Sometimes, a TV show is well aware of its fan base and chooses to have a little fun with it.
At times, this isn’t always successful and might even offend some of the audience, like last week’s Supernatural. But sometimes – there’s a tribute that gives love to the show’s biggest fans as well as its biggest detractors.
The Cartoon Network’s Batman: The Brave And The Bold series finale airs Friday night, November 18. Die-hard fans will point out that the episode already aired in other countries, but for us here in the United States, it’s something brand new. What’s the plot? Bat-Mite returns and decides he wants The Brave And The Bold canceled and replaced by a better, “darker” Batman cartoon series. Some of Bat-Mite’s criticisms of the show we’re watching sound like they came from Internet message forums. But how does he intend to ruin things? He brings out everything that brings a show to a screeching halt – the annoying Scrappy-like characters, the random toy tie-ins… and Ted McGinley. How does it all fit in? Well of course, watch and see! The McGinley bit especially impressed me – there’s a Married With Children shout-out that I doubt any of the show’s usual demographic will even get! There are also references to jumping the shark.
I’m one of those people who was very mixed when it came to the series. Sometimes, it seemed so squarely aimed at children and ended up a bit on the silly side. But other episodes – there were strokes of brilliance. Remember the episode that flashed to the future? Or the one with Deadman? How about the “Fall of the Blue Beetle?” There’s been some great stuff on this show.
Best of all, it feels like, with this, Batman: The Brave And The Bold was given a fitting, and impressive, final episode. Some cartoons don’t get that, but this one does. And I liked it.
Look for “Mitefall” Friday, October 18 at 7PM (ET) on the Cartoon Network.
Here are some images from the episode which you may enjoy:
1 Comment
I loved every moment of this show and it will sorely be missed; everything about it was meta and a celebration of everything Batman can be despite the detractors who refuses to enjoy anything other than their own personal view of Batman.
This show…I was freaked out about it before it aired. I thought it would be terrible. But then it aired and I just got it. Comic book fans love everything that’s come before- the mythic element is re-telling and re-purposing different stories and characters.Brave and Bold did just that. They made me care about Crazy Quilt for Alfred’s sake!
In the end,..I just wish they could have had Mon-El on before the end. Seriously, this was my last hope for him getting tooned after LOSH ended. haha. ;)