Batman: The Animated Series

Started rewatching B:TAS in late July/early August after buying the BD set, finished yesterday. I watched only the original incarnation and the two spinoff films; I didn’t bother with The New Batman Adventures, since I didn’t watch it as a kid and don’t consider it the same series (I will watch TNBA later — I own the episodes, so I may as well — but I doubt I’ll like it very much).

I have a few, minor issues with the show. I wish the antagonism between the authorities and Batman touched on in “On Leather Wings” had been played up more. I wish more had been done with Summer Gleeson and Montoya. I wish elements from the series bible — namely the Penguin and Montoya’s backstories — had made it into the series. I wish Hugo Strange hadn’t been utterly wasted. There’s also the inconsistent quality of the animation, but that goes without saying. Regardless, B:TAS remains the best Batman series, featuring the definitive Batman.

EPISODE RATINGS

“On Leather Wings” — 9/10
“Christmas with the Joker” — 5/10
“Nothing to Fear” — 7/10
“The Last Laugh” — 7/10
“Pretty Poison” — 7/10
“The Underdwellers” — 5/10
“P.O.V.” — 7/10
“The Forgotten” — 8/10
“Be a Clown” — 8/10
“Two-Face: Part I” — 8/10
“Two-Face: Part II” — 9/10
“It’s Never Too Late” — 9/10
“I’ve Got Batman in My Basement” — 6/10
“Heart of Ice” — 9/10
“The Cat and the Claw: Part I” — 8/10
“The Cat and the Claw: Part II” — 8/10
“See No Evil” — 8/10
“Beware the Gray Ghost” — 10/10
“Prophecy of Doom” — 5/10
“Feat of Clay: Part I” — 8/10
“Feat of Clay: Part II” — 9/10
“Joker’s Favor” — 7/10
“Vendetta” — 7/10
“Fear of Victory” — 6/10
“The Clock King” — 6/10
“Appointment in Crime Alley” — 8/10
“Mad as a Hatter” — 8/10
“Dreams in Darkness” — 8/10
“Eternal Youth” — 8/10
“Perchance to Dream” — 8/10
“The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy” — 6/10
“Robin’s Reckoning, Part I” — 8/10
“Robin’s Reckoning: Part II” — 8/10
“The Laughing Fish” — 7/10
“Night of the Ninja” — 8/10
“Cat Scratch Fever” — 6/10
“The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne” — 6/10
“Heart of Steel: Part I” — 9/10
“Heart of Steel: Part II” — 9/10
“If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?” — 8/10
“Joker’s Wild” — 7/10
“Tyger Tyger” — 9/10
“Moon of the Wolf” — 7/10
“Day of the Samurai” — 9/10
“Terror in the Sky” — 8/10
“Almost Got 'Im” — 8/10
“Birds of a Feather” — 6/10
“What Is Reality?” — 9/10
“I Am the Night” — 9/10
“Off Balance” — 8/10
“The Man Who Killed Batman” — 7/10
“Mudslide” — 7/10
“Paging the Crime Doctor” — 8/10
“Zatanna” — 7/10
“The Mechanic” — 7/10
“Harley and Ivy” — 8/10
“Shadow of the Bat: Part I” — 7/10
“Shadow of the Bat: Part II” — 7/10
“Blind as a Bat” — 7/10
“The Demon’s Quest: Part I” — 8/10
“The Demon’s Quest: Part II” — 9/10
“His Silicon Soul” — 9/10
“Fire from Olympus” — 7/10
“Read My Lips” — 8/10
“The Worry Men” — 7/10
“Sideshow” — 9/10
“A Bullet for Bullock” — 8/10
“Trial” — 7/10
“Avatar” — 8/10
“House & Garden” — 8/10
“The Terrible Trio” — 7/10
“Harlequinade” — 7/10
“Time Out of Joint” — 7/10
“Catwalk” — 8/10
“Bane” — 7/10
“Baby-Doll” — 8/10
“The Lion and the Unicorn” — 8/10
“Showdown” — 7/10
“Riddler’s Reform” — 8/10
“Second Chance” — 8/10
“Harley’s Holiday” — 8/10
“Lock-Up” — 8/10
“Make 'Em Laugh” — 7/10
“Deep Freeze” — 7/10
“Batgirl Returns” — 8/10

SERIES RATING

★★★★★★★★★☆