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The World's Finest Presents

Episode #21 - Mad Love
Original Airdate - January 16th, 1999 - Series Finale

Harley recounts how she became involved with the Joker, and is determined to prove that she is still useful by trapping Batman.

Media by James Harvey
Review by Robin III
Credits
Story by Paul Dini, Bruce Timm
Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Butch Lukic
Music by Shirley Walker
Animation by Koko/Dong Yang

Voices
Kevin Conroy as Batman/Bruce Wayne
Mark Hamill as The Joker
Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn
Bob Hastings as Commissioner Gordon
Suzanne Stone as Dr. Joan Leland
Screen Grabs





































Pans





Quotes
JOKER: Well, Batsy, it's been a hoot, as always. May the floss be with you!
--
HARLEY: Oh, come on, Puddin'! Son't you wanna rev up your Harley? Vroom vroom!
--
JOKER: Batman was right! That setup today was corny! Old hat! It's time I capped off our feud with his ultimate humiliation! Followed by his deliciously delirious death.
HARLEY: Why don't ya just shoot him?
JOKER: Just shoot him? Know this, my sweet. The death of Batman must be nothing less than a masterpiece! The triumph of my sheer comic genius over his ridiculous mask and gadgets!
--
HARLEY: Face it, Harl, this stinks! You're a certified nutso wanted in 12 states and hopelessly in love with a psychopathic clown.
--
HARLEY: For what it's worth, I actually enjoyed some of our romps but there comes a time when a gal wants more. And now all this gal wants is to settle down with her lovin' sweetheart.
BATMAN: You and the Joker?
HARLEY: Right-a-roonie!
BATMAN: Heh heh heh heh. . .
HARLEY: I've never seen you laugh before. . .
BATMAN: Ha ha ha ha!
HARLEY: I don't think I like it!
BATMAN: HA HA HA HA!
HARLEY: Cut it out! You're givin' me the creeps!
BATMAN: You little fool. The Joker doesn't love anything except himself. Wake up, Harleen. He had you pegged for hired help the minute you walked into Arkham.
HARLEY: That's not-- no. NO! He told me things, secret things that he never told anyone!
BATMAN: Was it his line about the abusive father? Or the one about the run-away mom. He's gained a lot of sympathy with that one.
HARLEY: Stop it! You're making me confused!
BATMAN: What was it he told that one parole officer. . . Oh yes, "There was only one time I ever saw dad really happy. He took me to the Ice Show when I was seven."
HARLEY: Circus. He said it was the Circus.
BATMAN: He's got a million of them, Harley.
--
HARLEY: My fault. . . I didn't get the joke. . .
--
BATMAN: She almost had me, you know. Arms and legs chained, dizzy from the blood rushing to my head. . . I had no way out other than convincing her to call you. I knew your massive ego would never allow anyone else the honor of killing me. Though I have to admit, she came a lot closer than you ever did. . . Puddin'.
--
HARLEEN: I finally see that slime for what he is: A murderous, manipulative, irredeemable--
SHE LOOKS BESIDE HER BED AND SEES A ROSE WITH A TAG READING "Feel better soon - J"
HARLEY: --Angel!


Review: The Batman Adventures: Mad Love gets the full-animated treatment in this special adaptation and it's easy to say that, yes, this episode does that great one-shot comic justice. Paul Dini and Bruce Timm's masterwork, easily one of their best collaborative works ever, comes to vivid life in this episode and while it's not perfect it's still solid effort.

This episode was a terrific adaptation of the comic book, and even made it better in some places. The best transition to screen was Batman's laugh. It was extremely haunting and exactly how Harley described it.

The script was great, using extreme psychological moments such as the Joker's confession to Harleen in Arkham and Batman's methods of getting Harley to call Joker. It was just extremely well done. Joker's discovery of Batman's capture was hilarious with the quick cut scene of his car racing over the streets literally. If the writers kept in the thoughts of Joker on what the other villains would say, the effect would have been ruined. It was also interesting to see how they managed to incorporate Harley in her neglige and even have her knocked out of the building.

The animation was very nicely done, but some of the memorable splash pages from the comic weren't captured as well such as Batman's capture of Joker, Harley's introduction to Joker, Joker rushing into the room screaming Harley's name and Batman's final blow off to Joker's face which knocked him of the train. This can hardly be accounted against the episode though because the rest of the visuals was fantastic. The voice work was some of the best, especially Harley's 'sensible' voice when acting as Harleen. Joker's ranting was beautiful as ever and Batman's laugh, as said before, was a classic moment. Overall, this has to be one of the gems of the series.


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