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Batman: The Animated Series Season 1 Episode 7

Joker's Favor

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8.9

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/11/92

A man named Charlie Collins is coerced into playing a role in the Joker's plot to kill Commissioner Gordon.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

Fun Fun Fun

9.0

By SFBarbear, Nov 05, 2012

A bit of road rage turns ugly when a man flips off the escaping Joker. IN exchange fir is life and family he agrees to do anything for the Joker. The joker decides he is to help Kill commissioner Gordon.

Enter Bats to save the day.

This is the first time we get to see the TAS Joker and what an amazing character they created with the talents of Mark Hamill!moreless
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Shows average americans,while chaos is amock, never flick off those people who you piss off....

9.5

By FamilyGuyFan507, Feb 02, 2008

A beautiful episode from the creators of B:TAS really shows any fans of the series why the watch this beautiful animated cartoon.

Anywho, this episode starts out with the Main Character, an average man who seems to be having the worst day of his life. Well on the interstate he gets cut off, and decides to drive up alongside a different car and scream at it in anger, unknowing it was the car of the Joker. Who decides to follow the average citizen around. The character is repetitively followed until his car breaks down and Joker is on the edge of killing him, when the man tells the Joker he has a family. Out of a bit of emotion, Joker spairs his life for a dear favor, he takes his wallet, and says see you soon. 2 Long years jump forward, the main character has changed his name and Joker knows of it. A big ball is going down for Comissioner Gordon and Joker wants to crash it. So, he decides to use the favor. But the episodes main character gives a quick help signal to the Bat, who saves the party and ends Joker's bash.

Overall, this is one of the best episodes i Have seen. Mark Hamill's job as the joker is superb and I really do like the comic relief from the Joker, he plays a funny scary guy at the same time which is what is needed. The Bat, drops in for some good action and saves the day by a bare. Overall, this is a good episode that you, if a fan of the series should see.moreless
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An ordinary man runs afoul of the Joker, and, in exchange for his life, he agrees to help the Joker kill Commissioner Gordon.

9.2

By Sorfty, Feb 22, 2007

So, this is the Joker's fourth appearance in the Batman Animated Series. He showed that he was a deadly enemy in the excellent 'Christmas with the Joker', but came across as a one-liner spouting, bumbling fool in the abysmal 'The Last Laugh', and a pretty eerie portrayel in 'Be a Clown'. This episode truly defines him as Batman's arch-nemesis.

There are many villains in the series who have sympathetic backstories, like Two-Face, Man-Bat, Mad Hatter, Clayface and especially Mr. Freeze. The Joker, unlike these characters, has no redeeming qualities, has no real reason for doing his terrible deeds, and does them out of sheer insanity, and is incredibly evil, which makes him undoubtebly Batman's biggest antagonist. He stalks a normal man for two years of his life, merely because he insulted him on the road, then tries to kill the Commissioner for no apparent reason. Now that he is accompanied by his female assistant, Harley Quinn(who makes a very promising debut in this episode), he is definately the most intriguing villain, whose mind is a complete mystery, and he seems both amusing and creepy at the same time, in a very good way.

This is a very funny episode, and yet a very disturbing episode at the same time. You feel the terror that the wretched Charlie Collins must feel and find amusement in Harley Quinn and the Joker's antics. The final scene is as amusing as the first scene is scary, and this episode is definately worth watching, and a classic Joker story. 5/5.moreless
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The Joker appears for the first time in The DCAU. In this episode the clown prince gets a poor soul to do a favor for him that will result in Gordon's death.moreless

10

By batman12, Jan 15, 2007

The Joker appears. What an episode this was. Harley Quinn another favorite villain appears in this episode and leaves an impact on us forever. The voice talents were great Mark Hamill will always be the Joker. His laugh everything! Arleen Sorxins also delivers as Harley Quinn and no one could ever have done it except her. A very great episode one of the series best that introduces us to a very important character in the batman world. Over all great episode. I give it a ten out of ten!!! !! :) Great job once again Paul Dini. You r Da Man!moreless
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The First Great Joker Episode

9.3

By Darknight57, Apr 20, 2006

Prior to this point in the series , there had yet to be a great memorable Joker episode, we had a few good ones \"Christmas With The Joker\" a few below average ones \"Be A Clown\", but never an exellent one. Until \"Joker\'s Favor\". It follows an original plot and makes use of an exellent villan, the plot follows Joker threataning a man named Charlie Collins who ows him a favor, for the The Joker not killing him years ago. Once again Mark Hamill gives an exellent performance for The Clown Prince Of Crime. This episode is really the one where The creators figured out The Joker\'s character, which more likely than not has something to do with the Joker\'s girlfriend introduced in this episode Harley Quinn. She like everyone else has an exellent voice over that fits her character perfectly, she would help in making the Joker\'s character more interesting than what we have seen in previous episodes. Another thing to note is that this episode was written by the genious Paul Dini who wrote a lot of the best episodes. Well worth seeing , one of the definitive episodes to see if looking for The Joker, the best Joker apearance of the early episodes. Recomendedmoreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Bob Hastings	Commissioner Jim Gordon
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	Alfred Pennyworth
Kevin Conroy	Bruce Wayne / Batman

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Ed Begley Jr.	Charlie Collins	Guest Star
Robert Costanzo	Detective Harvey Bullock	Recurring Role
Mark Hamill	The Joker	Recurring Role
Arleen Sorkin	Harley Quinn	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- Even though this was the first "Joker Episode" to air on TV; it was actually the fourth episode made with the Joker.
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- How exactly did Charlie know that the bomb was a fake? And furthermore, shouldn't the Joker recognize his own gadgets?
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- When the Joker reads Charlie's driver's license, he reads his full name "Charles Michael Collins". Later, we see that it reads Charles Collins, with no mention of his middle name.
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QUOTES (12)
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- Charlie: Sheesh. Go on, push me aside, bigshot. No reason anyone should move over and make way for Charlie Collins.
  Charlie: (Charlie gets cut-off by a car) Hey! Oh, that's it. No signal, no nothing. Just treat me like I don't exist. Sorry, comrade, not this time.
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- Charlie: Hey, Joker!
  Charlie: (Charlie tosses the bomb to Joker. Joker screams and hides himself behind Batman. It turns out the bomb is a dud. Trembling, the Joker looks out from behind Batman's shoulder) Gotcha!
  Joker: (Batman laughs. The Joker is far from amused) Oh, very funny. A million laughs!
  Batman: (Batman takes Joker away, and Joker goes along without a fuss) Go home, Mr. Collins.
  Charlie: Home. I never thought that could sound so good. I wonder what Bonnie's making for dinner. Right now, anything would taste great. Even meat loaf!
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- Joker: There's your two cents. Now, what are you going to do to me?
  Charlie: Listen, I'm sorry, really. I had a bad day. Boss turned down my raise, and...
  Joker: Now look, my rude friend, we can't have people cursing at each other on the freeway. It's simply not polite! (jumps down and grabs Charlie) I'm just going to have to teach you some manners.
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- Charlie: Hey, buddy! Yeah, I'm talking to you, clown! You think you own the whole road? Why, for two cents, I'd... (drives off upon discovering to have shouted at Joker) That was the Joker. I cussed out the Joker.
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- Joker: (Charlie's got the Joker cornered with one of his own bombs) Now Charlie, calm down, you've had a busy day what with all this running around...(calling out) BATMAN! (to Charlie) Stop, you're crazy!
  Charlie: (laughing) I had a good teacher.
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- The Joker: You miserable little nobody. If I get caught, your wife and son are history.
  Charlie: Your not getting caught. Not this time. I found this blown out of the van. (reveals a bomb) This is how it ends, Joker. No big schemes. No grand fight to the finish with the Dark Knight. Tomorrow all the papers will say is it the great Joker who was found blown to bits in an alley alongside a miserable little nobody?" Kinda funny. Ironic really. See, I can destroy a man's dreams too and that's really the only dream you've got? Isn't it?
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- Harley Quinn: (handcuffed) Beauty School is starting to look pretty good about now.
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- Charlie: Wait! You promised to send me home!
  The Joker: I never said alive.
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- Harley Quinn: Here's to Gotham's Commissioner G. You lock up the weirdoes, the crooks, and the geeks. You're a hero to all the boys in blue. But this time, baby, the joke's on you!
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- The Joker: Okay, Chaz, when Harley knocks on the door three times, you open it.
  Charlie: And?
  The Joker: That's it.
  Charlie: Wait. That's the favor? You called me here just to open a door?
  The Joker: Well look at the of that cake, man! She can't open the door and push it in all at once! Think!!
  Charlie: (to himself) He is nuts!
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- The Joker: Jumpin' Jiminy Christmas. Charlie Collins! It's been forever. How are you man? You look great... lost a little weight. Lost a little hair too.
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- The Joker: Here's the deal. I'll let you off, if you promise to do a little favor for me.
  Charlie: Okay. What?
  The Joker: I DON'T KNOW! I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF IT YET! You just toddle on back to your mundane, meaningless little life, and when I need you... I'll call.
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NOTES (7)
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- Episode Villain(s):
  
  The Joker
  Harley Quinn
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- This is labeled episode 22 on the Batman: The Animated Series Volume 1 DVD.
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- When Charlie exits the freeway, an overhead sign reads, "Greenway Exit". This may be a reference to Batman (1966) whose closing credits began with "A Greenway Production".
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- Also according to Charlie's driver's license, it expired on March 17, 1995.
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- According to Charlie's driver's license, Gotham City is in New York.
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- This episode maked the debut of Joker's henchwoman Harley Quinn. In 1999, Harley would be apart of the Batman Comic continuity in the year long "No Man's Land" story arc and later she would appear in her own monthly series from December 2000-present and later on TV again on the WB series Birds of Prey with Mia Sara as Harley.
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- At one point, one of the Joker's henchmen is seen reading a comic book named after the animated series Tiny Toon Adventures. Paul Dini (who wrote this episode) wrote numerous episodes of that cartoon series.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- A tribute to one of the great comedy teams of all time George Burns and Gracie Allen "Say goodnight Gracie"
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