One of the greatest cartoons of all time has to be Batman: The Animated Series. The cartoon is full of action, very dark and very accurate to the comic book. It’s also got Batman and who doesn’t like Batman? Here are what I think are the ten best episodes from Batman: The Animated Series.
10. Harley’s Holiday
In Harley’s Holiday, the Joker’s sidekick Harley Quinn has been discharged from Arkham Asylum and is now trying to lead a regular life. Harley Quinn is shopping when there is a misunderstanding and she thinks the police are after her. In order to escape Harley Quinn steals Bruce Wayne’s car and kidnaps his girlfriend. This leads to a wild goose chase between Harley Quinn, Batman, and the police.
9. It’s Never Too Late
It’s Never Too late is an episode about two rival crime bosses. The aging mob boss, Arnold Stromwell, is about to be rubbed out by the new upstart mob boss, Rupert Thorne. Batman saves Stromwell from Thorne’s men and tries to keep Stromwell safe. After Stromwell sees his son in drug rehab, has a talk with his brother who is now a priest, and remembers a dark memory from his past Stromwell decides to reform and do some good for the community.
8. P. O. V.
In P. O. V. three members of the Gotham police force were at a crime scene about to launch a sting operation. When the operation fails the three are questioned and we see what happened from each of their perspectives. Harvey Bullock’s story is completely different from the other two, because he’s trying to save face, so Commissioner Gordon suspends all three of them. Montoya decides to capture the crooks so make up for them getting away. Just finds the crooks and with the help of Batman she captures them and gets her job back.
7. If You’re So Smart Why Aren’t You Rich
Edward Enygma helps to create a very popular game called Riddle of the Minotaur. When Nygman demands he get a cut of the profit he is fired. Years later the company that fired him is being sold to Wayne Enterprises. Edward Nygma, now as the Riddler, kidnaps the owner of the company and keeps him hostage inside a real life version of the Riddle of the Minotaur game. Batman and Robin must enter the game work their way through a maze, answering many riddles along the way.
6. Robin’s Reckoning
Batman and Robin capture a criminal that leads to someone else larger behind the case. When Batman refuses to let Robin come along Robin gets suspicious and does some investigating of his own. Robin finds out the reason Batman didn’t want him to get involved is because the case led to Tony Zucco, the man who killed the parents of Robin. Robin then decides to go after Zucco on his own. During this two part episode we see all of Robin’s origin including his life working at a circus, his family being killed and Bruce Wayne welcoming him into his home. By the end of the story Robin has found and captured Tony Zucco and wants to kill Zucco to avenge his parents’ death but Batman convinces him to show mercy.
5. Feat of Clay
Batman breaks up a secret meeting between Lucius Fox and Bruce Wayne. Of course this Bruce Wayne is a fake since the real Bruce Wayne is Batman. It turns out the impostor Bruce Wayne is an actor by the name of Matt Hagen who has been using a chemical called Renuyu which will allow him to change his face into any face he wants. When Hagen goes to the owner of the chemical and demands more Renuyu it is given to him by tying him up and dumping an entire tank of it on him then leaving him for dead. Little do they do it actually turns him into a monster, Clayface, who can turn into anything or anybody he wants just by thinking about it. Now Batman must figure out a way to stop this creature.
4. Heart of Ice
There has been a string of heists by a mysterious man with an ice gun. Batman follows him and finds Mr. Freeze. After doing some investigating, Batman finds out that Mr. Freeze is a former cryogenics scientist for GothCorp named Victor Fries. . Mr. Freeze was trying to save his dying wife Nora when a freak laboratory accident made it so that Mr. Freeze could not live in conditions that weren’t a sub zero temperature. Mr. Freeze has now invented a suit that will always keep him in sub zero temperature. Now that Mr. Freeze is free to roam, he goes after the man that caused the accident but Batman is there to stop him.
3. Almost Got ‘Im
In Almost Got ‘Im five Batman villains are sitting around a table telling stories about how they almost captured Batman. Poison Ivy, Two-Face and Penguin all talked about elaborate plans on how they nearly caught Batman. Then Killer Croc tells a very short story about how he tried to hit Batman with a rock once, maybe that should’ve raised a flag but the other villains just chalked it up to Croc being stupid. Joker then tells about his plan and says it would’ve worked if Catwoman hadn’t gotten in the way. The Joker then tells the best part of his story; he captured Catwoman and has her hidden. That’s when Killer Croc takes off his mask to reveal Batman. Thanks to the Joker’s story Batman is able to find and rescue Catwoman.
2. Christmas with the Joker
It’s Christmas day and the Joker has recently been released from Arkham Asylum. Batman wants to go on patrol but Robin says that nobody commits crimes on Christmas. After a brief patrol and no crime in sight, Batman and Robin return home to watch It’s a Wonderful Life. They turn it on but it’s being interrupted by a special by the Joker. The Joker has kidnapped Commissioner Gordon, Harvey Bullock and Summer Gleeson and the Joker says that Batman must find them or they all will die. Batman and Robin then go through many obstacles to finally find the Joker.
1. Two-Face
In this two part episode Harvey Dent is a District Attorney who is beginning to have some anger issues. Batman advises Harvey Dent to seek help and Dent begins seeing a doctor who finds out that Harvey Dent has a split personality. His other personality is a lot more angry and violent. Eventually Rupert Thorne comes after Dent and an explosion nearly kills Dent. Dent survives but one side of his face looks like something from a horror movie. Harvey Dent has now become Two-Face. He has accepted his new look and has let his evil personality take over. Now Two-Face wants revenge on Rupert Thorne and Batman must stop him because he doesn’t want to see his old friend Harvey Dent become a killer.
