever, Batman, and that would have meant I'd never feel your spine crumble in my hands."

9. Stolen Memories

Written by Rich Fogel. Directed by Curt Geda.

Brainiac finally arrives on Earth. He seemingly comes in peace, offering knowledge in exchange for knowledge. But Superman discovers Brainiac has come to learn everything he can from Earth, then destroy it. I really love what this series did with Brainiac. Making him come from Krypton was a nice detail, and I think his motivation is great. A computer which seeks to collect all knowledge than destroy all remnants of it, making the knowledge all the more precious. Corey Burton is great as the voice of Brainiac, and I love the little theme he's given. The action scenes here are also pretty awesome. I also like Luthor's small part in the episode, and the end with Brainiac still within Luthor's computer was a great cliff hanger.

"You are your father's son, Kal-El. Headstrong, foolish, easily defeated and ultimately forgotten."

8. New Kids In Town

Written by Stan Berkowitz and Rich Fogel. Directed by Butch Lukic.

In the late 30th century, Brainiac uses a time machine to go back to Smallville to kill Clark when he was still a teenager. Luckily, the Legion of Super Heroes follow to protect him. I think I like this episode because it's plot is the same as The Terminator. There's a lot of other 70s and 80s references too. I also like seeing a young Clark a lot too. It's fun watching him use and misuse his powers, and learn in a subtle way the importance of handling them responsibly. Brainiac himself comes off pretty badass here, and the heroes who go back to protect Clark are pretty cool. I think my favourite scene is watching a young Clark Kent go blow for blow with Brainiac, not even realizing the magnitude of their relationship. Oh, and seeing Clark's parents rocking shotguns is hilarious.

"At last, the son of Jor-El kneels before me."

[PG Cooper]

Instead of dragging this out, I'll just post the rest all in one go.

7. The Way of All Flesh

Written by Stan Berkowitz. Directed by Kenji Hachizaki.

John Corben (a thug from the pilot) is serving time in prison. He finds himself reaping the benefits of being Lex Luthor's friend. Early on, Corben disvoers he's contracted a fatal disease with no cure. Desperate, Luthor breaks him out of prison and offers a solution; he puts Corben's mind in a robot body. From there, Corben becomes the villain Metallo. He's almost as strong as Superman, and is fueled with a Kryptonite heart. Oh Metallo, I thought you would be one of the great villains of the series. That never really happened, but at least you had a cool debut. Malcolm McDowell is great as the voice of Metallo and he hits all the beats he needs to. I also really like the fight scenes between Superman and Metallo. The action is really good. My favourite thing about the episode though is Metallo having to accept he isn't human. The writers even worked in Metallo's sexual desires. Also, while Luthor was an established villain at this point, this was the first episode that showed just how much of a massive dick he is.

"I can't even feel a kiss... What did they do to me?"

6. The Last Son of Krypton Part One

Written by Alan Burnett and Paul Dini. Directed by Dan Riba.

I don't really like breaking up multi-part episodes, but Part One really does stand above the others. The story follows Kal-El's father Jor-El leading up to the destruction of Krypton. I think it was a brave move to start Superman with an episode where Superman doesn't even appear. We see Kal-El as a baby, but that's it. Jor-El has been doing research and studies on the planet, and has come to the conclusion Krypton will explode. However, the planet A.I, Brainiac, says the planet is fine. Frustrated, Jor-El returns to his labs in the night, where Brainiac reveals Jor-El is correct, and Krypton will explode. Brainiac reveals he's storing all his knowledge within himself and saving himself from the planet's destruction. There's a lot to like here. They get you to really like the family, so when the planet explodes, you feel a lot of sympathy for them. The music during the destruction scene is especially poignant. I also love that Brainiac is responsible for the death of Krypton. The episode also features some great designs and strong action scenes. Overall, it's a great start to the series.

"No, the last one."

5. Ghost in the Machine

Written by Rich Fogel. Directed by Hiroyuki Aoyama.

Remember at the end of "Stolen Memories" when Brainiac downloaded himself into Luthor's computer. Here's the payoff. Brainiac locks Luthor away into the bowels of the building and forces Luthor to build Brainiac a new body. The set up here is great, and the results are awesome. This is one of the few episodes that actually looks at the psychology of the villains. For example, the episode strongly hints at Luthor's savagery. That behind his facade of sophistication is a total brute. I also like how the episode looks at Mercy more and the relationship she has with Lex. Brainiac is cool as hell too and he comes off as a scary threat. When Superman and Brainiac finally come to blows, it's pretty cool, but the story and characters is why I like this character.

"Just a stray..."

4. Mxyzpixilated

Written by Paul Dini. Directed by Dan Riba.

Mister Mxyzptlk is a being from the fifth dimension who comes to Earth to torment Superman. He isn't really trying to kill him, just annoy him. This episode is a very different feel from the show usually, but it works really well. This episode is genuinely really funny. Gilbert Gottfried is hilarious as the voice of Mxy, and I love Mxy. I think he's a great character. I like how he isn't out to really hurt anyone, he's just trying to have fun. He's so obsessed with Superman, despite having a hot girlfriend and living in an advanced world. This episode also shows just how clever Superman is. I like seeing him use his brain as oppose to his fists. Bottom line, this is a very fun and well-written episode, I have a great time with it.

"Aw nuts!"

3. Apokolips...Now! Part Two

Written by Rich Fogel and Bruce Timm. Directed by Dan Riba.

Part One is a good episode yeah, but Part Two is way better. Darkseid's assault on Earth has begun. You've got Parademons flying through the sky and attacking people, set against blood red skies. It feels like hell has come to Metropolis. I also like how we actually see Turpin and other cops fighting against Apokolips forces. The battle scenes are especially brutal and Superman takes one hell of a pounding. He manages to get through the Parademons and Steppenwolf, but eventually has to come face to face with Darkseid. The seen of Darkseid tempting Superman on the mountain is great, and even better is the one where Darkseid moves into Metropolis with Superman beaten down and tied up. Michael Ironside is the perfect voice for Darkseid. He's just such an intimidating presence, and he has some great lines, "If you won't be my knight, you will be my pawn." The final scenes are great. Darkseid killing off Dan Turpin was a brave move. I've never been too fond of Turpin, but I still respect the courage it took to kill off his character. His funeral scene is also pretty sad, especially Superman's line about how, "...the world didn't need a super man, it just needed a brave one." At the time, this was Superman's darkest hour, and would remain so, until...

2. Legacy Parts One and Two

Written by Paul Dini and Rich Fogel. Directed by Curt Geda and Dan Riba.

Darkseid brainwashes Superman and sets him loose on Earth. He's eventually captured by the Government and remembers the truth. After spending some time in a government facility, Lois busts him out and Superman takes his vengeance on Apokolips. Wow, where do I begin with this episode? It does so much it's hard to start. For one, this is a large scale, epic episode. You've got Superman taking on the army, Superman taking on agents, and finally Superman waging a one man war on Apokolips. The action here is really great. The fight with Darkseid at the end is especially badass. The episode also has a very dark tone. Superman fights humans, is locked away, is almost killed by Luthor, and Supergirl is almost killed. There's also the scene after Superman has defeated Darkseid, where his abused slaves actually come to Darkseid's aid. As Darkseid says, "I am many things Kal-El, but here, I am god." Then of course there's the ending, where most of the world no longer trusts Superman. And you can't blame them either. Superman showed what his powers could do if he loses control. Even Emile Hamilton, Superman's friend, now shuddered in fear at the sight of him. And you know what else? This episode was the series finale. That's right! Superman ends with it's main character, one of the most optimistic of heroes, being feared and hated by the world. Now that's a great ending. Finally, this episode is a great study on Superman himself, and what he's like when pushed to his limits. The episode reveals the limit that Superman can take, and really made Darkseid Superman's ultimate enemy. Superman actually kills Parademons in this episode, and he tries to kill Darkseid, but is stopped by Supergirl. This episode does a lot right, and I almost had it ranked first, but there's some unnecessary comedy in Part One, mainly involving a robot Superman that caused some drag. Everything else is excellent though.

"Had I known one human's death would pain you so, I would have killed more. And kill more I shall. Carry that agony with you to oblivion, Superman."

1. World's Finest Parts One, Two, and Three

The Joker steals some Kryptonite and strikes a deal with Luthor; one billion dollars for the death of Superman. So Batman and Superman tried to stop him. I tried for this episode not to come out as number one because I knew I'd look like a huge Batman fanboy. But this really is the most well-executed and most consistent episode in all of Superman. A lot of work and care went into this. First off, there's just the awesomeness of this being the first crossover of the DCAU. Batman and Superman play off each other phenomenally well. Instead of being buddies the whole time, they're actually kind of ***** to each other. They fight, they bicker, they discover each others identities, and to add to the dickery, Bruce starts dating Lois. But as the episode goes, they begin to develop a respect and appreciation for each other. Joker and Luthor are also great together. Luthor's style of control put against Joker's total anarchy makes for some great stuff. There's just so many memorable scenes here. Joker stealing the Kryptonite, Superman saving Lois from the plane crash, Joker and Luthor's limo ride, Batman in the night club, the first meeting between Batman and Superman, the two finding each other's identities, Joker almost killing Superman, Joker and Luthor discussing business/Harley and Mercy beating each other, Batman meeting Lex, and the final showdown between the four. Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman, Mark Hamill as The Joker, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. They're all perfectly casted. Honestly, while this episode isn't ludicrously deep, it does a lot. It's the first meeting between Batman and Superman, and really lays the foundation for the future DCAU crossovers. It's also loads of fun executed brilliantly. "World's Finest", my favourite Superman episode.

"Thanks. I couldn't have saved Lois without your help."

"I'm aware of that."