Batman: The Animated Series

10 Best Episodes of Batman: The Animated Series - Season 1

Vowing to avenge the murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne devotes his life to wiping out crime in Gotham City as the masked vigilante "Batman".

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 04, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Batman: The Animated Series - S1E46

#15 - The Laughing Fish (Season 1 - Episode 46)

Fishermen discover that Gotham's fish all have the Joker's colors and signature smile. Batman investigates, and realises that the Joker is hoping to make money off of these new fish by having them trademarked. After two government employees are killed by Joker toxin, Batman examines that specific fish, and sees that it is actually a Japanese one, meaning that the Joker is hiding at the Aquarium. Bullock tracks the Joker down, but is captured and used as live shark bait as part of a trap for Batman. Can Batman save him in time?

The episode was rated 7.96 from 122 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E32

#14 - Beware the Gray Ghost (Season 1 - Episode 32)

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Simon Trent, an actor best known for his past role as "The Gray Ghost", is on the verge of bankruptcy thanks to his declining career. To save himself, he sells off all of his Gray Ghost merchandise. Immediately afterwards, a series of crimes related to the old show begin to occur. Batman, having himself been inspired partly by the show to become the crimefighter he now is, goes to Trent for help, and they team up to put an end to the crimes. In this episode, the voice of Simon Trent is none other than Adam West, the man who played Batman in the 1960's version of Batman

The episode was rated 7.96 from 161 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E3

#13 - Heart of Ice (Season 1 - Episode 3)

Bitter scientist Victor Fries, as Mr. Freeze, attacks several divisions of Gothcorp, each time stealing a piece for a secret weapon he intends to build. Batman investigates the connections, and discovers that the start of Freeze's vendetta against Gothcorp was a bitter falling out between Fries and Gothcorp's CEO, Ferris Boyle, during which Boyle almost killed Fries (mutating him into Freeze) and presumably killed Fries' terminally ill wife, Nora. Batman must find a way to bring Boyle to justice before Freeze carries out his revenge.

The episode was rated 7.98 from 491 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E5

#12 - Feat of Clay (2) (Season 1 - Episode 5)

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Bruce Wayne is released from prison on bail. Hagen, as it turns out, survived the murder attempt on him, but at a high cost: the formula entered his body and soaked every single one of his cells, mutating him into a shape-shifting mutant. With his newfound powers, Hagen, now calling himself Clayface, decides to take his revenge on Daggett and his men. Can Batman bring Daggett to justice and stop Clayface before innocent people are hurt?

The episode was rated 8.00 from 353 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E49

#11 - The Man Who Killed Batman (Season 1 - Episode 49)

When a small time gang member seemingly kills Batman by accident, he gets involved with gangs all over Gotham, as well as the Joker and Rupert Thorne.

The episode was rated 8.02 from 124 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E58

#10 - The Demon's Quest (2) (Season 1 - Episode 58)

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After freeing Talia from her father's clutches and escaping from an avalanche, Batman and Robin follow the only clue they have - the word 'Orpheus'. After discovering that 'Orpheus' is Ra's private satellite that will orbit over the Sahara, the duo travel to the Demon's desert stronghold. There, Batman learns that the satellite is actually a weapon which will explosively destroy all the Lazarus Pits simultaneously, throughout the world, destroying all the life that exists.

The episode was rated 8.06 from 93 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E17

#9 - Two-Face (1) (Season 1 - Episode 17)

Harvey Dent, campaigning for a re-election, vows to rid Gotham of Rupert Thorne's crime and corruption. The tables turn when Thorne gets a hold of Dent's psychological records and discovers his alternate personality: the violent Big Bad Harv. Thorne attempts to blackmail Dent with this, and the following fight in Thorne's chemical plant hideout results in an explosion that scars the left side of Dent's body, despite Batman's attempts to save him.

The episode was rated 8.10 from 220 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E57

#8 - The Demon's Quest (1) (Season 1 - Episode 57)

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When Robin is mysteriously abducted from his college campus, the Batman begins a fruitless search ... until he is astounded by the sudden appearance in the Batcave of Ra's Al Ghul. Ra's quickly reveals that his daughter, Talia, has been abducted under circumstances similar to Robin's, suggesting that the same persons are responsible. So begins an uneasy truce between the Batman and 'The Demon'.

The episode was rated 8.11 from 107 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E18

#7 - Two-Face (2) (Season 1 - Episode 18)

Now calling himself Two-Face, Dent goes on a crime spree throughout Gotham, attacking Rupert Thorne's businesses to draw the gangster out of hiding. Batman must find a way to stop his former friend before he and Thorne kill each other.

The episode was rated 8.13 from 207 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E26

#6 - Perchance to Dream (Season 1 - Episode 26)

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Bruce Wayne wakes up one morning to find that his life is completely upside-down: his parents are alive, the Batcave doesn't exist, Alfred does not remember Robin, and he is engaged to Selina Kyle. However, it doesn't mean that Batman isn't still around, and Bruce starts to wonder what has happened, especially after seeing the characteristics of a dream (such as book and newspaper prints not making sense) inside this new life.

The episode was rated 8.14 from 164 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E51

#5 - Robin's Reckoning (1) (Season 1 - Episode 51)

During a fight with some gangsters at a construction yard, Batman and Robin learn the name of their boss: Billy Marin. While Robin looks forward to going up against Marin, Batman becomes distant, and after a falling out at the Batcave, Batman doesn't allow Robin to accompany him on the search for Marin. Robin investigates on the Batcomputer, and soon realises that Billy Marin is not the boss' real name. Rather, it is an alias of Tony Zucco, the man who killed his parents

The episode was rated 8.19 from 121 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E34

#4 - I Am the Night (Season 1 - Episode 34)

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On the anniversary of the death of Bruce's parents, Batman accompanies Leslie Thompkins to Crime Alley to place roses on the spot where they were gunned down. Meanwhile, Commissioner Gordon is on stakeout to arrest James "The Jazzman" Peake during a drug smuggling ring. Batman had promised to be there, but arrives late to find a gun battle going on. He helps defeat the gangsters and arrest the Jazzman, but at a high costβ€”Gordon is severely wounded. The incident traumatizes Batman, and he decides to give up crime-fighting, despite the Jazzman escaping prison to carry out his personal vendetta against Gordon (who had sent him to prison six years before).

The episode was rated 8.24 from 131 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E53

#3 - Robin's Reckoning (2) (Season 1 - Episode 53)

Robin sets out to find Tony Zucco, all the while plagued by the memories of his parents' death and how Bruce took him in as his own son. Eventually, Batman finds Zucco at an old amusement park, but breaks his leg during the fight. Robin arrives, and prepares to kill Zucco in revenge. He initially scoffs Batman's advice, but realises that justice and revenge are not the same. Zucco is arrested, and Batman makes amends with Robin, stating that he wouldn't let Robin accompany him under the fear of Zucco killing him.

The episode was rated 8.32 from 110 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E47

#2 - Harley and Ivy (Season 1 - Episode 47)

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When the Joker fires Harley, she tries going on a crime spree of her own, joining up with Poison Ivy, and the two become Gotham's Queens of Crime, much to Joker's fury.

The episode was rated 8.32 from 145 votes.

Batman: The Animated Series - S1E35

#1 - Almost Got 'Im (Season 1 - Episode 35)

Joker, Killer Croc, Penguin, Two-Face and Poison Ivy all meet at a poker table, each telling a tale of times when they almost defeated Batman. At the same time, Harley Quinn is about to kill Catwoman. Will Batman be able to save her?

The episode was rated 8.59 from 162 votes.

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