The Final Episode #22: Batman: The Animated Series (1992 - 1995)

 

It's time to talk about Batman again! An always great topic that no one every disagrees on. Except weirdos who want to call Batman fascist instead of just silly super heroics. People take everything too seriously. Or people who are angry that DC is making 32,000 Batman comics instead of comics involving less popular characters. Maybe not fair but I can't deny them doing the Capitalist's thing in a capitalist's system. If I weren't so lazy I would throw this entire opening paragraph into the shithole, but I am so you have to take this.

Anyway today's final episode is Batman: The Animated Series, or at this point The Adventures of Batman and Robin, had I known it changed it's name I would have triple dipped on this series. I mean I'm already technically going to double dip because this isn't the complete end of Batman in this animated style. In 1997 they brought it back as The New Batman Adventures. I'm counting it because 1.) it was a year or two later after this episode (this is why I'm going to be talking about Sunbow GI Joe AND DiC GI Joe) , they changed the designs of just about every character. I think that's enough to consider that a new show. At least I am. I like talking about Batman and it makes me feel good.  I also know that this episode was only last in production order, which is iffy, but A Different World technically put its last episode in the middle of the last season. If I can I will be going by the production order or what was INTENDED to be the last episode. Port will probably be a penis about this. He usually is.

So Batman the Animated Series just might be the BEST version of Batman and there's like 92,000 versions of Batman. This show put everything great about Batman in one amazing package. They did the same with Superman and the Justice League. I don't think any Batman or Superman or JLA cartoon will ever topple the greatness of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and everyone who worked on these shows. I also love the design of Gotham in this series. It's a weird art deco futuristic from the past kinda thing. I don't even know if I'm explaining myself well (probably not) and it also has tons of Zeppelins. Zeppelins are cool.

The Final Episode is called Batgirl Returns, as you can see above in that image. EVERY episode had a cool image like that. How can you not say they put so much effort into this show. This episode came out on September 15th, 1995. It involves the Return of Batgirl (duh) who is voiced by Melissa Gilbert. Yes, the little girl from the Little House on the Prairie (the last episode of this show is apparently crazy and I need to see it) and she's not the first of weird celebrity voice casting (which also works really well) for this show. The episode first starts up with Batman fighting Two Face, The Penguin and The Joker when Batgirl comes by and beats their asses. Batgirl and Batman are about to kiss (ooo Babs has a crush!!!) when she's waken up by that rascal Dick Grayson, the original Robin who wants her to relax but she can't because she has to work at College shit.

Batgirl then sees a newspaper and finds out that the JADE CAT has been stolen so she goes to check out the museum and finds Catwoman there! Catwoman convinces her that she didn't steal it because someone used acid to burn away the lock and Catwoman is all about finesse as she says. Robin shows up and Catwoman runs off. The next day Batgirl finds a note from Catwoman on some kind of board where you post stuff on. I don't know what they are called. They team up to find out who did this.

The first place they go is to a seedy bar called Stacked Deck and they beat some ASS. I would not fuck with Catwoman (who I forgot to mention was voiced by Andrea Barbeau from such films as Cannonball Run and the Fog. SEE I TOLD YOU THE VOICE CASTING RULES). They find a guy called the Chemist who knows about all kinds of well chemicals. They end up finding where to go after a riot happens and they have to escape on this cool looking bike. I wish I had that bike. I would learn how to drive a motorcycle to get that one. They find the cat at a old building owned by Roland Daggett, I think he was just a random gangster created for this show but I'm sure someone will go "AHEM DON'T YOU REMEMBER HIS ONE AND ONLY APPEARANCE IN BATMAN SPECTACULAR IN 1976 YOU TURD" and I'm like I don't even know what Batman comics I own anymore I got that many.

They get into trouble and Robin comes in and helps them out. They fight the thugs while Catwoman tries to kill Daggett for getting her sick in an earlier episode. She lets him go after Batgirl goes "NO IF YOU DO THAT YOU'LL BE AS BAD AS HIM" and she's like "pfft Grow up" and lets the chain with him on it go and fall into the acid. Batgirl saves him and then takes off after Catwoman who took the JADE CAT. She and Catwoman have this discussion on the roof and she ends up taking her in. Catwoman ends up beating up the cops while handcuffed and escapes. Episode ends.

This was a really fun episode. Weird how the last episode of a Batman show doesn't really have much Batman in it but it's still a lot of fun. They have him in the beginning in the dream and a small cameo by Bruce Wayne who is off doing something else but that's it. I liked the interactions between Catwoman and Batgirl, they were very saucy and very fun. I liked the use of Roland Daggett, not only because he was voiced by ED ASNER THE GREATEST MAN IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA but also because I like it when Batman just fights random gangsters. I think Batman should fight more gangsters. Why doesn't Batman fight any more gangsters anymore?

FINAL VERDICT: If you like Batman and haven't seen this show see it. All of it. This Final Episode is a lot of fun but is TOTALLY not the best this show ever got, but then again I'm a weirdo who thinks the episode where Batman ends up amnesiac in a weird Cool Hand Luke-like prison episode was great.  and people do not like that episode but still Watch this episode and then every other episode.