Batman: The Animated Series

This is one of my top ten favorate episodes which I think is underrated. This is one that is once again sort of in the horror area, it's pritty much Batman doing "Jacob's Ladder" like in that film it was about a vietnam vet that was seeing hallusinations of demons and all sorts of messed up things.



Though I'll admit the only bad thing about the episode is Batman's being admited to the Asylum legally it doesn't make sense, let alone the fact his mask is still on.



In a way this episode gets at issues of post tramatic stress, the blurry line between sanity and insanity, but most of all Bruce/Batman's troubled psyche. You really feel sympahy for Bruce/Batman because like in all suspense thrillers your on the protagonists side and the ones that are supposedly rashional are always wrong. The Doctor I'll admit I really didn't like and that's the point, he always had that calm voice like someone that has taken Zantac or Valium he keeps saying that Batman has gone insane. But we know he's wrong and at time I almost wanted to yell "Batman's not crazy, believe him he's telling the truth." This once again gets at the problimatic perception of sanity and insanity, the doctor's perception is unreliable because he can't see from Batman's viewpoint.



I really loved how the animation in the hallusigenic sequences you really felt the same things Batman was feeling where you weren't sure what was happening was real or not.



One hallusination sequence which I thought was heartwrenching was when we see, Bruce/Batman running for his parients trying to stop them from going into the tunnel. But they go in and suddenly we see it's the mussle of a gun and it then pours out lava/blood and it shoots at Batman. This is something I can almost emphasize with because this vision gets at that common problem where there may have been some part of our lives we wish we could go back to and do somewhat differently, Bruce/Batman I can tell always wishes he could go back to save his parients the fact he can't makes that vision all the more heartwrenching.



There are always good dreams but also bad dreams that lurk inside us, waiting to come out.

The animation and cinematography of this particular episode was far above par for just about anything on television at the time, live-action or animated. The detail that went into the episode, from the writing (references to the Batman film) to the character designs themselves (Scarecrow can\'t compare to his previous versions up to that point) was all superb. My favorite part was when Dr. Bartholomew called Joker, \"Jack Napier.\" (Jack Napier was the Joker\'s real-name in \"Batman\" the 1989 film). This was a perfect episode for the finale of the Volume 1 DVD collection too. I had to go out that very same day and buy Volume 2 just to see how Scarecrow of Volume 2 compared to this episode.

Dreams in Darkness has a great narrative, an interesting plot element, beautiful art, and great writing. What more could you ask for?



Scarecrow is the villian here, and that means hallucinations. The hallucinations in this episode are artistic, dark and perfectlly fit with the series. The narritive elements are also original, and the episode maintains a near consitent quality right through to the last seconds.



The only weak point is, ironically, the Scarecrow himself. While his portrayal in this episode is functional, he still could have been flushed-out more, even with the time constraints.



This is a great episode to introduce someone to the series. The dark, serious, and mature nature of this show are showcased here, all the while keeping the viewers attention until the end.

This was a really nice episode, its not everyday that Batman is locked up in Arkam with the ciminals. What I find most interesting about his episode is the the plot is so similar to the Batman Begin Movie in 2005. In the movie the Scarecrow contaminated the city's water supply that is in Arkam to drive the whole city into fear -- not knowing that Ras Al Ghul had a different plan with the water supply. In this episode the Scarecrow was trying to contaminate the city's water supply in Arkam's resovor but is stoped my Batman

This ep doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Batman starts out in a cell and starts to tell us about a flashback (never mind that he doesn't end in a cell but in his own bed). We find at the beginning that Batman is exposed to a gas that causes him to hallucinate. He doesn't want to be put asleep for two days to heal so he lets the halluncinations get stronger and ends up in Arkham. So the first question is...where is Robin? Batman has hallucinations of him so we know he's around. Secondly, when he gets into Arkham, no one believes him..this is Batman we're talking about here. He has to have at least some apologists there. The doctor at Arkham tells Batman the police will take care of the Scarecrow who has escaped yet when Batman escapes himself later to confront the scarecrow, there is no sign of the police. I guess we can presume the doctor lied to Batman but if the scarecrow had actually escaped than I doubt a sane doctor would throw away Batman's explanation of what the Scarecrow might be doing so easily. So there is a ton in this ep that doesn't fit together all that well. Good plot and storyline. It's a shame it wasn't done better.

I Had Batman induced with fear gas and making horrible visions like his parents' murder, an attack by the rouges gallery, and Scarecrow's henchmen turing into monsters. Its episodes like this that make Batman Great. And Its because of this episode, Scarecrow is my favorite villain next to the Riddler.

Batman is at Arkham Asylum. As he lies in his cell, he remembers how he got there; after investigating what he assumed to be a robbery, he is struck with some hallucinogenic gas created by the Scarecrow, which makes him unable to tell reality from his horrid hallucinations.



This episode actually shows why the Scarecrow is such an effective villain; while most villains create physical obstacles for Batman to overcome, the Scarecrow furthers Batman's mental torment with his fearful methods.



Two of Batman's hallucinations are worth noting:



The first being Batman chasing his parents down an alleyway, unable to reach them. Suddenly, he is confronted by a gigantic gun with BLOOD dripping off it. The symbolism is clear: Batman actually feels he could have saved his parents, and he failed.



The second is where he is confronted by the Joker, Two-Face, Penguin and Ivy, and Robin and Alfred do nothing to help him. That was truly chilling, and I catually think it's a statement about his life: villain after villain after villain without any chance of solace.



Probably Scarecrow's best episode, and a chilling look into Batman's psyche. If you haven't watched any other episodes, this should be your first.