When Batman: The Animated Series finished its run on Fox Kids in 1995, its team moved on to work on Superman: The Animated Series. Two years later, Kids' WB commissioned one more season of Batman, which the team used as an excuse to do some crossovers with Superman. It was re-branded The New Batman Adventures and would pave the way for the greater DCAU.
This final season of Batman is controversial, mainly due to a simplified art style and a shift in tone from detective-noir stories to a more traditional superhero show. That said, the series still had some excellent episodes, and some even come close to matching the best of the original eighty-five.
10 "Beware the Creeper"
IMDb score: 7.8/10
Jack Ryder (Jeff Bennett) goes to the chemical plant where the Joker (Mark Hamill) fell into a vat that turned him into the Clown Prince of Crime. Unfortunately, Joker and his goons crash Ryder's special, expose him to laughing gas and then dump him into the chemicals. Ryder survives but finds himself transformed with superhuman strengths, yellow skin, and a crazy disposition.
This is one of the funniest episodes of Batman. The writing feels like something out of a Looney Tunes or Freakazoid episode, and Bennett's delivery shifts seamlessly between silly and crazy. Ryder also stands out because, despite having similar origins to the Joker, he refuses to become a villain, showing that there is a difference between crazy and evil.
9 "Joker's Millions"
IMDb score: 8.1/10
The Joker is in a tight spot: his lack of funds means that he can't afford his rent or proper equipment for heists, which leads to Harley Quinn (Arleen Sorkin) getting captured. Things turn around when his rival, underworld boss King Barlowe (Allan Rich) dies and leaves his fortune to the Joker. Now rich, Joker spends his money carefree until he is confronted by his greatest foe: The IRS.
This episode adapts the 1952 comic of the same name with very few alterations. It updates a few things, such as including a subplot of Harley getting jealous when she learns Joker replaced her, which adds to the episode's hilarity. The scene with Joker stating his fear of the IRS has become a meme, and the revelation of why Barlowe gave the money to Joker is an effective twist.
8 "Double Talk"
IMDb score: 8.1/10
The Ventriloquist, Arnold Wesker (George Dzundza), has been cured of his criminal alter-ego, Scarface. He gets a job working at Wayne Enterprises and even sends away Scarface's old gang. Yet Scarface refuses to leave Wesker alone, stalking him in both his dreams and the waking world.
This is one of the best villain rehabilitation episodes in the show's run. Wesker really isn't evil, but a victim of his condition, and it's heartbreaking to watch him try to have a normal life while struggling to expel his demons. Batman (Kevin Conroy) acts as a guiding light for Wesker both in and out of costume, which pays off in the climax.
7 "Never Fear"
IMDb score: 8.2/10
The Scarecrow (Jeffrey Combs) has returned with a new formula that removes a person's fear. When Bruce Wayne goes undercover to investigate a seminar held by one of Scarecrow's minions, he is captured and exposed to the formula. Now without fear, Batman takes on a reckless strategy to take Scarecrow down that endangers himself and others.
The Scarecrow steals the show and managed to emerge as probably the best re-design for The New Batman Adventures. He looks like a waking corpse, and Combs' performance is haunting, which truly sells him as the master of fear. The actual plot is pretty good as well, letting audiences see how dangerous Batman would be if he went all out.
6 "Legends of The Dark Knight"
IMDb score: 8.4/10
Three kids named Matt (Ryan O'Donohue), Carrie (Anndi McAfee), and NIck (Jeremy Foley) walk home one night and talk about their interpretations of Batman. Nick thinks that he is more monster than a man, which the others dismiss. As they give their own accounts of Batman, they end up stumbling upon the latest crime spree of the arsonist villain, Firefly (Mark Rolston).
"Legends of The Dark Knight" is an homage to Batman's various portrayals over the years, from the campy designs of Dick Sprang in the 1950s to Frank Miller's dark and gritty The Dark Knight Returns. Both Miller and Sprang were given tapes of the episode and loved the homages to their work. The crew even threw in a few jabs at Joel Schumacher's two Batman films.
5 "Growing Pains"
IMDb score: 8.4/10
Robin (Mathew Valencia) meets a young girl with amnesia, who he calls Annie (Francesca Marie Smith). She is being stalked by a man who claims to be her father and can even sense when he is nearby. The man eventually reveals himself to be Clayface (Ron Perlman) and that Annie is a part of him.
"Growing Pains" is one of the darkest episodes of any DCAU show. It serves as a harsh dose of reality for Robin, who has to come to terms with the fact that not all stories end happily. Annie serves as a sweet, sympathetic character, which makes her inevitable fate all the more tragic.
4 "Judgment Day"
IMDb score: 8.6/10
A new vigilante named the Judge (Malachi Throne) is taking an extreme approach to criminals, His methods are praised by councilman J. Carroll Corcoran (Steven Weber) who gives the Judge police files to aid in his crusade. As the attacks become more brutal, Batman must try and stop the Judge before he takes a life.
This is the last episode of The New Batman Adventures, and it's a strong finale. The Judge and Corcoran both act as strong counters to Batman's style of justice, with Corcoran even pointing out the flaws in the legal system that allow criminals to keep returning to the streets. It gets even better when the identity of the Judge is revealed.
3 "Old Wounds"
IMDb score: 8.8/10
While trying to apprehend two thugs, Robin gets some help from his predecessor, Nightwing (Loren Lester). Robin asks what happened between him and Batman, so Nightwing tells him the story of when he graduated from college. As Dick Grayson was thinking about his future with Barbara Gordon (Tara Strong), he is called to action to stop the Joker, which strains what little patience he has left for his adopted father.
Dick and Bruce had come to blows during The Animated Series, but never to this level. The grievances Dick levels against Bruce are valid, especially for a young man who wants to try and spread his wings. The phrase "things change" is said throughout the episode, usually in negative, but the ending shows that sometimes change can be good.
2 "Over The Edge"
IMDb score: 9.2/10
While pursuing Scarecrow, Batgirl is blindsided and falls to her death. She crashes into the car of Commissioner Gordon, who is devastated to learn she was his daughter. Blaming Batman for this, Gordon learns his identity and goes full force in taking him and the rest of the Bat family down.
"Over The Edge" is one of the most intense episodes in the entire DCAU, beginning with Gordon's attack on Wayne Manor before catching the audience up to speed. This fast-paced never slows down, building up to a tremendous climax that feels like it could be The Dark Knight's final stand. Though the ending does retcon things, it's still an amazing story about the lengths one can take for revenge and makes for a terrific "What if" story.
1 "Mad Love"
IMDb score: 9.4/10
Frustrated that Batman continues to thwart the Joker's plans, Harley decides to use one of Joker's rejected plans to finally do away with The Dark Knight. As she prepares, she thinks back on her first meeting with the Joker, when she was an intern at Arkham Asylum. The Joker played to her weaknesses during interview sessions, resulting in her falling hopelessly in love and joining him in crime.
"Mad Love," is a tragic episode that introduced children to abusive relationships. Everything the Joker says and does to her is meant to keep Harley under his thumb and make her feel worthless without him. Not even getting tossed out of a building can convince Harley to leave Mr. J: she instead blames herself for not getting the joke.