Batman the Animated Series Season 1 Episode 7

1992 could be considered a big year for Batman.

While the Tim Burton-directedBatman Returns was a hit in theaters that summer (despite information technology'due south somewhat 'darker' tone), a new incarnation of the Dark Knight,would detect it's way to theFox Kidsblock of weekday afternoon shows that fall.

With information technology's retro-stylings and entertaining writing, the bear witness rapidly became ane that I and many kids watched after school (if whatsoever drawing block could give The Disney Afternoon a run for it'south money, Fox Kids could!).

While at that place would be plenty of colorful members of Batman's rogues gallery that came to light, the testify would also give time over to the mobsters within Gotham City, every bit well as members of information technology's constabulary force (two areas that the movie series at the fourth dimension, failed to properly focus on).

It also gave u.s.a. some interesting one-shots, dealing with the boilerplate people that lived within the city, and how Batman and his adversaries interacted with them.

The first 'boilerplate Joe' we encountered, was Charles Michael Collins, in the 7th episode of the starting time season, titledJoker's Favor.

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On the freeway heading habitation from work, Charlie Collins is taking stock of his bad day: his dominate turned down his request for a raise, his son needs braces, and his wife is making meat loaf for dinner.

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Charlie feels the world is further treating him similar a punching bag, when several constabulary cars and the Batmobile flash their lights, making him movement to another lane. Correct after this, a station railroad vehicle cuts him off, and Charlie decides he'due south had plenty! Catching up to the railroad vehicle, he begins to rant at it's driver.

"Hey, you lot," he yells. "Yeah, I'chiliad talking to yous, clown! You think you own the whole road? Why for 2 cents, I'd-"

Charlie speedily shuts up, when the street lights reveal just who cutting him off: The Joker!

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Fearing for his life, Charlie pulls off onto some side roads. Eventually his car gives out, and he is shortly confronted by the Joker. The Clown is about to teach his rude friend some manners, when Charlie pleads that he'll exercise anything if the Joker will spare him.

This request intrigues the Joker, and he asks for Charlie'due south wallet. Taking his driver's license, the Joker claims he'll allow Charlie go, if he'll do him a favor.

"Okay," agrees Charlie. "What?"

"I DON'T KNOW!! I oasis't thought of information technology yet!" Yells the Joker, before his vocalism softens. "You just toddle on back to your mundane, meaningless little life, and when I need you, I'll telephone call."

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The Joker and so walks abroad laughing, as Charlie is left behind, shaking from the encounter.

Two years after, nosotros cutting to the Gotham Police Department. A testimonial dinner is being planned for Commissioner Gordon at the Gotham Peregrinators Club, but deep downwards, he finds the whole matter a waste matter of time and money.

Equally he sulks in his office, the Batman shows upwards.

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Gordon claims that the Batman should be honored instead of him, but the Dark Knight puts things in perspective, claiming he just works "the night shift," while Gordon has to deal with things on a daily basis.

The Commissioner accepts the Batman's 'endorsement,' only as he asks if his friend knows where to hire a tux, he finds the room empty.

"I hate it when he does that," mutters Gordon.

Meanwhile, the Joker has gotten out 'on early parole,' and feels he should exist able to honor Gordon at the event as well. As he looks through his little black book, his banana Harley Quinn, asks if he'south looking for 'a specialist.'

"No no," says the Joker, pulling out Charlie'southward license. "Just an old friend…who'southward dying to practise me a favor!"

Some time later, the phone rings at the residence of Don Wallace, in Springdale, Ohio. When the caller asks for Charlie Collins, Don claims the caller has the wrong number. Withal, the Joker is on the telephone, and he knows he'south talking to Charlie! He even rattles off Charlie's new accost, and claims he's fabricated knowing most Charlie and his family, his 'hobby.'

The Joker tells Charlie that there'south a ticket on the next aeroplane to Gotham for him, and that he should tell his family he'south visiting 'a sick friend.'

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Once Charlie is confront-to-face with him again, the Joker is all-smiles, as if he's seeing an old friend. Charlie pleads that he doesn't desire to hurt anyone, simply the Joker simply tells him that one time the favor is repaid, he tin can go home.

Soon, the Joker outlines Charlie'south role of his plan. Harley is to deliver a huge cake to Gordon's party at The Peregrinators Club. Charlie will stand by the main doors to the party room, and once Harley knocks three times, he opens the door…and that's all he has to do!

When Charlie enters the club's room prior to the start of the party, he sees 2 of the Joker's henchmen standing nearby, keeping an middle on things. With the two men in the room, he realizes there's no style he can alarm any of the cops about what is going to happen, and wishes he could somehow contact the Batman.

Walking into the nearby Hall of Inventions, he sees a glider in the shape of a bat, hanging from a crane. Willing to try annihilation, he maneuvers the glider to a nearby window.

Information technology but so happens that Bruce Wayne had been at the party a few minutes prior, congratulating Gordon. Equally he and his butler Alfred drive away, Alfred points out the bat-symbol in the window backside them, wavering back-and-forth.

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As Gordon gives a few words inside, three knocks are heard at the door. Charlie opens it, and Harley enters with the cake. Charlie then attempts to go out, simply finds an adhesive keeping his hand stuck to the door handle!

Harley gives a trivial ode to the Commissioner, when suddenly, nervus gas erupts from some nearby candles. Harley gives Charlie a gas mask, and the two watch as anybody in the room freezes in place!

The Joker then emerges from the block, and has Harley place a small bomb on Gordon's jacket.

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"Habiliment information technology in good health," he chuckles, "all remaining 59 seconds of it. Toodles!"

"Expect! You promised to send me home," pleads Charlie, still stuck to the handle.

"I never said, 'alive,'" laughs the Joker, as he and Harley get out the room.

A few moments after they leave, Batman appears through the skylight in the room. Charlie points out the bomb, and Batman chop-chop sends information technology hurtling outside of the building (where it conveniently blows up the Joker'due south van).

Back in the main room, everyone has started to regain movement, and Batman loosens the agglutinative on Charlie's mitt. He tells Batman about the Joker using him as office of the assassination plot, before Batman rushes into the club to detect the Joker.

He rapidly subdues the Joker'south goons and Harley, only ends up chasing his adversary into a recreated ancient temple ("Right downwards to the poison-tipped darts!" laughs the Joker at one point).

The Joker attempts to blow up Batman, only mainly succeeds in the bomb destroying the temple, as both of them run for their lives.

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Escaping into an bordering alleyway, the Joker is confronted by Charlie. At first, he laughs off seeing the petty man again, but Charlie and so punches him, knocking him to the ground!

"You miserable little nobody!" he spits out. "If I go caught, your married woman and son are history!"

Charlie then claims that he's got some insurance…and reveals one of the Joker's bombs, which is ticking!

"This is how it ends, Joker.," he says. "No big schemes. No thou fight to the finish with the Dark Knight. Tomorrow, all the papers will say, is that the nifty Joker was found blown to $.25 in an alley, aslope a 'miserable little nobody!' Kinda funny, ironic really. Encounter, I can destroy a man's dreams too…and that'southward really the only dream you've got, isn't it?"

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"Stop! Y'all're crazy!" pleads the Joker, struggling to get abroad.

"I had a expert teacher," smiles Charlie.

The Joker badly calls for Batman to help him, and his antagonist emerges from the shadows. Batman tells Charlie to stop what he's doing, merely the angry little man is determined to finish off the Joker, claiming it's the only style to keep his family safe.

It is and so the Joker empties out his pockets, challenge all the information about Charlie's family is there.

Charlie then freaks out the white-faced clown, and chucks the bomb at him! Joker ducks backside Batman, and the detonator goes off…merely causing a puff of confetti, and a newspaper reading 'nail" to popular out.

"Gotcha!" smiles Charlie devilishly, as Batman laughs at his little 'joke.'

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"Oh, very funny," smirks the Joker, like a bad sport. "A million laughs."

As Batman leads the Joker away, Charlie heads off, eager to go abode to his family.

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Later all these years, Joker's Favor is nonetheless one of my Top 5 favorite episodes for this serial, and in the release schedule for the prove, information technology was our first story to feature this incarnation of the Joker.

Information technology was nice to run across that the showrunners didn't just decide to make an blithe Jack Nicholson, and gave this Joker his own spin on the Clown Prince of Criminal offense. It also was i of the first times I think many of us realized thespian Mark Hamill'due south talent for voices. He manages to provide a vocalisation that becomes incommunicable to separate from the mad man we see on-screen.

This Joker is also a flake theatrical, but does accept sure vestiges of pride.

Notable is when he asks for Charlie's wallet. Charlie thinks the Joker wants whatever cash he has, and the clown is somewhat disgusted at what Charlie is thinking.

"Oh delight, don't insult me," he snaps.

Of course, the grapheme also revels in the ability he has over this little man. The Joker even gives Charlie all sorts of nicknames, from 'Chuckers' to 'Charlie Brown.'

To many a Batfan, what is near notable about the episode after all these years, is that it marked the first appearance of i of the modern era's most famous Batman characters: Harley Quinn (voiced by Arleen Sorkin).

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In the beginning, she seemed piddling more than a cute hench-daughter for the Joker, simply as time went on, a backstory was adult for her, and she began to appear in more material related to Batman. In this episode, she is the main 'cheerleader' effectually the Joker's plans, and has some memorable lines.

When she tries to sweet-talk Batman equally a distraction, he apace subdues her, and leaves her handcuffed for the Police force to arrest.

"Dazzler school'south looking pretty good about at present," she mutters.

And and so, there'south Charlie Collins.

Of all the 'average Joe's' the testify has had, Charlie is the ane who definitely stands out. He's simply an regular guy, who concluded upwards thrust into circumstances beyond his control.

My favorite moment for the character, comes at the finish when Charlie freaks out the Joker. It's the equivalent of seeing a person whose been bullied, getting 'the last express joy' on their tormentor. Actor Ed Begley Jr, provides Charlie's phonation, and it'due south fun to hear him become from timid, to nearly crazed equally he makes the Joker squirm.

Plus, it is funny that Charlie manages to do what the Joker couldn't: make the Batman laugh!

We also get some fun trivial grapheme moments, with members of Gotham's constabulary force. At the time, we were just beginning to meet other members of the strength, such every bit Detective Harvey Bullock, and Officer Renee Montoya.

At the Peregrinator's Lodge, nosotros see Montoya acting much more 'refined' than Bullock, who seems to be there merely for the gratis food. In that location also comes a moment where he tries to sweet-talk Harley, and gets the business concern end of a baton to his knees.

While i of my favorites, the episode isn't perfect.

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What is notable is that when Charlie throws the bomb at the Joker, Batman has a separate-2d expect of panic, withal doesn't run! With a (supposed) alive-bomb inches away from him, it is surprising that he wouldn't try to kicking it or toss it abroad (even with seconds to spare!), given how nosotros saw him handle the terminal few explosives the Joker was using. Of course, it is funny to see both Batman and the Joker, in this split-second shot of utter panic.

In that location also is a thought, that maybe the episode could accept been amend utilized later in the get-go season of the prove. I mean, nosotros're seven episodes in, and we have a guy threatening to blow up the Joker!? If Charlie had gone through with it, I think Hamill'south Joker would accept had slightly more screentime than Leto's Joker in Suicide Squad!

Fifty-fifty the music for the episode, has it's own special 'flavor.' The late Shirley Walker often never gets enough recognition for the themes and musical pieces she did for the serial. While at that place is a tinge of Danny Elfman in some areas, she brings a regality to Batman's theme, and a playful-withal-ominous tone to the Joker's theme.

Joker's Favor has a theme that feels like a distant cousin to the Joker'south Theme. It has a happy-become-lucky feel with a chorus whistling a tune, but becomes somewhat humorous with an added synthesizer piece put in, that sounds like someone is squeezing a whoopee-cushion. It's never stated outright, merely I sometimes refer to the slice as Charlie's theme song: it seems the kind of song for a 'lovable loser,' who just wants something to get right in his life.

Overall, I feel Joker'south Favor should be 'required viewing' for anyone who is introducing someone to Batman: The Animated Series. As we celebrate the show having been effectually for over 25 years, stay tuned, as we recap several more than episodes in the coming months.

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