There's a quote by Rupert Thorne in this episode that really sticks with you - "The brighter the picture, the darker the negative." God, this show had deep, amazing writing.
@@dannyolortegui3776 I believe many photographers still use legit film and darkrooms. I'm not a photographer myself, but I wouldn't be surprised, considering that many people draw and paint with real art mediums, despite digital technology.
One thing this episode does so amazingly that I feel future appearances, including this episodes second part, we’re lacking is the constant battle and switching of personalities. After this epsiode big bad Harv seems to always be in control and Moll only really uses his gravely voice from then on. I get that they were trying to show that his bad side had completely taken over, but seeing the constant struggle between the two is the primary reason I find two face so compelling. I wish they did something like the Arkham series did, were he constantly changes voices and personalities and even talks with himself. Especially since Richard Moll has the definitive voices for both personalities for me.
I would love to see Harvey and Big Bad Harv wake up from blackouts and fugues in strange places and Harvey and Big Bad Harv become friends, like on the "Moon Knight" cable series.
I believe there is a Two-Face centric episode called “Second Chance” that comes close to showing the battle between the Harvey and Two Face personalities. But I agree it should have been explored more!
@@zemox2534 I’m still upset they didn’t adapt the two part story of Harvey destroying what was left of his relationship with Grace. Hated that had no resolution in the show
When you add the backstory of abuse from Harvey's dad as context to Two-Face part 1, it makes the episode more tragic: Harvey and his mum were cruelly abused by the father, and the years of abuse slowly took its toll on Harvey. The bully started picking on Harvey, and one day, young harvey snapped. When he struck the bully, all he could see was red. The anger that built up from the beatings from his dad finally came out, and for the first time in years, Harvey felt good. Until he learned the bully was in hospital. While he wasn't responsible for sending the bully to hospital, he still felt terrible. In one moment of anger, Harvey became his father. Making a vow to never show anger, he bottled up his rage, and that sadly led to the creation of Big Bad Harv. As for the coin, he got it from his dad. His father would use it as part of a sick game, where if it landed on heads, Harvey would get beaten. As a sick joke, His dad gave it to him, as a "good luck charm". Why didn't Harvey get rid of it? Partly because he was still scared of his dad, but I think it is because the dark side of himself liked the coin and what it represented. In a sad way, Harvey became just like his dad and lost everything.
Batman's reaction to seeing Harvey's face is one of the best line read Kevin did. Nothing long, no speech. Just a gutted response to seeing how disfigured his friend has become due to not being able to reach him in time.
It’s hard to chose, but I think my favorite episodes are Harlequinade and Robin’s Reckoning. Robin’s Reckoning is the first time we look at how Bruce navigates being a father figure, and how his own trauma causes tension with his loved ones. Bruce’s fraught relationship with the Batfamily is the DCAU’s longest running story arc, and this is the first time we focus heavily on it. The scene where Bruce unconvincingly tries to convince young Dick Grayson that he’ll be alright someday following his parents’ death really moves me. Dick starts crying, seemingly aware of the fact that Bruce doesn’t really believe what he’s saying, but they embrace anyways. Harlequinade on the other hand is just the most entertaining episode. I laugh the whole time every time I rewatch it. Paul Dini’s more comedic episodes remain an underrated element of BTAS.
Robin's Reckoning is my favorite, too. Dick is the perfect foil to his adopted father, making their connection a gold mine of potential, which was executed well.
Two face truly is one of if not the saddest villain. A man who wanted to do good so good that he suppressed any part of him he considered “Toxic” As someone with DID this perfectly explained my childhood and what it’s like to feel so guilty and ashamed you have to leave your own body and make up someone who can handle those problems. The first time I ever dissociated I was 5 and I just left my body. I could see myself standing there crying and crying. No one came to save me. Not the teacher, not the receptionist, not my mum. I had to save me. So I left
Great breakdown. You nailed what makes Part 1 so phenomenal, and why it's one of my favorites from BTAS. Another element I enjoyed was Richard Moll's voice work as he switched between Harvey and Big Bad Harv. And his scream towards the end perfectly captured the emotion and gravity of the moment.
Funny enough i never watched batman the animated series but i have a strong memory of the two face episode in particular. I know that because the episode helped develop 2 core lessons that i still use today 1. Never bottle up an emotion to the point it risks becoming a problem 2. Never act based on a single emotion
I remember loving this episode. I first saw it via a blockbuster DVD, that had 3 Batman TAS episodes on it, "Two Face Part 1", "Two Face Part 2", & "I've Got Batman in My Basement". No I am not joking on that last one, a weird combination to say the least. Regardless for a while this would place Two Face as my favorite Batman villain, and even now he still ranks fairly high for me.
If you think about it, that DVD has two sides of the coin - the absolute best in Two-Face part 1, and the absolute worst in I’ve Got Batman In My Basement. What better way to highlight the brilliance of Two Face than to juxtapose with that awful episode 😂
@@SerumLake What made that feeling even more sour is that Batman in my Basement played right after the Two Face 2 parter, making the dip in quality that much more noticeable.
@@SerumLake my favorite was always Baby doll, I don't know maybe I'm sympathizing with people who struggle with circumstances beyond their control or that they had no say in the matter, maybe it just saddens me to see characters try and get their life together and fail miserably at it like the villain of said episode tried to.
@@frenchtheguy My favorite DC Villain is Death Stoke/Slade Wilson. I like the fact that he isn't really strictly a villain towards any one hero, rather be has a lot of versatility as a character being an opponent for any hero the story makes him oppose. I like Death Stroke's design and powers, along with being a character who isn't pure evil but can still perform nefarious schemes if the cards are on the table. Two face is no longer my favorite DC Villain because well; while I really like the character's origin stories, tragedy, and theme, as antagonist he doesn't really stack up to other villains. Two face is just kind of a guy. Two Face's best asset as a threat is that he's smart, however that doesn't really stand out all too much when most of Batman's rogues gallery are intelligent on some level. I love how adaptations of Harvey Dent's story have given Bruce & Harvey a friendship adding a personal tragedy to the conflict between Batman & Two face, however the above factors I mentioned sort of diminish him a bit. Also I will completely admit I like keeping him at number 2 because it's poetic.
Richard Moll had no need to go that hard on that scream, but he did and we love him for it Heart of Ice fan. It captured everything that defined BTAS and Batman himself for me. Tragic villain, Batman's empathy for his enemies, his detective and investigation skills, no look backhand to a henchman, great animation, and a perfectly choreographed amateur video journal with multiple angles that I can only imagine was edited by an intern under Boyle that had a taste for theatre. All the essential beats of every great Batman story
7:36 - 8:10/ Thanks for pointing out that great visual attention to detail! The lack of anger red flooding the room, the sudden calm followed by a damn near Joker grin. Makes you wonder, had it not been for the chemical blast... would Harvey had been even scarier as Big Bad Harv?
Yeah, I think by this point Big Bad Harv had taken over and become the dominant personality. Two-Face seems calm and measured in comparison to Big Bad Harv!!
The reason why this episode really sticks with me is because I also have a mental disorder and been through extremely dark moments in my life. I once had a serious mental breakdown and ended up in a mental hospital. I have recovered since then, but the fear and trauma of the situation still sticks with me. Back in the past, I didn't care much about how I handled my anger. I often got into arguments with people. Nowadays I try to keep my emotions under control. I don't get angry that often, but whenever I do, I try my best not to shout or get into fights. Also, Harvey's sickening scream at the end of the episode reminds me of the immense misery I felt while in the hospital.
My ex said that I've got Batman in My Basement was his favorite episode. He is lazy, narcissistic, psychotic, manipulative, and he enjoys mind games. I figured it would be helpful to describe what a man who actually thinks that's their favorite episode is like. I think he saw himself in the children, as he inexplicably thought he was an underdog and a heroic person. In reality he was a person so lazy that he used his under two year old child not paying perfect attention to a story as an excuse to never read a story again. So if someone really likes that story, be wary of gaslighting, love bombing, acting better than they are, and in general self importance. They are the type of person who honestly thinks a child not seeking adult assistance for an unconscious man is heroic and not idiotic. I totally agree with your assessment that they need to join Arkham because they don't perceive reality correctly.
@@Krejii05 sadly it is, but I definitely got a bigger laugh out of the joke for that reason. At least things are stable now, he has his life including his fantasy of saying he technically has a family. I haven't seen or spoken to him in two and a half years. Any communication is done through my parents or his mother if he's being particularly stubborn. He sees our daughter once a week for a couple hours under the supervision of at least my dad. He actually does pretty well with that level of "responsibility". My daughter knows full well he is untrustworthy and only goes to play video games and eat a meal. She makes biting remarks about him sometimes, but the minimal interaction is helpful to her. We tried twice a week, but she reacted badly to that much time with him. He does financially support us, even if he has to get nagged about it sometimes. I'm so glad that our daughter isn't fooled by him, and she knows that she doesn't have to see him. He isn't likely to demand to see her anyway. She had been doing pretty badly before we separated, suffering from severe depression and an eating disorder even though she was only 6. Still, I really did laugh loudly at the joke, then rushed over to tell it to my parents who also laughed. My daughter caught the joke and thought it was funny too. Sometimes it's important to remember the bad times because joy can be found through laughing at the past. Even if it's something as silly as an ex loving I've Got Batman in My Basement when we all know that the Two Face, Heart of Steel, Joker, and Harley episodes are much better.
If I had to choose any of the episodes to call my absolute favorite, it would almost certainly have to be "Lock-Up". Not only does the Scarecrow make an appearance, but the political commentary being way ahead of its time is just fantastic and handled with so much skill and respect. Not only that, but there's a touch of brilliant symbolism that I can't help but wonder if anyone else caught.
After watching this video and watching Dirty Harry clicks on UA-cam shorts recently, I really wish DC Collectibles had made a Rupert Thorne figure, and possibly a Harvey Dent pre-Two Face figure. My favorite will always be Heart of Ice, and I never thought about title referring to Ferris Boyle until your video mentioned it, realizing that was correct.
I would give McFarlane toys all of my money if they released a multipack with Harvey Dent, Rupert Thorne, Candice, and Two-Face in his medical gown (complete with the shocked expression from when Grace sees him for the first time)
This is going to be fun; I'll edit this comment when the video premieres with my thoughts/feelings :) EDIT: It's a lovely breakdown of what makes this episode so fantastic. I especially appreciate your points on how Harvey's fall from Grace (always appreciate a double-meaning in a Two-Face video ;) ) is a slow progressions. Well done, sir!
I rewatch Mad as a Hatter several times. Jervis The Mad Hatter has every opportunity to do right, but decides to make believe instead. I love that the episode is basically an urban version of Alice in Wonderland, and you do sympathize with Jarvis to a degree (having a mean boss, dealing with rejection, or I guess having a high paying job that no one notices). I also like the love story between Alice and Billy.
These are my favorite episodes too. I know a lot of people who love Heart of Ice, and it’s well deserved, that episode, as you pointed out did win an Emmy. But these episodes are superior for me. We knew Harvey Dent before hand. We knew he was a good man, a good politician (and we know how rare those are) and we knew he was Bruce’s best friend. To see the guilt Bruce struggled with at having failed to rescue Harvey, and how in his mind, it linked to the fate of his parents, was genuinely heartbreaking. As for I’ve got Batman in my Basement, I’m not gonna lie, I do have nostalgic feelings for that episode because my sister and I had one of those Sound Book Stories where you read the book, and throughout the pages, there were icons that indicates what button you should press on the side panel. The story was a little different, I remember Catwoman being involved in addition to Penguin. But I definitely remember Sherman, because whenever you pressed his button, it was the kid saying “let’s go!“
Despite my previous lobbying for _Fish,_ I agree with you on this one. Yes, the other two you mentioned are high on the list. (Strangely, I didn't love _On Leather Wings_ as a kid, but I absolutely adore it now.) The thing about _Two-Face I_ is that it is both incredibly adult in its psychology, but with a special something to say to very young children. Children understandably feel all sorts of anger at not being in control of their own lives. But little boys especially are surrounded by tropes that mix depictions of violence with the idea of being strong enough to be safe. Strength to keep one's self safe, and to keep others safe as well. Violence as the final means of maintaining justice in the world. Yes, _super heroes,_ I'm looking at you. Of course, these tropes perpetuate because traditional societies need conscripts for armies to defend them. And sadly, we are no closer to a world in which we no longer need armies. If we're lucky, children with violent impulses get the opportunity to be marked - but not traumatized - by understanding the real-life consequences of our violent actions. Perhaps we lose a friend. Perhaps we disappoint a parent whose approval we want. Perhaps we're held back a year. But Harv is a worst case. He was genuinely traumatized. And the visceral fear that only violence can guarantee justice became a daily struggle for him. His is a cautionary tale: In childhood, there are some choices we can make - lessons we can learn - for which we'll never get a second chance. One of the problems with _Two-Face II_ - and with all of his subsequent appearances - is that there was nowhere meaningful for his story arc to go... Until Frank Miller's grim finale, where the repaired two halves finally match. But as a villain-of-the-week who fetishizes twos, there's very little that's compelling about him. That is, except a kind of merciless lucidity about the hollow unjustness of society. Which was also expressed so well by the jaded, disfigured Miss Evangelista in the Doctor Who episode _Silence in the Library:_ _I have the two qualities you require to see absolute truth: I am both brilliant and unlovable._ In Harv's case, the apogee of his work-a-day villainy came in that most unlikely of places... Schumacher's halfway-dreadful film, _Batman Forever._ In its opening moments, there is a glinting instant of monologue brilliance: _One man is born a hero, his brother a coward... Babies starve, politicians grow fat, holy men are martyred, and junkies grow legion... Why...? LUCK! Blind, stupid, simple, doo-dah, clueless LUCK!_ The coin is Harvey's fugue. He's tried imposing his will on the world, and it hasn't worked. It has left him cruelly and ironically disfigured. And all the while, lesser men have thrived, had brilliant careers, happy personal lives, glorious in their mundanity. He is through with all that. Fate has had its way with him. And now, he will see it has its brutal way with everyone else too.
My favourite was always See No Evil. I think the animation of Bats fighting 'Mojo' was really impressive in places, especially with the rain cascading off the invisibility suit. But what I really loved was how Batman was so monumentally pissed at Ventrix targeting a child that he wasn't trying to be theatrical or dramatic, and didn't spend any time trying to empathize with the guy, he was just angry and clearly disgusted. It showed the 'real' Bruce, behind both the Batman persona and the face he showed the public. It was very much about human evil, which I found far scarier than say The Joker or Mad Hatter.
You don’t often hear that episode coming out on top, but I get why you like it. Apparently Tom Ruegger, producer at Warner Bros, was really creeped out by the whole episode and thought it should’ve been cancelled. It’s lucky he didn’t get his way!
Helps that the episode may have inspired Leigh Whannell into making The Invisible Man 2020, which, amusingly, has Kimmy Ventrix's voice actress, Elisabeth Moss herself, become the main protagonist there.
This has been my favorite episode for decades, and it's always bothered me to some extent that, while it often pops up on top 10 lists of best episodes of BTAS, it's seldom in the top 3 or even top 5. Don't get me wrong, Heart of Ice is fantastic, iconic, pivotal and important, Over the Edge is an amazing "what if" story in the series, and Almost Got 'Im is just plain fun, but Two-Face part 1, I'd argue, is one of the bleakest, saddest and most heartbreaking episodes in BTAS. More than an adult crime drama, it deals with so many mature themes that, even as a kid, I related to. First of all, what "children's show" dealt with the subject of mental illness/disorder in any significant, non-comedic way, where the person afflicted with said illness/disorder, whilst being--or rather, becoming--a villain, wasn't just some over-the-top crackpot, cookie-cutter cartoon villain, back in the day? This episode centered around deep, complex, honest and realistic emotions in a way that many "grown-up" films to this day, don't do as well. It didn't portray mental illness as something dark, dirty, disgraceful or shameful (despite the fact that, Rupert Thorne banked on the stigma that revealing Harvey's file to the public, would shatter public trust and faith in him, which it would, naturally), but instead, it portrays it as being something deserving of understanding and compassion. It is portrayed as something that effects us all. And, above all, it illustrates how having a good, strong support group of friends and loved ones can greatly relieve the burdens one carries, resulting from mental illness. Secondly, it explores darker themes such as blackmail, which, in this story, ties directly into the topic of mental illness, as it illustrates that the person suffering from mental illness is the victim, not of his illness, but of the will of someone who is more-or-less quite mentally sound. The villain is the sane person; the victim is the mentally ill person. But, getting back into blackmail, whilst many children's shows dealt with blackmail in some form or another, it was seldom about destroying a person's life or prospects, but rather something banal like ruining someone's popularity, for example, and the information often used for such is usually something altogether silly or stupid like a photo of someone's bad haircut or an ugly childhood photo. Another thing this story explores so beautifully is the theme of loss. Harvey loses control of himself and his emotions. Harvey lost his case due to a technicality. Harvey loses his life in the sense that he is no longer the district attorney, he is no longer a groom-to-be, he is no longer handsome, he loses his battle with his sanity. Zooming out a bit, Gotham loses its champion of law and order. Further still, Bruce Wayne loses his dearest friend. Batman loses a true ally; one of his first. Grace loses her lover, and so on. It is truly one of the darkest and most intellectually challenging episodes in the series and in children's programming. It does everything right and it truly deserves far more recognition than it has ever received.
I haven’t seen everything in the series, but besides the obvious picks I think I’d put Harley’s Holiday near my top spot. I like the idea of Harley turning herself around and trying to be normal, the comedy is well done, and I like the hopeful ending. It might also be part of why I like modern Harley becoming a sort-of hero (I haven’t read the comics much but apparently she’s been at least trying), even if she’s becoming a bit Deadpool-ish in the process.
I love this video analysis with special relatibility. Two-Face, Part 1 is -- and always will be -- top tier and one of my favorite episodes of BTAS of all time. It's the one medium that introduced me to Two-Face when I was but a kid, as well as a major factor that made BTAS my favorite series ever. I will never forget how I felt when I was offered the action figure from Kenner.
I agree with this though I do feel while not the same high as Part 1 Two-Face part 2 deserves a bit more love as we see a interesting bit of how Harvey and Big Bad Harv still cling to the past and an interesting look of post mental state: -the iconic coin is something that gives Two-Face a fair chance to decide as Harvey and Harv are now actively sharing a body instead of one side being in full control -while both are sharing a body there are moments where both sides decide on things; when driving by a wedding store after learning from Batman his love still worries for him he demands for the car to stop instead of flipping the coin, during the phone call we actively hear Harvey and Harv talking to her rather than only one side, we see a few time that which side is turn shows that is the side doing the talking but when Grace goes to the veil on his face we hear Harv as he turns to show Harvey as if that he rather not be looked at given how the last time went but allows the veil off upon seeing her genuinely caring for him as well and this last one is only speculator but the only time he flips his coin to Grace is when he's talking about his new outlook, yes we never see it but we can infer that he have two lines set up and was deciding if he should continue with this OR shift gears. -there are hints that they do want to be whole; them taking notice of the banner "Where the two sides become one", him revering to chance as "the great equalizer" shows that while he relies on it he views it as a unifying element rather than something to just judge/decide actions upon, now another speculation but while the coins tossed at him does make him fail his decision we can assume in that moment both sides realized what it was they were deciding but rather than admit another hot headed action decide that if the looked for their coin that would be the real reason they didn't didn't pull the trigger as there's nothing really stopping them from using any old coin compared to later though I could be looking too much into it but I do feel Part 2 does earn a little more love in the fanbase with Part 1 being the best way to introduce Two-Face
When i gave a chance to this series i was baffled at how fun it was, then i see heart of ice and i just couldn't stop thinking about that episode. Finally watching both parts of two-face i understood that i wasn't watching an overvalued series, i was watching a masterpiece, since then i have been religiously watching btas, new adventures, beyond and both justice league series.
I would love to say that I Got Batman In My Basement is my favourite, but its not, my Favourite is Heart of Ice, a sheer classic story wise. Robin's Reckoning Part 1 and 2 are also favourites of mine, Two-Face Part 1 is probably 4th if I was doing a top 5 or top 10, and Off Balance is my 5th surprisingly. I do have a soft spot for The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne as well, oh and if I were to pick any Penguin episode it would be Blind as a Bat not I've Got Batman in my Basement, but I'm sure there's loads of people out there that do love it. Feat of Clay 1 and 2 are solid episodes too, there's just so many good episodes. But my favourite will always be Heart of Ice.
Birds of a Feather is my favorite Penguin episode (and my third favorite episode of the series), though as a fan of both Batman Returns (and thus the Burton/Winston/DeVito design is my preferred Penguin look) AND Paul Williams' vocal take in this series, I do generally enjoy the other main Penguin episodes as upper-B tier - Basement included - and find them sadly underrated amongst other fans
4:32 I never noticed the symbolism on that statue. But then, I noticed the symbolism on the colors of the wall behind the statue. In its first shot, it’s shrouded on the blue side, which represents Harvey (note the picture of him), but when the close up of the statue’s face melting happens, it’s beginning to get shrouded in the yellow, representing Harvey losing control to Big Bad Harv.
It’s funny, as I was editing the video I realised I hadn’t made a big enough deal about the colours of the background throughout the episode - especially that scene. So thanks for sharing your observations 👍
@@SerumLake thanks. Weirdly enough, it can also be interpreted as vice versa (because of well the colors of Two Face’s……faces). Also, thanks for the observation on the statue.
I think my favorite episode is the one where we see Robin's backstory. It goes to show what motivated Batman to push Dick aside while also claiming it's all for Dick's sake.
i didint hate ive got batman in my basement. sometimes the worst episode of a good show still beats watching the best episode of a bad show. actually I find i dont enjoy alot of the poison ivy or cat woman episodes. They don't reach the levels of maniac fun Nor do they feel deeply troubled (in my eyes). You might think that I just dont like the female characters But Harley Quinn became one of my favorites (In the Animated Series) Because of her reform episode. I think I most enjoy watching the villains struggle with their sanity, constantly walking a tightrope, Getting so close to a normal life but not quite able to achieve it. Also this episode is definitely peak. my favorite episodes have to be this one in the first baby doll episode
Great video, but the day he punched a bully who is not his one birthday, that is not what pushed him into the darkness, he didn’t even introduce him to the reality of the world which is what the one bad day for these characters does, it’s The day he is blackmailed and has the accident, that is his one bad day. That pushed him over the edge. The difference between Harvey and most of the other villains is that he already had a darkness inside of him, building up, so The only reason why is it incredibly easy to push them over the edge is because he’s such a moral and just man.
Part 2 is kinda necessary even if it is weaker, Grace’s answer to Two Face’s nihilism is a response needed particularly for a story that will teach the young.
My favorite episode is a downer but I feel like it one of tje strongest Batman moments. Perchance to Dream. Not only do we get so see what Bruce wants out of life. His parents, a loving relationship, Gotham still protected by Batman. We get to Bruce happy. But this is a Batman story. Bruce is the mask that the ego. The tragedy and power of Batman is that he can't stop. He has to figure out whats happening. Batman rejects happiness for the mission, the crusade. He his Gothams dark knight, and not means he lives as an isolated protector so others may live and better himself. Batman is strong, smart, and skilled. But at the end of the day, Batman will forever be the little boy in an alley grieving his parents.
"What I learned from this is never bottle up your emotions. Also, don't meet with gangsters in chemical plants." One of these has much less broad applicability.
My top 6 favorite episodes (no particular order) 1. Laughing fish- while not the most dramatic and dark it is one of my favorite examples of how you can do a joker story. WAY too many writers just use joker as some sadistic serial killer who causes so much death & try to one up the last horrible thing he did, but he’s supposed to be the clown prince of crime not just some everyday slasher clown you see in the horror bin. This episode shows how you should do it, make the scheme ludicrous, and all just one big joke set up with the punchline being him hurting someone. 2. Two face- obvious reasons 3. If you’re so smart why aren’t you rich - a great take on the riddler, that has a lot of clever riddles and puzzles that don’t come off as childly simple and the ending is really gothic with the “how much would is a good nights sleep” 4. Mad love - another obvious choice for good reason 5. The man who killed Batman- I just really enjoy the squid and his misadventures 6. Beware the grey ghost - loving homage to the og Batman but also has a great story of a struggling actor coming to hate the very same character that made them famous but also ruining his future career
This was my first episode of BTAS. I had it on VHS & DVD, ironically with "I've got Batman in my Basement" also on the DVD, which I never watched. This 2 parter made Two-Face my all time favorite Batman character, even over the Joker and Batman himself on occasion. I always had a coin that I would flip around the house and lose 90% of the time after seeing these episodes. I yearn for the day a full length live action film is made around Two-Face because "Batman Forever" did NOT do the character justice, and "The Dark Knight"'s Harvey Dent is way overshadowed by the Joker. It's always interesting to me that the most interesting Two-Face stories tend to revolve around Harvey becoming Two-Face, and not him being Two-Face. There's other episodes of BTAS that do him justice, but I'd love if someone could point me in the direction of some really good Two-Face stories.
I’m being completely honest when I say: two Face part 1 and I’ve got Batman in my basement, are my two favorite episodes in the entire anime series, and it’s been that way since I first saw both of them. And to this day I think to face part one has the greatest voice acting mini animated media ever that scream at the end is just so chilling and direction
I love these videos so much. Thank you for taking the time to dive into what makes this show so fucking amazing. I agree, this has always been a contender for the top. That or feat of clay.
Thank you I’m glad you got something out of it. That this show has consumed my thoughts since 1992, and it’s nice to be able to talk about some of this stuff with people that feel similarly.
That episode has a lot in common with the film Angels With Dirty Faces. If you’ve never seen it I recommend watching it. It’s from 1938, so everyone looks like they belong in an episode of BTAS.
Heart of Ice Feat of Clay Two-Face Joker’s Favor Perchance to Dream My favorite depends on what I’m feeling at the time. I can’t pick one as a favorite so here’s my Top 5.
My favourite episode has always been Robin's Reckoning Part 1. Dick Grayson is my favourite comic book character of all time. What makes Nightwing special is that he is everything Batman couldn't be. Batman is definitely one of if not the greatest superhero in all of fiction but he is obsessed with the mission and has given up his life to be Batman but Nightwing didn't. Instead of lingering in the darkness Dick moved on and celebrated his parents' lives, he formed relationships, became a true leader and devoted his life to helping others out of the kindness of his heart. Dick Grayson is only human yet he is more heroic than most superheroes.
I don’t like to split part one from part two. They have to come as a set for me. For my money it has all of the emotional pain of losing Harvey that hits every bit as strong as heart of ice, stretched over a cinematic hour of drama. I think I’d chose as, perhaps not my favorite but most underrated episode ‘It’s never too late.’ Which, while a little preachy and heavy handed with its anti drug abuse message stands out with fantastic animation and a gripping mob meets family drama with all the flourishes of a film noir. Batman serves as something of a Ghost of Christmas present, whisking mob boss Arnold Stromwell from location to location to confront the pain his organization has caused. To the episodes’ credit this doesn’t work, and Stromwell actually double crosses Batman in an exciting twist. The episode is the top of that Gotham gangster feel with big guys in trench coats spraying Tommy guns into the night. The explosive sequence at the restaurant is still amazing to this day. One image that stuck with me from my childhood was that flashback of the train emerging from bellows of smoke, on its way to run over a kid. As a redemption story it reminds me of ‘angels with dirty faces’ where the ending isn’t happy, it’s about losing an entire life to change peoples’ lives for the better. There isn’t really a Batman episode like it and it seems like nobody ever talks about it. It’s nowhere near as colorful, upbeat or fun as a typical rogue’s gallery episode, but has a lot more cinematic ambition than most every episode. Truly underrated.
A fellow Two-Face enjoyer.... But my favorite moments with Two-Face is when the two sides argue with one another and settle the dispute over a coin toss...
Honestly, I don't know what would have been my favorite back in the day; I really, really loved the Joker and any episode with him in it were the best ones as an idiot 9/10 year old. Nowadyas I would probably say "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" and the follow-up one with the Riddler's virtual world are close to my heart as an avid gamer. Also, just getting to see the big bad Bat cut loose in an intellectual role and solve just damn weird puzzles tickles my funny bone like nothing else. I was a hopeless nerd growing up who didn't know who or what they were except they didn't like much about themselves, and now I think any time getting to see the compassionate side of Bats is gold. I also really love getting to see the more thought-provoking eps, as Ros al Ghul is my all-time favorite DC villain as I posted in SerumLake's excellent video essay on the very man himself. TL;DR: too many good episodes to pick between, and I'm one strange weirdo who's fine with that finally. ;)
I don’t agree that because I like On Leather Wings the best that it represents that i don’t like stories like heart of ice. I like it best because: 1) it was the debut. 2) it was a perfect intro into the series introduction of batman. Scientific, detective, sneaking around in the shadows. Both heart of ice and two face part 1 are in my top five. The first episode of any series should introduce the main characters and offer a straight foward story which is why OLW is so perfect. Two face part 1 is more about two face and to a lesser degree his relationship with bruce. Which is fine
My favorite episode is P.O.V. The one where Bullock, Montoya, and some one shot cop are grilled over a procedure gone wrong, and all three give their own spin as they tell their version of what happened that night.
What does Almost Got 'Im say? Really though, there is truly no such thing as a "bad" episode of B:TAS. The episodes that are comparatively lesser would to a one still be considered upper-tier in any other series.
Almost Got ‘Im says to me that you prefer more light hearted, maybe even humorous, episodes and that tragic backstories aren’t necessarily your thing. I do like seeing multiple villains interacting, it makes the world feel like more of a real place. I’ve described the worst episodes of BTAS as like being the world’s shortest Giant. Yes, you’re towered over by the other Giants, but you’re still taller than everyone else 😂
My favorite would probably be Showdown, an episode where Batman's only in the framing story lol. I dig westerns and Jonah Hex as a character. But other than that, I guess Catwalk (I always liked the unusual villain team up of The Ventriloquist and Cat Woman temporary as it might have been) and pretty much any episode with the Joker which maybe that's a bit predictable but Mark Hamill never gives a bad performance and he always stole the show.
Can always agree on "Showdown". Am a fan of historical flashback/time travel moments in the DCAU and other story arc animations, as especially noted in my preferential treatment for Justice League's "The Savage Time", which did so many things before the MCU's Captain America: The First Avenger (a favorite of mine, but it pales in comparison with the more darker and awesomer The Winter Soldier) and Wolfenstein: The New Order+The Old Blood (the less talked about The New Colossus onwards, the better for me) ever did.
I like to think that the blue skin was from some of the plastic they used to restore his face to that point, tinted blue by the chemicals his face was scarred by, hair bleached white and eye, irreversibly damaged, chemical burns giving his left side those distinct bumps, from skin having boiled. Before the surgery, I’m guessing it was red with burns, but after, it was blue.
My favorite episode was "House & Garden". I wonder what that says about me. Poison Ivy *is* committing crimes and holding an innocent man captive, but her sole motivation is her loneliness and desperation at being unable to conceive due to all the hormones constantly battling inside her body and her departure, covered in tears, as batman says he thinks he might never see her again... that was hit me like a brick when I was a kid.
I'm a fan of the episode "Baby-Doll" because I've known a few women who felt like they were in a similar situation. They were short and looked young, I'm talking 7th-9th grade looking. They looked as if puberty stopped halfway. This was a problem for them. Both of them had issues with places thinking they had fake IDs, that a lot of adult stuff seemed to be made with people taller than them in mind, but most importantly, to my knowledge, it effected their love lives. People didn't want to risk dating them because of how young they looked. After all, grown ups, what would you do if you saw an adult man or woman out in public, kissing someone who looked to be a minor? I'd reckon a lot of you would call the cops! Parts of their adult lives were handicapped because of how they looked to be way younger than they actually are. Baby Doll is that taken to the extreme, but is still possible. Baby Doll as a character finds it hard to be taken seriously not just because of her past, and poor acting skills with serious roles, but because of how she is physically. She was later atteacted to Killwr Croc because she saw someone like her, someone who's appearance seemed to change hos people saw him, although this was proven to be false he's just not a good person. Baby Doll will probably never find a romantic love interest because if she did then people would be her SO a pedophile purely because of her looks. You hate to see it because this is something that in the show can't be helped. The Joker and Teo-Face could go try to get help with therapy, Killer Croc can stop stealing, Mr. Freeze is now living in the Artic, but there's nothing they can do for Baby Doll.
10:00 ok so some things this review/episode got wrong: 1) the bully tormented Harvey so badly that Harvey couldn't remember beating him up. The bully got a serious hospital injury and was never seen again, which seems like the cause of his shame, not shame in standing up for himself. 2) Big bad harv wasn't evil at first. He was a persona created by Harvey's brain to defend the body. For a person with Harvey's condition, getting defensiveness and evil mixed up can likely be a huge push towards malicious intention. 3) The moment Sarah fainted was the moment that made Big Bad Harv start to question who the good guy is.
What makes you say this? The cause of Harvey’s personality split was the fact that he thought he had injured the bully after hitting him ONCE (hence that whole exchange between Candace and Thorne “that was some punch!”) - the bully had appendicitus, and was not injured. No one said Big Bad Harv was evil, only that he is the representation of Harvey’s anger, which was born from his (unnecessary) feelings of guilt. Again, they literally say this in the scene where Thorne reads from Harvey’s file. Her name is Grace, not Sarah. Really curious where you got this information, or if it’s perhaps your own take on what you think should’ve happened.
The only issue I have is Batman's reaction to seeing Harley fall is a very dull "Harvey nooo." Which only sticks out so much because of how good everything else is in the episode as well as Kevin usually delivering such a great performance.
not a favorite but i really liked i've got batman in my basement and wish the detective kid had made another appearance and had a cameo in beyond, like a detective agency named after him in the background.
When I first saw this episode I thought it was gonna be the origins of the joker. Cause it’s an obvious copy of Batman (1989)’s “give me a mirror” seen.
To be honest, I find "Big Bad Harv" to be way scarier than Two-Face. The way his face contorts into ghoulish grins and tenses into bestial scowls, to me, is a far more devilish visage than his 'cheap Halloween rubber mask' look. I think the colors are fine, with the white hair and bluish skin, it's like a photo negative; but I believe his "scarred" side would be better as permanently warped into a grotesque expression.
I have always liked "Almost Got 'I'm" One thing that has always annoyed me about this episode, is that two faces eye brow on is scared side of his face is never white again in other episodes.
Part 1? Now that one is a very expressive episode, one where the character models went a little off brand, but was all the better for it, visually (for the most part) This also tells me that you like Robin :)
I love what it does for Batman and Robin. I love how Batman stops pursuing Tony Zuko after he realizes Dick needs a father figure in his life. It sets up their dynamic in a healthy-er way. Bruce is helping Robin cope. As much as they do want the Greysons killer to Justice, Bruce doesn't get to consumed with vengeance, (and in part 2) it's really cool to see Batman and Robin have each other's backs. This episode made these the definitive versions of these characters in my mind.
Not THE BEST for me, but you know what, I can thank this episode, its second part, "It's Never Too Late", and so on (am following the production order, by the way) to be the very episodes that made a turning point on how one views B: TAS from "just a good cartoon" to "memorable gem for years to come".
0:47The episode “Ive Got Batman in my basement” from what i Can gleam from my very limeted veiwing of the footage here, and the thumbnail of a UA-cam video i havvent seen of it, was definetely meant to try to be relatable to kids! Its a very kid-centric episode, to try to relate to a younger audience, wich it was mostly tangeres at, after all! Tell me if my judgement is correct! And kid centrum dossent nesesarily mean kids liked it, just that it was meant to be an episode targeted towards Them!
I really wanted you to mention Joker's favour in your "best episodes", because to me its the best episode for what it does in deconstructing the almost godlike myth of batman and the joker, in the end Charles manages to terrify the joker and make batman laugh, he does what two mythological figures have tried to do for years, and who is he? "a miserable little nobody", it both shows that even super heroes and villains aren't as untouchable as some claim them to be and also shows the strength and power that can come from anyone. If that somehow isn't enough to convince people, then its also the first ever appearance of harley quinn.
@@SerumLake O thanks for that will have to check this one out!, I really like your content and learning all the background details I never knew, hope you enjoy it and keep it up!
I think Mask of the Phantasm has an unfair advantage over the episodes, in that it’s 70 minutes long, had a much bigger budget, and they could get away with more things without the TV censors. But, sure, if it’s your favourite then that’s fine 👍
Depends what I wanted to achieve. If it was to highlight the artistry, I’d go with On Leather Wings. If I wanted to highlight the writing, probably Heart of Ice. I’d love to get them to watch Two-Face or Feat of Clay, but the problem is that one episode is better than the other in both of those cases.
If it were me in terms of how Batman has to adapt to the increasing stakes and outlandishness of the world around him (and also to satisfy my kinks for overpowered magic, tech, magitek, and so on), there's "Time Out of Joint". Bonus if one pairs it with The Batman 2004's "Seconds".
RIP Richard Moll (January 13, 1943 - October 26, 2023), aged 80
You will be remembered as a legend.
There's a quote by Rupert Thorne in this episode that really sticks with you - "The brighter the picture, the darker the negative." God, this show had deep, amazing writing.
It's kinda become obsolete by now, but yes. I love that quote
@@dannyolortegui3776
I believe many photographers still use legit film and darkrooms.
I'm not a photographer myself, but I wouldn't be surprised, considering that many people draw and paint with real art mediums, despite digital technology.
10/10 quote
@@dannyolortegui3776
Why?
@raulbetancourt5795 most pictures are digital
That scream harvey made as he saw his disfigurement is such pure anguish!! Kudos to the VA
One thing this episode does so amazingly that I feel future appearances, including this episodes second part, we’re lacking is the constant battle and switching of personalities. After this epsiode big bad Harv seems to always be in control and Moll only really uses his gravely voice from then on. I get that they were trying to show that his bad side had completely taken over, but seeing the constant struggle between the two is the primary reason I find two face so compelling. I wish they did something like the Arkham series did, were he constantly changes voices and personalities and even talks with himself. Especially since Richard Moll has the definitive voices for both personalities for me.
I would love to see Harvey and Big Bad Harv wake up from blackouts and fugues in strange places and Harvey and Big Bad Harv become friends, like on the "Moon Knight" cable series.
I believe there is a Two-Face centric episode called “Second Chance” that comes close to showing the battle between the Harvey and Two Face personalities. But I agree it should have been explored more!
@Aidan Roffey The struggle is explored more in the BTAS comic books. Frankly I think the TAS comics are better than the show sometimes
@@zemox2534 I’m still upset they didn’t adapt the two part story of Harvey destroying what was left of his relationship with Grace. Hated that had no resolution in the show
I think it was more to symbolize that these personalities have now come together, he still has Harvey's control and temeprance with Harv's means
When you add the backstory of abuse from Harvey's dad as context to Two-Face part 1, it makes the episode more tragic: Harvey and his mum were cruelly abused by the father, and the years of abuse slowly took its toll on Harvey. The bully started picking on Harvey, and one day, young harvey snapped. When he struck the bully, all he could see was red. The anger that built up from the beatings from his dad finally came out, and for the first time in years, Harvey felt good. Until he learned the bully was in hospital. While he wasn't responsible for sending the bully to hospital, he still felt terrible. In one moment of anger, Harvey became his father. Making a vow to never show anger, he bottled up his rage, and that sadly led to the creation of Big Bad Harv. As for the coin, he got it from his dad. His father would use it as part of a sick game, where if it landed on heads, Harvey would get beaten. As a sick joke, His dad gave it to him, as a "good luck charm". Why didn't Harvey get rid of it? Partly because he was still scared of his dad, but I think it is because the dark side of himself liked the coin and what it represented.
In a sad way, Harvey became just like his dad and lost everything.
I don't remember Harvey being abused by his dad but it makes his dissociative identity disorder more plausible.
@@darlalathan6143 It was in the comics but they couldn't reference child abuse in TAS so they switched to repressed anger.
and don't forget the fact that it was a trick coin. both sides were heads, so that would always guarantee a beating.
Batman's reaction to seeing Harvey's face is one of the best line read Kevin did.
Nothing long, no speech.
Just a gutted response to seeing how disfigured his friend has become due to not being able to reach him in time.
It’s hard to chose, but I think my favorite episodes are Harlequinade and Robin’s Reckoning.
Robin’s Reckoning is the first time we look at how Bruce navigates being a father figure, and how his own trauma causes tension with his loved ones. Bruce’s fraught relationship with the Batfamily is the DCAU’s longest running story arc, and this is the first time we focus heavily on it.
The scene where Bruce unconvincingly tries to convince young Dick Grayson that he’ll be alright someday following his parents’ death really moves me. Dick starts crying, seemingly aware of the fact that Bruce doesn’t really believe what he’s saying, but they embrace anyways.
Harlequinade on the other hand is just the most entertaining episode. I laugh the whole time every time I rewatch it. Paul Dini’s more comedic episodes remain an underrated element of BTAS.
Robin's Reckoning is my favorite, too. Dick is the perfect foil to his adopted father, making their connection a gold mine of potential, which was executed well.
If you look closely when Harvey gets mad his left eye gits bigger for a second. This is one of the best episodes for sure.
Two face truly is one of if not the saddest villain. A man who wanted to do good so good that he suppressed any part of him he considered “Toxic” As someone with DID this perfectly explained my childhood and what it’s like to feel so guilty and ashamed you have to leave your own body and make up someone who can handle those problems. The first time I ever dissociated I was 5 and I just left my body. I could see myself standing there crying and crying. No one came to save me. Not the teacher, not the receptionist, not my mum. I had to save me. So I left
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Definitely the greatest episode of the first season: dialogues superbly written, brilliant voice acting and flawless animation.
Great breakdown. You nailed what makes Part 1 so phenomenal, and why it's one of my favorites from BTAS. Another element I enjoyed was Richard Moll's voice work as he switched between Harvey and Big Bad Harv. And his scream towards the end perfectly captured the emotion and gravity of the moment.
Richard Moll is the best. He does such a great job in this episode
Funny enough i never watched batman the animated series but i have a strong memory of the two face episode in particular. I know that because the episode helped develop 2 core lessons that i still use today
1. Never bottle up an emotion to the point it risks becoming a problem
2. Never act based on a single emotion
I remember loving this episode. I first saw it via a blockbuster DVD, that had 3 Batman TAS episodes on it, "Two Face Part 1", "Two Face Part 2", & "I've Got Batman in My Basement". No I am not joking on that last one, a weird combination to say the least. Regardless for a while this would place Two Face as my favorite Batman villain, and even now he still ranks fairly high for me.
If you think about it, that DVD has two sides of the coin - the absolute best in Two-Face part 1, and the absolute worst in I’ve Got Batman In My Basement. What better way to highlight the brilliance of Two Face than to juxtapose with that awful episode 😂
@@SerumLake What made that feeling even more sour is that Batman in my Basement played right after the Two Face 2 parter, making the dip in quality that much more noticeable.
@@SerumLake my favorite was always Baby doll, I don't know maybe I'm sympathizing with people who struggle with circumstances beyond their control or that they had no say in the matter, maybe it just saddens me to see characters try and get their life together and fail miserably at it like the villain of said episode tried to.
1 whos your favorite villan now and 2 whys isnt it two face anymore
@@frenchtheguy My favorite DC Villain is Death Stoke/Slade Wilson. I like the fact that he isn't really strictly a villain towards any one hero, rather be has a lot of versatility as a character being an opponent for any hero the story makes him oppose. I like Death Stroke's design and powers, along with being a character who isn't pure evil but can still perform nefarious schemes if the cards are on the table.
Two face is no longer my favorite DC Villain because well; while I really like the character's origin stories, tragedy, and theme, as antagonist he doesn't really stack up to other villains. Two face is just kind of a guy. Two Face's best asset as a threat is that he's smart, however that doesn't really stand out all too much when most of Batman's rogues gallery are intelligent on some level. I love how adaptations of Harvey Dent's story have given Bruce & Harvey a friendship adding a personal tragedy to the conflict between Batman & Two face, however the above factors I mentioned sort of diminish him a bit.
Also I will completely admit I like keeping him at number 2 because it's poetic.
Richard Moll had no need to go that hard on that scream, but he did and we love him for it
Heart of Ice fan. It captured everything that defined BTAS and Batman himself for me. Tragic villain, Batman's empathy for his enemies, his detective and investigation skills, no look backhand to a henchman, great animation, and a perfectly choreographed amateur video journal with multiple angles that I can only imagine was edited by an intern under Boyle that had a taste for theatre. All the essential beats of every great Batman story
7:36 - 8:10/ Thanks for pointing out that great visual attention to detail! The lack of anger red flooding the room, the sudden calm followed by a damn near Joker grin. Makes you wonder, had it not been for the chemical blast... would Harvey had been even scarier as Big Bad Harv?
Yeah, I think by this point Big Bad Harv had taken over and become the dominant personality. Two-Face seems calm and measured in comparison to Big Bad Harv!!
The reason why this episode really sticks with me is because I also have a mental disorder and been through extremely dark moments in my life. I once had a serious mental breakdown and ended up in a mental hospital. I have recovered since then, but the fear and trauma of the situation still sticks with me. Back in the past, I didn't care much about how I handled my anger. I often got into arguments with people. Nowadays I try to keep my emotions under control. I don't get angry that often, but whenever I do, I try my best not to shout or get into fights. Also, Harvey's sickening scream at the end of the episode reminds me of the immense misery I felt while in the hospital.
My ex said that I've got Batman in My Basement was his favorite episode. He is lazy, narcissistic, psychotic, manipulative, and he enjoys mind games. I figured it would be helpful to describe what a man who actually thinks that's their favorite episode is like. I think he saw himself in the children, as he inexplicably thought he was an underdog and a heroic person. In reality he was a person so lazy that he used his under two year old child not paying perfect attention to a story as an excuse to never read a story again. So if someone really likes that story, be wary of gaslighting, love bombing, acting better than they are, and in general self importance. They are the type of person who honestly thinks a child not seeking adult assistance for an unconscious man is heroic and not idiotic. I totally agree with your assessment that they need to join Arkham because they don't perceive reality correctly.
I hope this isn't true, but I've lived long enough on this hellscape to know its plausible
@@Krejii05 sadly it is, but I definitely got a bigger laugh out of the joke for that reason. At least things are stable now, he has his life including his fantasy of saying he technically has a family. I haven't seen or spoken to him in two and a half years. Any communication is done through my parents or his mother if he's being particularly stubborn. He sees our daughter once a week for a couple hours under the supervision of at least my dad. He actually does pretty well with that level of "responsibility". My daughter knows full well he is untrustworthy and only goes to play video games and eat a meal. She makes biting remarks about him sometimes, but the minimal interaction is helpful to her. We tried twice a week, but she reacted badly to that much time with him. He does financially support us, even if he has to get nagged about it sometimes. I'm so glad that our daughter isn't fooled by him, and she knows that she doesn't have to see him. He isn't likely to demand to see her anyway. She had been doing pretty badly before we separated, suffering from severe depression and an eating disorder even though she was only 6.
Still, I really did laugh loudly at the joke, then rushed over to tell it to my parents who also laughed. My daughter caught the joke and thought it was funny too. Sometimes it's important to remember the bad times because joy can be found through laughing at the past. Even if it's something as silly as an ex loving I've Got Batman in My Basement when we all know that the Two Face, Heart of Steel, Joker, and Harley episodes are much better.
My favourite episode was the Cape and cowel conspiracy and the forgotten in second place with the bronze medal coming in place vendetta.
I love how they never included "Part I" in the titles. Cliffhangers were always a surprise.
If I had to choose any of the episodes to call my absolute favorite, it would almost certainly have to be "Lock-Up". Not only does the Scarecrow make an appearance, but the political commentary being way ahead of its time is just fantastic and handled with so much skill and respect. Not only that, but there's a touch of brilliant symbolism that I can't help but wonder if anyone else caught.
Jokers Favor is my favorite never got to watch them all as a kid and this one really stuck in my mind and bc the joker
This is definitely one of the best. The "mirror" scene is a direct lift from the Burton movie, but it doesn't feel lazy- they made it work.
After watching this video and watching Dirty Harry clicks on UA-cam shorts recently, I really wish DC Collectibles had made a Rupert Thorne figure, and possibly a Harvey Dent pre-Two Face figure. My favorite will always be Heart of Ice, and I never thought about title referring to Ferris Boyle until your video mentioned it, realizing that was correct.
I would give McFarlane toys all of my money if they released a multipack with Harvey Dent, Rupert Thorne, Candice, and Two-Face in his medical gown (complete with the shocked expression from when Grace sees him for the first time)
This is going to be fun; I'll edit this comment when the video premieres with my thoughts/feelings :)
EDIT: It's a lovely breakdown of what makes this episode so fantastic. I especially appreciate your points on how Harvey's fall from Grace (always appreciate a double-meaning in a Two-Face video ;) ) is a slow progressions. Well done, sir!
Thank you! It’s nice when people notice the word play and little visual cues I edit in
I rewatch Mad as a Hatter several times.
Jervis The Mad Hatter has every opportunity to do right, but decides to make believe instead. I love that the episode is basically an urban version of Alice in Wonderland, and you do sympathize with Jarvis to a degree (having a mean boss, dealing with rejection, or I guess having a high paying job that no one notices).
I also like the love story between Alice and Billy.
I see that as not being Appreciated. Jervis is clearly Brilliant but no one appreciates him
These are my favorite episodes too. I know a lot of people who love Heart of Ice, and it’s well deserved, that episode, as you pointed out did win an Emmy. But these episodes are superior for me. We knew Harvey Dent before hand. We knew he was a good man, a good politician (and we know how rare those are) and we knew he was Bruce’s best friend. To see the guilt Bruce struggled with at having failed to rescue Harvey, and how in his mind, it linked to the fate of his parents, was genuinely heartbreaking.
As for I’ve got Batman in my Basement, I’m not gonna lie, I do have nostalgic feelings for that episode because my sister and I had one of those Sound Book Stories where you read the book, and throughout the pages, there were icons that indicates what button you should press on the side panel. The story was a little different, I remember Catwoman being involved in addition to Penguin. But I definitely remember Sherman, because whenever you pressed his button, it was the kid saying “let’s go!“
I also think it's a nice touch that Harvey flips the coin with his right hand (the Harvey side) and is caught with his left hand (the two-face side).
My absolute favorite episode aswell, and what a great rundown of why it is so great indeed.
Despite my previous lobbying for _Fish,_ I agree with you on this one. Yes, the other two you mentioned are high on the list. (Strangely, I didn't love _On Leather Wings_ as a kid, but I absolutely adore it now.)
The thing about _Two-Face I_ is that it is both incredibly adult in its psychology, but with a special something to say to very young children. Children understandably feel all sorts of anger at not being in control of their own lives. But little boys especially are surrounded by tropes that mix depictions of violence with the idea of being strong enough to be safe. Strength to keep one's self safe, and to keep others safe as well. Violence as the final means of maintaining justice in the world.
Yes, _super heroes,_ I'm looking at you. Of course, these tropes perpetuate because traditional societies need conscripts for armies to defend them. And sadly, we are no closer to a world in which we no longer need armies.
If we're lucky, children with violent impulses get the opportunity to be marked - but not traumatized - by understanding the real-life consequences of our violent actions. Perhaps we lose a friend. Perhaps we disappoint a parent whose approval we want. Perhaps we're held back a year.
But Harv is a worst case. He was genuinely traumatized. And the visceral fear that only violence can guarantee justice became a daily struggle for him.
His is a cautionary tale: In childhood, there are some choices we can make - lessons we can learn - for which we'll never get a second chance.
One of the problems with _Two-Face II_ - and with all of his subsequent appearances - is that there was nowhere meaningful for his story arc to go... Until Frank Miller's grim finale, where the repaired two halves finally match. But as a villain-of-the-week who fetishizes twos, there's very little that's compelling about him.
That is, except a kind of merciless lucidity about the hollow unjustness of society. Which was also expressed so well by the jaded, disfigured Miss Evangelista in the Doctor Who episode _Silence in the Library:_
_I have the two qualities you require to see absolute truth: I am both brilliant and unlovable._
In Harv's case, the apogee of his work-a-day villainy came in that most unlikely of places... Schumacher's halfway-dreadful film, _Batman Forever._ In its opening moments, there is a glinting instant of monologue brilliance:
_One man is born a hero, his brother a coward... Babies starve, politicians grow fat, holy men are martyred, and junkies grow legion... Why...? LUCK! Blind, stupid, simple, doo-dah, clueless LUCK!_
The coin is Harvey's fugue. He's tried imposing his will on the world, and it hasn't worked. It has left him cruelly and ironically disfigured. And all the while, lesser men have thrived, had brilliant careers, happy personal lives, glorious in their mundanity. He is through with all that. Fate has had its way with him. And now, he will see it has its brutal way with everyone else too.
This is the most complete comment I have ever received. Thank you for sharing your insights.
My favourite was always See No Evil. I think the animation of Bats fighting 'Mojo' was really impressive in places, especially with the rain cascading off the invisibility suit. But what I really loved was how Batman was so monumentally pissed at Ventrix targeting a child that he wasn't trying to be theatrical or dramatic, and didn't spend any time trying to empathize with the guy, he was just angry and clearly disgusted. It showed the 'real' Bruce, behind both the Batman persona and the face he showed the public. It was very much about human evil, which I found far scarier than say The Joker or Mad Hatter.
You don’t often hear that episode coming out on top, but I get why you like it. Apparently Tom Ruegger, producer at Warner Bros, was really creeped out by the whole episode and thought it should’ve been cancelled. It’s lucky he didn’t get his way!
Helps that the episode may have inspired Leigh Whannell into making The Invisible Man 2020, which, amusingly, has Kimmy Ventrix's voice actress, Elisabeth Moss herself, become the main protagonist there.
I've owned the two parter on a VHS since I was a kid and it has always been my favorite.
This has been my favorite episode for decades, and it's always bothered me to some extent that, while it often pops up on top 10 lists of best episodes of BTAS, it's seldom in the top 3 or even top 5. Don't get me wrong, Heart of Ice is fantastic, iconic, pivotal and important, Over the Edge is an amazing "what if" story in the series, and Almost Got 'Im is just plain fun, but Two-Face part 1, I'd argue, is one of the bleakest, saddest and most heartbreaking episodes in BTAS.
More than an adult crime drama, it deals with so many mature themes that, even as a kid, I related to. First of all, what "children's show" dealt with the subject of mental illness/disorder in any significant, non-comedic way, where the person afflicted with said illness/disorder, whilst being--or rather, becoming--a villain, wasn't just some over-the-top crackpot, cookie-cutter cartoon villain, back in the day? This episode centered around deep, complex, honest and realistic emotions in a way that many "grown-up" films to this day, don't do as well. It didn't portray mental illness as something dark, dirty, disgraceful or shameful (despite the fact that, Rupert Thorne banked on the stigma that revealing Harvey's file to the public, would shatter public trust and faith in him, which it would, naturally), but instead, it portrays it as being something deserving of understanding and compassion. It is portrayed as something that effects us all. And, above all, it illustrates how having a good, strong support group of friends and loved ones can greatly relieve the burdens one carries, resulting from mental illness.
Secondly, it explores darker themes such as blackmail, which, in this story, ties directly into the topic of mental illness, as it illustrates that the person suffering from mental illness is the victim, not of his illness, but of the will of someone who is more-or-less quite mentally sound. The villain is the sane person; the victim is the mentally ill person. But, getting back into blackmail, whilst many children's shows dealt with blackmail in some form or another, it was seldom about destroying a person's life or prospects, but rather something banal like ruining someone's popularity, for example, and the information often used for such is usually something altogether silly or stupid like a photo of someone's bad haircut or an ugly childhood photo.
Another thing this story explores so beautifully is the theme of loss. Harvey loses control of himself and his emotions. Harvey lost his case due to a technicality. Harvey loses his life in the sense that he is no longer the district attorney, he is no longer a groom-to-be, he is no longer handsome, he loses his battle with his sanity. Zooming out a bit, Gotham loses its champion of law and order. Further still, Bruce Wayne loses his dearest friend. Batman loses a true ally; one of his first. Grace loses her lover, and so on. It is truly one of the darkest and most intellectually challenging episodes in the series and in children's programming. It does everything right and it truly deserves far more recognition than it has ever received.
I haven’t seen everything in the series, but besides the obvious picks I think I’d put Harley’s Holiday near my top spot. I like the idea of Harley turning herself around and trying to be normal, the comedy is well done, and I like the hopeful ending.
It might also be part of why I like modern Harley becoming a sort-of hero (I haven’t read the comics much but apparently she’s been at least trying), even if she’s becoming a bit Deadpool-ish in the process.
Werewolf that puppet gangster clay face and two face where my favorite episodes
I love this video analysis with special relatibility. Two-Face, Part 1 is -- and always will be -- top tier and one of my favorite episodes of BTAS of all time. It's the one medium that introduced me to Two-Face when I was but a kid, as well as a major factor that made BTAS my favorite series ever. I will never forget how I felt when I was offered the action figure from Kenner.
RIP Richard Moll
7:36 When I first watched this episode, my reaction at this point was, "...ah, crap.".
I agree with this though I do feel while not the same high as Part 1 Two-Face part 2 deserves a bit more love as we see a interesting bit of how Harvey and Big Bad Harv still cling to the past and an interesting look of post mental state:
-the iconic coin is something that gives Two-Face a fair chance to decide as Harvey and Harv are now actively sharing a body instead of one side being in full control
-while both are sharing a body there are moments where both sides decide on things; when driving by a wedding store after learning from Batman his love still worries for him he demands for the car to stop instead of flipping the coin, during the phone call we actively hear Harvey and Harv talking to her rather than only one side, we see a few time that which side is turn shows that is the side doing the talking but when Grace goes to the veil on his face we hear Harv as he turns to show Harvey as if that he rather not be looked at given how the last time went but allows the veil off upon seeing her genuinely caring for him as well and this last one is only speculator but the only time he flips his coin to Grace is when he's talking about his new outlook, yes we never see it but we can infer that he have two lines set up and was deciding if he should continue with this OR shift gears.
-there are hints that they do want to be whole; them taking notice of the banner "Where the two sides become one", him revering to chance as "the great equalizer" shows that while he relies on it he views it as a unifying element rather than something to just judge/decide actions upon, now another speculation but while the coins tossed at him does make him fail his decision we can assume in that moment both sides realized what it was they were deciding but rather than admit another hot headed action decide that if the looked for their coin that would be the real reason they didn't didn't pull the trigger as there's nothing really stopping them from using any old coin compared to later
though I could be looking too much into it but I do feel Part 2 does earn a little more love in the fanbase with Part 1 being the best way to introduce Two-Face
Thank you. I found your channel just yesterday. I subscribed for my childhood memories. Batman TAS was amazing.
Welcome aboard! Hope you enjoy the upcoming videos
Hahaha your profile pic got me hard
When i gave a chance to this series i was baffled at how fun it was, then i see heart of ice and i just couldn't stop thinking about that episode. Finally watching both parts of two-face i understood that i wasn't watching an overvalued series, i was watching a masterpiece, since then i have been religiously watching btas, new adventures, beyond and both justice league series.
I would love to say that I Got Batman In My Basement is my favourite, but its not, my Favourite is Heart of Ice, a sheer classic story wise. Robin's Reckoning Part 1 and 2 are also favourites of mine, Two-Face Part 1 is probably 4th if I was doing a top 5 or top 10, and Off Balance is my 5th surprisingly. I do have a soft spot for The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne as well, oh and if I were to pick any Penguin episode it would be Blind as a Bat not I've Got Batman in my Basement, but I'm sure there's loads of people out there that do love it. Feat of Clay 1 and 2 are solid episodes too, there's just so many good episodes. But my favourite will always be Heart of Ice.
That’s a solid list.
Birds of a Feather is my favorite Penguin episode (and my third favorite episode of the series), though as a fan of both Batman Returns (and thus the Burton/Winston/DeVito design is my preferred Penguin look) AND Paul Williams' vocal take in this series, I do generally enjoy the other main Penguin episodes as upper-B tier - Basement included - and find them sadly underrated amongst other fans
4:32 I never noticed the symbolism on that statue. But then, I noticed the symbolism on the colors of the wall behind the statue. In its first shot, it’s shrouded on the blue side, which represents Harvey (note the picture of him), but when the close up of the statue’s face melting happens, it’s beginning to get shrouded in the yellow, representing Harvey losing control to Big Bad Harv.
It’s funny, as I was editing the video I realised I hadn’t made a big enough deal about the colours of the background throughout the episode - especially that scene. So thanks for sharing your observations 👍
@@SerumLake thanks. Weirdly enough, it can also be interpreted as vice versa (because of well the colors of Two Face’s……faces). Also, thanks for the observation on the statue.
I think my favorite episode is the one where we see Robin's backstory. It goes to show what motivated Batman to push Dick aside while also claiming it's all for Dick's sake.
This was my favorite episode growing up.
i didint hate ive got batman in my basement. sometimes the worst episode of a good show still beats watching the best episode of a bad show.
actually I find i dont enjoy alot of the poison ivy or cat woman episodes. They don't reach the levels of maniac fun Nor do they feel deeply troubled (in my eyes).
You might think that I just dont like the female characters But Harley Quinn became one of my favorites (In the Animated Series) Because of her reform episode.
I think I most enjoy watching the villains struggle with their sanity, constantly walking a tightrope, Getting so close to a normal life but not quite able to achieve it.
Also this episode is definitely peak. my favorite episodes have to be this one in the first baby doll episode
Great video, but the day he punched a bully who is not his one birthday, that is not what pushed him into the darkness, he didn’t even introduce him to the reality of the world which is what the one bad day for these characters does, it’s The day he is blackmailed and has the accident, that is his one bad day. That pushed him over the edge. The difference between Harvey and most of the other villains is that he already had a darkness inside of him, building up, so The only reason why is it incredibly easy to push them over the edge is because he’s such a moral and just man.
Part 2 is kinda necessary even if it is weaker, Grace’s answer to Two Face’s nihilism is a response needed particularly for a story that will teach the young.
My favorite episode is a downer but I feel like it one of tje strongest Batman moments. Perchance to Dream.
Not only do we get so see what Bruce wants out of life. His parents, a loving relationship, Gotham still protected by Batman. We get to Bruce happy.
But this is a Batman story. Bruce is the mask that the ego. The tragedy and power of Batman is that he can't stop. He has to figure out whats happening. Batman rejects happiness for the mission, the crusade. He his Gothams dark knight, and not means he lives as an isolated protector so others may live and better himself.
Batman is strong, smart, and skilled. But at the end of the day, Batman will forever be the little boy in an alley grieving his parents.
You’re in good company, it was Kevin Conroy’s favourite episode as well.
I also love the hinting of the future with Harvey beign a fan of coin flipping before beign two face
"What I learned from this is never bottle up your emotions. Also, don't meet with gangsters in chemical plants."
One of these has much less broad applicability.
And yet I still have both side of my face, fully intact.
@@SerumLake This is true.
My top 6 favorite episodes (no particular order)
1. Laughing fish- while not the most dramatic and dark it is one of my favorite examples of how you can do a joker story. WAY too many writers just use joker as some sadistic serial killer who causes so much death & try to one up the last horrible thing he did, but he’s supposed to be the clown prince of crime not just some everyday slasher clown you see in the horror bin. This episode shows how you should do it, make the scheme ludicrous, and all just one big joke set up with the punchline being him hurting someone.
2. Two face- obvious reasons
3. If you’re so smart why aren’t you rich - a great take on the riddler, that has a lot of clever riddles and puzzles that don’t come off as childly simple and the ending is really gothic with the “how much would is a good nights sleep”
4. Mad love - another obvious choice for good reason
5. The man who killed Batman- I just really enjoy the squid and his misadventures
6. Beware the grey ghost - loving homage to the og Batman but also has a great story of a struggling actor coming to hate the very same character that made them famous but also ruining his future career
Solid choices!
Almost got him, Mad love, Heart of ice.
This was my first episode of BTAS. I had it on VHS & DVD, ironically with "I've got Batman in my Basement" also on the DVD, which I never watched. This 2 parter made Two-Face my all time favorite Batman character, even over the Joker and Batman himself on occasion. I always had a coin that I would flip around the house and lose 90% of the time after seeing these episodes. I yearn for the day a full length live action film is made around Two-Face because "Batman Forever" did NOT do the character justice, and "The Dark Knight"'s Harvey Dent is way overshadowed by the Joker.
It's always interesting to me that the most interesting Two-Face stories tend to revolve around Harvey becoming Two-Face, and not him being Two-Face. There's other episodes of BTAS that do him justice, but I'd love if someone could point me in the direction of some really good Two-Face stories.
The long Halloween is a good one, but that’s also about him becoming two face
This channel deserves more likes and subscribes
That’s kind of you to say, thank you.
My favorite Btas episode is Mean Seasons. I remember watching it with my dad and us both being genuinely sorry for Paige Monroe.
I think the Blue actually represents Big bad Harv merging with Harvey Dent. How instead of that strong contrast, The lines have blurred.
That's a neat observation. Thanks for sharing it!
I love this episode . Hard to call it my fav. Richard moll was a great joice for the voice actor. It truly was above all other cartoons in everyway
I’m being completely honest when I say: two Face part 1 and I’ve got Batman in my basement, are my two favorite episodes in the entire anime series, and it’s been that way since I first saw both of them. And to this day I think to face part one has the greatest voice acting mini animated media ever that scream at the end is just so chilling and direction
Gut-wrenching
My favorite episode? Man, that's a tough question. The episode where Joker stalks a normal fellow is the first one that comes to mind
Joker’s Favor, that’s probably my favourite Joker episode. It is dark, menacing, and a little bit funny.
I'd have to watch the whole series again to be sure, but the one that always comes to mind for me first is Baby Doll.
I love these videos so much. Thank you for taking the time to dive into what makes this show so fucking amazing. I agree, this has always been a contender for the top. That or feat of clay.
Notable line from this episode that’s burned in my memory; the brighter the picture, the darker the negative.
Thank you I’m glad you got something out of it. That this show has consumed my thoughts since 1992, and it’s nice to be able to talk about some of this stuff with people that feel similarly.
I remember this fondly but do you know what is a underrated Batman TAS episode it’s never too late
That episode has a lot in common with the film Angels With Dirty Faces. If you’ve never seen it I recommend watching it. It’s from 1938, so everyone looks like they belong in an episode of BTAS.
@@SerumLake well that episode I could actually relate to
Heart of Ice
Feat of Clay
Two-Face
Joker’s Favor
Perchance to Dream
My favorite depends on what I’m feeling at the time. I can’t pick one as a favorite so here’s my Top 5.
Very similar to my top 5 👍
@@SerumLake Something I noticed when I was typing it out is that each of my Top 5 have a different villain. This was/is an amazing show!
My favourite episode has always been Robin's Reckoning Part 1. Dick Grayson is my favourite comic book character of all time. What makes Nightwing special is that he is everything Batman couldn't be. Batman is definitely one of if not the greatest superhero in all of fiction but he is obsessed with the mission and has given up his life to be Batman but Nightwing didn't. Instead of lingering in the darkness Dick moved on and celebrated his parents' lives, he formed relationships, became a true leader and devoted his life to helping others out of the kindness of his heart. Dick Grayson is only human yet he is more heroic than most superheroes.
Strangely, I used to be kind of scared of the episode when the giant AI thing that was creating T-800s 😅
I don’t like to split part one from part two. They have to come as a set for me. For my money it has all of the emotional pain of losing Harvey that hits every bit as strong as heart of ice, stretched over a cinematic hour of drama.
I think I’d chose as, perhaps not my favorite but most underrated episode ‘It’s never too late.’ Which, while a little preachy and heavy handed with its anti drug abuse message stands out with fantastic animation and a gripping mob meets family drama with all the flourishes of a film noir. Batman serves as something of a Ghost of Christmas present, whisking mob boss Arnold Stromwell from location to location to confront the pain his organization has caused. To the episodes’ credit this doesn’t work, and Stromwell actually double crosses Batman in an exciting twist. The episode is the top of that Gotham gangster feel with big guys in trench coats spraying Tommy guns into the night. The explosive sequence at the restaurant is still amazing to this day. One image that stuck with me from my childhood was that flashback of the train emerging from bellows of smoke, on its way to run over a kid. As a redemption story it reminds me of ‘angels with dirty faces’ where the ending isn’t happy, it’s about losing an entire life to change peoples’ lives for the better. There isn’t really a Batman episode like it and it seems like nobody ever talks about it. It’s nowhere near as colorful, upbeat or fun as a typical rogue’s gallery episode, but has a lot more cinematic ambition than most every episode. Truly underrated.
Excellent
A fellow Two-Face enjoyer....
But my favorite moments with Two-Face is when the two sides argue with one another and settle the dispute over a coin toss...
Honestly, I don't know what would have been my favorite back in the day; I really, really loved the Joker and any episode with him in it were the best ones as an idiot 9/10 year old. Nowadyas I would probably say "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" and the follow-up one with the Riddler's virtual world are close to my heart as an avid gamer. Also, just getting to see the big bad Bat cut loose in an intellectual role and solve just damn weird puzzles tickles my funny bone like nothing else. I was a hopeless nerd growing up who didn't know who or what they were except they didn't like much about themselves, and now I think any time getting to see the compassionate side of Bats is gold. I also really love getting to see the more thought-provoking eps, as Ros al Ghul is my all-time favorite DC villain as I posted in SerumLake's excellent video essay on the very man himself. TL;DR: too many good episodes to pick between, and I'm one strange weirdo who's fine with that finally. ;)
I don’t agree that because I like On Leather Wings the best that it represents that i don’t like stories like heart of ice. I like it best because:
1) it was the debut.
2) it was a perfect intro into the series introduction of batman. Scientific, detective, sneaking around in the shadows.
Both heart of ice and two face part 1 are in my top five.
The first episode of any series should introduce the main characters and offer a straight foward story which is why OLW is so perfect. Two face part 1 is more about two face and to a lesser degree his relationship with bruce. Which is fine
My favorite episode is P.O.V. The one where Bullock, Montoya, and some one shot cop are grilled over a procedure gone wrong, and all three give their own spin as they tell their version of what happened that night.
What does Almost Got 'Im say?
Really though, there is truly no such thing as a "bad" episode of B:TAS. The episodes that are comparatively lesser would to a one still be considered upper-tier in any other series.
Almost Got ‘Im says to me that you prefer more light hearted, maybe even humorous, episodes and that tragic backstories aren’t necessarily your thing. I do like seeing multiple villains interacting, it makes the world feel like more of a real place.
I’ve described the worst episodes of
BTAS as like being the world’s shortest Giant. Yes, you’re towered over by the other Giants, but you’re still taller than everyone else 😂
My favorite would probably be Showdown, an episode where Batman's only in the framing story lol. I dig westerns and Jonah Hex as a character. But other than that, I guess Catwalk (I always liked the unusual villain team up of The Ventriloquist and Cat Woman temporary as it might have been) and pretty much any episode with the Joker which maybe that's a bit predictable but Mark Hamill never gives a bad performance and he always stole the show.
Showdown is excellent, it’s so unique, and I love Jonah Hex.
Can always agree on "Showdown". Am a fan of historical flashback/time travel moments in the DCAU and other story arc animations, as especially noted in my preferential treatment for Justice League's "The Savage Time", which did so many things before the MCU's Captain America: The First Avenger (a favorite of mine, but it pales in comparison with the more darker and awesomer The Winter Soldier) and Wolfenstein: The New Order+The Old Blood (the less talked about The New Colossus onwards, the better for me) ever did.
I like to think that the blue skin was from some of the plastic they used to restore his face to that point, tinted blue by the chemicals his face was scarred by, hair bleached white and eye, irreversibly damaged, chemical burns giving his left side those distinct bumps, from skin having boiled. Before the surgery, I’m guessing it was red with burns, but after, it was blue.
'You're talking to the wrong Harvey.'
One of my favorite episodes is the one with Batman trying to rehabilitate the crime boss StromWell
My favorite episode was "House & Garden". I wonder what that says about me.
Poison Ivy *is* committing crimes and holding an innocent man captive, but her sole motivation is her loneliness and desperation at being unable to conceive due to all the hormones constantly battling inside her body and her departure, covered in tears, as batman says he thinks he might never see her again... that was hit me like a brick when I was a kid.
I'm a fan of the episode "Baby-Doll" because I've known a few women who felt like they were in a similar situation. They were short and looked young, I'm talking 7th-9th grade looking. They looked as if puberty stopped halfway. This was a problem for them. Both of them had issues with places thinking they had fake IDs, that a lot of adult stuff seemed to be made with people taller than them in mind, but most importantly, to my knowledge, it effected their love lives.
People didn't want to risk dating them because of how young they looked. After all, grown ups, what would you do if you saw an adult man or woman out in public, kissing someone who looked to be a minor? I'd reckon a lot of you would call the cops! Parts of their adult lives were handicapped because of how they looked to be way younger than they actually are.
Baby Doll is that taken to the extreme, but is still possible. Baby Doll as a character finds it hard to be taken seriously not just because of her past, and poor acting skills with serious roles, but because of how she is physically. She was later atteacted to Killwr Croc because she saw someone like her, someone who's appearance seemed to change hos people saw him, although this was proven to be false he's just not a good person. Baby Doll will probably never find a romantic love interest because if she did then people would be her SO a pedophile purely because of her looks. You hate to see it because this is something that in the show can't be helped. The Joker and Teo-Face could go try to get help with therapy, Killer Croc can stop stealing, Mr. Freeze is now living in the Artic, but there's nothing they can do for Baby Doll.
I missed the live stream goddammit
Hope to catch you next time!
10:00
ok so some things this review/episode got wrong: 1) the bully tormented Harvey so badly that Harvey couldn't remember beating him up. The bully got a serious hospital injury and was never seen again, which seems like the cause of his shame, not shame in standing up for himself.
2) Big bad harv wasn't evil at first. He was a persona created by Harvey's brain to defend the body. For a person with Harvey's condition, getting defensiveness and evil mixed up can likely be a huge push towards malicious intention.
3) The moment Sarah fainted was the moment that made Big Bad Harv start to question who the good guy is.
What makes you say this?
The cause of Harvey’s personality split was the fact that he thought he had injured the bully after hitting him ONCE (hence that whole exchange between Candace and Thorne “that was some punch!”) - the bully had appendicitus, and was not injured.
No one said Big Bad Harv was evil, only that he is the representation of Harvey’s anger, which was born from his (unnecessary) feelings of guilt. Again, they literally say this in the scene where Thorne reads from Harvey’s file.
Her name is Grace, not Sarah.
Really curious where you got this information, or if it’s perhaps your own take on what you think should’ve happened.
The only issue I have is Batman's reaction to seeing Harley fall is a very dull "Harvey nooo." Which only sticks out so much because of how good everything else is in the episode as well as Kevin usually delivering such a great performance.
not a favorite but i really liked i've got batman in my basement and wish the detective kid had made another appearance and had a cameo in beyond, like a detective agency named after him in the background.
You just read my mind there!
When I first saw this episode I thought it was gonna be the origins of the joker.
Cause it’s an obvious copy of Batman (1989)’s “give me a mirror” seen.
To me the DCAU has the best Two Face adaptation.
To be honest, I find "Big Bad Harv" to be way scarier than Two-Face. The way his face contorts into ghoulish grins and tenses into bestial scowls, to me, is a far more devilish visage than his 'cheap Halloween rubber mask' look.
I think the colors are fine, with the white hair and bluish skin, it's like a photo negative; but I believe his "scarred" side would be better as permanently warped into a grotesque expression.
Mysterious mysteries
6:56 Especially in Gotham.
That's a cool trailer
oh my god I made an ice pun
I have always liked "Almost Got 'I'm"
One thing that has always annoyed me about this episode, is that two faces eye brow on is scared side of his face is never white again in other episodes.
You know its kinda a Shame Rupert Thone never took off outside of the BTAS era of the DCAU let alone pit him againced Falcone and his ilk
Could you maybe do a Video about The Ventriloquist & Scarface?
They’re on the list!
@@SerumLake awesome, can't wait to see it in the near future ☺️👍
My favorite episode was “The Underdwellers”😁🤣 No, but seriously, my favorite episode is actually “Second Chance”.
My favorite is Robin's rekoning.
Part 1? Now that one is a very expressive episode, one where the character models went a little off brand, but was all the better for it, visually (for the most part)
This also tells me that you like Robin :)
I love what it does for Batman and Robin. I love how Batman stops pursuing Tony Zuko after he realizes Dick needs a father figure in his life. It sets up their dynamic in a healthy-er way. Bruce is helping Robin cope.
As much as they do want the Greysons killer to Justice, Bruce doesn't get to consumed with vengeance, (and in part 2) it's really cool to see Batman and Robin have each other's backs. This episode made these the definitive versions of these characters in my mind.
Also, I have a hard time isolating it into 1 episode. Because it's all one story. But I guess part one is a little bit higher.. barely
Not THE BEST for me, but you know what, I can thank this episode, its second part, "It's Never Too Late", and so on (am following the production order, by the way) to be the very episodes that made a turning point on how one views B: TAS from "just a good cartoon" to "memorable gem for years to come".
0:47The episode “Ive Got Batman in my basement” from what i Can gleam from my very limeted veiwing of the footage here, and the thumbnail of a UA-cam video i havvent seen of it, was definetely meant to try to be relatable to kids! Its a very kid-centric episode, to try to relate to a younger audience, wich it was mostly tangeres at, after all! Tell me if my judgement is correct! And kid centrum dossent nesesarily mean kids liked it, just that it was meant to be an episode targeted towards Them!
I really wanted you to mention Joker's favour in your "best episodes", because to me its the best episode for what it does in deconstructing the almost godlike myth of batman and the joker, in the end Charles manages to terrify the joker and make batman laugh, he does what two mythological figures have tried to do for years, and who is he?
"a miserable little nobody", it both shows that even super heroes and villains aren't as untouchable as some claim them to be and also shows the strength and power that can come from anyone.
If that somehow isn't enough to convince people, then its also the first ever appearance of harley quinn.
Funnily enough…
ua-cam.com/video/EIv1-jlGnqk/v-deo.html
@@SerumLake O thanks for that will have to check this one out!, I really like your content and learning all the background details I never knew, hope you enjoy it and keep it up!
My favorites bane. What does that say about me💀💀💀
That you like a well-animated slug-fest, without too many deep complicated feelings! Nothing wrong with that.
I thought I was crazy for that being my favorite episode
Nah, we all have our personal preferences. The world would be really boring if we all liked the same things
Well now, what'd we have here?
Reviewing an episode now, hmm?
Y'know what this means.
It's time to review Pretty Poison.
ONE DAY!
@@SerumLake See, "one day" is a might too vague.
*I flip out my switchblade.*
Ya feel me, boi?
@@alexlemonds2838Pretty Poison is decent. Not great but still quite entertaining, albeit the animation quality is far from the best.
@@The_Phantasm House of Garden is a better episode
@@zemox2534 Definitely.
A favorite? That's a tough choice. Pretty Poison I guess. Can Mask of the Phantasm count?
I think Mask of the Phantasm has an unfair advantage over the episodes, in that it’s 70 minutes long, had a much bigger budget, and they could get away with more things without the TV censors. But, sure, if it’s your favourite then that’s fine 👍
@@SerumLake Mask of the Phantasm it is then
If you had to choose one episode to share with someone what would it be?
Depends what I wanted to achieve. If it was to highlight the artistry, I’d go with On Leather Wings. If I wanted to highlight the writing, probably Heart of Ice. I’d love to get them to watch Two-Face or Feat of Clay, but the problem is that one episode is better than the other in both of those cases.
If it were me in terms of how Batman has to adapt to the increasing stakes and outlandishness of the world around him (and also to satisfy my kinks for overpowered magic, tech, magitek, and so on), there's "Time Out of Joint". Bonus if one pairs it with The Batman 2004's "Seconds".