Batman: The Audio Adventures

I like DC experimenting with the formula a little. Although this was perhaps a little more comedic than I'm used to.

Brent Spiner absolutely sucked as the Joker on Young Justice. Him nailing it here shows that was entirely on that show, and not on Spiner. It didn't help that the design was hideous and all wrong for that specific voice. If you don't know what the Joker actually looks like, the voice works. I like the experienced henchman telling the new flunky the rules of how to act around Joker. I found many of them fascinating.

Jeffrey Wright is a great Batman.

I like that Batman got the upper hand with Two-Face by throwing him off his game by talking up Harvey Dent and saying how stupid Two-Face is. I imagine that's how a lot of versions of Two-Face are played, but I realize we don't actually see a ton of them on-screen because this was really the first time the idea they were two guys sharing a body really struck home for me. I always saw it that Two-Face took over and Harvey was lost. This idea is far more interesting, and also a good weakness for Batman to cannily exploit.

Robin is an actual kid. I like that idea.

Very cool little radio play. I've always liked that format. 4 stars.

Okay, that was fantastic. Just because the script was. And it annoyed me too. Because DC Comics has been making sucky movie after sucky movie. And my response to that is "Why does DC think it's so hard to write a decent Batman script?" And the answer is, it actually isn't. The radio play does it just fine with no fuss and muss. Good movies are not the chore DC is making them out to be. Writing decent scripts may not be easy per se, but finding writers capable of that actually is. It makes me madder and madder just thinking about this.

Hamilton Hill is a card and the antidrug P.S.A. propaganda spot firmly places this in the past due to the language warning for G-rated teenage slang from the 1950's.

I expect Kenan Thompson will get nothing but crap for being cast as Jim Gordon. But admit it. He's miles better than Ben McKenzie. And while that's true (and while Gotham ran five full seasons with that jackass hamming it up and ruining everything) people should keep their mouths shut about Thompson. He's actually fine.

That was great. I'm really looking forward to delving into these on HBO Max when they are released. Oh, and as far as movies go, DC can do practically nothing right. Decent scripts are actually super easy to produce. And this show says they can be done on a shoestring budget which makes the $180 million budget for Suicide Squad seem extra vulgar. 5 stars.

It's amazing how well-written this is.

The stuff with the Penguin, the scared underling and the fake myna bird was riveting. Seriously unhinged stuff. This is some of the best Batman storytelling I have ever read, seen, or heard, and it's done dirt cheap. It's amazing DC can't come up with a great Batman movie so long as the audio folks can think up this.

Batman's stuff with Major Hill was great too. The voice performances of both Jeffrey Wright and Jason Sudeikis were as good as any live-action performance I've seen, and MUCH better than most animated ones. Truly talented cast.

The Riddler stuff at the end was great, but it sort of dated the radio plays in the present with the talk of WiFi. Everything else about the previous episodes suggested they took place during the 1940's. Still, hearing Dr. Arkham berate that fired doctor was SO great because of the stupid mistakes he made including not realizing the Riddler's last riddle before escaping was addressing him until after the fact. The idea that the guy left ANY sort of computer around Edward Nygma WHILE his password was "password" is someone firing is too good for. You ask me he deserves the chair for the crime of deadly stupidity. It was fun hearing him brow-beaten.

I love that the Batcomputer doesn't like Alfred. I kind of don't blame it. This Alfred is kind of a turd.

Not much call for tourism in Gotham I see. That radio brochure is pretty much the best they can promise outsiders. Also, go to Metropolis instead.

This project is knocking my socks off. 5 stars.

Confirmed: As far as Young Justice's Joker being awful and one of the worst animated versions of the character goes? Brent Spiner was NOT the problem. At ALL. He's amazing here. It was down to crappy writing and a terrible design. It steams me that Spiner took the bulk of the blame there when it was entirely on Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti. I'm glad he got another shot here because he's probably the second best voice for the Joker after Mark Hamill. And I say that after only hearing him twice. He's that good.

I like the idea that Batman sort of didn't push his luck with the fake penny. It's interesting that he had to psychologically navigate what Two-Face would accept with what Harvey would believe. Very smart and subtle writing there.

I like that the Riddler won. I especially like Batman saying that the Riddler may be smarter than him on his best day, but he's more violent than him on his worst day. That's an amazing concept that strikes me as something that should be true of ALL Batman / Riddler dynamics, but usually isn't.

Spiner was robbed. He's actually an amazing Joker. 4 1/2 stars.

That was pretty good. I liked the stuff with Batman and Catwoman and the Mayor's answering machine was pretty hilarious. I also thought Riddler owning Penguin was funny and Tuesday made me laugh too.

Solid outing. 4 stars.

That also worked. The stuff with Joker killing that actor on the radio broadcast was pretty great (and also weirdly funny). I also dug the stuff with Batman and Two-Face.

For the record, the Penguin totally sucks. What a jerk.

I love these radio plays. 4 stars.

Whoa! Riddler breached the Bat-Computer! Yikes!

I liked him making fun of the name. It IS kinda dumb.

Catwoman messing with Two-Face was pretty great. Her and Vicki Vale are interesting too.

The story of the bomb squad and Joker was actually horrifying.

Good episode. 4 stars.

Joker's thing with the cartoon tuna and the guy on the phone kind of unnerved me because he's right. Charlie the Tuna should NOT be happy, and maybe he's a secret deviant.

We'll see where Penguin teaming up with Two-Face goes.

Batman owning Riddler at the beginning was the best part of the episode. I enjoyed every inch of that. I didn't actually SEE Eddie squirm. But I pictured it perfectly. Him being mad at the file being thin was perfectly in character. So of course Batman had really swapped it out with Killer Moth.

Tuesday remains awesome. She's probably the most emotional healthy relationship Nygma has ever had. Is it weird I'm starting to ship them?

Blabbo's career downfall is getting outright painful to listen to. I'd almost feel sorry for him but I get the sneaking suspicion he's a loathsome person.

That was pretty awesome. 4 1/2 stars.

The thing with Joker and the stuttering kid was chilling. It also raises the question of whether or not the Joker is Blabbo or merely impersonating him here.

I am with Alfred in being annoyed that Bruce gives himself nightmares. I actually find that a bit obnoxious.

Did not expect King Scimitar to get such a crucial role at this stage of the game. I had thought he was a one-and-done joke character.

Excellent. 4 1/2 stars.

Amazing. The stuff with Batman and Joker at the end was golden. I like the idea that Batman soaked himself in the Ace chemicals to see what would happen, but I don't think it effected him because he was already crazy. You'd have to be to do that.

Harley Quinn coming in season two? Neat!

What was up with the Twin Peaks Dwarf backwards-talking at the end? I couldn't decipher it.

Spectacular finale. Why can't DC give us a movie with writing this good? 5 stars.