Would love to see you talk about Clayface. As much as I love goofy clayface like Harley Quinn or SSI versions, it was really cool to see him as a serious villain again. I'm not normally into the "why won't she love me" type plots but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the episode, top 3 for me.
The Harley Episode -- There's a lot to unpack there... Cameos! Changes! Borderline fetishism! ...I couldn't think of a third C for the alliteration, I just couldn't get over what I saw.
I can only think of two reasons Fleischer Lois is in Gotham. 1. On a long-term assignment for the Daily Planet. 2. She's banned from all Metropolis wedding planners for constantly demanding refunds when her latest fiancé turns out to be an alien or an elaborate prank.
Trying to adopt Robin out from under Batman is such a bonkers great villain move, I bet the rest of the rogues gallery is kicking themselves for not thinking of it.
@@tomorrow4eva I think they meant in comics. (I'm guessing Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Damien (I think) and Carrie from TDKR. Maybe Duke in place of Damien)
Apparently Timm was going to use the B:TAS design for this show and she was going to be an orphanage donor who used her position to get close to the children and feed off their energy. The crew didn’t feel it until they got inspired by Let the Right One In and reworked it into what we got. Also, I wonder how Beware the Batman would’ve handled Nocturna since she wasn’t “off the table” for their use.
Part of me wonders if the little girl whom Leslie comforted with a blanket over them when Stephie went missing (and who also showed up in the prior episode when Firebug burned the apartment complex she was in) might've been a nod to Cassandra Cain. I mean okay, maybe it wasn't but this little girl showed up TWICE in the season and her being quite sad about Stephie Brown being gone. Well, too much coincidence for my taste.
You mentioning that made me go back into the episode and look and I noticed something while doing that During the part where Leslie has the orphan kids take a picture with Harvey, one of the kids is literally just a re-coloured version of Jason. I found that kinda funny.
Honestly I really hope not, otherwise we're gonna be 2-for-2 on stories that throw out Cass' fundamental backstories that informs her as a character to instead just .ake her an average Gothamite girl.
I hope we see more of Natalia. Considering she lost her brother and the carnival probably isn't waiting for her to leave the hospital, I'm sure that the orphanage is about to get a kid.
@@scockery Well, it's more of the fact she's a kid than anything else. And the male adult murdered amount to only two out of 10. 3 if you count the one who was a ghost.
I'm actually hoping she becomes the show's version of Batman's partner. Only this time it's for more justifiable reasons: 1. Nobody else would have her after what she did and what she is (no offense to Natalia). 2. He relates to her pain of being a confused and angry orphan. 3. She's more capable than the other Robins because she has powers. 4. I felt that his promise to Anton goes beyond just this episode.
Batman showing compassion to a gothy pre-teen girl whose superpowers are out of control. Reminds me of the best Batman moments in JLU, sitting with Ace before she dies.
So I guess Bruce Timm must be a big fan of the Addams Family because Nocturna's design in Caped Crusader looks exactly like Wednesday Addams and so did Tamara Caulder in Batman Beyond. Plus they cast Christina Ricci as Catwoman in Batman Beyond who is famous for playing Wednesday Addams.
@@SamusSelf-Destruct It is a pretty basic Goth look, and it's not really comiting too much to any specific goth style either. It reminded me a bit of Klarion the witch boy and the inhabitants of Limbo town
Loved the references and that Carrie was the one to help Batman. I don't know if any of them would be become Robin in the show but it was a nice homage
I liked the hokey carny act with the diodes and ray tubes -- It perfectly fit the setting and tone. This is where I expected a Ventriloquist cameo, along with the obvious Killer Croc one -- Or Babydoll!
Nice overview! Things you might have missed: Killer Croc especially appropriate for this episode. His pre-Crisis story had him grow up as the 'lizard boy' in a circus freak show. Also, his second appearance is in Batman 357 which featured the -first- appearance of Jason Todd. Also: I'll have to rewatch the episode to be sure, but I was thinking the carny cast who beat the crap out of Batman are the same characters who he fights in Detective Comics 410 by O'Neal and Adams. Keep up the great work!!
The "energy vampire" aspect felt like the kind of BS&P concession they would've had to make in the 90s, similar to how Morbius in the Spider-Man show had to suck plasma from his fingers, not blood. For a series targeted at an adult audience it felt like a weird form of self-censorship. Also the fact that the Robins show up as throwaway cameos probably implies there's no real plan to introduce them or that the producers aren't anticipating the show will last long enough to make sense for a Robin to appear.
I think there is also a reference to the BTAS episode "Baby Doll" in there with Natalia lashing out at her brother when he told her to "grow up" which as a vampire she might not be able to physically do just like Baby Doll physically still looked like a child even though she was an adult. Batman even says "I know you didn't mean to" (kill her brother) and Baby Dolls Catchphrase was "I didn't mean to"
I wonder if Natalia is supposed to be a child, because she does seem quite child-like. Or if she and Anton are the same age, but she looks like a child if she doesn't get enough life-force, sort of how Dracula started looking like an old man if he hadn't had blood.
The future Robins in this episode could have banded together in future stories as a homage to DC's golden age gang The Newboy Legion (1942) four boys who helped out the Guardian. Marvel did their own version with Rick Jones and the Teen Brigade, who helped the Hulk. They were all no doubt inspired by the Baker Street Irregulars, who helped out Sherlock Holmes.
In Gotham by Gaslight the Robins were more like the Irregulars as well, so you're probably right about them going for something more like that, than picking one Robin
Did anyone else sort of think that Batman's interactions with Nocturna at the end was sort of similar to the JLU episode where he stayed with Ace until she died?
I'm not a TAS fan, sadly, and I didn't love Caped Crusader, but the Stephanie Brown cameo made my day, and the fact that she was facing Nocturna again was an unexpected bonus!
Bruce Timm wanted to adapt "Red Rain" for Batman: The Animated Series and Nocturne fit the esthetic of B:TAS better than Tayna did but Fox said "NO" to the whole idea for the usual reasons "We had a hard enough time convincing Bible Belt affiliates to air the show (ignorantly thinking Batman looks a bit too much like Satan) and now you want the character aimed at kids to drink blood or imply that he's drinking blood"
I find it weird how in BTAS they couldn’t use Vampires yet over on the Marvel side we would get both Blade and Morbius in Spider-Man The animated series a few years later.
@@tylerblake5507 Yes. But he was still a vampire and Blade is well…you can’t really doge what Blade is. Also, Spider-Man wasn’t allowed to punch things due to restrictions. Wild time.
I don't think this Bruce is getting a kid anytime soon but I can see an episode of him dealing with a gang of child vigilantes after Carrie and the others got a taste for mystery. Maybe they'll get little uniforms like boyscouts or the DC Bombshells Batgirls and Bruce'll get another dose of empathy for poor Alfred 💀
@@BullseyeRey Yeah, I think that's a great idea Gamma. It is an interesting story. I think a lot of people would love to hear about the whole affair, along with Sasha's thoughts on it.
I enjoyed this specific episode just fine, but didn’t have any particularly strong feelings about it either way outside of it potentially being a bit weird to have the eventual Bat Family all come together and be like “Hey, didn’t we ALL go to the same orphanage?? What’s up with that?!?” The episode that really sold me on the show was the Two-Face transformation episode. At first, I thought they had screwed up, getting the wrong side of his face as a sign of how badly they understood the character. But then I realized what they were doing, that they understood the character *so well* that they made sure to scar the other side *on purpose* to fit the subversion. Really great detail.
Tbh this Batman cared for children, but is still a bad Batman. They need to start again, and maybe bring in Paul Dini while they're at it because Bruce Timm can use all the help he can get.
Best Robins are Casca and Guts. Especailly since they did earn a living through murder, but are widely seen as by the Western audience even more as victims, than Batman's child recruits. Unlike Bruce Wayne, Griffith was in fact a child soldier and DID protect children, so much that Rickert was not part of the Eclipse. I mean, younger than himself, as he was taking it from adult nobles at age 15 to put food on the table of the likes of Casca. Aside from the lucrative business of murder as simple thieves, which is closr to Guts' and Casca's base moral standard. Oh but, I'm SO sorry for them, that their contract to die for a kingdom actually came due EVER. for the rcord Berserk is relevant because it's pretty blatantaly inspired by Douglas smith's scratchboard art of Batman and Gregory McGuire's 'Wicked'. And of course the fact that Batman is a mercenary bastard, more the CAUSE of fates like Jason Todd, than something to save children like Griffith originally did Casca. f course being rich he won't resort to stealing or prostitution, so hey. That's something.
@@sboinkthelegday3892 my fav robin is tim, casca got hurt beacuse the dark kn ight return is not really that good years later even if she still fun char
A Scooby gang of Robins? Yes, please! For a show determined to be so gritty this episode had plenty of heart. A little goes a long way in this kind of setting. More would have been really out of place. Great job catching all those easter eggs. Imagine if Lois and Jimmy do have bigger parts in season 2.
The shift of an era gets me. Batman the Animated series, "No Blood or Vampires." The Batman, "We're gonna have a movie where we shower Vampire Joker with Blood!!"
I find it funny they have Fleischer-style Lois Lane pop up here, and not their already established reporter character, Eel O’Brian, from the Catwoman and Firebug episodes. It would’ve been nice, given that those eps implied he’d be a supporting character and he has so few appearances here. Plus in the comics his Plastic Man costume was literally a circus suit, so it would’ve been a nice touch, haha. I wonder if Lois was chosen because Grey Delisle, who voices her here, was already voicing Julie Madison, and it was easier to reuse her than having Tom Kenny brought in again
I actually like this episode, yo there with the Gentlemen Ghost and Catwoman episode.... Only problem is... They keep doing by boy Tim Drake dirty, like, he wasn't even in the episode full of Robins, and I loved her here, but the alt reality Carrie Kelly got over him!
@@GamerSlyRatchet1I think that's the big point. In fact, Tim's absence ironically makes it more likely to me that if he features, he will be THE Robin due to his similarity to Bruce.
One thing I think worth noting is the ending really reminded me of the ending of the JLU episode “Epilogue” when Batman stays with Ace as she dies. It even mirrors the end of that episode when Bruce carries Ace’s body.
I love this series. I tend to get Batman fatigue but this take really makes a batman that I personally can't wait to see more of. I love that it's so golden age-y. Updating the character while rooting it in the era it was created is so much fun. At least for me. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea. Can't wait to see you dive into some more episodes!
“The Nightslayer” was probably abandoned as a moniker due to its proximity to “the night stalker” aka serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was active in southern California in the early to mid eighties.
He also inherited that title from the Golden State Killer. The GSK got that nickname only in the 2010s in order to give him a new name since Richard Ramirez had taken his name. Before that, he had been being called the Original Night Stalker, having been the Night Stalker before Richard Ramirez. Even in serial killers there's legacy characters.
1 thing I didn't like about this Batman is that he's a jerk to (Alfred) Pennyworth... even after the Gentleman Ghost episode when he told Pennyworth that he couldn't be Batman without him.
Yeah, me too. That's just one of many things that I don't like about this show as it stands. Maybe most of my issues will be cleared up in season 2, but I doubt it tbh. This show isn't bad, but it's certainly not for me.
I really enjoyed the show. It didn't blow me away but it grew on me as it went. Some nice touches of animation. I like Batman growing and the other allies he's forming connections too. I will likely go back and watch again. There's just something simple about it all, that I like. Fav EPs: Harley Quinn, Two face 2 parter ('you're wasting my time Pennyworth!') and clayface. The firefly one was kinda crazy too. Dug it! More reviews please :)
I just went back and checked. The book was written by a “Max Grantwell” (which I thought might have been an Adam West reference but I can’t find anything about Max Grantwell with a cursory search). Does it ring any bells for anyone? The cover is clear at 12:56 in the ep (right as Bruce is coming to the car).
@@lyndseywerner2196 - Max Grantwell is a play on "Maxwell Grant", a pen name used by the authors of *The Shadow* pulp magazine stories from the 1930s to 1960s. It works since the biggest influence for the Gray Ghost was the Shadow. There are other connections, but if we want to keep it brief, that's the gist of it.
I was plesantly surprised by Caped Crusader. To me it is a fine, at times great show but it feels like it is missing heart like you said. The characters throughout the show feel very surface level and even though you get to see them throughout 10 episodes you don't really get to see many different sides or depth to them. Other than Bruce and Harvey. This is just based on my experience but I really feel the lost of Paul Dini in this show. It feels like BTAS but missing the excellent character depth and themeing and I think thats because Dini wasn't a writer. That's just my feeling toward the show and my experience with Dini as a writer for Detective Comic in the 2000's. I liked the show, would like a season two to see where it is goes and other reimagings but not something that blowed me away.
I agree. Personally I've always been a fan of most anything that Paul Dini writes,his character work and story telling are phenomenal in my opinion. On the flip side, Bruce Timm is always hit or miss, and for me personally, the majority of Caped Crusader was a miss. I just didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I hoped I would, and was severely disappointed by season 1. It has it's moments and things that I liked though, so maybe it'll get better in season 2 and really start to grow on me. As it stands however, I'm not a fan, and don't think that it at all lives up to the legacy of B:TAS and the DCAU as much as Timm wants it to.
The problem to me is that Bruce Timm writes great stories and good dialogue, but like you said his characters are a bit lackluster, and a show like this really needs deep characters to work. Hopefully it gets better in season 2, and he may write a more complex Bruce seeing how he sort of apologized to Alfred at the end of the show.
this was my fav episode tbh, it reminded me of the story where batman sits with that young girl on the swing till she passes away , it had the dark gritty feel of a city in the mist of collapse. let bruce shine in a more detective esk roll. i do feel there's always room for growth but that being said i LOVED the carni scene . good to know that they would protect children , in a dark world like gotham that was refreshing
It also echoes the moment from Justice League: Unlimited when Ace of the Royal Flush Gang dies in Batman's arms 😭and Batman is forced to carry away her lifeless body
I loved this whole series, and am frustrated by all the fan-hate and general ambivalence to it; this was solid and entertaining; I enjoyed all the characters nods
Fr omg. 💀 Also, that part of the episode is just a bit infuriating to me, personally. Why were the carnies so aggressive, immediately assuming that Bruce was a predator, and then also immediately deciding to assault him instead of hearing him out? Why didn't Bruce try to de-escalate the situation by explaining very clearly who he was looking for, why he was looking for these missing children, and that he was literally helping the woman who runs the orphanage and that they could speak to her if they didn't believe him? Also, for someone who apparently spent years training to be able to fight crime, Bruce didn't seem to put up much of a fight against these carnies tbh; you could justify him losing that fight since this is meant to be very early on in Batman's career, but it still feels weird to see him lose a fight against people that really shouldn't be that big of a challenge for him. I mean, these are carnies, not trained fighters smh. That whole sequence was just weird to watch, and really didn't need to happen. Just have him look for the girls, not have any luck finding them, so then he changes into Batman and continues the search; no weird assault by carnies needed.
@@negligible_reality I actually didn't watch it, I just heard about that bit while working and immediately thought up a joke for it. Him losing the fight could just be about him hiding his identity. Spider-Man does it all the time. As to the whole needlessly awkward situation escalating to extremes due to comically poor communication, that just seems to be how writing works these days.
@@greenskull3384 Bruce did this when fighting Kyodai Ken while Summer Gleeson was watching them. Once she was no longer able to see them, Bruce started fighting for real.
@@negligible_reality Ya them jumping the conclusion his a pedo and beating him up without hearing him out just makes me not like them as for him not fighting back could be about him hiding his identity
This was a very cool episode. The multiple Robin's, Bruce showing his humanity as Batman, and I loved this version of Nocturna. Better than her original ability.
I have a feeling that we'll be seeing the kids again, considering I'm pretty sure Natalia is going to end up at the orphanage with Carrie and the other kids
@@jordanloux3883Sure, but will they play a substantial role, or will they just be bland side characters that don't really do anything or affect the plot? Will any of them be Robin? Honestly, I don't doubt that we could see them again in the next season, but I do doubt that they'll actually be used for anything interesting.
Making Nocturna a teenager who preys on younger kids draws parallels to stories of babysitters who take advantage of the kids they’re supposed to look after. I wonder if that was intentional with this episode.
Honestly, while I don't mind the changes to characters, I'm over all a little disappointed that this series hasn't been more dark and more mature given how much that was a selling point for it. Bruce Timm kind of presented it as "B:TAS for adults" or "B:TAS without TV executive censorship" and as a result I was expecting a bit more depth to the proceedings.
I like to Think Tim Drake was there but didn't get kidnapped because he was too smart and knew something was off and ran off to his parents or something lol.
I enjoyed the series, and this ep is a favorite. It's be cool to see Natalia become this series' Robin. The growth she'd need to go through would be compelling, and it'd be interesting for Batman to have a sidekick who couldn't go out during the day.
This was my favourite episode of the show. Nocturna was a cool and interesting villain and the references with the Robin kids was really cute! I hope we can see them and Nocturna again
I loved this series as a whole. This particular episode I felt was really interesting for all of the reasons you outlined. I will say that I felt really disappointed that it’s clearly signaling that they probably don’t intend to do any version of Robin, which sucks, because Dick especially is so integral to Bruce as a character. Also, the ending really reminded me of the ending of the JLU episode “Epilogue” when Batman stays with Ace as she dies. It even mirrors the end of that episode when Bruce carries Ace’s body.
Yes, another whim on "Caped Crusader." 🖤💙 Good to know that the series is its own 'verse and interpretation or re-imagine the Batman & Gotham characters. 😮 Episode 8 [sarcastically 🙄🫨😝😜] the outrage - how dare they made a no blood sucking vampire Nocturna and the Orphans that could be Robin 🐦 🥹!?!? Me want a "My Adventures with the Robins" animated series 😅
“The Nightslayer” was probably abandoned as a moniker due to its proximity to “the night stalker” I.e serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was active is Southern California in the early to mid eighties.
This was so neat to see (your video). Wonder why Tim wasn’t included. Because of Lois at the end, I now want a new Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane video. :)
Maybe for her next episode sasha could cover loonatics unleashed! Bastard children from the union between anime,comicbook superheroes and looney tunes. And yes, the show truly exist!
I am thoroughly enjoying the series through 8. Btas is my all time favorite. This is a different take but i think very well done. I didnt know anything about Nocturna but thought it was gritty and dark. Im here for more obscure villains too. Assuming Dent will be featured in last 2 episodes so ending on an A lister is probably a good idea.
I kinda hate it for what they did to Nocturna. Her major plot thoughline was how much she cared about Jason that ran from her first storyline to her last. She was 100% ready to drop the villian role to be a mum. She fought Nightslayer and Catwoman for him, feels like spitting on the bronze age character more than any homage.
But there were 2 Nocturnas. The vampire one (which they did pull a bit from for this show) didn't really have any official connection to Jason, and to me it looked more like a de-aged version of that character. At least that way it doesn't come of as too different from the bronze age Nocturna, and I don't get as annoyed watching it. Honestly the show is pretty solid if you view it as an elseworld stroy. If you compare it too much to the comics or even BTAS it doesn't work as well.
I really liked this episode and I since Im not familiar with the character of Nocturna, I thought that she was a creepy villain and her more supernatural but ghoulish presence really works in the show since they've established that the supernatural exists in this world. I especially loved that they showcased Batman's compassion when he saved Natalia from the sun, as that scene reminded me heavily of when Batman in Justice League Unlimited had to comfort Ace when she was about to die. Batman's compassion is always one of my favourite elements of the character and an aspect of the character people tend to forget about aince many adaptations fixate on the characters brutality or gothic, grim demeanor but truthfully Batman is one of the most compassionate superheroes and if you cant imagine Batman saving a kid or trying to help his villains than your not writing Batman. However I am a bit disappointed with how many cameo's of various Robins we see as even though I appreciate seeing the existence of characters like Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown and Carrie Kelly I do feel like this takes away some potential of these characters becoming Robin, which seems fairly likely given how they establish them all. Though there is a possibility that instead of them being Robin I can see other Robin characters like Tim Drake becoming the Robin of this universe which I would actually like since it would be refreshing to see Tim Drake get more recognition and love in adaptations since hes arguably the most intellectually skilled and efficient person to become Robin and with how badly DC Comics has recently been treating the character in comics it would nice to see the character get more love if he does become Robin for future seasons of the show?
Honestly my biggest gripe with the Robin stuff is that it felt like Steph drew the short straw as usual. Dick and Jason got to have some semblance of characterisation before Natalia drained them. Not exactly deep or multi-faceted characterisations by any means, but characterisations all the same. Carrie did too and got to hold Natalia off until Batman showed up, Steph on the other hand was already being drained when we first see her and the last scene with them all doesn't really give her anything either. I really wish Steph and Carrie swapped roles since Steph doesn't have much exposure at all outside the comics (whereas Carrie has the Dark Knight Returns animated movies) and the "she's a monster" bit would've worked with her too since Steph has been more open to killing in the comics before.
I have actually been planning to rewatch Caped Crusader already. I was always a big BTAS fan, and am a big fan of the pulp elements of Batman. I only wish the show had more than 10 episodes to play around with more stories like BTAS did. That said, this version of Batman is a lot of fun, and his dynamics with the other characters, especially villains, feels well done. The Nocturna episode did feel a little light on significance and heavy on reference, but the ending where he saves Nocturna really sold me.
I honestly loved the series when I wasn't expecting to. This is the most interesting thing they've done with Batman since at least the Nolan films, and it's honestly probably the most mature take. Not in terms of the violence of occasional adult themes, but because it's very psychologically oriented. They're not afraid to make the show complex, to the point where you have Harley--who's doing bad things but against people who arguably deserve it, and has very clear, genuine feelings for both Renee and Barbara--who honestly comes across sympathetic. I ultimately think I would have preferred a stronger arc to the season, but I think the fact that we did see developments for Bruce, Harvey, Gordon, and Barbara and that paid off pretty well in the finale. And I loved to portrayal of Renee. One of these days, they're finally going to do an adaptation where she's the Question, and I can't wait.
Good episode. I like it more for all the Easter eggs and the development of Harvey Dent then I did for Nocturna. Producer James Tucker did a vampire episode on BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD, "Shadow of the Bat", which I really enjoyed. Lots of Atmosphere.
The art and especially the colors on those original Bronze Age Nocturna issues is gorgeous. And her original design for B:TAS reminds me of horror hosts like Vampira and Elvira.
Julie Madison appeared in World's Finest 248 and 253 so was on Earth 1 as well. She played a Grace Kelly type. Her 1st Earth 1 appearance was in Batman 208 though it was as a flashback
This take on Nocturna might've been inspired by Matt Reeves' 2010 film "Let Me In", a remake of the 2008 film, "Let The Right One In", about a little girl who is a vampire. In comparison with the recent vampire movie, "Abigail", the other 2 films were more like psychological noir thrillers.
@@CasuallyComics it also reminds me of "Growing Pains", that Clayface episode, just a little bit, with the little girl Clayface made to be a sympathetic character.
Listen, I didnt know about the scrapped Nocturna episode of TAS but uh...wouldn't it be dissapointing for someone who thought they were "finally making that episode that was too much for a kid's cartoon" for them to turn her into an energy vampire and a child, the kind of changes you do when adapting a vampire to a children's cartoon. "Oh no you see, there's no RED STUFF here, he just takes you r PLASMA from the suckers in his hand". Seems like if they sold it as finally being able to do that episode, besides the someone actually dying there's not much here that they couldn't have done content wise in the original series. All the Robins also being near the same age is...hopefully they won't have to entangle that in the future because It does feel like they shouldn't be, when you think about it, even a little. It seems fine, it all seems fine.
I hate the "no Robin" narrative, and I couldn't help but think "Timm could ababsolutely have had Nocturna have a romantic relationship. He did with Batgirl."
Chatted with (also an animator) a while ago Ronnie Del Carmine who used to work on the original, who then went on to I think head of story for Pixar. i REALLY hope people an critics give Tim time to explore getting back into this show. I find it incredibly exciting seeing how many uber creatives spawned from the last one. Shows like these can be an incubator for great shows and people but it takes time for even the best of creatives to hit new strides. Please folks watch this show and let them explore new ideas you will be happy you did.
I disagree that this episode lacks heart. You have Harvey struggling with falling in with Thorne and wanting to be the man he portrays himself to be, you've got Leslie Thompkins to give a brief motherly vibe for Bruce, you have Julie as a representative of romance and understanding, there's sibling love as Anton cares for his sister and is worried she's spiraling while Jason overcomes his nerves to go searching for Dick, there's the carnival folk who think they are protecting kids from a pervert, you've got Carrie who wants revenge for the children Natalie has harmed, and finally Batman, who drops nearly everything to help these kids which is atypical of his behavior going into this episode. There's all kinds of love and/or heart. That being said, I loved this take on Nocturna. It took the stereotypical lust and sensuality out of vampire mythos and made her more of a freak while also being a "child with too much power" trope. Her design outside of the act really reminded me fondly of Batman Beyond's character design, which was nice. While I wouldn't put it in the top 5 of the season, I do think it was a strong season over all, so even a good episode looks lesser compared to the great ones.
I was skeptical of this show because I was afraid they were going to go full All Star Batman Frank Miller crazy pants & make one of his Robins Ear Rats . I like the twist of this show but it didn't give me the excitement I got from watching X-Men 97 did for . But it's cool to finally see Nocturna in something animated. She's s favorite of mine from the bronze Age . But I'm glad that this Batman is fighting vampires and Ghost , I hope we get him fighting and teaming up with Etrigan the Demon, Garth Ennis Hitman And characters like Slade Wilson and Cheshire to show up .
Morrena Baccarin was great as a young Leslie Thomkins in *Gotham* , I loved the little nod they did to her love story with Alfred when Sean Pertwee's Alfred tries to hit on her when he meets her, in front of a grinning Bruce Wayne who knew she was already dating Jim Gordon and just had fun watching Alf fumble. Krista Bridges also did a good job as Leslie in *Titans* season 3, she is mostly Jason Todd's shrink (a condition for Bruce to keep him as Robin is to see her once a week) for one episode, but she was convincing. Her backstory as one of Scarecrow's old colleagues tied the story together quite well.
Which episode would you like to talk about next?
Gentleman Ghost!
Would love to see you talk about Clayface. As much as I love goofy clayface like Harley Quinn or SSI versions, it was really cool to see him as a serious villain again. I'm not normally into the "why won't she love me" type plots but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the episode, top 3 for me.
Talk about the Harley Queen Episode!! (you can reference Punchline, I swear)
Onomatopoeia! DUN DUN DAAAA~!
The Harley Episode -- There's a lot to unpack there... Cameos! Changes! Borderline fetishism!
...I couldn't think of a third C for the alliteration, I just couldn't get over what I saw.
I can only think of two reasons Fleischer Lois is in Gotham.
1. On a long-term assignment for the Daily Planet.
2. She's banned from all Metropolis wedding planners for constantly demanding refunds when her latest fiancé turns out to be an alien or an elaborate prank.
😂👍
Trying to adopt Robin out from under Batman is such a bonkers great villain move, I bet the rest of the rogues gallery is kicking themselves for not thinking of it.
Well Joker *sort of* did that in the DCAU.
@@arlibrarian Dark, but true.
@@arlibrarian And that one wasn't even an orphan! (Oh, maybe that's why Tim wasn't in this ep.)
Hardy Boys Robins?! I would love that. Forget doing it in the show, make that an AU comic book! All six Robins, as kids, solving mysteries!
YES!!!!!
Wait, six? When did I lose count?
@@tomorrow4eva I think they meant in comics. (I'm guessing Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Damien (I think) and Carrie from TDKR. Maybe Duke in place of Damien)
That would be awesome
@@tomorrow4eva 1. Dick
2. Jason
3. Carrie
4. Tim
5. Stephanie
6. Damian
I was including the two not featured in the episode.
Bruce made me chuckle as he tries to keep up the rich playboy image. "Helluva tax write-off!"
Apparently Timm was going to use the B:TAS design for this show and she was going to be an orphanage donor who used her position to get close to the children and feed off their energy. The crew didn’t feel it until they got inspired by Let the Right One In and reworked it into what we got.
Also, I wonder how Beware the Batman would’ve handled Nocturna since she wasn’t “off the table” for their use.
Part of me wonders if the little girl whom Leslie comforted with a blanket over them when Stephie went missing (and who also showed up in the prior episode when Firebug burned the apartment complex she was in) might've been a nod to Cassandra Cain. I mean okay, maybe it wasn't but this little girl showed up TWICE in the season and her being quite sad about Stephie Brown being gone. Well, too much coincidence for my taste.
You mentioning that made me go back into the episode and look and I noticed something while doing that
During the part where Leslie has the orphan kids take a picture with Harvey, one of the kids is literally just a re-coloured version of Jason. I found that kinda funny.
Honestly I really hope not, otherwise we're gonna be 2-for-2 on stories that throw out Cass' fundamental backstories that informs her as a character to instead just .ake her an average Gothamite girl.
I hope we see more of Natalia. Considering she lost her brother and the carnival probably isn't waiting for her to leave the hospital, I'm sure that the orphanage is about to get a kid.
A lifeforce vampiress would-be-murderess. Just what every orphanage needs. The show didn't have the guts to kill her, unlike the male villains.
@@scockery Well, it's more of the fact she's a kid than anything else. And the male adult murdered amount to only two out of 10. 3 if you count the one who was a ghost.
@@scockery So you're upset the show didn't kill any children?
Edit: Also they only killed like 2 villains in the first season out of 10 episodes
I'm actually hoping she becomes the show's version of Batman's partner. Only this time it's for more justifiable reasons:
1. Nobody else would have her after what she did and what she is (no offense to Natalia).
2. He relates to her pain of being a confused and angry orphan.
3. She's more capable than the other Robins because she has powers.
4. I felt that his promise to Anton goes beyond just this episode.
@@M01eFANatic79 I'd actually be super down for that. This episode was a standout for me, even though I was frustrated with all the Robin disrespect.
Batman showing compassion to a gothy pre-teen girl whose superpowers are out of control. Reminds me of the best Batman moments in JLU, sitting with Ace before she dies.
Reminded me of Baby Doll as well
I feel like that was the intention.
Thought it was Ace before clicking
Except she’s not “Goth” just a dark character with issues more so.
So I guess Bruce Timm must be a big fan of the Addams Family because Nocturna's design in Caped Crusader looks exactly like Wednesday Addams and so did Tamara Caulder in Batman Beyond. Plus they cast Christina Ricci as Catwoman in Batman Beyond who is famous for playing Wednesday Addams.
Or, that’s just kind of the stock stereotype of what people think goth girls are like.
Her design stands out, because she looks like she just walked out of the DCAU.
@@SamusSelf-Destruct It is a pretty basic Goth look, and it's not really comiting too much to any specific goth style either. It reminded me a bit of Klarion the witch boy and the inhabitants of Limbo town
Catwoman doesn't appear the in Batman Beyond show. What are you going on about?
@@justoneguy2487 Not sure, but Christina Ricci plays catwoman in this show, so they probably got it mixed up
Loved the references and that Carrie was the one to help Batman. I don't know if any of them would be become Robin in the show but it was a nice homage
"She broke up with Bruce because she thought he was an ambitionless wastrel."
Yeah, he's just a billionaire who helps orphans. What a loser.
Actually then in that comic he didn't do anything. Not actually go to work on anything for the society. He was just home
I liked the hokey carny act with the diodes and ray tubes -- It perfectly fit the setting and tone.
This is where I expected a Ventriloquist cameo, along with the obvious Killer Croc one -- Or Babydoll!
Or Pyg.
Nice overview! Things you might have missed:
Killer Croc especially appropriate for this episode. His pre-Crisis story had him grow up as the 'lizard boy' in a circus freak show. Also, his second appearance is in Batman 357 which featured the -first- appearance of Jason Todd.
Also: I'll have to rewatch the episode to be sure, but I was thinking the carny cast who beat the crap out of Batman are the same characters who he fights in Detective Comics 410 by O'Neal and Adams.
Keep up the great work!!
I like that Stephanie Brown was in it, but her and all the robins are too young to become Robins/Batgirl
Steph was a Robin too! She was introduced as a Robin specifically to fail at it and die. Only after years and much fan outcry did she become Batgirl.
Originally Dick Grayson was like 8-9ish when he first became Robin.
The "energy vampire" aspect felt like the kind of BS&P concession they would've had to make in the 90s, similar to how Morbius in the Spider-Man show had to suck plasma from his fingers, not blood. For a series targeted at an adult audience it felt like a weird form of self-censorship. Also the fact that the Robins show up as throwaway cameos probably implies there's no real plan to introduce them or that the producers aren't anticipating the show will last long enough to make sense for a Robin to appear.
I think there is also a reference to the BTAS episode "Baby Doll" in there with Natalia lashing out at her brother when he told her to "grow up" which as a vampire she might not be able to physically do just like Baby Doll physically still looked like a child even though she was an adult. Batman even says "I know you didn't mean to" (kill her brother) and Baby Dolls Catchphrase was "I didn't mean to"
Also, outside of the DC universe, Claudia from Interview with the Vampire.
@@jojodunn835 true, so much like Claudia, her tantrums and voracious appetite also.
I wonder if Natalia is supposed to be a child, because she does seem quite child-like. Or if she and Anton are the same age, but she looks like a child if she doesn't get enough life-force, sort of how Dracula started looking like an old man if he hadn't had blood.
The future Robins in this episode could have banded together in future stories as a homage to DC's golden age gang The Newboy Legion (1942) four boys who helped out the Guardian. Marvel did their own version with Rick Jones and the Teen Brigade, who helped the Hulk.
They were all no doubt inspired by the Baker Street Irregulars, who helped out Sherlock Holmes.
In Gotham by Gaslight the Robins were more like the Irregulars as well, so you're probably right about them going for something more like that, than picking one Robin
13:18 well considering how similar Bruce and Clark look, this might be Lois investigating to see if Bruce is Supes
Did anyone else sort of think that Batman's interactions with Nocturna at the end was sort of similar to the JLU episode where he stayed with Ace until she died?
Yes. Very similar along with how both are dressed.
I'm not a TAS fan, sadly, and I didn't love Caped Crusader, but the Stephanie Brown cameo made my day, and the fact that she was facing Nocturna again was an unexpected bonus!
Bruce Timm wanted to adapt "Red Rain" for Batman: The Animated Series and Nocturne fit the esthetic of B:TAS better than Tayna did but Fox said "NO" to the whole idea for the usual reasons "We had a hard enough time convincing Bible Belt affiliates to air the show (ignorantly thinking Batman looks a bit too much like Satan) and now you want the character aimed at kids to drink blood or imply that he's drinking blood"
I find it weird how in BTAS they couldn’t use Vampires yet over on the Marvel side we would get both Blade and Morbius in Spider-Man The animated series a few years later.
Yeah, but isn't the restriction why morbius in the animated series sucks plasma through his hand instead of blood and fangs?
@@tylerblake5507 Yes. But he was still a vampire and Blade is well…you can’t really doge what Blade is. Also, Spider-Man wasn’t allowed to punch things due to restrictions. Wild time.
Spidey punched someone only one time in the whole series, I think.
I don't think this Bruce is getting a kid anytime soon but I can see an episode of him dealing with a gang of child vigilantes after Carrie and the others got a taste for mystery. Maybe they'll get little uniforms like boyscouts or the DC Bombshells Batgirls and Bruce'll get another dose of empathy for poor Alfred 💀
Now i hope you do a video on the whole Nocturna trying to adopt Jason story, that sounds like a trip.
@@BullseyeRey Yeah, I think that's a great idea Gamma. It is an interesting story. I think a lot of people would love to hear about the whole affair, along with Sasha's thoughts on it.
McKenna Grace deserves an Emmy for this episode
I find Tim's disappearance in this episode baffling
I enjoyed this specific episode just fine, but didn’t have any particularly strong feelings about it either way outside of it potentially being a bit weird to have the eventual Bat Family all come together and be like “Hey, didn’t we ALL go to the same orphanage?? What’s up with that?!?”
The episode that really sold me on the show was the Two-Face transformation episode. At first, I thought they had screwed up, getting the wrong side of his face as a sign of how badly they understood the character. But then I realized what they were doing, that they understood the character *so well* that they made sure to scar the other side *on purpose* to fit the subversion. Really great detail.
Yeah, that was pretty cool.
batman rule 1
if people cant see your batman caring for a child
you writen a bad batman start again
Tbh this Batman cared for children, but is still a bad Batman. They need to start again, and maybe bring in Paul Dini while they're at it because Bruce Timm can use all the help he can get.
@@negligible_reality to be all batman with any bat famliy around is a bad batman
@@negligible_realityjames tucker is there, I think it is a conscious choice
Best Robins are Casca and Guts. Especailly since they did earn a living through murder, but are widely seen as by the Western audience even more as victims, than Batman's child recruits.
Unlike Bruce Wayne, Griffith was in fact a child soldier and DID protect children, so much that Rickert was not part of the Eclipse. I mean, younger than himself, as he was taking it from adult nobles at age 15 to put food on the table of the likes of Casca. Aside from the lucrative business of murder as simple thieves, which is closr to Guts' and Casca's base moral standard. Oh but, I'm SO sorry for them, that their contract to die for a kingdom actually came due EVER.
for the rcord Berserk is relevant because it's pretty blatantaly inspired by Douglas smith's scratchboard art of Batman and Gregory McGuire's 'Wicked'. And of course the fact that Batman is a mercenary bastard, more the CAUSE of fates like Jason Todd, than something to save children like Griffith originally did Casca.
f course being rich he won't resort to stealing or prostitution, so hey. That's something.
@@sboinkthelegday3892 my fav robin is tim, casca got hurt beacuse the dark kn ight return is not really that good years later even if she still fun char
A Scooby gang of Robins? Yes, please! For a show determined to be so gritty this episode had plenty of heart. A little goes a long way in this kind of setting. More would have been really out of place.
Great job catching all those easter eggs. Imagine if Lois and Jimmy do have bigger parts in season 2.
The shift of an era gets me.
Batman the Animated series, "No Blood or Vampires."
The Batman, "We're gonna have a movie where we shower Vampire Joker with Blood!!"
I didn't realize it was all these Robins. It was just a feast of Robins. A feast... HA!
I find it funny they have Fleischer-style Lois Lane pop up here, and not their already established reporter character, Eel O’Brian, from the Catwoman and Firebug episodes. It would’ve been nice, given that those eps implied he’d be a supporting character and he has so few appearances here. Plus in the comics his Plastic Man costume was literally a circus suit, so it would’ve been a nice touch, haha. I wonder if Lois was chosen because Grey Delisle, who voices her here, was already voicing Julie Madison, and it was easier to reuse her than having Tom Kenny brought in again
I actually like this episode, yo there with the Gentlemen Ghost and Catwoman episode.... Only problem is... They keep doing by boy Tim Drake dirty, like, he wasn't even in the episode full of Robins, and I loved her here, but the alt reality Carrie Kelly got over him!
I think it is a generational thing. Millenials love Tim, and people slightly older love Carrie, people sligthly younger love Damian
Tim is rich and usually starts with parents being around. It wouldn’t make sense for him to be with the orphans.
I came here to make a tim being absent joke and I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed him missing.
@@GamerSlyRatchet1I think that's the big point. In fact, Tim's absence ironically makes it more likely to me that if he features, he will be THE Robin due to his similarity to Bruce.
I appreciate that they tried different things with these characters. Some landed some didn't but I appreciate the attempt
One thing I think worth noting is the ending really reminded me of the ending of the JLU episode “Epilogue” when Batman stays with Ace as she dies. It even mirrors the end of that episode when Bruce carries Ace’s body.
3:42: That vampire episode they showed in Brave and The Bold(a show arguably less mature than BTAS) was a memorable and terrifying experience for me.
I don't see enough commentary on Jason's collection of mothers. Catherine, Nocturna, Sheila, Talia... Are there more?
Yes! Irregulars Robins! I’ve been hoping that Tim would appear as the “Drake Heir” (so to speak) and it would be amazing if he were folded in too!
this is the first time I've seen Bruce Timm - he looks like a batman villian!
I feel like they are setting up a 'we are robbin'
I love this series. I tend to get Batman fatigue but this take really makes a batman that I personally can't wait to see more of. I love that it's so golden age-y. Updating the character while rooting it in the era it was created is so much fun. At least for me. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea. Can't wait to see you dive into some more episodes!
“The Nightslayer” was probably abandoned as a moniker due to its proximity to “the night stalker” aka serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was active in southern California in the early to mid eighties.
He also inherited that title from the Golden State Killer. The GSK got that nickname only in the 2010s in order to give him a new name since Richard Ramirez had taken his name. Before that, he had been being called the Original Night Stalker, having been the Night Stalker before Richard Ramirez. Even in serial killers there's legacy characters.
1 thing I didn't like about this Batman is that he's a jerk to (Alfred) Pennyworth... even after the Gentleman Ghost episode when he told Pennyworth that he couldn't be Batman without him.
Yeah, me too. That's just one of many things that I don't like about this show as it stands. Maybe most of my issues will be cleared up in season 2, but I doubt it tbh. This show isn't bad, but it's certainly not for me.
@negligible_reality Yeah, that's basically how I feel about it, too.
I really enjoy the show, kind of wish that Batman comics from the bronze age were easier to find in my neck of the woods.
The BTAS art style is iconic it up with Neal Adams those are some of the first images people, when ever they think of Batman.
I really enjoyed the show. It didn't blow me away but it grew on me as it went. Some nice touches of animation. I like Batman growing and the other allies he's forming connections too. I will likely go back and watch again. There's just something simple about it all, that I like.
Fav EPs: Harley Quinn, Two face 2 parter ('you're wasting my time Pennyworth!') and clayface. The firefly one was kinda crazy too.
Dug it! More reviews please :)
I spotted another Easter egg! Alfred was reading a book called “Alias the Grey Ghost”!
I just went back and checked. The book was written by a “Max Grantwell” (which I thought might have been an Adam West reference but I can’t find anything about Max Grantwell with a cursory search). Does it ring any bells for anyone? The cover is clear at 12:56 in the ep (right as Bruce is coming to the car).
(I also did a typo, it was “Alias the Gray Ghost” with an A not an E.)
@@lyndseywerner2196 - Max Grantwell is a play on "Maxwell Grant", a pen name used by the authors of *The Shadow* pulp magazine stories from the 1930s to 1960s.
It works since the biggest influence for the Gray Ghost was the Shadow.
There are other connections, but if we want to keep it brief, that's the gist of it.
I was plesantly surprised by Caped Crusader. To me it is a fine, at times great show but it feels like it is missing heart like you said. The characters throughout the show feel very surface level and even though you get to see them throughout 10 episodes you don't really get to see many different sides or depth to them. Other than Bruce and Harvey.
This is just based on my experience but I really feel the lost of Paul Dini in this show. It feels like BTAS but missing the excellent character depth and themeing and I think thats because Dini wasn't a writer. That's just my feeling toward the show and my experience with Dini as a writer for Detective Comic in the 2000's.
I liked the show, would like a season two to see where it is goes and other reimagings but not something that blowed me away.
I agree. Personally I've always been a fan of most anything that Paul Dini writes,his character work and story telling are phenomenal in my opinion. On the flip side, Bruce Timm is always hit or miss, and for me personally, the majority of Caped Crusader was a miss. I just didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I hoped I would, and was severely disappointed by season 1. It has it's moments and things that I liked though, so maybe it'll get better in season 2 and really start to grow on me. As it stands however, I'm not a fan, and don't think that it at all lives up to the legacy of B:TAS and the DCAU as much as Timm wants it to.
The problem to me is that Bruce Timm writes great stories and good dialogue, but like you said his characters are a bit lackluster, and a show like this really needs deep characters to work. Hopefully it gets better in season 2, and he may write a more complex Bruce seeing how he sort of apologized to Alfred at the end of the show.
this was my fav episode tbh, it reminded me of the story where batman sits with that young girl on the swing till she passes away , it had the dark gritty feel of a city in the mist of collapse. let bruce shine in a more detective esk roll. i do feel there's always room for growth but that being said i LOVED the carni scene . good to know that they would protect children , in a dark world like gotham that was refreshing
It also echoes the moment from Justice League: Unlimited when Ace of the Royal Flush Gang dies in Batman's arms 😭and Batman is forced to carry away her lifeless body
I loved this whole series, and am frustrated by all the fan-hate and general ambivalence to it; this was solid and entertaining; I enjoyed all the characters nods
Bruce Wayne gets beaten up for looking for two little girls? I think Bruce Timm might have taken "write what u know" a bit literally.
Jesus Christ
Fr omg. 💀
Also, that part of the episode is just a bit infuriating to me, personally. Why were the carnies so aggressive, immediately assuming that Bruce was a predator, and then also immediately deciding to assault him instead of hearing him out? Why didn't Bruce try to de-escalate the situation by explaining very clearly who he was looking for, why he was looking for these missing children, and that he was literally helping the woman who runs the orphanage and that they could speak to her if they didn't believe him? Also, for someone who apparently spent years training to be able to fight crime, Bruce didn't seem to put up much of a fight against these carnies tbh; you could justify him losing that fight since this is meant to be very early on in Batman's career, but it still feels weird to see him lose a fight against people that really shouldn't be that big of a challenge for him. I mean, these are carnies, not trained fighters smh. That whole sequence was just weird to watch, and really didn't need to happen. Just have him look for the girls, not have any luck finding them, so then he changes into Batman and continues the search; no weird assault by carnies needed.
@@negligible_reality I actually didn't watch it, I just heard about that bit while working and immediately thought up a joke for it. Him losing the fight could just be about him hiding his identity. Spider-Man does it all the time. As to the whole needlessly awkward situation escalating to extremes due to comically poor communication, that just seems to be how writing works these days.
@@greenskull3384 Bruce did this when fighting Kyodai Ken while Summer Gleeson was watching them. Once she was no longer able to see them, Bruce started fighting for real.
@@negligible_reality Ya them jumping the conclusion his a pedo and beating him up without hearing him out just makes me not like them as for him not fighting back could be about him hiding his identity
I feel like it was fun and has good moments but a little stronger character writing could help but overall enjoyable
I’d totally love a detective kids club made up of all the robins.
This was a very cool episode. The multiple Robin's, Bruce showing his humanity as Batman, and I loved this version of Nocturna. Better than her original ability.
Wich was, what exactly?
@@erikbihari3625 She was a normal woman who just thought she was a vampire
@@erikbihari3625 black hair kid: Richard
Red head: Jason
Yellow hair: Stephanie
Glasses: Carrie.
@@jordanloux3883. Superhero movie;"and there are kids who Think they can walk through walls"!
Yeah, look for this movie!
@@X_Blake"Richard" lol, you can just call him Dick, it's ok. 😂
I started calling this episode "The Night of Way Too Many Robins" after we also get Carrie Kelly, i just had to laugh.
Man, Bronze Age Batman was realy the best era of the character.
With nocturna, I could just hear the cringe quote of "look out. Shes a real maneater" replay over in my mind
I’m mixed on the episode it portrayed Bruce the best out of all the episodes but if Dick is just a cameo that kinda bothers me
That's modern Bruce Timm for you!
I have a feeling that we'll be seeing the kids again, considering I'm pretty sure Natalia is going to end up at the orphanage with Carrie and the other kids
@@jordanloux3883Sure, but will they play a substantial role, or will they just be bland side characters that don't really do anything or affect the plot? Will any of them be Robin? Honestly, I don't doubt that we could see them again in the next season, but I do doubt that they'll actually be used for anything interesting.
Especially considering that the main villain of the show is ROBERT THORN. If you don’t know Tony Zuko works for/with Thorn. Zuko killed robins parents
The Robin role-call had me wondering about Tim's no-show.
Making Nocturna a teenager who preys on younger kids draws parallels to stories of babysitters who take advantage of the kids they’re supposed to look after. I wonder if that was intentional with this episode.
Vicky mindset
Honestly, while I don't mind the changes to characters, I'm over all a little disappointed that this series hasn't been more dark and more mature given how much that was a selling point for it. Bruce Timm kind of presented it as "B:TAS for adults" or "B:TAS without TV executive censorship" and as a result I was expecting a bit more depth to the proceedings.
I like to Think Tim Drake was there but didn't get kidnapped because he was too smart and knew something was off and ran off to his parents or something lol.
I enjoyed the series, and this ep is a favorite. It's be cool to see Natalia become this series' Robin. The growth she'd need to go through would be compelling, and it'd be interesting for Batman to have a sidekick who couldn't go out during the day.
I feel like this show drives home that Bruce Timm was only one piece of the DCAU team.
I like this show, even tho everyone else seems to not. I think its a good take on the character.
This was my favourite episode of the show. Nocturna was a cool and interesting villain and the references with the Robin kids was really cute! I hope we can see them and Nocturna again
Did not know someone could have a power of bad breath
I loved this series as a whole. This particular episode I felt was really interesting for all of the reasons you outlined.
I will say that I felt really disappointed that it’s clearly signaling that they probably don’t intend to do any version of Robin, which sucks, because Dick especially is so integral to Bruce as a character.
Also, the ending really reminded me of the ending of the JLU episode “Epilogue” when Batman stays with Ace as she dies. It even mirrors the end of that episode when Bruce carries Ace’s body.
Bat Dad and his child soldier army.
Yes, another whim on "Caped Crusader." 🖤💙 Good to know that the series is its own 'verse and interpretation or re-imagine the Batman & Gotham characters.
😮 Episode 8 [sarcastically 🙄🫨😝😜] the outrage - how dare they made a no blood sucking vampire Nocturna and the Orphans that could be Robin 🐦 🥹!?!?
Me want a "My Adventures with the Robins" animated series 😅
“The Nightslayer” was probably abandoned as a moniker due to its proximity to “the night stalker” I.e serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was active is Southern California in the early to mid eighties.
This was so neat to see (your video). Wonder why Tim wasn’t included. Because of Lois at the end, I now want a new Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane video. :)
I think Nocturna get more energy from kids then adults.
To her kids are easier prey. She fools them quite easily. She wouldn’t be able to do that with an adult that wasn’t her brother.
Maybe for her next episode sasha could cover loonatics unleashed! Bastard children from the union between anime,comicbook superheroes and looney tunes. And yes, the show truly exist!
I am thoroughly enjoying the series through 8. Btas is my all time favorite. This is a different take but i think very well done. I didnt know anything about Nocturna but thought it was gritty and dark. Im here for more obscure villains too. Assuming Dent will be featured in last 2 episodes so ending on an A lister is probably a good idea.
I kinda hate it for what they did to Nocturna. Her major plot thoughline was how much she cared about Jason that ran from her first storyline to her last. She was 100% ready to drop the villian role to be a mum. She fought Nightslayer and Catwoman for him, feels like spitting on the bronze age character more than any homage.
FACTS
But there were 2 Nocturnas. The vampire one (which they did pull a bit from for this show) didn't really have any official connection to Jason, and to me it looked more like a de-aged version of that character. At least that way it doesn't come of as too different from the bronze age Nocturna, and I don't get as annoyed watching it.
Honestly the show is pretty solid if you view it as an elseworld stroy. If you compare it too much to the comics or even BTAS it doesn't work as well.
I really liked this episode and I since Im not familiar with the character of Nocturna, I thought that she was a creepy villain and her more supernatural but ghoulish presence really works in the show since they've established that the supernatural exists in this world. I especially loved that they showcased Batman's compassion when he saved Natalia from the sun, as that scene reminded me heavily of when Batman in Justice League Unlimited had to comfort Ace when she was about to die. Batman's compassion is always one of my favourite elements of the character and an aspect of the character people tend to forget about aince many adaptations fixate on the characters brutality or gothic, grim demeanor but truthfully Batman is one of the most compassionate superheroes and if you cant imagine Batman saving a kid or trying to help his villains than your not writing Batman. However I am a bit disappointed with how many cameo's of various Robins we see as even though I appreciate seeing the existence of characters like Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown and Carrie Kelly I do feel like this takes away some potential of these characters becoming Robin, which seems fairly likely given how they establish them all. Though there is a possibility that instead of them being Robin I can see other Robin characters like Tim Drake becoming the Robin of this universe which I would actually like since it would be refreshing to see Tim Drake get more recognition and love in adaptations since hes arguably the most intellectually skilled and efficient person to become Robin and with how badly DC Comics has recently been treating the character in comics it would nice to see the character get more love if he does become Robin for future seasons of the show?
Honestly my biggest gripe with the Robin stuff is that it felt like Steph drew the short straw as usual. Dick and Jason got to have some semblance of characterisation before Natalia drained them. Not exactly deep or multi-faceted characterisations by any means, but characterisations all the same. Carrie did too and got to hold Natalia off until Batman showed up, Steph on the other hand was already being drained when we first see her and the last scene with them all doesn't really give her anything either. I really wish Steph and Carrie swapped roles since Steph doesn't have much exposure at all outside the comics (whereas Carrie has the Dark Knight Returns animated movies) and the "she's a monster" bit would've worked with her too since Steph has been more open to killing in the comics before.
"He gets beat up by the carnival folk..." i think we've all been there😂
I have actually been planning to rewatch Caped Crusader already. I was always a big BTAS fan, and am a big fan of the pulp elements of Batman. I only wish the show had more than 10 episodes to play around with more stories like BTAS did. That said, this version of Batman is a lot of fun, and his dynamics with the other characters, especially villains, feels well done. The Nocturna episode did feel a little light on significance and heavy on reference, but the ending where he saves Nocturna really sold me.
I honestly loved the series when I wasn't expecting to. This is the most interesting thing they've done with Batman since at least the Nolan films, and it's honestly probably the most mature take. Not in terms of the violence of occasional adult themes, but because it's very psychologically oriented. They're not afraid to make the show complex, to the point where you have Harley--who's doing bad things but against people who arguably deserve it, and has very clear, genuine feelings for both Renee and Barbara--who honestly comes across sympathetic.
I ultimately think I would have preferred a stronger arc to the season, but I think the fact that we did see developments for Bruce, Harvey, Gordon, and Barbara and that paid off pretty well in the finale. And I loved to portrayal of Renee. One of these days, they're finally going to do an adaptation where she's the Question, and I can't wait.
Good episode. I like it more for all the Easter eggs and the development of Harvey Dent then I did for Nocturna.
Producer James Tucker did a vampire episode on BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD, "Shadow of the Bat", which I really enjoyed. Lots of Atmosphere.
The art and especially the colors on those original Bronze Age Nocturna issues is gorgeous. And her original design for B:TAS reminds me of horror hosts like Vampira and Elvira.
Julie Madison appeared in World's Finest 248 and 253 so was on Earth 1 as well. She played a Grace Kelly type.
Her 1st Earth 1 appearance was in Batman 208 though it was as a flashback
5:42 Bob Kane's ghost artist is a wild statement
It's so convenient that all the Robins are in one place for Batman to adopt
you know its gonna be a good video whe Sasha says "we've got quotes" in the first 30 seconds
Every Robin but the best (Tim) and the worst (Damian).
This take on Nocturna might've been inspired by Matt Reeves' 2010 film "Let Me In", a remake of the 2008 film, "Let The Right One In", about a little girl who is a vampire. In comparison with the recent vampire movie, "Abigail", the other 2 films were more like psychological noir thrillers.
There's definitely shades of it here.
@@CasuallyComics it also reminds me of "Growing Pains", that Clayface episode, just a little bit, with the little girl Clayface made to be a sympathetic character.
Thanks for the back story I wasn't as familiar with this character. Love the new Bruce Timm series and Casually Comics!
So wait a sec... Adam Knight in Smallville could be that Earth's version of her brother :D
Listen, I didnt know about the scrapped Nocturna episode of TAS but uh...wouldn't it be dissapointing for someone who thought they were "finally making that episode that was too much for a kid's cartoon" for them to turn her into an energy vampire and a child, the kind of changes you do when adapting a vampire to a children's cartoon. "Oh no you see, there's no RED STUFF here, he just takes you r PLASMA from the suckers in his hand". Seems like if they sold it as finally being able to do that episode, besides the someone actually dying there's not much here that they couldn't have done content wise in the original series.
All the Robins also being near the same age is...hopefully they won't have to entangle that in the future because It does feel like they shouldn't be, when you think about it, even a little.
It seems fine, it all seems fine.
Even in the cases of referenced Robins like this, Tim is left out! WHY DO THEY HATE MY BOY 😭
An other universe were tim is left out
I hate the "no Robin" narrative, and I couldn't help but think "Timm could ababsolutely have had Nocturna have a romantic relationship. He did with Batgirl."
Chatted with (also an animator) a while ago Ronnie Del Carmine who used to work on the original, who then went on to I think head of story for Pixar. i REALLY hope people an critics give Tim time to explore getting back into this show. I find it incredibly exciting seeing how many uber creatives spawned from the last one. Shows like these can be an incubator for great shows and people but it takes time for even the best of creatives to hit new strides. Please folks watch this show and let them explore new ideas you will be happy you did.
I disagree that this episode lacks heart. You have Harvey struggling with falling in with Thorne and wanting to be the man he portrays himself to be, you've got Leslie Thompkins to give a brief motherly vibe for Bruce, you have Julie as a representative of romance and understanding, there's sibling love as Anton cares for his sister and is worried she's spiraling while Jason overcomes his nerves to go searching for Dick, there's the carnival folk who think they are protecting kids from a pervert, you've got Carrie who wants revenge for the children Natalie has harmed, and finally Batman, who drops nearly everything to help these kids which is atypical of his behavior going into this episode. There's all kinds of love and/or heart.
That being said, I loved this take on Nocturna. It took the stereotypical lust and sensuality out of vampire mythos and made her more of a freak while also being a "child with too much power" trope. Her design outside of the act really reminded me fondly of Batman Beyond's character design, which was nice. While I wouldn't put it in the top 5 of the season, I do think it was a strong season over all, so even a good episode looks lesser compared to the great ones.
I was skeptical of this show because I was afraid they were going to go full All Star Batman Frank Miller crazy pants & make one of his Robins Ear Rats .
I like the twist of this show but it didn't give me the excitement I got from watching X-Men 97 did for .
But it's cool to finally see Nocturna in something animated.
She's s favorite of mine from the bronze Age .
But I'm glad that this Batman is fighting vampires and Ghost , I hope we get him fighting and teaming up with Etrigan the Demon, Garth Ennis Hitman And characters like Slade Wilson and Cheshire to show up .
I had no idea Leslie (Lee) Thompkins had such a long backstory - I was only aware of her as a character in "Gotham".
She's a big part of Batman The Animated Series. Some really good episodes that feature her.
@@yazr1712 She has some cameos in the DC universe online mmorpg as well, where she works on an antidote to Scarecrows fear-toxin.
Morrena Baccarin was great as a young Leslie Thomkins in *Gotham* , I loved the little nod they did to her love story with Alfred when Sean Pertwee's Alfred tries to hit on her when he meets her, in front of a grinning Bruce Wayne who knew she was already dating Jim Gordon and just had fun watching Alf fumble.
Krista Bridges also did a good job as Leslie in *Titans* season 3, she is mostly Jason Todd's shrink (a condition for Bruce to keep him as Robin is to see her once a week) for one episode, but she was convincing. Her backstory as one of Scarecrow's old colleagues tied the story together quite well.