RSS Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 "Night of the Ninja" explores a small portion of Bruce Wayne's shrouded youth. Nothing makes sense in "Cat Scratch Fever." Once the rogues appear, "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne" becomes a fun episode. The two-part "Heart of Steel" is remarkable for introducing Barbara Gordon, and for its otherworldly eeriness. And "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" finally introduces The Riddler. [ 1:10:35 || 32.3 MB ] The above is from: http://www.worldsfinestpodcast.com/episodes/wfp_007.mp3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mxyzptlk Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hooray! Just so you guys know, I probably won't respond with a massive rant this time like last time. Judging by the introduction paragraph, I'm sure I agree with you about each of these episodes. Mike, guess what? I totally share you viewpoint on when 'The Simpsons' declined. Awesome. Thanks for mentioning me. Seriously, it's no problem to me whether or not you respond. Totally understand, and I'm so glad you appreciate my posts. 'Night of the Ninja'- Okay. Yep, Robin was definitely on in this episode; he has some pretty hilarious lines. Yeah, I definitely think the episode is average. It seems a bit bland and the animation is pretty weak. I greatly prefer 'Day of the Samurai', which takes the animation and fight scenes up a notch, and does a better job of conveying elements of Batman's character. I definitely noticed that this was another point in Robin's journey toward Nightwing. I think the only other time we see Batman shutting Robin out is in 'Second Chance' (another favorite), so I'm definitely glad that we saw more of it in this episode. 'Cat Scratch Fever'- In my bottom three for sure, and I love that I'm in for a bash-fest. Atrocious voice-acting? Agreed. Melodrama central? Agreed. Animation horrible? Agreed. Hearing your criticisms is like music to me. I just hate this episode so so much. I think that they had Milo be a failure in JLU because all of his appearances in B:TAS were horrible. Yes! You mentioned the horrible 'you're hot' exchange. This may just be my favorite podcast yet. I think the reason the animation is so horrible is that Timm recognized how bad the script was so they shipped to Akom, the worst animation company that ever worked on B:TAS. And yes, this may just be my least favorite as well. 'The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne'- I just have to say right off the bat: a machine that can see people's thoughts could have limitless applications. Can you imagine what the movie industry could do with that? You just have to imagine a fantastic movie, and the thought machine would bring it to life. Imagine how much money could be made! I think the episode is very average. Joker is easily the highlight, but the animation is pretty lackluster and I just don't buy that Robin can imitate Wayne at the end. 'Heart of Steel'- A definite favorite of mine. Awesome that you seem to agree with me. I like it because it's sci-fi and the designs are awesome, and the animation is great. It's a nice diversion from your typical Batman episode. Batman HAS fought robots! You forgot about CAPTAIN CLOWN! But seriously, I also love that we get to see more of Wayne Enterprises, which is pretty absent from the rest of the series. I actually don't really like Melissa Gilbert as Barbara. She's always talking to herself and she always has this gung-ho 'I'm up for adventure' attitude that really gets old. Oh well. About Alfred lines, I love his 'then the entire human race would be completely replaceable. Except for butler of course.' Never thought about a 'The Killing Joke' reference. There are quite a few coincidences that have happened throughout the Timm-verse, one being the 'Legacy' episode of Superman having no connection at all to the 'Son of Darkseid' Superman story that was taking place in the comics. Great catch on the license plate and who Rossum is named for. I remember on the commentary Bruce Timm talks about how Rossum's name was something of an in-joke, but he never explained it, so now I know. 'If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?'- I'm not the biggest fans of the episode. I loved it as a kid, but now, I really think he's not used to his full potential. I mean, he's a man who can trick a guy into handcuffing himself, and yet he has to rely on goons and a freaking maze that really was pretty easy for Batman and Robin to navigate. Not much of a challenge from one of the greatest minds. I've read the first volume of 'Justice', and yes, the Riddler explanation is excellent. I also think that the origin story is a bit, well, redundant. I mean, we've already had Mr. Freeze suffers a tragedy because of a sleazy above-the-law villain whom he later gets revenge on, Two-Face suffers a tragedy because of a sleazy above-the-law villain whom he later gets revenge on, and now this episode is the exact same thing, and I think that storyline had worn out its welcome by this point. Never noticed the maze of cubicles. Nice catch. Score time: I agree with your score for 'Night of the Ninja' for the most part, completely agreed on 'Cat Scratch Fever', I'd probably vote a little lower on 'The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne', surprised that Mike rated an 8 on 'Heart of Steel', and I'd definitely agree on that, and I may go slightly lower on 'If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?' Okay, I'm done. Great job. Can't wait till the next podcast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blane Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Just in time for my night of work. Well done on that . Question....when do you guys think you'll be getting to Mad Love? I love that episode. Oh and if you ever want a third presenter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Question....when do you guys think you'll be getting to Mad Love? I love that episode. Depending on a few factors, "Mad Love" will be covered during episode 33 (give or take an episode). Assuming WFP stays on schedule as a fortnightly podcast, that episode will air 23 July 2008 -- just under one year from today. Why so long you ask? After BTAS (and the BTAS movies) James and I will cover Superman: TAS. After that we'll discuss The New Batman Adventures (aka Gotham Knights), which is comprised of so many excellent episodes, including "Old Wounds," "Over the Edge," "Legends of the Dark Knight" and "Mad Love." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malpractice Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 The Simpsons is the greatest tv show of all time in my opinion so what was said about 1:15-1:30 has already put me in a bad mood. Seriously though Mike you watched all of Spider-Man 3 but you'll walk out on The Simpsons Movie. not cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mxyzptlk Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Dude, they love the seasons of 'The Simpsons' that were actually good (1-8), but seriously, most people with a mind for critical analysis can easily see the horrible flaws that overtake the rest of the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malpractice Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Dude, they love the seasons of 'The Simpsons' that were actually good (1-8), but seriously, most people with a mind for critical analysis can easily see the horrible flaws that overtake the rest of the series. hey i agree that after season 10 the show went downhill and there was a period of a couple of years where i stopped watching altogether (i blame Mike Scully) but i think over the last couple of years with Al Jean running the show again there have been some really excellent episodes like "Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife", "Thank God It's Doomsday", and most recently "The Haw-Hawed Couple" and i have seen the quality of the show progressivley improving over the last few years. But regardless of your feelings on how the show itself is currently being run, The Movie is a completly different entity. It's being directed by David Silverman who is probably one of the best directors working in animation today and directed quite a few standout episodes throughout the series including the very first episode, they have assembled one of the best writing staffs i have ever seen including the best writers from the history of the show, Groeining has been heavily involved in this project since the beginning while he hasn't been involved with the show much at all over the last 10 years, Al Brooks who is probably one of the best guest stars ever has a huge role in the movie, and Hans Zimmer is doing the score. There is a chance it might suck and i am not denying that it might but you should atleast give them the benefit of the doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James D. Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Guys, let's debate the Simpsons and the movie in the Simpsons movie thread. Anyway, thanks for the feedback as always. I can't believe we BOTH forgot Captain Clown!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malpractice Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 'If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?'- I'm not the biggest fans of the episode. I loved it as a kid, but now, I really think he's not used to his full potential. I mean, he's a man who can trick a guy into handcuffing himself, and yet he has to rely on goons and a freaking maze that really was pretty easy for Batman and Robin to navigate. Not much of a challenge from one of the greatest minds. Say what you want about this episode but it definetly has one of the best endings of the entire series and I was suprised that part wasn't mentioned. 'Cat Scratch Fever' i never liked but it's not for the reasons listed by everyone else but just for the simple fact that the whole thing with the animals made me uncomfortable when i was a kid so i have always just disliked that episode for that reason. And although I haven't read Justice (i will eventually though), I have to say that Riddler origin sounded pretty lame. It sounds like any other cliche 'villian origin' that's been constantly used in comics (and other media) over the last 10 years in a feeble attempt to make their characters appear more "dark and disturbing" or more "realistic" when in actuality it just comes off as needlessly over-expalining which in turn destroys the aura of mystery that make many of these characters intresting in the first place. Why can't a dude just be crazy anymore ? It's comes from the same school of thought that if a character is raped in a comic it suddenly turns an otherwise normal comic into a serious piece of literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Batman HAS fought robots! You forgot about CAPTAIN CLOWN! I actually don't really like Melissa Gilbert as Barbara. She's always talking to herself and she always has this gung-ho 'I'm up for adventure' attitude that really gets old. Oh well. That's pretty much who Babs is, though. She's all about having fun as Batgirl, not avenging a decades-old murder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mxyzptlk Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Yeah, but I think her Sub-Zero and TNBA actresses made it sound a bit less corny, or whatever the word is I'm looking for. Or maybe, and this more relates to 'Shadow of the Bat', the writing on her just isn't very solid; I think her talking to herself and spelling out everything she's going to do is really overdone, and the show should communicate the fun she has more through her visuals: how much energy she has when she moves, her facial expressions, etc. I think that her lines wouldn't have been so bad had they been handled with one of her later actresses, but Gilbert just made them sound a bit flat and always reeking of the exact same attitude. But maybe it's because I got so used to her TNBA actress that hearing Gilbert just doesn't sound right. Like how it was hearing the different actor for Superman in 'Justice League' after being so used to Tim Daly's work in 'Superman: the Animated Series'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James D. Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Am I the only person who thinks that George Newburn did a better job than Daly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mxyzptlk Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Well, I think George Newbern was pretty stale during JL's first season, but pumped it up from season two on to the end of JLU. I think each actor brought a different side of Superman out; Newbern was great with Superman's anger and he played the morally ambiguous Superman of the Cadmus arc very well. Daly played the more idealistic Superman. In the end, I love them both, but I think Daly did a more consistent job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTSmash Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 RE: Wayne Enterprises vs. WayneTech According to Wikipedia, WayneTech is a division of Wayne Enterprises. It's an interesting article, as we don't hear much about the other companies such as Wayne Foods or Wayne Entertainment. Wayne Enterprises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annericelover Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Ok well here's my thoughts on this episode of World's Finest Podcast? Sorry, my opinion is coming so late, but I just recently subscribed to this Podcast and I must say, it make my DVD's watchable yet again(I did at one point watch every DCAU episode, except Batman Beyond in 1 week). Anyway, here it is: Night of the Ninja, I'm not quite sure on this episode. It was never an episode that got me excited. The fun part of the episode is of course Robin showing he can handle his own and of course a look into Bruce's early days before becoming The Dark Knight. The animation at times could have been better, but this is still early in the series history. I'm not too familiar with the comics history, due to personal problems in my life, so any references in any episode veering towards the comic book world I am sure glad you point them out. My score for this episode would have to be a 6 out of 10. Cat Scratch Fever, ughhh. Do I have to review this episode. I applaud you for actually watching this piece of crap, just to give us a review. The animation is terrible, the plot is worthless and the pacing is that of an amateur editor. The only thing this has going for it is Kevin Conroy. I'm not a big Daggett fan, and this episode doesn't make it any easier to like his episodes. Thanks again for taking 22 minutes out your life to review this for us. 1 out of 10(and the 1 is only for Kevin Conroy) The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne, Great episode, definately one of my favs, not too big on Dr. Strange(though I have read his first appearance in the comics in those DC Archives books), but in this episode he is given a great story. It is no secret to anyone who knows me that The Joker is my favorite of all the DC villains, not just Batman's Rogues Gallery, so The Joker has great one liners in this(I still haven't been watching The Batman cartoon series yet, sadly). In my opinion Mark Hamil is side by side the greatest Joker ever, alongside Jack Nicholson. The Penguin on the other hand, I never liked in this series and I think the Producer's and animators noticed this when they revamped the series on the WB. In the later series he is nothing more than a Club owner, who only organizes schemes, never really goes hands on. Two-Face is a character I can't wait to see in the new Batman movie. Until than this is my favorite(sorry Tommy Lee and Billy Dee)version of Two-Face. I do wish the Producer bring out a film that is canon to this series where he returns as The Judge. Now back to the episode, the plot is simple enough to get into it quickly, the pacing is almost too quick at times, which makes it a joy to watch over and over again. The only thing I don't understand and please forgive me for not being into science, but the machine Strange has created can read a person's thoughts, but is it even possible for any machine to take the thought and display them on a TV screen? I don't know, never understood that. Another thing I must say before I put my score is I have always noticed Strange holding the tape up for the three villains to plainly see Bruce's name on it and always thought it was funny they didn't see it, lol Thanks for pointing it out. Now here we go, 8 out of 10 and a lot goes to The Joker and Two-Face being in it. Heart of Steel Parts 1 and 2, well here is another I did enjoy. I am a huge fan of this series and do like more episodes than I hate, but this was one of my favorites for a long time, until the revamped and team up episodes came out later on. The introduction of Barbara Gordon was fun and the animation was good. There is one scene that always made me wonder if it was a moveable type matte painting. The scene where the women tasers Gordon, shows her in a shadowy way, when she tasers him and he falls down her face is positioned one way, her hat falls off with no movement from her face. Thanks for mentioning The Long Halloween too that is a comic I have plans to pick up. It is also rumored to be the inspiration for The Dark Knight and the 3rd film later on, so I wanna read that first. The pacing of the episode lags at time, I guess because it's a 44 minute episode, instead of the normal 22 minutes. I love the 3rd part of this storyline though, with the robot Batman later on. Once again a great episode. 6 out of 10 If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich? OMG, the Riddler in the DCAU is one of my favorite portrayed. Frank Gorshin will always be the best live action Riddler, but here his stories are always told with smarts. I always find myself trying again and again to solve the Riddles by myself(I have ADHD, so I forget always). It's sad that the last time we see the Riddler he is being duped by Tim Drake while Superman is dressed like Batman. I know that he is voiced by John Glover in the later series, but I do believe he is also voiced by John Glover in this series as well. John Gloer has made staple in the comic book world in films and TV. He played in Batman & Robin as the creator of Bane AND Poison Ivy, he plays the voice of the Riddler here and he plays Lionel Luthor in TV's Smallville. Not to mention his hilarious appearance in Gremlins II: The New Batch. Definatrly one of my favorites and I could only wish that is Bruce Timm and Co. decide to go back to this canon series for a film they bring back The Riddler as one of their options. I give this 7 out of 10. If you are reading this I greatly appreciate it and hope to hear from, you. If not, keep giving us those great reviews. 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James D. Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Always nice to find more BTAS Riddler fans. In our next episode (#17), we'll cover "Riddler's Reform", one of my personal favorite episodes. :happy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annericelover Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Always nice to find more BTAS Riddler fans. In our next episode (#17), we'll cover "Riddler's Reform", one of my personal favorite episodes. :happy: I'll be listening, John Glover has such an incredible voice for animation works, I only wish they would have done more episodes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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