Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

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Avenger90
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Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Avenger90 »

Hi guys,

Not logged on here for a while. However, with the lockdown continuing here in the UK, I have recently turned to my old friend, the Batman TV series DVD box set, to cheer me up! :D

After not watching for probably a couple of years now, i'm loving it all over again! So i thought i'd get a new topic going. From what i can see, i don't think there has been a best and worst topic recently, but correct me if i'm wrong.

I've been watching a few Joker eps recently and so thought i'd see what are people's favorite and least favorite joker adventure of the whole series and why. I plan to hopefully do similar threads for the other 3 main villains - Riddler, Penguin and Catwoman.

Joker adventures;

- The Joker is Wild/Batman is Riled
-The Joker goes to School/He meets his match, the Grisly Ghoul
-The Joker trumps an Ace/Batman sets the Pace
-The Impractical Joker/The Joker's Provokers
-The Zodiac Crimes/The Joker's Hard Times/The Penguin Declines
-The Joker's Last Laugh/The Joker's Epitaph
-Pop Goes the Joker/Flop goes the Joker
-Surfs up, Joker's under
-The Funny Feline Felonies/The Jokes on Catwoman
-The Joker's Flying Saucer

My favorite
I think it's got to be the first adventure of the clown prince of crime - Joker is Wild/Batman is Riled. This is one of the ones i have watched again recently, and i love it. One thing i find interesting is Cesar's performance - I've always felt he plays the joker quite menacing here, compared to later performances. I don't know what it is, but even the laugh seems quite freaky - when he's playing the ball game in prison at the start, and when he comes out of the statue in the museum. I don't feel like that about the character throughout the rest of the series. Compare it to the Pop goes the Joker episodes from late season 2, where the character seems more comical. I also like the scenery/settings in this pair of episodes (Joker's hideout/the opera), and that noir feel to the episodes, which was a fixture of a lot of the season one episodes, but i think it's especially effective here.

My least favorite
Most people would probably go for a Joker adventure from season three as one of the worst. However, i quite like all of joker's third season adventures (Surfs up i like, his team up with Eartha as Catwoman and, yes, the flying saucer ep too is a fun little story. Some of this though might be to do with the presence of Batgirl, who brightens up any episode for me).
So, my least favorite has got to me The Joker's Last Laugh/The Joker's Epitaph. I don't think it's a bad pair of episodes by any means, I just think it's the joker story i find probably the least entertaining. Other eps such as the key adventure, the maharaja caper and even pop goes the joker/flop goes the joker, all have something that beats this pair to the contender for least favorite. It's not bad, just more forgettable than the rest.

Would be good to hear other peoples thoughts.
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dell
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by dell »

I'll have to ponder which is my favorite, but my least favorite is the Flying Saucer episode. Just stupid.
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greatlakes6
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by greatlakes6 »

dell wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 9:11 am I'll have to ponder which is my favorite, but my least favorite is the Flying Saucer episode. Just stupid.
Agreed.
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High C
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by High C »

It's difficult for me to pick just one of each. I prefer the more sinister Joker of season 1, although I think Cesar Romero always gave a good effort.

I guess the best arc, if we combine script, ambience and performance, was Joker Goes To School from season 1. I like the idea of Joker corrupting youngsters and the fact that he was willing to poison his cheerleader henchmoll with perfume was pretty evil. The maharajah arc is uneven, but it has a great line reading from Cesar about the poison gas when Robin says you can't swim in gas. Joker: 'No, but you can drown!'

For worst, the UFO one is dumb, although Cesar is worth watching. But if suffers from the season 3 problem of where's the profit coming from? Surf''s Up is equally stupid, but it's more amusing, IMO.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

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Ben Bentley
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Ben Bentley »

Not only is Cesar is a pro, through and through; his performances and commitment to delivering 100% despite Season Three's best attempts to vanquish the last breaths of many involved are an even bigger testimony to the magic he brought to the mix.

So if I was to try and order from my favorite to least Joker adventures, it would look something like this... (if you asked me today at least)
  1. Joker Is Wild

    2. Joker Goes To School

    3. Pop Goes The Joker

    4. Joker Trumps an Ace

    5. The Zodiac Crimes

    6. The Joker's Last Laugh

    7. Impractical Joker

    8. Surf's Up

    9. Joker's Flying Saucer

    10. Funny Feline Felonies (Ranking last simply because Cesar is shoehorned in and wildly underused)
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Scott Sebring »

Completely personal fun viewing order preference.
  1. Joker Is Wild
  2. Joker Goes To School
  3. Joker Trumps an Ace
  4. Surf's Up
  5. The Zodiac Crimes
  6. Pop Goes The Joker
  7. The Joker's Last Laugh
  8. Impractical Joker
  9. Joker's Flying Saucer
  10. Funny Feline Felonies (What Ben said)
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Dan E Kool
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Dan E Kool »

High C wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:51 pm I guess the best arc, if we combine script, ambience and performance, was Joker Goes To School from season 1.
Ah, I see you're a man of culture as well. Agreed 100.
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Commodore Schmidlapp
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Commodore Schmidlapp »

Favorite - Zodiac Crimes. Joker strikes a nice balance between his overly menacing demeanor early on, and his overly cartoonish vibe later. His chemistry/competition with Penguin also works. Incidentally, this may be my favorite Penguin appearance also. All his put-downs directed at Robin are great!

Least Favorite - Funny Feline Felonies. I actually really like this arc, but feel the joker character is too wimpy and cowering to Cat woman.
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High C
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by High C »

Commodore Schmidlapp wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:36 am Favorite - Zodiac Crimes. Joker strikes a nice balance between his overly menacing demeanor early on, and his overly cartoonish vibe later. His chemistry/competition with Penguin also works. Incidentally, this may be my favorite Penguin appearance also. All his put-downs directed at Robin are great!

Least Favorite - Funny Feline Felonies. I actually really like this arc, but feel the joker character is too wimpy and cowering to Cat woman.
Exactly. I don't even count those as Joker episodes, tbh. He might as well be wearing a henchman sweatshirt. He's just there to give exposition. Terrible use of Joker.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
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Ricky
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Ricky »

1. The Joker is Wild/Batman is Riled
2. The Zodiac Crimes/The Joker's Hard Times/The Penguin Declines
3. The Joker's Flying Saucer
4. Pop Goes the Joker/Flop goes the Joker
5. Surfs up, Joker's under
6. The Joker goes to School/He meets his match, the Grisly Ghoul
7. The Joker trumps an Ace/Batman sets the Pace
8. The Joker's Last Laugh/The Joker's Epitaph
9. The Funny Feline Felonies/The Jokes on Catwoman
10. The Impractical Joker/The Joker's Provokers

Apart from the third season Catwoman team-up I actually enjoy the season three outings. I know the flying saucer caper is ridiculous but I just can't help not finding the whole thing funny.
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Jimmy L. 66
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Jimmy L. 66 »

My favorite is "Surf's Up, joker's Under. Mostly for nostalgic reasons. As a lad I knew Batman already had the ability to stop a shark attack, so I figured he would win the competition, and Batman's "Well Joker, Should we go put on our baggies?" might be my favorite line of the show. This episode captures the vibe and mood of all 3 seasons, for me. Ridiculous script, Barely there sets, off set by the on location shots and surfing in front of a projection.

Worst is Flying Saucer. Maybe the worst fight scene in the series as well.

For best arc/ story/ acting/ execution I would agree with the esteemed High C that Joker Goes to School is the best all around.

"Egad, I'm deflated!" is my favorite Joker line. It just hits funny.
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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

Best Joker episodes:
1. The Joker is Wild/Batman is Riled
Without question, the best performance by Romero, and the fact that he's sinister--choking Batman during a fight--means that is how the Joker was meant to be portrayed on the series, as opposed to the man-child/idiot he would become less than a year later.
The Joker goes to School/He meets his match, the Grisly Ghoul
Still truly evil and a manipulator who does not care about corrupting teens...or trying to kill one (Suzie). That the story takes place at Dick Grayson's own school gave it that wonderful "secret identity might be compromised" feeling that occurred in many a comic book, because at first, one did not know why the Joker picked that school.
The Joker trumps an Ace/Batman sets the Pace
Not as sinister, but still a calculating villain who still seemed like a legitimate threat to the Dynamic Duo.
Pop Goes the Joker/Flop goes the Joker
This only makes the list thanks to the commentary on the beyond pretentious "avant-garde" art scene.


Worst Joker Episodes:
Surfs up, Joker's under
The absolute worst Joker and arguably, overall episode of the series. Its stuff like this which gave detractors the fuel to write off the entire series, since this was no early mistake, but long into the series' life, yet they put this infantile muck in front of the cameras.
-The Zodiac Crimes/The Joker's Hard Times/The Penguin Declines
Eh. A team up just to have one, lacking what I assume was Dozier's attempt to recapture the novelty of villain get-togethers from the movie yet lacking the movie's scope, or sense of adventure.
-The Impractical Joker/The Joker's Provokers

-The Joker's Last Laugh/The Joker's Epitaph
The Joker did some stuff. Whatever it happened to be, it was at a point where the villain was no longer anyone in Gotham to take seriously.
Beneath Wayne Manor
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dell
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by dell »

I need to add that the Funny Feline Felonies features the two most annoying characters in the entire series, the henchmen Laugher and Giggler. Who thought having two characters laugh at everything they said was a good idea? Every scene they are in where they speak is nearly unwatchable for me.

There are a number of problems with this episode, but Eartha's performance makes up for a lot of the problems.
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Dr. Temporal
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Dr. Temporal »

Mount Rushmore:
1. The Joker is Wild/Batman is Riled
2. The Joker Goes To School/He Meets his Match The Grisly Ghoul
3. Surf’s up! Joker’s Under!
4. Pop Goes The Joker/Flop Goes The Joker

Hard to say on a worst Joker episode given he’s my favorite character, but the weakest episode in my view is The Funny Feline Felonies. The story suffered (like many in season 3) from a lack of time to flesh out the situation, plus SRR didn’t seem to have a flair for writing Joker and he seemed more tacked on.
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Pengy
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Re: Best and Worst Joker Episodes of the Series

Post by Pengy »

Best episode is his first one. It had a lot of Joker like qualities such as him being annoyed he was not in the comedians hall of fame.

Worst is the surf episode of season 3. Even from Joker's crazy stand point it made no sense. How in the hell could he rule Gotham City by becoming king of the surf. Absolutely moronic.
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