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For me is a dislike. I just find the Calendar part was an add-on and makes no sense. The whole part of Calendar Man he attacked on that day, not on the wrong month. The face thing was well good I wish the focus was more on that mable she ages people fast and would work better for her.
I will admit I was expecting them to go the easier route of her being scared. So when they reveal that she is actually beautiful it hit pretty well. Good for showing just how needlessly vicious entertainment industry can be and how abusive it can be to the people in it
Calendar girl was a tragic story. She was a beautiful woman, but as Batman would say, "she only saw the flaws in her appearance." She did rock those holidays themes during her heists.
@@smiththeinspiringanimator7042 I am glad she wasn't, as it gives hope that she was one of Arkham's few success stories and they managed to get that poor, wretched, woman well again. Remember, Page did save that Younger model from something *unspeakable* , and probably saved her life in the Process, so there was still some hope for her! she clearly still had a shred of humanity left in there (like Mr Freeze) which may, just, have given Arkham's Doctors a way to bring her back to her senses. Maybe Bruce, who has hired Repentant former Criminals more than once, got her a decent Job once she was well, and that is why we never saw her again, it would be nice for Arkham's Staff to actually succeed in helping someone get better once in a while!
Fun fact: Calendar Girl is voiced by Sela Ward, an actress who is also an outspoken activist against Hollywood's emphasis on youth and its harmful effects on public perception.
I still like how she gave it off like a warning to the young model that there will always be someone younger and thinner as a replacement and even let her go when she sympathizes with her as being the victim of corporate industry.
Calender Girl really steals the show here. Her varying costumes and weapons dependent on the seasons, the fact that she has male models as henchmen in a series where henchwomen seemed to be the new thing, and a tragic backstory make her a very interesting character to me. I honestly wouldn't have minded seeing more of her, especially given that we never get to see her take on a winter theme
Bruce letting his employee work for as long as he wants in spite of the retirement policy is a rather sweet and underrated moment. A lot of us might like to settle down once we've gotten old enough, but some might prefer to keep working in spite of their age. Maybe to support their families or they might simply find their work a part of their hobby/passion. Bruce learning to let his employee choose and not letting age alone be the deciding factor is a very kind act.
As a 35-year-old who's been watching these for obvious, nostalgic reasons, this hits really home on the ageism thing. I've been finding gray hairs in my brush the last year now. Yet I sure don't feel like an adult! Lol
I know My dad says do you ever get scared of getting old I just say It just part of ageing we can't stay young forever as you can't stay young for long and getting older is just part of life
@regulus7181 Jesus, I can't imagine being that vain. No offense or anything, I'm just a t shirt and jeans with a ball cap kinda guy and hang with mostly og old excons lol so no one clowns a over our looks as long as we're clothed and half ass groomed.
I am surprised you didn't talk about the woman who voiced Calander Girl. I heard she went through a similar thing in her life, too. Something about being "too old" to play a Bond girl.
I remember watching this episode as a kid and it stuck with me, especially the ending with the face reveal. Its crazy how this animated series tackled so many issues that are still relevant today. Truly a timeless classic, I can watch this series over and over without getting bored.
Riddler: "Very few people are both the Summer and the Winter. But you pull it off nicely." I think this episode showing bruce examine his own age and mortality was a call back to the Justice League epilogue episode with Waller stating: "He was getting older, slower. Soon he has to retire and someone would eventually kill him."
As someone who was a fan of Calendar Man since childhood, it was quite surprising to see such a radically different depiction of the character appearing in this episode. I remember my reaction when I first saw her was: "Why does Calendar Man have such a different physique than in the comics? And why is he making me feel weird all over my body?"
@@nehemiahpouncey3607 Honestly, an overused trope across different mediums. Like Supergirl being related to Superman, or the new Robin being Batman's son.
Fun fact: There is a one-shot Batman villain called The Manikin that made her first and only appearance in Detective Comics #506 and #507 in 1981. She was once a beautiful model until her face was scarred in an attempted murder with a car bomb, ruining her life. She then takes revenge on the responsibles. Calendar Girl has heavy similarities with The Manikin.
This episode was surprisingly sad and very real. This is how powerful body dysmorphia can be. It is also very real. I have met people who are physically beautiful, but are convinced that they're ugly or plain. I even met a woman who was convinced she was fat. She was a size medium. She was convinced that if a woman isn't small, she's fat. She even "acted" like a fat person. Wearing clothes that covered her, barely went out, she was ashamed of showing too much skin and even went as far as always going on diets. The sad part is, she was married and her husband adored her. And she was a gorgeous woman! She was just absolutely convinced that she was fat and ugly, so much so that she treated herself like she was ugly. I don't know became of her, but I hope she got the help she needed.
You can’t justify her actions, but you can relate and understand the critique this episode has with the industry, something not many media (specially cartoons) did at the time. The use of the type of minions she used plus the outfits depending on the season are a plus. The identity revealing scene was shocking. Another powerful episode.
I’d imagine the message behind Calendar Girl’s motivation is also why her victims aren’t called out on their actions against her. The only person who gets anything that could be comeuppance is the sleazy agent, and he’s immediately set up as unsympathetic.
Mean Seasons is one of my favorites. I wish Calendar Girl appeared in more stuff after this. My favorite part about this episode was who they got to voice Calendar Girl: Sela Ward. When she voiced Calendar Girl it was during her protest against ageism, which she made a documentary about: "The Changing Face of Beauty."
"Mean Seasons" is yet another personal favorite of mine, The introduction of Calender Girl was very interesting! And even though i don't condone the crimes that she committed, I found her motives to be somewhat understandable I mean getting fired from 3 different modeling jobs all because she was getting "older" is kinda unfair. Hell if something like that ever happened today well, That's why age discrimination lawsuits exist. In fact I felt bad for Paige, I mean seeing how broken she looked in the end when Bullock removed her mask was heartbreaking.
Her voice actress is a huge advocate in fighting ageism. She saw herself in the character because it happened to her and I think being in the series helped her career if I'm not mistaken.
I guess someone at Disney saw that Teen Cop idea because it immediately made me think of Fillmore. Animated crime drama-like series involving school students being delinquents and stopped by the 'safety patrol'. Was better than it feels like it should've been.
This episode was evident that the "sexy henchman" theme the new series was pushing was at least even handed. If Mr. Freeze and Penguin had to have cheesecake now, at least our female villains were also supplied with beefcake.
Although I personally prefer the B:TAS aesthetics, there are certainly a few episodes that stand out for their animation style, Mean Seasons being one of them.
As someone who at times has incredibly low self-esteem, especially when it comes to physical appearance, this episode speaks to me on levels I never thought of before. There have been times when I'm confident in how I look and can take great pride in myself, but... I won't deny that there have also been times when I've looked into the mirror and broken down into tears by how disgusted I am of myself. It's a complicated situation that I've been trying to fix over the years, but for the most part, I've been getting better.
I'm sorry you go through that, I hope you can gain more confidence in your appearance in the future! I dunno if it's a weight thing or not, but working out and eating healthy should make you feel better about yourself no matter what.
Well, I would’ve loved to of seen a straight up Calendar Man adoption, Calendar Girl has a cool gimmick and backstory to make her an interesting and underrated character
I can’t help but think Clayface and Calendar Girl would have been good friends. At the very least, understanding each other by sympathizing with each other’s similar blights.
I actually agree with the villain because these industries take advantage of people and when they're no longer of any use them they dispose of them where they're being looking physically attracted to sell products or to have work in the entertainment industry or wearing fashionable clothing it's repairable how when a person with a certain age these companies just tossed them aside and I agree agree with her and a truly tragic what happened to Paige Monroe and that despite everything she still was very pretty but inside she just can't see anything but the flaws
I will though say that being said... I really think the mistake many who goes in make is that they really think they can live of this forever, when that obviously isn't true. You should look at it like a sports carrier, sports stars will also only have a very limited carrier while they are at their peak. Then you earn a ton of money while that goes on and INVEST them. Don't live the high life, invest. And you can live without working for the rest of your life. It would be a pretty sweet deal if these girls were just more educated. "You get to do this for probably the next six years. Earn ALL of this cash. And then the gravy train will be over. So be sure to save for the future."
Speaking of Calendar Girl's tragic career as a model, I have always liked to compare Monroe with Sally Jupiter (the first Silk Spectre). Both women have in common that in their youth they worked as successful s*x symbols until life's problems took them away from said occupation. However, while Monroe developed a strong revulsion at her gorgeous face after only turning 30, Sally never stopped being proud of her beauty, even when she became at the age of 60 a "fat old wh*re", as Rorschach describes her. I've always wondered what kind of conversation both women would have between them
From what I gather, the idea for Calendar Girl came from an older villain named Manikin. Similar motives, similar backgrounds... Hell, they even look very vaguely similar in costume. Only differences are that she was going after her casting agent, and that she was difigured physically in a car accident.
I love Sally Jupiter in Watchmen. Her outlook in her later years is surprisingly wise and confident to embrace all of her decisions and have no regrets.
Other than the obvious inapiration of Calander Man's early appearences, it feels like Calander Girl was also partially based by a more obscure villain called The Mannequin. Both are former models seeking revenge after their careers are cut short, both where an expressionless mask as part of their costume, and one was only believed scarred while the other one was actually scarred.
Ah yes, another highly obscure Batman villain from the Animated Series, Calendar Woman. A alright villainess with a somewhat tragic backstory but is still a decent villain.
Batman vs. Shego might actually be an interesting matchup. At least in the first round, before he develops some gadget to counter her metahuman powers. Between this, Clayface and Baby Doll it feels a bit like biting the hand that feeds, but the producers are clearly aware of the problems with the environment they work in and want to bring that across. Solid episode; I really like the Benson subplot and how Bruce reacts to it, fighting against ageism in his own way with the first hints of his downfall in Batman Beyond creeping in.
Walter, I recognize these may have been pre-recorded, but you perhaps should do a mention (or even a video) that Michael Reaves, who helmed and wrote many of the best BATM, Gargoyles, and the Real Ghostbusters episodes, died in late March 2023 of Parkinsons. (Reeves also received an Emmy for co-writing "Heart of Ice" on Mister Freeze, plus "Perchance to Dream") So we not only lost Kevin Conroy this past year, but Michael Reaves as well.
That model school show in the episode I genuinely thought was going to be a in universe Batman version of a show like Totally Spies. 3 girls in high society, going to a high society school, kinda vain, but secretly spy agents. Was almost disappointed it didn't go that route. But, had they, that would've made it seem good and given Calendar Girl less justification
One more thing, Calendar Man also shared the trait of wearing a different costume during each of his crimes in his first two stories, which without doubt was the inspiration behind making Calendar a fashion model. That first story also had Calendar Man preforming each crime based the seasons of the year, just like this episode. In case you're wondering, Calendar Man is not a fashion model himself, but rather a stage magician. Another one more thing, it's a common misconception that this episode takes place over the course of a whole year, but if you pay attention, you'll note it only takes place over a few days. Don't forget Bernie's retirement party is staed to be "this Friday" at the beginning of the episode, and some companies are known to show off future releashes in advance.
To be honest this was that actually pretty devastating episode because it's so terrible how the fact that there's so many older male actors who took a job but there is a limited roles for elderly women for women who need a certain age for women who are no longer physically attractive
Yup, that’s entirely the point. Women actors get faded out much faster than men actors as they get older. That or they get heavily type-casted to specific roles, like mothers or grandmothers. They very rarely are allowed to do more badass roles or even main character roles as they age, which prompts an obsession with beauty and plastic surgery. There’s more awareness of it nowadays, but in the 90s this was a huge topic of discussion. That whole “why can’t women in the industry just age gracefully?” Because they’ll lose their jobs and other opportunities if they do. That’s why.
@@gothicMCRgirl True though the contrast to that is the male actors have to act while female actors can get roles by looks alone. Also i think it would be known that acting, modeling and other jobs are not life time jobs and one should not get too addicted to it because it is that addiction that will destroy you. All in all show business is a vile place and one should be prepared before going into it and be ready to deal with all its many many vices and issues.
@@Raximus3000 The industry has a ton of issues, but the response shouldn’t be, “well, you should’ve known what you were getting into.” The response should be, “that’s fucked up and something needs to be done about it.” Thankfully more and more people are becoming aware of it and it’s less rampant than it was back in the day. And actors can absolutely dedicate a lifetime to their craft, just look at Tim Allen, Samuel Jackson, Michael Caine, Cristopher Lee and so on. All male actors who got to keep their careers even at a very old age. Whereas for women you rarely see the same. It can happen, but it’s not a problem with one gender or the other, it’s a problem with the industry as a whole who has a gigantic bias and refuses to take chances on the talent of people over the age of 40.
@@gothicMCRgirl It seems to be less rampant for reasons other than people becoming more "aware." For once the "movie star" is a dying trend, secondly everyone has a camera and the ability to show everyone what has happened and lastly the money is less than what it was comperatevely speaking because of the streaming. That is just the top actors, in this industry if you do not manage to prove yourself like all industries nobody will trust you if millions are involved. Also at 40 it is no longer talent it is skill.
@@Raximus3000 There is room for improvement, but only so far. Yes it would be nice to see more older women rising to the top (and lose the casting couch), but even for the men it's hard to stay on top past a certain age. It's not JUST sex appeal, it's the physical and mental demands on giving a solid acting performance every time. Modeling may "easier", and they can certainly do without the anorexic body types, but advertising is largely about the subconscious. Attractive people sell more than unattractive people (and the current "body positivity" effort to glamorize unhealthy obesity is NOT an improvement). It's like professional athletics, people looking to get into show biz should understand that they are on a time limit. Maybe they will achieve the charisma and clout necessary to carry on in their senior years, but they should plan on other ways to make a living in case they don't turn out like Tom Cruise or Julie Andrews.
I liked it when Calender Girl commented on dinosaurs, that have been extincted for millions of years, getting movie roles that were way more essential than female roles. Pretty much still holds up
As a means to have a new take on a "Calender-Based" villain, I did like the approach they took with her. I guess my only complaint would be that if this is something that takes place over the course of half a year, our captives (or our two earlier ones) look to be doing just fine. Unless if they were being well fed and cared for before she planned to put them down (but I feel like that's more of a nitpick than anything else). But yeah, I remembered this episode and how at the end when it is revealed that she is still beautiful and I was basically like Batgirl in pointing out how she doesn't look that bad. Hell, in today's world, those over 30 (or hell, 50s or 60. Didn't realize Tom Cruise turned 60 last year) can still have that look to them (although their youthful looks are basically long since gone). A shame that she saw herself in such a way (but we could also way that it was because of how she was treated that she thought of herself like that). Overall, it is a good episode and one that did take full advantage of what made the later series standout in its own unique way. Still, I can't help but think about villains like Calender Man and how it does feel like some of the fascinating villains of Batman kindo f got swept under the rug when we look at the biggest part of the DC-verse. It does seem like "If this villain can't compete against *Superhero*, then they just go into the shadows" kind of like Calender Man, Dr. Pyg, and a few other smaller name villains that can be threatening in their own way (just so as long as it is a Batman story). I guess that did contribute to why Batman did seem like the more interesting superhero in comparison to his peers since rather than having these crazy "super powered beings or gods," you have these people who wouldn't be much different from your everyday person, but just completely mentally unstable to do things that Batman must stop.
At the beginning of the episode we hear that Bernie's retirement party is coming up "this friday", and it's only at the end of the episode that the party is cancelled. I'd say those companies were just showing their stuff off in advance to build hype for the comming months.
This was a pretty interesting topic to be tackled in a Batman story but honestly I think they knocked it out of the park. Unironically I'd love to see Calander Girl in other Batman stories
You'd think an episode dealing with a seasonal themed supervillainess wouldn't work but then you remember that this is the New Batman Adventures where everything is several shades darker than the first Batman series.
A villain named Calendar Girl somehow seems more effective to me than a Calendar Man. Likely b/c the former is already a familiar term in pop culture while the latter immediately sounds like it's being created for a comic book.
What makes this episode, and Calendar Girl herself, even more relevant is that Sela Ward was a former Bond girl who really WAS let go from the James Bond movies for being 'too old' at 39. When she was three years *younger* than Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond at the time.
Calendar Girl's disease is one of the saddest in all of DC, considering that it is a real mental disorder that many people suffer from. In any case, if I had been in Page's place, I would have decided to have children as soon as I turned 30 and take advantage of the status that said action would have given me to maintain my popularity. MILFS are much more in demand than what it seems, you know? 😎👌
well that wouldn't help the situation raising kids cost money and pregnancy can be a cause in the entertainment industry to fire someone or avoid offering work altogether so in that case it's a shot in the foot, not a shot to success.
@@thegladve I think that problem can be fixed if Page married a celebrity, sometging that would have been easy for her due to her status as a super-model. There are actually a ton of s*x symbols who were still successful after having kids because their husbands were as rich and popular as them
@@TetsuShima that's a fair point though I imagine dating for celebs or even marrying into money can be a pain in the ass for them if it can be a pain for normal people though that's a conjecture on my part.
@@TetsuShima Or just someone rich in general, a career that is stale will go nowhere she'd have to reinvent herself rather than trying to keep time from moving forward that is true for every living being.
Remember the Kid's WB promo for the New Batman-Superman Adventures where they had Poison Ivy say that line of Calendar Girl's over a clip from Holiday Knights?
Honestly, I find Calendar Girl much more sympathetic than Baby-Doll, cause Baby-Doll was still selfish and cruel even before her villainous turn. Monroe was truly a victim with no hand in her own downfall
I’ve always liked Calendar Girl and I’m bummed she hasn’t been utilized more outside of this episode. Even as a kid during the 90’s I noticed the ridiculous standards for beauty being shoved onto us girls and women especially in the fields of entertainment and modeling. I never cared about my appearance so it didn’t effect me like for Paige and others. Though tbh when you get bullied for how you look even as a child like I was, you end up not wanting to bother looking nice as there doesn’t seem to be a point. This is why I rarely wore girly like clothes outside of Halloween costumes and cosplays till some years ago but even than I have a limit due to my insecurities over certain assets I got after middle school. I also get makeup (mostly when it’s based off something I like such as ColourPop’s Sailor Moon Collection) and jewelry to spice things up a bit but that’s it. I’m not someone that dresses to impress as I don’t care what people think about me (another side effect from being bullied). I just do this now because it’s what I want to do and what I like. Nothing more, nothing less.
I've been watching Batman the Animated Series since I was nine years old and looking back, I never once thought of Calender Girl as Shego till now! Highlarious intro!😂
That final scene of Monroe recoiling in horror when unmasked harkens back to Harvey Dent's final scene in The Dark Knight Returns when Batman yanks the bandages off his face, thinking he'd scarred himself, only to reveal Harvey's surgically restored natural face. It would have been interesting to see Calendar Girl and Two-Face interact in a follow up episode.
You know alot of Batman villains have issues with body dismorphia, Hush,Two-Face, Clayface, Killer Croc, Baby Doll, The Charlatan, The Manikin, Lady Clay and ect. Shit is pretty dark when you put it all together.
Very underrated episode! Alongside Mr Freeze and Clayface, Calendar Girl is one the most tragic BTAS/TNBA villains, with her backstory showing how this show, much like X-men TAS, was able to touch in very real issues, such ageist in show business and how it can affect person, both physically and mentally. However, the best part of the episode is Bruce Wayne sub plot. Besides continuing Bruce arc, showing how he's becoming disconect from the people because of his life as Batman, I like how, despite this sub plot being small, it has Bruce learning a lesson and allowing his employee stay. A perfect exemple how, in super hero stories, the big development doesn't need to come from super hero action, it can come from the human drama and the focus on the hero's normal life.
Bet the teen cop part made them Crack up in the back during the Making of this. They couldn't stop laughing 😂 Especially when the education rules Part happened all busted out laughing.
3:47 This bit of animation impressed me with how they animated that logo on a textured projector screen. It's harder to pull off than it looks. Also I should note that Monroe's kidnappings did not actually take place in the months she marked off on the calendars, those simply represented the times she lost the favour of her targets. The episode is set over about a week at most.
Honestly this is a great concept, and I like how it seems to be handled delicately enough for kids but being mature enough to not accidentally do the opposite. Sometimes they try to "Child friendly" things [not this show, just shows] to explain it to kids and end up glorifying a situation or making it look "Not so bad". Though this does make me wonder, where did she keep the people? I'll ignore their clothes not changing since it's a cartoon - but like, did she have them tied up all those months? Obviously she must've fed them or something ... did each person have their own Chippendales dancer to keep them company/watched over. I kind of wanna know that for every Batman villain who ever kidnaps someone long term but doesn't torture them [more than keeping them captive would]. Like, what do they do with them in those months.
After seeing Mr. Freeze with his sexy female minions dressed in parkas that show off their long beautiful legs, and Penguin with his sexy female minions who double as waitresses and wear stockings that show off their long beautiful legs (the animators really love women with long beautiful legs), it gave me a good laugh to see that the show doesn't discriminate and gives Calendar Girl sexy male minions who look and dress like Chippendale dancers. Still think it would be funny to learn where the villains find these people. Is there someplace in Gotham you can hire attractive enforcers of the opposite sex who will wear revealing costumes based on whatever criminal theme you're using? Or do these super villains just attract groupies who moonlight as criminal enforcers?
What you said about Calender Girl and Clayface makes me wish that there was an episode where Matt Hagan and Paige Monroe met. The Renuyu chemical that turned Hagan into Clayface would have been something Paige would have probably wanted and they might have been aware of each other's film careers. He might be one of the few people who knew what it was like to be acclaimed for your looks only to lose them and then lose your mind. I don't mean that they'd necessarily be working together a romantic way or anything (I actually like how in the original Clayface two-parter Matt's confidant Teddy seemed to have implications of having feelings for Matt, cause that extra layer of Matt Hagan being an actor who hides a secret... it gives me Rock Hudson vibes) but maybe in a story where the both of them GENUINELY want to help each other with their self-loathing without backstabbing that you see from other villain teamups since neither are at their core evil.
I guess Walter's complaint about villain themed henchgirls from previous episodes holds a little less weight in light of the Chippendale henchmen here. Equal opportunity is upheld! 😅
At least it makes sense in her case. She may be decently strong in a fight but her gizmos are small and her appearances are at big public events, so she needs help to distract / maneuver vehicles / carry the victims for her. The fact they're big muscle men just goes great with the theme. I wonder if they've also been scorned by the industry to be working with her now. Someone had to be taking care of the victims for months on end.
Higher-ups: Guys, for the last couple of episodes, you had bad guys with multiples sexualized henchwomen for our kids show. Can you guys change that, at least for the next villain? Batman crew: Sure thing. *makes sexualized henchmen*
Calendar Girl reminds me a lot of Circe, Black Mask's girlfriend from the comics. She was also a model, and later became an exotic dancer; secretly, though, she was a witch. Most importantly, she also wore an expressionless mask with no eyes. Circe "appeared" in the 1989 film as Alicia Hunt, the Joker's girlfriend, who wore a porcelain mask after the Joker tortured her by burning her face.
Not counting Scarecrow's nightmare, this the 3rd episode in a row with a showbiz-themed antagonist (pop star pyrotechnician, famed stunt woman, and now failed model/actress). I like Mean Seasons a little more than the others because it has something that gives the villain dimensions. The ending that her scars are psychological always stuck with me. I hadn't read The Long Halloween yet at the time, so I had no idea Calendar Girl was basically a gender swap of an established character. I thought she was original. But I like twisting the concept up. Modeling is a good fit for a seasonal plot that's going to unfold over time, but it does leave the episode with a glaring plot hole: Lucius Fox tells Bruce that his employee's retirement party is "this friday" back before Calendar Girl's summer attack. Presumably months have passed because it is now Fall, she's about to do her next move, and only now Bruce is saying he's cancelling the party and the guy doesn't have to retire!
Also, watching this episode in full, there are scenes I didn't realize were there such as the kidnapped fashion designer and auto show salesman being shut up by a Chippendale dancer or how one of the gal's former producers is seen being skeevy to a young woman in his apartment.
This episode Mean Season showed that despite how beautiful calendar girl was but she was mentally scarred and felt that her age made her ugly in the people who fired her made her this way.
This episode always makes me feel so sorrowful for her. She was so focus on what she lacked she ignored what she still has. Like Baby Doll and the Ventriloquist, Arkham is differently for someone like them. They just need help.
In fact, "Mean Seasons" reminds me of a newspaper editorial I read yesterday about Martha Stewart's recent appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The writer talks about how outer beauty is still put on a pedestal when judging age, and Martha didn't help given that she looks better than most women her age. An average 85 year old woman would not be put in a swimsuit for a sexy magazine without eliciting jeers.
Honestly, this episode would have definitely benefited from the more detailed BTAS animation designs, where the age gap between the younger and older women (such as Batgirl and Catwoman) were much more apparent. 🤔
Thoughts on Mean Seasons? Like it? Dislike it? Middle?
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For me is a dislike. I just find the Calendar part was an add-on and makes no sense. The whole part of Calendar Man he attacked on that day, not on the wrong month. The face thing was well good I wish the focus was more on that mable she ages people fast and would work better for her.
Also, I can not see her doing the Calendar thing again the write the seft to a wall.
I _loved_ this one. 😊
One of my all time favorite TNBA episodes.
I think the Batman Villain Manikin would’ve worked better.
“She’s beautiful
She can’t see that anymore. All she sees are the flaws”
Powerful line
I will admit I was expecting them to go the easier route of her being scared. So when they reveal that she is actually beautiful it hit pretty well.
Good for showing just how needlessly vicious entertainment industry can be and how abusive it can be to the people in it
Yeah. It why I love this episode. Also a great lesson to give. If you focus on what you lose/lack you ignore what you still has.
Yeah. After so many years of people telling her she’s no longer good enough, she now believes all that crap is true, and it made her snap.
Pretty basic line.
Just like men who think thry are women :)
Calendar Girl: "Strange, isn't it? Dinosaurs have been dead for millions of years, yet they still get parts in movies; it hardly seems fair"
Life finds a way.
@@anubusx In both reality and fantasy
@@kidprime6863
Must go faster.
“…..you’re still alive, when they start to eat you.”
@@hitmanmonaghan6633Clever girl
Calendar girl was a tragic story. She was a beautiful woman, but as Batman would say, "she only saw the flaws in her appearance." She did rock those holidays themes during her heists.
Agreed.
I just wish she was ues more.
I thought Paige Monroe was going to be revealed to be a man under the mask, but he thought he was a woman.
We need a comic book where her and
Calendar man meet.
Do it DC!!!
@@smiththeinspiringanimator7042 I am glad she wasn't, as it gives hope that she was one of Arkham's few success stories and they managed to get that poor, wretched, woman well again. Remember, Page did save that Younger model from something *unspeakable* , and probably saved her life in the Process, so there was still some hope for her! she clearly still had a shred of humanity left in there (like Mr Freeze) which may, just, have given Arkham's Doctors a way to bring her back to her senses. Maybe Bruce, who has hired Repentant former Criminals more than once, got her a decent Job once she was well, and that is why we never saw her again, it would be nice for Arkham's Staff to actually succeed in helping someone get better once in a while!
Fun fact: Calendar Girl is voiced by Sela Ward, an actress who is also an outspoken activist against Hollywood's emphasis on youth and its harmful effects on public perception.
That's actually seem like an good casting.
Isn't she also married to Howard Stern in real-life?!
Wtf is she against? 🤣
@@xgray2012 yes she is
Outspoken activist lmao
Model: "I'm too young to die."
Calendar Girl: "Honey, you're never too thin and you're never too young."
I still like how she gave it off like a warning to the young model that there will always be someone younger and thinner as a replacement and even let her go when she sympathizes with her as being the victim of corporate industry.
Batman: "Pretty girl"
Batgirl: "Don't you mean woman? She was your age when she made that commercial, Batboy"
Calender Girl really steals the show here. Her varying costumes and weapons dependent on the seasons, the fact that she has male models as henchmen in a series where henchwomen seemed to be the new thing, and a tragic backstory make her a very interesting character to me. I honestly wouldn't have minded seeing more of her, especially given that we never get to see her take on a winter theme
I really like those uni-color outfits with those little accessories, like the candy corn earrings. She should've been a designer herself!
Big fan of this episode. Feels like a 60's Adam West episode with the goofy dinosaur death trap and Chippendale henchmen.
Bruce letting his employee work for as long as he wants in spite of the retirement policy is a rather sweet and underrated moment.
A lot of us might like to settle down once we've gotten old enough, but some might prefer to keep working in spite of their age. Maybe to support their families or they might simply find their work a part of their hobby/passion. Bruce learning to let his employee choose and not letting age alone be the deciding factor is a very kind act.
A subtle distinction between being allowed to work past 65 because you wish to do so vs. having to do it because you can't afford to retire.
@@acerumble4991 Yeah this concept of a "forced to retire age" is very weird. "No, you can't provide us service anymore but we will pay you!"
The seasons of Summer and Winter are the meanest -_-
We never say her in a winter suit... 😢
As a 35-year-old who's been watching these for obvious, nostalgic reasons, this hits really home on the ageism thing. I've been finding gray hairs in my brush the last year now. Yet I sure don't feel like an adult! Lol
I know My dad says do you ever get scared of getting old I just say It just part of ageing we can't stay young forever as you can't stay young for long and getting older is just part of life
@@comicbookreviewer4856 I'm well aware. My main spiritual belief is taoism, so I understand the rhythm and patterns of life.
@regulus7181 Jesus, I can't imagine being that vain. No offense or anything, I'm just a t shirt and jeans with a ball cap kinda guy and hang with mostly og old excons lol so no one clowns a over our looks as long as we're clothed and half ass groomed.
There's no shame in getting old, but there is shame in having accomplished nothing in life.
I am surprised you didn't talk about the woman who voiced Calander Girl. I heard she went through a similar thing in her life, too. Something about being "too old" to play a Bond girl.
I remember watching this episode as a kid and it stuck with me, especially the ending with the face reveal. Its crazy how this animated series tackled so many issues that are still relevant today. Truly a timeless classic, I can watch this series over and over without getting bored.
Riddler: "Very few people are both the Summer and the Winter. But you pull it off nicely."
I think this episode showing bruce examine his own age and mortality was a call back to the Justice League epilogue episode with Waller stating: "He was getting older, slower. Soon he has to retire and someone would eventually kill him."
I love how her outfit color is based on the seasons and uses themes of the Holiday of the month during that season.
As someone who was a fan of Calendar Man since childhood, it was quite surprising to see such a radically different depiction of the character appearing in this episode. I remember my reaction when I first saw her was: "Why does Calendar Man have such a different physique than in the comics? And why is he making me feel weird all over my body?"
Little too much info with that last sentence dude.
@@ariadnefrolich7243 ik lol
@@ariadnefrolich7243 Oh, you sweet summer child.
What if in the comics we found out
She is the sister of calendar man?
Plot twist 😮
@@nehemiahpouncey3607 Honestly, an overused trope across different mediums. Like Supergirl being related to Superman, or the new Robin being Batman's son.
Fun fact: There is a one-shot Batman villain called The Manikin that made her first and only appearance in Detective Comics #506 and #507 in 1981.
She was once a beautiful model until her face was scarred in an attempted murder with a car bomb, ruining her life. She then takes revenge on the responsibles. Calendar Girl has heavy similarities with The Manikin.
Apparently, her name is spelled as "Manikin".
@@jp3813 Right. Thanks for the detail, I already fixed it.
This episode was surprisingly sad and very real. This is how powerful body dysmorphia can be. It is also very real. I have met people who are physically beautiful, but are convinced that they're ugly or plain. I even met a woman who was convinced she was fat. She was a size medium. She was convinced that if a woman isn't small, she's fat. She even "acted" like a fat person. Wearing clothes that covered her, barely went out, she was ashamed of showing too much skin and even went as far as always going on diets. The sad part is, she was married and her husband adored her. And she was a gorgeous woman! She was just absolutely convinced that she was fat and ugly, so much so that she treated herself like she was ugly. I don't know became of her, but I hope she got the help she needed.
You can’t justify her actions, but you can relate and understand the critique this episode has with the industry, something not many media (specially cartoons) did at the time. The use of the type of minions she used plus the outfits depending on the season are a plus. The identity revealing scene was shocking.
Another powerful episode.
I’d imagine the message behind Calendar Girl’s motivation is also why her victims aren’t called out on their actions against her. The only person who gets anything that could be comeuppance is the sleazy agent, and he’s immediately set up as unsympathetic.
Mean Seasons is one of my favorites. I wish Calendar Girl appeared in more stuff after this. My favorite part about this episode was who they got to voice Calendar Girl: Sela Ward. When she voiced Calendar Girl it was during her protest against ageism, which she made a documentary about: "The Changing Face of Beauty."
Batgirl: "She's beautiful"
Batman: "She can't see it anymore; all she sees are the flaws"
"Mean Seasons" is yet another personal favorite of mine, The introduction of Calender Girl was very interesting!
And even though i don't condone the crimes that she committed, I found her motives to be somewhat understandable I mean getting fired from 3 different modeling jobs all because she was getting "older" is kinda unfair. Hell if something like that ever happened today well, That's why age discrimination lawsuits exist.
In fact I felt bad for Paige, I mean seeing how broken she looked in the end when Bullock removed her mask was heartbreaking.
Her voice actress is a huge advocate in fighting ageism. She saw herself in the character because it happened to her and I think being in the series helped her career if I'm not mistaken.
The fashion industry can be a real bitch, can it?
I guess someone at Disney saw that Teen Cop idea because it immediately made me think of Fillmore.
Animated crime drama-like series involving school students being delinquents and stopped by the 'safety patrol'.
Was better than it feels like it should've been.
And what's interesting about Fillmore is that Tara Strong (Batgirl) also voiced Ingrid Third.
Wally West (Flash): Hey, that's a giant dinosaur !
Alfred Pennyworth (sarcastically): And I thought Batman was the detective.
This episode was evident that the "sexy henchman" theme the new series was pushing was at least even handed. If Mr. Freeze and Penguin had to have cheesecake now, at least our female villains were also supplied with beefcake.
Although I personally prefer the B:TAS aesthetics, there are certainly a few episodes that stand out for their animation style, Mean Seasons being one of them.
As someone who at times has incredibly low self-esteem, especially when it comes to physical appearance, this episode speaks to me on levels I never thought of before. There have been times when I'm confident in how I look and can take great pride in myself, but... I won't deny that there have also been times when I've looked into the mirror and broken down into tears by how disgusted I am of myself. It's a complicated situation that I've been trying to fix over the years, but for the most part, I've been getting better.
I'm sorry you go through that, I hope you can gain more confidence in your appearance in the future! I dunno if it's a weight thing or not, but working out and eating healthy should make you feel better about yourself no matter what.
@@Jordan3DS I know, that's why I've been working to improving myself for the better. Thanks for the support 👍👍👍
Well, I would’ve loved to of seen a straight up Calendar Man adoption, Calendar Girl has a cool gimmick and backstory to make her an interesting and underrated character
I can’t help but think Clayface and Calendar Girl would have been good friends. At the very least, understanding each other by sympathizing with each other’s similar blights.
I actually agree with the villain because these industries take advantage of people and when they're no longer of any use them they dispose of them where they're being looking physically attracted to sell products or to have work in the entertainment industry or wearing fashionable clothing it's repairable how when a person with a certain age these companies just tossed them aside and I agree agree with her and a truly tragic what happened to Paige Monroe and that despite everything she still was very pretty but inside she just can't see anything but the flaws
I will though say that being said... I really think the mistake many who goes in make is that they really think they can live of this forever, when that obviously isn't true.
You should look at it like a sports carrier, sports stars will also only have a very limited carrier while they are at their peak. Then you earn a ton of money while that goes on and INVEST them. Don't live the high life, invest. And you can live without working for the rest of your life. It would be a pretty sweet deal if these girls were just more educated. "You get to do this for probably the next six years. Earn ALL of this cash. And then the gravy train will be over. So be sure to save for the future."
@@MoonPhantomYou sound like a bot.
Speaking of Calendar Girl's tragic career as a model, I have always liked to compare Monroe with Sally Jupiter (the first Silk Spectre). Both women have in common that in their youth they worked as successful s*x symbols until life's problems took them away from said occupation. However, while Monroe developed a strong revulsion at her gorgeous face after only turning 30, Sally never stopped being proud of her beauty, even when she became at the age of 60 a "fat old wh*re", as Rorschach describes her. I've always wondered what kind of conversation both women would have between them
From what I gather, the idea for Calendar Girl came from an older villain named Manikin. Similar motives, similar backgrounds... Hell, they even look very vaguely similar in costume. Only differences are that she was going after her casting agent, and that she was difigured physically in a car accident.
@@AverageEldritchEntity Never heard of Manikin
@@kidprime6863 well to be fair, her last (and only) appearance was a 2-parter comic in 1981.
I love Sally Jupiter in Watchmen. Her outlook in her later years is surprisingly wise and confident to embrace all of her decisions and have no regrets.
Other than the obvious inapiration of Calander Man's early appearences, it feels like Calander Girl was also partially based by a more obscure villain called The Mannequin.
Both are former models seeking revenge after their careers are cut short, both where an expressionless mask as part of their costume, and one was only believed scarred while the other one was actually scarred.
Calendar Girl: "What's Halloween without a couple of costumed clowns? Trick or treat, Bats"
Mean Seasons is one of the most underrated episodes in this series
Ah yes, another highly obscure Batman villain from the Animated Series, Calendar Woman. A alright villainess with a somewhat tragic backstory but is still a decent villain.
What's funny is, Batman basically trips and falls, and if the projector hadn't started burning, she would have had him
Calendar Girl: "Beware the ides of March"
Batman vs. Shego might actually be an interesting matchup. At least in the first round, before he develops some gadget to counter her metahuman powers.
Between this, Clayface and Baby Doll it feels a bit like biting the hand that feeds, but the producers are clearly aware of the problems with the environment they work in and want to bring that across. Solid episode; I really like the Benson subplot and how Bruce reacts to it, fighting against ageism in his own way with the first hints of his downfall in Batman Beyond creeping in.
Walter, I recognize these may have been pre-recorded, but you perhaps should do a mention (or even a video) that Michael Reaves, who helmed and wrote many of the best BATM, Gargoyles, and the Real Ghostbusters episodes, died in late March 2023 of Parkinsons. (Reeves also received an Emmy for co-writing "Heart of Ice" on Mister Freeze, plus "Perchance to Dream") So we not only lost Kevin Conroy this past year, but Michael Reaves as well.
Gotta admit, Calendar Girl's unmasking had me surprised and baffled for a moment. Before I understood what was the message behind it.
That model school show in the episode I genuinely thought was going to be a in universe Batman version of a show like Totally Spies.
3 girls in high society, going to a high society school, kinda vain, but secretly spy agents.
Was almost disappointed it didn't go that route. But, had they, that would've made it seem good and given Calendar Girl less justification
One more thing, Calendar Man also shared the trait of wearing a different costume during each of his crimes in his first two stories, which without doubt was the inspiration behind making Calendar a fashion model. That first story also had Calendar Man preforming each crime based the seasons of the year, just like this episode. In case you're wondering, Calendar Man is not a fashion model himself, but rather a stage magician.
Another one more thing, it's a common misconception that this episode takes place over the course of a whole year, but if you pay attention, you'll note it only takes place over a few days. Don't forget Bernie's retirement party is staed to be "this Friday" at the beginning of the episode, and some companies are known to show off future releashes in advance.
I always wondered about that, but it makes it feel like the Calendar Girl angle works less.
To be honest this was that actually pretty devastating episode because it's so terrible how the fact that there's so many older male actors who took a job but there is a limited roles for elderly women for women who need a certain age for women who are no longer physically attractive
Yup, that’s entirely the point. Women actors get faded out much faster than men actors as they get older. That or they get heavily type-casted to specific roles, like mothers or grandmothers. They very rarely are allowed to do more badass roles or even main character roles as they age, which prompts an obsession with beauty and plastic surgery. There’s more awareness of it nowadays, but in the 90s this was a huge topic of discussion. That whole “why can’t women in the industry just age gracefully?” Because they’ll lose their jobs and other opportunities if they do. That’s why.
@@gothicMCRgirl
True though the contrast to that is the male actors have to act while female actors can get roles by looks alone. Also i think it would be known that acting, modeling and other jobs are not life time jobs and one should not get too addicted to it because it is that addiction that will destroy you.
All in all show business is a vile place and one should be prepared before going into it and be ready to deal with all its many many vices and issues.
@@Raximus3000 The industry has a ton of issues, but the response shouldn’t be, “well, you should’ve known what you were getting into.” The response should be, “that’s fucked up and something needs to be done about it.” Thankfully more and more people are becoming aware of it and it’s less rampant than it was back in the day. And actors can absolutely dedicate a lifetime to their craft, just look at Tim Allen, Samuel Jackson, Michael Caine, Cristopher Lee and so on. All male actors who got to keep their careers even at a very old age. Whereas for women you rarely see the same. It can happen, but it’s not a problem with one gender or the other, it’s a problem with the industry as a whole who has a gigantic bias and refuses to take chances on the talent of people over the age of 40.
@@gothicMCRgirl
It seems to be less rampant for reasons other than people becoming more "aware."
For once the "movie star" is a dying trend, secondly everyone has a camera and the ability to show everyone what has happened and lastly the money is less than what it was comperatevely speaking because of the streaming.
That is just the top actors, in this industry if you do not manage to prove yourself like all industries nobody will trust you if millions are involved. Also at 40 it is no longer talent it is skill.
@@Raximus3000 There is room for improvement, but only so far. Yes it would be nice to see more older women rising to the top (and lose the casting couch), but even for the men it's hard to stay on top past a certain age. It's not JUST sex appeal, it's the physical and mental demands on giving a solid acting performance every time. Modeling may "easier", and they can certainly do without the anorexic body types, but advertising is largely about the subconscious. Attractive people sell more than unattractive people (and the current "body positivity" effort to glamorize unhealthy obesity is NOT an improvement). It's like professional athletics, people looking to get into show biz should understand that they are on a time limit. Maybe they will achieve the charisma and clout necessary to carry on in their senior years, but they should plan on other ways to make a living in case they don't turn out like Tom Cruise or Julie Andrews.
I liked it when Calender Girl commented on dinosaurs, that have been extincted for millions of years, getting movie roles that were way more essential than female roles. Pretty much still holds up
How many dinosaur movies were getting made in Gotham every year?
This episode was great, loved the looks of it! Thanks for an awesome month thus far chanbel awesome!
As a means to have a new take on a "Calender-Based" villain, I did like the approach they took with her. I guess my only complaint would be that if this is something that takes place over the course of half a year, our captives (or our two earlier ones) look to be doing just fine. Unless if they were being well fed and cared for before she planned to put them down (but I feel like that's more of a nitpick than anything else).
But yeah, I remembered this episode and how at the end when it is revealed that she is still beautiful and I was basically like Batgirl in pointing out how she doesn't look that bad. Hell, in today's world, those over 30 (or hell, 50s or 60. Didn't realize Tom Cruise turned 60 last year) can still have that look to them (although their youthful looks are basically long since gone). A shame that she saw herself in such a way (but we could also way that it was because of how she was treated that she thought of herself like that). Overall, it is a good episode and one that did take full advantage of what made the later series standout in its own unique way.
Still, I can't help but think about villains like Calender Man and how it does feel like some of the fascinating villains of Batman kindo f got swept under the rug when we look at the biggest part of the DC-verse. It does seem like "If this villain can't compete against *Superhero*, then they just go into the shadows" kind of like Calender Man, Dr. Pyg, and a few other smaller name villains that can be threatening in their own way (just so as long as it is a Batman story). I guess that did contribute to why Batman did seem like the more interesting superhero in comparison to his peers since rather than having these crazy "super powered beings or gods," you have these people who wouldn't be much different from your everyday person, but just completely mentally unstable to do things that Batman must stop.
At the beginning of the episode we hear that Bernie's retirement party is coming up "this friday", and it's only at the end of the episode that the party is cancelled. I'd say those companies were just showing their stuff off in advance to build hype for the comming months.
This was a pretty interesting topic to be tackled in a Batman story but honestly I think they knocked it out of the park. Unironically I'd love to see Calander Girl in other Batman stories
You'd think an episode dealing with a seasonal themed supervillainess wouldn't work but then you remember that this is the New Batman Adventures where everything is several shades darker than the first Batman series.
A villain named Calendar Girl somehow seems more effective to me than a Calendar Man. Likely b/c the former is already a familiar term in pop culture while the latter immediately sounds like it's being created for a comic book.
What makes this episode, and Calendar Girl herself, even more relevant is that Sela Ward was a former Bond girl who really WAS let go from the James Bond movies for being 'too old' at 39. When she was three years *younger* than Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond at the time.
Calendar Girl's disease is one of the saddest in all of DC, considering that it is a real mental disorder that many people suffer from. In any case, if I had been in Page's place, I would have decided to have children as soon as I turned 30 and take advantage of the status that said action would have given me to maintain my popularity. MILFS are much more in demand than what it seems, you know? 😎👌
well that wouldn't help the situation raising kids cost money and pregnancy can be a cause in the entertainment industry to fire someone or avoid offering work altogether so in that case it's a shot in the foot, not a shot to success.
@@thegladve I think that problem can be fixed if Page married a celebrity, sometging that would have been easy for her due to her status as a super-model. There are actually a ton of s*x symbols who were still successful after having kids because their husbands were as rich and popular as them
@@TetsuShima MILFS BRO 😎😎
@@TetsuShima that's a fair point though I imagine dating for celebs or even marrying into money can be a pain in the ass for them if it can be a pain for normal people though that's a conjecture on my part.
@@TetsuShima
Or just someone rich in general, a career that is stale will go nowhere she'd have to reinvent herself rather than trying to keep time from moving forward that is true for every living being.
Calendar Girl: "Another season, another reason for making trouble"
Remember the Kid's WB promo for the New Batman-Superman Adventures where they had Poison Ivy say that line of Calendar Girl's over a clip from Holiday Knights?
Honestly, I find Calendar Girl much more sympathetic than Baby-Doll, cause Baby-Doll was still selfish and cruel even before her villainous turn. Monroe was truly a victim with no hand in her own downfall
I’ve always liked Calendar Girl and I’m bummed she hasn’t been utilized more outside of this episode. Even as a kid during the 90’s I noticed the ridiculous standards for beauty being shoved onto us girls and women especially in the fields of entertainment and modeling.
I never cared about my appearance so it didn’t effect me like for Paige and others. Though tbh when you get bullied for how you look even as a child like I was, you end up not wanting to bother looking nice as there doesn’t seem to be a point.
This is why I rarely wore girly like clothes outside of Halloween costumes and cosplays till some years ago but even than I have a limit due to my insecurities over certain assets I got after middle school. I also get makeup (mostly when it’s based off something I like such as ColourPop’s Sailor Moon Collection) and jewelry to spice things up a bit but that’s it. I’m not someone that dresses to impress as I don’t care what people think about me (another side effect from being bullied). I just do this now because it’s what I want to do and what I like. Nothing more, nothing less.
She’d work well in the context of today’s entertainment industry, the expectations around appearance, behaviour, fan engagement, imposter syndrome.
The animation is gorgeous in this episode
I've been watching Batman the Animated Series since I was nine years old and looking back, I never once thought of Calender Girl as Shego till now! Highlarious intro!😂
Calendar Girl: "Trying to spoil of summer fun? And I thought everyone liked fireworks"
Lex Luthor while reading the Gotham Newspaper:
"A robotic Tyrannosaurus rex? Hmm....."
Had to be the same manufacturer. Someone out there is making custom-order robot dinosaurs, and I want to know who.
That final scene of Monroe recoiling in horror when unmasked harkens back to Harvey Dent's final scene in The Dark Knight Returns when Batman yanks the bandages off his face, thinking he'd scarred himself, only to reveal Harvey's surgically restored natural face. It would have been interesting to see Calendar Girl and Two-Face interact in a follow up episode.
You know alot of Batman villains have issues with body dismorphia, Hush,Two-Face, Clayface, Killer Croc, Baby Doll, The Charlatan, The Manikin, Lady Clay and ect.
Shit is pretty dark when you put it all together.
I quite enjoyed this episode and that ending hits deep.
Loved it. For those of us that watched this in our youth this episode is more relevant to us now. Eerily relevant.
Calender Girls character design is off the charts. So cool looking
Very underrated episode! Alongside Mr Freeze and Clayface, Calendar Girl is one the most tragic BTAS/TNBA villains, with her backstory showing how this show, much like X-men TAS, was able to touch in very real issues, such ageist in show business and how it can affect person, both physically and mentally. However, the best part of the episode is Bruce Wayne sub plot. Besides continuing Bruce arc, showing how he's becoming disconect from the people because of his life as Batman, I like how, despite this sub plot being small, it has Bruce learning a lesson and allowing his employee stay. A perfect exemple how, in super hero stories, the big development doesn't need to come from super hero action, it can come from the human drama and the focus on the hero's normal life.
The voice actress for calandra girl was just perfect I miss cartoons with mature subjects
Absolutely brilliant episode, one that stayed with me and I never forgot.
I never realized how many episodes Batgirl and Batman were in together.
Either calendar man is really silly or super serious like in the long Halloween or the Arkham games.
Bet the teen cop part made them
Crack up in the back during the
Making of this.
They couldn't stop laughing 😂
Especially when the education rules
Part happened all busted out laughing.
Loving these it does take you back to older days
3:47
This bit of animation impressed me with how they animated that logo on a textured projector screen. It's harder to pull off than it looks.
Also I should note that Monroe's kidnappings did not actually take place in the months she marked off on the calendars, those simply represented the times she lost the favour of her targets. The episode is set over about a week at most.
Honestly this is a great concept, and I like how it seems to be handled delicately enough for kids but being mature enough to not accidentally do the opposite. Sometimes they try to "Child friendly" things [not this show, just shows] to explain it to kids and end up glorifying a situation or making it look "Not so bad".
Though this does make me wonder, where did she keep the people? I'll ignore their clothes not changing since it's a cartoon - but like, did she have them tied up all those months? Obviously she must've fed them or something ... did each person have their own Chippendales dancer to keep them company/watched over.
I kind of wanna know that for every Batman villain who ever kidnaps someone long term but doesn't torture them [more than keeping them captive would]. Like, what do they do with them in those months.
After seeing Mr. Freeze with his sexy female minions dressed in parkas that show off their long beautiful legs, and Penguin with his sexy female minions who double as waitresses and wear stockings that show off their long beautiful legs (the animators really love women with long beautiful legs), it gave me a good laugh to see that the show doesn't discriminate and gives Calendar Girl sexy male minions who look and dress like Chippendale dancers.
Still think it would be funny to learn where the villains find these people. Is there someplace in Gotham you can hire attractive enforcers of the opposite sex who will wear revealing costumes based on whatever criminal theme you're using? Or do these super villains just attract groupies who moonlight as criminal enforcers?
What you said about Calender Girl and Clayface makes me wish that there was an episode where Matt Hagan and Paige Monroe met. The Renuyu chemical that turned Hagan into Clayface would have been something Paige would have probably wanted and they might have been aware of each other's film careers. He might be one of the few people who knew what it was like to be acclaimed for your looks only to lose them and then lose your mind. I don't mean that they'd necessarily be working together a romantic way or anything (I actually like how in the original Clayface two-parter Matt's confidant Teddy seemed to have implications of having feelings for Matt, cause that extra layer of Matt Hagan being an actor who hides a secret... it gives me Rock Hudson vibes) but maybe in a story where the both of them GENUINELY want to help each other with their self-loathing without backstabbing that you see from other villain teamups since neither are at their core evil.
You had me at robot dinosaur.
I guess Walter's complaint about villain themed henchgirls from previous episodes holds a little less weight in light of the Chippendale henchmen here.
Equal opportunity is upheld! 😅
At least it makes sense in her case. She may be decently strong in a fight but her gizmos are small and her appearances are at big public events, so she needs help to distract / maneuver vehicles / carry the victims for her. The fact they're big muscle men just goes great with the theme. I wonder if they've also been scorned by the industry to be working with her now. Someone had to be taking care of the victims for months on end.
Higher-ups: Guys, for the last couple of episodes, you had bad guys with multiples sexualized henchwomen for our kids show. Can you guys change that, at least for the next villain?
Batman crew: Sure thing. *makes sexualized henchmen*
"Education RULES!" Love it, lol.
Calendar Girl reminds me a lot of Circe, Black Mask's girlfriend from the comics. She was also a model, and later became an exotic dancer; secretly, though, she was a witch. Most importantly, she also wore an expressionless mask with no eyes. Circe "appeared" in the 1989 film as Alicia Hunt, the Joker's girlfriend, who wore a porcelain mask after the Joker tortured her by burning her face.
Or Morgan LeFay from Justice League, except with a gold mask instead of porcelain.
Not counting Scarecrow's nightmare, this the 3rd episode in a row with a showbiz-themed antagonist (pop star pyrotechnician, famed stunt woman, and now failed model/actress). I like Mean Seasons a little more than the others because it has something that gives the villain dimensions. The ending that her scars are psychological always stuck with me. I hadn't read The Long Halloween yet at the time, so I had no idea Calendar Girl was basically a gender swap of an established character. I thought she was original. But I like twisting the concept up. Modeling is a good fit for a seasonal plot that's going to unfold over time, but it does leave the episode with a glaring plot hole: Lucius Fox tells Bruce that his employee's retirement party is "this friday" back before Calendar Girl's summer attack. Presumably months have passed because it is now Fall, she's about to do her next move, and only now Bruce is saying he's cancelling the party and the guy doesn't have to retire!
I wish we would see more of Calendar Girl, or more of her in other media. She would be an interesting secondary antagonist in a movie.
This is one of my favorite TNBA episodes!
😎
I’m really glad they did this episode because we need stories that provide this kind of commentary.
There's a hotel called Four Seasons that's perfect for these villains XD
The toupee toss😂
I was looking for Channel Awesome's take on this episode yesterday. I'm glad you finally covered it. It's one of my favortie episodes.
Clay face arc mixed with babydoll
Guess this was the show responding to the criticism of the scantily clad henchwomen. Now we have Chip and Dale henchmen.
The rate you release quality videos is astonishing
Irv: "The surgeon snipped what he should have tucked"
Also, watching this episode in full, there are scenes I didn't realize were there such as the kidnapped fashion designer and auto show salesman being shut up by a Chippendale dancer or how one of the gal's former producers is seen being skeevy to a young woman in his apartment.
I just realized, they should have an episode with a Calendar Girl and Baby Doll team up.
So true, they should have!
Calendar Girl - kidnaps someone in April just to kill them in November.
this episode has aged beautifully!
It’s more with the times now than ever
True beauty is found within.
This episode Mean Season showed that despite how beautiful calendar girl was but she was mentally scarred and felt that her age made her ugly in the people who fired her made her this way.
This episode always makes me feel so sorrowful for her. She was so focus on what she lacked she ignored what she still has. Like Baby Doll and the Ventriloquist, Arkham is differently for someone like them. They just need help.
Because Arkham is such a great place to get help...
In fact, "Mean Seasons" reminds me of a newspaper editorial I read yesterday about Martha Stewart's recent appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The writer talks about how outer beauty is still put on a pedestal when judging age, and Martha didn't help given that she looks better than most women her age. An average 85 year old woman would not be put in a swimsuit for a sexy magazine without eliciting jeers.
The robotic T-Rex is something the Ventriloquist and Scarface would use.
Honestly, this episode would have definitely benefited from the more detailed BTAS animation designs, where the age gap between the younger and older women (such as Batgirl and Catwoman) were much more apparent.
🤔
This episode hit hard cause it felt so real. Her not being disfigured under the mask is way more powerful than her having a botched face.