September 5 marks the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest shows ever – Batman: The Animated Series. BTAS introduced a generation to the world of the Dark Knight. The series marked the beginning of “The Timmverse.” To celebrate this historic occasion, the DKN staff will review our favorite episodes.
Joker’s Favor
Director: Boyd Kirkland
Writer: Paul Dini
Actors: Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (The Joker), Charlie Collins (Ed Begly Jr.), and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn)
When going back to rewatch the older episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, I was surprised by the how the series established the characters’ iconic personalities very early on. The characters do not evolve much over the course of the show’s run due to the writers and showrunners having a strong, clear direction from the get go. Specifically in “Joker’s Favor,” many different sides of the Joker’s character is highlighted throughout a breezy 22-minute episode.
The Joker is One Scary Guy
Average shmuck Charlie Collins driving home from a bad day at work. As Charlie grouses about his life, he cuts off a car on the freeway. Unbeknownst to Charlie, it was the Joker, who proceeds to chase Charlie and intimidate him to the point where he is on his knees begging for mercy. In a seemingly uncharacteristic act of forgiveness, the Joker spares him in return of Charlie having to do him a favor at the Joker’s time and choosing. Flash forward to two years later, Charlie has moved his family out of Gotham City and changed his name. However, one afternoon, he gets a call from the Joker, who has clearly been keeping tabs on Charlie the whole time.
“How did you find me?” Charlie asks the Joker. “Oh I never lost you, Chaz,” Joker answers. “You’ve become my hobby!”
The idea of the Joker going through such great lengths to harass a random nobody is both funny and horrifying. It is mundane, yet terrifying to think that nobody escapes the Joker’s grasp. This unique kind of scheme is exactly what elevates the Joker from being a typical super villain to a frightening boogeyman-esque threat. He does not just plot against Batman, but anybody who has crossed him.
Comedy and Batman
Not to say that “Joker’s Favor” plays like a creepy stalker movie. It is also a tremendously funny. From Harvey Bullock’s tactless behavior at Commissioner Gordon’s testimonial dinner to Shirley Walker’s strange musical cues for Charlie. The funniest scene comes from the Joker’s hilarious reaction when Charlie asks why can’t Harley Quinn move a giant cake into the hall herself.
“Well, look at this size of the cake, man! She can’t open the door and push it in all at once!”
And then there is Harley Quinn. This episode is also hailed in the minds of Bat-fans as the first appearance of the now ultra-popular Harley. Arleen Sorkin’s performance and Harley’s bubbly personality makes her instantly memorable. Her role is not huge in the episode, but it is a treat to see Harley’s humble beginnings and the foundation of what will eventually make her a fan-favorite.
It is shocking that when thinking about the episode, Batman and Kevin Conroy are almost tertiary. That is not a knock on Conroy or the episode’s depiction of Batman. It is still amazing to hear Conroy transition from floppish-sounding Bruce Wayne to his stoic Batman voice. Also, Batman’s reaction to the climax is classic.
It is interesting that according to the show’s production order, this episode is the first seen interaction of Batman and the Joker in the Timm-verse. But you would never think that watching it because Batman and the Joker act as if they have already settled in a comfortable, established relationship. In limited exchanges, Conroy’s Batman implies a long-standing history with the Joker.
Conclusion
With an amazing script, animation, and acting, was there anything really wrong about “Joker’s Favor?” Given that this was one of the first episodes ever produced, it holds up stunningly well, but it is not without flaws. The 90s animation direction is not as tight as more modern day cartoons, so the action is not as dynamic as it should be. Furthermore, Conroy’s Batman voice was still clearly evolving and has not yet settled on the deep baritone quality that is present in later episodes. However, these nitpicks are more reflective of a fresh production team from 25 years ago, so it is hard to fault them for that.
I remember watching “Joker’s Favor” as a kid and thinking how shockingly invasive the Joker’s plans for Charlie were. The Joker was creepy, unpredictable, and genuinely funny at times. But he also can act quite pathetic when the cards are not in his favor. This characterization has stuck with me for 25 years and remains as my personal favorite interpretation of the Joker.
