Yup, new format for the second season of Batman: Caped Crusader. This post will cover the first five episodes. Written by Tyrone Finch & Bryce Abood, Geoffrey Thorne, Margaret Dunlap and J.M. DeMatteis. Directed by Christina Sotta, Matt Peters and Christopher Berkerley.
Episode 1: Brute Force
The opening episode debuted the Riddler and it's a much more trigger happy version of the character. In fact, he's kind of being set up as the main antagonist of the season. There's a large emphasis on Rupert Thorne's trial with this show's version of Calendar Man aka Julian Gregory also factoring into proceedings. Anyways, Rupert managed to secure a victory until a fatal encounter with the Joker (Matthew Needham). Oh and we've got a female version of Mad Hatter called Hattie Tetch that's an anti-Batman news reader and hostess of her own show. 7/10
Episode 2: Roxy's Red Glare
Roxy Rocket got her own reinvention for this episode and it's actually more of a sympathetic turn as well. While it initially looked like she was being set up as a villain, it was actually revealed that she was the one trying to stop her corrupt bosses from abusing her inventions. It's a good take on the character. Oh and if taking out Rupert Thorne wasn't enough, the Joker made quick work of Hugo Strange and we barely got to know the latter. 6/10
Episode 3: Deep Cover
This episode had Joker spying in the background but largely, it was focused on Riddler taking over Rupert Thorne's organisation. In this episode, he killed more henchmen to instill loyalty but his attempts to kill Desmond proved to be a bit trickier. I got to be honest, I don't really like this version of the character and the reason for his name here isn't great either. I did like Bruce going undercover as Matches Malone. That bit worked well enough. 6/10
Episode 4: The Devil's Due
I like a good supernatural themed story and this one had a welcomed return for Papa Midnite but the Mad Monk wanting to sacrifice both Jim Gordon and Hattie Tetch just didn't quite work for me. Mad Monk was all ranting and little menace or fun in their interactions with Batman. Hattie's vendetta towards Batman definitely feels like something that needs to be fleshed out but she's a very different type of antagonist for him. It's also another episode with a silent Joker cameo. 5/10
Episode 5: The Spectral Hand
Oh, it's a Christmas episode and the return of Jim Corrigan. Having nearly killed Barbara Gordon, he signed up to an experimental procedure to get a reduced sentence. The procedure seemingly killed him but instead it turned him into the Spectre. I gotta be honest, he felt more like Solomon Grundy at times. Jim spent most of the episode going after past failed arrests and resolving them in a very final way. It appeared he had the same idea for Barbara until it was revealed that he wanted her forgiveness. This was by far the best episode in this season with the gorgeous Christmas setting and Corrigan's story ending on a poignant note. 8/10
Next blog post I'll cover Sudden Fear, Her Dark Reflection, Zero Hour, Dead Before Dawn and The Laughing Death.
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