Batman lurks the shadows!
Being Batman isn’t easy, and trying to be a teenager at the same time is even harder. Terry McGinnis is trying to balance his two worlds but finds that maintaining a normal life might be impossible. With Bruce Wayne controlling all of his free time, Terry finds an ally in Max Gibson with whom he shares his secret. As Batman, Terry finds himself battling the continuously dangerous crime of Gotham City…one criminal at a time!
Batman Beyond—Season 2 aired from September 17, 1999 to August 19, 2000 on the WB and is the longest of the three seasons. The series continued to win praise from critics and won Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition and Outstanding Special Class Animated Program with nominations for Outstanding Sound Mixing—Special Class and Outstanding Sound Editing—Special Class.
Terry’s place in the Batman mythos!
Batman Beyond is good, but it isn’t Batman: The Animated Series. The stories for the series almost always come off as “What if Peter Parker were Batman?” and it often feels like a Spider-Man plot shoved in a Batman world. Despite this, the series is quite good and entertaining…it just could be better.
Unlike Batman: The Animated Series which had a longer episode run, the series is hindered by the fact that at twenty-six episodes, this is the longest season. With fewer episodes and more of a soap-opera style storytelling, Batman Beyond could have benefited from a longer syndicated run to develop its supporting cast and characters…an example would be Terry’s mother and brother almost seem like a waste of time in this season since they rarely play any part of the story.
Giant mutant dogs…one of the odder episodes of the series
What Batman Beyond does provide is sharp animation. While Batman: The Animated Series was slick, this show adapted a similar style (less gothic), but cleaned it up and made it even slicker. The composition and framing of shots is great and certain aspects do hold manga style imagery.
This season does sport a spinoff title. In episode 20, a sentient robot named Zeta is introduced. Zeta ended up in his own series called The Zeta Project which ran for two seasons on the WB beginning in January of 2001.
Batman Beyond is a fun series and worth checking out. Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t live up to the other Batman series, but just take it as it is. It is a worthwhile ride in a fun world. It could due from some more crossovers from the present day DC Universe, but it also could have easily been bogged down by tie-ins if had.
Batman Beyond—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“Splicers”
2.1 Splicers Airdate: 09/17/99
Splicing is growing in popularity in Gotham City as its safety is questioned. When Batman is forced to investigate the trend, Dr. Abel Cuvier splices Batman’s genes as Barbara and Sam become the target of gene-spliced assassins.
“Earth Mover”
2.2 Earth Mover Airdate: 09/25/99
Terry’s friend Jackie Wallace feels like she’s being watched and Terry finds a monster made of dirt following her. When Terry and Bruce uncover that Jackie’s guardian Phil was part of a pollution cover-up, Jackie learns that her father’s disappearance could be tied to the attacks.
“Joyride”
2.3 Joyride Airdate: 10/02/99
An experimental jet is captured by the Jokerz after a test flight is abruptly abandoned. As Batman tries to stop the Jokerz, he learns that the experimental jet could be a bigger danger.
“Lost Soul”
2.4 Lost Soul Airdate: 10/09/99
A computer guru named Robert Vance’s death leads to computer malfunctions around the city. When Terry finds the Batman suit infected by Robert Vance and learns that Vance hopes to download himself into a new body.
“Hidden Agenda”
2.5 Hidden Agenda Airdate: 10/16/99
The Jokers are attending school with Terry and causing destruction. When a classmate named Max sets out to use her search program to find the Jokers, Max becomes a target…and Terry is top of the list for possible Jokers.
“Bloodsport”
2.6 Bloodsport Airdate: 10/23/99
Terry finds himself hunted by a killer hunter called the Stalker and finds that the Stalker seems to know his true identity…putting his brother Matt at risk.
“Once Burned”
2.7 Once Burned Airdate: 11/06/99
Melody is back and tells Terry that everyone is looking for her since she was forced to rob a high-stakes poker game called the Derby to protect her family. Terry questions if he can still trust Melody and if Melody is telling him the truth.
“Hooked Up”
2.8 Hooked Up Airdate: 11/13/99
Batman investigates a series of virtual reality addicts when he finds a classmate has become an addict. Terry teams up with Max to investigate the disappearances and finds Spellbinder is back when Max falls prey to him.
“Rats”
2.9 Rats Airdate: 11/20/99
Terry finds himself challenged to keep his life as Batman from interfering with his relationship with Dana. When Dana is kidnapped by an admirer named Patrick who lives in the sewers among his genetic experiments, Dana must find a way to escape.
“Mind Games”
2.10 Mind Games Airdate: 12/04/99
Terry is visited by a girl named Tamara that only he can see. When she is identified as a missing child, Terry learns that Tamara and other children with gifts are being kidnapped by something called the Brain Trust.
“Revenant”
2.11 Revenant Airdate: 12/11/99
A rumor that the ghost of a former student is haunting the school leads Terry to investigate as Batman. When it becomes apparent that something is going on, Terry tries to determine the origin of the ghost…and finds an old enemy.
“Babel”
2.12 Babel Airdate: 01/08/00
Animals are going mad, and people find they can’t communicate with each other. Gotham is under attack from Shriek, and Shriek is demanding Batman be turned over.
“Terry’s Friend Dates a Robot”
2.13 Terry’s Friend Dates a Robot Airdate: 01/15/00
Howard Finds himself tired of being the butt of everyone’s jokes. When Howard goes with Terry to pick up new technology for Bruce, Howard gets an experimental robot called Cynthia to pretend to be his girlfriend…but Cynthia has a jealous streak.
“Eyewitness”
2.14 Eyewitness Airdate: 01/22/00
Commissioner Gordon finds herself forced to bring in Batman when she witnesses him murder a gangster. Terry finds himself on the run and claiming innocents as Gordon decides Batman must be stopped.
“Final Cut”
2.15 Final Cut Airdate: 02/05/00
Curaré is back, and Batman and Max must stop her from assassinating the last of the Society of Assassins or the whole city of Gotham could be in danger from a bomb set to destroy it.
“The Last Resort”
2.16 The Last Resort Airdate: 03/04/00
Dr. David Wheeler has opened up a new facility for troubled kids in Gotham City. When Terry suspects something suspicious about the facility, he finds him sucked into the facility and a program Wheeler calls ISO.
“Armory”
2.17 Armory Airdate: 03/11/00
Terry and Dana’s friend Jared’s father loses his job as a weapons developer. When he is given the opportunity to make a weapon for illegal sales, Jim becomes Armory…leading him into battle with Batman.
“Sneak Peek”
2.18 Sneak Peek Airdate: 03/25/00
A paparazzi broadcaster named Ian Peek seems to get all the stories. When Terry investigates, he discovers Peek has an ability to phase in and out of reality. When Peek discovers Terry’s secret, The Inside Peek might reveal the truth about Terry and Bruce Wayne.
“The Eggbaby”
2.19 The Eggbaby Airdate: 04/01/00
Ma Mayhem is back and Terry is after her as Batman…unfortunately, Terry’s been assigned an eggbaby for Family Studies with Blade Summer.
“Zeta”
2.20 Zeta Airdate: 04/08/00
An experiment named Zeta that can mimic others has escaped its creator. When Zeta kidnaps Max, Batman and Max discover Zeta’s true objectives.
“Plague”
2.21 Plague Airdate: 04/15/00
The Stalker is back and this time is teaming with Batman to find Falseface and Kobra to stop the spread of a deadly virus.
“April Moon”
2.22 April Moon Airdate: 04/22/00
Batman finds himself facing enhanced enemy and discovers Doctor Corso is being blackmailed into adding bionics to their bodies due to his kidnapped girlfriend April Moon. As Batman struggles to battle the gang and free April Moon, Dr. Corso uncovers the truth.
“Sentries of the Last Cosmos”
2.23 Sentries of the Last Cosmos Airdate: 05/06/00
Sentries of the Last Cosmos is one of the most popular games on the market. When Terry and Max’s friend Corey Cavalieri is contacted by the game’s creator Simon Harper, Batman questions if recent “real” Sentry attacks could be related.
“Payback”
2.24 Payback Airdate: 05/13/00
A villain named Payback is hitting Gotham. Terry and Bruce find ties to the Gotham Youth Counseling Center, and Terry goes undercover to investigate.
“Where’s Terry”
2.25 Where’s Terry? Airdate: 05/27/00
Terry has disappeared and Bruce, Max, his family, and his friends are searching for him. Terry finds himself lost in the subway with a runaway named Dak after pursuing Shriek.
“Ace in the Hole”
2.26 Ace in the Hole Airdate: 08/19/00
Terry loses Ace when Ace goes after a man with a stolen gun. Batman and Bruce realize that the man was an illegal dog fighter and that Ace has a past he remembers.
[easyazon-block align=”center” asin=”B000GYI336″ locale=”us”]
Related Links:
Batman Beyond—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Batman Beyond—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
