Batman: The Animated Series Season 1 (1992)
…………………………………………………
Batman: The Animated Series Season 1 Review
Batman: The Animated Series is a superhero animated series from Warner Bros. that is rightfully considered to be one of the finest American animated shows of all time.
………………………………………………….
“I’m an equal opportunity crime fighter!“
…………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………..
The first season premiered in 1992 and it consists of sixty five episodes. I will talk about each episode, but for the sake of brevity, I will only talk more in depth about the ones that I found to be awesome. But first and foremost, let’s talk about the show itself which is excellent. The direction is phenomenal, the acting is superb with Kevin Conroy being a terrific Batman and naturally Mark Hamill is fantastic as the Joker and the best one we’ve ever got in my opinion.
The storytelling is intricate and very strong as the scripts are almost always fantastic and they adapted them so well from the comics. The dialogue and especially the emotional investment are evident. As for the animation, it’s one of the show’s strongest suits apart from the score and great sound effects. The series looks very polished for a television show, especially realistic, suitably dark with great character designs and a beautiful neo-noir feel to it.
On Leather Wings is a pretty good opener with an intriguing premise well used. Christmas with the Joker isn’t the best Joker episode, but it’s a lot of goofy fun for sure. Nothing to Fear is a very moody Scarecrow episode and The Last Laugh is a forgettable poisonous gas story.
…………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………..
Pretty Poison serves so well as a tense thriller episode while The Underdwellers is again forgettable as it deals with a lesser villain, this time the Sewer King. P.O.V. is overly serious whereas The Forgotten feels a bit too realistic with its chain gag storyline. Be a Clown is fun, but nothing too remarkable. Two-Face two-parter is very strong with Part 2 being more interesting than Part 1, but both installments offer a strong take on this character, much better certainly than the stupid ‘Dark Knight’. It’s Never Too Late is one crime episode too many.
I’ve Got Batman in My Basement is solid, but far from memorable. Heart of Ice, on the other hand, is a very famous, acclaimed episode from this show which portrays Mr. Freeze wonderfully and with a lot of care. It’s a tender, truly terrific story. The Cat and the Claw is a great two-parter about Catwoman. Part 1 and also Part 2 are both a fun, exciting and faithful take on the famous character.
See No Evil is pretty good, Beware the Gray Ghost is also quite effective in its atmosphere and memorable villain, Prophecy of Doom is a solid cult episode and Feat of Clay, although better in Part 2 than Part 1, still remains overly silly in its villain. Joker’s Favor features a memorable Joker plan, Vendetta features Killer Croc who’s great here and Fear of Victory has an original, but also obviously silly premise.
…………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………..
The Clock King is absolutely ridiculous in its silly villain taken from the silly comics in an obvious manner. Appointment in Crime Alley is a very moving episode in regards to Batman’s past. Mad as a Hatter features Mad Hatter who’s a crazy, very entertaining villain. Dreams in Darkness is another effective Scarecrow episode. He’s a great villain well used in each of his episodes here.
Eternal Youth is far from the best Poison Ivy episode from this show, but Perchance to Dream is simply one of the best episodes in this first season. It’s absolutely amazing. Batman wakes up to realize that there is another Batman in this world where his one doesn’t exist and there is no Robin too. It’s a phenomenal, highly atmospheric, fascinating episode which remains intriguing throughout its runtime. The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy is very forgettable and Robin’s Reckoning is good in both Part 1 and Part 2, but nothing particularly special.
The Laughing Fish is silly in premise, but definitely hugely entertaining owing to highly charismatic, villainous Joker. Night of the Ninja is overly Asian in influence and Car Scratch Fever is one terrific, animal activist episode with Catwoman which I really did dig a lot. The Strange Case of Bruce Wayne features a terrific use of Hugo Strange, Heart of Steel is a good, but far from memorable two-parter, but I definitely liked both Part 1 and Part 2. If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich is a terrific Riddler episode and he’s excellent here.
…………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………..
Joker’s Wild and Tyger Tyger are both pretty good, but far from great. Moon on the Wolf is a creepy, but forgettable werewolf installment. Day of the Samurai is another rather annoying martial arts/samurai episode. Terror in the Sky is unfortunately entirely forgettable, but Almost Got ‘Im is a fantastic episode where all of Batman’s greatest villains join forces. Birds of a Feather is the best told Penguin story in this season. What Is Reality? is a good Riddler story, but not too memorable.
I Am the Night is one of the deepest, most moving episodes with Gordon and Bruce Wayne. It emphasizes their relationship beautifully. Off Balance is a forgettable episode about Talia who’s rather forgettable herself. The Man Who Killed Batman and Mudslide are both not worth talking about more. Paging the Crime Doctor and Zatanna are both pretty good, but again not particularly exciting and never great.
The Mechanic is a fine Penguin episode, albeit nothing special. Finally, Harvey and Ivy is a fantastic episode and one of the best. It is certainly the best Harley Quinn story where she leaves the Joker and joins Poison Ivy. Both are excellent and the episode delves so well into her obsessive relationship with the clown.
…………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………..
Shadow of the Bat features Barbara Gordon as Batgirl for the first time. Part 2 is more entertaining and Part 1 is a good setup. Blind as a Bat features blind Batman in an intense episode. The Demon’s Quest is pretty good in Part 1, but not as good in Part 2. His Silicon Soul is not particularly original in storyline, Fire From Olympus is ridiculously silly in its main character and Read My Lips is a fine Scarface installment. The Worry Men is also pretty good in a somewhat memorable story and Joker’s plan.
Overall, the first season of Batman: The Animated Series certainly has its forgettable, less interesting or even silly episodes, but most of its 65 episodes are either very good or downright classics. They got the characters from this property so well and so faithfully that it was a blast watching it.
Worst Episodes: It’s Never Too Late, The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy and Fire from Olympus.
Best Episodes: Heart of Ice, Perchance to Dream and Harley and Ivy.
