I thought I’d give my opinion on the pilot episode “Seinfeld” (my number two favorite TV show of all time), entitled “The Seinfeld Chronicles.” Initially the show was called “The Seinfeld Chronicles” and had a much different format in store for audiences. The show didn’t really pick up and become a zany bit of sitcom fun until the episode with Keith Hernandez and the excellent spoof of “JFK”; although, “The Subway” is an excellent episode in its own right, as well.
With Batman celebrating his 75th anniversary this year, I thought it’d be a good idea to remember Bruce Timm’s classic animated series about the Dark Knight. No animated series since has gained such acclaim and love from fans of all kinds. Whether you’re a nineties kid, a Batman fan, or an animation buff, there’s no denying “Batman the Animated Series” set the bar high. It was a masterpiece of storytelling, characterization, and mythology, all the while giving Batman a new dimension. It didn’t pander to kids, and often provided mature, complex, and morally gray tales of evil, crime fighting, and Bruce Wayne’s struggle to maintain his humanity under the cape and cowl.
These are our top five favorite episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series,” what are some of your favorites?
There aren’t many comedies that can reduce me to tears like “A Shot in the Dark” does. It’s one of those rare incredible comedies where every element from the story to the characters is so pitch perfect, it’s astounding. Character Clouseau even breaks the fourth wall at one point, destroying the momentum of the final confrontations. But he gets away with it so slyly, because Peter Sellers’ timing, matched with his physical comedy is flawless and genius. Even if you’ve never seen a Pink Panther movie, getting acquainted with Jacques Clouseau is a breeze because Sellers and director Blake Edwards establish him with subtle idiosyncrasies and almost no dialogue.
If anything you have to admire “The Final Terror” for being a slasher survival film that eschews the horny annoying teenagers. In exchange, we have younger adults that also happen to be forest rangers. And yes, they’re horny, too. But you take the good with the bad. Teamed together for some kind of task in the wilderness, they happen to mistakenly trespass in the backyard of a vicious hunter. Said hunter is part Jason Voorhees, and part Yautja sans the science fiction.
Yet another animated iteration of the dark knight, Glenn Murakami’s “Beware the Batman” tries to meet Cartoon Network in America down the middle. It’s an attempt to rework the Batman universe, while opening its world up to potential merchandise opportunities. Hence why much of the Batman universe here is filled with pandering, and characters so obviously built toward becoming action figures, it’s pretty sad. All things considered, the series was pulled very quickly by Cartoon Network, and it’s not difficult to figure out why. “Beware the Batman” is the most lifeless and lethargic of the animated Batman adventures, and we once had “The Batman.”
For Batman fans that prefers their Batman with less substance and much more of the Adam West camp and adventure, “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” is right up your alley. With unique animation and solid voice work from Diedrich Bader, “Brave and the Bold” is mostly fan service, teaming Batman up with some of the most obscure and interesting Batman superheroes, while celebrating the more serial oriented side of the characters. There’s less of Bruce Wayne and his world involved in the series, with Batman mainly playing center to most of the events that occur.
You wouldn’t think a movie about cheerleaders and a rivalry between teams would be any good, but “Bring It On” manages to be lightning in a bottle that has yet to be topped by its terrible sequels. Not that cheerleading isn’t interesting, but “Bring It On” is such an entertaining and funny sports film, it sets the standard for movies about cheerleaders that has yet to be equaled or rivaled in quality. Director Peyton Reed’s film is a mix of comedy, drama, and light commentary on race and class warfare.