Advent Calendar Countdown 2018- December 2nd
Happy Holidays, everyone! I’m usually not very good at getting into the festivities of the season, and I want to try to change that. So, to get into the mood for the season, I’ve decided that for every day of Advent until Christmas (theoretically), I’m gonna do a review of an episode of a TV show or a movie that’s centered around Christmas. Because hey? Why not!
But, umm... My tastes are not everyone else’s, so there might be a few weird ones here. I randomly grabbed some Christmas episodes and stuff off the top of my head, but there’s not really any pattern to this. I’m just going with it. I’ve seen most of what I’m writing about before, but I’ve added a few surprises for myself too. Hope you enjoy!
December 2: Batman The Animated Series, Christmas With the Joker
Christmas With the Joker isn’t even close to being the best Joker episode of Batman. Not even close to being in my Top Five* episodes or movies with him. And trust me, I have some pretty significant feelings about my Batman stuff.
However, it was Mark Hamill’s first appearance as the Clown Prince of Crime, and it’s also a Christmas episode, so screw it, let’s open Advent with this. It’s dumb, but fun, and that’s good enough for me today.
The Joker breaks out of Arkham Asylum on a rocket powered Christmas Tree, and already you know that the next 20 minutes are going to be completely insane. Even before he knows about this, Batman is being a sourpuss about Christmas, because it’s too cheery for his tastes. I feel you there, Dark Knight. Robin’s trying to change that, wanting him to watch It’s A Wonderful Life with him, to get in the holiday spirit. But, you know, Joker stuff starts to happen.
And ultimately, I can’t tell you how much I love the Joker’s final gag. Kidnapping prominent police officers, blowing up a bridge to crash a train as a gag (likely killing hundreds), turning a giant telescope into a giant cannon (somehow?) that destroyed huge chunks of Gotham- and all he really wants is to throw a pie in Batman’s face! That’s his end goal! This episode has lots of tonal problems because it’s only the second one the animated team had made so far, but man, that’s our Joker, 100%. Terrifying, but hilarious, all at the same time.
Already a fourth wall break in his first appearance: “And now, a word from our sponsors!” as the commercials start. The Joker robots that show up are legitimately creepy- the laughing recording from them is great. Also, Joker loses because he trips on a roller skate he forgot about, which has no explanation in the story, and I kind of love that. The episode ends with a "Merry Christmas", but that’s after the first real Mark Hamill Joker Laugh, and it’s musical and terrifying and exactly why he is the one true Joker. That’s pretty great.
That all being said, I’m with “beginning of the episode Bruce”. It’s A Wonderful Life is an annoying, off-putting title. Also, as a film? Not a fan, personally. The old banker is a greedy asshole, sure. But you leave money on the counter by a banker? I used to be a banker. They’re gonna take it dude. Like, pay attention. He’s a greedy old white guy, know your tropes. Batman is right to call bullshit on this movie.
Best Line- “Live, from Gotham City, the show that NOBODY wants to see, but EVERYONE will watch!”
For the second episode of a series that will eventually become truly great, not a bad effort. For a Christmas Special, eh. It works for me.
*= 5 Wild Cards
4 Mad Love
3 Old Wounds
2 Return of the Joker
1 Mask of the Phantasm (clearly) (Everybody, the DCAU is already kind of the best, but Mask of the Phantasm is hands down the best Batman movie ever made. Period.)
But, umm... My tastes are not everyone else’s, so there might be a few weird ones here. I randomly grabbed some Christmas episodes and stuff off the top of my head, but there’s not really any pattern to this. I’m just going with it. I’ve seen most of what I’m writing about before, but I’ve added a few surprises for myself too. Hope you enjoy!
December 2: Batman The Animated Series, Christmas With the Joker
Christmas With the Joker isn’t even close to being the best Joker episode of Batman. Not even close to being in my Top Five* episodes or movies with him. And trust me, I have some pretty significant feelings about my Batman stuff.
However, it was Mark Hamill’s first appearance as the Clown Prince of Crime, and it’s also a Christmas episode, so screw it, let’s open Advent with this. It’s dumb, but fun, and that’s good enough for me today.
The Joker breaks out of Arkham Asylum on a rocket powered Christmas Tree, and already you know that the next 20 minutes are going to be completely insane. Even before he knows about this, Batman is being a sourpuss about Christmas, because it’s too cheery for his tastes. I feel you there, Dark Knight. Robin’s trying to change that, wanting him to watch It’s A Wonderful Life with him, to get in the holiday spirit. But, you know, Joker stuff starts to happen.
And ultimately, I can’t tell you how much I love the Joker’s final gag. Kidnapping prominent police officers, blowing up a bridge to crash a train as a gag (likely killing hundreds), turning a giant telescope into a giant cannon (somehow?) that destroyed huge chunks of Gotham- and all he really wants is to throw a pie in Batman’s face! That’s his end goal! This episode has lots of tonal problems because it’s only the second one the animated team had made so far, but man, that’s our Joker, 100%. Terrifying, but hilarious, all at the same time.
Already a fourth wall break in his first appearance: “And now, a word from our sponsors!” as the commercials start. The Joker robots that show up are legitimately creepy- the laughing recording from them is great. Also, Joker loses because he trips on a roller skate he forgot about, which has no explanation in the story, and I kind of love that. The episode ends with a "Merry Christmas", but that’s after the first real Mark Hamill Joker Laugh, and it’s musical and terrifying and exactly why he is the one true Joker. That’s pretty great.
That all being said, I’m with “beginning of the episode Bruce”. It’s A Wonderful Life is an annoying, off-putting title. Also, as a film? Not a fan, personally. The old banker is a greedy asshole, sure. But you leave money on the counter by a banker? I used to be a banker. They’re gonna take it dude. Like, pay attention. He’s a greedy old white guy, know your tropes. Batman is right to call bullshit on this movie.
Best Line- “Live, from Gotham City, the show that NOBODY wants to see, but EVERYONE will watch!”
For the second episode of a series that will eventually become truly great, not a bad effort. For a Christmas Special, eh. It works for me.
*= 5 Wild Cards
4 Mad Love
3 Old Wounds
2 Return of the Joker
1 Mask of the Phantasm (clearly) (Everybody, the DCAU is already kind of the best, but Mask of the Phantasm is hands down the best Batman movie ever made. Period.)
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