[9.3/10] What an episode. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again -- one of the best things that B:TAS has mastered is its willingness to make Batman a supporting character, rather than the main character, in a story. Choosing to make a self-proclaimed nobody like Charlie Collins the focus of this one is an inspired choice, and the premise of what a regular person would do when confronted with, and strongarmed by, the Joker is an outstanding one.
It’s just a great setup. The opening sequence of Charlie having a bad day, getting into a road rage incident, and inadvertently running afoul of the Clown Prince of Crime, is the kind of “rough day gone much worse” that makes you feel for the poor schlub who is way in over his head. Ed Begley Jr. does a great job as Collins, and it’s also a hell of an outing for Mark Hamill, as usual. This episode does a particularly great job of balancing Joker’s chipper playfulness and his underlying menace.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t note that this episode is the birth and debut of Harley Quinn! Arleen Sorkin knocks it out of the park in her first at bat (as does writer Paul Dini), making Quinn an instantly memorable accomplice. Her fan enthusiasm for the Joker, her telegram-like entrance to Gordon’s “testimonial”, and her general take-no-crap, but dish it out vibe with everyone for Bullock to Batman makes this a great first outing for the character.
It’s also a nice conceit. Charlie Collins thinking he’d gotten away from the titular favor, only to have Joker enlist him as his “hobby” for an attack on the commission 2 years later makes for a nice bit of menace and a great set piece. The gas/bomb interlude is legitimately tense, and you feel Charlie’s fear of what he’s a part of, and recognize his bravery ingenuity at signaling Batman.
Plus that final confrontation! The fact that it’s a regular schnook who turns the table on Joker, makes him the frightened one, and then pulls what amounts to a prank on the guy, is just tremendous. It’s a great way to craft an arc for Charlie, showing him going from being totally intimidated and overwhelmed by Joker, to turning the tables and being the one making the threats, playing the jokes, and leaving his counterpart quaking in his boots. The fact that it gets a laugh out of Batman is a nice touch, and signals this episode as a neat, negative image of The Killing Joke.
Overall, this is a real gem in the show’s early going that takes a neat concept, and maps the outsized world of Batman and The Joker into the life of a regular guy with aplomb.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2019-10-17T23:19:21Z
[9.3/10] What an episode. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again -- one of the best things that B:TAS has mastered is its willingness to make Batman a supporting character, rather than the main character, in a story. Choosing to make a self-proclaimed nobody like Charlie Collins the focus of this one is an inspired choice, and the premise of what a regular person would do when confronted with, and strongarmed by, the Joker is an outstanding one.
It’s just a great setup. The opening sequence of Charlie having a bad day, getting into a road rage incident, and inadvertently running afoul of the Clown Prince of Crime, is the kind of “rough day gone much worse” that makes you feel for the poor schlub who is way in over his head. Ed Begley Jr. does a great job as Collins, and it’s also a hell of an outing for Mark Hamill, as usual. This episode does a particularly great job of balancing Joker’s chipper playfulness and his underlying menace.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t note that this episode is the birth and debut of Harley Quinn! Arleen Sorkin knocks it out of the park in her first at bat (as does writer Paul Dini), making Quinn an instantly memorable accomplice. Her fan enthusiasm for the Joker, her telegram-like entrance to Gordon’s “testimonial”, and her general take-no-crap, but dish it out vibe with everyone for Bullock to Batman makes this a great first outing for the character.
It’s also a nice conceit. Charlie Collins thinking he’d gotten away from the titular favor, only to have Joker enlist him as his “hobby” for an attack on the commission 2 years later makes for a nice bit of menace and a great set piece. The gas/bomb interlude is legitimately tense, and you feel Charlie’s fear of what he’s a part of, and recognize his bravery ingenuity at signaling Batman.
Plus that final confrontation! The fact that it’s a regular schnook who turns the table on Joker, makes him the frightened one, and then pulls what amounts to a prank on the guy, is just tremendous. It’s a great way to craft an arc for Charlie, showing him going from being totally intimidated and overwhelmed by Joker, to turning the tables and being the one making the threats, playing the jokes, and leaving his counterpart quaking in his boots. The fact that it gets a laugh out of Batman is a nice touch, and signals this episode as a neat, negative image of The Killing Joke.
Overall, this is a real gem in the show’s early going that takes a neat concept, and maps the outsized world of Batman and The Joker into the life of a regular guy with aplomb.