Joker's Millions
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| The New Batman Adventures episode | |
|---|---|
| File:JokersMillions.jpg | |
| "Joker's Millions" | |
| Airdate: | February 21st, 1998 |
| Production Number: | 07 |
| Airdate Order: | 07 |
| Animation Services by: | Koko/Dong Yang |
| Written by: | Paul Dini |
| Directed by: | Dan Riba |
| Episode images (2) | |
Joker's Millions is the seventh episode of The New Batman Adventures. It first aired on February 21, 1998.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The Joker and Harley Quinn flee a botched attempt at a robbery, pursued by Batman and Batgirl. Joker's money problems come up constantly during the battle, as they cannot afford ammo or gas for the getaway car, and the Joker can only afford one ejector seat, which he uses to escape from Batman. In the meantime he ditches Harley, who is arrested and taken to Arkham Asylum. The Joker retreats to his low-income apartment and gets a sudden burst of glee when he reads a letter revealing that one of his criminal enemies, Edward "King" Barlowe, has passed away and left his money to Joker.
The first thing Joker does with his money is assemble a team of shady lawyers who are able to erase Joker's criminal records and have him declared sane. Nightwing and Batgirl keep watch on Joker when a "going legit" party is held for him at the Penguin's Iceberg Lounge. To their chagrin, they wind up saving Joker when a disgruntled former bodyguard of Barlowe attempts to kill the clown. Joker continues to enjoy his new wealth. At Arkham, Harley is confident that Joker will eventually set her free, only to be outraged when she learns that Joker is holding auditions for a new "henchgirl". She makes an escape from Arkham, using the laundry chute. The Joker soon hires a new hench-girl, whom he dubs "Fake Harley."
Problems soon arise for the Joker when he learns that he owes the Internal Revenue Service a large inheritance tax. When he opens his vault to gather the necessary cash, he finds that all of his remaining money is counterfeit. He also finds a videotape that Barlowe made shortly before his death. Barlowe says the inheritance was a scam to get Joker into exactly the fix in which he now finds himself. Barlowe laughs at Joker, who blows up the television in anger.
The Joker now finds himself having to choose between reporting the money as counterfeit (thus becoming a laughingstock in the underworld) or returning to crime in order to rebuild his fortune. The Joker chooses to the latter option, but decides to commit normal crimes so that no one would suspect him.
Joker attempts to steal a load of money from the Gotham Mint as it is transported by boat. So that no one will notice his absence, the Joker hires one of his thugs to pose as him in the Iceberg Lounge. But Batman sees through the disguise and interrogates the thug until he reveals Joker's scheme.
Batman, Batgirl and Nightwing are able to successfully capture the Joker, Fake Harley and their goons, even though at one point Joker tries to commit suicide as an alternative to losing his money. In the paddywagon, Joker is ready to laugh off the whole fiasco, but he finds that the police officer supervising him is actually Harley in disguise, and she repays him by beating him with a nightstick.
[edit] Continuity
- Joker's poverty, a result of Batman's success in shutting down his operations, was first referenced in Superman: The Animated Series, "World's Finest," when he comes to Metropolis and offers to kill Superman for Lex Luthor in exchange for a billion dollars. His money problems appear to remain unresolved.
- One of the Joker's thugs suggests he pulls another scam similar to the one he did in the Batman: The Animated Series episode, "The Laughing Fish."
- Bruce Wayne tests the fake Joker by referring to when the Joker pushed him off a building "last month." This event occurred in Part II of "World's Finest," when Joker kidnapped Lois Lane.
- Joker's lawyer reappears in "Over the Edge."
[edit] Background Information
[edit] Production Notes
- When the Joker blows up the TV set, the resulting explosion is reused footage from the scene of the Superman: The Animated Series episode, "World's Finest, Part III" where one Wayne/Lex T-7 blows up another droid.
[edit] Trivia
- The episode is directly based on the comic book story "Joker's Millions," first published in Detective Comics #180 in February 1952. Some changes the episode makes include:
- There are more examples of the Joker's dark humor, including one scene where the Fake Harley irritates Joker to the point that he nearly shoots her, but is stopped by one of his minions;
- Instead of Robin, Batman is accompanied by Batgirl and Nightwing (however, Dick Grayson was both the original Robin and the present Nightwing.
- There are also some similarities with the 1985 film Brewster's Millions, including the mocking videotape message delivered to the main character (Richard Pryor) by his elderly benefactor (Hume Cronyn). "Brewster's Millions" was first published as a novel in 1902, and adapted to film in 1914 and 1921 (though the 1985 version remains the most well-known); it thus may have partially inspired the original comics story.
- This is Penguin's first appearance in The New Batman Adventures; his appearance, which at first was deliberately modeled after that of the character in Batman Returns, is remade to be more normal. It is also the first appearance of his Iceberg Lounge.
- Harley's police officer costume resembles the one she wore during her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, "Joker's Favor."
- The episode contains a musical montage of Joker enjoying his fortune. The music from this montage would be reused in a different montage in Superman: The Animated Series, "Superman's Pal".
- The Fake Harley bares a resemblance to comedienne Fran Drescher, both physically and vocally.
- The male candidate for replacement Harley is based on writer Paul Dini, although his voice more closely resembles the Freakazoid! character Fanboy.
- The scene where Joker uses lawyers to buy his freedom is a satire of the O.J. Simpson murder case. One of the Joker's lawyers resembles Johnnie Cochran, one of Simpson's lawyers. The lawyer's statement, "If a man's filled with glee, that man must go free!" is a clear parody of Cochran's now-famous catchphrase "If the glove does not fit, you must acquit!"
- Ironically, in the comics, being declared insane is the only thing that saves Joker from the death penalty, which his crimes have merited many times over.
[edit] Cast
[edit] Uncredited Appearances
[edit] Quotes
Joker: Quick! More bullets! |
Joker: (over Bud and Lou's barking) Yeah, yeah, you're hungry, I'm hungry. Do me a favor and eat each other. |
Richard Grayson: You sure the Joker's inside? |
Joker: Let the good times roll! |
Poison Ivy: You're pathetic, you know that? |
Joker: I'm crazy enough to take on Batman, but the I.R.S.? No, thank you! |
Batgirl: Don't be stupid! You can't save that money! |
Joker: Anyway, it'll be nice to see the old gang again. |
| Previously produced episode: "Never Fear" | Episodes of The New Batman Adventures | Next produced episode: "Growing Pains" |
| Previously aired episode: "Double Talk" | Next aired episode: "Growing Pains" |
