"I Am the Night" Rewatch: "Joker's Favor" and "Vendetta"

Batman: The Animated Series

Today is the perfect day to talk about the most lasting impact that B: TAS has had on the Batman mythos. I'm talking about Dr. Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn. Harley was first introduced in the first episode we are going to be talking about in this post: "Joker's Favor." I don't think that Paul Dini and Bruce Timm had any idea that Harley would become as popular as she has. People around the world idolize Harley and she has gone on a pretty incredible journey. She went from being Joker's girlfriend to leading her own solo series multiple times. Her current series is routinely one of the best selling comics out there, not just for DC but overall. She is also heavily featured in "Suicide Squad" and she has become a tentpole figure in the burgeoning DC Cinematic Universe. That incarnation of Harley, portrayed by Margot Robbie, has proved so popular that four upcoming movies feature her prominently. Well done, Harley.

"It is to laugh, huh, Mistah J?"

Charlie Collins took out his road rage on the wrong person: The Joker. Joker chases Charlie down and things aren't looking good until Charlie promises to do anything for the Clown Prince of Crime. That's enough for Joker. He takes Charlie's driver's license and tells him that he will call in the favor when he needs it. Two years later, the time comes. Joker has busted out of Arkham Asylum with the help of his gal Friday, Harley Quinn. He's incensed that he wasn't asked to be a part of a gala honoring Commissioner Gordon. Joker calls in his favor and Charlie has to figure out a way to avoid being an accomplice in Joker's latest scheme.

Listen up, Chuckles.

This is the perfect Joker episode. I feel like this is really where it clicked for the writers and everything really came together. In previous Joker episodes, the tone was on point, but a rushed climax hindered it or the episode leaned a little too heavily on Hamill's killer vocals. Everything really gelled in this episode. 

The vocal performances in this episode are a masterclass. Hamill nails it, going from menace one minute to lightheartedness the next. I had forgotten how funny this episode is. One of the standout moments is when Joker reveals the favor he needs Charlie to perform is opening a door for Harley so she can wheel in a cake. Charlie is taken a little aback that this is the favor and presses Joker, wanting to know if that's it. Joker's response? "Well, look at the size of that cake, man! She can't open the door and push it in all at once. Think!" What makes the line so funny is Hamill's deliver. His inflection. The incredulousness. It all really works and every note in every deliver is pitch perfect.

Arleen Sorkin debuts her Harley Quinn and it's sheer perfection. She is Harley Quinn from the first words out of her mouth and no one will ever do it better. Ed Begley, Jr is great as Charlie Collins whether he's playing the simpering loser with no back bone or Charlie when he has these flashes of courage. It's difficult to say who does better in the climactic confrontation between Charlie and Joker, but the scene is so great, I watched it twice.

The whole episode is chocked full of these great little bits. There is Harley dealing with a handsy Bullock when she is pushing the aforementioned cake in. The freeze gas. The way that Charlie alerts Batman to the situation once Bruce Wayne has left.

This would be a memorable episode simply for Harley's first appearance, but everyone from the writer (Dini) to the voice actors to the director makes it one of B: TAS very best.

Grade: A

Stay out of the sewers. A Suicide Squader makes his B: TAS debut.

Detective Harvey Bullock is in trouble. Suspects are going missing and Bullock has been implicated. Batman isn't Bullock's biggest fan, but he doesn't believe that the detective is responsible. Batman's investigation initially leads him to Rupert Thorne, when that doesn't pan out, he thinks he's reached a dead end. When something found at one of the crime scenes turns out to be a scale, Batman heads to the sewers where he confronts the real culprit, Killer Croc. It's up to Batman to stop Croc and clear Bullock's name.

Need a breath mint?

This is basically a spotlight episode for Bullock. It's good to finally put some focus on him, but the episode does a lot of telling rather than showing when it comes to Bullock's backstory. There have been a lot of implications when it comes to Bullock's crooked past and that happens here too. There is something tying Bullock to Rupert Thorne, but the episode doesn't elaborate on it, so Bullock's connections to Spider Conway and Joey the Snail is pretty murky. 

The episode works better when it comes to Killer Croc. The design is great. It doesn't go too heavy on the crocodile motif. No long snouts. It's not green. The heavy gray looks great and the scales sort of sticking up adds some nice texture. Croc's yellowing, razor-edged teeth are perfectly terrifying.

There is some great action pieces in the episode. The first meet up between Croc and Batman is exciting. It's nice to see a villain really able to go toe to toe with Batman physically without having to mold weapons out of clay. There is another great car scene to add to the pantheon of B: TAS car scenes. 

The episode doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it gives one of the show's great supporting players a chance to shine and spotlights a great villain. There are worse things.

Grade: B-

What did you guys think? Is "Joker's Favor" the best Joker episode the show produced? Anyone love Killer Crock's debut?

Next time, the Scarecrow returns and lateness is punishable by death.