Batman: The Animated Series: A Definitive Viewing Order Season Two *REVISED AND EXPANDED*

Batman: The Animated Series: A Definitive Viewing Order Season Two *REVISED AND EXPANDED*

The continuing Batman saga in the style of a modern TV show. Season Two of the Revised and Expanded Edition! Seasons Three and Four coming soon!

Editorial Opinion
By Meadowstone - May 30, 2020 06:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Batman (Animated)
Source: Comic Book Movie

If you missed the previous post, see Season One here!

Episode Key: 

00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
 ^ Definitive Viewing Order (DVO) Total Episode Number
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
     ^ DVO Episode Type (P—Premier, —Standard, B—Block, F—Finale)
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
        ^ DVO Season Number (1, 2, 3, or 4)
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
            ^ DVO Season Episode Number
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
                 ^ Official Production Season Number
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
                        ^ Official Production Episode Number
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
                              ^ DVD Release Volume Number
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
                                   ^ DVD Release Disk Number
00 - 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
                                         ^ Blu-ray Release Season Number
00 S 0 00 P0 000 V0 D0/S0 D0
                                               ^ Blu-ray Release Disk Number
Example(s):
01-P101-P1031—V2D1/S1D3 The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy
    The first episode of the watch order, being the Season Premier/first episode of season one; from production season one, episode thirty-one; can be found on Batman: The Animated Series DVD Volume 2, Disk 1; or on Season One, Disk Three of the Blu-ray set.
28-B212-P1018—V1D3/S1D2 Beware the Gray Ghost
    The twenty-eighth episode of the watch order, being the twelfth episode and part of the the mid-season block of season two; from production season one, episode eighteen; can be found on Batman: The Animated Series DVD Volume 1, Disk 3; or on Season One, Disk Two of the Blu-ray set. 
63-F326-P1060—V3D1/S1D5 The Demon's Quest
    The sixty-third episode of the watch order, being the twenty-sixth episode and the Finale of season three; from production season one, episode sixty; can be found on Batman: The Animated Series DVD Volume 3, Disk 1; or on Season One, Disk Five of the Blu-ray set. 
87--F423-MOVIE: Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero
    The eighty-seventh episode of the watch order, being the twenty-third episode and Finale of season four; BTAS movie separate from DVD release (but not from Batman: The Animated Series Blu-ray release).


**Season One Spoilers Below**

SEASON TWO DESCRIPTION:

After the dismantling of the Stromwell, Sol, Bronsky, and Valestra crime families, the remains of these organizations consolidate under Rupert Thorne, who becomes the de facto head of all organized crime in Gotham City. As Batman makes peace with Gotham City officials, he is shocked to discover the Joker is still alive, having been spared by the Phantasm. In addition, there is a spike in mutagenic bioengineering caused by the research of Dr. Kurt Langstrom and his associates, and a new asylum is completed to house and treat the more dangerous ‘super-criminals’. As Bruce struggles with balancing his dual identities, he faces the possibility of losing forever his closest friends in *both* of his lives…

SEASON TWO EPISODE LIST:

17-P201-P1997—V1D1/S1D1 P.O.V.

18---202-P1005—V1D1/S1D1 Pretty Poison

19---203-P2077—V3D3/S2D2 The Lion and the Unicorn

20---204-P1009—V1D2/S1D1 Be a Clown

21---205-P1010—V1D2/S1D1 Two-Face Part 1

22---206-P1036—V2D2/S1D3 Cat Scratch Fever

23---207-P1040—V2D2/S1D4 “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?”

24---208-P1011—V1D2/S1D1 Two-Face Part 2

25---209-P1042—V2D2/S1D4 Tyger, Tyger

26-B210-P1044—V2D3/S1D4 Day of the Samurai

27-B211-P1024—V1D4/S1D2 Fear of Victory

28-B212-P1018—V1D3/S1D2 Beware the Gray Ghost

29-B213-P1053—V2D4/S1D5 Paging the Crime Doctor

30---214-P1043—V2D3/S1D4 Moon of the Wolf

31---215-P1034—V2D1/S1D3 The Laughing Fish

32---216-P1023—V1D4/S1D2 Vendetta

33---217-P1045—V2D3/S1D4 Terror in the Sky

34---218-P1027—V1D4/S1D3 Mad as a Hatter

35---219-P1029—V2D1/S1D3 Eternal Youth

36---220-P1037—V2D2/S1D3 The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne

37-F221-P1032—V2D1/S1D3 Robin's Reckoning

38-F222-P1033—V2D1/S1D3 Robin’s Reckoning Part 2

END SEASON NOTES—Season Two Theme: ‘Transition’
There are four elements from the final episodes of Season One which set up the majority of Season Two: 1) Harvey Dent/’Two-Face’, 2) Kurt Langstrom’s animal mutagenic research, 3) Harvey Bullock’s antagonism towards Batman, and 4) Dick Grayson/Robin’s relationship with Bruce Wayne/Batman. This season is deliberately structured to contrast Bruce Wayne’s relationships with Harvey Dent and Dick Grayson thematically, culminating in the episode Fear of Victory, with both characters making appearances. The other two elements blend together and conclude toward the end of the season, with the Two-Face/Robin contrast becoming prominent again and finalizing with the Season Two Finale, ‘Robin’s Reckoning’.


MID-SERIES BREAK NOTES—

By the end of Season Two, we know everything we need to know about the main characters. Seasons Three and Four are both heavily codependent on the previous seasons, but Seasons One and Two can largely be enjoyed alone. 

Each season is notable for having mid-season ‘break’ or ‘block’ episodes which refine or refocus the narrative:
Season One: The Cat and the Claw Part 1 and Part 2, Joker’s Favor, It’s Never Too Late
Season Two: Day of the Samurai, Fear of Victory, Beware the Gray Ghost, Paging the Crime Doctor
Season Three: Perchance to Dream, Almost Got ‘Im, Dreams in Darkness, Feat of Clay Parts 1 and 2
Season Four: Showdown, Trial
The mid-season block for Season Two begins closing Season One and refocuses on why Batman does what he does following his failures in the first half of the season. From about the start of Season Two forward, the show gradually takes a more sci-fi oriented focus, reaching its peak in Season Three and plateauing into Season Four.

BTAS: A DEFINITIVE VIEWING ORDER SEASON TWO ANALYSIS AND EPISODE PLACEMENT BREAKDOWN

Additional Notes:
1. All references to ‘firsts’ and ‘seconds’ are of course, in reference to this watch order
2. Included recurring character introductions of all characters that make speaking appearances in more than one episode
3. ‘FLASHFORWARD EPISODE’ markers, designating a possibly significant passage of time from a prior episode due to indications in-episode, production format changes, or arbitrary designation by organizer



**THE INFORMATION BELOW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**

THEME OF SEASON TWO: TRANSITION
(Definition: the process or a period of changing/moving from one state or condition to another.)
--The Number Two: has (2) associations: (1) that of friendliness/cooperation or (2) that of division:
Harvey Dent/Two-Face, Dick Grayson/Robin; the second two-parter episode; two episodes in between each Harvey Dent appearance until mid-season break; season cut into two parts narratively with two interlocking parts each; first few and last few episodes are organized as a twisted mirror reflection of each other, sequentially focusing on largely the same characters; 2 two-parter episodes; 22 episodes in Season Two
--Gotham City crime shifting from mobsters to ‘the Rogues’ with Two-Face exemplifying both
-
-Gradual shift in tone from more grounded/noir stories to science fiction and/or fantasy
--Robin beginning to grow out of Batman’s shadow as an equal and beginning to make decisions of his own
--Batman’s growth and development; is gradually learning to trust his allies and coming to realize that he may be wrong in his belief that *only* he can save Gotham City

Episode-Specific Notes:


17. The first four episodes of Season 2 are all about Batman patching things up with the Gotham City authorities. Following these episodes, he never has problems with them again (although Bullock continues to be a thorn in Batman’s side). In ‘P.O.V.’, Batman saves a bunch of cops and also takes down the primary drug trafficker for Gotham City. The first episode focused on Detective Renee Montoya. At some point between this episode and the next, the Batwing is released from impoundment.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Renee Montoya



18. **FLASHFORWARD EPISODE**
We see more of Bruce Wayne’s personal life and background outside of his secret life as Batman in ‘Pretty Poison’. “There’s nothing we don’t know about each other”, Harvey says about Bruce, which is doubly ironic given the secrets they keep from each other. After saving the lives of three police officers in the last episode, Batman proceeds to save the life of the Gotham City District Attorney. If the Gotham authorities weren’t sure of Batman’s intentions before, they are now.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy



19. Following the patch-up with Gotham authorities, we have ‘The Lion and The Unicorn’, which is essentially about Alfred, and in which Batman and Robin save the United Kingdom and simultaneously close the book on Red Claw. This is a Production Season 2 episode and originally the last new episode broadcasted of Batman: The Animated Series, so why is it here? I placed it here for a number of reasons, not least of which is how Robin behaves at the start of the episode. Really feels more like a seventeen/eighteen-year-old (or younger) and lines up with his behavior in ‘Night of the Ninja’ in Season One. This episode is Red Claw’s only other appearance in the show and given the circumstances around her ‘disappearance’ here, it is unlikely that she survives the end of the episode. Also, this episode’s placement here juxtaposes well against ‘Pretty Poison’, which explored Harvey and Bruce’s relationship. Robin’s appearance here is his third overall, following ‘The Mechanic’, and really showcases the ‘Dynamic’ in ‘Dynamic Duo’. This is easily the finest example yet of the bond/teamwork they share and makes Dick’s frustration more palpable when he’s drugged/poisoned in ‘Fear of Victory’ down the line.


20. “That laugh…” Bruce says, as he walks into Mayor Hamilton Hill’s son’s birthday party and the clown makes his exit. In this viewing order, it comes as a surprise the first time that we see the Joker has cheated death in ‘Be a Clown’ (although he’ll do it again and again). Batman follows the exploits of the previous three episodes by saving the mayor’s only son from corruption and/or death; this is the last time anyone dares speak against Batman until Season Four. At some point after this episode (but before ‘Two-Face, Part 2’), Jeremiah Arkham’s historic mansion in the Sommerset District of Gotham City is retrofitted to house and treat Gotham City’s increasing population of the criminally insane. After having caused trouble for years within the walls of Stonegate Penitentiary (often ending with him being restrained), Joker is deemed a strong candidate for rehabilitation after being re-captured off-screen. A prison transfer is arranged to move Joker to Arkham Asylum, along with Dr. Jonathan Crane, Pamela Isley, and more to come.


21. **FLASHFORWARD EPISODE**
(I admit that ‘Two-Face Part 1’ being designated a flashforward episode is a completely arbitrary decision [like everything else here, arguably]. There’s no real reason based on the script of the episode itself that it should be. However, since this season swings on Harvey Dent, it just makes sense. It also explains his sudden engagement with Grace Lamont. Then again, given how quickly that he proposed to Pamela Isley, maybe he’s just a fast worker […then again…*Pamela Isley*].)

Season Two is about Harvey Dent/Two-Face, and Dick Grayson/Robin; his neglect of his first friend leading to his greatest failure, and how that affects how he approaches Robin in the Season Two Finale. I broke up Harvey Dent’s/Two-Face’s appearances with two episodes in between each until the mid-season break. In this viewing order, ‘Two-Face’ is the second two-parter in the series, keeping in-theme. This breakup works well for *two* reasons: chronologically, there are six months of time between them, as explained in Two-Face Part Two; and the gap between episodes helps with the somewhat jarring change in animation quality between the two parts. This episode is the second and final appearance of the unnamed Gotham City Hospital doctor that helped Arthur Reeves in ‘Mask of the Phantasm’ (presumably transferring to a different city following his encounter with Harvey Dent :).
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Grace Lamont, Assistant Candice, Dr. Nora Crest, Two-Face (cameo)



22. ‘Cat Scratch Fever’ is a pretty bad episode in a lot of ways (although the ending is sweet), but all the same it’s important to see Selina Kyle again as she’s going to pop up just a few episodes later when Bruce Wayne tries to rekindle his relationship with her. This episode also has the first appearances of Dr. Milo, who will show up again in ‘Moon of the Wolf’ (if one cares to watch that episode), and Lucius Fox, who will make appearances from time to time as the face of Wayne Enterprises’ day-to-day operations. Also is the second appearance of corrupt businessman Roland Daggett and the last time we’ll see him until Season Three. He’s definitely up to no good during his absence, though (again—see ‘Feat of Clay’ two-parter in Season Three for reference). Batman seems very somber in this episode, and that makes sense…his thoughts are with Harvey and he sees a chance to help Selina in a way he couldn’t with his friend. This episode also marks the last appearance of Selina’s live-in secretary, Maven. The government’s investigation into the circumstances of Roland Daggett’s plan here is a slow burn but coalesces following the publicity of the events of the Season Three break episode, ‘Feat of Clay’.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Lucius Fox, Dr. Milo



23. **FLASHFORWARD EPISODE**
“If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?” wins for Longest Titled Episode. Of course, it’s the first appearance of The Riddler and a little reminder of Harvey Dent, too: his aide Carlos gets a cameo coming out of the elevator with Nygma during the Competitron flashback. Also shows more interaction between Batman and Robin. Again, a few line deliveries here while Batman is riding around with Robin make him seem more thoughtful and/or somber than usual ("Before your time…"). Riddler successfully escapes, standing out from his supervillain brethren, but will return next season to again match wits with Batman: evidence of both his egomania and his obsessive-compulsive nature.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Edward Nygma/The Riddler



24. In ‘Two-Face Part Two’, we see that Harvey/Two-Face is trying to take down Rupert Thorne for destroying his life. It’s too bad Thorne’s goons manage to destroy the evidence of Thorne’s corruption before it gets into police custody and/or is considered inadmissable, because all things considered, Harvey gets the bad end of the deal and has a legitimate reason for hating Batman for his interference. He is moved to Arkham Asylum for rehabilitation, but Batman’s having put him there—combined with Grace Lamont’s disappearance—causes him to sink further into his new persona. This happens off-screen, which ultimately makes it a shock when Two-Face reappears in ‘The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne’ to bid for Batman’s secret identity.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Two-Face



25. ‘Tyger, Tyger’ marks the return of Selina Kyle and her last appearance this season, as she attempts to rebuild her life without the thrill of being Catwoman. This episode is also the first appearance of the zoo security guard who will show up again after taking bribes from Dr. Milo in ‘Moon of the Wolf’. We also see Kurt Langstrom again ahead of his official sequel episode, ‘Terror in the Sky’. Following this episode, Selina disappears until the mid-season break in Season Three. One can assume—at least partially—that her absence is to recover from her bodily trauma due to the serum.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: John Hamner (the zoo security guard)



26. ‘Day of the Samurai’ placed here marks a bit of a vacation for Bruce Wayne, with some nice Season One closure to his training days and the approval of his old master, Yoru-Sensei, who has guessed his secret identity.


27. We finally get to see Robin in college at Gotham State University in ‘Fear of Victory’, officially explaining his periodic disappearances. When it comes to world-building, this mid-season break episode shows what sports, communications, and college life look like in the world of Batman: The Animated Series (apparently telegrams are still a thing).  This was originally Robin’s first appearance in Broadcast Order, but in this viewing order it’s the fifth. It makes this episode and Robin’s frustration more understandable to both him as a character and the audience, getting some great development in the process. Also, we see Batman attempting (and failing) to encourage Robin, but he’s particularly moody and short with his allies in this episode whether he intends to be or not. On a related/important note, this episode is the first appearance of the infamous Arkham Asylum and the various super-criminals deemed ‘insane’ that have been moved there for treatment—including Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and the Joker (most of which will be released/break out a few episodes later). Last but certainly not least, we see Two-Face again, with Batman literally looking back at his former friend as a reminder of what he’s lost. And on an related note: after being released from Stonegate Penitentiary following her sentence from the events of the Season One episode, ‘Joker’s Favor’, Harley Quinn spends some time working the underground gambling ring with up-and-coming sleazeball bookie Boxcar ‘Boxy’ Bennett. After Leon the Bookie is ‘retired’ following the ‘scare telegram’ debacle, Boxy takes over the operation and Harley becomes his assistant. After discovering Joker survived the events of the Season One Finale, her pining obsession of him leads her to abandon her position and seek him out following his escape from Arkham Asylum prior to the events of ‘The Laughing Fish’.


28. ‘Beware the Gray Ghost’ – a great one-and-done for the series that looks at both Batman’s inspirations and his aspirations, as well. Batman does seem very nostalgic in this episode, as if he is desperate to escape any thoughts of Harvey’s tragedy by clutching such happiness as he can remember. As the Mid-Season Two Break draws to a close, Matt Hagen gets a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it written cameo on the cover of People Magazine at the end of the episode ahead of the Mid-Season Three break episode(s) ‘Feat of Clay’. At some point after this episode, Matt Hagen has his accident, tragically beginning his ruinous ‘business’ partnership with Roland Daggett.


29. ‘Paging the Crime Doctor’ follows up ‘Two-Face Part Two’, where we see that sadly, while Harvey is locked up, Rupert Thorne has gone free after beating the charges levied against him (though in bad health). We also get a little background on him, as well as Leslie Thompkins and Thomas Wayne. Bruce follows up his feelings from the previous episode by asking Matthew Thorne directly about his father, closing the Mid-Season Break.


30. **FLASHFORWARD EPISODE**
 ‘Moon of the Wolf’ is terrible (in several meanings of the word) but if one chooses to watch it, it’s good for one reason: Harvey Bullock. This episode works great as the start of a two-episode final buildup to ‘Vendetta’. Regarding continuity, nearly a third of this episode is flashback over what appears to be a long period of time. Dr. Milo appears to have been clever enough to pull the vicarious liability card on his former employer, Roland Daggett. After the events of ‘Cat Scratch Fever’, as it appears that he was able to set up a new laboratory elsewhere, prompting the events of this episode and his final appearance in the series.



31. ‘The Laughing Fish’ is a great Joker episode to mark an increasingly dark season (and also marks the second, or perhaps third time Joker ‘dies’). Harvey Bullock makes his second appearance in a row, again showing his stuff as a good detective. Following the events of this episode, Harley Quinn is taken to Arkham Asylum for the first time for treatment of her psychotic limerence.

32. We have been building to ‘Vendetta’ for nearly a full season now, ever since ‘Nothing to Fear’ when Harvey Bullock first began to make himself a nuisance to Batman. We also see that Rupert Thorne has recovered from his surgery and is still in charge of the rackets, though momentum is gaining to have him arrested and tried. Following this episode, Killer Croc—whether due to lack of facilities to hold him, his animalistic behavior, or a bit of both—is sent to Arkham Asylum for evaluation.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: ‘Killer Croc’ Morgan



33. ‘The nightmare’s finally over.’ ‘Terror in the Sky’ closes out the string of ‘mad scientist’/monster episodes and with them the lingering plot threads from Season One; all with the touching reconciliation of Kurt and Francine Langstrom.

34. **FLASHFORWARD EPISODE**
Flashforward from wintertime to springtime, and with it the birth of new supervillainy.  ‘Mad as a Hatter’ introduces another mind-warping villain inspired by classic literature: we already have Washington Irving’s Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow, and now introducing Lewis Carroll’s The Mad Hatter/Jervis Tetch. Incidentally, the two of them share other characteristics in common: they’re not typically seen in the periodic Arkham Asylum cameos, unlike The Big Three (Joker, Ivy, and Two-Face)…and although they appear less often than The Three…when they *do* appear in their own episodes, it tends to mark a special moment of some kind in the course of the series. This episode in particular marks the continued shift from science fantasy to science fiction heading into Season Three. Following Jervis Tetch’s psychotic break and his apprehension by Batman, he is taken to the increasingly crowded Arkham Asylum for rehabilitation. There, among similar company, he begins in like fashion to shift blame to Batman for his circumstances, which will spill over into Season Three.
*RECURRING CHARACTER INTROS: Jervis Tetch/The Mad Hatter



35. ‘Eternal Youth’: the last time we saw Poison Ivy was in a cameo in ‘Fear of Victory’ in which we saw she had been moved from Stonegate Penitentiary to Arkham Asylum. Apparently, she was a model patient, because it appears that she was released legitimately. That she was even able to open a resort here makes her the only villain to successfully fool the doctor(s) not just once, but *twice* during the course of the series. Had she broken out of Arkham directly, that would certainly have thrown up some red flags when getting funding—whether she falsified her identity or not. Season Two’s beginning and end are structured in an almost converse fashion, so therefore this is another episode that shows a lot of Alfred Pennyworth. Poison Ivy is presumably apprehended for medical attention off-screen at the end of the episode but will break out again not long into Season Three with some of her contemporaries.  On a related note, this is the first time we hear a character in the show reference Batman’s ‘gallery of rogues’, of which we get to see a good sampling in the very next episode.


36. ‘The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne’ is the first time we see the villains team up for a mutual goal, which will happen periodically going forward. We see that Joker survived the shark attack from ‘The Laughing Fish’, Two-Face has returned to crime after escaping from Arkham Asylum following ‘Fear of Victory’, and Penguin has been released from Stonegate Penitentiary following his lengthy sentence from the events of ‘The Mechanic’. Going by this viewing order, it’s a shock to see any one of the three, let alone *all* of them. We also get a conclusive demonstration of just how well Bruce Wayne has kept his secret identity. Ironically, after being told the truth about his most hated adversary, Two-Face—despite his obsession with duality—is unable to believe it. Robin bookends the episode ahead of the Season Two Finale.

 

37-38. Given that ‘Mask of the Phantasm’ was the Season One Finale about Batman, it makes sense that the Season Two Finale ought to focus on Batman’s No. 2, Robin. In ‘Robin’s Reckoning’ Parts One and Two, we finally get some backstory on Robin, as well as flashbacks from the years prior to the start of the series, featuring former crime boss Arnold Stromwell (last seen dismantling his organization in ‘It’s Never Too Late). Based on the background we received from the Season One Finale and Robin’s line about being in sixth grade (and hence being 11-12 years old), the flashbacks here took place within two to three years of the flashback events of ‘Mask of the Phantasm’, and is also about the time period when Lucius Fox begins working for Wayne Enterprises. Speaking of Season One, this two-parter again really feels like something from that season, with a grounded story focusing on organized crime. At the same time, it’s really looking ahead to the future. Batman still has some issues to work through before he can trust others again, and even *then* he occasionally has relapses (see: ‘Blind as a Bat’, in Season Four), but this is a good start. At episode’s end, he struggles to finally admit out loud his implied love for Dick Grayson/Robin, pushing past his fears.

END SEASON TWO
Escalate into Season Three here!

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