The WORST Episode of Batman The Animated Series | I've Got Batman In My Basement
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- In this video I go through why I think I've Got Batman In My Basement is the absolute worst episode of Batman the Animated Series.
#btas #batman #batmantheanimatedseries #thepenguin
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:54 The worst parts
2:32 Its legacy
3:16 Bruce Timm's opinion
4:08 How did this happen?
6:40 The problem with The Penguin
7:38 Conclusion
Word Balloon's full interview with Marty Pasko can he found here, give it a listen! • Origins Of Batman The ... - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
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Poison Ivy: environmentalism gone wrong.
Two-Face: Jekyll & Hyde.
Clayface: tragic vanity.
Mr. Freeze: loss of a loved one.
Harley Quinn: victim of spousal abuse.
Penguin: wants to steal diamond studded bird statues.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
When done right the Penguin is just trying to fight back at a world that has rejected him for his appearance and shunned him as a freak. By being the smartest and beadiest gentlemen criminal. That’s why birds of the feature works so well for me, it got that motivation right.
Yeah, with his limp (and if used, his fused fingers) the Penguin can be a pretty good villain representation for disabled people; he just needs to have his motivations and decisions written well, he needs to be vengeful, cunning and ruthless (like many a bird can be.) Not some fat clown.
Joker: Absolute psychopath
@ScrinwaipwrT hat is exactly what the writers on gotham did with Penguin. They made him a ruthless criminal with a sympathetic side and a limp. The writers were obviously big fans and didn't like his portrayal on TAS, hence why Oswald was featured so prominently on Gotham.
@@zemox2534 yeah I liked that Penguin.
I feel like Penguin stealing a faberge egg was also playing into his desire to be wealthy and generally a member of high society. Those eggs can be worth millions each and just happens to fit both of his gimmicks
Agreed.
Penguin steal the egg is perfectly in character.
YT algorithm sent me a Reese's PB Egg advertisement.
Agreed, it fits his character all too well
You need to show a Faberge Egg to enter Club Penguin.
The problem is that the producers were forced to depict the penguin exactly like the Danny DeVito version in Batman Returns(which they hated, and have discussed in commentaries) and it limited the story potential with him, because he was being written as a crime boss and owner of the iceberg lounge by this point in the comics.
Blind as a bat is a good episode because it’s penned by Len Wein, a classic longtime Batman comic writer from the 70’s, and the depiction of Batman’s struggle with being blind. Not because the penguin is the villain.
Personally I loved that they made him look like that. It made his gentlemanly behauvior stick out even more and made his presence memorable
I agree. I just wish the writers got over their petty hatred of Batman Returns and wrote Penguin with more respect
@@zemox2534Brings into mind the Transformers Animated folks seeming to not care much for the Dinobots.
Man I thought this was the episode where Batman was temporarily blinded. Funnily enough also starring good old Oswald.
I don't blame you for conflating those those episodes.
the blindness one has some pretty animation at least
I love that Batman being blinded episode!
Me too
I disagree on some aspects of your review.
Because, there couldn't possibly be any knowledge kids in Gotham City, who have a heroic nature to them.
I am thankful, how ever, that you didn't put down Paul Williams great voice acting. He never disappointed in his vocals as the Penguin. Heck, if BTAS was a live show, William s would TOTALLY own the part.
The Penguin's my favorite Batman villain, so the fact that he's introduced so underwhelmingly is a bit of a disappointment... but the fact that this episode is "fine" and not "ungodly unbearable" is a testament to BTAS's quality. It's a real shame that at least some of the BTAS staff didn't like Batman Returns very much, because it's my personal favorite Batman movie. I was a little hesitant at first because of all the changes Tim Burton made to the Penguin, but Danny DeVito won me over with his acting and I genuinely felt that, despite all the changes, enough traditional Penguin elements were kept that it still felt like Oswald to me. I might get some flack for saying this, but I also prefer Burton's design over the traditional "fat John D. Rockefeller" look. The deformed hands are optional, but the Gothic Victorian look really does give Pengy a more dynamic visual presence, IMO.
I feel similarly. Batman Returns is one of my favourites, and I’ll always prefer the Burton design (and the original BTAS design by association)
I do agree, I like the Victorian style Gothic revival look. It fits so well for a guy who is pissed at the world for various injustices (both real and perceived) done to him and his family.
Right at the end, I thought you were throwing shade at "The New Batman Adventures." You can't imagine my relief.
I almost got the name wrong when recording this. I had to say it very carefully to make sure I didn’t besmirch the wrong show 😂
We all fell for the fake-out.😢
This was the first episode I saw of the show and I stuck around for the rest, so I kind of have a soft spot for it.
In its defense, I think the suspense is well done. The kids might be holding The Penguin and his goons off, but it all just feels like they're scrambling for every second they can give to the recovering Batman. I never feel like the henchmen would go easy on the kids if they actually caught them.
I wonder if I might have stuck around if this was the first episode I saw. I remember hearing Jean McCurdy say that they deliberately chose the airing order of the episodes to push the best episodes out first to get people hooked, then they'd forgive stinkers like this one :D
Whenever I watched many vintage series for the first time, that one episode I first saw turned out rated, "Worst Episode EVER." I watch several before deciding, now.
Same, it was one of the first one's I watched too during reruns between 1999 and 2002. I remember really liking the episode and then just sticking around for the rest.
2:03 Sounds like something that comic version of Tim Drake would do. Like I don't think it would have saved the episode, but if it took some inspo from the comics and had the boy be Tim Drake, it at least would have been interesting in a lore sense.
That would have been so cool! I would have also replaced Roberta with Stephanie Brown.
I think for me, I enjoy this episode and will occasionally watch it because it does a couple good things.
It has a positive nature to it, and as you said, is light. While looking at the show as a whole series, it’s important to balance things out, and I think that the lightness is very important. Batman, and Gotham, are not strictly bad, especially when looking at how Batman impacts the episode.
The kids saving Batman and being heroic accomplishes two things. It demonstrates the very real fallibility and simply imperfection of Batman. He is not a God, he is merely a man doing what he can to save his city. It also shows that Batman DIRECTLY influences the good of people within Gotham, and inspires them to be better. It is basically just random kids, and I think it’s important, because it shows the degree of impact Batman has upon them, and how important he is impressing upon the city
It also shows early on that Batman is a hero for kids too, IIRC in one of the comics he says as much to Superman, that he changed up his look and agreed to take on Dick Greyson as the first Robin because he didn't want to scare kids (Think the context of the comic was he was trying to rescue a kid from a cult that was going to kill the kid, while trying to untie him form the alter the kid was freaking out because they were already stressed about being potentially being killed), bruce quickly learned that a traumatized child isn't immidatly going to trust him no matter how calmly or softly he spoke, but they would if another kid is with him, it sends the subliminal "hey the other kid isn't afraid so I shouldn't be either".
@@BrightWulph
👍👍👍
Wow. I forgot this episode existed.
I kinda wish i could go back to forgetting...
Eh, this ep deserves remembrance. Static Shock's "Hoop Squad" and all of The Zeta Project, on the other hand...
As a kid I had one DVD of Batman The Animated Series which was called "Out Of The Shadows." The disc had four episodes on it, the Two-Face two parter, the one with the mob boss and his priest brother, and this one.
Until my late teens that was the only exposure to BTAS I got. Though I did have other Batman content like the LEGO games and some of the other Batman shows, I kind of wish I'd got to watch more BTAS back then.
Anyway, I never would've thought it was the worst, though to be honest out of the few I saw as a kid it was probably my least favourite.
That was such a confusing DVD set - three quite dark and mature stories, followed by a real stinker...
3 out of 4 fantastic episodes is pretty good.
I had Christmas with the joker, on leather wings, the first poison ivy one and the last laugh with Captain clown. 4 straight bangers. Too bad you got batman in my basement.
@@amirsteez05 I think I did see On Leather Wings and the movie with Mr Freeze on TV at some point too.
Had forgot this episode even existed. Can recall it was rerun more times than would have been desired, so there are plenty of us who don't care for it (as the interviews you sampled, also shows). Like you said, being the worst of such a great show is still better than what we see on the regular since.
Really, the only thing that keeps me from calling this my least favorite episode is that it came out when the series was still finding its footing. I give that title to Tyger Tyger.
Tyger Tyger's main saving grace is Kevin Conroy reciting Blake's titular poem at the end.
And besides, that comic does get some good sequel stuff in the tie-in comics.
Well, it's nice to have kids in some Batman episodes encountering villains. Imagine if they encounter Joker.
Oh, agreed. No kid should EVER be face to face with that madman.
That part with Bruce Tim talking about kids as heros just why, I feel for once everyone would agree thats just terrible. As a kid I at least never identified with the kids or side kicks so much and never understood that reasoning.
I remember there was a kid's book version of this episode - one of those SFX books where you press a button to make the appropriate sound. The book's plot was slightly more interesting, because it also added Joker and Catwoman to the plot.
8:28 - yes, please.
consider it on the list
Just found your channel like a week ago and have been binging your deep dive analyses of characters. I like how you find the mental health disorders that each villain represents (most of them anyways). Keep up the great work
Thanks, and welcome aboard!
This one has Adam West Batman written all over it.
Without any of the self-aware humour!
So bad superhero media stems from selling toys to kids and deadline pressures?!
That’s certainly part of it
I blame the filthy no good liberals.
Had you r channel recommended to me by YT, and I've been binge watching all your Batman videos! This episode was a total stinker. Don't even remember watching it as a kid, and if I had, I was probably bored out of my mind. Keep up the great work!
Thank you and welcome aboard!
yknow at base value I kinda dig the concept of Batman being in a weakened state. Comics like Hush or animation like Gotham Knights had bits that tackled this. Sadly this episode was too campy without the irony that makes Adam West Batman or Legends of the Dark Knight so endearing.
Yeah, I think the strength of Gotham Knights (and Hush to a lesser extent) was that it showed Batman defending himself while in the weakened state, which can be pretty interesting. As you said, this is just... not good.
Honestly, I would love to see more stuff about a Gotham City who slowly but surely doesn't need the Batman anymore. Same with having a Metropolis that doesn't need a Superman, or an Earth that doesn't need the Justice League anymore...
I bought the BluRay I loved it so much! Mark Hamill the best Joker voice ever, and Arleen Sorkin (R.I.P) the best Harley Quinn voice ever!
1:31 maybe a drawing of first person of a basement where batman is at the end of it would've been cooler
Have you seen Phantom City Creative’s poster for this episode? They did a good job of summarising this episode into a single image.
@@SerumLake nope, but will check it out
@@SerumLake okay just watched it, that's cool man
I'm so glad all the other episodes were better this one.
There were some close calls, but ultimately I think this one deserves the dubious honour of being crowned the worst
There are some shows with good kid characters but with bad ones it's usually because they're written based on how 40 and 50 somethings think kids act.
For some reason I thought this was going to be about a psychotic boy who had managed to capture a weakened Batman and was torturing him in his basement. I was wrong.
I have hated this episode, ever since I was a kid. The worst part about this one, is the fact Batman literally just walks into the penguins gas bomb, and he literally would have been dead if the kids weren't around. Then the climax you have the kids, struggling to defend themselves against Penguin, and then when he gets down to the basement Batman just wakes up conveniently.
I gove this episode a 0/10. It has no redeeming qualities, and is just plain dull.
I mean, tbf, Batman has had to have some really "dumb" moments for some villains to get an upperhand on him. There's a moment in Baby Doll's episode where Batman chases her into a "fun house attraction" stares into a wall for a few seconds before he get's blind-sided by a "trap".
I absolutely loathed this episode. It gave me Home Alone vibes, and was an insulting introduction to one of my favourite Batman Villains
Don't tell me you're a hater of Home Alone 1 and 2? I LOVE those films!
This was my first episode of Batman, the animated series; if it wasn't for The Batman that was on then, I most likely wouldn't have watched any more of the series. The Batman is still my favourite Batman show, Batman Beyond is my second and this series is my third
Birds of a Feather is probably the only time I've really felt bad for Penguin. He can't actually cut it in high society and, as we learn when he gets out of prison, no one in the criminal underworld really likes him either. But he's desperate to be respected and liked.
Other versions have tried for this "desperate to be respected" angle, but they either make Penguin too much of a jerk (from general misogyny to outright dangerous sadism) or too cartoonish (ironically i think the Batman Returns version falls under this last category). It's why the only good Penguin scene in the Arkhamverse is beating him up, as Bruce, with your hands tied at the beginning of City
I agree that Birds of a Feather is a really decent episode. It gives The Penguin the some genuinely, relatable motivations.
Also, re: the Arkham Penguin - Can you believe that I didn’t realise you could knock the penguin out after you break the cuffs in Arkham City until my SECOND play through.
There's definitely several of the earlier made episodes of the show that had children as the featured characters. Be a Clown and that Sewer King episode come to mind. There's even a picture book with a soundboard that had the kids of this episode in it that wasn't based off this episode. I dunno if it was just an early part of the show trying to figure out it's identity but these are certainly the types of episodes that disappeared from the later produced episodes.
I don't think it's that bad (not just I still say The Last Laugh is the worst episode), but not one episode I see myself rewatching too many more times whenever I binge watch BTAS, including TNBA. At least the title of the episode isn't too misleading/misappropriated, and the animation is far better than The Last Laugh. I will give you this, it's not the best Penguin episode, no that honor goes to "Birds of a Feather".
It was really stupid that WB made them "synergize" with the Tim Burton movie where Penguin DIES AT THE END. Any kids that would've been confused by the two versions having a different appearance would've been asking why Penguin was still alive.
Annndd now it’s time to binge watch BTAS analysis videos
ah yes, the episode that turned Batman the Animated Series into Home Alone.
Not that that's a bad thing, since I really like the first two films.
I watched this show for the first time as an adult a couple years ago. I was shocked by the tonal whiplash of how bad this episode was. And I really like the Penguin in general, even if he’s often just a gimmick. But just everyone’s voices sound annoying
At Lease it Better Then The Season 4/ The New Batman Adventures Episode "Critters"
Don't bad mouth He-Man!
😂
Well, he should. Show has not aged well even compared to Wolfenstein 3D in terms of games like Doom.
Man I'm a BIG fan of Batman TAS but I forgot how horrible this episode was in my preference lol.
Its so clearly a "make kids the heros" episode...
And its not only stereotypically do, but cringingly so.
It feels like a fanstory of a 22 year old batman fan, with a self insert.
there is a worst episode then this, i cant remember, but the animators were taking shortcuts left and right
You might be talking about The Terrible Trio, but at least that episode had something to say. This is just meaningless dross.
I wonder, if Catwalk had been an earlier episode, would they have had the Penguin instead of The Ventriloquist as the villain. Or even would WB make them to capitalize on teaming him and Catwoman up to tie in with Returns. You could easily swap him in. But of course I’m glad we got the Ventriloquist instead, despite liking this version of the Penguin
that's an interesting idea. If I ever speak to Paul Dini I'll have to ask him.
@@SerumLake it is kind of a shame they never interacted together throughout the entirety of the DCAU because I think seeing these versions of Selina and Oz meet up could have been fun
@@jacktoma21 That had to be a deliberate choice - they must've not liked Batman Returns very much!
@@SerumLake Catwoman also just didn’t interact with the other Rogues very much. Catwalk is the main exception. All her other appearances she’s with a new or non costumed villain. She’s in Almost Got Im but has little to no dialogue with the other villains.
This would have worked better if it was framed as a horror film where the kids desperately tried to run from the criminals and only survive due an to the defenses and autopilot of the batmobile, they try to wake him as penquin grew closer and just kept going then the car would be crashed into a metal factory where they use the convier belt to move bats then they tried to move forward eventually batman wakes up batman to just barely save there lives just before the girl is greatly injured. And the boy is mortified and forever conflicted and resentful of the very idea if batman do to failing to keep his sister safe
It could have been SO MUCH BETTER if it took place in batman's basement, ie. the batcave. Imagine a couple of kids stumbling THERE and having to home-alone a defense. Just hit the penguin on the head at the end and he won't remember discovering it.
Even the penguin disliked the episode, considering he could barely use his normal voice in this episode
This episode somehow is one I remember vividly and possibly fondly.
In fact. I think this was my first episode!
Someone has got to love it ;)
Nah, you're not alone in enjoying it - quite a few people have scolded me for being so mean about this episode already!
I must say when I saw this episode, it was... different.
Yeah... I understand it and, for better or worse, felt it as if I, my young self in that time, was one of the kids of this episode, and I thought "I'm dealing with one of Batman's enemies without Batman's help". And even it being the Penguin, he is a big challenge for a normal, pacifist kid to deal with. In that point of view, it's an ok episode, but if we look at the other episodes of this series... Yeah, it deserves the title of the worse episode of the series.
I love this episode! I had a book that played sounds based off this story. It was so suspenseful as a kid.
I mean, its an okayksh episode if you look at it from the angle of "these kids are in over their heads and its a battle against time (and the penguins henchmen) to save Batman from certain doom." I will say the opening line for Penguin was just bad, and i do agree that the title card was lackluster, but overall this is one that can still be watched during a rewatch, although id strongly recommend some snacks to alleviate the boredom that does ensue.
To me, the worst BTAS episode is "The Underdwellers."
The villain in the episode is just so annoying;
With Penguin being my Personal Fav Bat Baddie, yeah, this intro was a big disappointment. There are lots of things you could do with Pengy to keep him Relevant, but by this point and certainly now in "Modern Comics" if you aren't some Super Physical/Super Powered Threat. You just aren't used anymore.
I agree because they have used in the Justice league series and Batman Beyond like he has potential to be a leader of a injustice league, he have taken over the Watchtower by calling it the Zizz bird and in the Beyond era he takes over Terry’s body
screwdrivers are efficient weapons.
Screwdriver will fix it
And believe me, it's also a very nuanced murder weapon, if one checks their crime history books.
As I like to call it “I got Batman on a Trash Can”.
This whole episode also looks and feels like an episode of Tiny Toons or Animaniacs.
Well I thought that the Terrible trio episode was Bruce Timm’s hated episode as well there is the Werewolf episode and Maxie Zeus episode, but the worst DCAU episode of all is Warworld which is a coincidence since there a animated movie called Justice League:Warworld coming.
This episode is just home alone with Batman in it because penguin in this episode is like Cruella De Vil and does sound like Mr Burns from the Simpsons, they say that this was a comedic episode but I didn’t anything funny also don’t forget about the episode Be a Clown who had a child protagonist in it
But yeah Penguin was missed used here because if they had to do Danny Devito’s version then he didn’t had to be the same as I like this design as he looks like a supervillain then what he was given later on but he didn’t have pale skin or jagged teeth that would bite a man’s nose off and that his background was that he was abandoned by his parents and live in a sewer underneath an abandoned zoo, they could have done more with him.
In my research I've found that Bruce Timm doesn't seem to like very many episodes of Batman!
no the maxie zeus one had potential it just that the execution was poorly made, but yeah the terrible trio is worse just based on the premise "3 already rich bastards dressed as furys are stealing banks and batman is having trouble with them" ... that sentence alone doomed that episode
@@SerumLake oh really, also the Penguin had so much potential
Granted, the Terrible Trio is quite a relatable bunch, considering lots of spoiled rich madlads across the real world.
And even then, Warworld is LOADS BETTER than a bunch of Super Friends eps. It's just that Mongul was already beaten out by Darkseid in terms of danger and hate factors in the DCAU.
I've never heard of this one! From the title and the thumbnail I thought it was going to be an adaptation of "An Innocent Guy," the short story that was printed alongside The Killing Joke about the kid who wanted to kill Batman and prove he could still be a good person despite doing the worst thing imaginable.
The real answer is much more disappointing.
Honestly it could have worked if they played up Bruce having the chance to be a part of the kind of stable, normal family life he had stolen from him, and not knowing what to do. Like, fighting The Penguin and his goons is just as simple as breathing for Batsy, but I can't really see him doing smalltalk around the dinner table. Hell, it could be part of what eventually makes him want to adopt Dick and the other Robins: The chance to make a family out of people who don't have any.
I had never noticed the similarities between Sherman and the guy from Brian Bolland’s story. Probably completely unrelated, but if I ever see Brian again I will ask him about it.
A good story, that, but alas, you know what Fox Kids was or is.
hey. no dissing on He-Man, he's the reason why shows in the future didn't look like Hannah barbera cartoons. i'm not saying that it was objectively good (i personally haven't watched he-man) but at least I recognize its importance
I loved He-Man back in the day, but, maaaaaan, it has aged like milk!
@@SerumLake i don't disagree. I'm just saying that he-man walked so BTAS could run
Brings into mind how Ultima Underworld. Now that game is worth delisting nowadays because of its primitiveness, but at least it influenced the betters likes of System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex, Dishonored, Prey 2017, and so on.
Great research for this episode.
Thanks very much! I've tried to get more details from Frank Paur, but I've had no luck yet. I'll do a follow up if he ever spills the beans.
Wish I can make a video projecting my dislike for "Prophecy of Doom", but even then, it'll inevitably end with me saying that it's easily more rewatchable than a bunch of eps from X-Men, Spider-Man, The Smurfs, Super Friends, Captain Planet, Transformers '84, G.I. Joe, Season 3 onwards for The Real Ghostbusters, Tattooed Teenagers from Beverly Hills... *that's saying something.*
2:24: Honestly could be useful for special forces and, of course, Batman's gadgetry.
2:28: Actually a scary weapon. Just how many people in real life are actually murdered by such a tool, mind you? Besides, Batman can't use guns, but he can be allowed to use knives, hammers, and nails to incapacitate foes V E R Y P A I N F U L L Y.
2:43: Brings into mind going from Fuko Ibuki's whimsical yet wholesome arc to Kotomi Ichinose's tragic arc to a basketball fun arc to a Fujibayashi sisters/Tomoyo/Kotomi romance rivalry arc to finally catharsis with good old Nagisa in the CLANNAD anime series. Jarring a bit, yes, but you get the idea.
In my opinion, the Penguin's first actual DCAU appearance should be in the very first The Batman Adventures comic, which should also be Catwoman's and the Joker's if paired with the next two issues, which are set on the same story arc.
Can admit that the kids aren't as eventually well developed as, say, Enzo from ReBoot, Pop Harukaze from Ojamajo Doremi, and the Organa-Solo kids from Star Wars Legends. They're annoyances at first, but over time, things change in events I can't even begin to describe.
If there's one big thing that this episode does well, and where the rest of the DCAU sorely missed out on, it's showing off the Batmobile's special gadgetry and doodads. Even the Arkham Knight video game Batmobile has more character than either of the DCAU Batmobiles, strangely enough.
In conclusion, if I were a primary showrunner for B: TAS and the DCAU, I would most likely don't like this episode much... but I sure as hell won't be angry enough to make it automatically non-canon because it's that terribad. Not even Star Wars, Harry Potter, Halo, and Mobile Suit Gundam are gonna be that lucky if I were helming those storylines somehow, what with apocrypha like the Denning-verse if not The Book of Boba Fett and Kenobi, The Cursed Child if not some lore derived from Pottermore, the Kilo-Five trilogy and the Created saga, F91 and Victory...
Oh, and I've said this a lotta times, but this ep needed the distant sequel treatment that Batman Beyond's "Meltdown" and Justice League+Unlimited's Darkseid episodes; imagine having an episode set on the future (the JL+JLU or Batman Beyond era, you decide) that shows off the sudden decline and shutdown of the kiddie detective agency, complete with possibly killing off a noted member by way of, say, a Penguin ex-goon trying to desperately make ends meet. Bonus if it gets so much pathos that the premise actually would have made audiences actually feel more positively nostalgic for "I've Got Batman in My Basement" and thus be redeemed, in a manner similar to seeing Dick Grayson being a happy and loyal Robin tagging along with a mellow Batman before "Old Wounds" became a stark reality.
I didn't really care for Moon of the Wolf, but this episode was definitely bottom of the barrel.
I've always wondered why the Penguin was the villain of Blind as a Bat. The only good Penguin episode in BTAS is the one where he's rejected by high society, showing that he could never fit in even if he tried to reform. I do like how TNBA made him a crime boss and head of the Iceberg Lounge, where he's more of an information broker.
I listened to an interview with the writer Robert Skir recently and he said that whenever they weren’t sure of a villain to use in an episode they would just use the Penguin. He seemed to be their general go-to fill in villain.
Birds of a Feather... and remember, he was actually starting to fit into a niche of that 'high society" but enough forces worked against him that it all went to hell, even though she was actually falling for him.
as for Blind as a Bat... I can only assume it's because SOMEONE insisted on making it Penguin because "birds...bats...they both fly" or something XD
The thumbnail makes it look like Sherman's hoping there's a cyanide pill in the utility belt so he can kill Batman.
Can we all agree that “Birds of a Feather” is the best Penguin-centric episode?
I agree!
I think it might be the only good Penguin episode.
@@leesimmons5453 its honestly one of my favorite BTAS episodes simply because of the fact that Cobblepot was SINCERE, and even Bruce realized that...
made the turnout that much more tragic... and honestly for what we learned here I could have totally appreciated if they'd just let him get his happy ending in the last 2 minutes... then relegated him to a background character, not even a villain or whatever... maybe even letting him and her patch things up and have a happy family.
The episode with the wolfman is worse imo, I'm pretty sure that one got pulled from syndication - not because it was bad, but I forget the reason why
Moon of the Wolf has one thing going for it - it's a direct adaptation of an issue of Batman written by Len Wein and illustrated by Neal Adams. I quite like the electric guitar theme, but do agree that it's a poor episode.
@@SerumLake I'll rewatch it for the theme then, it's a been a long time since I've seen it because I don't like it lol
Give He-man more credit, it was vital for animated program to ever get any funding on TV.
Oh don't get me wrong, He-Man was a juggernaut in its time, but it doesn't hold up these days. Which is amusing because both Bruce Timm and Paul Dini worked on it.
I think that this is one of those episodes that you enjoy more as a child than as an adult
i really like the danny devito penguin personally but they could have done more with him in the tv show
I never watched this episode before i only saw bits and pieces of it
Yep
I'm in the minority but I don't dislike rhis episode
It's decently fun
I think btas original run doesn't have any bad episodes (not the case for tnba)
It's all average to peak television
I actually think episodes like this and the terrible trio are disliked only because of how good the rest of the show is
But this is inoffensive
I consider episodes like cold comfort and love is a croc to be worse because they dredge older storylines
To me Baby-Doll didn't need the sequel (I might just be biased because it's my favorite episode)
And mr freeze's story ended at subzero
I admit it. I like this episode! I have no idea why, but I do.
The episodes not that bad, it's like home alone but Batman's KO. The characters aren't that bad in it. The underdwellers is worse.
Somebody ring the Dinkster?
Yeah it not great but nowhere near as horrible as many make it out to be. I think a lot of hate comes from the fact its not super edgy and dark. It could definitely have been better but I've seen far worse even in the DCAU.
BTAS needed a few Penguin episodes. This was the result
We've had fun kid protagonists before like Jade from Jackie Chan Adventures.
Yes, very true. I think Bruce Timm was talking about episodes of BTAS, rather than cartoons in general.
There's also Enzo Matrix, from ReBoot (though he does get older and darker come the riveting third season), the witch apprentice girls and a bunch of their classmates from Ojamajo Doremi, maybe even Sari Sumdac from Transformers Animated; there are a bunch of others, but my mind is still a bit busy to remember more.
Can you do an episode about Day of the Samurai. That episode had a great set up and should have been Amazing. But the animation was SO bad. Still not sure what happened. And I’m not like a super anal guy about animation flaws and even I could see that one was terrible
Funnily enough I know exactly what went wrong with that episode, and I will cover it at some point in the future. Thanks for the suggestion!
@@SerumLake👍
@@crakatoot5480AKOM!!
Yaaaaaaaaaaay....
A good enough episode, but I still Japan settings in the 90s were better off kept for local anime, not for Western animation back then.
🪴Speaking as someone who went to college for the arts, and animation, it really is a miracle sometimes to have a consistently good show nowadays. The fact this is the worst episode and it's still decently comprehendable and passable for the time is genuinely impressive!! Also shows good talent to be able to hobble this together from, what it sounds like, a bunch of different scripts that weren't working. It's important to find the positive even in the negative, truly...!
I dont know Critters is pretty god awful at least this is a little fun.
i still think the underwhellers, tyger tyger, the terrible trio and cold confort are the worst (fucking cold confort killed mr freeze for me).
Getting mad at "I think I've Got Batman In My Basement" is like getting mad at ""killer klowns from outer space" if that tittle alone dosn't warn you then i didn't know what did you expect
You might like my upcoming Mr Freeze video then...
I'm here so early that i saw the guy who was first
🫡
This episode is so terrible.
A bad episode for sure, but inoffensive, imo. I think the worst BTAS episode is The Terrible Trio.
well you're in good company, Bruce Timm feels the same way. I'm currently writing a video where I argue in defence of The Terrible Trio and I hope you watch it and let me know if I've swayed you.
What’s up with that boy’s hair???? Half the time it’s red halftime the time it’s brown.
Wait, 1:50
Are you insinuating kids wouldn't recongise a Vulture?
No, I’m explicitly saying they wouldn’t recognise a very specific species of vulture, and comment how rare they are.
@@SerumLake okay, misunderstood the basics.
No harm, no foul 👍
8:16 I actually liked that series.
Somebody had to 😀
I actually enjoy this episode tho.
Hey, don't dis He-Man or the other 30 minute commercials of the 80s. They were awesome, fun, and entertaining.
But not rewatchable, which is something any work of televised media should almost always aspire too.
Pls dont get mad at me but the episode was something i geniuenly enjoyed
You like whatever you like, no worries!
@@SerumLake phew bc i dont wanna get destroyed by ppl in the comments its all tbh
C'mon man... I like this episode lol
Somebody has to! 😂
@@SerumLake I used to watch it in a DVD my mom bought me when I was a kid, so have a very good memory of this episode in particular 😂 you know, emotional attachment is a thing
I think The Underwellers is worst that this. Animation is not that good & kids don't like the episode. Also, It's Never Too Late is good episode yet kids will find it boring & may like this Penguin's episode better.
Different strokes for different folks, but I think that the performance of The Sewer King elevates that episode slightly above I’ve Got Batman In My Basement. The Underdwellers is definitely near the bottom of my list though.
Offtopic: Have you watched the HBO Spawn series?
Yes I have. I had the first season on DVD back when it first came out, and last year I got around to watching the rest of it.
@@SerumLake Nice, thank you for answering so quickly.I have to ask, tho, would you like to make a video about It in the future? Maybe comparing It with BTAS ? I dunno, just giving you and idea.
@@nadaningunos9339 it’s something my wife wants to talk about on our podcast (first episode going live on Sunday by the way - cheap plug over) but I think I could potentially do a video about it, considering most of the people that worked on it worked on BTAS. There’s an interesting comparison to be made between the two shows.
@@SerumLake Thank you, man, i'll give it a shot.Have a good day.
Sherman: “Say Batman, you wouldn’t be single would ya?”
Batman: “I’m flattered, but you’re just a kid and I’m also not gay.”
Sherman: “I was talking about my mom…”
Batman: “oh…”
And yet Batman's voiced by a gay VA, haha.
@@michaelandreipalon359 wait actually?
I mean I wouldn't call Batman straight
@@huntercool2232 Wait, you didn't know?
@@michaelandreipalon359 no lol
You skip this on rewatches? Sounds like something a fake fan would do.
L
O
L
Can sympathize. Not a single B: TAS ep is worth skipping in my eyes, and same goes for TNBA, S: TAS, and JL+JLU.
Unfortunately, Batman Beyond and Static Shock aren't exactly immune, what with "Countdown" and "Hoop Squad" respectively.
A very lazy episode, we gotta put out something just throw this out Batman gives it credibility lol
Nope, I entirely disagree with this.
Yes it is the worst ep
ohh come on there are many pretty terrible more than this one... it's a six out of ten. Vertigo and Scratch back fever are pretty terrible more than this.
First
Bravo, you beat me to it!
* Title card is fine
* Bird Theme is fine
* I could identify a vulture when I was 12
* Kids are fine
* Penguin is awesome from moment one
* Screwdriver is fine
* Timm is way too hard on this episode and so are you.
Is this a *great* episode? No, but it's fairly decent, middle-of-the-road, and I can think of a large amount of episodes in Season 1 alone where I would gladly watch and enjoy Basement over. And all the other Penguin episodes for that matter. My only concession is that this might be Penguin's weakest episode amongst his specific roster, but it's still fun and I can't understand when people say "This sucks, because of [insert innocuous and not bad thing]"
What's awesome about Penguin being beaten by some kids?
@@Xehanort10 What's NOT awesome about it? Kids are more capable than they're given credit for.
And when I said Penguin was awesome, I meant his character, characterization, and performance, not necessarily what happens to him. Still, I stand by the above even though it wasn't what I was originally referring to.
Different strokes for different folks, and that's totally cool. The world would be a boring place if we all liked exactly the same things.
@@SerumLake I agree, and while I definitely think it's far from the worst I can definitely see why it would be few people's favorite. I just kind of wish more people would be like "I don't like it because I don't personally like X neutral thing" instead of "I don't like it because X neutral thing is objectively bad because I said so". And you're usually good at not doing that, but a little of that slipped in here.
* Woefully underused, over the course of the DCAU, Batmobile gadgets are neatly shown off, even for a small while
* Needed a distant, gritty, redeeming sequel a la Batman Beyond's "Meltdown"
* Not an AKOM ep