Batman: The Animated Series is an American television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. Originally, 85 episodes aired on Fox from 1992 to 1995. A further 24 episodes were aired under the title The New Batman Adventures after the show moved to The WB. Both series have since aired together on various other networks, including Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Jetix, and The Hub. Each episode is a TV half-hour (22 minutes plus commercials).
Series overview
editEpisodes
editNote: This article lists the episodes in their DVD release order, rather than by their original air dates, because the original air dates severely differed from production order.
Season 1 (1992–1993)
edit- 65 episodes were produced for Season 1 because it is the minimum number of episodes necessary for a TV series to be successfully syndicated. 60 episodes were initially aired during the 1992–1993 television season from September 1992 to May 1993. The final five episodes of Season 1 were held back until September 17, 1993.
- Episodes 1 to 28 were released on DVD in the Batman: The Animated Series Volume One set, episodes 29 to 56 in the Volume Two set, and episodes 57 to 85 in the Volume Three set.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "On Leather Wings" | Kevin Altieri | Mitch Brian | September 6, 1992 (primetime) September 24, 1992 (weekday) | |
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A mysterious bat-like creature suddenly appears over Gotham City, terrorizing both its residents and the city's police. Batman soon finds himself accused of being the creature itself, but the Dark Knight suspects the creature is not natural. His suspicions soon lead him to the scientist, Dr. Kirk Langstrom, whose research with his father-in-law has involved experiments with bats. Note: Based on the comic-book story "Challenge of the Man-Bat" (Detective Comics #400, June 1970) & "Man or Bat" (Detective Comics #402, August 1970) by Frank Robbins. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Christmas with the Joker" | Kent Butterworth | Eddie Gorodetsky | November 13, 1992 (weekday) December 27, 1992 (primetime) | |
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After escaping Arkham Asylum on Christmas Eve, the Joker takes over Gotham's airwaves and terrorizes the city. He soon challenges Batman and Robin to find his hidden TV studio and free his hostages – Commissioner Gordon, Detective Bullock and Summer Gleeson – before he subjects them to a most unwanted gift at midnight. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Nothing to Fear" | Boyd Kirkland | Henry T. Gilroy and Sean Catherine Derek | September 15, 1992 | |
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Batman finds himself investigating a spate of attacks which have left victims suffering serious panic attacks brought on by fear. His investigation soon leads him to encountering the culprit as the Scarecrow and attempts to foil his scheme to burn down Gotham University. But in the process of doing so, Batman is exposed to the Scarecrow's fear gas and forced to face his guilt over the death of his parents. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "The Last Laugh" | Kevin Altieri | Carl Swenson | September 22, 1992 | |
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The Joker once more causes chaos in Gotham City by subjecting people to a cloud of laughing gas, allowing him to plunder the city while the gas' victims are left paralyzed with laughter and on the verge of dying. After Bruce's butler, Alfred Pennyworth is infected with the toxin, he becomes Batman once more to stop the Joker and his crime wave, in hopes of acquiring the means to create an antidote to save Alfred and all of Gotham. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Pretty Poison" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Paul Dini and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Tom Ruegger | September 14, 1992 | |
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Bruce is surprised when his friend Harvey Dent, the city's District Attorney, announces he has become engaged to his new girlfriend Pamela Isley. After meeting her, Bruce becomes concerned when Dent suddenly collapses in the restaurant, and doctors find he has been poisoned. As Batman, he swiftly works to find the culprit involved in this and secure the antidote needed to cure Harvey, but is shocked when he learns who it is. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Underdwellers" | Frank Paur | Story by : Tom Ruegger Teleplay by : Jules Dennis and Richard Mueller | October 21, 1992 | |
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A string of bizarre robberies take place across Gotham, which leave the police baffled behind who is involved. Batman decides to investigate and discovers to his shock that all the robberies have involved a band of homeless children living in Gotham's sewers. Delving into the matter deeper, he soon learns the children are doing the crimes at the bidding of one person - a man calling himself the Sewer King. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "P.O.V." | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Mitch Brian Teleplay by : Sean Catherine Derek and Laren Bright | September 18, 1992 | |
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Following a botched police operation, Officers Wilkes and Montoya, along with Detective Bullock, are questioned by Internal Affairs. All three note that Batman turned up when things went wrong, but was captured by the smugglers they were pursuing. After all three are suspended, Montoya attempts to track down where Batman was taken in order to bring down the smugglers' ringleader. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Forgotten" | Boyd Kirkland | Jules Dennis, Richard Mueller, and Sean Catherine Derek | October 8, 1992 | |
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Bruce goes undercover to investigate a spate of disappearances amongst Gotham's homeless, but is ambushed. His kidnappers not only leave him with amnesia, but imprisoned in a chain gang mining camp. Whilst he attempts to recover his memory, Alfred, using the Batwing, attempts to track him down when he realizes he is in trouble and needs his other 'suit'. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Be a Clown" | Frank Paur | Ted Pedersen and Steve Hayes | September 16, 1992 | |
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Mayor Hamilton Hill's neglected son, Jordan, stows away in the truck of a clown his father hired, after Hill turns his birthday party into a political gathering. Batman is forced to track him down for his father's sake, after he discovers Joker took the place of the real clown in an attempt to kill Hill for his recent insulting remarks about him in a news interview. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Two-Face, Part 1" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Alan Burnett Teleplay by : Randy Rogel | September 25, 1992 | |
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Mobster Rupert Thorne attempts to prevent Harvey Dent being a constant problem against him by finding something he can use to blackmail him. In the meantime, Dent is facing increased pressure with his re-election campaign, and slowly turns to a psychiatrist who determines that he is developing a split personality. Thorne soon learns of this and attempts to confront him over it, only to create a series of events that will change Dent for the worse. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Two-Face, Part 2" | Kevin Altieri | Randy Rogel | September 28, 1992 | |
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Dent, now disfigured down one side of his face and lost in his split personality disorder, becomes Two-Face and starts robbing Thorne's illegal business out of revenge, using a two-headed coin to make his decisions. Batman, feeling guilty for not saving him, finds himself trying to stop his former friend before it is too late, upon learning Dent is intent on killing Thorne after humiliating him, even if his former girlfriend is placed in jeopardy. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "It's Never Too Late" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Tom Ruegger Teleplay by : Garin Wolf | September 10, 1992 (weekday) January 17, 1993 (primetime) | |
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Years ago, as a child, mob boss Arnold Stromwell was involved in an accident that cost his brother his leg. Now facing defeat in a mob war with Thorne, he is surprised when Batman intervenes on his brother's behalf to save him from himself. For the first time in his life, Stromwell is forced to see what his life of crime has done to him, and face the guilt he has held for his brother's accident. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "I've Got Batman in My Basement" | Frank Paur | Sam Graham and Chris Hubbell | September 30, 1992 | |
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Amateur detective Sherman Grant and his friend Roberta find themselves coming to Batman's aid, when they stumble across him pursuing the Penguin and his men for a stolen Fabergé egg. Forced to help him recover in the basement of his home from poison gas, Sherman and his friends soon have to protect him and the stolen egg from the Penguin, when he comes looking for them. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Heart of Ice" | Bruce Timm | Paul Dini | September 7, 1992 | |
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Embittered scientist Victor Fries, suffering a mutation in his DNA that cannot allow him to survive outside sub-zero temperatures, assumes the name Mr. Freeze, and attacks several divisions of GothCorp for components to build a weapon. Batman investigates the nature of the attacks, and soon discovers Fries is out for revenge against GothCorp's CEO, Ferris Boyle, for presumably killing Fries' terminally ill wife Nora. Note: This episode won the series a 1993 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program.[1] | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "The Cat and the Claw: Part 1" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Sean Catherine Derek and Laren Bright Teleplay by : Jules Dennis and Richard Mueller | September 5, 1992 | |
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Bruce finds himself instantly attracted to the charms and beauty of Selina Kyle, unaware that she works as Catwoman, a cat burglar who has been hitting places across Gotham. However, she also has a fondness for all things feline, and soon becomes concerned when a terrorist group known as The Red Claw build a base within a mountain lion sanctuary she seeks to protect. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "The Cat and the Claw: Part 2" | Dick Sebast | Story by : Sean Catherine Derek and Laren Bright Teleplay by : Jules Dennis and Richard Mueller | September 12, 1992 | |
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Bruce is shocked to discover Selina's secret identity whilst working as Batman, but soon pairs up with her when both learn the Red Claw have serious plans for Gotham. To their horror, the pair learn the group's leader, a woman calling herself Red Claw, intends to steal a viral plague from a military train and threaten to use it to receive a hefty ransom from the city, prompting Batman and Catwoman to work together to stop this. | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "See No Evil" | Dan Riba | Martin Pasko | February 24, 1993 | |
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Lloyd Ventrix, a con artist recently released from prison, uses a special invisibility suit to pose as his daughter Kimberly's imaginary friend without his ex-wife's knowledge. Batman, investigating a series of recent thefts, learns from the scientist who made the suit's material, that prolonged use will drive Ventrix insane, and soon has to rescue Kimberly when he abducts her. Note: Michael Gross, who provided the voice of Ventrix, later voiced Warren McGinnis in Batman Beyond. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Beware the Gray Ghost" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Dennis O'Flaherty and Tom Ruegger Teleplay by : Garin Wolf and Tom Ruegger | November 4, 1992 | |
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Simon Trent, an actor best known for his role as "The Gray Ghost" on television, faces bankruptcy due to his declining career. He is soon shocked when Batman visits him, requesting a copy of an episode from his TV show that could help him discover how a string of recent bombings are being committed. Trent soon join forces with him as the Gray Ghost, especially when Batman reveals his work was inspired by the show. Guest Star: Adam West, as the voice of Simon Trent. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Prophecy of Doom" | Frank Paur | Story by : Dennis Marks Teleplay by : Sean Catherine Derek | October 6, 1992 | |
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Bruce becomes suspicious of a cult a close friend has joined called the Brotherhood, founded by the "mystic" Nostromos who claims to foresee great disasters in the future. As Batman, he swiftly identifies Nostromos as a con artist, who is rigging near-fatal accidents to gain the confidence of Gotham's wealthiest citizens. He soon determines Nostromos plans to con them out of their fortune, and is forced to prevent this. | ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "Feat of Clay: Part 1" | Dick Sebast | Story by : Marv Wolfman and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Marv Wolfman | September 8, 1992 | |
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Matt Hagen, a skilled actor, is forced by Roland Daggett to help him eliminate executive Lucius Fox, so he can take over Wayne Enterprises. Hagen is forced to do in order to receive an addictive face cream known as Renuyu, which can temporarily restore his disfigured face following a car accident years ago. Eager for more, he attempts to steal the cream, until Daggett's men force-feed him the stuff as punishment. | ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Feat of Clay: Part 2" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Marv Wolfman and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Michael Reaves | September 9, 1992 | |
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Bruce, released from prison on bail regarding Fox's assault, investigates as Batman to discover the culprit. He soon learns of Daggett's involvement, but is shocked when he encounters a shapeshifting mutant, called Clayface, who is seeking to kill him. When he learns that Hagen is Clayface and is seeking revenge for the transformation by the cream's properties, Batman is forced to do all he can to stop him. | ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Joker's Favor" | Boyd Kirkland | Paul Dini | September 11, 1992 (weekday) January 31, 1993 (primetime) | |
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Charlie Collins accidentally curses Joker for his bad driving, but is let off on condition he does a small favor for him in the future. Two years later, Joker finally decides to call in Charlie for his favor, which involves sneaking a bomb into an award ceremony that Commissioner Gordon is due to give a speech at. Faced with a moral dilema, Charlie is forced to find some way to alert Batman to the situation. Note: This episode is most significant for the introduction of Harley Quinn, the Joker's accomplice and love interest. Her appearance proved popular with fans of the Batman comics, later leading to her being incorporated into the comic book series as a result, along other DC media franchises. | ||||||
| 23 | 23 | "Vendetta" | Frank Paur | Michael Reaves | October 5, 1992 | |
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Detective Bullock is horrified when he is arrested for kidnapping an informant who was helping him on a case. Despite disliking him for his mistrust, Batman believes Bullock to be an honest cop who was set up. Investigating the kidnapping, he discover the real kidnapper is Killer Croc, who Bullock once arrested. Finding Croc harbors a vendetta against him for this and the kidnap victim, Batman must save them from certain death. | ||||||
| 24 | 24 | "Fear of Victory" | Dick Sebast | Samuel Warren Joseph | September 29, 1992 | |
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Dick Grayson is surprised when a friend of his at college suddenly has a panick attack during a football match. Later that night, Dick, working as Robin, suffers a panick attack when working with Batman. The pair investigate and discover that both he and his friend were subjected to a fear chemical invented by the Scarecrow, who has been using it to fix sporting matches in order make sizeable wagers on them. | ||||||
| 25 | 25 | "The Clock King" | Kevin Altieri | David Wise | September 21, 1992 | |
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Former businessman Temple Fugate, an efficiency expert calling himself the Clock King, seeks revenge on Mayor Hill during his re-election campaign. Years ago, when an attorney, Hill advised Fugate to change his work routine for once in his life, a decision that cost him his company and his sanity. Batman discovers the Clock King is intent on not only discrediting Hill, but killing him to complete his revenge. | ||||||
| 26 | 26 | "Appointment in Crime Alley" | Boyd Kirkland | Gerry Conway | September 17, 1992 | |
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Daggett, once more seeking to expand his business empire, hires a pair of arsonists to help him destroy one of Gotham's poorest neighborhoods, nicknamed "Crime Alley". At the same time, Bruce is heading to the area as Batman to see Leslie Thompkins, a doctor who helped him in his youth cope with the loss of his parents, for an annual event he conducts, only to come across Daggett's scheme when Thompkins is kidnapped. Note: Based on the comic-book story "There Is No Hope in Crime Alley" (Detective Comics #457, March 1976) by Dennis O'Neil and Dick Giordano. | ||||||
| 27 | 27 | "Mad as a Hatter" | Frank Paur | Paul Dini | October 12, 1992 | |
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Jervis Tetch, a scientist developing mind control devices at Wayne Industries, develops a relationship with his office secretary Alice. But his love for her is ruined when her boyfriend reconciles with her for an earlier argument and they become engaged. Enraged, Tetch dons the mantle of the Mad Hatter, using his mind-control devices to make Alice his, prompting Batman to stop him. | ||||||
| 28 | 28 | "Dreams in Darkness" | Dick Sebast | Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens | November 3, 1992 (weekday) December 20, 1992 (primetime) | |
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Batman finds himself pursuing after the Scarecrow, who is planning to poison Gotham's water supply with a new batch of fear toxin. But the Dark Knight becomes subjected to it and is committed to Arkham Asylum for his own safety. With his fears amplified and suffering from dark hallucinations, Batman finds he must overcome the toxin's effects, escape from Arkham, and stop Scarecrow before Gotham suffers a similar fate.
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| 29 | 29 | "Eternal Youth" | Kevin Altieri | Beth Bornstein | September 23, 1992 | |
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Bruce is surprised when he receives an invite to the Eternal Youth Health Spa, and gives it to Alfred to enjoy along with his friend Maggie. When both do not return, Bruce discovers several rich industrialists have also disappeared upon visiting the spa. Visiting the spa as Batman, he soon discovers all its guests have been turned into wooden plants by Poison Ivy, who blames their companies for destroying plant life. | ||||||
| 30 | 30 | "Perchance to Dream" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Laren Bright and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Joe R. Lansdale | October 19, 1992 (weekday) March 14, 1993 (primetime) | |
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Batman is investigating a new crime when he suddenly wakes up as Bruce one morning to find his life is completely changed. Not only are his parents still alive, his life as Batman no longer exists, Dick does not live with him, and Selina is engaged to him. Batman exists to fight crime, but is a separate individual. Bruce seems willing to accept this new life, until reading the newspaper reveals something is deeply wrong. | ||||||
| 31 | 31 | "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy" | Frank Paur | Elliot S. Maggin | October 14, 1992 | |
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Gordon requests Batman's help to track down a cache of stolen aid bonds that were taken by master trapper Josiah Wormwood. Meanwhile, Josiah is hired by his former friend Baron Jozek, who seeks revenge on Batman for humiliating him during a dinner party he was attending. Batman soon finds Josiah seeking to entrap him, claiming he can only escape certain death if he parts with his cape and cowl. Note: Based on the comic-book story "The Cape and Cowl Death Trap!" from Detective Comics #450 August 1975, written by Elliot S. Maggin. | ||||||
| 32 | 32 | "Robin's Reckoning, Part 1" | Dick Sebast | Randy Rogel | February 7, 1993 (primetime) May 17, 1993 (weekday) | |
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Batman and Robin put a stop to a group of gangsters sabotaging a construction yard as part of an extortion racket. When one of them later reveals their boss is Billy Marin, Batman orders Robin not to accompany him on the search for the culprit. Curious, Robin uses the Batcomputer to find out why, and discovers Marin is the alias of Tony Zucco, the man who killed his parents, John and Mary Grayson.
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| 33 | 33 | "Robin's Reckoning, Part 2" | Dick Sebast | Randy Rogel | February 14, 1993 (primetime) May 18, 1993 (weekday) | |
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Robin, furious at Batman for his deceit, heads out into Gotham to track down Zucco, determined to get vengeance on him. Meanwhile, Batman, whilst searching for Zucco, recalls the memories he had of taking in Dick as an adopted son, helping him with his grief, and his original efforts to finding Zucco. Neither he nor Robin have any idea of what will happen, when they finally track Zucco down to an old amusement park. | ||||||
| 34 | 34 | "The Laughing Fish" | Bruce Timm | Paul Dini | January 10, 1993 (primetime) April 27, 1993 (weekday) | |
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Joker creates a new toxin that affects only fish, mutating them with smiling faces similar to his own, before seeking to get them copyrighted so he can legally claim royalties. When Gotham's copyright offices reveal that they can't do this, Joker targets them for revenge. Batman attempts to prevent this, but when this fails, he attempts to pursue after the Joker, especially when Bullock deduces his hideout.
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| 35 | 35 | "Night of the Ninja" | Kevin Altieri | Steve Perry | October 26, 1992 | |
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A mysterious ninja is targeting Wayne Enterprises, who Batman discovers to be a disgraced martial arts student named Kyodai Ken. Years ago, Bruce and Ken trained in the same dojo under a wise sensei, until Ken tried to rob the dojo. Bruce intervened, leading to Ken being expelled for his dishonorable behaviour. Batman deduces Ken is robbing his company as vengeance for being dishonored by him. | ||||||
| 36 | 36 | "Cat Scratch Fever" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Sean Catherine Derek Teleplay by : Buzz Dixon | November 5, 1992 | |
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Catwoman is shocked when her pet cat Isis goes missing, and attempts to look for her. She soon learns Isis was snatched by a group led by Professor Milo, who has designed a viral plague for Daggett to help further his business interests. When Catwoman is infected by the virus, Batman comes to her aid, intent on finding the antidote needed to save the life of the woman who loves him. | ||||||
| 37 | 37 | "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne" | Frank Paur | Story by : David Wise Teleplay by : Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens | October 29, 1992 (weekday) February 28, 1993 (primetime) | |
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Bruce and Alfred travel to Yucca Springs resort, after a close friend, a prominent judge, is injured after thugs try to blackmail her over the contents of a mysterious tape recording. Both find the resort is run by psychiatrist Hugo Strange, who has developed a machine that expose a person's darkest secrets. Realizing Strange has uncovered his secret, Bruce works to sabotage his plan to auction this off to Joker, Penguin and Two-Face. Note: Based on the comic stories "The Dead Yet Live" and "I Am the Batman!" from Detective Comics #471 and #472, of August/September 1977 by Steve Englehart. Dr. Strange's scheme in this episode was also used in the plot of Batman Forever. | ||||||
| 38 | 38 | "Heart of Steel: Part 1" | Kevin Altieri | Brynne Stephens | November 16, 1992 | |
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Several robberies occur at major companies including Wayne Enterprises, and Bruce Wayne, as Batman, discovers the thief is a walking mechanical briefcase. After failing to catch it, Bruce meets with his old friend Karl Rossum, a robotics expert who lost his daughter to a vehicle accident years ago. He also meets Rossum's assistant, Randa Duane, and Rossum's ultimate creation: a prototype AI known as Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Computer (HARDAC). Bruce invites Duane to dinner. Around the same time, certain important members of the public start acting unlike themselves and distant. Most surprising is when Duane unexpectedly leaves Wayne Manor while Bruce is on the phone, and the Batcave security system turns on Batman. | ||||||
| 39 | 39 | "Heart of Steel: Part 2" | Kevin Altieri | Brynne Stephens | November 17, 1992 | |
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Batman manages to free himself from the Batcave's security system and bring it back under his control, although he fails to track down Ms. Duane. Barbara Gordon approaches Batman to inform him of her father's sudden change in behavior. A brutal fight between Batman and Detective Bullock ensues, during which Batman damages Bullock and discovers him to be an android, revealing that the real Bullock and James Gordon have gone missing. Batman knows who the culprit is: HARDAC. Batman must stop the evil supercomputer before it completes its replacement plan. | ||||||
| 40 | 40 | "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" | Eric Radomski | David Wise | November 18, 1992 (weekday) January 3, 1993 (primetime) | |
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Edward Nygma creates the popular video game Riddle of the Minotaur for his employer, but his superior Daniel Mockridge fires him after he sues for royalties. Nygma vows revenge and adopts the identity of the Riddler. While Batman sympathizes with Nygma's grievance, he and Robin must stop the Riddler before he kills Mockridge in a life-sized version of the Minotaur maze with a working minotaur. | ||||||
| 41 | 41 | "Joker's Wild" | Boyd Kirkland | Paul Dini | November 19, 1992 | |
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Cameron Kaiser builds a casino hotel themed around the Joker called "The Joker's Wild". From Arkham Asylum, the Joker sees this on the news and is enraged. He escapes from Arkham again with one thought – destroying the casino – unaware that this is exactly what Kaiser wants him to do. | ||||||
| 42 | 42 | "Tyger Tyger" | Frank Paur | Story by : Michael Reaves and Randy Rogel Teleplay by : Cherie Wilkerson | October 30, 1992 | |
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Selina Kyle is kidnapped by the villainous genetic engineer Dr. Emile Dorian and transformed into a humanoid cat, providing his man-cat hybrid named Tygrus with a mate. Batman attempts to rescue Selina, but is captured and used to test Dorian's greatest creation, as Tygrus hunts Batman through the island's jungles. | ||||||
| 43 | 43 | "Moon of the Wolf" | Dick Sebast | Len Wein | November 11, 1992 | |
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Batman investigates the appearance of a werewolf-like creature in Gotham, not realizing that the monster happens to be one of Bruce Wayne's associates — Anthony Romulus, ex-Olympic champion. Behind the scheme is twisted chemist Professor Milo. Note: Based on the comic story of the same name by the writer Len Wein with art by Neal Adams, from Batman #255, April 1974. | ||||||
| 44 | 44 | "Day of the Samurai" | Bruce Timm | Steve Perry | February 23, 1993 | |
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Kyodai Ken kidnaps Kairi Tanaga, star pupil of Yoru-sensei, the martial arts instructor who taught both Kyodai and Bruce. The ninja's ransom for her is a scroll which reveals the location of the fabled Death Touch technique. | ||||||
| 45 | 45 | "Terror in the Sky" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Steve Perry and Mark Saraceni Teleplay by : Mark Saraceni | November 12, 1992 | |
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When a giant bat ransacks a Gotham harbor, Batman suspects that Kirk Langstrom has recreated the forbidden Man-Bat formula and is taking it again. Kirk's wife Francine shares his suspicion of her husband and leaves him. As he investigates, Batman discovers that this Man-Bat is not Kirk after all. Note: Loosely based on "Man-Bat Over Vegas," initially presented in Detective Comics #429, by Frank Robbins, with several alterations including changes to keep the plot appropriate for the family-friendly rating of the television show. | ||||||
| 46 | 46 | "Almost Got 'Im" | Eric Radomski | Paul Dini | November 10, 1992 | |
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The Joker, Killer Croc, the Penguin, Two-Face, and Poison Ivy meet at a poker table, each telling a tale of a time when they almost defeated Batman. At the same time, Harley Quinn is about to kill Catwoman after she rescues Batman from the Joker's electric chair, and Batman must save her. Notes:
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| 47 | 47 | "Birds of a Feather" | Frank Paur | Story by : Chuck Menville Teleplay by : Brynne Stephens | February 8, 1993 | |
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Veronica Vreeland is looking for a way to create a splash with her next high society party and arrives at the idea of inviting a famous reformed criminal, the Penguin, who she finds to have comical fish-out-of-water mannerisms. Veronica convinces the Penguin to attend her party, intending him to be a laughingstock, but begins to genuinely like him. For his part, the Penguin falls in love with her until he overhears that he is being used as the butt of a joke. | ||||||
| 48 | 48 | "What Is Reality?" | Dick Sebast | Marty Isenberg and Robert N. Skir | November 24, 1992 (weekday) March 7, 1993 (primetime) | |
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Seeking to prove that he is the superior mind, the Riddler lures Batman into a riddle-solving contest inside a virtual reality game to save Commissioner Gordon's life. While solving the riddles and escaping the Riddler's traps, Batman learns that he can manipulate the virtual reality landscape much like the Riddler does. | ||||||
| 49 | 49 | "I Am the Night" | Boyd Kirkland | Michael Reaves | November 9, 1992 (weekday) December 13, 1992 (primetime) | |
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On the anniversary of the death of Bruce's parents, Batman accompanies Leslie Thompkins to Crime Alley to place roses on the spot where they were gunned down. Meanwhile, Commissioner Gordon is on a stakeout to arrest Jimmy "The Jazzman" Peake during a drug smuggling operation. Batman had promised to be there but arrives late to find the police caught in a gun battle. He helps defeat the gangsters and arrest the Jazzman, but not before Gordon is severely wounded. The incident traumatizes Batman, and he contemplates giving up his crime-fighting career. However the Jazzman has escaped prison intending to carry out his vendetta against Gordon, who had sent him to prison six years before. | ||||||
| 50 | 50 | "Off Balance" | Kevin Altieri | Len Wein | November 23, 1992 | |
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While following Count Vertigo's trail, Batman encounters Talia al Ghul, the daughter of the head of the Society of Shadows, who was sent by her father to prevent the capture of a sonic drill that the Count stole. After his identity is accidentally revealed to Talia, Batman is unsure as to where her true loyalties lie. Note: This episode is a direct adaptation of "Into the Den of the Death-Dealers" from Detective Comics #411, May 1971 by Dennis O'Neil with art by Bob Brown. | ||||||
| 51 | 51 | "The Man Who Killed Batman" | Bruce Timm | Paul Dini | February 1, 1993 | |
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When small-time gang member Sidney "Sid the Squid" Debris seemingly kills Batman by accident, his newfound reputation vaults him into the upper stratum of the criminal element in Gotham. He meets the Joker and Rupert Thorne, neither of whom believe his claim that everything happened by pure luck. Sidney soon begins to realize that his reputation is a greater liability than an asset. | ||||||
| 52 | 52 | "Mudslide" | Eric Radomski | Story by : Alan Burnett Teleplay by : Steve Perry | September 15, 1993 | |
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Clayface's body is no longer stable and rapidly falling apart. A scientist he knew from his movie star days is working on a remedy, but Hagen is forced to steal money to pay for the expensive components of the remedy – and one of his targets is Wayne Biomedical Labs. | ||||||
| 53 | 53 | "Paging the Crime Doctor" | Frank Paur | Story by : Mike W. Barr and Laren Bright Teleplay by : Randy Rogel & Martin Pasko | September 17, 1993 | |
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Matthew Thorne, a doctor who lost his medical license and was subsequently forced into becoming the "crime doctor" by his older brother, crime boss Rupert Thorne, must perform delicate surgery on Rupert. He can't do it alone and kidnaps Leslie Thompkins to assist. Batman discovers Leslie's disappearance and rushes to track her down – and has an additional interest in Matthew because he was a medical school classmate of Bruce Wayne's father, Thomas. | ||||||
| 54 | 54 | "Zatanna" | Dick Sebast and Dan Riba | Paul Dini | February 2, 1993 | |
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When the glamorous magician Zatanna is framed for a robbery during her act, Batman swings to her defense. Zatanna is grateful, though a little puzzled, by Batman's commitment to proving her innocence. Still, the two heroes unite and use the skills her father Zatara taught them to expose and combat the culprit: an evil illusionist named Montague Kane. | ||||||
| 55 | 55 | "The Mechanic" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Steve Perry and Laren Bright Teleplay by : Randy Rogel | January 24, 1993 | |
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Thanks to an accident during a high-speed chase, the Batmobile is virtually demolished. When Batman takes the car to his mechanic Earl Cooper, the Penguin discovers the repair shop and tampers with the Batmobile, putting it under his control. Note: The Penguin's scheme in this episode was adapted from a part of the plot for the movie Batman Returns. | ||||||
| 56 | 56 | "Harley and Ivy" | Boyd Kirkland | Paul Dini | January 18, 1993 | |
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When the Joker fires Harley for her incompetence, she tries going on a crime spree of her own, joining up with Poison Ivy, and the two become Gotham's Queens of Crime, much to the Joker's displeasure. | ||||||
| 57 | 57 | "Shadow of the Bat: Part 1" | Frank Paur | Brynne Stephens | September 13, 1993 | |
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When Commissioner Gordon is framed with allegations of taking bribes from Rupert Thorne, his daughter Barbara pleads with Batman to attend a rally on the commissioner's behalf. But when Batman disappears after finding the person behind the frame-up, Barbara takes the law into her hands as Batgirl. | ||||||
| 58 | 58 | "Shadow of the Bat: Part 2" | Frank Paur | Brynne Stephens | September 14, 1993 | |
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Robin discovers that Gil Mason is in league with the underworld and goes to investigate him. He encounters Batgirl, and together they learn that Mason is working with Two-Face to take out Gordon and have Batman (as Matches Malone) captured. | ||||||
| 59 | 59 | "Blind as a Bat" | Dan Riba | Story by : Mike Underwood and Len Wein Teleplay by : Len Wein | February 22, 1993 | |
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The Penguin steals an experimental helicopter from an air show, causing an explosion that temporarily blinds Bruce Wayne. Batman knows he won't be able to wait until his vision returns to apprehend the Penguin, and builds a high-tech visor to grant him a limited form of vision. | ||||||
| 60 | 60 | "The Demon's Quest: Part 1" | Kevin Altieri | Dennis O'Neil | May 3, 1993 | |
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Talia al Ghul and Robin are both kidnapped, forcing Batman and Ra's al Ghul into an uneasy truce to rescue them. Note: A direct adaptation of "Daughter of the Demon" from Batman #232, June 1971, and "The Demon Lives Again" Batman #244, September 1972, both by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams. | ||||||
| 61 | 61 | "The Demon's Quest: Part 2" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Dennis O'Neil and Len Wein Teleplay by : Len Wein | May 4, 1993 | |
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After freeing Talia from her father's clutches and escaping from an avalanche, Batman and Robin follow their only clue – the word "Orpheus". After discovering that "Orpheus" is Al Ghul's private satellite that passes over the Sahara, the duo travel to his desert stronghold. There, Batman learns that Al Ghul is planning to detonate bombs in Lazarus Pits throughout the world, killing billions of people in an attempt to restore natural balance. Note: A direct adaptation of "Daughter of the Demon" from Batman #232, June 1971, and "The Demon Lives Again" Batman #244, September 1972, both by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams. | ||||||
| 62 | 62 | "His Silicon Soul" | Boyd Kirkland | Marty Isenberg and Robert N. Skir | November 20, 1992 | |
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When a robotic Batman impersonator appears in Gotham City, the real Batman deduces that Karl Rossum (from "Heart of Steel") is involved and confronts the inventor of HARDAC, who knows nothing of any surviving robots produced by the supercomputer. After the robotic Batman experiences an identity crisis and realizes it is not the real Batman, its programming takes over and it begins restoring HARDAC's program so the computer can resume its campaign to replace humans with robots. | ||||||
| 63 | 63 | "Fire from Olympus" | Dan Riba | Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens | May 24, 1993 | |
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Believing himself to be the reincarnation of Zeus, Maximillian Zeus steals an experimental electric cannon, planning to use it to rule from his skyscraper, "Mount Olympus", high above Gotham City. | ||||||
| 64 | 64 | "Read My Lips" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Alan Burnett and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Joe R. Lansdale | May 10, 1993 | |
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A new gang has made its debut by committing slickly-executed crimes masterminded by gang leader Scarface, but Scarface turns out to be a puppet handled by his "dummy", the Ventriloquist. | ||||||
| 65 | 65 | "The Worry Men" | Frank Paur | Paul Dini | September 16, 1993 | |
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Wealthy socialite Veronica Vreeland returns from Central America, bringing tiny handmade dolls for all her friends. According to native legend, once placed under a pillow, the dolls do the sleeper's worrying for them. However they are actually made by the Mad Hatter and contain small, mind-controlling microchips. | ||||||
Season 2 (1994–1995)
editDue to the show's success, the Fox network executives ordered a second season of 20 more episodes while the 65 episodes of the first season were still airing. Season 2 featured Robin more prominently; eleven of the 20 episodes were given the onscreen title The Adventures of Batman & Robin.
After airing five of the 20 episodes in May 1994, the network reduced the series to airing only weekly on Saturday mornings. Ten more episodes were broadcast in this format in September–November 1994 under the Adventures of Batman & Robin title. Once these fifteen episodes had premiered (the final five were held back until September 1995), the weekday slot was restored to include reruns of the entire series. All previous episodes were shown under the new title for all remaining airings on Fox, as well as several VHS releases.
The entirety of Season 2 was released on DVD as part of the Batman: The Animated Series Volume Three set alongside the final nine episodes of Season 1.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 1 | "Sideshow" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Michael Reaves and Brynne Stephens | May 3, 1994 | |
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En route to an upstate prison, Killer Croc escapes and leads Batman on a dangerous chase through the wilderness. After throwing Batman temporarily off his trail, the reptile-man takes refuge with a group of retired circus freaks and befriends them under false pretenses. When Batman arrives, Croc and the performers band together to capture him. Note: Loosely based on "A Vow from the Grave" by Dennis O'Neil. This episode adapted the comic book story with the inclusion of a separate Killer Croc story. | ||||||
| 67 | 2 | "A Bullet for Bullock" | Frank Paur | Michael Reaves | September 14, 1995 | |
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Someone has put a hit out on Gotham's toughest cop, Harvey Bullock. After surviving several near misses, Bullock realizes he has no choice but to ask his arch-rival Batman to help him discover who is behind the murder attempts. During their investigation, Bullock learns that his gruff and mean-spirited manner has created enemies in the unlikeliest people. Notes:
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| 68 | 3 | "Trial" | Dan Riba | Story by : Paul Dini and Bruce Timm Teleplay by : Paul Dini | May 16, 1994 | |
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Gotham's new district attorney Janet Van Dorn is no fan of vigilante Batman, but both end up captured by Batman's greatest enemies after a prison riot in Arkham Asylum. They are then put on trial by the Joker (judge) and Two-Face (prosecutor) with the Ventriloquist as bailiff and a plainly biased jury of Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, the Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, the Scarecrow, and the Riddler. Though clearly a kangaroo trial, Van Dorn is told that if she serves as Batman's defense attorney and proves that Batman is not the cause of these villains' criminal behavior, they will both be set free. But the villains have little intention of following through on their deal.
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| 69 | 4 | "Avatar" | Kevin Altieri | Michael Reaves | May 9, 1994 | |
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Ra's al Ghul steals a mystic Egyptian scroll donated to the Gotham Museum by Bruce Wayne. Batman and Talia must join forces to prevent her mentally unstable father from unlocking the scroll's mystic secrets of life and death. Their quest takes them to a hidden temple deep beneath the Egyptian desert where Batman battles an ancient sorceress. | ||||||
| 70 | 5 | "House & Garden" | Boyd Kirkland | Paul Dini | May 2, 1994 | |
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Poison Ivy has not only been released from Arkham Asylum but has also married her doctor and settled down to help him raise his two sons. It would appear that Ivy has gone straight and that her old days as a criminal are over, but wealthy bachelors are being struck down by an unknown toxin, leaving Batman questioning Ivy's innocence. | ||||||
| 71 | 6 | "The Terrible Trio" | Frank Paur | Story by : Alan Burnett and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Michael Reaves | September 11, 1995 | |
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Three wealthy, bored youths seek new thrills by becoming master criminals. As animal-themed robbers Fox, Shark, and Vulture (masters of land, sea, and air), the Terrible Trio pick Gotham clean until they come to the attention of Batman. | ||||||
| 72 | 7 | "Harlequinade" | Kevin Altieri | Paul Dini | May 23, 1994 | |
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The Joker steals an atomic bomb and it is up to Batman and Robin to find and stop him, with Harley Quinn's help. | ||||||
| 73 | 8 | "Time Out of Joint" | Dan Riba | Story by : Alan Burnett Teleplay by : Steve Perry | October 8, 1994 | |
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The Clock King returns to continue his vendetta against Mayor Hill. This time, the time-obsessed criminal hopes to murder Hill with the help of a stolen invention that allows him to warp time and travel at super speed. Securing a second device from its creator, Batman and Robin takes on the Clock King in a furious high-speed battle for the mayor's life. | ||||||
| 74 | 9 | "Catwalk" | Boyd Kirkland | Paul Dini | September 13, 1995 | |
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Anxious to take up her old ways as Catwoman, Selina Kyle joins the Ventriloquist to humiliate Veronica Vreeland. But the real victim is Catwoman herself, who Scarface has secretly set up to take the fall for another robbery. | ||||||
| 75 | 10 | "Bane" | Kevin Altieri | Mitch Brian | September 10, 1994 | |
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Batman comes face-to-face with his most powerful adversary yet: the chemically-enhanced assassin Bane. Originally hired by Rupert Thorne to kill Batman, Bane plans to control Thorne's criminal empire once Batman is destroyed. | ||||||
| 76 | 11 | "Baby-Doll" | Dan Riba | Paul Dini | October 1, 1994 | |
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A washed-up actress named Mary Louise Dahl has become bitter and insane after falling into obscurity and having a condition that prevents her body from growing to adulthood, thus biologically gifted with perpetual childhood. She kidnaps her former co-stars, resentful of their continued success, and holds them prisoner on the abandoned stage of her old show. While Robin works fast to free the actors from Mary's explosive death trap, Batman pursues her through a deadly carnival funhouse. | ||||||
| 77 | 12 | "The Lion and the Unicorn" | Boyd Kirkland | Diane Duane, Peter Morwood and Steve Perry | September 15, 1995 | |
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The Red Claw organization kidnaps Alfred, seeking a code for arming a weapon of mass destruction that he knows from his days as a British secret agent. | ||||||
| 78 | 13 | "Showdown" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Kevin Altieri, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm Teleplay by : Joe R. Lansdale | September 12, 1995 | |
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Ra's al Ghul remembers a time in his past (the Wild West of the 1880s) in which Jonah Hex stopped him and his son Arkady Duvall's plan to destroy the transcontinental railroad using a war blimp. Note: This was Elizabeth Montgomery's final role before her death on May 18th, 1995. | ||||||
| 79 | 14 | "Riddler's Reform" | Dan Riba | Story by : Alan Burnett, Paul Dini and Randy Rogel Teleplay by : Randy Rogel | September 24, 1994 | |
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Vowing to turn over a new leaf, the Riddler is hired to work for a toy company. But Batman suspects that the Riddler is still obsessed with outsmarting and defeating him. | ||||||
| 80 | 15 | "Second Chance" | Boyd Kirkland | Story by : Paul Dini and Michael Reaves Teleplay by : Gerry Conway | September 17, 1994 | |
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Just before Harvey Dent is to undergo surgery to fix the damage to his face in the hopes that it will give him the mental stability needed to erase his Two-Face persona, he is kidnapped by a gang with an unknown leader. Batman and Robin split up to find who abducted Bruce Wayne's old friend, suspecting that the Penguin or Rupert Thorne may be behind the kidnapping. | ||||||
| 81 | 16 | "Harley's Holiday" | Kevin Altieri | Paul Dini | October 15, 1994 | |
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Harley Quinn is released back into society after being given a clean bill of mental health by Arkham Asylum. However, a misunderstanding at a clothing store leads to her returning to crime. Batman and Robin attempt to help her before she lands herself back in confinement. | ||||||
| 82 | 17 | "Lock-Up" | Dan Riba | Story by : Paul Dini Teleplay by : Marty Isenberg and Robert N. Skir | November 19, 1994 | |
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Lyle Bolton, the new head of security at Arkham, is fired for his atrocious mistreatment of the inmates. Six months later, Bolton becomes the vigilante Lock-Up and decides to put behind bars those who he feels are responsible for the city's ruin. | ||||||
| 83 | 18 | "Make 'Em Laugh" | Boyd Kirkland | Paul Dini and Randy Rogel | November 5, 1994 | |
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Using microchips stolen from the Mad Hatter, the Joker brainwashes famous comedians into committing crimes to ruin their reputations. The comedians had served as the judges who tossed the Joker out of the Gotham Comedy Competition the year before, and the Clown Prince of Crime wants revenge. | ||||||
| 84 | 19 | "Deep Freeze" | Kevin Altieri | Story by : Paul Dini and Bruce Timm Teleplay by : Paul Dini | November 26, 1994 | |
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Mr. Freeze is sprung from Arkham by aging billionaire Grant Walker, who is looking to replicate his immortality. Batman and Robin infiltrate the billionaire's underwater city and combat both high-tech robots and Mr. Freeze himself, who has decided to do Walker's bidding and cover the earth in a new ice age. | ||||||
| 85 | 20 | "Batgirl Returns" | Dan Riba | Michael Reaves and Brynne Stephens | November 12, 1994 | |
|
While Bruce is in Europe on a Wayne Enterprises business trip, the theft of a jade cat statue occurs at Gotham State University. Barbara Gordon investigates as Batgirl, only to run into Catwoman, who claims she is also investigating and that the theft was not her style. The two team up to find the statue, with Robin tailing them, and Roland Daggett is revealed to be involved. | ||||||
See also
editReferences
edit
- Cinefantastique, Vol. 24, #6/Vol. 25, #1, February 1994 (special double-issue, with multiple articles on the Fox Network run).
- "Batman: The Animated Series Original Airdate and episode list". worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
- "Batman: The Animated Series Writers". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
- "Batman: The Animated Series Directors". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
- "Batman – Mask of the Phantasm". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
- "Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
- "Batman: The Animated Series Official Website". batmantas.com. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
- ^ a b "Awards – 1993". Toon Zone. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- ^ "GCD :: Issue :: Detective Comics #38". Grand Comics Database. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ "Batman #81 (Two-Face Strikes Back)". Comic Vine. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ "World's Finest Comics #30 (The Penny Plunderers)". Comic Vine. Retrieved February 5, 2023.