"I Am the Night" Rewatch: "Sideshow" & "A Bullet for Bullock"

Batman: The Animated Series

It's time for season two! We are going to dive right in since I have been majorly slacking here. A teeny bit of background. Fox ordered 20 additional episodes of the show while the initial 65 episode order was still airing. These next 20 episodes comprise the second season that began airing back in May 1994.

Billy the Seal Boy: "Why Croc? Why'd you turn on us like that? We could've helped you. We could've done something." 

Killer Croc: "You said you could be yourself out here, remember? I guess that's what I was doing. Being myself."

Killer Croc is leaving Arkham Asylum after being declared sane and culpable for his crimes. So if it's off to jail. While in transit, Croc escapes confinement and the train carrying him. Lucky, Batman had a feeling something like this would happen and hid away in disguise. After a fight and chase, Croc gets away. He stumbles upon a farm that is owned by a group of former sideshow performers who are trying to make a new life for themselves. Seeing Croc's appearance they assume he is the same. Can Croc turn over a new leaf, or will he tear their new lives down around them?

Seeing double.

This is only the second episode of B: TAS to feature Killer Croc. His debut episode, "Vendetta," was one of my favorites so I was excited for this one. I had vague recollections of it and remember enjoying it, so going in my expectations were pretty high. Perhaps too high. The story is loosely based on a comic story written by the legendary Dennis O'Neil called, "A Vow From the Grave."  There are some great themes and ideas in this episode. I like the idea of one of Batman's rogues going to real prison. There is this idea that all of Batman's enemies are criminally insane so in some way they aren't responsible for their actions. This episode attempts to push back on that from the jump with Croc leaving Arkham to go to a maximum security prison with other normal human inmates. I also love the idea of these circus performers rejecting the only life they thought they deserved and making their own way. It's sad that they have to do that far away from "normal people."

There are some really stellar action sequences in this episode. I love when Batman squares off against a foe that is superhumanly strong. He can really let loose and he does with Croc. Croc is also pretty bad ass, knocking over trees and such. It's pretty awesome. It's a rush and even my adrenaline was pumping while I was watching it. 

As I said earlier, there are some great ideas in this episode, but I'm not sure 22 minutes was the right amount of time to fully explore them. They needed time to breathe and I really think they would have benefited from a two-part episode. I get the impression that the writers (Michael Reeves and Brynne Stephens) want you to think that there is a chance that Croc might give up his evil ways and live the simple life with these performers that accept him no questions asked. (Which is not a great policy. Also, not great, telling the relative stranger where your $50,000 is stashed.) And once Croc knows about the money, the jig is up. You never once believe that he is not going to rob them blind or worse. They really come across as naive buffoons. Also, are we expect to hear that they've never heard of Batman? I'm not buying it. 

So, while the idea of nature vs nurture, can bad guys change, do they want to change, are all valid questions, this episode doesn't fully satisfy or offer any real compelling answers.

Grade: B-

Det. Harvey Bullock: "Let's get something straight from the git-go, I think you're a freak and a menace, and those are your good points, but the Commish says you serve a purpose, so I go along.

Batman: "I appreciate your honesty."

Someone has it out for Harvey Bullock. After he is almost mowed down by a car on the sidewalk, he calls in the last person you'd expect: Batman. The two team-up to try to figure out who has it in for Harv and. unsurprisingly the list is pretty long. Can this unlikely duo get to the bottom of things before Harvey ends up six feet under?

Freeze dirtbag.

This is another episode that is adapted from a Batman comic. It's taken from the story of the same name in Detective Comics #651 written by Chuck Dixon. From the beginning of the series, Bullock and Batman have had an antagonistic relationship. Bullock clearly doesn't see Batman as a help and lets him know it every step of the way, even in this one as he is asking for help. It's a grudging sign of respect that Bullock would even come to the Caped Crusader in the first place and their odd couple dynamic is what makes this episode so, so, so enjoyable right from the start.

Batman and Bullock are so similar, that it's no wonder they don't get along and that no one wants to admit it. I'm pretty shocked that it took this long for the writers to do a story that featured them partnering up before now. It's rife with possibilities and writer, Michael Reaves, exploits each one to great effect. I love that they don't use this situation as a way to try to soften Bullock up or make him best buddies with Batman. You get the impression that once this over, Bullock will continue to view Batman as an unhelpful menace and won't change his behavior towards others one iota. 

There was also a lot of explicit drug talk in this episode. Like, a surprisingly large amount. There was talk of crack dens and rock crystal and I was legit taken aback. I don't remember any mention of crack houses when I watched "X-Men: The Animated Series." This is just another example of the show refusing to talk down to it's audience. 

The final reveal that the person actually trying to murder Bullock is not Vinny the Shark, but his landlord Nevins is the icing on an already delicious cake. Bullock is such a sloppy, terrible tenant that he is driving property values down and it has driven a seemingly regular Joe to attempted murder. And the fact that Bullock basically shrugs it off is just a wonderful way to end the episode.

Grade: A-

Next up, Batman's Rogues put him on trial and Ra's al Ghul returns.

What did you guys think? More Batman and Bullock? Was the Croc episode better than I think? Let me know in the comments.