Batman: The Animated Series:

Batman: The Animated Series: Perchance to Dream

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Bruce Wayne finds himself in a strange world where his parents are alive and he's never been Batman. Read full recap »

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Stars:: Bob Hastings (Commissioner Jim Gordon); Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (Alfred Pennyworth); Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne / Batman)

Recurring Role:: Adrienne Barbeau (Selina Kyle); Diana Muldaur (Dr. Leslie Thompson)

The title "Perchance to Dream" is not only based off a Shakespeare quote, but a Twilight Zone episode in which a man is afraid of falling asleep for fear of being killed in a reality that seems so utopian-like. This plot is similar to that of the Twilight Zone's. edit »
It is possible to read in a dream, it just requires self-awareness. edit »
There are several events in the dream part of this episode that seem to contradict reality. Notice that the grappling hook and rope that Bruce buys can't possibly be long enough to climb up the bell tower. Also, when "Batman" swings down to the bell tower...where is he swinging from? There's no place nearby higher than the tower. These may all be indicative of the twisted nature of the dream-reality rather than actual errors, however. edit »

This episode is episode 2 on the Batman: The Animated Series Volume 2 DVD. edit »
In his dream as Bruce Wayne starts
looking at the evening paper, these
senseless figures show up on the front
page as follows:

"BAFNET STQPX FQPR THEGV...

HEINQUS GRINE4 VMED T8 RH..."

Then as Bruce takes the first book off
the shelf and looks into it, 2 similar
figures appear as what's on the newspaper's front page but upside down and in smaller print on the bottom left side of the book:

"STQPX" and "GRINE4".

It's possible that what the front page
headline is supposed to read could be:

"BATMAN STOPS FOUR THIEVES FROM
COMMITING A HEINOUS CRIME",
because it's what that "Batman" did as
Bruce and Selina Kyle had observed
earlier out on the street. edit »
This episode was Kevin Conroy's favorite performance of the entire series. edit »
Kevin Conroy read the voice of Batman, Bruce Wayne, Bruce's father, and the evil Batman in real time, alternating between all four characters without having to pause recording. edit »

Bruce climbs up a rope to a roof top to escape the police
Police officer: That guy moves like Batman. edit »
Bruce Wayne: My life is a dream, Alfred. The best dream anyone ever had. edit »
The Mad Hatter: Are you the dreamer or merely part of someone's dream? edit »
Batman (waking up): You...why did you do this?
Mad Hatter: You, of all people, have the gall to ask me that!? You ruined my life! I was willing to give you any life you wanted, just to keep you out of mine! edit »
Evil Batman: You're not well, Mr. Wayne. You need professional help.
Bruce: Liar! You know what's going on. This is a dream, and you're the one responsible.
Evil Batman: A dream? Why do you think that?
Bruce: I suspected it from the start. I knew I was right when I tried to read the newspaper. The print didn't make
sense.
Evil Batman: Yes?
Bruce: That's because reading is the function of the right-side of the brain, while dreams come from the left-side. It's impossible to read something in a dream. edit »

Batman: Yes, the stuff that dreams are made of.

This line is taken from an old Humphrey Bogart movie called The Maltese Falcon. It's a statuette of a falcon made out of gold, rubies, and the like, and many die trying to get their hands on it. "The stuff that dreams are made of" alludes that this falcon, in someone's hands, makes them very rich and able to fulfill their wildest dreams. edit »
The title of this episode was taken from a famous quote from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. edit »